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By Frederik Paraiso
TUE, FEBRUARY 19 2019-theG&BJournal-Change is coming to rural Western Africa in the shape of increased food security for, rice. Rice has become the second most important food staple after maize in Ghana and its consumption keeps increasing as a result of population growth, urbanization and change in consumer habits. For the past few years, Ghanaians have over the years developed a strong appetite for imported rice due to its availability and distribution reach in the market as well as its highly polished and fragranced nature. This has a left a huge gap in the production of local rice and the domino effect being the loss of jobs directly and directly in the agriculture.
The nation’s value of rice imports has escalated eightfold – from US$152million in 2007 to a peak of US$1.2billion in both 2014 and 2015. In the same period, the volume of rice imports climbed from 441,000 metric tonnes to 630,000 metric tonnes. According to figures from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) at the end of 2016, Ghana’s rice production stood at 687,680 metric tonnes. Therefore, plans to increase production by 49% in 2017 means an addition of 337,500 metric tonnes which will put total production this year to a little over one million (1,025,180) metric tonnes. A focused approach would led to creation of roughly 226,800 direct and indirect employment comprising 32,400 direct jobs, 194,400 indirect jobs.
The important questions was how would our organisation, Intervalle, play a positive role in agriculture in Ghana?
In early December of 2018, the “Ghana Rice Initiative”, an agricultural development project supporting 200 000 rice farmers in Ghana, was announced by the German government. The project was budgeted at 10 million Euros and with a three year life span, with the goal of boosting small-scale rice production through the use of subsidized seeds and technical assistance.
This will help Ghana reach self-sufficiency in rice consumption and put an end to rice imports which currently cost over 1 billion USD per year (including rice smuggling from Cote d’Ivoire). This was the result of a public-private partnership (PPP) and an international cooperation between, amongst others, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the John Kuafor Foundation, and Intervalle.
Swiss-based Intervalle launched similar rice productivity initiatives four years ago in Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire. Those projects’ successes led to neighboring countries taking notice, and several government entities have since expressed interest in replicating the business models and public-private partnership structure for their own farmers.
In 2008, the financial crisis led to sharp increases in food prices and rioting in some African countries as desperate people took to the streets. Over reliance on food imports and insufficient agricultural productivity was putting even politically stable countries at the mercy of price hikes and could lead to mass starvation. The plan was to reduce food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa by focusing on one of the most cultivated crops, rice, and find a way to solve the issue of insufficiently productive farmland.
The first step was to recognize the concepts that had worked and those that failed: planned economy-styled programs had been imposed on farmers who resisted them, large-scale agricultural cooperatives hadn’t obtained enough support from the farmers either, and governments just couldn’t afford the exorbitant cost of price subsidies to incentivize farmers and boost domestic production. So we went back to square one, and instead of trying to impose a top-down approach were we told the farmers what to do through a central planning entity, we favored a bottom-up vision where we took their opinion into consideration in order to increase the likelihood they would adhere to the project.
We involved the key stakeholders such as government officials, local leaders, suppliers, bulk buyers, and of course rice farmers. Every human being is a rational economic actor in the greater context of the market. If rice farmers are unable to put money aside for emergencies and are forced to live hand-to-mouth, it is primarily because of price volatility and the uncertainty of the harvest quantity and quality. A rice farmer’s constant obsession is “How do I feed my children tomorrow?” not “What is the best way to optimize my acreage relative to my production costs over the next 5 years?”. This led us to tailor the design of our business model to answer farmer’s priorities with very short-term benefits instead of long-term promises. At the same time we had to take into account the other stakeholders’ priorities and balance them out.
When we analysed the situation our view was to look at it as ‘lifetime value of the investment’.
Another important element was the ability to provide farmers with fast cash flow cycles to soothe their concerns and lower their financial anxieties. We carried out several trials and simulations before finding the right equilibrium and the next step as to present it to the stakeholders.
The fact this was a Public Private Partnership put additional constraints in terms of procurement and oversight, but at the same time we could benefit from the credibility bestowed by the government’s endorsement of the project and this really helped get people to support us. At the end of the day we found solutions to accommodate all parties and we signed the project into existence.
The project was very successful, and as a result we increased both productivity and the net amount of rice produced on the farms where the project was implemented. I really believe that agriculture in West Africa is sleeping beauty and our lessons in this region can be shared with the rest of the continent in core agriculture driven markets such as Kenya, South Africa and many other countries.
It will take enlightened investors both in Africa especially countries that are not heavily reliant on agriculture and international investors to put aside the commonly-held beliefs on Africa being too backwards to produce anything valuable besides oil and raw minerals, and realize that there is a whole value chain of agricultural produce that is going to emerge, taking advantage of the fertile soils, exceptional climate, low cost of labor and shear market size.


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Last week, we covered the report in Nature Nanotechnology regarding the possible health hazard posed by some forms of carbon nanotubes. This finding comes a year after a call by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to oversee nanotechnology in order to safeguard against possible dangers. Now, the same call is being made, but to the European Union, not the EPA.
Traditionally, the US has been seen as the bastion of consumer safety and protection. Legislation during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s set the world standards for safe toys, appliances, chemicals, and drugs. However, since the 1980s, those consumer protection standards and laws have been steadily eroded by the courts and lawmakers.
One example of this is the issue of chemical safety. In the US, chemical regulations are governed by the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), overseen by the EPA. The EPA is supposed to track and monitor the safety of industrial chemicals in the US and, if necessary, restrict or ban their use. However, the vast majority of chemicals were grandfathered into the law, and a 1989 ban on the use of asbestos was overturned by the judiciary two years later. Since then the EPA has not banned the use of any chemicals under the TSCA, although it has suggested limits on usage and voluntary bans for industry.
By contrast, the EU has enacted a set of laws known as Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) that govern the use of all chemicals in the EU's member nations. Any chemical that is manufactured or imported into the EU in quantities greater than 1,000 kg must be assessed for safety. REACH gives the EU the power to restrict or ban the use of chemicals of concern.
The upshot of REACH is its adoption by the world's multinationals, since none of them will want to abandon the lucrative market that is the EU. And it's this legislation that should specifically encompass nanotechnology too. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Andrew Maynard of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars put forth the case for regulating nanotechnology under REACH. He points out that carbon nanotubes, the focus of last week's news, currently have the same classification as carbon and graphite, and therefore won't require testing if the more common, less exotic macro-forms are classified as exempt, a decision which is set to be made in the next few weeks.
The nanotechnology industry is not opposed to the idea. Steffi Friedrichs, executive director of the Nanotechnology Industries Association, told the WSJ that they are confident that nanotechnology is safe and will pass REACH assessment. Further, she points out that workers and consumers aren't at risk, as workers will be using protective clothing and equipment, and that end-products containing nanotechnology usually have the nanotech materials embedded into a matrix or the like.
The high-profile nature of nanotechnology means that health scares such as last week's are certain to garner headlines that both consumers and legislators will read. Given that, it seems likely that even if the EPA doesn't decide to regulate the compounds, the EU probably will.

domain: news


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Attack on Titan Mobile Game's Title Revealed, New Multiplayer Features Hinted
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
GameSamba announced the title of its planned Attack on Titan mobile game as Attack on Titan: Assault on Tuesday. The company plans to offer the game in "all major English markets" for iOS and Android devices. GameSamba did not announce a release date for the game.
Funimation announced the game in 2016, and had originally planned to release the game by the end of that year.
GameSamba's new description of the game remains largely similar to the original description, but now adds hints of persistent game elements and multiplayer:
The “Attack on Titan” game will be an action-driven title, allowing players all over the world to battle titans on their mobile devices. It will combine elements of runner and action games, in order to replicate the feeling of the titan battles from the anime series. Players will need to use careful planning – and quick reactions – to survive. There will also be deeper, persistent elements to the game, including multiplayer features, which will be revealed at a later date.
Funimation, GameSamba, and NGames Interactive announced their strategic partnership to create mobile and web games in January 2016, and they are also collaborating on a Tokyo Ghoul and Fairy Tail mobile game, as well as a separate, free-to-play Fairy Tail online game. GameSamba is Funimation's Group 1200 sister company.
Source: Press Release


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- Apple just released its first trailer for "Dickinson," an upcoming show about the iconic poet Emily Dickinson's life that will debut on the company's streaming service later this year.
- Apple hasn't said when its subscription service Apple TV Plus will launch, but a report suggests it could arrive in November.
- It's the fourth Apple TV Plus show the company has provided a preview of ahead of the service's launch.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
As the fall draws near, Apple is providing another sneak peek at the content we can expect to see from its TV service later this year.
Apple just released a new trailer for "Dickinson," which looks like a coming-of-age comedy about the famed poet Emily Dickinson. Hailee Steinfeld, best known for her roles in "True Grit" and the "Pitch Perfect" sequels, will play the titular character of Dickinson. "30 Rock" star Jane Krakowski will also play her mother on the show.
Apple announced its streaming TV service back in March and teased a variety of shows involving high-profile talent such as Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, and Steve Carell, among many others. But Apple still hasn't said how much the service will cost or precisely when it will be released beyond the fall. However, Bloomberg reports that Apple may launch the service in November and is considering a price of $9.99 per month.
Read more: Everything we know about the new AirPods that Apple could release later this year
"Dickinson" is the fourth show that we've seen a full trailer for since the service was announced in March. Back in June Apple released the trailer for "For All Mankind," a reimagining of the space race, and earlier in August it published two trailers for "The Morning Show," a drama about an early morning news show grappling with fallout from a controversy. A trailer for the upcoming kids show "Snoopy in Space" based on the popular "Peanuts" character can also be found on the Apple TV YouTube channel.
Apple is expected to hold an event in September to unveil its next iPhone. It may announce more details about Apple TV Plus and its other subscription service, Apple Arcade, at that event as well.
Take a look at the full trailer for "Dickinson" below.


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Local company to hire 200 people
A local company is looking to hire hundreds of employees immediately.
Infinity Sales Group, in Boca Raton, plans to add 250 new workers, and hopes to make 200 job offers Monday.
Interested applicants can head to a job fair at 5201 Congress Avenue, Suite 150, in Boca Raton, beginning at 10 a.m. Monday.
Infinity Sales Group deals in customer acquisition for several Fortune 200 companies.
You can visit its website by clicking here.


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Miyamoto: Would have been nice to release Pikmin 3 closer to Wii U launch
Apparently, I'm not alone in the sentiment that Pikmin 3 should've been a launch title for the Wii U. Speaking with Time, Shigeru Miyamoto expressed his desire for Pikmin 3 to be a launch title, while explaining the game's long development schedule. Miyamoto said:
If you look back at the launch of Wii, we were able to prepare a game like Wii Sports, which at the time was clearly a new game, and launch that alongside a Zelda game. With the Wii U, we took a similar approach by launching Nintendo Land as well as a Mario game -- though we're working on Zelda for Wii U, that's going to take us a little bit longer.
From my perspective, I think ideally it would have been nice if we’d been able to release Pikmin 3 closer to launch, but the Wii U — though it shares the Wii name — is obviously a brand new system, with new chips and graphical capabilities. It can do a lot more, and in the process of developing a lot of the features and functionality, the resources required to best utilize those features drew on some of the same resources that might have been spent developing games, thus we weren’t able to bring quite as robust a lineup initially.
At the same time, we still have new things to learn about how to leverage the features and functionalities of Wii U in ways that create fun and interesting new ways to play, including new gameplay systems. As we become even more familiar with the hardware, we’ll be able to do more from a software standpoint. That’s an area we’re currently devoting resources to.
Currently, Pikmin 3 is scheduled to release some time this spring or summer. It is the third installment in the Pikmin series and has been one of the Wii U's most anticipated titles. There hasn't been a ton of details about the game, but we do know that it will be more like the original Pikmin and that it will support GamePad-only play.
In Pikmin 3, players will discover a beautiful world filled with strange creatures. The mass-action strategy game will have players take command of a swarm of Pikmin trying to survive.
Miyamoto obviously thinks that the Wii U hasn't reached its full potential, and I agree. I'm among the Wii U launch adopters, and I think the Pikmin 3 will be the first great Wii U game. Meanwhile, the new Zelda game is going to be huge for the console, so it's no surprise that it's going to take a while. Zelda isn't one of those franchises where you slap the name on a box and have three games with Link in it released a year. He's no Mario. He's special.


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Surfacing reports say Apple’s next gadget may include a battery that lasts a whole week. Unlike many gadget predictions, this one is based on scientific fact.
Reports surfaced this week that the next iPhone may include a battery that lasts an entire week. And, unlike many gadget predictions, this one is based on scientific fact.
A company called Intelligent Energy has developed a prototype battery using a hydrogen fuel cell that matches the size of the current iPhone 6. Telegraph suggested the British power company is working “closely” with Apple on the design for what could become the next iPhone. Whether that’s true or not is a good question, and we might not find out about any details for a year or two after the rumored iPhone 6s comes out.
Read the rest of this entry »
With a few weeks left until Apple makes its 2015 iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus official, more and more rumors claim to reveal bits and pieces about the upcoming smartphones. A new report from China shows an image of a what looks like a cardboard printout of the next iPhone 6c, bringing some details about the purported new 4-inch iPhone.
Tech blog M.I.C Gadget received from a source embedded with a case manufacturing company the image below. A person is holding a paper model of the back of a phone that has all the markings of an iPhone 6. We’re looking at a round-edge design and a camera and flash placement and design that’s consistent with the iPhone 6. Even the protruding camera ring seems to be there.
British power technology company Intelligent Energy has developed an iPhone 6 prototype with a built-in fuel cell that supports hydrogen cartridges delivering up to a week’s worth of battery life, according to The Telegraph. It also demonstrated a hydrogen-powered MacBook Air.
The patented fuel cell system, reportedly poised for its first major commercial deployment in cell towers across India over the next few weeks, creates electricity based on the chemical reaction of combining hydrogen and oxygen, which produces only small amounts of water vapor and heat as waste.
Intelligent Energy also introduced a hydrogen-powered iPhone charger called Upp based on the same technology last year, but its latest breakthrough has seen it fit the fuel cell portion of the technology alongside an iPhone 6 battery pack without altering the size or shape of the smartphone.


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This post reproduces a client alert, available here.
The current situation surrounding the UK’s departure from the EU remains uncertain. At present, following the European Council’s decision to grant the UK’s request for an extension for time, the UK is legally due to leave the EU on 12 April 2019. The potential threat from the Brexit chaos to cause shortages or disruptions to the supply of medicines and medical devices in both the UK and the EU remains one of the critical issues at stake.
UK v EU Medicines Shortages Perspective
The European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) has recently published its latest Q&A surrounding the UK’s departure from the European Union, and how this will impact the remaining Member States going forward in relation to avoiding a shortage of medicines in the EU. The Q&A can be accessed here.
In summary, the key points to note from the Q&A are as follows:
· as no withdrawal agreement has yet been agreed between the two sides, the position is unclear regarding the EU’s position to prevent a potential shortage of medicines. If a withdrawal agreement is agreed, then the provision and supply of medicine will continue and the current arrangements will not be affected during the transition period. If no withdrawal agreement is reached, and the UK exits without a deal, then some companies may have to make urgent regulatory changes to remain compliant with their obligations under EU law;
· under EU law, pharmaceutical companies are obligated to perform certain regulatory functions in the EU and EEA, which allows them to sell medicines within it. As a result, if some companies have previously been undertaking these functions in the UK, they will have to make the necessary arrangements to transfer these operations to an EU/EEA Member State to retain this ability;
· whilst the regulatory bodies cannot compel companies to make the necessary regulatory changes, it is in companies’ best interests to put in place the above measures to enable the continued supply of medicines once the UK is no longer a Member State. It is important to note that despite companies taking the necessary steps, there still remains a risk of issues outside the authorities’ control that could affect distribution;
· it is not yet clear which medicines, if any, are at risk of a shortage. The EMA has provided a link to their ‘shortage catalogue’, which is updated as and when;
· Brexit will have no impact whatsoever on the usability of medicines and the safety of them and the evaluation of medicines that are currently being carried out by the UK will be picked up by the remaining EU/EEA Member States; and
· it is important to not over-subscribe for medicines as this will potentially cause an unnecessary strain to the provision of medicines within the EU/EEA area.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), which represents the UK pharmaceutical Industry, has recently called for short term restrictions on the exportation of drugs from the UK to the EU. The principal aim being to safeguard the stock of companies who have stockpiled medicines in the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit, to prevent delays at the borders:
· the ABPI has raised concerns with the Department of Health over concerns that the drop in the value of sterling has created an opportunity for wholesalers of medicines who have export licences to sell products intended for the use in the UK within the EU, as it could be more profitable; and
· although companies with export licences cover a small proportion of the UK market for medicines, the ABPI is concerned that the disruption Brexit could bring could mean the selling of medicines by these companies could cause shortages for patients.
UK Medical Device Recognition in the Future
The current position surrounding the recognition of UK medical devices in the EU remains unclear, as the two largest healthtech trade associations, MedTech Europe and COCIR have highlighted the risk to patients if an appropriate system is not put in place for the recognition of such devices. In particular, in a recent bulletin by the ABHI, the UK’s largest medtech trade association, they point out the potential impact on the European healthcare system as severe and substantial and that contingency measures need to be put in place to mitigate this risk. Further, as we have previously flagged in this blog, they note:
· UK notified bodies cover between 30-40% of products certified for use in the EU; and
· for certain fields, UK notified bodies cover over two thirds of certified products for use in the EU.
Outside the EU, certain countries are adapting their processes to ensure continuity of recognition of such devices. For example, in Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provided guidance to mitigate the disruption caused, by putting in place measures to ensure the continuity of UK certified medical devices coming to Australia. They note that:
· in the event of a no-deal Brexit, certain legislation will be modified to ensure new applications for the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) inclusion of UK medical devices; and
· under the UK Prime Minister’s proposed withdrawal agreement, if it is accepted, there will be no immediate impact on the certification of UK medical devices.


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Walmart is getting ready to offer a new membership program to all shoppers.
The retail giant announced Tuesday it will soon launch Walmart Plus.
The program is expected to include unlimited free delivery on orders of $35 or more.
According to Walmart, customers will have the option of same-day deliveries on more than 160,000 items from groceries to tech and toys.
Walmart Plus will also feature a new scan and go option for in-store shopping.
It will be similar to one offered to Sam’s Club members.
The program launches on Sept. 15.
Walmart Plus will cost $98 a year or $12.95 per month.


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Sydney Top 10 SEO Explains Four Reasons Why Business Websites Need SEOSenka Melisa
Over 50% of businesses around the world have a website, which many experts have said is very low. However, large number of those website owners do not understand the importance of SEO and how it can help them to achieve more exposure and sales online.
This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire
Sydney, Australia — (SBWIRE) — 10/02/2015 — A leading Sydney SEO company has launched a campaign to make businesses in Australia and around the world understand how important SEO is. The company that helps small to medium sized businesses increase their ranking in Google would like to make people aware of the sales they are missing out on by ignoring SEO.
According to a report, over 1 Billion searches are performed each day from people using desktop computers and mobile devices. Out of those searches, 20% of them are from people looking for local products and services, which shows how important it is for any type of business to have a website.
The Sydney SEO expert (https://top10insydney.com.au/seo) explained that if a local company did not have a website then they would be missing out on sales and driving customers to their competition. The search engine optimisation expert also explained if a website is not performing well it would just be as bad as not having a website.
To help local businesses in Sydney and around the world understand the importance of SEO, Top 10 SEO have put together four reasons why SEO is important.
According to Top 10 SEO, Search Engine Optimisation can help increase the branding of a business.
All business websites need traffic to increase sales. However, if the site has not been optimised using SEO techniques then that would reduce the traffic according to Top 10 SEO. Through the use of SEO, a website can increase its traffic and generate more sales that will overall revenue.
For a business to survive it needs sales, and with the Internet being the biggest shopping platforms in the world, that is where more businesses are now trading. By increasing traffic through the use of SEO, it will then increase sales.
4. Reducing media advertising cost
Through using SEO techniques and being found in search engines, it would reduce the need for advertising in local and national newspapers, which would reduce a businesses marketing budget.
A spokesman for Top 10 SEO said, “SEO has become an important tool for businesses around the world. By using a professional SEO company, it could become one of the most cost-effective tools a business could use for increasing sales and revenue.”
To learn more about Sydney Top 10 SEO, and the services they provide to increase website traffic, please visit https://top10insydney.com.au/seo
About Top 10 SEO in Sydney
For the past 15 years, the team at Top 10 SEO has been supplying business owners with a unique SEO service that works, with the best possible results.


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So, Fox News had this article out on Friday questioning the practice by mall operators and store owners of including charging stations for electric vehicles. Actually, they aren't so much questioning the practice overall, the story is critical of the tendency to place these spots in high visibility places, often close to the entrance. Where, many time they are empty because of the limited number of electric vehicles on the road.
As I have reported numerous times, forward-thinking retail operations have been installing spots in order to encourage visits by these owners and, let's be real, to generate a little good will and potential revenue by allowing electric-vehicle charging on premise. Garage operators have also taken to this practice because it might give them a competitive edge by catering to the small but growing number of electric-vehicle owners who are seeking to charge up their cars while spending some time at the store.
Fox suggests that there is a "growing frustration" among people who drive "conventional" cars about the placement of the parking spots and it quotes an unnamed person in Minnesota with this rant: "This makes me think drivers of electric cars must be a little disabled."
So, here's the thing: Don't blame electric-vehicle drivers for the placement of the spots, take it up with the real estate company or business owner who picked that location.
The locations of these stations are strictly a business decision, chosen for their visibility. Heck, it obviously has more people thinking about electric vehicles, even if they don't drive them.
If businesses choose to respect the pioneers who actually are helping ensure that the future prices of electric vehicles are cheaper for the rest of us by installing places for them to charge while running errands, they have a right to put charging stations where they want. No one is requiring them to make these investments.
Oh, and by the way, don't park in that spot out of spite just because it is closer. Even though I don't think you can get a ticket for parking a gasoline-powered vehicle in a charging station spot like you can if you're a jerk enough to park in handicapped parking spot, it's really poor form. Plus, you might actually be preventing someone from making it back home, if they have pushed the limits of their electric-vehicle battery.


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- In a Sunday report, UBS raised the biggest questions it thought Disney had to answer at its investor day this week about its coming streaming service.
- They include cost and how much Disney plans to spend on original content.
- UBS analysts project the service to gain 5 million subscribers in the first year but have identified risks to those estimates.
Disney’s coming streaming platform, Disney Plus, is hotly anticipated, but little is known about the specifics of the service.
Disney Plus is expected to launch later this year, and Disney is developing original content for it, including "Star Wars" and Marvel shows. It also ended a licensing deal with Netflix this year, and all theatrically released Disney movies are expected to eventually land on Disney Plus, starting with "Captain Marvel."
But Disney has yet to reveal pricing or bundling options, among other important details.
In a report released Sunday, UBS raised what it considered the most important questions Disney must answer Thursday at its investor day.
The biggest are below:
- How fast will Disney Plus grow?
- How much will Disney Plus cost?
- How much will Disney spend on original content for Disney Plus?
- How much content licensing is being pulled from third parties and what is the pacing?
- How does Hulu fit into the DTC plans?
UBS projects Disney Plus will reach 5 million subscribers in its first year and 50 million in five years worldwide (Netflix currently has 60 million subscribers in the US and 139 million globally). But UBS also sees two major risks to its estimates.
Current licensing deals will limit the amount of content Disney has on the service at launch, notably classic "Star Wars" movies. Talks with Turner Broadcasting, which owns the TV rights to the movies, reportedly stalled in August, according to Bloomberg. UBS also cited "uncertainty around timing of international market launches" as a potential risk to its subscriber estimates.
UBS analysts predict Disney Plus to cost $6.99 a month at launch, would be "roughly the same as a single trip to the movie theatre."
"We believe Disney will set the price low to attract subscribers quickly in the U.S. and [the rest of the world] while built in growth in content available on the platform, through the film slate and expiring licensing deals, gives it the power to raise prices over time," the analysts said.
UBS also estimates that Disney will spend $800 million in its first year on original content.
"We expect the company to ramp production and have up to 10 movies & 10 TV series within the first year of launch for a total cost of ~$800M," UBS analysts said. "For TV series, press reports have indicated Disney is looking to spend roughly $2.5-3.5M per episode but could increase that budget for certain shows up to ~$10m/ep. We expect original movies will be modest in budget ($25-35M per film on average) relative to Disney’s films released theatrically."
UBS expects that all Disney and Fox content will "forgo third party licensing as it migrates to Disney+ or Hulu." But Disney’s Hulu plans remain one of the biggest questions the company has yet to address. After the Disney-Fox merger, Disney now owns 60% of the streaming service, and will likely pursue complete ownership.
"We believe Disney would like to own 100% of Hulu and see potential for Disney to announce the acquisition of AT&T’s 10% stake at the investor day," analysts said. "AT&T has signaled its intention to monetize the Hulu stake (which Disney valued at $1.5B in its recent 8K filing)."
Disney CEO Bob Iger addressed the potential for bundling Hulu, as well as ESPN Plus, with Disney Plus during an earnings call last year.
"If a consumer wants all three, ultimately, we see an opportunity to package them from a pricing perspective," Iger said. "But it could be that a consumer just wants sports or just wants family or just wants the Hulu offering, and we want to be able to offer that kind of flexibility to consumers."
- Disney has some major plans for Fox — here’s what we learned at CinemaCon
- Wall Street analysts say Disney’s streaming efforts could rival Netflix in subscribers, and ‘anything less would be a disappointment for investors’
- ‘Captain Marvel’ has made $1 billion at the global box office — here were the 5 movies from 2018 to hit that milestone


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FILE PHOTO: A worker in a protective suit sweeps the floor inside the Envision battery manufacturing plant at Nissan's Sunderland factory, Britain, July 1, 2021.
REUTERS/Phil NobleLONDON (Reuters) - A record share of British manufacturers reported rising new orders this month but global supply chain problems and labour shortages held back growth in output, a survey showed on Tuesday.
Still, the picture was weaker for export orders - which grew at their fastest since March 2019 - and the survey’s gauge of output growth fell to its lowest level since April.
“Today’s survey highlights how amidst a variety of supply challenges, companies are beginning to struggle to meet high demand,” CBI deputy chief economist Anna Leach said.
The record prices have strained the British energy sector, destroying the business model of smaller energy traders and sending shockwaves through the chemical and fertiliser markets, leading to a shortage of carbon dioxide used in food processing.
Phil Noble LONDON, “, Anna Leach, Leach
Nissan's Sunderland, REUTERS, British, CBI
Nissan's, Britain, Europe, Asia, Russia


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Final Fantasy 16 will have two graphic modes on PS5, its producer confirms
final fantasy 16 is, for more than understandable reasons, one of the most anticipated video games of this year. Not surprisingly, we are talking about the long-awaited return through the front door of one of Square Enix’s most iconic franchises, something that has been more than confirmed after having been able to try the role-playing and action title first-hand. The Japanese company is currently in the midst of a promotional campaEsports Extrasfor the video game and, among other details, has revealed the graphic modes that will be available from launch on PS5, the only platform for which the game will be released on June 22. .
Naoki Yoshida, producer of final fantasy 16has commented that the sixteenth final fantasy will have two main graphic modes: Performance and Frame Rate. Performance mode will allow gamers to enjoy an unprecedented visual experience thanks to 4K resolution, while Frame Rate mode will be more geared towards users who prefer a higher resolution. greater fluidity of play – believed to reach speeds of up to 60 frames per second – at the cost of lower resolution. The Japanese creative has not shared more information about these modes, but it is likely that we will know a little more as the release date approaches.
The producer has reaffirmed the idea of launching the title at the end of June, ensuring that does not anticipate “no delay” and that it would only not arrive on the indicated date in case “a meteorite falls on our headquarters in Japan”, so lovers of the saga can breathe easy.
Our first impressions of Final Fantasy XVI
“final fantasy 16 has the potential and ambition to become a the best installment that has ever been made of this magical saga that has left us so many unforgettable moments in its 35-year history. A title that promises to offer us a complex and interesting world, a great story written, mature and with good characters, an intense development and with a rhythm measured to the millimeter, a sensational combat system, some bosses that leave you speechless and an audiovisual section that aims to push PS5 to the limit”, we concluded in our first impressions after testing the game in a special demo for the press.


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A property service provider to social housing and public buildings was one of the deals conducted by Bank of Scotland's integrated finance arm before the banking crisis.
The £410m debt and equity package for Apollo was also memorable for Lloyds, the bank that rescued HBOS during the banking crisis. The Bank of Scotland deal helped the management of Apollo pay off their previous backers – Lloyds TSB Development Capital, the private equity arm of Lloyds.
Apollo is one of 40 integrated finance businesses being sold off to a new joint venture in which Lloyds is keeping a 30% stake in the hope that one day the business will be sold on at profit. Lloyds is keeping control of the loans, however, leaving it exposed should any of the businesses turn sour.
The array of businesses owned by the division comprises household names and ones that appear more obscure, spanning a diverse range of areas from keeping fit, fine dining and making dinner tables look sophisticated to hiring huge cranes and fitting plastic widgets. Among the best known in the portfolio are shirt sellers TM Lewin, leisure group David Lloyd and retailer Martin McColl.
Others may be less familiar such as plastic piping manufacture Polypipe, a £420m debt and equity deal, and Nylacast, another specialist in plastics. A Manchester-based oil and gas valve manufacturer Bifold, provided with a £35m debt and equity package, is also among those included in the transaction. Crane hire group Ainscough, manufacturer of steel components Astrum and specialist fabrics company Camira are also being transferred to the new venture along with logistics company Malcolm. Waste management company Verna and business services company Adare are included as well.
The unit also owns Vue Cinemas, which has claimed to be doing well despite the recession, as well as Kew Green which runs hotels under franchises such as Holiday Inn, Days Hotel and Crowne Plaza.
D&D, owner of 30 London restaurants such as the Bluebird and Quaglinos, is on the menu too.
Some of the highest profile and most trouble transactions associated with Bank of Scotland are not, however, part of the deal. Housebuilders Crest Nicholson and retirement homes business McCarthy & Stone are not part of the integrated finance division.


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Big Eyes Coin (BIG) – offering big hope and a bright future
Big Eyes Coin (BIG) is a new token currently in its presale stage. There are three exciting things that users must acquaint themselves with. First and foremost, BIG’s primary attribute is that it will funnel funds into the decentralized finance sphere. DeFi is one of the fastest-growing technologies, which means Big Eyes Coin has a promising future as long as it delivers on its promise.
Additionally, BIG will utilize part of the funds involved and deposit them into a charity wallet. Since Big Eyes Coin is a community-oriented project by definition, token holders can contribute to the earth’s ecosystem and help save the oceans. Finally, the developers plan to supply non-fungible tokens to users to accelerate the growth of BIG, blockchains, and cryptocurrencies.
- 200 billion tokens in all
- 180 billion at launch: 140 billion on presale and 40 billion on exchanges
- 20 billion divided equally between marketing and charity
Dogecoin (DOGE) – the trailblazing meme token
To comprehend the concept behind Dogecoin, knowing what a meme token is is imperative. A meme is a viral image that is disseminated online rapidly. Dogecoin started the trend of meme cryptocurrencies when it was launched in 2013. The viral image, in this case, was a picture of a Shiba Inu used ad infinitum online.
How Dogecoin and its native token, DOGE, came about is as interesting as memes. When Bitcoin became a big deal, two individuals named Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer were baffled by its fame. In response, the duo developed Dogecoin, an open-source digital asset forked from Litecoin. Markus and Palmer thought the market needed a fun-filled, light-hearted alternative to Bitcoin. When it was released, DOGE was an emphatic success, even inciting Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, to tweet about it. Each time Musk sent a tweet, Dogecoin’s value surged dramatically.
Technically, Dogecoin has a block minute of one minute, and its supply is uncapped. The latter means that users can mine an unlimited number of DOGE tokens. Tokens can be mined independently or as part of a pool. In terms of portals, users can conduct mining on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Cronos (CRO) – Crypto.com’s chief commodity
Cronos serves as the native cryptocurrency of Cronos Chain, a decentralized, open-source platform created by Crypto.com, a payment and trading solutions company. Cronos Chain is one of many commodities in Crypto.com’s conveyor belt of services. The company’s efforts are aimed at accelerating the worldwide adoption of cryptocurrencies; they hope to put users in the ascendancy of their funds.
The platform Cronos and its native token, CRO, went live in late 2018. Crypto.com are the founders; the company was launched in 2016 as “Monaco Technologies GmbH” by Kris Marszalek, Bobby Bao, and Gary Or. CRO holders can stake their tokens on the chain and act as validators to earn fees for completing transactions. Once users are within the Cronos framework, they can avail cashback rising to 20% if they pay merchants in CRO tokens. Alternatively, they can obtain a 10% cashback if they buy gift cards and perform P2P transactions.
Use this promo code for extra BIG tokens: Ocean758
For more information on Big Eyes (BIG), you can visit the following links:
Disclaimer: This is a paid release. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily represent those of Bitcoinist. Bitcoinist does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of information available in such content. Do your research and invest at your own risk.


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Dragon Ball Legends is an app game available all around the world, excluding certain regions.
There's also a video series for the game called "Video and Stuff" hosted by its producer where they talk about the latest Dragon Ball Legends news, upcoming events, and about the game in general!
The latest episode has just been released!
Check it out here:
©BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION
©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
This site includes machine-translated texts. Please be aware that you might find some unusual expressions that are difficult to understand.


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A Rothwell man says the recipe used to make Wicksteed Park’s wartime ice-cream will never be known.
Ted Eassom, 93, believes he is the only person to know the true fate of the park treat which became popular during rationing.
Mr Eassom recalled being at a game shoot with Wicksteed staff years ago when he was told it wouldn’t be found in years to come.
He said: “There was a game shoot for business people from Kettering, including the then-manager of the park, at Catworth near Huntington.
“Myself and some of the staff from the park were beaters for the shoot.
“I spoke to a Scotsman, who I seem to remember was called Vic, who said the recipe was his late mother’s and that it would die with him.
“I was the youngest there and almost certainly the only one still alive, so I don’t think anyone else can know it.”
The iconic recipe was created during the war when the park brought in a herd of goats in order to obtain milk for ice-cream, as wartime rationing meant milk was scarce.
The popular treat was sold from the park’s ice cream parlour in the pavilion which had been opened prior to the war in 1935.
Former electrical engineer and war volunteer Ted, who lived in Kettering before moving to Rothwell 50 years ago, said he didn’t think much of the wartime version.
But he said the park’s ice-cream before rationing was introduced was ‘out of this world’.
He said: “Anyone who remembers the taste of the Wicksteed ice cream before the war has got to be 90 or very nearly touching 90.
“I remember the vanilla and the strawberry, which was out of this world.
“It was made in-season using fresh strawberries and the taste was amazing.”
He added that when ice-cream came out again after the war the government said it had to have the same fat content as normal cream and it just wasn’t the same.
After the construction of the ice-cream parlour, the park built its own ice-cream factory in the mid-1950s.
The ice-cream parlour itself served a very different purpose during the Second World War, when it became a Master Sergeant’s office as the pavilion was used to billet hundreds of soldiers.
However, the factory was later closed when the expensive machinery broke down.
But the park will manufacture and sell its own ice-cream again soon thanks to a £4.5m Historic Heart project.
It’s hoped that Ted will be able to visit the park once more to see how the ice-cream lives up to the one he remembers.
Tracey Clarke, community link manager at Wicksteed Park, said: “We are delighted that as part of the Historic Heart project, Wicksteed ice-cream will be made and sold at the park once more.
“We are working to replicate the original ice-cream as closely as possible and would love to hear from anyone who has any information about the initial recipe used all those years ago.
“It has been lovely to hear of Ted’s memories and we would love him to visit the park to try the ice-cream as soon as it is available.”


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Auburn Hills, Mich. – Nov. 3, 2017 – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has recalled more than 414,000 vehicles potentially equipped with defective occupant restraint controllers, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects models across multiple brands, including:
- 2012 Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicles manufactured between June 17, 2011 and Aug. 16, 2012.
- 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 midsize sedans produced between June 25, 2011 and Jan. 15, 2012.
- 2012-2013 Dodge Avenger midsize sedans produced between June 25, 2011 and Jan. 15, 2012.
FCA speculates that approximately 5 percent of the vehicles named in the recall contain defective parts.
The models referenced in the action may come equipped with damaged ORC assemblies that are prone to jumper resistor failure, a condition that materializes following prolonged electrical overstress. ORC shutdown may cause the active headrests in affected vehicles to malfunction. This poses a serious risk to occupants involved in collisions, as the lack of AHR support may increase the likelihood of cranial concussion. That said, FCA has yet to receive field reports connecting the defective ORC assemblies to any accidents or injuries.
The air bag warning light normally illuminates in vehicles with defective ORC assemblies.
Timeline of Events
On July 2, 2013, FCA launched a voluntary safety recall for 2012 Jeep Liberties, 2012-2013 Chrysler 200s and 2012-2013 Dodge Avengers, after discovering that these vehicles contained integrated power modules that were causing ORC failure and inhibiting AHR operation, according to a chronology document. Dealers reprogrammed the TIPM units in these models to address both issues. Almost four years later on May 16, 2017, the NHTSA contacted FCA and notified the company of several driver complaints referencing the three models included in the 2013 recall. These reports described instances in which the air bag warning light turned on with no clear explanation, apparently indicating some safety feature malfunction. On May 19, the FCA Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance group launched an investigation into the reports. One day later, the auto conglomerate ordered parts from the field for analysis. The NHTSA opened a concurrent inquiry June 1.
Throughout June and August, FCA received 13 ORC assemblies from the vehicles mentioned in the initial NHTSA reports. In July, the car company determined that at least two parts showed signs of jumper resistor failure due to electrical overstress. On Aug. 11, FCA engineers pinpointed a third part that ceased working following overstress and on Oct. 2, they encountered a fourth problematic component. Two days later, the FCA Vehicle Regulations Committee determined that a voluntary safety recall was necessary.
As of Sept. 29, FCA has received 122 vehicle owner questionnaires, 367 customer assistance inquiry requests and 2,453 warranty claims related to defective ORC equipment.
FCA intends to direct dealers to replace the ORC assemblies in affected vehicles free of charge, according to a recall acknowledgment document submitted to the NHTSA. The vehicle manufacturer will notify both dealers and owners on or about Nov. 29. The latter should expect to receive word from FCA via first-class mail. Owners in need of more immediate assistance can contact FCA customer service at (800) 853-1403. Callers should use the internal recall identification code T56. Owners can also reach out the NHTSA directly using its vehicle safety hotline at (888) 327-4236.


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Crucial didn’t have any new SSDs to show off at Computex this year, but the memory maker did have something enticing on display: a new 16nm TLC NAND flash module from parent company Micron, coming to its solid state drives in the future.
Crucial made a big splash in the SSD market when it launched the MX100, a SATA SSD fast enough to compete with Samsung’s popular 840 EVO, but at an even lower price. In 2015, Crucial followed that release with the faster, all-around better MX200, and a new drive, the BX100, with a cheap price tag. The BX100 is our choice for the best budget SSD. Moving to TLC flash will allow Crucial to price its drives even more cheaply.
As we explained in our best SSD guide, there are three main types of flash NAND: SLC, MLC and TLC. Most SATA SSDs, including Crucial’s, use 2-bit MLC memory. Those two bits represent four possible binary states, triggered by four different levels of voltage. TLC flash is 3-bit, for a total of eight possible binary states, triggered by eight different levels of voltage. TLC, therefore, allows you to store more data for the same density of flash, making it cheaper and more efficient. But there’s a downside: because each cell is being erased far more often, and has to be sensitive to more voltage levels, performance and longevity suffer compared to MLC.
While TLC has its drawbacks, memory companies are finding creative engineering solutions to minimize the performance impacts while maximizing the storage density benefits. Samsung’s 850 EVO, for example, uses a high-endurance 1-bit SLC flash cache to do most of its reading and writing, leading to great performance and plenty of longevity, since the TLC cells are only written to for longer term storage.
Crucial doesn’t have any SSDs to announce with its TLC NAND yet, but you can bet they’re coming—and probably with some crafty engineering work to stay competitive with Samsung.


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While they celebrated their ventures with unbridled enthusiasm last year, today many business-to-business (B2B) entrepreneurs are looking for ways to survive. "It's a tough Christmas for a lot of people in this space," says Tim Clark, a senior analyst at Jupiter Research.
For independent Net marketplace entrepreneurs, the gathering at the Jupiter Net Market Makers' Ground Zero conference looked like a funeral, with talk of consolidation, bankruptcy filings, closures and funding running out. During the conference, one of the Net market maker pioneers, Ventro, announced plans to close two of its Web marketplaces, resulting in write-offs of US$380 million to US$410 million and the loss of 235 employees.
Under the Chemdex name, the company was a pioneer in promoting the idea of linking buyers and sellers on the Web. The publicly traded company saw its stock soar to US$243.50 in late February, only to slide to under US$2 per share. The company said it will close Chemdex, a life sciences marketplace on the Internet, and Promedix, a special medical products marketplace.
It was the latest in a series of blows that have beset B2B electronic commerce.
Earlier in the year, analysts predicted online marketplace numbers would reach 3,000 to 10,000, but now Deloitte Consulting predicts that during the next two years more than 1,000 of today's 1,500 online marketplaces will fail or merge globally.
Already, a handful of high-profile sites have failed. Among them, Efdex, a marketplace for the food and beverage industry, closed its U.K. operations after blowing through US$65 million in venture capital during its five-year life span. In early November, Hsupply.com, an e-services company aimed at simplifying procurement for the US$50 billion hospitality supplies industry, closed shop.
Pandesic, a joint venture between giants Intel and SAP, announced plans to close its doors this summer because it couldn't turn a profit. The application service provider, launched in 1997, had about 400 employees in its offices in Japan, the U.K. and the U.S.
Dozens of other Internet marketplaces have been acquired by competitors as the industry consolidation continues.
The beneficiaries of the consolidation have been industry-sponsored, or consortium, marketplaces. The party is just beginning for dozens that have sprung up this year in just about every industry, from automobiles and airlines to chemicals and food products.
The big dogs have largely eaten the lunch of the smaller independent exchange operators.
"Companies that we thought were dinosaurs a year ago are players on the market today," Clark says. "The independent Net markets answered badly to some very serious questions. They offered too little and charged too much."
The independents that look most vulnerable are those in sectors dominated by two or three multinational companies, such as aerospace, auto parts and food processing. They are also the companies that don't have any proprietary technology to offer industry customers. To survive, many independents have formed alliances with the same industry giants they once thought were too slow to challenge them.
Others have merged with each other to build on similarities and strengths, such as the merger between seafood marketplaces Fishmonger and Worldcatch earlier this year.
It's the old "If you can't beat them, join them" strategy. Foodtrader.com and Novopoint formed alliances with Transora in late October that called for Transora to link to their marketplaces for food commodities. Transora is a marketplace backed by such consumer products giants as Coca-Cola, General Mills and Procter & Gamble.
E2open, a collaborative e-marketplace for the electronics industry, struck a deal with independent PartMiner in early October to have PartMiner provide services, technology and cataloging to e2open.
Other independents, such as e-Steel show signs of long-term success by filling a need for the industry giants. E-Steel landed Ford Motor as a customer by offering the automaker better planning, order management and tracking tools than electronic data interchange transactions provide.
Ventro, the parent company of Chemdex, is still forging ahead with several marketplaces, but those have brick-and-mortar players such as American Express and Tenet Healthcare as partners.
Chief Executive David Perry believes Ventro's real future lies in becoming a marketplace service provider - or MSP. In other words, Ventro will provide technology, expertise and services to assist other companies in building and running marketplaces. Still, it will be a tough road for the independents to climb.
Jupiter Research has identified more than 60 industry consortium marketplaces in North America, with many more in Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Close to 41 percent of the industry-sponsored marketplaces have begun conducting transactions - although rather simple transactions - and another 33 percent expect to go live soon.
One key reason that independent Net markets stumbled is they focused too much on transactions and not enough on the way companies do business, says Jupiter's Clark. Jupiter found that supply-chain efficiency was the top priority of consortium marketplaces. For independents, supply-chain efficiency was the fifth priority, cited by 19 percent. Independents see cost savings as their key driver.
"The independents were dealing with solutions on the surface, but in the long run we didn't think they would prevail," says James Sayre, president of Cargill eVentures. Cargill joined DuPont and Cenex Harvest Cooperative to form Rooster.com, an online marketplace for the agriculture industry, earlier this year.
"The Internet economy forces people to find whatever their core competency is. You can't find someone that will be everything to everyone," says Paul Janicki, executive finance director at eBusiness at Dow Chemical.
Dow is an investor in Omenexus, a chemical marketplace; Elemica, another chemical exchange; as well as BASF, Bayer, DuPont, Ticona and others.
But don't count the independents out, Janicki says. "People are starting to see niches and creating businesses to fill those niches. The net effect is a lot more business is going to be done online."


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Dan Nosowitz, Modern Farmer:
So the cranberry industry is saying that it is unfair for them to have to correctly label their added sugars, because a product, like, say, raisins naturally have a high sugar content, and thus (correctly) do not need to use the “added sugar” phrasing. But dried cranberries — WHICH HAVE SUGAR ADDED TO THEM BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY TASTE BAD — should not be penalized. After all, cranberry producers are only adding sugar to them so they can taste as good as products like raisins, which have no sugars added to them because they taste good as they are.
You may remember previous discussion about the power of the cranberry lobby in a Last Week Tonight segment that aired nearly five years ago. I don’t know why you would choose to eat cranberries when currants exist, but that’s just me.


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As it vies with HP and Sun in the fledgling utility computing field, Big Blue unveils a hardware-software bundle that's designed to make it easier to use a new utility computing product.
Get Up to Speed on...
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company-specific news in our
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Big Blue is vying, along with Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems and others, to get ahead with the new idea of utility computing--pooling equipment together so that computing resources can be tapped as needed and paid according to how much they are used. Much of the utility computing movement is aimed at letting an organization use its own equipment more efficiently, but in the longer term, the idea could lead to more outsourcing. Thus far, utility computing remains more of a marketing plan than a widely used technology.
Bundling utility computing software and hardware is one way to reduce the complexity and get customers to try out the concept Illuminata analyst Gordon Haff said. "Bundling makes sense," he said. "The reality is: With these really early deployments, it makes sense to get this complete new thing that you put over in a corner and play with. There's a lot of new stuff here."
HP and Sun have taken the same strategy with their utility computing products. Sun's N1 software debuted as a package available only with its blade servers, while HP's Utility Data Center was also inextricably linked to HP servers.
IBM's Tivoli Intelligent Orchestrator software has a starting price of $20,000 and costs more if it's used to control more servers. The bundle, which includes IBM software and hardware, can cost as much as $300,000, the company said.
Although the software can control several products, subsets can be purchased as a bundle--for example, just the BladeCenter and the Orchestrator software.
IBM's bundle is the second product to come from the company's Project Symphony, which is based on a Tivoli management software product IBM acquired when it bought Think Dynamics in May. The first was a standalone version of the Think Dynamics software it released in September, which customers could integrate with hardware and software on their own.
Future phases of Project Symphony will expand to include IBM services and outsourcing, IBM has said.
The acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, which brought in-depth experience with customers' business methods, means that IBM has expertise useful for utility computing, Haff said. And IBM's got a broader suite of software products than HP or Sun has, he said.
"IBM's got more pieces in its kit bag. The biggest advantage IBM has in-house compared to the others is their level of business consulting," Haff said.


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While most citizens in Southeast Asia are still struggling with social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite its economic impact the virus has not completely wiped out people’s appetite for luxury goods.
According to a recent study by e-commerce aggregator platform iPrice Group, Google’s searches for top luxury and fashion brands have increased in Southeast Asia in recent months. Netizens’ searches for French brand Louis Vuitton increased by 555% in May and June compared to January and February, a similar trend perceived by fashion house Yves Saint Laurent (+306%), and Chanel (+274%).
Fashion items such as clothing, bags, and shoes are the most sought-after, followed by skin care products and perfumes. The interest also extended into sportswear, where limited-edition sneakers saw an uptick in search impressions. Adidas saw a whopping 577% increase in searches, boosted by its Yeezy line, while Nike increased by 604%.
Aside from clothing, skin care, and sportswear, Southeast Asians are also looking into investment luxury watches. Swiss brand Rolex and its sister company Tudor logged an increase of 160% and 51%, respectively. “Shoppers are probably taking advantage of COVID-related sales in these items. These are things they can resell in time,” an iPrice spokesperson told KrASIA.
More customers are shopping online
The study didn’t provide reasons behind the skyrocketing increase in searches, but the major reliance on e-commerce platforms due to lockdowns and limitations to outdoor activities could explain the uptick in search impressions.
“The interest in luxury items probably remained the same; it’s just that since people can’t really physically browse luxury items anymore, they transferred online,” said the spokesperson.
One contributing factor might be that globally, wealthy people are getting richer. According to Forbes’ daily tally, the number of billionaires increased in recent months, while billionaire’s wealth also grew by 9.5% in just 23 days amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The increase in online searches for luxury might also be explained as a result of “revenge spending.” The term was first coined in China, referring to a spending surge in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976. In modern days, the phrase could be used to illustrate how shoppers release pent-up stress from lengthy lockdowns by making more purchases than normal.
For instance, after the Chinese government gradually lifted the lockdown and allowed stores to reopen, luxury outlets in many Chinese cities saw rapid bounce backs. An Hermès store in Guangzhou made USD 2.7 million in sales on the first day it reopened in April, according to CNBC, while the Hangzhou Tower mall, which only opened for five hours on February 22, achieved more sales than on the same date a year ago, South China Morning Post reported.
In Southeast Asia, shoppers spent an average of USD 127.50 per person on luxury items across e-commerce platforms, from February to July this year, according to iPrice. Some, like Dorothy, an insurance company employee based in Jakarta, who requested KrASIA to withhold her last name, decided to search online but to go to physical stores to buy what she was after.
“After finding the item I want, I usually check for its availability and price by phoning the store. Then, I browse online to compare prices. However, sometimes it is cheaper to buy offline than online, considering the item price plus shipping fee,” Dorothy, who bought a Prada tote bag and a bottle of Annick Goutal perfume for IDR 7 million (USD 476), told KrASIA.
Other netizens found an escape in online shopping during the pandemic. “Actually, it’s kind of therapeutic, browsing branded items on Instagram. Moreover, nowadays they do a lot of live sales there,” said Mia Rafdianti, the head of product development at a Jakarta-based startup.
In the period of partial-lockdown imposed in Jakarta, which lasted for four months, Rafdianti spent around IDR 20 million (USD 1,360) on bags and shoes from Balenciaga, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, which she bought from Instagram sellers.
“When it comes to bags, I love to use different ones each time. But I think my purchases now are sort of impulsive buying to release stress over this pandemic,” she said.
Although gross merchandise value (GMV) of online sales for luxury items is currently lower than in-store purchases, the number is predicted to increase as customers stick to their online shopping habits. A recent report by Facebook and Bain & Company suggests that online shopping has become mainstream, even in previously unpopular categories such as groceries. The region is projected to have 310 million digital consumers by the end of 2020, a figure which was previously predicted to be reached in 2025.
Total GMV of online sales is forecasted to reach USD 53 billion by the end of this year, with an average of USD 172 per person. The number is predicted to triple in 2025, reaching a sum of USD 147 billion.
Luxury brands need to step up their digital presence
To capture this growing market, luxury brands need to increase their digital presence, focusing on customer engagement, according to iPrice.
Of all the luxury brands analyzed, iPrice found that Prada and Gucci had the lowest increase in Google’s searches, at 27% and 70% respectively. The low numbers might be an effect of backlashes from the Black Lives Matter movement, as both brands were accused of using racist designs.
Although the Black Lives Matter movement started in the US, its impact rippled into countries in Southeast Asia, sparkling other movements such as Papuan Lives Matter in Indonesia. Local brands have been also affected, such as Indonesian Dear Me Beauty, which was called out for its rude response when asked about why it doesn’t have shades for dark-skinned customers. The company quickly issued an apology afterward.
On the contrary, YSL and Chanel saw an uptick in internet searches in Southeast Asia countries, which could be explained by their successful cooperation with Rosé and Jennie, members of K-pop girl band Blackpink, as Korean idols are gaining fans in the region. Items used by them, like YSL’s Solferino bag which Rosé often carries during her travels, saw an increase in searches and purchases.
Aul, a shopper who requested KrASIA to withhold her last name, bought a bag and a shirt from Chanel last month, after seeing the items worn and used by BTS members V and Jin. “I wanted to wear something like what Jin wears, just like that,” she added.
According to a 2018 report on digital transformation in the fashion industry by consultancy firm Deloitte, digital technologies empower customers to take on a more active role in determining the values of a brand. If a company makes a misstep, loyal shoppers will quickly call out the company on social media or other channels to demand an apology, so that the items in their wardrobes won’t be associated with negative values.
As luxury goods are mostly purchased for emotional satisfaction, creating a sense of prestige for shoppers, scandals will tarnish the emotional values carried by those brands, the study pointed out.
“They [customers] want to interact, belong, influence, and be the brands from which they buy. Informed, selective, and in charge, they care about how they look in public and on social media, and about the perception of the goods they buy and own,” the report explains.
Therefore, it’s important for brands to maintain a good reputation to retain good sales.


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SOUTH AFRICA ICT News
Recent South Africa News
uKheshe joins Africa’s top fintech companies in Luxembourg for CATAPULT: Inclusion Africa 2020
7 Feb 2020 BusinessuKheshe, South Africa’s most convenient QR payment card and micro transaction platform, has been selected ...
South Africa Highlight
SAP heralds new era of customer innovation with opening of first Experience Center in Africa
Industry 3 Feb 2020SAP Africa has launched the SAP Experience Center in Johannesburg, the first of its kind in Africa and one of only a handful of similar centers in the world.


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(CNN) — Apple has received the go-ahead to change the way its smartwatches work to avoid a US court ban on certain Apple Watch models. The fix will eliminate a feature that Apple markets as a way for customers to keep a close eye on their health.
According to documents filed in federal court on Monday, Apple successfully proposed to redesign the Apple Watch so that the watch would not have a pulse oximeter function, a medical scanner that measures the concentration of oxygen in the bloodstream. The announcement of the redesign’s approval came from Joseph R. Re, an attorney for Masimo, the Irvine, California-based technology company that successfully sued Apple for patent infringement.
According to the lawsuit, US Customs and Border Protection’s enforcement division determined that Apple’s proposed redesign of the Watcj models would allow the company to continue importing smartwatches into the United States. Although the procedure itself is confidential, Masimo’s lawyer confirmed that the government does not object to the import of Apple Watches as long as they do not contain pulse oximeter functions.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
Apple successfully sued to temporarily block a U.S. International Trade Commission decision that barred the company from importing the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, as well as other new models, because they infringed Masimo’s patents. The ban took effect on December 26, but on December 27 a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the measure.
According to the company, at the moment Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 continue to be sold in the United States with the pulse oximeter function. Apple said it expects the appeals court to rule on its request to block the ban as the case unfolds this week.
After the ban took effect last month, Apple said it was considering legal and technical options to resume importing its cutting-edge watches, including submitting redesigned Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches to US authorities for approval. Apple expressed its “strong opposition” to the ban and promised to “take all measures” to return Apple Watch to US customers as soon as possible.
Apple argued in its appeal against the ban that it could “suffer irreparable harm” if the ban remained in place while its appeal was pending. But on Monday, Re noted that Apple can no longer claim irreparable harm from the import ban because an alternative solution has been approved.
The company regularly positions its smartwatches as life-saving devices, which has helped propel the Apple Watch into the top spot, making it the world’s best-selling watch. But his dispute with Masimo threatens to undermine his authority.
On December 18, Apple decided to begin preemptively removing versions of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from its stores pending the ruling’s entry into force. However, sales resumed soon after the court’s order on December 27.


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As life returns to normal, indie studios should look to local conventions as way to promote their upcoming titles.
A rundown of the events and conventions in the Bay Area that have been cancelled because of the COVID 19 pandemic.
The financial hit indie studios are going to take because of GDC being cancelled is an example of why they need to promote their work at local conventions.
From new trends to advancements in new marketing technology, these are the highlights from MarTech 2019.
From new games by AAA studios and indie developers to advancements in VR, these are highlights from the Game Developers Conference 2019.
From new trends in the tech industry to advancements in new technology, these are the highlights from DevelopersWeek SF Bay Area 2019.
The Gay Gaming Professionals have announced their 13th Annual GGP at GDC event.
A look at all the awesome convention swag I picked up at the XRDC 2018.
From advances in VR gaming to ways of improving the experience, these are the highlights from my time during the XRDC.
A tradition at every Oculus Connect, VR developers get their project examined by a pioneer of the gaming industry.
Facebook has officially announced the time and date for Oculus Connect 5.
Another look at the mistakes organizers make when planning a fan or industry conventions.
From new games to talks about what is happening in the industry and a verity of mixers, these are the highlights of GDC 2018.
The Game Developers Conference is one of the largest gathering of professionals from the game industry but the 2018 event was the most successful one thanks to its high attendance.
Level Up Entertainment has announced that tickets for all of their mixers and after party during the Game Developers Conference have sold out.


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PetSmart’s third quarter results benefited from consumers who continue spending money on their pets despite a still-challenging consumer environment.
The company’s earnings per share jumped 17.3% to $0.88 from $0.75 in the third quarter of 2012. Net income totaled $92 million for the quarter, compared to $82 million in last year’s third quarter.
The company reported total sales for the third quarter of $1.7 billion, a 4% increase from the year-ago quarter. Comparable store sales grew 2.7%, including comparable transactions growth of 0.2%. Services sales, which are included in total sales, grew 5.2% to $184 million.
“Given the challenged consumer environment during the quarter, we are pleased with our results and level of execution,” said CEO David Lenhardt. “Our performance demonstrates the strength and stability of our business.”
For the fourth quarter, the company anticipates comparable-store sales growth of 3% to 3.5% and total sales growth of approximately 3%.


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While you’ll find that I have an interesting sense of humor, I do also throw out some useful bits on a variety of financial topics. I hope you’ll stick around, check out the Punny Money archives, and give me a little RSS subscription lovin’.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
Topics: economy, energy, real estate, taxes
…Well, it’s not that bad, though as little as I pay attention to news in my own area, it very well could happen and I’d be the last person to hear about it. A few money topics have made recent headlines in Montgomery County, MD, so I thought I’d share with all of you what’s going on in my neck of the woods.
Big Patch of Land Soon to be Big Patch of Anything But
Not even 500 feet from where I work, there is a 182-acre piece of farmland that the county has been trying to annex for a while. It’s one of only a few remaining undeveloped pieces of land in the whole county, but it looks like that’ll be changing soon thanks to a recent vote by the County Council. Plans call for over 2,000 new homes and more than 300,000 square feet of commercial building space to be built on the land. The Council said that 12.5% of the housing must be “low income,” though low-income housing in Montgomery County likely means houses under half a million dollars.
County Adds Diesel-Electric Buses; Buses Powered By Witty Commentary Next
If only that last statement were true, this site alone could run the whole state’s mass transit system! But with the addition of diesel-electic hybrid buses to a fleet that already includes a bunch running on natural gas, Montgomery County is slowly building a more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient public transportation system. Even with only 440 of these GM-built hybrid buses in service so far, the expected fuel savings over conventional buses is 650,000 gallons a year.
Property Tax Cut In Jeopardy
Last month, Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan revealed a budget that provided for a 9.5% property tax cut without affecting funding of county services. This month, the County Council is questioning whether the property tax cut is a smart move in light of a projected budget shortfall in the next six years. The Council says it would rather see a one-time tax credit in place of a permanent cut.
Hey, council members, here’s a free tip for ya: If a good deal of your constituents are living in homes assessing at over $400,000 in a county with a hefty property tax rate, do not question a property tax cut because it’s all that voters will remember at election time.
Speeders Saying Cheese For New Traffic Cameras
We already have tons of red light cameras scattered throughout the county. Now police have the green light to set up radar cameras in school zones and residential areas with speed limits under 35. Drivers caught on these cameras breaking the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour will receive a citation in the mail. With a low maximum fine of $40 and no points for radar camera violations, it’s not likely that many people will spend the time contesting such tickets. Of course, it also means you could be clocked going 100 in a 25 by one of these devices and all you’ll get it a slap on the wrist–or rather, a pinch in the pocket book.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
While pump prices in the United States have risen over 40 cents a gallon in the last month alone, Iranians are preparing for the impact of having to pay more than 40 cents a gallon total for their gasoline.
Despite being number two in the world for oil reserves, Iran could soon see rising gas prices as its government gets ready to stop subsidizing and start rationing it. The reason for the ration plan, says the Iranian government, is that dirt cheap gas is causing heavy congestion and straining Iran’s limited oil refining capabilities. Iran’s oil refineries already only produce just over half of the country’s gas, and the government is tired of having to rely on importing fuel from other nations.
It’s hard to imagine that a country like Iran has problems being self-sufficient in energy. Then again, at the rate prices are climbing in the U.S., it might soon be cheaper to drive to Iran, fuel up there, and drive all the way back!
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Bank of America may be getting ready to join Visa, MasterCard, and other credit card companies by releasing its own brand of card. Already the largest issuer of credit cards in the country with over 40 million of their cards in the hands of Americans, Bank of America stands to make an extra $75 million a year by processing its own credit card transactions instead of paying the fees charged by Visa and MasterCard.
So what does this mean for the average consumer? Nothing but pure awesomeness, of course! Visa by itself has a virtual monopoly on the credit card business, and MasterCard, Discover, and American Express certainly aren’t helping to relieve the stranglehold of transaction fees on card-accepting merchants. If Bank of America enters the fray, it could put enormous pressure on those other companies to lower their fees. Lower fees for merchants could mean lower prices for buyers… or simply higher profits for merchants.
I’m hoping that Bank of America would pass on some of their savings to consumers–and not just in the form of lower APRs. Maybe we’ll see some fresh 0% balance transfer offers or top-notch reward cards from Bank of America to lure us into their web of credit cardy goodness.
Keeping the recent acquisition of MBNA (you know, that bank with the six million different card designs), Bank of America seems to be on a mission to become synonymous with credit cards. That sounds fine by me, and as long as either Bank of America or retailers remember us customers, there will be winners all around. Unless you’re Visa or MasterCard, of course.
Now all Bank of America needs to do is come up with a catchy slogan…
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
We’ve all considered it at one point or another in our lives. Maybe you’ve even tried it out for a day when you forgot to do the laundry. Today I hope to show you all how much money you can save by never wearing underwear again.
Let’s start by figuring out how much you’ll spend on underwear in the next ten years. Assume you buy five new pairs of underwear each year, and that each pair costs five dollars. You might think that your total cost of underwear is just $25 per year and your underwear budget for the next ten years will be just $250. That’s a small price to pay to have some cotton wrapped around your special places, right?
WRONG! You’re forgetting the high hidden costs of underwear. Once you tack on the cost of washing your underwear, storing your underwear, going to the store and buying your underwear, money wasted on underwear that doesn’t fit you, and the ever-growing costs associated with underwear theft insurance, we’re talking tons of cash!
But the soaring price of underwear doesn’t stop there! Also consider the amount of time you spend both putting on and taking off underwear, the time it takes you to walk to your underwear drawer each morning, the time you spend coordinating your underwear with the rest of your clothes, and the time it takes you to sort the underwear in your laundry. On average, underwear-associated activities could take up as much as seven months or even two years of your life!
I know, you’re probably thinking that you can’t live without underwear. It’s aerodynamic, it’s always there to support you, it helps protect your special areas from frostbite, and it even comes in delightful shapes and colors. But even with all those fancy designs and advanced cotton technologies, very few people will ever see you in them! So save that underwear money for a nice suit or dress… or maybe even something a little bigger!
Just how much money can you save by going cold turkey on underwear? About $380,000! That’s enough to buy a house, seven speedboats, or 325,000 mylar balloons! But don’t take my word for it; this detailed graph will show you just how much an underwear-free life could mean to your wallet:
So join the growing legion of people worldwide who are “going commando” and say NO to the high cost of underwear!


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Would you buy a handbag made of food?
Since the pandemic, many fashion brands have decided to focus on sustainable fashion. However, we were shocked when Hermès unveiled a series of Birkin bags made of real vegetables and fruits.
Taking to Instagram, the French manufacturer shared with its 10.7 million followers pictures of the new bags designed by Ben Denzer, a certified visual artist and designer.
Some of the bags were made from asparagus, cabbage, cucumber, bananas and apples.
Hermès is known for its expensive bags, and we wouldn’t be shocked if people spent so much money buying vegetable bags. What we’re not sure of is whether they’re meant for eating because we doubt they are capable of holding any luggage.
In July 2020, Business Insider reported that the most expensive handbag is a Birkin, which ranges from $9 000 (R122 249) to half a million US dollars (R6 788 300).
A white Himalaya by Hermès, known as the holy grail of handbags, features 18 karats white gold hardware and over 200 diamonds, which goes down as the world’s most expensive bag. It was sold to professional sports betting consultant David Oancea for over $500-million (R6,825,938)
Hermès bags are popular among celebrities like Cardi B, Steve Harvey’s wife, Marjorie Harvey, and English fashion designer Victoria Beckham.
However, the person who is reported to have the largest Birkin bag collection in the world with over 200 bags is a Singapore entrepreneur, Jamie Chua.


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Magenta color to debut in Chicago
For those looking for another bright color, like the Synergy Green - it's coming. According to John Fitzpatrick, marketing manager for Chevrolet Performance vehicles "You will be able to see it a couple of miles away," said John Fitzpatrick, Chevrolet's marketing manager for performance cars, in an interview at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. "I think a lot of people who want to stand out are going to go after that color." What do you think?
Courtesy of Edmunds - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro in Magenta Bound for Showrooms| Edmunds.com
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:31 PM.|
Copyright © 1996-2017 CamaroZ28.com. All rights reserved.


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According to Yonhap News,
SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports of information and communication technology (ICT) products grew for the second straight month in March on solid demand for smartphones, computers and other gadgets, data showed Monday.
Outbound shipments of ICT products moved up 1.1 percent on-year to US$16 billion last month, according to the data from the Ministry of Science and ICT. The country imported around $9.44 billion worth of ICT products in the one-month period, for a trade surplus of little under $6.57 billion.
The latest monthly tally follows an 8.2 percent on-year gain in exports reported in February after South Korea's ICT shipments backtracked for 16 months in a row since November 2018.
The ministry said exports of smartphones shot up 11.3 percent to a little over $1.02 billion, with overseas demand for computers and peripheral devices surging 77.6 percent to more than $1.23 billion, thanks mainly to strong sales of solid-state drives.
South Korea is home to Samsung Electronics Co., the world's top memory chip and smartphone maker. Other South Korean tech giants include chip giant SK hynix Inc. and LG Electronics, a leader in home appliances and computers.
But exports of semiconductors fell 2.7 percent to $8.87 billion in March, with a sharp drop in memory chip exports affecting overall performance.
Overseas demand for displays, another key export item, also decreased 4.4 percent on-year to $1.64 billion as manufacturers adjusted output of LCD panels, which offset gains in OLED screens.
Exports to China, the largest overseas market for South Korean ICT exports, reached $7.63 billion, followed by those to Vietnam with $2.45 billion, the United States with $1.98 billion and the European Union with $940 million. Shipments to Japan reached $410 million, the data showed.
For the first three months of 2020, ICT exports gained 0.4 percent from the previous year to $43.11 billion, with imports moving up 0.3 percent to $25.97 billion for a surplus of $17.14 billion in this sector.
Copyrights Yonhap News. All Rights Reserved.
Reprint or redistribution without permission is prohibited.
Source: Yonhap News (Apr. 13, 2020)


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Brewer will use supply, logistics network to aid production of hand sanitizer
March 25, 2020
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, one of the country's largest sponsor of live sports and entertainment, announced that it will redirect sports and entertainment investments to its nonprofit partners to respond to the COVID-19 public health crisis.
With guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and exemptions and authorizations granted by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), many spirits-makers are helping to manufacture ethanol-based hand sanitizer.
In light of recent events with the fast spread of COVID-19, British Columbia-based Victoria Distillers, home of Empress 1908 Gin, has team up with local company Nezza Naturals, to create a free, not-for-profit hand sanitizer with essential oils and the alcohol that is leftover from each distillation.
Like many distilleries, Montpelier, Vt.-based Caledonia Spirits has had to temporarily shutter its on-site bar and retail stores in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the craft distillery is trying to do what it can to contribute to what is now a global fight against the spread of the disease.
First batch donated to Indianapolis, Fort Wayne shelters
March 20, 2020
Hotel Tango Distillery, Indianapolis, is temporarily adding a new high-proof ethyl alcohol-based product to its line of craft spirits that can be used as hand cleaner, due to the worldwide shortage of sanitizers caused by the rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Craft distiller plans to donate to local hospitals, medical communities and shelters in need
March 20, 2020
Fort Worth, Texas-based Blackland Distillery, a full-service cocktail lounge, tasting room and spirits distillery, announced that it is using its production facility to create hand sanitizer for the community in connection with the growing concerns about COVID-19 and limited health and safety products.
Spirits manufacturer partners with Olein Refinery to provide raw materials
March 19, 2020
Hamilton, Bermuda-based Bacardi Ltd. Announced a shift in products at the its Cataño, Puerto Rico-based premium rum distillery to help supply ethanol required to produce the much needed hand sanitizers that are in high demand as a result of COVID-19.
A lot is brewing in the March 2020 issue, from cold-brew coffee to craft beer. Check out our cover story to learn the latest about the $300 million merger that brought the Boston Beer Co. and Dogfish Head together. Our Beverage RD article uncovers the latest trends in sweeteners, while readers can get Up Close With OWYN (Only What You Need). Our Ingredient Spotlight highlights innovations in the utilization of coffee as a flavorful, functional ingredient. And our 2020 Beer Market Report is a hefty pour that you won’t want to miss. You’ll also see the latests in new products, suppliers and more. This issue is good to the last drop. Thirsty for more? Subscribe to get the latest stories delivered right to your inbox. Check back throughout the month for additional content.
Check back throughout the month for additional content.


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licensing plan seeds user revolt
Alan Zisman (c) 2005 First published in Business
18-24, 2005; issue 834
High Tech Office
The software on the millions of computers belonging to large
organizations is licensed in a different way from the software on the
computers in my home office, or in typical small businesses.
Generally, large organizations buy bulk licences from software vendors.
It used to be that organizations would buy a licence for a piece of
software just once. After that, they might pay a fee for support or pay
again if they chose to upgrade to a newer version. Four years ago,
moved to a
new model of licensing. Software Assurance required customers to pay 25
per cent to 33 per cent of the original licence cost each year to
install and use whichever Microsoft product(s) they had licensed, while
Microsoft provided support and any new versions of the products
released over the life of their licence.
Now, with many companies reaching the end of their three-year licence
agreements, some are questioning whether they've gotten their money's
worth. Part of this is due to the slowdown of the formerly frantic pace
of software upgrades. Microsoft's last major operating system release,
Windows XP, for instance, came out in 2001, while release of the next
version, Windows Vista (formerly known as Longhorn), has been postponed
until late 2006.
"We've paid 29 per cent a year for three years, and for what?" wrote
one reader to computer columnist Ed
"Where's Longhorn? Where's Office 12? This has to be one of the biggest
sucker jobs of all time, and they still have the gall to tell us we
need to sign up again so as not to lose the 'value' of our investment.
Who knows if there'll be any 'value' in anything they ship the next
three years either."
Another commented: "Microsoft simply hasn't delivered what it promised.
We didn't pay all this money to get TechNotes or training vouchers."
Microsoft product manager Sunny
that the company has been revising its licensing scheme in response to
feedback from volume licensing customers as the company announced
changes to ensure customers don't let their Software Assurance
Announcing seven different versions of the upcoming Windows Vista,
Microsoft stated that an Enterprise version, with features aimed at
large organizational users, would be made available only to Software
Assurance or Enterprise Agreement customers. Among the promised
features: full volume encryption data protection, a potential benefit
to users whose notebooks go missing, and a version of Virtual PC
built-in, for users with applications that require older versions of
A special Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs is being readied,
promising Windows XP-style security on hardware that is only capable
for older, less-secure Windows versions. Starting next March, Software
Assurance customers in organizations with at least 30,000 Windows or
Office licences are promised additional training vouchers for
organizations and 24/7 support instead of the current business
But Manitoba Hydro systems support specialist Robert Bagamery
responded to the Software Assurance announcement, calling it "the
latest Microsoft cash grab.... You shouldn't have a gun to your head,"
he said, noting companies should be able to buy Vista Enterprise and
other enhanced features whether or not they subscribe to Software
Gartner Inc. analyst Alvin Park told Computerworld that companies
should carefully evaluate Software Assurance, because some of the new
features could save money. But he can't issue a blanket recommendation:
"Every customer is different in what they need and what they want."
magazine reports that at least one client, Australia's New South Wales
Office of State Revenue, has concluded its better off moving to Linux
on the desktop when its Software Assurance plan expires, citing costs
estimated at one/sixth that of a Windows upgrade.


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ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Less than a week after a series of critical tweets from the president over the Lordstown factory idle, General Motors announces plans to add 400 jobs and build a new electric vehicle at a factory north of Detroit.
The company says it will spend $ 300 million in its factory in Orion Township, Michigan, to manufacture a Chevrolet vehicle based on the battery-powered bolt.
GM did not want to say when the new workers will start or when the new vehicle will be for sale, nor would it say whether the workers will be new leases or come from a pool of redundant workers from the planned vacancies on four US factories in January.
The company also announced plans on Friday morning to spend about $ 1
The moves come after last week's strictly poisonous tweets by President Donald Trump, condemning GM's idle at the Lordstown factory where the Chevy Cruze was made. During the weekend, Trump demanded that GM re-open the plant or sell it, criticizing local Union leader Dave Green, and expressed frustration with CEO Mary Barra.
GM spokesman Dan Flores said the investment has been in the works for weeks. In fact, GM has said it is planning to build more vehicles off the bolt's surface, which can be estimated 238 miles on a single electric charge. The company has promised to introduce 20 new all-electric vehicles globally by 2023.
In November, GM announced that they would live in the four US factories, including Lordstown and one in Canada. Ca. 3,300 workers in the United States will lose their jobs as well as 2,600 in Canada. Another 8,000 employees were targeted at dismissal. The company said the movements needed to remain financially sound as GM faced huge investment costs for switching to electric and autonomous vehicles. Plants slated for closure also include Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan; Warren, Michigan; White Marsh, Maryland, near Baltimore; and Oshawa, Ontario, near Toronto. The factories produce mostly cars or components for them, and cars do not sell as well these days as trucks and SUVs. With the closures, GM disables several car models due to falling sales, including the Chevrolet Volt plug-in gas-electric hybrid.
GM has said it can place about 2,700 of the dismissed American workers at other factories, but it is unclear how many will move up and take those positions. More than 1,100 have already been transferred and others are retiring.
"We are currently focused on Lordstown's people and make sure they have opportunities because we have jobs". Barra told reporters after today's announcement. "We want every person in Lordstown to be within the GM family, and that's what we're working on."
The United Auto Workers have sued GM over the closures, which still have to be negotiated with the association.
"I do not want to spoil a big occasion here today. But there are hardships among four of our locations. And we have made it clear that we disagree with it." UAW Vice President Terry Dittes said.
Trump's latest GM tweet on Monday said GM should: "Close a plant in China or Mexico where you invested so high pre-trump," and "Bring home jobs!"
"I understand much of the anxiety that people feel and I feel it too," Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Friday. "And I want to make sure GM knows that their investment here in Michigan is encouraged and welcomed and appreciated. And we continue to do so."
Ohio and the area around the Lordstown plant are important for Trumps 2020 re-election bid. The state helped push him to victory in 2016 and Trump has focused on Lordstown and rarely mentions the other US factories that GM is slated to close.
"General Motors is committed to supporting American production, including the great states of Ohio and Michigan," said Barra, claiming that she does not see further redundancies or plant closures in late 2020 .