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One of the biggest areas of speculation these days about the iPhone 5 is whether it will have near-field communications (NFC), the technology used both for in-store payments and for getting information from RFID tags inside advertisements, products and more. With lots of people talking about NFC, many have assumed that iPhone5 would have NFC. But there have been a lot of indications that it won't.
Today NXP, one of the biggest makers of NFC technology, lowered drastically their projections of how many NFC-capable phones will ship in 2011, from 100 million to 40 million.
My question is simple: What changed that caused NXP to lower their projections?
In the past few weeks we've seen lots of strong moves in the NFC area. This includes strong consolidation of efforts of major players in the traditional payment space, along with several initiatives from strong players in the on-line payment space (1, 2). And a big NFC tag printing company released big news as well.
Presumably NXP knows things that we don't know. Might this be confirmation that the iPhone 5 will not have NFC? Or is another major player backing off from its NFC plans?


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So far, a search for "iPhone" on RadioShack's Web site turns up anything but Apple's uber-famous mobile device. But that will likely change shortly.
RadioShack plans to introduce the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S to a limited number of stores in the Dallas and New York markets beginning later this month, according a brief release on the company's Web site posted Nov. 6. Apple iPhones will be available nationwide through RadioShack in 2010, according to the retailer.
It's unknown when buyers might be able to buy an iPhone online through RadioShack's Web site. A search for "iPhone" on RadioShack.com only turns up iPhone competitors such as the Palm Pre with WebOS, HTC Tilt 2 with Windows Mobile 6.5 and T-Mobile's myTouch 3G with Google's Android OS.
RadioShack's shares were trading Monday morning as high as $20.57, a 52-week high and up $2.83 or 16 percent, after the iPhone news spread. Credit Suisse raised its rating on RadioShack to Outperform from Neutral, while Barclays Capital, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley also thought the deal would help the company financially.
Last month, RadioShack announced earnings of $37.4 million, or 30 cents per share, on sales of $990 million for the third quarter ended Sept. 30. The results compared to earnings of $49.1 million, or 38 cents per share, on sales of $1.02 billion for the year-ago quarter.

domain: news


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Hard Numbers: Canada goes COVID “zero,” US blue-collar boom, Russia’s call-up calamities, British books lighten up
0: Starting on Oct. 1, the Canadian government will impose zero COVID-related restrictions on international travelers. The Canucks’ vax requirements were lauded by public health experts, but they touched off a trucker-led occupation of downtown Ottawa and messed with US pro sports teams’ travel plans.
67,000: US factories now employ 67,000 more people than they did at the start of the pandemic as inflation and supply chain bottlenecks drive a US manufacturing sector job boom unlike any seen in 50 years.
54: Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, at least 54 Russian army recruitment centers have been attacked, with 17 of those incidents coming in the days since Vladimir Putin issued call-up orders last week, according to the independent Russian outlet Mediazona. On Monday, a man opened fire at a draft office in Siberia, wounding one official.70: With paper costs rising as much as 70% this year, British publishers are making books from flimsier stock and pressing their editors to, well, edit more.
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Total sales in August this year were at 4,01,595 units as against 3,73,270 units, up 8%, the company said.
Two Wheeler Sales In India
The company, however, remains optimistic on the long-term growth prospects of the domestic two-wheeler industry. It has gathered from a survey that more people are now willing to buy a two-wheeler in order to stay safe and maintain social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bajaj CT, Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Hero Glamour which were not there in the top 10 two-wheelers list of January 2019, made it to the top 10 this year.
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Toyota South Africa has teamed up with Altron and Vodacom Business to enable connectivity features and in-car wi-fi on all new Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
Explaining the partnership, Andrew Kirby, CEO of Toyota South Africa, said the importance of telematics and telecommunication in the vehicles of the future necessitated the partnership.
The importance of telematics and telecommunications in tomorrow’s vehicles cannot be overstated – hence our partnership with global technology group Altron (through Netstar) and telecoms giant Vodacom in this project.Andrew Kirby, CEO of Toyota South Africa
The new connectivity hub christened Toyota Connect will be integrated into the MyToyota App and will offer all Toyota owners access to convenience and safety benefits.
According to Kirby, from September 1 in-car wi-fi will be available for all Toyota and Lexus models sold in SA.
As of 01 September 2019, all-new Toyota and Lexus models sold in South Africa will come standard with in-car Wi-Fi including 15GB free data (which you can top up) as well as a host of connectivity features and benefits courtesy of Toyota Connect, a major extension of the MyToyota AppAndrew Kirby, CEO of Toyota South Africa
The wi-fi top-ups can be done using Toyota Connect or banking apps.
The Benefits in Toyota Connect
Toyota Connect is built to help users manage the maintenance of their vehicles. When customers use the service booking option, they enjoy benefits like being reminded that their vehicles are due for servicing.
The Logbook facility automatically archives a digital log of vehicle mileage and service history for future purposes. The GPS locator provides extra convenience as you can easily view the location of the car.
The service also has a Roadside Assistance with impact detection. This means that customers have 24/7 access to real-time support. Battery health can also be monitored through Battery Health Check as it displays real-time status of the battery.
Nester, a subsidiary of Altron together with Toyota developed the Toyota Connect to include Internet of Things (IoT) functions like telematics and fleet management.
Mteto Nyati, Altron Group Chief Executive said once a customer has opted-in, data collected by telematics provides accident and breakdown assistance.
Once a customer has opted-in, the data aggregated from the telematics module will provide insights to Toyota, their dealer network, customers, fleet owners and third-party service providers such as the Automobile Association (AA), providing accident and breakdown assistance.Mteto Nyati, Altron Group Chief Executive
Talking about the influence of technology on the market expectation of consumers, Kirby revealed that owners of vehicles are becoming aware of how technology enhances their life.
Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of how connected technologies can enhance their lives and our task as a forward-thinking organisation is to evolve in tandem with market expectations.Andrew Kirby, CEO of Toyota South Africa
William Mzimba, Chief Officer at Vodacom Business also acknowledged that an increase in sales for cars that rank high in technology has been noticed.
We’re witnessing an increasing number of car buyers ranking in-car technology as important as vehicle performance. They want their cars to be safe, efficient, better equipped and fun.William Mzimba, Chief Officer at Vodacom Business
The demand for vehicles with high technological performance is on the increase with self-driving cars and electric cars becoming common. The time is about right for a large automotive manufacturer like Toyota to make their vehicles compliant with technological advancement.
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Finance 7 November 10:45
Gold and platinum prices increased in Azerbaijan on Nov. 7
Economy 2 October 20:11
Prices for gold and platinum increased, while the silver and palladium prices decreased in Azerbaijan Oct. 2, according to the data published by the country’s Central Bank.
Economy 1 October 10:58
Prices for gold, silver and platinum increased, while the palladium prices decreased in Azerbaijan Oct. 1
Economy 27 September 19:26
Prices for gold and silver fell, while the platinum and palladium prices increased in Azerbaijan Sept. 27, according to the data published by the country’s Central Bank.
Economy 26 September 10:57
Prices for precious metals varied in Azerbaijan Sept. 26
Economy 10 September 10:28
The prices for precious metals have varied in Azerbaijan Sept. 10
Economy 8 September 13:47
The price of one ounce of gold increased by 2.7965 manats or 0.1371 percent last week in Azerbaijan
Economy 5 September 11:16
The prices for some precious metals decreased in Azerbaijan Sept. 5
Economy 30 May 10:47
The price of gold increased in Azerbaijan on May 30, while the price of other precious metals decreased.
Economy 29 May 12:00
The prices of precious metals, except palladium, decreased in Azerbaijan on May 29, according to the data published by the country’s Central Bank.


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As the enterprises are shifting more towards smart phone based access of company wide resources, the emphasis on establishing a secure connection between the nomadic device (read cell phone or tablet) and the enterprise is increasing. A tablet is mostly seen as an evolution of laptop and hence is expected to run applications like VPN clients anyway. However, a smart phone is more of an extension of the voice communications device and its ability to establish a secure “tunnel” back home requires a bit of digesting.
US National Security Agency (NSA)’s mobility program recently published the Mobility Compatibility Package Guide. This guide talks about various architectural components of the Secure Smartphone VOIP over cellular network. The key requirements presented in this guide is an interesting read.
One of the key challenges would be to manage the applications on the mobile device from provisioning and security viewpoints. That would most likely require a VPN tunnel between the device and the enterprise using the carrier network.
BTW, if you have an android smartphone and if you need to setup a VPN tunnel using that, see this article by Jack Allen.


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Did you consume Dolo 650 during the Covid-19 illness? You and I, and many others, have done that.
Data shows that India sold more than 350 crore tablets of the anti-fever medicine since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020.
Pushed by fever, one of the most common symptoms of Covid-19, the sales of this oval-shaped white pill has doubled in the last two years while paracetamol tablets are the most consumed medicines for cold and fever.
If we stack together all 350 crore tablets vertically, it’s about 6,000 times as tall as Mount Everest — the world’s highest mountain – or about 63,000 times as tall as Burj Khalifa — the world’s tallest building.
Yes, it’s true. Dolo, a 1.5 cm-long pill, was sold much more than the go-to paracetamol tablet, Crocin, in the last two years.
Sample this: According to the data by the research firm IQVIA, India sold about 7.5 crore strips of Dolo tablets before the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2019.
The annual sales of the medicine moved to 9.4 crore strips – with 15 tablets in one strip – or 141 crore tablets. It spiked further to 14.5 crore strips – twice the sales in 2019 – or 217 crore tablets by November 2021.
It is to be noted that the first wave of Covid-19 arrived in India around September 2020, whereas the ferocious second wave, which saw most deaths, hit India in May 2021. Overall, India has recorded more than 3.5 crore cases. Hence, more than 350 crore tablets of Dolo were sold in both the pandemic years.
Today, Dolo is the second most sold anti-fever and analgesic tablet in India with a turnover of Rs 307 crore in 2021 whereas GSK’s Calpol is just a notch above it with turnover of Rs 310 crore. Crocin is the sixth largest in the category with double-digit sales of Rs 23.6 crore.
Overall, in non-Covid year 2019, the sales of all brands under the paracetamol category stood around Rs 530 crore. Category sales zoomed by 70% and by 2021, they have touched Rs 924 crore.
People are not just buying Dolo, they are googling it, too.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in January 2020, ‘Dolo 650’ was most searched keyword on Google with around 2 lakh searches while ‘Calpol 650’ was looked for around 40,000 times. The search volume for the keyword peaked during the second wave.
Dolo’s Entry and Claim to Fame
Paracetamol, a generic salt, which is a common painkiller used to treat aches and reduce high temperature, has been in the market since the 1960s.
Crocin or Dolo or Calpol – these are different brand names given by pharma companies selling the same salt, paracetamol, under their copyright brand name.
I was curious to find the reason behind Dolo’s success, thanks to the memes flooded on the social media platforms claiming that every Indian is popping Dolo, right now. These hilarious memes claim Dolo is a one-stop solution for everything — be it fever, body ache, Covid-19, headache or toothache.
My first call to an industry veteran made me learn that Dolo’s fame is not new-found. “In fact, in 2010, Dolo 650 was awarded as the best managed brand of the year, subsequently, it was recognised as India’s most admired brand followed by several other recognitions,” a veteran representing a lobby of pharma companies in India told me.
Dr SP Kalantri, Professor of Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Maharashtra, believes it could be a mix of everything, including good luck, behind Dolo’s fame. He told me that this “workhorse painkiller” merely comforts the patients when their distress level is high.
What made it catch the fancy of public and physicians? I asked. “Is it plain luck, mere happenstance, clever marketing, social media, or perceived need of the people during Covid times? It is difficult to assess which of the assumptions explain its sudden popularity. All paracetamols are alike — their task is to ease pain and bring down fever,” he said.
What Made Dolo Popular?
The first reason shared by doctors, brand experts and industry veterans is it’s short and crisp brand name. It’s simpler than other brands such as Pyrigesic, Pacimol, Fepanil and Paracip.
Another reason is the company’s entry into the 650 milligram (MG) category and perception that it’s more effective on fever due unknown illnesses.
Founded in 1973, Bengaluru-based Micro labs — maker of brand Dolo — sensed the opportunity and relaunched the product emphasising that it contained 650 mg of paracetamol, while the rest had 500 mg.
The medicine became popular as “Dolo-650”.
Brand experts and industry veterans told me that the company encashed on clinical evidence that 650 mg gave superior pain relief than 500 mg.
The pharma brand specialist, Vivek Hattangadi, recalled that Micro Labs also initiated a series of Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes for doctors on ‘Pyrexia of unknown origin’ under the Micro Knowledge Academy.
“Although the medical term used for fever is pyrexia, prescription data analysis showed that doctors preferred to use the term ‘FUO’ or ‘Fever of Unknown Origin’,” he said, quoting his mentor professor, Chitta Mitra, who is also known as the father of pharma brand management.
He believes that MicroLabs’s strategy of using this term ‘FUO’ in their brand promotion played a key role in increasing prescription.
“The brand became synonymous with fever due to unknown reasons. Any fever and doctor will prescribe Dolo-650.”
Hattangadi’s analogy proved correct.
In an interview to The CEO Magazine, Dilip Surana, managing director, Micro Labs, confessed that the company identified a space between normal fever and high fever.
“There are many cases wherein fever of unknown origin is being observed with a high fever. There we started promoting Dolo-650 to doctors. The concept of high fever was well appreciated by doctors to a quantum spurt in prescriptions of Dolo-650,” he was quoted saying in one of the rare interviews published in January, 2021.
Surana also said the batch size of Dolo production has increased by 25 times.
Crocin Opened Bigger Market for Dolo
Hattangadi shared that Crocin was the first brand to be launched under the paracetamol category.
The man behind Crocin was late GM Masurkar, the head of sales and promotion team of drug maker Crookes Interfran, which was later named as Duphar Interfran and then became Solvay.
The company, in the late 1990s, sold its popular analgesic brand Crocin to Smithkline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, which was later merged with Glaxo Wellcome – known today as GSK (GlaxoSmithkline).
“Glaxo already had Calpol, but it was a weak brand as compared to Crocin. While Crocin was made an OTC brand and Calpol remained a prescription brand,” Hattangadi said.
This changed the perception of Crocin.
“When a drug becomes an OTC, doctors are less likely to prescribe it,” a general physician, with four decades of experience, told me over a call during a frank conversation about Dolo.
OTC means that you need not consult a doctor or take prescription to buy the medicine. “Crocin di hai… Yeh tou main khud hi le leta, fees waste ho gayi. This is how a patient’s psychology works. Hence, doctors started avoiding prescribing Crocin,” he said.
Once doctor prescribes a particular brand, its reputation grows stronger in front of the patient and his family members. They start buying the same from the next time onwards.
By the way, if too many memes on Dolo are giving a headache, you know what to do next.


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MEXICO/AUS: Anti-trust concerns hit Nestle-Pfizer deal
Nestle agreed a deal to acquire the infant nutrition business of US pharmaceuticals group Pfizer for US$11.85bn in April
In a filing yesterday (21 November), Mexico's Federal Competition Commission (CFC), said it voted four-to-one to reject the acquisition.
Australia's antitrust regulator yesterday attached a condition to its approval of the deal, requiring it to license the brand portfolio in Australia to an approved independent purchaser.
Mexico's CFC said the companies have 30 working days to lodge an appeal and, "if they so choose", submit a new proposal.
Nestle agreed a deal to acquire the infant nutrition business of US pharmaceuticals group Pfizer for US$11.85bn in April.
The CFC, however, said the acquisition would give Nestle 70.6% of the Mexican market for so-called stage-one and -two formula and 88.2% of the market for stage-three formula.
Nestle would be able to raise prices of its different brands between 2.9% and 11.5%, also giving competitors room to raise their prices to a lesser extent, the CFC added.
"The Plenum of the Federal Competition Commission (CFC) decided not to authorise the acquisition of the nutrition business line in Mexico of Pfizer Inc. by Nestle, considering that the notified transaction imposes real and substantial risk to competition and free competition.," it said in the filing.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it "would not oppose" the proposed acquisition, but said it required Nestle to accept a court enforceable undertaking to appoint a purchaser for the branded portfolio approved by the regulator.
"The ACCC had significant concerns that without the undertaking, the proposed acquisition would further increase concentration in already concentrated markets, where barriers to entry and expansion are high," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.
"If the proposed acquisition were to proceed in Australia, the number of major suppliers of infant formula and toddler milk in each of the distribution channels would be reduced from three to two, and our inquiries indicated that this would be likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of infant formula and toddler milk."
Nestle did not return a request for comment on either ruling.
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The year is off to a less-than-stellar start for Kohl’s.
The retail chain has yet to report its fourth-quarter or full-year 2019 earnings, but in a statement released this week (Jan. 9), Kohl’s said that its “comparable sales for fiscal November and December 2019 combined (the ‘holiday period’) decreased 0.2 percent over the same period last year.” That’s not the only bad news that Kohl’s gave investors. “Based on the holiday period sales performance, the Company now expects its fiscal 2019 diluted earnings per share to be at the low end of its previously announced guidance range of $4.75 to $4.95.”
Kohl’s gave a few details about why holiday season sales decreased.
“We continue to see momentum in key areas, including our digital business, active, beauty and children’s, and solid performance in footwear and men’s,” said CEO Michelle Gass in the statement. “This was offset by softness in women’s, which we are working with speed to address.”
Kohl’s has been trying to increase the appeal of its brick-and-mortar retail offerings, including via a deepening relationship with Amazon. Indeed, in 2019, Gass said in an earnings conference call that the Amazon returns program was seen as a significant initiative and a “great example of our innovative spirit.” (As previously reported, the department store retailer will accept “eligible” Amazon items without a label or box.) The partnership with the eCommerce retailer, Gass noted in the call, reflects the collective strengths of both merchants.
— Kohl's News (@KohlsNews) August 21, 2019
Gass pointed out that Kohl’s has a robust nationwide footprint and best-in-class omnichannel capabilities. Amazon, on the other hand, has an expansive customer reach and world-class digital capabilities. She also noted that the effort aligns perfectly with the company’s top strategy of driving traffic. “The overarching goal of this program is to convert the traffic that comes into our stores into loyal Kohl’s shoppers over time,” Gass said.
The retail chain’s third-quarter earnings, released in late 2019, seemed to validate the Amazon relationship. Right after those financials were reported, Gass said the program is driving incremental traffic to its locations, and that the company is “particularly encouraged by the disproportionate amount of new customers.” She also pointed out that the 2019 holiday season will be the first with Amazon returns in stores across the country.
During late 2019, Kohl’s also enhanced its marketing offers and invested in pricing. Gass noted that its “decisive actions were successful” and allowed for “strong sales performance in October,” although she noted the quarter didn’t meet the company’s expectations.
In terms of digital, Gass said the company is pleased with the momentum it sees. Digital sales rose at a mid-teens rate in the third quarter. She also pointed out that the Kohl’s app grew significantly quicker than digital overall during Q3, “with nearly double the traffic growth and nearly triple the sales growth as our loyal customers have increased their usage.”
Other Retail Troubles
Kohl’s is not the only major retail reporting trouble in early 2020. As part of its yearly review process, Macy’s plans to shutter one Bloomingdale’s store and 28 of its namesake department stores. The retailer operates approximately 680 department stores as well as 190 specialty shops, CNBC reported.
Macy’s has been seeking to win back shoppers who are turning more to eCommerce and frequenting shopping malls less often. The retailer has been working to bolster its product offerings and revamp its store designs. Macy’s has also been testing out experimental store formats like Backstage, in an attempt to compete with discount stores like T.J. Maxx.
Department stores have been having a rough time overall. Sales in the industry dropped 1.8 percent from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, per Mastercard Spending Pulse. Some merchants were providing large discounts to bring consumers into their locations over the holidays.
As for Kohl’s, it is scheduled to report Q4 and full-year 2019 earnings on March 3, followed by its Investor Day on March 16. Presumably, more details about the Amazon relationship and other efforts to sweeten the brick-and-mortar proposition will also come at that time.


text: The 34-year-old reality star wore a white bralette and matching white dress for her second Vogue cover in less then a year. Kardashian first became a Vogue cover girl when she posed with husband Kanye West in April 2014. She wore a white wedding dress. a Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) January 10, 2015 Theres no telling if this years Vogue Australia cover will result in the same controversy as Kardashians previous cover. Last year, many critics objected to Kardashians presence in the prestigious fashion magazine, but editor-in-chief Anna Wintour released a statement defending her. “Part of the pleasure of editing Vogue, one that lies in a long tradition of this magazine, is being able to feature those who define the culture at any given moment, who stir things up, whose presence in the world shapes the way it looks and influences the way we see it, Wintour said in March .


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Israel-based Belkin Vision announced that it has received CE Mark for its Eagle device, making it the first automated, non-contact glaucoma laser treatment available within Europe.
Oertli's OS 4 platform is a powerful, multifaceted system designed for retinal, glaucoma, and cataract surgeries. At its core lies a 3-pump mechanism featuring vacuum and flow regulation, as well as a novel SPEEP pump.
Icare USA announced 510(k) clearance from the FDA for their next generation self-tonometer, the iCare HOME2.
Nova Eye Medical announced the launch of its next generation canaloplasty device, iTrack Advance, in select markets in Europe and the Asia Pacific.
According to GlobalData, the glaucoma market across the seven major markets* is predicted to grow steadily from $2.8 billion in 2020 to $3.5 billion in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2%.


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In this edition:
- Ombudsman closes file on 2016 Niagara Region CAO hiring
- Brock prof Kate Bezanson to serve as special advisor to Prime Minister
- Government of Canada introduces legislation to curtail rising cost of living
- Building investment edges up to $21 billion in July
- One-third of Canadian businesses reported e-commerce sales in 2021
Ombudsman closes file on 2016 Niagara Region CAO hiring after finding all recommendations were implemented
In a letter addressed to Regional Chair Jim Bradley, Ontario Ombudsman J. Paul Dubé confirmed that his office will be closing their file on the tainted 2016 Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) hiring process, expressing thanks for the cooperation he experienced from the Region.
In the letter dated Sept. 7, 2022, the Ombudsman confirmed that Regional Council has successfully implemented all 16 recommendations found in his 2019 “Inside Job” report. Given council’s willingness to implement these changes, the Ombudsman’s letter indicates that “no further follow up reports are required and my Office will be closing our file in this matter.”
The 71-page “Inside Job” report responded to over 110 formal complaints registered with the Ontario Ombudsman’s office by members of the public. These complaints called on the Ombudsman to investigate the how the 2016 CAO hiring process was carried out, and many other related issues.
Brock prof Kate Bezanson to serve as special advisor to Prime Minister
Brock University researcher Kate Bezanson has been seconded to serve as a special advisor on gender, rights, and social, economic and legal issues to the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada.
Bezanson will take a leave from her role as Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology to complete the secondment, which began Sept. 6.
Over the past few years, Bezanson has become a familiar face and voice to many beyond the Brock community through her public discussion of her policy research, some of which was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and initially outlined in the 2020 report, “From Stabilization to Stimulus and Beyond: A Roadmap to Social and Economic Recovery.” Since the report’s release, national and international outlets have frequently sought Bezanson’s commentary and insight on the evolving policy landscape around gender, public policy, federalism and care work.
Government of Canada introduces legislation to curtail rising cost of living
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the government’s first pieces of legislation introduced in the upcoming Parliamentary sitting would take aim at the rising cost of living and aim to reduce the financial burden on Canadians most in need.
The measures in these bills would, if passed:
- Double the Goods and Services Tax Credit (GSTC) for six months. Roughly 11 million individuals and families receive the tax credit, including about half of Canadian families with children, and more than half of Canadian seniors.
- Provide a Canada Dental Benefit to children under 12 who do not have access to dental insurance, starting this year. Direct payments totalling up to $1,300 per child over the next two years (up to $650 per year) would be provided for dental care services.
- Provide a one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit to deliver $500 to 1.8 million Canadian renters who are struggling with the cost of housing. The federal benefit will be available to applicants with an adjusted net income below $35,000 for families, or below $20,000 for individuals, who pay at least 30 per cent of their income on rent. This new one-time federal benefit will be in addition to the Canada Housing Benefit currently co-funded and delivered by provinces and territories.
Building investment edges up to $21 billion in July
Investment in building construction continued its upward trend since October 2021, rising 0.8% to $21.0 billion in July. Both the residential (+1.0% to $15.7 billion) and the non-residential sectors (+0.1% to $5.3 billion) showed increases.
On a constant dollar basis (2012=100), investment in building construction increased 1.4% to $12.8 billion. Investment in non-residential construction nudged up 0.1% to $5.3 billion in July.
Commercial investment was up 0.6% to $3.0 billion for the month, cooling down after posting strong gains in June. Notable growth for the component mainly came from British Columbia (+3.5%), stemming from multiple projects across Vancouver.
One-third of Canadian businesses reported e-commerce sales in 2021
One-third (33%) of Canadian businesses had at least some e-commerce sales in 2021, marking an increase from 2019, when one-quarter (25%) received or made sales of goods or services over the Internet.
Large businesses (38%) were the most likely to report e-commerce sales, while medium (36%) and small (32%) businesses did not lag far behind. This compares favourably to other small businesses internationally; the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that 25% of small businesses from reporting member countries had online sales in 2020.
Canadian businesses with e-commerce sales grossed, on average, $3.7 million in sales over the Internet in 2021, however this varied greatly by size of business. Large businesses reported, on average, $79 million in gross e-commerce sales, while medium-sized businesses reported $4.2 million and small businesses reported $580,000.
If you are seeking to grow your online presence, you may be eligible for a micro-grant worth up to $2,400 to help get your business online, give your e-commerce presence a boost, or digitalize business operations. Click here to get more information and apply.
Focus on Finance and Economy
Posthaste: Soft landing for Canada’s economy is becoming ‘a distant prospect,’ economists say
With hawkish central bankers plowing ahead to get inflation under control, more economists are coming around to the idea that a soft landing for the economy is increasingly unlikely.
Since March the Bank of Canada has hiked its rate 300 basis points and is showing no signs of stopping.
“BIS research suggests front-loaded rate hikes ‘can help prevent a hard landing,’ said RBC senior economist Josh Nye in a report Monday. “But with policy makers pledging to do what it takes to rein in inflation, we think a soft landing is becoming a distant prospect.”
Economists had expected the Bank of Canada to hike rates by 75 basis points earlier this month. That rise followed a full percentage point increase in July and there was speculation the Bank would pause its most aggressive cycle in a decade at 3.25 per cent.
Trudeau says new cost-of-living spending won’t fuel inflation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a package of new measures to help Canadians cope with steeply rising prices, as his governing Liberals face increasing political pressure to mitigate the cost-of-living crisis.
The government will double for a period of six months a sales tax rebate received by low-income earners, at a cost of $2.5 billion. It will also top up a housing benefit for renters, worth about $700 million in additional spending.
Unlike many of his global peers, Trudeau has avoided taking new measures to ease the burden of rising prices, even with inflation at its highest level since the early 1980s, in part because of concerns more spending could stoke inflation. But it’s becoming become increasingly difficult to hold off, particularly after Pierre Poilievre’s resounding victory in this weekend’s Conservative Party leadership election.
Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.


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Decaffeinated coffee could be bad for the heart because it increases the levels of cholesterol in the blood, says a new US study.
Researchers from the Piedmont-Mercer Centre for Health and Learning in Atlanta studied the effect of coffee on 187 people over a three-month period.
In the study, those who drank only decaffeinated coffee had a heightened risk of contracting heart disease than those drinking normal caffeinated blends.
"I believe it's not caffeinated but decaffeinated coffee that might promote heart disease risk factors," said lead researcher Robert Superko.
"The heart risk is not great - the fatty acids can be burned off easily by exercising. But someone with high cholesterol, who drinks four or five cups of decaffeinated coffee a day, might want to think about cutting down."
In the study, the group was split into three smaller sub-groups: one group drank three to six caffeinated cups of coffee daily; another group did not drink coffee; while the third group drank three to six cups of decaffeinated coffee every day.
The research team then analysed blood samples from each of the groups to see if they contained high levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and 'bad' cholesterol (apolipoprotein B) - common indicators of heart disease.
The researchers found that the group who drank only decaffeinated coffee experienced an 18 per cent rise in NEFAs and an eight per cent rise apolipoprotein B which is linked to cholesterol associated with heart disease.
They also found changes in another type of cholesterol known as HDL2, which is also linked to high heart disease risk. Overweight people who took part in the study saw their levels of HLD2 increase by half.
However, Robert Superko stressed that this did not mean one type of coffee was better, or worse, than the other.
"It is not a simple story of one type of coffee being good and the other bad," he said.
"Those who are overweight but have normal apolipoprotein B levels might consider the potential benefit of drinking decaffeinated coffee over caffeinated coffee," he added.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has given a cautious welcome to the findings, but has warned the public not to panic about drinking moderate amounts of decaffeinated coffee.
"This study throws up some interesting questions about the potential heart risks and benefits of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee," said Judy O'Sullivan, a spokeswoman for the BHF.
"However, as the study was quite small and short-term it is too soon to draw any firm conclusions about the use of coffee to reduce risk of heart disease.
"Additionally, the small study examined the effects of drinking three to six cups of black decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee daily. Therefore, it is not relevant for those who enjoy a coffee once or twice a day."


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Does the new Aussie budget have any impact on your startup?
There weren't many expectations heading into the Budget this year for startups, and it turns out rightly so. In a Budget where the Treasurer decided to pretty liberally splash the cash around, the technology sector remained pretty dry. Perhaps the most notable measure relevant to startups is a $60 million increase to the Export Market Development Grant. The EMDG is a broad program designed to help SMEs market and sell overseas. It can support spending on advertising, international travel, conferences, sales trips and other expenditure used to promote your products to an overseas market. The EMDG as startup support Since startups are naturally focused on establishing export markets with their global approach, this is of particular value to high-growth businesses. The EMDG has gone a little under the radar in startup circles, but some of the leading Australian tech founders we've talked to say it was really valuable for their business. As part of a series of interviews StartupAUS conducted with scale-up founders, we asked about their experience with the EMDG: Didier Elzinga of Culture Amp said, 'What the EMDG does well is it says go overseas and try to sell what you're doing and we'll make it simple and easy and we'll encourage you to do it.' He used the EMDG to make sales in the US and says part of its value is as an incentive to generate activity. 'I think it's the most successful yet unheralded program that encourages the right behaviour. It gets people into entrepreneurial activity and its pitched at the right level.' Jonathan Barouch at Localmeasure added, 'We do a lot of overseas conferences so [the EMDG has] been really helpful to offset the costs of going overseas.' To find out more about the EMDG, head to Austrade's EMDG guide.
Other Budget measures Small business tax cuts may be a welcome sight for those businesses that are profitable, but in an arena where traction and growth is prioritised over revenue, most tax cuts for small businesses will not have a significant impact on the startup sector. Some measures in skill development, including a $3.4 million commitment to support women in STEM careers, should have a long-term positive impact on the sector. But one measure that is conspicuous by its absence is any reference to the Research and Development Tax Incentive (R&DTI). Last year, the government responded to a 2016 R&D Tax Incentive review and announced a crackdown on overclaiming of the scheme. One year later, the response to the review has been put on hold, yet startups continue to be hammered by audits while the status of software under the scheme is in limbo. We all know how valuable the R&DTI is to the startup sector, and every day that goes by with more businesses being targeted for audits is a blow to the strong growth of the sector. It's threatening to pull the rug out from under the sector - but nothing was said about it tonight.
The information in this article came from a post from StartupAUS.


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(Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories
Despite the earnings beat, Abbott left its full-year profit forecast unchanged at $1.98 to $2.04 per share.
The company, which in January spun off its branded prescription drugs business into a new company called AbbVie Inc
Excluding special items, it earned 46 cents per share. Analysts, on average, expected 44 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Revenue rose 2.5 percent to $5.45 billion, slightly below Wall Street expectations for $5.52 billion.
(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by John Wallace)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp


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No matter how they peeled it — or baked it — a new spud was a pleasant surprise at the Taste of Colorado this Labor Day weekend in downtown Denver.
Albert Bartlett, which has been growing one of the United Kingdom’s favorite potatoes for 60 years, premiered the Rooster potato in the United States this weekend. The potato was received well, as more than 60,000 potato wedges — that’s 5 tons of potatoes — were passed out during the four-day festival in Denver.
“It’s fantastic. We had to start somewhere, and it’s been outstanding,” said chief executive Colin Smith. “The product really speaks for itself.”
The Rooster potato, which is slightly smaller than a Russet potato and wrapped in a pink, thick skin, is drier than several other strains. The combination creates a fluffy, taste-packed spud that can be easily baked, fried or mashed into all kinds of favorites, said spokesman John Hicks.
Rooster potatoes will be available in Colorado at the end of October, Hicks said. But the processes of bringing this potato to the U.S. took more than four years.
Nearly five years ago, tiny potato plants were shipped from Europe to Canada. The young plants multiplied and began to mature as the company looked for a permanent home for the crop.
They found one in the San Luis Valley, where the cool nights and high altitude allow the potatoes to “take a breath” as they grow.
Kevin Payne and Darcy Swisher returned to the festival, which drew about 500,000 people, a second day just to snag another wedge, they said.
“They’re so good,” Swisher said Monday. “They’re not dry, and the taste is really unique.”
Daniel Asher, operations chef for Denver’s Root Down and Linger restaurants, has been experimenting with the potato for almost two weeks, he said. Some of its most surprising qualities are its versatility and forgiveness — even when making baked potato ice cream.
“It’s really one of the most perfect flavors,” Asher said.
In the midst of listing all the ways he has fried, diced, baked and mashed the new potato, Asher also realized his next test of the “bulletproof” potato: potato and cheddar scones.
Some final counts for taste of colorado
The 29th Taste of Colorado drew about 500,000 people during the four-day festival. Here are some fun “festimates” from the event.
Festival goers consumed:
— 22,000 ears of corn
— 8,800 turkey legs
— 1,200 pounds of cheddar cheese sauce
— 70,000 ribs
— 825,000 jelly beans
— 4,100 gallons of barbecue sauce
— 19,200 pounds of chicken
— 21,500 pickle slices
— 10,200 sausages
— 120,500 tomato slices
— 22,000 meatballs
— 8,500 tacos


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Amazon Apple Barack Obama Berlin Wall books censorship congress cyberespionage cybersecurity David Bandurski encryption Eric Schmidt Google Great Firewall hackers hacking Internet Internet censorship Internet culture mobile applications People's Liberation Army real name registration Reuters revolution Rupert Murdoch search engines Third Plenum 2013 wall street journal
- Netizen Voices: “Who Let You Provoke Uncle Ou”?
- Minitrue: Man Sentenced for Mao Portrait Ink Attack
- Words of the Week: Seven Don’t Mentions
- Translation: Internet Clean-up Awards
- Badiucao (巴丢草): Free Gao Yu
- Sensitive Words: Release of the “Feminist Five”
- Cartoonist Badiucao Targeted in Twitter Smear Campaign


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In the days leading up to the Tesla Semi unveiling, Elon Musk said that the event would “blow your mind clear out of your skull and into an alternate dimension.” And though Musk has a habit of making bold predictions that unnecessarily raise expectations, Tesla’s special event this month delivered on all fronts.
During the event, Elon Musk even had a Steve Jobs-esque ‘one more thing’ moment when he introduced a next-gen Roadster with absolutely incredible specs. Though Musk in recent months had dropped hints about releasing an updated Roadster sometime in the future, no one assumed we’d be getting a look at a revamped Tesla Roadster this soon. In short, Tesla’s new Roadster completely stole the show and came as a complete surprise and shock to everyone.
With the next-gen Roadster no longer a closely guarded secret, one of the designers who worked on the car’s sleek new design posted a few photos of the Roadster during various stages of the design process. The photos were originally posted on Facebook but have since made their way to Imgur.
All in all, the photos — which include a sketch and clay model of the Roadster — provide us with an interesting look at how the car came to be.
This photo presumably is of the Roadster design team, with Tesla’s chief designer Franz von Holzhausen visible on the left.
Aesthetics aside, it’s worth revisiting the Roadster’s monster specs one more time. Suffice it to say, Tesla’s next-gen Roadster is a force to be reckoned with. The EV powered car can go from 0-60 MPH in 1.9 seconds flat, making it faster than supercars like the Bugatti Veyron. The car will also have a top speed of more than 250 MPH and a base range of 620 miles.
The entry-level model will cost $200,000 and production is slated to begin sometime in 2020.


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McColl’s Retail Group has warned that “weaker than expected” Easter trading driven by reduced consumer spending has hit its financial performance.
In a statement, McColl’s said it has “experienced mixed trading” since its last update on 28 February 2022 and that while a recovery in trading performance had continued during the first half of March, the business has since experienced softer trading through the Easter period, impacted by reduced consumer spending and continued supply chain disruption across the industry.
In the trading update, it said: “As a result of the challenges outlined above, including a weaker than expected Easter performance and the widely reported impact of cost inflation pressures, the Board now expects adjusted EBITDA for the current financial year (FY22) to be no higher than the level achieved in FY21 (£20m on a pre IFRS 16 basis). The Group continues to review costs across all parts of the business in order to help mitigate the challenging trading conditions, as well as being even more targeted in its capital deployment.”
It said it is working closely with its wholesale supplier to mitigate product availability issues.
McColl’s also reported that the group’s Morrisons Daily stores are delivering like-for-like sales growth that is at least 20% better than non-converted, comparable stores, and that the move to convert stores to the Morrisons Daily format is “fundamentally reshaping the business into a more profitable and sustainable model in the medium-term”.
The retail group has been the subject of much scrutiny following the confirmation that it was seeking finance to secure its future and that it had received offers for all or part of the business. It said that a potential financing solution is under active discussion with its key commercial partner and lenders which would “resolve the short-term funding issues and create a stable platform for the business going forward”.
McColl’s also expects to delay the publication of full year results until the resolution of the financing discussions and that the publication of the full year results could be delayed beyond the end of May 2022, which is the current deadline for filing under the Listing Rules.
In March, CEO Jonathan Miller announced he was stepping down from the business, with a permanent successor to be appointed.


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Output has designed event publicity material, CD sleeves, merchandise and schedules for digital radio station 1Xtra’s first birthday campaign, entitled Ain’t You Heard. The group was briefed to create a campaign that ‘transcends the genres the channel represents’, says Output partner Dan Moore. The work ties in with the Fallon-created advertising that launched the channel last year, ‘without being too street’, he adds. ‘We wanted to broaden it out, bring out a sophisticated edge and [allow it to] grow up a bit,’ Moore explains. The work launches this week at a series of free music events that will be taking place across the UK.
Ventizolve contains naloxone, which can help those suffering from an opioid overdose with their breathing in under a minute.
With just over a week to go until the end of the furlough scheme, we break down what the government’s next support package means for designers.
The former chief of design at Apple has teamed up with the property rental service to create “the next generation of Airbnb products and services”.
The online interiors store has created a virtual version of its Amsterdam show apartment to bring its latest collection into people’s homes.


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NEW DELHI: The Chinese government Sunday said that Donald Trump-headed US regime’s accusation of China backtracking the trade talks was completely groundless, and the US should take responsibility for its failure.
“The US government’s accusation of Chinese backtracking is totally groundless,” the Chinese government said in a white paper on the trade war Sunday said.
China has also alleged that Washington was putting pressure on Beijing to reach a deal to end the trade war and added that it wanted a resolution through talks but it would not allow any compromise to its principles.
“Historical experience has proved that any attempt to force a deal through tactics such as smears, undermining, and maximum pressure will only spoil the cooperative relationship,” it added.
China in a detailed study, titled ‘China’s Position on the China-US Economic and Trade Consultation’ outlined the long drawn out processes of 11 rounds of negotiations held since last year to end the tariff war.
Wang Shouwen, China’s vice-minister of commerce said the US was putting some compulsory requirements impinging on China’s sovereignty with a rider that some tariff would remain even after the deal.
Meanwhile, China has indicated action against FedEx Corp, in its escalating trade war with Washington, after the latter has imposed restrictions against China-based telecom gear maker Huawei Technologies.
To designate an untrustworthy foreign entity, China will look at whether FedEx discriminates against domestic companies, the state-run Xinhua news agency said Saturday.
Chinese retaliatory action on tariffs on the US products started Saturday, affecting nearly 2,500 goods which would face levies of up to 25% as compared with 10% earlier.


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BitTorrent applications used by hundreds of millions of users around the world could be tricked into participating in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, amplifying the malicious traffic generated by attackers by up to 50 times.
An Italian teenager has found two zero-day vulnerabilities in Apple's OS X operating system that could be used to gain remote access to a computer.
An unpatched vulnerability in the Google Admin application for Android can allow rogue applications to steal credentials that could be used to access Google for Work acccounts.
Google has released another patch for the Stagefright vulnerability after a security firm said the first one didn't fix it.
Three “high risk” vulnerabilities in SAP Mobile could give attackers access to encrypted information stored in mobile devices, security firm Onapsis reported Wednesday.
As if recent research on car hacking wasn't frightening enough, a new study shows yet another danger to increasingly networked vehicles.
Oracle published, then quickly deleted, a blog post criticizing third-party security consultants and the enterprise customers who use them.
With their own dedicated processor and operating system, LTE/3G modems built into new business laptops and tablets could be a valuable target for hackers by providing a stealthy way to maintain persistent access to an infected device.
An attack using the SMB file sharing protocol that has been believed to work only within local area networks for over a decade can also be executed over the Internet, two researchers showed at the Black Hat security conference.
A group of Israeli researchers have improved on a way to steal data from air-gapped computers, thought to be safer from attack due to their isolation from the Internet.
A design flaw in the x86 processor architecture dating back almost two decades could allow attackers to install a rootkit in the low-level firmware of computers, a security researcher said Thursday. Such malware could be undetectable by security prod...
Many smart phone manufacturers preload remote support tools on their Android devices in an insecure way, providing a method for hackers to take control of the devices through rogue apps or even SMS messages.
Software-defined switches hold a lot of promise for network operators, but new research due to be presented at Black Hat will show that security measures haven't quite caught up yet.
An improved attack on the firmware in Apple computers makes them vulnerable to hard-to-detect malware without even being connected to a network, according to a Black Hat conference presentation due to be given later this week.
In late 2008, a worm called Conficker began infecting millions of computers, startling the computer security community into action.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
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My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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A look at UAA’s stock market performance
Under Armour’s (UAA) unimpressive financial performance over the last two years has hit its stock price hard. After the company delivered strong performances in 2014 and 2015, its stock price slid 30% and 50% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Under Armour was among the top S&P 500 losers in 2017.
In comparison, most of UAA’s close sportswear competitors stayed in the green during 2017. Nike (NKE), Skechers (SKX), Columbia Sportswear (COLM), and Lululemon Athletica (LULU) surged 23%, 50%, 23%, and 21%, respectively, in the year. The S&P 500 Apparel and Accessories Index, which also includes Under Armour, rose close to 20% during the year. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) also jumped ~19%.
Year-to-date stock performance
Under Armour started the new year on a positive note, surging more than 10% in the first three trading days. However, a couple of Wall Street downgrades, which we’ll discuss in the next article, drove down its stock price. The sportswear player is now trading at $14.53, a rise of 1% year-to-date.
What to expect from UAA stock this year
Wall Street doesn’t expect a revival in UAA’s stock price in the near term. In fact, UAA’s stock price is expected to fall 6% to $13.75 over the next 12 months.
Wall Street doesn’t see substantial upsides for many of UAA’s sportswear competitors either. Analysts expect the stock prices of Nike and Columbia Sportswear to fall 3% and 2%, respectively, while they expect Lululemon and Skechers to rise 4% each.
Move on to the next article to learn more about Wall Street’s recommendations on the company.


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A natural wellness clinic claimed the 11th annual PitchIt Minto Business Plan Competition.
Two Pines Herbals won the 2023 competition aimed to grow small businesses in Minto and increase awareness of available resources.
Owner Lior Sabach-Stewart said she’s looking to begin offering herbal remedies and reiki sessions to the area in September.
“Being a part of the competition and being a finalist, I had to dive deep into the what, how and how much of my business. The competition gave me the opportunity to figure this all out. I was lucky to have all the resources offered in the area including Launchit Business Exploration Centre, Saugeen Economic Development Corporation and the Business Center of Guelph Wellington that I could tap into, and it played a huge roll in helping me to write my business plan and figure out my operations and plans for the future,” said Sabach-Stewart.
The two finalists were Palmerston businesses Sweeter Side Bakery owned by Samantha Moore and Strengthening Connections Counseling Group owned by Katrina Krieck and Linda Gray.
“We are always impressed with the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the participants in the PitchIt Program, all should be recommended to take the plunge and participate,” said Director of Economic and Community Development, Belinda Wick-Graham.
Over $18,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to the three finalists.
The winners were announced at the July 11 council meeting.


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LG has launched its KU-250 model, which was selected by GSM A for its "3G for All" program.
Hi-Tech Wealth (China) has designed and developed the world-first solar-powered mobile phone with 40mn calling time after 60mn loading.
Motorola announced additions to its TETRA portfolio of services and continue pushing its CrystalTalk technology to improve call clarity.
HTC (Taiwan) is launching a new smartphone in the US to directly compete with the iPhone.
ALU announced the availability of the enhanced Alcatel-Lucent 5965 Mobile Content Platform, that facilitates the way mobile content is delivered to mobile phone users.
Huawei has received the 2007 Global Supplier Award from Vodafone for outstanding performance.


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Venture Capital: Auto Web site keeps on cruising
Published 10:00 pm, Thursday, June 28, 2007
Not many consumer Internet companies made it through the dot-com bust surviving on their own cash flow and without outside investment.
But CarDomain.com kept cruising right along during that period, adding new car enthusiasts who came to the Web site to boast about their Ford Mustang's custom paint job or Honda Civic's exhaust system.
Friday, the nine-year-old Seattle company, which started with $250,000 in seed capital and never took professional venture capital money, is announcing that it has raised $3 million from co-founder Alex Algard.
Algard, who also founded dot-com survivor WhitePages.com, said both companies endured the harsh realities at the turn of the past decade by staying focused and keeping expenses in check.
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In fact, CarDomain's first office was in a windowless warehouse building with a heating and air conditioning system that frequently malfunctioned.
No wonder that Ernst & Young just named Algard -- a former investment banker in Goldman Sachs' high-tech group -- as the Pacific Northwest's Entrepreneur of the Year in the software category this week.
What would have been the outcome had CarDomain -- or for that matter WhitePages.com -- taken venture capital money?
Algard said he gets that question a lot. And while he thinks venture capital can help growing businesses, the entrepreneur also emphasized the importance of building a company the old-fashioned way.
"I do feel strongly that because cash has always been a scarce resource, we have inculcated a mind-set throughout the company of focusing on (return on investment) payoff and prioritizing the most important projects, which is not always the fun stuff," he said.
At the time CarDomain was founded, Algard said the company had every intention to raise venture capital financing. But as revenue started pouring in, it kept delaying as it pushed to the next milestone.
"It just turned out that we never ran out of money and we were able to grow organically," he said.
For WhitePages.com, created with a $900 investment in 1997, the bootstrapping model has already paid off. It sold a significant chunk of the company for $45 million in 2005, turning many of Algard's founding shares into Internet gold.
CarDomain hasn't produced that type of return, though the latest financing will be used to supercharge the business. New features will include additional car club forums, as well as the ability for users to embed video into their car pages. An automotive wiki -- tapping the vast knowledge of the 1.5 million members -- will be rolled out in the next four weeks. There are no plans to offer a marketplace for used car sales.
The site is already the 19th most visited automotive Web site, just ahead of Chevrolet, according to NetRatings. And CarDomain claims 3.8 million monthly visitors who view 75 million pages, with the average person spending about 10 minutes on the site.
Those numbers make Algard confident that the business is poised for growth.
"If we play our cards right, we will be the largest automotive media company in another few years, so we are really swinging for the fences now," he said.
The site is an automotive lover's paradise, allowing users to upload photos and information about their cars. More than 500,000 people have done so, creating what is best described as a social network for car enthusiasts.
"I think we have done a relatively good job of staying below the radar within the local business community here. And I think we have done a very good job of staying right on the center of the radar for the car enthusiast community nationwide and worldwide," said Algard, a car lover who co-founded the company with high school buddy Simon Han.
The 62-person company still makes the bulk of its revenue through e-commerce, reselling subwoofers, radar detectors, suspension systems and other car parts. But Algard said a growing component, and a much more profitable part of the business, is online advertising, with Discount Tire, Toyota, Nissan and others clamoring to get their message across to the company's coveted 18- to 34-year-old demographic.
Rajan Krishnamurty, the former chief technology officer at The Cobalt Group who joined CarDomain as president and chief operating officer last year, said that advertisers like the idea of hitting a young audience that is mostly male.
The company has been working hard on its advertising platform, with Krishnamurty saying it is not just a place "for banner ads for cars."
For example, it recently received a car design from Scion in which CarDomain's audience was able to create actual modifications for the car, with the vehicle rolled out at an automotive show in Las Vegas.
"Scion finds that as a very appealing way to reach their audience," he said. "And our audience loves it because they are involved."
One of the biggest competitors is MySpace, which also offers a place for people to upload information about their cars. Edmunds offers CarSpace.com, though Krishnamurty said it is more geared toward the car seller/buyer than CarDomain, which is after the car enthusiast who wants to modify a vehicle.
"Ultimately, we find that the reason we have been around for so long ... is, for things car-related and things enthusiast-related, you really don't have anywhere else to go," he said.


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DALLAS, March 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Parks Associates smart home research finds high perceived prices remain a top barrier to smart home adoption, with providers and manufacturers working to bring lower-priced products to market and discontinue specific premium products. The firm’s Smart Home Tracker finds 20.5 million, or 44% of consumers who do not own or intend to purchase a smart home device, report expensive prices as their reason to forgo adoption, followed by perceived lack of benefits and data and privacy concerns. To overcome the cost barrier, Apple is offering a smaller form factor for its HomePod, and Google is offering a new Nest thermostat with fewer features and a smaller price tag.
“Perception of high prices is a key barrier to smart home device adoption, but it is also tied to the perception among non-owners that smart home devices do not offer any benefits to the lifestyle,” Patrice Samuels, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “Device manufacturers in the smart home market are evaluating multiple strategies to address the leading adoption barriers. Companies are betting that getting one device in the home, even as a loss leader, will convince consumers of the value of smart home devices and inspire future purchases. Our research indicates this is a sound strategy.”
Parks Associates notes that households that own at least one smart home device have an average of seven devices. Companies such as Eufy are offering lower-priced models that retain most of the features of their higher-priced models, knowing there is a good chance that their customers will buy more products following this initial purchase.
The Smart Home Tracker, a quarterly service, also finds that as new social distancing guidelines continue to impact schools and businesses, a number of tech giants—including Facebook and Google—are incorporating video conferencing solutions into their products and systems. The percentage of US broadband households that report using video services is 54% higher than prior to the pandemic.
“One of the leading and overarching value propositions of smart home products is to improve convenience for users,” Samuels said. “Services like Zoom have become invaluable. Helping users to make video calls more conveniently increases the value of smart home devices in these times, and we expect to see additional integration around solutions like these.”
For information about the Smart Home Tracker, contact
About Parks Associates
Parks Associates, a woman-owned and woman-led internationally recognized market research and consulting company, specializes in emerging technology solutions serving the consumer and small to medium business (SMB) markets. Celebrating its 35th year in 2021, Parks Associates is a partner to companies navigating the changing consumer technology landscapes through data-driven market insights, extensive consumer and industry intelligence, custom marketing services and executive networking experiences and conferences.
The company’s expertise includes home automation, control systems and security, digital media and platforms, entertainment and gaming, home networks, internet and video services, connected health and independent living solutions, mobile applications and services, support services, consumer electronics, and energy management solutions.
Each year, Parks Associates hosts industry webcasts, the CONNECTIONS™ Conference Series, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, and Future of Video: OTT, Pay TV, and Digital Media. http://www.parksassociates.com
SOURCE Parks Associates


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JD.com Says Alibaba Is Threatening Merchants over Double 11 Promotions
(Beijing) – The e-commerce company JD.com Inc. has asked the government to investigate Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. over charges it disturbed market order in the run-up to the big "Double 11" sales day in November.
JD.com said on social media on November 3 it had complained to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC). It said merchants complained that Alibaba informed them that if they take part in the November 11 sales event on its Tmall.com website that they could not take part in promotions on other sites.
- 1China Mulls Ban on Transporting Coal, Ore, Steel by Truck
- 2Update: China Abruptly Ends Anti-Dumping Probe Against U.S. Sorghum
- 3Quick Take: Nigeria Awards $6.7 Billion Rail Project To China
- 4Carrefour Opens New Tech-Infused Grocery Store in Shanghai
- 5U.S., China Strike Trade Deal, Ending Threat of Protective Tariffs
- 1Power To The People: Pintec Serves A Booming Consumer Class
- 2Largest hotel group in Europe accepts UnionPay
- 3UnionPay mobile QuickPass debuts in Hong Kong
- 4UnionPay International launches premium catering privilege U Dining Collection
- 5UnionPay International’s U Plan has covered over 1600 stores overseas


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Communication giants MTN and Huawei have teamed up to bring narrowband-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) to Africa to “revolutionise” the connectivity drive across the continent.
MTN South Africa chief enterprise business officer Alpheus Mangale said NB-IoT was one of the best technologies for low-powered wide area networks, enabling wide and deep coverage, providing an extra 20 dB reach to access areas where signals had previously had difficulty penetrating.
Launching the new technology on the sidelines of the AfricaCom conference, in Cape Town, he explained that there were currently some 60-million cellular IoT connections in Africa. This is expected to grow seven-fold to 450-million devices connected across industries and enterprises by 2020.
“Mobile penetration in Africa has grown to 82.9%, and apps – most notably instant messaging and banking apps – continue to shape and influence how people transact and interact,” said MTN group technology and information systems executive Babak Fouladi.
Globally, the number of devices connected to an IoT platform was expected to jump from 400-million in 2015 to three-billion in 2020, added Huawei cloud core product line president Michael Ma, pointing to a world of “all things sensing, all things connected, all things intelligence.”
NB-IoT supported massive deployment, leveraging a capacity of 100 000 connected devices per single cell, and boasted a ten-year battery life, while its low cost, at $5 a module, using existing infrastructure, expected to break through the barriers of entry to market.
“The IoT service can seamlessly be deployed based on the expansive network infrastructure that MTN has rolled out across its operations in Africa and the Middle East,” Fouladi commented.
The company aims to deploy the technology, using a narrow band on refarmed 900 MHz spectrum, in South Africa, from next year, before expanding into Nigeria in 2018.
Following this, NB-IoT will expand across the rest of the 22 markets MTN operates in, targeting relevant applications, such as smart meters, smart parking, wildlife tracking, smart farms, smart fridges and smart homes.
The joint innovation already developed between the parties – smart fridges, water metering and a user-based insurance platform tracking driving trends – has already been piloted this year and demonstrated at AfricaCom.
The smart fridge, used in a township in Gauteng, detects activities and inventory through door, smoke and temperature sensors and cameras and has a siren alarm, panic button and a location-tracking device, besides others.
The on-board user-based insurance device collects driver information, generates scores based on driver behaviour and tracks a vehicle in real time.
The water meter, using NB-IoT technology, connects industrial type devices, with a pilot demonstration installed in Johannesburg providing real-time water metering activities and including big data analysis, flow analysis and consumption analysis.
MTN plans to engage water utilities in 2017 for potential partnerships to monitor South Africa’s scare water resources and plug leakages, Fouladi explained.
Mangale noted that the intention, overall, was to partner with application providers focused on the vertical industries to deliver managed services.
Huawei Consulting business and network VP Ian Mash believed NB-IoT would stimulate and accelerate digitalisation.
Speaking during the keynote presentations at AfricaCom, he pointed out that the whole value chain of business was changing, with IoT presenting a $2-trillion revenue opportunity.
Business is turning into a digital world, with the digital journey comprising real-time, on-demand, all-online, do-it-yourself and social applications.
“It is about everything being online, [and] it is about the customer [being able to access] self-service,” he said.


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Biden Will Meet With Fed’s Powell Tuesday to Discuss Economy
President Joe Biden is set to meet with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday to discuss the state of the economy. The central bank is currently battling decades-high Inflation.
Inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, has shown some signs of a slowdown. Total consumer prices rose 0.6% in April, a decline from March’s 1.2% increase. Year over year, prices rose 8.3% in April, down from 8.5% in March, which was the highest annual pace in four decades.
But there are still signs that inflation hasn’t peaked. Core CPI, which excludes the volatile energy and food segments, rose 0.6% in April, following a 0.3% increase in March.
To combat rising prices, the Fed plans to continue raising interest rates. According to minutes from the central bank’s May policy meeting, the Fed sees half-percentage point interest rate increases as “appropriate” at the next couple of meetings.
Write to Karishma Vanjani at email@example.com


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Investors interested in Consumer Staples stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings (OLLI - Free Report) been one of those stocks this year? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings is one of 176 individual stocks in the Consumer Staples sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #16 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst.
The Zacks Rank emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. OLLI is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for OLLI's full-year earnings has moved 2.66% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.
Our latest available data shows that OLLI has returned about 75.02% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Consumer Staples stocks have lost an average of 8.23%. This means that Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.
To break things down more, OLLI belongs to the Consumer Products - Staples industry, a group that includes 9 individual companies and currently sits at #222 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 3.59% this year, meaning that OLLI is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.
Going forward, investors interested in Consumer Staples stocks should continue to pay close attention to OLLI as it looks to continue its solid performance.


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CapMan has announced its plans to divest its Finland-based chain of dental clinics Oral Hammaslääkärit to Colosseum Dental Group.
Catch up on essential news and features from this past week with our round-up of industry analysis
Consortium of backers invests in the Dutch clinical-stage immuno-oncology company
Fund will target investments with positive social and environmental impact globally
Vehicle will invest in medium-sized Iberian companies with an enterprise value between €100-500m


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Latest Box-spring Stories
PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Pest Services, a New Jersey-based pest control company with branches throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, warns that as temperatures rise this summer so will the level of bed bug activity.
NEW YORK, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Reports of bed bug infestations are on the rise worldwide. Recently, scientists in Canada studying five bed bugs found on patients at St.
LYNBROOK, N.Y., Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Bedbugs are not known to carry disease, but an infestation at a hospital or nursing home is a prescription for potential disaster.
AMBLER, Pa., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- ActiveGuard(TM) Mattress Liners are the first EPA-registered mattress and box spring liners that kill bed bugs dead within 72 hours.
AMBLER, Pa., Oct.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Creating a relaxing and comfortable bedroom environment is an important part of getting better sleep. Bay Area interior designer Lisa Staprans offers these interior design ideas for bedroom designs that enhance sleep and rejuvenation.
YONKERS, N.Y., April 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Restless sleepers tired of bedtime agony need look no further than Consumer Reports mattresses, sheets, and pillows tests to help give their bed a comfort make over.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- As a part of its ongoing support of the Canon Barcus Community House of San Francisco, the McRoskey Mattress Company today delivered new mattress and box spring sets to the community house's newest resident families.
FRIANT, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Specialty Sleep Association (SSA) announced today it is launching the first mattress/bedding industry "Green Initiative." This is a step-by-step process designed to identify, define and set standards for how mattress manufacturers and retailers label "green" for natural sleep products such as mattresses, box springs and pillows.
By Guilfoil, John M HOUSE & HOME Old mattresses are heavy, uncomfortable and bad for your back. They are also environmental freeloaders. Those creaky, lumpy mattresses are made up of almost a half dozen intricately interwoven materials, making them extremely difficult to break down or recycle.
- An imitative word; an onomatopoetic word.


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"This kind of disaster last happened over thirty years ago," says CCA regional advisor Milo Casals. In January, South Sulawesi farmers were hit by a massive typhoon which wiped out 60% of their passion fruit trees.
Co-op farmers in this remote corner of Indonesia had been enjoying bumper yields for the past three years through a joint venture bewteen CCA and an Indonesian NGO called LP3M. Yields were up from two to four kilos per tree since introducing new farming techniques which include technical guidance in governing seed selection, organic fertilizing, watering, pruning, harvesting and handling the fruits and monitoring progress. By improving and standardizing farming practices the yields have been truly exceptional.
The project is also assisting the co-op to diversify and market their products,"Farmers traditionally sell fruit to traders but our project has taught them to produce both pulp from the fruit and juice from the pulp. The co-op facilitates direct sales to several processors who need increasing supplies for their juice exports to Jakarta and Bali" explains Milo.
With two thirds of their trees destroyed, co-op farmers are replanting with help from the provincial government. The government was so impressed with the support farmers received from the project it has sent agriculture technicians to the project to learn the systems and approach with a view to replicating this across the province. This is a great endorsement and recognition of the project's value. Larger yields combined with marketing through the co-op has enabled higher than average market prices which translates into revenue for farmers. While Milo says yields for this year's harvest will be significantly lower, farmers have learned a valuable lesson and are building reserves to at least cover the cost of planting materials.
"Replanting of uprooted trees has started but production is still not back to pre-calamity levels. Unfortunately, it often takes a setback of this magnitude to impart the importance of risk management and protection," he says. "Risk is difficult to teach because it is abstract and not easy to explain. We all tend to learn the hard way."
The new seedlings will bear fruit in about seven months.
Read the full story and see photos of the project here
Join in the conversation and feel free to share.


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Although the holiday season may seem far away to consumers, the transportation industry has been planning far in advance for this peak time of year. Most individuals in the transportation and logistics industry are thinking about this as early as August to ensure they are prepared for this upcoming period. Not only does the transportation industry have to consider timing when delivering goods, but also total volume to ship to retail stores and private homes. Surveys can be very helpful leading up to the holiday season to gain additional insight into what consumers need and how much they plan to spend. According to an online survey of 1,500 U.S. consumers “Americans expect to spend $637 on holiday shopping this year, on average.” Information like this can be used to estimate the amount of goods that will be purchased within the peak season.
Where will Customers Purchase?
In preparation of the holidays, the industry must highly consider if consumers plan on buying online or in brick and mortar stores. Customers may start to notice Christmas and Hanukkah decorations in retail stores as early as September. While this may seem premature, retail stores like to get a feel for how high demand will be during the season. Planning a strategy in advance is key to the success of a retailer. With the holiday season right around the corner, Salesforce predicts that the U.S. e-commerce sales will top $136 Billion, representing 13% year-over-year growth. Resulting from such a high sales forecast, retailers need to focus on standing out compared to their competitors. By arranging volume, labor, and the store setup, vendors will tend to experience maximized revenue compared to their competition. As online purchasing becomes more popular, retailers may now find that figuring out which form of shopping customers will use has become more difficult. Services, such as expedited shipping and Amazon Prime, allow a faster and easier purchasing experience for consumers shopping for holiday gifts. However, according to an article from MarketWatch, with the climate change concern, many will choose to pick up in store or opt for slower shipping options because of the smaller environmental impact. This may change the shipping of goods radically.
Shipping’s Effect on the Environment
Many people are starting to consider their impact on climate change following recent movements to reduce global carbon emissions. A main topic of interest among individuals is the carbon footprint left from shipping goods. According to statistics from Digital Commerce 360, 60% of consumers surveyed in 2018 said they planned to purchase from online marketplaces during the holiday season. With such a high percentage of individuals shopping online, items purchased by customers would increase the number of shipments during that season. However, this holiday season The International Council of Shopping Centers predict 90% of shoppers will purchase in physical stores; with that in mind, an immense decrease in the number of shipments compared to last year can be expected. Consumers may also turn to companies with environmentally friendly wrapping such as bioClarity, a plant based vegan skincare product, instead of purchasing from a company like FabFitFun which focuses on lively eye-catching packaging. Returning items also tends to become an issue which results in expanding the carbon footprint. In an article written by, Business.com, they discuss how Black Friday and Cyber Monday can create a serious problem involving returns because most consumers may feel that they do not need a particular item that they purchased on an impulse decision. The topics previously discussed are just several aspects businesses and consumers should consider. Consumers may not even be aware of these alternatives and the impact they have on our planet.
Additional Holiday Employment
With an increase in demand, retailers must hire additional staff to help with holiday shopping. Many companies look into hiring additional help as early as August to ensure they are prepared for the holiday season. This allows companies to make the best selection possible regarding their employees. According to an article by Freight Waves, since the United States has such a low unemployment rate, part-time workers are able to be more selective when picking a company to work for during the holiday season. Retailers must be ready to offer competitive compensation and incentives. Online platforms now make seeking out holiday workers for businesses much easier than in the past. Individuals are now able to research specific companies online and apply for the right fit within minutes. Retailers are then able to vet applications and choose a candidate who is right for that opportunity. These workers are key factors in a company’s holiday season because of the increase in demand.
The transportation industry has an extensive impact on the success of businesses during and after the holiday season. Many may not realize the importance of this industry, but they truly are the backbone to the entire purchasing process. In 2018 alone, the transportation industry shipped a record-high of over 2.5 billion packages around the holiday season according to USA Today. This time of year can be a high stress period for everyone, but with the transportation of goods running smoothly, there is an expected positive impact on the downstream supply chain. Planning ahead of the holiday season can help determine how to stock retail stores and the shipping needs that follow throughout this period. Hiring seasonal employees is also very important with the large increase in demand. According to Salesforce, 83% of shoppers plan to shop in a physical store this holiday season, meaning that not only will seasonal employees need to be hired in warehouses, but also many will need to be employed at actual retail locations. Whether you are in the transportation industry or just a holiday shopper, becoming proactive for the upcoming holiday season is vital.


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Cryptocurrency YoCoin Using Scrypt Mining Algorithm
YoCoin, a new decentralized, peer-to-peer digital currency based on the Scrypt mining algorithm, is aiming create a mainstream cryptocurrency which is accessible to everyone. Anyone with a decent graphics card in their computer can start mining YoCoin, with wallets available for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows to cater for a wide audience. YoCoin is actively traded on exchanges such as C-Cex, SafeCex, Alcurex, CoinExchange, Bloombit, and others.
Targeting a younger audience, especially millennials, is one of the main reasons why YoCoin was created in the first place. YoCoin hopes to become the premier internet currency and revolutionize the business world and payment systems.
With a development roadmap in place, YoCoin is due to release a mobile wallet for Android users, as well as the issuance of physical YOC coins. Any cryptocurrency is only as useful as where it can be actually used so the YoCoin team is working to establish new use cases constantly. Bringing this cryptocurrency to casino platforms and other merchants is planned for the coming weeks.
Dave Wilson, Chief Operating Officer of YoCoin: “We’ve been working hard on this project for a long time. We look forward to taking YoCoin to the next level and beyond.”


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Lemonade surged Thursday after the insurtech made its Wall Street debut.
Shares of the New York online home insurance provider finished its first day of trading up 138.8% to $69.25.
The company, which is backed by SoftBank Group, SFTBF sold 11 million shares at $29 each. That's above its estimated $26 to $28 price range, which in turn topped a previous estimate of $23 to $26.
Lemonade, which launched in 2016, started trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker LMND.
"Lemonade is rebuilding insurance from the ground up on a digital substrate and an innovative business model," the company said in its prospectus.
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Allen & Co. are managing book runners for the offering. Barclays is also a book runner.
Lemonade delivers insurance policies and handles claims through desktop and mobile apps using chatbots. The company gives underwriting profits to the nonprofits of the customers' choice in a program called Giveback.
SoftBank led a $300 million funding round in Lemonade last year and will own a 21.8% stake in the company upon the IPO, the filing shows.
Sequoia Capital Israel and General Catalyst are also among backers.
"We have not been profitable since our inception in 2015 and had an accumulated deficit of $198.3 million and $234.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2019, and March 31, 2020, respectively," the prospectus said.
"We incurred net losses of $52.9 million and $108.5 million in the years ended Dec. 31, 2018, and Dec. 31 2019, respectively, and a net loss of $36.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020."
The company's co-founders and some of its product-development staff, help-desk and online-sales-support operations are located in Israel. As of March 31, the company had 123 full-time employees in that country.
"Although we do not currently sell our insurance products in Israel, we are directly influenced by the political, economic and military conditions affecting Israel," the prospectus said.


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Supermarket giant Tesco has been fined £536,000 after a child got an electric shock while reaching for ice lollies at its Warfield store .
The 10-year-old boy was shopping with his parents and brother when he reached into the freezer and suddenly started screaming and crying.
He suffered a small minor burn, pain down his right leg, chest pain and was left shaken shaken.
Executive member for culture, delivery and public protection at Bracknell Forest Council Cllr John Harrison said: “This investigation which followed an incident where a child was electrocuted in the store revealed significant breaches of health and safety legislation and this is clearly reflected in the sentencing.”
The electrical supply to a glass heating element under the hand rail at the front of the freezer had become damaged and exposed, leaving a severed live wire sticking out under it.
While the incident was reported to staff, procedures were not followed properly and the freezer was left on and filled with food.
It was not until the next day it was eventually switched off.
A review of records showed staff had known for months that the freezer’s rail was loose and had tried temporary fixes using glue and tape.
Tesco was sentenced at Reading Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to two health and safety offences following the incident - which took place on July 9 2017.
It was fined £268,000 for each offence and ordered to pay a victim’s surcharge of £170 and costs of £25,750.91.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “This incident at our store in Bracknell in July 2017 should not have happened – as we acknowledged in court, on this occasion we did not meet our high standards when it comes to health and safety.
"We immediately refreshed colleague training on our health and safety and maintenance escalation procedures at this store after the incident took place.”
Anyone wanting to report a public protection matter can contact the council’s Public Protection Partnership service on 01635 503242.


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The Keystone Group, based in Niwot, Colo., has introduced a more family-friendly solution: an alternative to the conventional flare called FlareAlert - a battery-operated flare that can be seen for miles around from both the air and ground.
Steve Jones, president of the Keystone Group, first marketed the FlareAlert to police and fire departments, which have bought tens of thousands of the devices. Now the company is offering the product to the general public.
Millions of drivers could benefit from having emergency flares. AAA, for instance, responds to more than 28 million calls for road service annually.
The FlareAlert contains 12 high-output light emitting diodes that give it a bright, non-toxic glow and, unlike its other battery-operated counterparts, has a built-in magnetic base that can be mounted on a vehicle in case of an accident or attached to a mailbox in case emergency personnel need to find a house quickly.
The device uses two AA batteries and has a battery life of approximately 20 hours in flash mode and six to 10 hours in steady-on mode before significant dimming will occur. The bulb life is about 10 years or 100,000 hours.
Worried about the flare getting crushed while on the road? Recent independent testing revealed that it can withstand more than 4,500 pounds of direct pressure. Considering the weight of a vehicle is distributed over four tires, the FlareAlert is able to withstand being run over by a 10,000-pound vehicle.
In addition, because FlareAlert is non-flammable, it will not scorch the pavement or leave behind any debris, making for a more environmentally friendly safety mechanism.
For more information, log on to www.flarealert.com or call (888) 652-6164.