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According to new market research report on “Blockchain Supply Chain Market by Application (Payment & Settlement, Counterfeit Detection, Smart Contracts, Risk & Compliance Management, and Product Traceability), Provider, Vertical, and Region – Global Forecast to 2023”, The blockchain supply chain market size is expected to grow from USD 145.0 million in 2018 to USD 3,314.6 million by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 87.0% during the forecast period.
An increasing need for supply chain transparency and rising demand for enhanced security of supply chain transactions are expected to drive the market during the forecast period.
Browse and in-depth TOC on “Blockchain Supply Chain Market”
46 – Tables
36 – Figures
134 – Pages
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The smart contract application segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period
Blockchain is finding increased application to automate contract execution in the supply chain management, eliminating the need for intermediaries. This has facilitated manufacturers, suppliers, and customers to build a trusted relationship and streamline complex supply chain operations. The application of smart contract is expected surge with the availability of enterprise-ready solutions to overcome the existing limitations of contracts in terms of privacy, scalability, auditability, confidentiality, and performance.
The application and solution providers segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the global blockchain supply chain market during the forecast period
By provider, the blockchain supply chain market is segmented into application and solutions providers, middleware providers, and infrastructure and protocols providers. These providers offer infrastructure to develop the blockchain-based platforms. Among these, application and solutions providers segment is expected to witness the fastest growth owing to the introduction of technologically advanced blockchain solutions for streamlining the supply chain management practices.
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North America is expected to hold the largest market size in the supply chain blockchain market during the forecast period
North America is expected to hold the largest market size in 2018. The region is considered the most advanced in terms of technology adoption and infrastructure. The wide presence of key industry players of blockchain technology solutions in this region is the main driving factor for the blockchain supply chain market. The companies from various verticals, such as retail and consumer goods, manufacturing, healthcare and logistics, are major customers to the vendors in the market. APAC, on the other hand, is expected to record growth at the highest CAGR during the forecast period with ongoing developments in the major APAC countries, such as China, India, Singapore, and Japan.
The major blockchain technology vendors include IBM (US), Microsoft (US), Oracle (US), SAP SE (Germany), AWS (US), Huawei (China), Bitfury (Netherlands), Auxesis Group (India), TIBCO Software (US), BTL Group (Canada), Applied Blockchain (UK), Guardtime (Estonia), Nodalblock (Spain), Peer Ledger (Canada), Blockverify (UK), TransChain (France), RecordsKeeper (Spain), Datex Corporation (US), Ownest (France), Omnichain (US), Traceparency (France), Digital Treasury Corporation (China), Chainvine (UK), VeChain (China), Algorythmix (India), and OpenXcell (US).
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First the aesthetic stuff: the group will now be known as Hilton (dropping the “Worldwide”) and its existing loyalty scheme will be known as Hilton Honors (dropping the extra “H” that used to reside somewhat uncomfortably before as “HHonors”).
But the meatier changes that are coming – and covering each of the chain’s brands such as Conrad, Tapestry, Waldorf Astoria, Hampton et al – are being touted as a significant change to how hotel loyalty programmes elsewhere are managed and used.
It has introduced a free “points pooling” service, where members can combine points with up to ten other members, for example, all managed through a new web-based platform.
A “slider” (both literal and actual, as a management mechanism) is to be integrated into the platform so that members can pay for a stay using a combination of points or money, on any part of the range between the two.
And in an important new deal with the ecommerce giant, Hilton is to allow members to use their Honors points to make any purchase on Amazon.
The overhaul of the Honors programme comes as many hotel chains reconsider the role of their existing loyalty schemes and shift away from the traditional points-for-room model.
The pooling service will begin in April this year, with the Amazon partnership kicking in during the summer and the flexible point tool starting in February.

domain: news


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Leading US-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and e-commerce company Apolis has signed up with the locally-based Technopark to set up its Global Delivery Centre (GDC). In India, Apolis presently has offices in Gurugram, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai.
The company is headquartered at El Segundo, California, and also has a presence in China.
The GDC at Technopark will deliver a transformative and world class experience for its global customer base by establishing a cognitive practice, powering, thereby, its ERP service offering, a company statement said.
“Our Global Delivery Centre at Thiruvananthapuram is part of our preparation to win with great talent and fantastic location,” said Apolis CEO Amar Shokeen.
“With Apolis deciding to set up their operations, we have 410 companies operating out of Technopark,” Technopark CEO Hrishikesh Nair said.


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Sales at CVS’s retail unit rose 77% to $22.75 billion, helped by strength in its pharmacies as well as its front-end stores that sell over the counter consumer health products.
The company said its pharmacies benefited as consumers refilled prescriptions early as they prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Excluding items, CVS earned $1.91 per share, beating estimates of $1.63 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Sales rose 8.3% to $66.76 billion, beating estimates of $64.10 billion.
The company maintained its 2020 adjusted profit forecast.
Net income rose to $2.01 billion, or $1.53 per share, in the quarter ended March 31, from $1.42 billion, or $1.09 per share, a year earlier.


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The operator of Wendy's and Arby's restaurants lost money in its third quarter, pressured by higher commodity costs and weak performances at both restaurant chains.
Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. also lowered its 2010 adjusted EBITDA outlook on Friday, but boosted its quarterly cash dividend by 33 percent.
Its stock lost 27 cents to $4.77 in premarket trading.
The Atlanta-based restaurant operator is concentrating on improving performances at both of its brands, which includes the launch of breakfast offerings at its Wendy's locations nationally starting late next year. Wendy's/Arby's lost $909,000, or break-even on a per-share basis, for the period ended Oct. 3. That compares with earnings of $14.7 million, or 3 cents per share, a year ago.
Analysts expected a better performance, predicting earnings of 4 cents per share. These estimates typically remove one-time items.
Revenue fell 5 percent to $861.2 million from $903.2 million, missing Wall Street's $882.6 million.
"The third quarter was a difficult one for both brands," President and CEO Roland Smith said in a statement. Systemwide sales at Wendy's restaurants open at least a year in North America dropped 1.7 percent for Wendy's, while Arby's reported a 5.9 percent decline in the figure.
This metric is a key gauge of a restaurant operator's performance because it measures results at existing restaurants rather than newly opened ones.
Smith said the quarterly results were not satisfactory and that it will work on creating more high quality, differentiated menu items for both Wendy's and Arby's. The company also plans to continue remodeling restaurants and increase its presence overseas.
Wendy's/Arby's will continue its Arby's turnaround efforts as well. Smith said Wendy's/Arby's was encouraged by the performance of the chain's everyday value menu in October, which reported a 5.5 percent increase in sales at company run stores open at least a year.
The restaurant operator says Wendy's success is pegged to the quality of its food offerings, citing its hamburgers, which are never frozen. The chain will debut its natural cut, sea salted skinned french fries later this month. It is currently testing a new premium cheeseburger line.
A big push will come late next year, when Wendy's rolls out breakfast items nationally. Smith said initial results from some breakfast test markets have been encouraging.
Wendy's/Arby's now anticipates its full-year adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization will come in at the lower end of its prior guidance for an estimated 3 percent to 5 percent decline. The restaurant operator also predicts sales at Wendy's company-run restaurants in North America will fall about 1 percent for the year. It anticipates a decline in that metric for Arby's locations, but did not provide an exact figure.
In a bright spot, the company lifted its quarterly dividend to 2 cents from 1.5 cents. The dividend will be paid on Dec. 15 to shareholders of record on Dec. 1. Wendy's/Arby's also said it will buy back an additional $170 million shares and extended its repurchase program by one year to Jan. 1, 2012. The new buyback is in addition to a buyback for $80 million shares.
Wendy's/Arby's has more than 10,000 restaurants in the US. And 24 countries and U.S. territories worldwide.


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The Nikon FTZ mount adapter that lets you adapt your Nikon F lenses to a Z mount body has now been listed as discontinued. There’s a new version available, but you won’t be able to buy the original one with a tripod mount any longer.
I’ve been saying for years that the “Death of DSLRs” will come when the manufacturers give up on them and not before – no matter what people on YouTube or in Facebook groups might say. And, well, the time finally seems to be upon us where that’s happening. Canon is killing off EF mount lenses, Nikon probably isn’t planning to replace its DSLRs and they just killed off more lenses.
With just the AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR APS-C kit lens being killed off a few days ago and the 200mm f/2G ED VR II last month, it now seems Nikon has expanded the list of discontinued lenses. Nikon has said that they’re going to be bringing out more lenses, but they’re all going to be Z mount lenses, not F mount.
Sony’s A-mount – or, to be more accurate, what was originally Minolta’s A mount – finally seems to have been killed off. As spotted by Sony Alpha Rumors, Sony has removed all of their A-mount DSLR and DSLT camera from their product database on the Sony website. Retailers around the world are also now showing Sony A-Mount cameras as “No longer available”.
It’s not an entirely unexpected turn of events, however. Sony’s gone full-on into its E mount line, and now that they’ve released an actual flagship mirrorless camera with the Sony A1, their lineup is pretty much complete and there’s really no need to hang on to those old legacy products anymore.
Nikon D5600 was the best-selling DSLR camera in 2020, according to a recent report. However, Nikon Japan has listed it as an “old product” on its website. In other words, it looks like the camera already is or will soon be discontinued despite its popularity.
It seems that Nikon dealers in Europe (or at least Germany) have received notification that the Nikon F6 has now officially been laid to rest, along with the Nikon D5 DSLR, the Nikon SB-300 speedlight, the Nikkor Ai-S 50mm f/1.2 and Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 lens. It seems that a lot of manual Ai-S and AF-S DX Nikkor lenses are also now listed as discontinued on the Nikon Japan website. Interestingly, though, the F6 isn’t listed as discontinued there.
This is either great news or terrible news depending on how you look at it, but Nikon Japan has moved Nikon’s legendary AF-S Nikkor 200mm f/2G ED VR II lens into the list of discontinued products.
On the one hand, this might mark the beginning of Nikon’s transition away from their higher-end F-Mount equipment to put more focus into their mirrorless lens lineup. On the other, it might mean we’re finally about to see the 200mm f/2E FL ED VR that was teased in a Nikon promo a year ago.
There have been some rumors that Leica was to discontinue several lenses. But now they have been confirmed. Seven of Leica M lenses are being discontinued, along with 13 other accessories such as lens hoods, lens caps and filter carriers.


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What do female consumers want from companies? The answer is simple: They just want them to be good.
Self recently released GOOD 1.5, which delves deeper into women’s responses to cause marketing and is relevant given how different the economy is from 2007. Cynthia Walsh, executive director of marketing for Self, said that while many marketers expect consumers to care less about “good” in this environment, the opposite is actually true.
“Eighty-one percent of women polled said it’s now more difficult to give to causes herself. This makes women feel bad about themselves, so they’re looking to brands to help them do good,” Walsh said. Similarly, 80% expressed concern that companies will cut back on giving back.
The study also shows that women’s emotions around supporting causes have changed. Back in 2007, they wanted to give back because it was the “ethical” and “socially responsible” thing to do as an “informed” person. Since the economic downturn, they’re driven by more human emotions–it’s now the “caring, generous, unselfish” thing to do.
The takeaway? Women want to see companies stand up for a cause, even in this economic environment, and even if it costs them a little more–73% said they would pay more for a “good” product. SS


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In surprise news Disney has completely given up on traditional video games, in what may be the beginning of the end for toys to life.
Not only will there will be no Disney Infinity 4.0, but Disney has made the decision to discontinue the franchise, close down its developer, and stop publishing video games.
Disney Infinity 3.0 will continue to support films released this year with new figures and Play Sets, including Alice Through the Looking Glass and Finding Dory, but after that the entire franchise will be axed.
The reason, believe it or not, is that Disney isn’t making enough money. The company missed its financial goals for the year and Disney stock fell by six per cent as a result. Closing their loss-making games business is an attempt to show investors that they are serious about cost-cutting.
Disney has always been surprisingly reticent about embracing the video games industry, preferring to partner with companies such as Capcom and Sega in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and after that the now defunct THQ.
When it was initially set up in 2007, Disney Interactive Studios acted as a traditional video games publisher and even had its own internal studios. This led to the creation of non-Disney related games such as a Turok reboot and the highly regarded arcade racer Split/Second: Velocity.
But none of the games were a hit and Disney seemed to quickly lose interest in the venture, preferring to focus on mobile games and leaving Disney Infinity as its only self-published console title.
The first two Disney Infinity games were hits, despite a poor critical reception, but the third game released last year – which focused on the Star Wars franchise – was a significant turnaround in quality. Although in the end that didn’t help it or Disney Interactive Studios.
Unfortunately, all this will also mean the closure of developer Avalanche Software (not to be confused with Just Cause makers Avalanche Studios) and the loss of around 300 jobs.
It’s a real shame as Avalanche Software has produced some good stuff in their time, including the Tak And The Power Of Juju series and 2010’s Toy Story 3 – which was the spiritual predecessor to Disney Infinity.
The news is not expected to affect Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts series or EA’s ownership of the Star Wars licence, in fact it’s only likely to lead to Disney giving more control to those companies and others. So perhaps more access to the LucasArts back catalogue and maybe even Marvel Vs. Capcom 4.
The move also likely sees an end to any thought of creating a video game development studio dedicated to Marvel properties, which Disney has vaguely hinted at doing in the past. There have been almost no big budget Marvel console games since the first phase of movies, but Disney’s withdrawal from the industry could be the catalyst for change in that regard.
According to exec Jimmy Pitaro, Disney will be moving ‘exclusively to a licensing model’ for video games, although it’s not clear if that includes mobile titles – which Disney has always been keener on than consoles and which it currently handles itself.
What all this implies about the future of toys to life in general is hard to guess at. It certainly seems to leave the door open for Warner Bros. to add Disney characters to Lego Dimensions, particularly Star Wars. Although it remains to be seen if Disney will allow DC and Marvel superheroes to mix together in the same game.
But it’s always been hard to tell exactly how well toys to life games are selling, and there have been signs of declining shelf space for the toys at most retailers. A new Skylanders game is expected to be released this year though, and leaks have already started to appear online of new Lego Dimensions minifigures.
Nintendo also continues to do well with amiibos, although unlike the other three franchises they are not tied to any one specific game. But it’ll certainly leave many to wonder whether this is the beginning of the end for toys to life as a whole.


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The growing use of credit cards to purchase groceries is raising concerns that buying food with plastic could worsen the debt problems of households.
Using credit cards to buy necessities is a sign of underlying financial difficulty, consumer groups say. Consumers end up paying off grocery bills long after they've eaten the food. And though credit card interest rates have declined, the average rate remains a steep 16.5 percent a year.
"I don't think anyone wants to pay 18 percent (interest) on their Cheerios," said Robert McKinley, president of RAM Research Corp., a Frederick, Md.-based credit card industry research firm. "It's a sign of financial trouble if you're charging the necessities of life."
Grocery chains say they've begun taking credit cards because their customers want the convenience.
"Customers want the convenience of being able to use credit cards or debit cards and, quite frankly, a lot of them don't want to carry cash," said Julie Weeks, a spokeswoman for Compton, Calif.-based Ralphs Grocery Co.
At the end of August, 11,662 U.S. supermarkets accepted credit cards, according to MasterCard International. That's up from 1,014 stores in January 1992.
Supermarket sales volume for Visa U.S.A is expected to reach $3.5 billion this year, up from $600 million in 1990.
Consumers who charge grocery bills have about the same credit card default rates as card users overall, a sign that charging food purchases is not getting consumers into debt troubles, said Clark Crowdus, MasterCard vice president of consumer marketing.
Credit card companies defend the trend toward using credit cards in non-traditional places such as supermarkets as part of the transition to a possibly "cashless society," in which people would be able to circumvent currency transactions altogether.
Customers say they use credit cards because of the convenience.
Shirley Weissman, a travel agent from Encino, Calif., said that she uses her Visa card to pay for groceries but pays off the bill each month to avoid interest payments on her food charges.
"It's very convenient. I never have to think if I have a check left in my checkbook or money left in my wallet," she said.
The skyrocketing increase in credit card acceptance at supermarkets came in part because of a decision by Visa in January 1992 to lower to about 1 percent the processing fee grocers must pay on card transactions. MasterCard followed with a similar initiative in April 1992.
Supermarkets work on thin profit margins and the transaction fees had been a deterrent to taking credit cards.
Evolving technology has sped the process of electronic credit checks, thus overcoming grocers' concerns that credit cards would create lines at checkout counters. Accepting credit cards also can cut down on the number of bad checks supermarkets get.
Armen Khachadourian, vice president of supermarket merchant relations at Visa, said that grocers also have expanded their product lines beyond traditional grocery items and need to accept credit cards to compete with drug stores, discount warehouses and others.
"The supermarket industry has expanded," he said. "They no longer are selling just groceries. They are in the process of competing with other industries."
However, consumer groups say credit card use at supermarkets is a troubling trend.
Paying food bills with credit cards is especially worrisome during the recession, said Richard Pittman, counseling director for the non-profit Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Los Angeles.
Workers who have lost their jobs in the recession are tempted to charge their food bills because they want to conserve cash or because they don't have the money at the time of purchase, he said. These workers reason that they will soon be able to find work and pay off their debts.
However, while California's recession has left people unemployed for long periods of time the interest payments quickly add up and contribute to deeper financial problems, he said.
"We've seen quite a number of those folks where they are out of work for months, and it's a question of do I charge or do I starve?" Pittman said.
Grocery chains maintain that charging food is not contributing to debt problems, in part because customers who charge their food bills are savvy card users.
For example, only 45 percent of Visa customers avoid interest charges by paying off their bills each month, Khachadourian said. However, 70 percent of customers who charge groceries along with their other purchases pay off the bills each month, he said.
"You can pay for a pre-cooked meal at a restaurant on a credit card and consumer groups consider that acceptable. However, if you buy the raw goods and cook it at your house they're getting concerned," Khachadourian said.


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Controlling the flow of heat could be another way to store digital information
Someday, computers might store information using not only electric charges or magnetism, but also tiny packets of heat called phonons. Such heat-based memory is theoretically possible within the laws of physics, new research shows, and this memory would be durable and could be read without destroying the information — two key requirements for useful data storage.
Circuits based on quantum packets of heat rather than electric charges could enable computers to use waste heat — which is currently just shed to keep a processor from overheating — to perform useful computations and store information, the researchers suggest in an upcoming Physical Review Letters. A surge of research in the last few years on the physics of controlling the flow of heat packets has yielded designs for heat-based diodes, transistors and logic gates that perform AND, OR and NOT operations.
“This is a promising field,” says Baowen Li, a physicist at t


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Ubiquitous tech behemoth Google cloud wing is coming into into one other partnership with a blockchain platform, Cypherium.
Cypherium introduced the brand new partnership in a press launch shared with Cointelegraph on Aug. 13. Cypherium describes its product, Cypherium Enterprise, as an enterprise-focused blockchain platform with a give attention to scalability and decentralization. On account of this partnership, Google Cloud prospects could have entry to Cypherium’s blockchain options, as per the announcement.
As per the press launch, Cypherium purports to supply an enterprise blockchain that helps 1000’s of transactions per second, along with confidentiality and blockchain interoperability. Cypherium CEO Sky Guo remarked:
“We’re delighted to be collaborating with Google Cloud to supply enterprises with a full-stack resolution to harness the potential of this paradigm-shifting expertise. The rising demand available in the market for DLT options within the monetary trade and past drives our dedication to this collaboration.”
In line with its website, Cypherium additionally makes use of a Turing-complete digital machine written in Java to run its sensible contracts. Since Java is so widespread, utilizing this language for its sensible contracts system lowers the barrier to blockchain adoption, they are saying.
In line with the press launch, Cypherium has additionally partnered with Amazon Internet Providers and IBM Cloud.
Google Cloud and Qtum
As reported by Cointelegraph, Google Cloud added blockchain platform Qtum to its roster of software program companions in Might. Qtum focuses on sensible contracts and decentralized functions (DApps), and has a set of developer instruments provided on Google Cloud; these choices embody DApp dev instruments, help for launching a full node, and instruments for forking and staking inside Qtum.
In line with the announcement, Google Cloud will mechanically replace Qtum supply code for all its builders:
“When the Qtum supply code is up to date, Google Cloud will mechanically replace the code in all places, saving builders the necessity to manually re-download so as to stay on the most recent model.”


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What you need to know
- Sony may be supplying the display for Apple's upcoming AR/VR headset.
- Apple has apparently ordered a number of display panels from the company.
- It is unclear if Apple will also work with Sony for its rumored Apple Glasses.
Reported by 9to5Mac, Apple may be working with Sony to bring its rumored augmented reality and virtual reality headset to life. A new report from Japanese newspaper Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun says that Apple is working with the company on a display technology that would be used for its upcoming AR/VR headset. The report also backs up earlier reports, claiming that the new headset could be announced as soon as 2021.
Japanese Apple blog Macotakara covered the report, saying that, if Sony does supply the display, it could become a "pillar of Sony's earnings" for the foreseeable future.
It seems that Sony has received an order for a micro display using an organic EL panel. It features high image quality and small size and light weight, and has many achievements for digital camera viewfinders. Augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) compatible HMDs for new applications use optical technology to project images displayed on the display onto the lens in front of you.
He started building his team in late 2015, and what grew into a 1,000-strong group of engineers went to work developing two products aimed at upending the VR and AR segments. A device code-named N301 would take the best of both VR and AR—the first an all-encompassing digital experience for gaming and consuming content, and the second a tool for overlaying information such as text messages and maps in front of a viewer. The other device, N421, a lightweight pair of glasses using AR only, is more complex.
While Apple's AR/VR headset for gaming may launch as soon as next year, its rumored Apple Glasses seem to be sticking with a 2023 release.


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It looks like the Chinese are upto something and this time it’s gonna be a banger. Chinese carmaker BYD is making something for SUV lovers. Certain media reports suggest that the all electric car maker will be rolling out its first hybrid SUV sometime this year.
Its being speculated that the new SUV from BYD has been codenamed SF and will resemble the likes of the Land Rover Defender on the cosmetic front.
- It it very likely that the new BYD Hybrid SUV will be showcased in Shanghai by the end of April.
- Reports also suggest that the new Hybrid SUV form BYD will be a global model just like the recently launched BYD Atto 3.
- The new Land Rover based Hybrid tech will also offer a range of more than 1,200 kms.
- It will get its power from a barnd new petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain.
- BYD currently has two models in India- Atto 3 & E6 EV
- The all electric carmaker also plans upon introducing a an electric sedan in India by mid-2023- BYD Seal.
- The new BYD Hybrid SUV will measure close to 5,000mm in length and rides on wheelbase put at 2,850mm.
- BYD is expected to launch its new SUV by mid-2024. With its lunch it will rival the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Mg Hector and the Toyota Innova Hycross.


text: Before Virgil Abloh’s Off-White x Nike collaboration shifted the way we think about sneaker collaborations, VETEMENTS had been adding its high fashion touch to numerous Reebok silhouettes since the end of 2016. One of the major differences between those two co-creations – other than their physical appearance – is that Abloh’s Off-White Nikes come with a price that resonates more with the average sneakerhead while VETEMENT’s Reeboks cater to high fashion aficionados with exorbitant MSRPs. Furthering their many doings early next year, will be another pair of Intapump Fury‘s aptly dubbed the “Graffiti 2.0”, that follows up one of their very first pairings from the beginning of 2017. Swapping out last year’s white for a soft Carolina-like blue, this creation features a number of bold graffiti prints in black, red, and metallic silver. Currently, a release date and a retail price has not been reported, but grab a first look here and expect pairs to touch down next month with a price point nearing the $600 USD mark.


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Toshiba Announces European Launch of 4K TVs—and Some Tablets
Europeans will revel in a 4K launch, but everyone can enjoy some new tablets.
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It was an exciting day for TV enthusiasts at the IFA Berlin Toshiba press event; or at least it was for European TV enthusiasts. Toshiba announced the European release dates and prices for the L9/M9 series of 4K televisions. The L9/M9 was first revealed at CES 2012 and became commercially available in August of this year.
While the European release of Toshiba's first foray into 4K is less relevant to US readers, one thing of note to readers on our side of the pond was the presence of a 50-inch "concept" television. While there are no official plans for a commercial 50-inch, the possibility of a smaller—and more affordable—model being made available in the future is pretty exciting.
The Toshiba L9/M9 will be available in Europe in three sizes: 58, 65, and 85 inches. The 58-inch is currently available in stores with the 65-inch and 84-inch releasing "some time in September."
Also on display at the press event were two new tablets: the Encore and the Satellite Click. The Encore, a Windows based 8-inch tablet (estimated MSRP $330) will be available in the US around November. Toshiba has apparently been working closely with Windows on this tablet. The partnership seems to have paid off, as the Encore will launch with Windows 8.1 and has been Skype certified. The Satellite Click, on the other hand, will be available in two versions. The Intel-based W30T, and the AMD-based W30DT. Unless the name didn't tip you off, the Satellite Click is a laptop with a detachable screen that doubles as a 13-inch tablet. While there is no official pricing for the Satellite Click as of yet, it is estimated to cost around $600 when released later this year.


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A Scottish potato grower found that investing in better air flow in his stores, has reaped major benefits for crop quality and energy costs, while also reducing the environmental impact.
The Farming For a Better Climate (FFBC) team, at SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), is urging potato growers to monitor their energy consumption, to better address efficiency levels in their stores and keep on top of spiralling costs.
Potato Consultant, Dr Kyran Maloney, said: “Storing potatoes is a big cost for growers, particularly with increased energy costs the current economic climate has brought. There is a great deal of uncertainty on energy prices and support for the coming year which makes forward planning a challenge. Growers cannot control energy prices, but they can get a handle on their usage and improve efficiency.
“Costs of storage can be daunting to calculate, but there are a number of tools including a costing model we have produced which can help. Growers should monitor their energy consumptions as surprisingly few stores are fitted with smart meters. The efficiency difference between a good and a poor store can be huge and areas which can be looked at include, uncontrolled leaks in stores, optimising airflow by fitting curtains and the basic servicing of refrigeration units.”
James Fairlie, who grows potatoes at Kirkton of Monikie, in Angus, recently had air curtains fitted to two of his stores and is already noticing a difference in air flow, energy use and quality of his crop.
James, who grows 400acres of potatoes, explained that last year’s energy bill was £9000 compared with £6500 for the month of October alone, which prompted him to take action.
Took electricity for granted
He said: “I probably took electricity for granted in the past as it wasn’t overly expensive, but this year the high costs have given us the drive we needed to become more efficient and look at our whole operation and what we can be doing better.
“We had air curtains installed at two of our four stores to improve air distribution through our boxes and recent tests found that air flow has increased from the standard recommended 0.3m per second, to 1.7m per second. This should lead to a reduction in disease and early indications are that crop quality has not deteriorated since being on site.
“By targeting air directly over the boxes, you reduce cooling times, improve overall efficiency and this has allowed us to reduce fridge running times by 30 per cent, which saves a big monthly bill.” James added that curtains are affordable and accessible, with his own investment paying off in the first month.
“Once I install the curtains at my two other stores, I’ll be looking at an energy consumption drop of 25 per cent on farm, which is around 100,000kwh annually,” he said. “This is not only good for our bottom line and crop quality but can only be a positive for the planet.”
For further information on how to explore different energy options for your farm, visit www.farmingforabetterclimate.org


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Fueled by strong sales of the MDX luxury sport utility vehicle and the all-new RSX sports coupe, Acura posted record April sales of 14,203, a 6.4 percent increase compared to the previous record of 12,815 set last year, Acura announced May 1.
MDX sales of 3,486 shattered the previous record of 2,852 set in April of 2001. Year-to-date MDX sales rose to 16,357, up 13.4 percent compared to last year. Continued strong demand for the RSX pushed April sales to 2,906, the third highest total since the RSX replaced the Acura Integra in July of 2001.
Acura also enjoyed strong demand for its 3.5 RL luxury sedan. The RL sold 825 units, up 20.9 percent compared to last year.


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Out west, Koenigsegg Newport Beach has opened up as the official dealership representing the Swedish automaker in the Orange County area.
The new dealership was announced this past weekend at their Supercar Show. At the show, the world-record setting Koenigsegg Agera RS and carbon fiber CCS made an appearance as part of the reveal.
Congratulations are in order to the new dealership. We can’t wait to see more Koenigsegg rolling through the streets of OC! Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see all of their happenings.


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Angry Birds comes to PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, Angry Birds 2 on the way
These here are the Angry Birds, the ones that’s gonna kick you in the ‘nads. One of the most successful games for smartphone ever which has been downloaded 36 million times will soon be available for current generation consoles .
Rivo’s chief executive Peter Vesterbacka has confirmed that Angry Birds for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii are all in development, but didn’t reveal any details of the new version, only said that he hoped it would be launched sometime next year. He also said:
“The smartphone gaming platform is actually turning out to be the biggest and most played out there. So it’s starting to beat the traditional games on consoles and PCs.”
The other interesting thing that he said, is that Angry Birds 2 is also in the works. The game won’t be a sequel or a prequel but a different type of game featuring the same characters.
“Let’s say that you will see a lot more of the pigs,” he revealed.
“The pigs will be a lot more active than just being slingshotted at by birds.”


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Here’s another interesting article from Itproportal titled: Amazon Business states B2B sales hit $10bn
In spite of being just three years of ages, Amazon Organisation has quickly come to be a best source for supplies for schools, health centers as well as federal governments who have actually accepted the ecommerce giant’s company offering simply as customers performed with its retail business.
The company’s company system has actually developed into a $10bn yearly venture that might soon provide considerable revenues much like its AWS cloud calculating department and also marketing services.
Presently Amazon Organisation is offered in the United States, Germany, UK, Japan, France, Italy, Spain as well as India though the business will likely continuously increase business’ international offerings in feedback to high client demand.
The Amazon vice president who manages its company division, Prentis Wilson told Bloomberg that the division is ripe for growth, claiming:
“We have a considerable variety of consumers that utilize us in four or five nations. It makes a whole lot of sense for us to utilize existing possessions.”
Amazon Company utilises the e-commerce titan’s existing warehouse and shipment network developed for its retail network to provide schools, health centers and federal governments with one-site purchasing thousands of numerous products from workplace products to treats.
The firm’s business offering obstacles Staples, Costco, WW Grainger and also various other tiny specialty representatives in the room. However, considering that these service customers are already aware of buying on Amazon’s retail site, Amazon Business has actually had the ability to take a location for itself in spite of being created just 3 years back in 2015.
Picture Credit Scores: Ken Wolter/ Shutterstock


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NewMotion provided electric vehicle charging points for FC St Pauli in Hamburg, Germany.
The football club aimed to communicate social responsibility, whilst also promoting ecological projects.
The club hired Hamburg-based artist Rebelzer to produce a street art installation behind the charge points in order to increase local media attention and spotlight their new electric charging points.
Due to the customisation offering provided by NewMotion, the charge points were also delivered in the official club colour, red.
Drivers with no electric charge cards were also able to receive adhoc access for the launch by directly calling NewMotion, allowing them to easily initiate charge sessions to be paid for via the NewMotion app.
St. Pauli wanted to showcase the direction the football club is heading - focusing on taking steps to reach new sustainability milestones.
“We not only want to meet our social responsibility milestones at FC St. Pauli, but we also want promote ecological projects - adding graffiti behind the charge points allowed us to showcase this more, and bring a splash of colour to the location . Our dream is that we see EVs driving through the neighbourhood, all operated with green electricity.” — Ewald Lienen, Technical Director of FC St. Pauli


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"The Champagne should probably be kept on ice, at least until the two presidents put pen to paper," said state-owned media China Daily.Traderead more
U.S. stock index futures turned lower after China said it needed to have further discussions before it would sign off on the so-called phase one trade deal President Trump...US Marketsread more
Analysts say the partial U.S.-China trade deal doesn't touch on thorny issues plaguing both sides, and warn talks could break down again.World Economyread more
Economists polled by Reuters had expected Chinese exports denominated in the U.S. dollar to fall by 3% and imports to decline by 5.2% in September, compared to a year ago.China Economyread more
Economists Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize for their work in fighting global poverty, the Royal Swedish Academy of...World Newsread more
Boeing's board removed CEO Dennis Muilenburg as chairman amid the fall out of two 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people.Aerospace & Defenseread more
The U.K. and EU are gearing up for what could be the busiest week in British politics since June 2016.Europe Politicsread more
The U.S. had plans to hike duties on at least $250 billion in Chinese goods to 30% from 25% on Tuesday. Despite the partial trade deal, some banks on Sunday wrote that tariff...Marketsread more
"It seems like what the two leaders have done is try to set some of the thorny political issues to the side," said Dhruva Jaishankar, director of the U.S. Initiative at the...Asia Politicsread more
Beijing will be opening up its financial industry to foreign ownership from January, namely in the areas of futures, mutual funds and securities.China Economyread more
The industry has pulled in $322 billion over the past six months, the fastest pace since the second half of 2008.Marketsread more
WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid by Domino's Pizza Inc to avoid a lawsuit by a blind man who accused the company of violating a law barring discrimination against people with disabilities after he was unable to place an order online.
The justices, on the first day of their new nine-month term, declined to hear Michigan-based company's appeal of a lower court ruling allowing the lawsuit by Guillermo Robles invoking the Americans With Disabilities Act to move forward.
Robles said in his 2016 lawsuit that the Domino's website and mobile app were not fully accessible for him in violation of the 1990 law that bans discrimination based on disability.
Robles argued that on least two occasions he was unable to order a pizza because screen-reading software he uses did not work properly. His lawsuit alleged that Domino's did not follow commonly used guidance on how to make websites and apps more accessible. Title III of the law requires that disabled people be able to access buildings open to the public, including restaurants.
The law has not been updated in response to the rise of the internet, including consumer use of websites and smartphone apps to buy products and services.
The U.S. Justice Department has yet to issue any guidance on how the ADA can be applied online, if at all.
In the meantime, lawyers for various plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against companies and other entities alleging ADA violations based on difficulties accessing services or products online. Domino's had said in its appeal that more than 2,000 lawsuits were filed in 2018 alone.
The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in January that the Domino's website and app were effectively extensions to its brick-and-mortar buildings where the pizzas are made.
A federal judge in California dismissed Robles' lawsuit in 2017, prompting him to appeal to the 9th Circuit. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham)


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Loblaw recalls $10 Chicken Fries amid salmonella outbreak
Loblaw Companies Limited is recalling certain unbranded $10 Chicken Fries products over concerns that they may be contaminated with salmonella.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says consumers should not consume the $10 Chicken Fries, which come in a 1.81 kg package bearing product code 2019 JN 22 and universal product code 0 60249 01411 4.
People who have already purchased the recalled product are advised to return it in-store or throw it out.
The recall was issued amid a nation-wide investigation into salmonella outbreaks, with the CFIA, Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada all involved.
It comes on the heels of Loblaw’s recall of No Name brand chicken burgers in June and No Name brand chicken nuggets in July, both over salmonella concerns.
The salmonella outbreak has been blamed for some 47 cases of illness across eight provinces, with eleven people hospitalized.
“Frozen raw breaded chicken products have been identified as the source of this outbreak,” the Public Health Agency said, with the CFIA adding that further food product recalls may be issued.
The CFIA warns that salmonella-contaminated food doesn’t necessarily look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick, with young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems especially susceptible to serious infections.
Typical symptoms of salmonella poisoning include fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.


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Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
Digital Wins, And So Does The Triopoly
Digital is expected to account for the majority of US ad spending this year, an industry shift driven (or forced?) by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to WPP media buying unit GroupM. GroupM expects US ad spend to hit $214.6 billion this year, excluding political outlays, with digital taking up 51% of that figure. Next year, it expects US ad spending to grow 12% to $240 billion, and digital advertising to account for $130 billion, or 54% of the total. Three years ago, digital advertising accounted for about one-third of all US ad spending, GroupM said – about the same size as newspapers, radio, magazines and local TV combined. As of 2020, those combined four categories now share only 21% of US ad spend. And, no surprise, the biggest beneficiaries of digital’s growth are the online giants Google, Facebook and Amazon, The Wall Street Journal reports, which together account for nearly two-thirds of 2020 US digital ad dollars. “They have done a good job of showing ad performance – and when they show performance marketers shift dollars,” said Christian Juhl, GroupM’s global chief executive.
Cyber Friday, Cyber Monday
In the grips of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, shoppers looking to avoid crowded stores during the holiday shopping season made a dramatic shift to online this year and spent $10.8 billion on Cyber Monday, setting a record for the largest internet shopping day ever, according to Adobe Analytics data. CNBC reports that Cyber Monday spending rose 15.1% year over year. But that figure fell short of Adobe’s original forecast of $12.7 billion. Adobe had recently revised its Cyber Monday estimate downward, cutting its online sales forecast for the entire holiday season to $184 billion, which is a 30% increase from last year. It originally estimated online sales of $189 billion. This year, shoppers started their gift buying earlier than ever, as retailers spread out deals to avoid crowded stores during the pandemic. On Cyber Monday, Adobe said the number of orders picked up curbside was up 30% from a year ago, as shoppers sought out ways to safely retrieve their items bought online that same day. Thirty-seven percent of digital sales on Cyber Monday were made on mobile devices. And on Black Friday – a one-day event that’s typically centered around stores and malls – customers mostly purchased online instead of in person. “Throughout the remainder of the holiday season, we expect to see record sales continue and curbside pickup to gain even more momentum as shoppers avoid crowds and potential shipping delays,” said Taylor Schreiner, a director at Adobe Digital Insights.
Continue reading »


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Here at Jempsons HQ, we are thrilled to bring you news of some additions to the fleet. We have taken delivery of five DAF FA LF.260 4×2 rigids and are expecting four new Lawrence David double-deck trailers on November 17. Meanwhile, we have also welcomed a new member onto the workforce. Martin Green has left his position at Wyevale Garden Centres to join Jempsons as Palletforce Depot Manager.
“I am used to the corporate commercial world, so coming to work for a family-run business is different but it’s also welcoming and quick to get things done. I recommend working for Jempsons because of the switched-on and loyal team. It’s good to be on board,” says Martin.
In other news, on October 5, MD Mark Chamberlain was among the guests rubbing shoulder with Princess Anne at the opening of the new Palletforce SuperHub in Burton-On-Trent.


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January 11, 2000
Mondera.com Makes $96,000 Diamond Sale
Mondera.com reported what it says is the largest on-line jewelry sale so far from its five-month-old Web site and, perhaps, in the history of Internet jewelry retailing.
On Jan. 3, an on-line shopper purchased a $96,000 diamond anniversary gift two loose stones for his wife on Mondera.com. Competitor Blue Nile previously reported the sale of a $60,000 7.6-ct. emerald-cut diamond ring on-line.
According to Marla Nitke, marketing communications director for Mondera, the sale is another indication of the greater affluence of Internet shoppers in general and the company's shoppers in particular. Mondera.com's average sale of diamond engagement jewelry on-line is $5,500, compared to an average $1,800 off-line in retail stores owned by Mondera's parent company, the Mouawad Group.
The big-ticket sale reveals a knowledgeable customer, Nitke says. At Mondera.com, diamonds are listed by price, with the less expensive stones first. So Mondera.com's $96,000 shopper had to deliberately click his way to the bottom of that list to find what he was looking for.
"That signifies that he had probably already done a lot of due diligence, which is what one would expect of someone prepared to spend that amount of money," says Nitke.
Nitke terms the sale an "indication of trust" in Mondera.com's quality and credibility. She says she doesn't know whether the company previously did business with the consumer off-line.
- by Mark E. Dixon


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|By RealWire News Distribution||
|April 10, 2012 06:50 AM EDT||
Next-Generation 802.11ac Wireless Technology Demonstrated at the Gadget Show
London, UK - 10th April, 2012 - Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of storage and wireless networking solutions, is today validating its commitment to innovation by showcasing 802.11ac technology on the show floor at the Gadget Show, at the NEC in Birmingham.
Operating in the 5 GHz space, the next generation wireless technology boasts unmatched wireless speeds of 1300 Mbps, approximately three times faster than its predecessor, 802.11n.
Accompanying the 802.11ac technology is the class leading Buffalo AirStation WZR-D1800H wireless router which provides consumers with five gigabit Ethernet ports and combined wireless PHY throughput up to 1750 Mbps. The router upgrades any existing wireless connection and provides greater coverage above and beyond traditional 802.11n. By combining the 1.3 Gbps 802.11ac 5 GHz technology with the existing 450 Mbps 802.11n 2.4 GHz solution, Buffalo provides consumers a no-compromise, future proofed wireless infrastructure for their digital world.
The explosion of digital content creation, distribution and consumption and the seemingly endless proliferation of mobile and connected devices have generated an all-time high demand for reliable, high-performance wireless networks. Buffalo's AirStation WZR-D1800H creates a sanctuary of wireless connectivity, providing a dependable, high quality signal for simple syncing between mobile devices, data-heavy streaming of HD movies from online services and everything in between. The high throughput rates and 5 GHz operation of this new technology frees consumers from the conventional networking restrictions of wired Ethernet cables, wireless network bottlenecks and other radio activity. 802.11ac offers wireless gigabit speeds with interference-free connectivity, setting new standards for speed, range and reliability.
Paul Hudson, Sales Director for Northern Europe at Buffalo Technology, says: "Delivering a high performance Wi-Fi solution that leverages the next generation 802.11ac technology is just part of Buffalo's ongoing commitment to innovation, engineering excellence and enabling consumers to use current and future technology in the home and in the cloud."
Buffalo will be showcasing the new technology, which will be available to buy from June, at The Gadget Show Live 2012 at Birmingham NEC, where the company will be at Stand C16 from 11-15 April.
About Buffalo Technology
Buffalo is a global manufacturer of innovative storage, multimedia, and wireless networking products for the home and small business. The company is recognised as the Number 1 total PC peripheral manufacturer in Japan, and was the worldwide consumer NAS market leader in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 (In-Stat).
The company's storage products are addressing the needs of the individual and the business, providing cost-effective network attached storage (NAS), portable and desktop hard drives, multimedia players, and Wireless LAN routers, which together offer a complete and integrated solution for the small office and digital home environment.
Buffalo's product portfolio includes its TeraStation™ NAS devices which are specifically designed to bring Enterprise Storage to the SMB. The LinkStation™ range of NAS products, takes multimedia NAS to the home, and enables you to create a central location to share information, store files, photos and music, and save all your digital content, simply and easily. The AirStation™ range of easy-to-use, high performance wireless networking products for the SMB/SoHo and home user, with industry-leading AOSS™ (AirStation One-Touch Secure System) technology, allows users to build and manage secure wireless networks at home or in the office at the push of a button.
Buffalo's strong international industry alliances with companies such as Intel, Broadcom™, Nintendo and Microsoft have allowed it to lead the industry in the development of the latest technologies into practical tools for the business and the home.
Headquartered in Japan, Buffalo Technology has offices in the UK, France, The Netherlands, USA and Taiwan. For more information please visit www.buffalo-technology.com.
For further information, please contact:
Tel: 0207 637 2587
SYS-CON Events announced today that the "Second Containers & Microservices Expo" will take place November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities.
Sep. 2, 2015 11:45 PM EDT Reads: 638
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Lee Williams, a producer of the first smartphones and tablets, will talk about how he is now applying his experience in mobile technology to the design and development of the next generation of Environmental and Sustainability Services at ETwater. He will explain how M2M controllers work through wirelessly connected remote controls; and specifically delve into a retrofit option that reverse-engineers control codes of existing conventional controller systems so they don't have to be replaced and are instantly converted to become smart, connected devices.
Sep. 2, 2015 11:15 PM EDT Reads: 223
Akana has announced the availability of the new Akana Healthcare Solution. The API-driven solution helps healthcare organizations accelerate their transition to being secure, digitally interoperable businesses. It leverages the Health Level Seven International Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (HL7 FHIR) standard to enable broader business use of medical data. Akana developed the Healthcare Solution in response to healthcare businesses that want to increase electronic, multi-device access to health records while reducing operating costs and complying with government regulations.
Sep. 2, 2015 10:00 PM EDT Reads: 307
The 17th International Cloud Expo has announced that its Call for Papers is open. 17th International Cloud Expo, to be held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, brings together Cloud Computing, APM, APIs, Microservices, Security, Big Data, Internet of Things, DevOps and WebRTC to one location. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to plant your flag in this fast-expanding business opportunity. Submit your speaking proposal today!
Sep. 2, 2015 06:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,659
SYS-CON Events announced today that IceWarp will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. IceWarp, the leader of cloud and on-premise messaging, delivers secured email, chat, documents, conferencing and collaboration to today's mobile workforce, all in one unified interface
Sep. 2, 2015 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 463
SYS-CON Events announced today that Micron Technology, Inc., a global leader in advanced semiconductor systems, will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Micron’s broad portfolio of high-performance memory technologies – including DRAM, NAND and NOR Flash – is the basis for solid state drives, modules, multichip packages and other system solutions. Backed by more than 35 years of technology leadership, Micron's memory solutions enable the world's most innovative computing, consumer,...
Sep. 2, 2015 05:30 PM EDT Reads: 270
SYS-CON Events announced today the Containers & Microservices Bootcamp, being held November 3-4, 2015, in conjunction with 17th Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, and @DevOpsSummit at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. This is your chance to get started with the latest technology in the industry. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the Containers and Microservices Bootcamp, led by Janakiram MSV, a Microsoft Regional Director, will include presentations as well as hands-on demos and comprehensive walkthroughs.
Sep. 2, 2015 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 394
SYS-CON Events announced today that Pythian, a global IT services company specializing in helping companies leverage disruptive technologies to optimize revenue-generating systems, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 17th Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Founded in 1997, Pythian is a global IT services company that helps companies compete by adopting disruptive technologies such as cloud, Big Data, advanced analytics, and DevOps to advance innovation and increase agility. Specializing in designing, imple...
Sep. 2, 2015 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 355
With the Apple Watch making its way onto wrists all over the world, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a staple in the workplace. In fact, Forrester reported that 68 percent of technology and business decision-makers characterize wearables as a top priority for 2015. Recognizing their business value early on, FinancialForce.com was the first to bring ERP to wearables, helping streamline communication across front and back office functions. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Kevin Roberts, GM of Platform at FinancialForce.com, will discuss the value of business applications on wearable ...
Sep. 2, 2015 04:00 PM EDT
17th Cloud Expo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy. Meanwhile, 94% of enterprises are using some form of XaaS – software, platform, and infrastructure as a service.
Sep. 2, 2015 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,583
The 3rd International WebRTC Summit, to be held Nov. 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, announces that its Call for Papers is now open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 15th International Cloud Expo, 6th International Big Data Expo, 3rd International DevOps Summit and 2nd Internet of @ThingsExpo. WebRTC (Web-based Real-Time Communication) is an open source project supported by Google, Mozilla and Opera that aims to enable bro...
Sep. 2, 2015 03:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,566
WebRTC services have already permeated corporate communications in the form of videoconferencing solutions. However, WebRTC has the potential of going beyond and catalyzing a new class of services providing more than calls with capabilities such as mass-scale real-time media broadcasting, enriched and augmented video, person-to-machine and machine-to-machine communications. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Luis Lopez, CEO of Kurento, will introduce the technologies required for implementing these ideas and some early experiments performed in the Kurento open source software community in areas ...
Sep. 2, 2015 02:15 PM EDT
Consumer IoT applications provide data about the user that just doesn’t exist in traditional PC or mobile web applications. This rich data, or “context,” enables the highly personalized consumer experiences that characterize many consumer IoT apps. This same data is also providing brands with unprecedented insight into how their connected products are being used, while, at the same time, powering highly targeted engagement and marketing opportunities. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Nathan Treloar, President and COO of Bebaio, will explore examples of brands transforming their businesses by t...
Sep. 2, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 269
SYS-CON Events announced today that HPM Networks will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. For 20 years, HPM Networks has been integrating technology solutions that solve complex business challenges. HPM Networks has designed solutions for both SMB and enterprise customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Sep. 2, 2015 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 945
While many app developers are comfortable building apps for the smartphone, there is a whole new world out there. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Narayan Sainaney, Co-founder and CTO of Mojio, will discuss how the business case for connected car apps is growing and, with open platform companies having already done the heavy lifting, there really is no barrier to entry.
Sep. 2, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 199
Too often with compelling new technologies market participants become overly enamored with that attractiveness of the technology and neglect underlying business drivers. This tendency, what some call the “newest shiny object syndrome,” is understandable given that virtually all of us are heavily engaged in technology. But it is also mistaken. Without concrete business cases driving its deployment, IoT, like many other technologies before it, will fade into obscurity.
Sep. 2, 2015 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 420
With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo in Silicon Valley. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be! Internet of @ThingsExpo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with 17th Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the most profound change in personal an...
Sep. 2, 2015 11:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,001
With the proliferation of connected devices underpinning new Internet of Things systems, Brandon Schulz, Director of Luxoft IoT – Retail, will be looking at the transformation of the retail customer experience in brick and mortar stores in his session at @ThingsExpo. Questions he will address include: Will beacons drop to the wayside like QR codes, or be a proximity-based profit driver? How will the customer experience change in stores of all types when everything can be instrumented and analyzed? As an area of investment, how might a retail company move towards an innovation methodolo...
Sep. 2, 2015 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 500
As more intelligent IoT applications shift into gear, they’re merging into the ever-increasing traffic flow of the Internet. It won’t be long before we experience bottlenecks, as IoT traffic peaks during rush hours. Organizations that are unprepared will find themselves by the side of the road unable to cross back into the fast lane. As billions of new devices begin to communicate and exchange data – will your infrastructure be scalable enough to handle this new interconnected world?
Sep. 2, 2015 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 193
The Internet of Things is in the early stages of mainstream deployment but it promises to unlock value and rapidly transform how organizations manage, operationalize, and monetize their assets. IoT is a complex structure of hardware, sensors, applications, analytics and devices that need to be able to communicate geographically and across all functions. Once the data is collected from numerous endpoints, the challenge then becomes converting it into actionable insight.
Sep. 2, 2015 09:00 AM EDT


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Banqsoft Joins Leaseurope as its Latest Associate Member
The new membership will further internationalise Banqsoft's brand awareness across the European Leasing and Automotive industry.
Latest News & Insights
Trusted technology: Banqsoft’s vital role in Norway’s welfare transactions
December 15 2023
For almost 20 years Banqsoft has been developing and maintaining two of Norway’s key systems for managing welfare payments. The cooperation is built on a legacy of trust and flawless execution.
Banqsoft welcomes Camilla Sorknes as leader for Digital Banking and Credit Management
October 17 2023
Banqsoft continues its growth journey and announces the merger of the business areas for Digital Banking and Credit Management into the newly formed business area. We are pleased to welcome Mrs Camilla Sorknes as leader for this business area.


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Tmall Archives - Inside Retail Singapore
Half of online shoppers in Asia-Pacific make purchases cross-border.
Alibaba Group sales soared 41 per cent in the December quarter as its customer based neared 700 million.
E-commerce giant Alibaba has developed new technology to make it possible for blind and partially sighted people to shop online.
Alibaba Group’s used-goods marketplace, Idle Fish, has opened registrations for a premium channel that allows brands to operate their own official stores.
Tmall Luxury Pavilion, Alibaba Group’s dedicated site for high-end brands, has unveiled a redesigned app which features a new “Maison” store format.
Alibaba has committed to help import US$200 billion worth of goods from more than 120 countries over the next five years.
Alibaba and its partner retailers will face a massive challenge ensuring flawless delivery of millions of parcels on Singles Day 2018.
Last year’s event brought in $25.3 billion in gross merchandise value.
Portuguese accessories brand Parfois is planning an expansion into Asia and Eastern Europe.
Alibaba’s digital marketing arm Alimama has unveiled an AI copywriter which is already paying off for brands like Esprit and Dickies.
Guess and Alibaba Group bring AI to the fashion world in a store of the future at Hong Kong.
Hoping to expand its reach among China’s young high-end consumers, Italian fashion house Moschino has launched a flagship store on Tmall’s Luxury Pavilion.


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Placer.ai and Vibenomics are pooling resources to improve the reach of in-store retail media.
Location analytics and marketing intelligence platform Placer.ai and in-store digital ad provider Vibenomics are teaming up to better measure the impact of in-store retail media. The companies are embarking on a new partnership as retail media becomes a more common tool used by grocers and CPGs.
Through the collaboration, Vibenomics will leverage Placer.ai’s in-store visitation data to create relevant and accurate solutions for audio and display advertising inside physical stores.
"Placer.ai’s advanced location analytics and foot traffic insights are a valuable addition to our retail media solutions, as we now offer our clients a more comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior and preferences,” said Paul Brenner, SVP of retail media and partnerships at Vibenomics, a Mood Media Co. "The combination of Vibenomics in-store audio and display solutions with Placer's insights and analytics will empower retailers and brands to make informed, effective advertising decisions that yield better results."
Dan Hight, VP of channel partnerships at Placer.ai, said that pooling resources will ultimately help all stakeholders achieve their goals, from shoppers to grocers to suppliers. “The increasing emphasis on retail media within the physical retail landscape underscores the significant potential it offers to those marketing or selling products in-store,” Hight said. “By combining accurate and dependable measurement and analytics capabilities with leading solution providers like Vibenomics, agencies and brands can enhance their ability to better target, measure and demonstrate the impact and value of in-store media within their comprehensive retail media strategies.”
At the recent GroceryTechevent in Cincinnati, presented by Progressive Grocer and sister publication RIS News, Placer.ai’s head of analytical research R.J. Hottovy noted that retail media networks are among the grocery industry’s key advances this year. “A lot of people are seeing the opportunity with retail media, like digital display ads. But it’s one thing to say you want to get into real media and it’s another thing to implement and apply it,” he noted. “As a result, you want to be able to be out there with your potential advertising partners and say, ‘Here is how we can tailor the program to get people interested in your brand?’ or whatever it might be.”


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A firestorm of controversy is swirling around Target’s recent policy change.
A conservative Christian activist group has gained more than half a million signatures and counting, signed by those who pledge to boycott the retail giant after it announced in a blog post last week that it would allow transgender customers to use whichever restroom fits their gender identity.
The statement spurred outrage on social media throughout the country, as people who said they had safety concerns vowed to stop shopping at Target.
The petition started by American Family Association, claims that Target’s inclusive stance on transgender rights policy is a “danger to wives and daughters,” said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder, said in a statement “We certainly respect that there are a wide variety of perspectives and opinions. As a company that firmly stands behind what it means to offer our team an inclusive place to work— and our guests an inclusive place to shop —we continue to believe that this is the right thing for Target.”
She added that hundreds of Target stores “have single-stall, family restrooms for those who may be more comfortable with that option.”
Many have praised Target for its stance through social media support. The announcement comes on the heels of the controversial “bathroom bill” that North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed into law in late March. Many protested the law, including President Obama, PayPal and several musical artists including Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett, Ringo Starr, and Ani DiFranco have cancelled concerts in North Carolina in protest.
There are no reports at this time if Target has seen a decline in sales because of the policy. Is this Target setting a new norm for how retailers approach controversial subjects?


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Support Team Receives Accolades at JiveWorld11 and TSIA Conference
Santa Clara, Calif. — November 17, 2011 — McAfee today announced that it has won the Jive Awards’ “Engage Customers” category at the JiveWorld11 conference, and the Star Awards’ “Continuous Support Improvement” award at the Technology Service Industry Association (TSIA) conference.
“These award wins are a testament of our commitment to and focus on our customers,” said Barry McPherson, executive vice president of McAfee Worldwide Support. “Our people are passionate about delivering world-class support. It is this dedication that has enabled our continuous operational improvements as well as our consistently increasing customer satisfaction scores.”
The Jive Award recognizes McAfee’s excellence in driving better customer service with Jive’s Social Business platform. The McAfee Community Forums (https://community.mcafee.com) give customers a place to communicate and receive support. McAfee was honored for streamlining its customers’ ability to solve problems with self-service support, thereby improving satisfaction and fostering a positive association with the company.
“The Jive Award winners represent a new generation of companies that are harnessing the power of Social Business to unleash creativity, innovation and motivation,” said John Rizzo, chief marketing officer at Jive. “All of us at Jive are inspired by the outcomes of their achievements and are proud to be part of the shift to a ‘new way to business’ at these leading brands.”
McAfee was selected for the TSIA STAR Awards for demonstrating exceptional service levels and customer satisfaction for three or more years, with year-over-year improvements and a plan in place for continual improvement in the future. The Awards showcase technology companies who display exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to delivering world-class results. Since 1990, the STAR Awards have become one of the highest honors in the service and support industry, acknowledging the contribution of companies of all sizes to the continual improvement of service and support delivery industry-wide.
“These industry leaders set the pace for world-class in their respective industries,” said J.B. Wood, president and CEO of TSIA. “As STAR Award winners, they exemplify what it takes to strive for excellence in innovation and dedication to the profession of technology services.”
For more information about the awards, please visit http://www.jivesoftware.com/jiveworld/awards and http://www.tsia.com/awards_and_certifications/star_awards.html.
McAfee, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), is the world's largest dedicated security technology company. McAfee delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that help secure systems, networks, and mobile devices around the world, allowing users to safely connect to the Internet, browse and shop the Web more securely. Backed by its unrivaled Global Threat Intelligence, McAfee creates innovative products that empower home users, businesses, the public sector and service providers by enabling them to prove compliance with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions, identify vulnerabilities, and continuously monitor and improve their security. McAfee is relentlessly focused on constantly finding new ways to keep our customers safe. http://www.mcafee.com
Note: McAfee is a registered trademark of McAfee, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.


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Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. in Akron is bringing back a special chocolate honey stout made last year to commemorate the end of the world. If you forgot, the apocalypse was supposed to end all life on Dec. 21, 2012. At least that's what the media reported based on interpretations of the Mayan calendar.
"Well, we survived and loved the beer so much we are adding it to our winter lineup with a release on Dec. 21," brewery co-owner John Najeway said in an email.
The brewery is changing the name, though. It was called Last Mayan Dog last year. This year, it will be known as Rise of Mayan Dog. The recipe is the same, except for the fact that Thirsty Dog tried to extract more chocolate from the cocoa nibs used. The beer, which is 7.3 percent alcohol by volume, will be available in four packs and on draft.


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Quick-service restaurants have an opportunity to capitalize on Hispanic customers who tend to visit brands in the segment more often and spend more per transaction compared when with other demographic groups, according to a new study from Univision Communications Inc. The Hispanic-focused media company partnered with research firm Burke Inc. to conduct a poll of 1,250 Hispanics and an equal number of non-Hispanic consumers about their habits and attitudes toward quick-service ...
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The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) stated that it is currently eyeing the use of data science tools in its implementation and enforcement of competition law and policy. The initiative aims to adapt to the rising use of digital platforms by businesses and consumers.
The PCC said it is currently communicating with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) for the creation of a data science toolkit that will guide regulators and competition authorities in analyzing data, including those sourced from digital platforms.
According to the commission, following the massive changes in terms of physical and digital transactions during the pandemic, online platforms were one of those that benefited the most. They noted that to follow through, the regulations must ”adapt to these trends or risk becoming obsolete, or even harming rather than helping consumers and future innovations.”
“In antitrust, online platforms are among those that benefited the most from the pandemic-induced transition to a digital economy. The strategic use of data can lead to market structures that incentivize players to abuse their dominance. Thus, regulations must adapt to these trends or risk becoming obsolete, or even harming rather than helping consumers and future innovations,” – Arsenio M. Balisacan, PCC chairperson
The PCC and the Apec secretariat organized a capacity building workshop last March 23, as part of the culminating activity of the project. The Data Science for Competition Policy Toolkit, which promotes the use of empirical techniques for competition assessments, was presented during this workshop. The virtual workshop had the participation of over 300 attendees, including representatives from competition authorities within the Apec region.
“Big data can be the silent witness of competition authorities in uncovering cartels and abuses of dominance. By analyzing aberrations and trends in price points and other factors, we reinforce our capacities for evidence-based case building and litigation. We are privileged to work with the Apec secretariat in this project,” Balisacan added.
Recently, following the current massive digitalization of industries and institutions, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Digital Pilipinas signed a Memorandum of Understanding that targets to lay out strategies in establishing university-based decentralized innovation centers across the Philippines. The move aims to promote education, industry, and government collaboration with blockchain and other emerging technologies. (Read more: DOST To Launch Decentralized Innovation Centers in PH Universities)
Last year, in an interview with BitPinas, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) stated that they aim to promote blockchain awareness in the country. (Read more: Interview: DICT Aims to Promote Blockchain Awareness)
This article is published on BItPinas: PCC Eyes Data Science in Competition Law, Regulatory Policies
Disclaimer: BitPinas articles and its external content are not financial advice. The team serves to deliver independent, unbiased news to provide information for Philippine-crypto and beyond.


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Bleeding Gums May Be a Sign of Vitamin C Deficiency
Bleeding gums could indicate low levels of vitamin C levels, a new, multi-country longitudinal analysis has found.
To address slightly bleeding gums — known as gingival bleeding tendency — practitioners typically recommend more brushing and flossing. But that may not be enough, the latest findings suggest.
“When you see your gums bleed, the first thing you should think about is not, ‘I should brush more.’ You should try to figure out why your gums are bleeding,” Philippe Hujoel, a practicing dentist and professor of oral health sciences at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, who was the lead author of the study, told the media. “Vitamin C deficiency is one possible reason.”
Published this month in Oxford’s Nutrition Review, the study analyzed 15 different clinical trials focused on gingival bleeding tendencies comprising otherwise healthy people from India, Indonesia, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Related on The Swaddle:
Specialized diets like paleo, which involves just eating lean meats and low-carb food, could contribute to deficiency-related gum bleeding, the researchers noted. “Vitamin C-rich fruits such as kiwis or oranges are rich in sugar and thus typically eliminated from a low-carb diet,” Hujoel said, commenting on the low-carb diet culture.
At present, global recommendations on vitamin C intake are primarily directed at the prevention of scurvy, a disease caused by an extreme deficiency. However, intakes adequate for preventing scurvy may still be too low to prevent other negative health effects, like gum bleeding or even retinal hemorrhaging, the new research says.
The study found that increasing daily intake of vitamin C in people with low vitamin levels helped curb gum bleeding. While the researchers primarily recommended consuming non-processed vitamin C-rich foods such as kale, peppers, or kiwis, they noted that even vitamin C supplements of about 100 to 200 milligrams a day could work for those who can’t increase their consumption of vitamin C-rich foods.
Interestingly, Hujoel notes that the association between gum bleeding and vitamin C-deficiency isn’t exactly novel — scientists discovered the link around three decades ago. “There was a time in the past when gingival bleeding was more generally considered to be a potential marker for a lack of vitamin C. But over time, that’s been drowned out or marginalized by this over-attention to treating the symptom of bleeding with brushing or flossing, rather than treating the cause,” he said.


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In the last few years, solar energy has become a real force in the energy industry. According to GTM Research, 29 percent of new electricity capacity installed in 2013 was from solar, and in 2014 that figure grew to 32 percent. But thus far solar energy capture has mostly been restricted to solar panels on rooftops or in deserts in the southeastern U.S.
In the future, solar energy may infiltrate many of the products we use on an everyday basis. Everything from cars to smartphones to roadways could harness electrical energy from the sun. The best sign of the progress taking place in solar energy is currently over Asia, making its maiden flight around the world.
Solar Impulse Shows the Power of Solar Energy
On March 9 the Solar Impulse airplane took off from Abu Dhabi in an attempt to fly around the world over the next five months on solar power alone. The ultralight, 5,000-pound aircraft has a wingspan longer than a 747, is covered with high-efficiency SunPower (SPWR) solar cells and crawls at a fairly pedestrian 20 to 90 miles per hour. It won't be a quick flight, but it's an incredible milestone in the advancement of solar energy.
A five-month trip around the world may not seem impressive on the surface, but with two pilots and slow speeds, a continuous trip would be nearly impossible. But that doesn't mean Solar Impulse won't be flying 24/7 at times. The trip from Nanjing in the People's Republic of China to Hawaii is expected to take five days and five nights of continuous flight, an incredible feat of endurance.
The fact that an aircraft can fly 24/7 on solar energy alone shows how far the solar industry has come and just scratches the surface of its potential in the near future.
Just the Beginning of Solar Innovation
The Solar Impulse mission only adds to the incredible feats being accomplished in solar energy. Planet Solar's solar-powered catamaran went around the world in 2012 and has now become a research vessel. When compared to flying an airplane or powering a boat on solar power, using solar in an automobile, a smartphone, or a laptop seems a simple prospect.
Mainstream companies are starting to realize the vast potential of solar energy. Ford's (F) C-Max Solar Energi concept car includes solar cells on the roof that can power the car for 21 miles every day in optimal conditions. The same energy production on a Tesla Motors (TSLA) Model S would power the car for about 2,048 miles per year, 12 percent of what the average person drives every year. Imagine how much potential there is in covering an electric vehicle with solar cells and simply leaving it outside. Free power!
NRG Energy's (NRG) recent acquisition, Goal Zero, aims to make portable solar energy easy to use. They have panels that easily strap to a backpack and charge portable power packs that can be used for most electronic devices.
Solar products are starting to become more available to regular consumers: I use a portable battery pack from IXYS Solar with a solar cell built into it. Before long, solar energy could be used to power the devices we use every day with very little disruption to our daily lives.
Solar May Someday Be Everywhere
The reason these innovations are exciting is because they're nearly invisible to the user. Adding solar cells to a car or a backpack, or even an airplane, doesn't impact the user experience -- and they could provide power by simply sitting out in the sun. What could be easier than that?
All it takes for solar energy to be added to consumer devices around the world is a cost-effective solar cell and a little engineering to include it in electronics products we use everyday. We know that solar is cost-effective, so it's a matter of time before it shows up in more and more products on store shelves. The potential is huge, and a solar-powered flight around the world is a sign of how far solar energy could take us.
Motley Fool contributor Travis Hoium owns shares of Ford and SunPower. The Motley Fool recommends Ford and Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of Ford, NRG Energy and Tesla Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. Check out our free report on one great stock to buy for 2015 and beyond.


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With 30 years of industry experience, White is now director of sales at Teneo Hospitality Group’s Washington, D.C., office. Before joining Teneo, White was director of global sales at PRA Group, a destination management company. He has also worked in management for Krisam Group & Global Event Partners and Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Florida, and has held the position of regional director of sales at Associated Luxury Hotels International.
Sandpiper Hospitality, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, has promoted Grisko to vice president of sales and marketing. Grisko joined the company in 2018 as a divisional sales manager and became corporate director of sales and marketing last year. She’s also worked for Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Extended Stay America. Grisko was awarded “Best of the Best” honors by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International in 2010.
Mill Falls at the Lake, a New Hampshire TPG Hotels & Resorts property, has appointed Squire to general manager. Squire was previously lodging director at The Hermitage Club in Vermont, where he managed six properties and expanded its lodging portfolio. He has spent over 20 years in industry management, working for The Stratton Mountain Club of Stratton Mountain Resort; The White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection; Windham Hill Inn; and Four Columns Inn, all in New England; as well as the U.K.’s Gidleigh Park.
Nichols has joined Kimpton Alton Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf as its general manager. Previously, Nichols was general manager at Kimpton Buchanan Hotel in San Francisco’s Japantown. Before that, she was assistant general manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel, also in San Francisco. Nichols has spent almost 15 years in hospitality leadership positions, working for hotel properties in Mendocino, California; Palm Beach, Florida; New York City and Rochester, Minnesota.
Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort has hired Cable-Treadwell as its director of marketing and sales. Cable-Treadwell has 20 years of international experience in the field, most recently working in a similar position for Baha Mar, a Bahamas resort. He’s also served in sales, marketing and management positions at Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide properties in Mexico, the Caribbean, Ireland and Australia.
Lane is now general manager for Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport. Lane has spent 20 years in sales, marketing and management positions with Hyatt. He was most recently general manager at Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland, after serving there as regional vice president of sales and marketing.
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco has named Costa its director of sales and marketing. Costa was priorly director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, also in California, and he’s held leadership positions at San Jose Marriott in California, Marriott International and FlagStone Hospitality. Costa served on the board of directors of Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) Northern California chapter from 2006 to 2007 and remains an active member of MPI.
David Silva, Chris Lawing and Jessie Valdez
Silva is now hotel manager, Lawing is director of sales and marketing and Valdez is director of spa at Pendry Park City in Utah.
Silva brings 17 years of leadership experience in food and beverage operations and hotel management to his new position. He served as the Marriott Orlando Airport Lakeside senior operations advisor, then held directorships at various Fairmont Hotels and Resorts properties and at The St. Regis Deer Valley, where he was hotel manager.
Lawing has spent over two decades in convention and hospitality management. He’s held leadership roles at Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Montage International of Montage Hotels & Resorts. Previously, Lawing was director of group sales at Montage Deer Valley in Utah.
Valdez has spent the last decade expanding her career into wellness and hospitality management. She has served as spa and wellness director and marketing specialist for Sugati Spa & Wellness Center in Park City, Utah, and, most recently, was spa director at Glenwild Golf Club and Spa, also in Utah.


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Last week, a study was published that showed how 15 popular applications in the Android Market shared location data with advertisement servers, while 10 shared unique identifiers with them, as well. Glad you’re using an iPhone? Not so fast – another study, published over the weekend, shows that the iOS ain’t much better in this regard.
The Android study was done by people from Penn State University, Duke University, and Intel Labs, using a tool they created called TaintDroid. They studied 30 popular applications from the Android Market, chosen at random, and came to the conclusion that a selection of them transmitted location data and/or unique identifiers to advertisement servers.
Google already responded to this study last week, stating that applications always ask for permission to access any personal information upon installation – this is a requirement for the Android Market. As such, Google noted that “none of the applications studied in this research operated outside of the Android Permissions model, so in each case, a user would have already granted the application access to the resources listed (e.g. location, device ID, etc)”.
While this is true, it ignores the fact that while applications on Android may ask for permission to use personal information, it’s never really clear how or why they’re using this information. Sure, it makes sense for a, I don’t know, route tracking application to have access to your GPS data – but at the same time, you have no idea if the application isn’t also sending this information to third party advertisement servers.
While a far more controlled environment, Apple’s iOS isn’t free from these kinds of issues either, as noted by a study performed at Bucknell University. This study requires some historical background: back in 1999, Intel’s newly announced Pentium III processors contained a unique serial number per processor, which didn’t sit well with the industry and governments the world over. They worried that it could be used to track users’ online behaviour, and some governments even went as far as asking for a ban on Pentium III processors. Intel removed this serial number shortly afterwards.
The iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, however, contain something similar: the Unique Device Identifier (UDID). Apple promotes the use of UDIDs as a way for application developers to link information to specific devices, e.g. storing high scores in a game on a central server. While Apple states that the UDID may not be linked to personally identifiable information, there is no mechanism in place to prevent this from happening, nor is there a mechanism to prevent the UDID from being shared with third parties (such as advertisement firms).
The study in question was performed to “determine if the privacy fears surrounding the Pentium 3 have manifested themselves on the iPhone platform”. In order to do so, they studied 57 random popular applications from the App Store, and came to interesting conclusions.
“We found that 68% of these applications were transmitting UDIDs to servers under the application vendor’s control each time the application is launched. Furthermore, 18% of the applications tested encrypted their communications such that it was not clear what type of data was being shared,” the study notes, “A scant 14% of the tested applications appear to be clean. We also confirmed that some applications are able to link the UDID to a real-world identity.”
“For example,” the study continues, “Amazon’s application communicates the logged-in user’s real name in plain text, along with the UDID, permitting both Amazon.com and network eavesdroppers to easily match a phone’s UDID with the name of the phone’s owner. The CBS News application transmits both the UDID and the iPhone device’s user-assigned name, which frequently contains the owner’s real name.”
As a conclusion, the study states that all this poses a real threat to iOS users. “Privacy and security advocates, personal iPhone owners, and corporate iPhone administrators should be concerned that it would be feasible – and technically, quite simple – for their browsing patterns, app usage, and physical location collected and sold to unintended customers such as advertisers, spouses, divorce lawyers, debt collectors, or industrial spies,” the study argues, “Since Apple has not provided a tool for end-users to delete application cookies or to block the visibility of the UDID to applications, iPhone owners are helpless to prevent their phones from leaking this information.”
It’s difficult to ascertain how much of an issue this – both the Android and iOS one – really is. Sure, it’s a matter of principal that devices should not emit information like this for everyone to see without users’ consent, but at the same time, allowing very fine-grained control over these matters will only serve to confuse most users. This confusion could have two outcomes; users see a complicated privacy dialog and automatically cancel out of fear. However, considering just how many applications use personal data, it could also lead to users becoming numb to such dialogs.
In the end, it may already be too late, as a Google spokesperson notes. “Note that this trust relationship between the user and the software maker exists regardless of the platform – even in desktop software and more controlled application environments,” he said, “It is not specific to Android. As an industry, we’ve never been able to 100% guarantee what a software maker (on any platform) will do with data to which they are entrusted.”
Still, it is good to see people paying attention to this and questioning the uses and motives of these application developers.