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Greentube teams up with Total Casino in Polish debut
Through this new partnership, the Novomatic Interactive division’s mobile and online games including classic titles like Book of Ra, Sizzling Hot and Lucky Lady’s Charm are all readily available to all players in Poland on the Total Casino website. The popular Greentube Collections is also supposedly going to be added onto the Total Casino site, which is an exclusive suite of games containing Greentube’s most loved series.
All players in Poland will now have the chance to check out the popular Novomatic games in retail outlets and online ones. The brand new distribution channel perfectly harmonizes Novomatic’s strategy, which is an omnichannel strategy, with the release of some of its most popular VLTs with the Polish company’s network.
Totalizator Sportowy is owned by the Polish state and is currently the sole operator in the country who is allowed to legally provide online casino games. Total Casino launched in 2018 and it has seen some splendid growth since then.
This is Greentube’s most recent move as the company has been taking big steps for a while now, including its debut in Denmark and Mexico in 2020, as well as its progressive expansion into many new markets in LatAm and Europe. Greentube has been eyeing the Netherlands and Germany as potential new markets for a while, with possible expansions to come soon.
Greentube CFO/CGO, Michael Bauer, stated in a comment:
“Totalizator Sportowy’s casino brand is very well respected by players in Poland, and to be selected as an online partner is further evidence that we are a market-leading force when it comes to igaming content across a wide range of regulated markets. Greentube has already enjoyed a fruitful start to 2021 and this new market entry and partnership shows our commitment to expanding our reach.”
Totalizator Sportowy’s online gaming director Maciej Kasprzak said:
“We are constantly developing our offer and we want our clients to experience the best entertainment from the best developers. The arrival of Greentube’s content has been greeted by the players with much excitement. We look forward to continuing a successful partnership.”


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Taking a similar approach to Formula E, we can now expect an exciting new race series again, promoting an emission friendly form of racing. The series was the initial brainchild and concept of former Porsche Motorsport boss, and director of the Formula 1 brand Sauber, Max Welti. He has teamed up with the previous head of motorsport at the marketing conglomerate IMG, Rob Armstrong.
Between the two of them, they hope to bring a new style of competition to the public eye, and showcase the power of modern day on-road crossover vehicles in a challenging environment. The championship will consist of 15 races on short urban style courses, featuring obstacles and different challenges.
The idea is to take electric crossovers that are on the roads today, modify them to a high performance spec, and challenge the vehicles in a number of unique challenges similar to Rallycross. A few of the obstacles the cars will face include a low friction zone, a whopping 2.5 metre jump, a superloop track extension and a water splash. The cars will also have to reflect the contemporary state of on-road cars for that period, to really try and touch base with the capabilities of these epic crossovers.
This competition is another indicator that E series and emission friendly competitions are gaining rapid momentum. There seems to be an industry wide shift into searching for alternative forms of enjoying the thrills of racing without having a lasting and negative effect on the environment. This shift is clearly outlined by the introduction of Formula E, and also the recent developments of Lewis Hamilton with his own Extreme E team.
What we are witnessing is an exciting evolution. Here at TrackDays, we’ve had an enormous amount of interest in electric vehicles, in particular electric supercars such as the BMW i8. The concept of driving such an incredible vehicle, that provides such an astonishing amount of power from an electric engine, is clearly perking the interests of customers nationwide.
If you couple this with the growing concern about the current climate and its importance; electric competitions could well be the only feasible future for racing. Regardless of what future competitions look like, we are extremely excited to see the results of the Supercharge crossover motorsport championship, and can’t wait to see how many people it inspires moving forward.

domain: news


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T-Mobile says the Android-based successor to its G1 phone is slated for an early summer release.
According to a beta tester of the iPhone 3.0 software, the forthcoming update will no longer let you re-downlad iPhone apps you've already downloaded.
The long-expected update to the Android operating system, version 1.5, has arrived, with T-Mobile rolling out the new OS to G1 phones next week.
The RealNetworks case involving DVD-ripping software goes to court.
Google is bringing movies and TV shows to its YouTube video-sharing service, inking deals with Sony, CBS, MGM, and others.
More unconfirmed technical specs of Microsoft's planned iPod touch rival have emerged, PC World reports.
Reports that Apple is ordering large amounts of flash memory have some people speculating that a larger capacity iPhone is in the works.
T-Mobile is set to launch two new devices -- a home phone and tablet computer -- running on the Google Android platform early next year.
Analysts have already begun speculating on what features the next iPhone might have. Are their predictions likely to come true?
Facebook says it will tweak its homepage in the coming weeks in direct response to user uproar over recent designs changes.
Privacy watchdogs in the United Kingdom want to close down Google Street View, only days after the service was launched in Great Britain.
Kevin Rose, founder of Digg.com, speculates on how an iPhone copy-and-paste feature might work.
In contrast to the iPhone App Store, where 99 cent apps dominate the offerings, Research In Motion’s application store for BlackBerry devices will have a minimum price of $2.99 for paid apps.
As good as an iPhone version of Kindle sounds, PC World’s Daniel Ionescu notes that there are a few shortcomings to the app as well.
Dniel Ionescu of PC World looks at what Facebook’s new terms of service are all about.


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It's almost that time of year: 9/11 time. One media outlet would like to commemorate the 10th-anniversary of our national tragedy with a "9/11/back-to-school fashion photo spread," whatever that means.
Here's the listing that went out on Help a Reporter Out, the lazy journalist's favorite way to find sources for stories that they probably shouldn't be considering the first place. Like this fashion spread:
NYC Students Affected by 9/11...
Major media outlet is seeking NYC students who were living in the city during 9/11. Selected students will be in a back-to-school/9-11 fashion photo spread. Please contact for more information.
We're uncertain which media outlet is behind this, exactly. But the contact listed, Danika Fears, did a fashion spread for the New York Daily News in June, so that may very well be it. (Our email inquiry was not immediately answered.)
A 9/11 fashion spread. This is confusing. Is 9/11 a season now? Don't wear white before Memorial Day, and don't wear ashen grey before 9/11. It's heartening to see that we've finally reached the crucial "trivialization" stage of collective grief.
[Image via Getty]


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HTC has confirmed that Sense 3.0, the updated version of the Sense UI found on all HTC Android phones, won't be available on older HTC devices.
It hurts that the senseless confirmation was imparted by way of a tweet from the official HTC account, though.
In answer to a customer's query, the tweet reads, "Due to Sense's hardware requirements, only our newest devices (Flyer, Evo 3D, Sensation) will be able to support it."
Still, there's a chance that these handsets will get some elements of Sense 3.0, although whether these will include the 3D overlay for home screens, the new lock display or the new visual widgets remains to be seen.
Via Unwired View


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As the global coronavirus pandemic keeps worsening, the organisers of Garment Machinery and Textile trade fair (GT Korea) have decided to cancel the event and hold it in May 2022. The event was to be held from November 26-28 this year, but now stands cancelled. GT Korea is held every 2 years, so next exhibition is to be held at KINTEX, South Korea in 2022.
The worldwide sewing and textile industry is closely interrelated. So, the organisers made a decision that it will not be possible to hold the event successfully this year.
Source:Fibre2Fashion News Desk (PC)


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AB Mauri targets sustainable soya from UK-based producers
AB Mauri has announced it is now working in conjunction with Soya UK, and fully expects UK-sourced crops to make up an increased proportion of its total supply within the next 12 months.
The company is forecasting significant growth in demand for their sustainable soya products during the forthcoming year.
Stephen Tutt, head of supply chain and procurement, AB MAURI UK & Ireland, says: “We believe sustainability makes good sense for our business, our people and our planet.
UK Soya’s overall approach to sustainability and yields is impressive. They are certified as producing sustainable soya under the BM Trada Soya Certification scheme, an internationally recognised standard. Unquestionably, the UK soya bean has excellent environmental credentials”
Sam Cook, marketing business partner, AB MAURI UK & Ireland, adds: “This is a timely announcement in light of the current and ongoing drive by the UK Grocery Sector towards sustainably sourced products. In the case of soya, every ton of UK product we could use is another ton that does not need to be imported from half a world away.
“Only very recently a key retailer announced their intention to achieve 100% sustainable soy within the next few years. We are very happy that AB Mauri are ideally placed to help our customers comply with the demands of bakeries and grocery retailers for sustainability, both now and in the future.”


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By Jo Murray
Merry’s — 2747 E. Broadway, near Temple — is closing its doors after 14 years.
Much of the merchandise is currently half off, including handmade items from Iran, Ethiopia, Morocco, India and elsewhere. The sale, which includes fixtures and furniture, will continue until the end of the month.
The shop has long been a Bluff Heights fixture, with owner Merry Colvin holding fundraisers for people in need around the world.
Neighbors and longtime customers have stopped by to give hugs, offer thanks and exchange stories, like Lindsey Jeans-Shaw who belly dances under the stage name of “Cressida.” Jeans-Shaw first witnessed belly dancing during a demonstration outside on the Broadway sidewalk years ago, and she instantly knew it was for her. She joined the Beach Bellies, a Cal State Long Beach hub for local dancers and today she dances professionally.
“Merry’s is a Long Beach Treasure,” Jeans-Shaw said. “It is one of those magical places you don’t expect to find — a real hidden gem.”
Other shoppers chimed in, calling the shop a sacred place.
“This store has been my dream since I was 8 years old, and is the culmination of my life’s work,” Colvin wrote on a Go Fund Me page. “My backgrounds in fashion, retail and humanitarianism have come together in this boutique, where I offer ‘fashion with passion from faraway lands,’ handmade by indigenous artisans from around the world, presented in an immersive environment styled as a multicultural bazaar.”
Colvin recently sold the store to Erika Jurkovic and the two women are liquidating the inventory together. Jurkovic owns Halo, a tattoo and permanent makeup studio for women, across the street. She plans to relocate Halo to the larger space and expand by adding room for more female tattoo artists. Jurkovic will move Halo on Feb. 1, and, following refurbishment of the space and securing the correct permits, will re-open the studio.
Saturday, Jan. 25, is Colvin’s 76th birthday, and friends said they hope to have fire dancers on hand, as part of the grand sendoff — thanking Colvin and her husband, Dallas, for spending the last 14 years making a world a better place. Right now, Colvin has put her focus on selling off her inventory.
“Once I’m done with this,” she said, “there will be room for what is next.”
Dog Haus Long Beach, 210 E. Third St., will celebrate its fourth anniversary on Tuesday, Jan. 28. To commemorate the occasion, the restaurant will serve guests their choice of seven Haus Dog creations, which feature all-beef handcrafted dogs and premium toppings — plus a pint of local craft beer — for just $4 each.


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Geotab had the opportunity to be a part of the Sustainable Innovation Forum (SIF) during COP26. SIF unites heads of state and multilaterals, business leaders, investors and non-profit organizations to join the United Nations’ climate change conversation and work together to achieve net zero emissions globally.
Neil Cawse, CEO at Geotab and Edward Kulperger, Senior Vice President, EMEA spoke at the SIF about insights and lessons learned in order to drive sustainability efforts forward. On another stage, Neil Cawse and Neil Emery, Director, On Road at Amazon discussed how the industry of transportation affects sustainability goals. “Geotab is in a unique position to understand how vehicles are being used to make a difference to how global fleets electrify, how they are being more sustainable, and being able to measure and provide services to them,” said Cawse.
Emery explained that transportation is a major component of business operations at Amazon and their goal is to make shipments more sustainable. Emery says, “We are constantly looking for the range of an electric vehicle to increase. One of the ways we use Geotab is to gain those data insights, not just on the internal combustion fleet, but also on our electric fleet. The data we get from Geotab means that less than 0.01% of the thousand electric vehicle routes we send out daily experience battery drains.”
Turn digital technology innovation into climate action
Kulperger underlined the importance of sustainability to transportation companies today for business success. “Sustainable transportation is very much in demand. As our cities continue to evolve, we need to ensure we transition to electric vehicles to keep up with our sustainability efforts,” said Kulperger.
Optimizing and leveraging data through the movement of goods and people in our community is also key to driving forward sustainability efforts. To kickstart this effort, Geotab has issued a call to action for fleets to join the Air Quality project in order to both measure and manage poor air quality in the environment.
Geotab’s commitment to sustainability
Collaboration has always been one of the key goals of United Nation conferences. The UN stands behind working together and believes that the more global leaders that attend and participate in discussions regarding climate change, the more powerful the outcome can be.
Geotab understands its responsibility to play a positive role in the environment and is moving towards a sustainable future. To do this, Geotab has signed The Climate Pledge with over 200 companies to meet the target to reach net zero emissions by 2040. Geotab is working together with its partners, customers and suppliers to conserve resources, improve energy efficiency and achieve climate change goals.


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Redbox signs content deal with Fremantle
November 1, 2021
Redbox, the US entertainment company, has signed a content deal with Fremantle to further accelerate its free streaming service.
The deal adds Free Ad Supported Television (FAST) channels which will make their debut on December 1st. They include BUZZR, The Price Is Right: The Barker Era and the Baywatch channel.
“Our partnership with Fremantle will add tremendous value to our free streaming service,” said Chris Yates, General Manager, Redbox On Demand. “These iconic television shows anchor our latest FAST channels, and our customers will soon enjoy even more entertainment from Redbox. We couldn’t be more excited to add them to the platform.”
“At Fremantle we’re on a journey to continue growing our audiences and deliver our great shows via partners who offer the latest content delivery methods,” said Mark Deetjen, Executive Vice President of Global Channels, Fremantle. “Redbox has been an innovator since its inception and its growth in the FAST space reflects our shared goal of making content available to audiences wherever they choose to consume it.”


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Florida TaxWatch’s (FTW) analysis of the Impact of COVID-19 on consumer confidence paints a somewhat gloomy picture, but a dive into the numbers shows room for optimism.
According the University of Florida’s Consumer Sentiment Index, consumer confidence took a huge hit between February 2020 and April, down 26 points to 76.3, a record decline. However, consumer confidence in October, though slightly less than September, has rebounded to a score of 84.4.
Consumer spending in Florida, another important economic indicator, was stronger in September 2020 than in January 2020, before the economic shutdown.
Taking a cup half empty viewpoint in a press release about FTW’s Confidence and Coronavirus: How Consumers Feel About Florida’s Economy, FTW President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “Throughout this tumultuous year, consumer confidence in Florida has seen significant declines, showing that buyers are increasingly weary and less optimistic on the state of our economy and its recovery. FTW’s analysis of data from the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research shows a striking disparity between the confidence levels of Floridians who make less than $50,000 versus those whose income rises above that level. As we continue to follow the recovery of our state and look to the holiday season, it will be important to monitor this trend as it is a strong indicator for consumer spending and economic activity.”
Calabro emphasizes data within the report which shows consumer confidence levels vary greatly based on income. According to the report, those making less than $50,000 show a consumer confidence score around 75 points, compared to those making more than $50,000 showing a score well above 90 points, nearing pre-pandemic levels.
According to the authors of the report, “Despite its elusiveness and complexity, consumer confidence remains an important economic indicator for the strength of the economy, especially during a pandemic. Yet as this commentary has shown, what may oftentimes be overlooked is the variation among income groups when it comes to analyzing confidence and spending patterns. For any economic recovery to be robust, these differences must be taken into account and adequately addressed. As Florida approaches an uncertain holiday season, expect greater conversation about confidence and consumption as the state’s economy continues to recover.”
So how is consumer spending in Florida?
According to the report, “Here in Florida, consumer spending dropped nearly 30 percent compared to January 1, 2020 during the state’s worst month in April. Between May and August, consumer spending, as a percent change from January 1, varied from -14.1 percent in early May to -2.7 percent by the end of August. Paralleling the surge in consumer optimism during September, consumer spending likewise increased in the Florida economy, hitting a high of +7.3 percent compared to January 1.”
So, according to their own numbers, consumer spending in September was more than seven percent better than pre-pandemic levels in January 2020.


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Table of contents:
Video: Balluff Opens Extension To The Plant In Chengdu, China
“In the long run, China is the world's largest market for production automation with a need that we believe will continue to grow for a long time to come. In such a market, we must and want to be present with our philosophy of literal customer proximity. By the way, not only Chengdu benefits from this. We know from experience that a positive development in a large market somewhere in the world also ensures growth at the other locations in our production network,”said Michael Unger, spokesman for the Balluff management, when the new building opened in early February 2017.
Production of large series
In Chengdu Balluff wants to set up partially automated production lines and significantly expand the development expertise at the location. According to Balluff, Chengdu is one of the two plants within the global production and logistics network with a total of nine plants, which focuses on the production of large series within the network.
Picture gallery with 5 pictures
Balluff has been active in China since 1994; at that time a service branch was founded in Shanghai. Two years later, the company placed its first assembly orders in Chengdu - at that time still with an external partner. The subsidiary was founded in Chengdu in 2004. The plant opened three years later. Chengdu has also been a development location since 2014. Balluff currently has 160 employees in Chengdu, and the company expects the number of employees to continue to grow in the coming years.
Balluff in Chengdu currently produces mechanical and inductive sensors as well as linear position measuring systems for industrial automation. In the new building, the product range is expanded by a partially automated production and installation of a sensor platform concept. This means that the Chinese location has one of the most modern production facilities in the entire manufacturing network, says Balluff. The development in Chengdu is also to be expanded significantly in the next few years in order to be able to develop both customer-specific adaptations and platform concepts. (jv)
Popular by topic
The sensor manufacturer Sick has opened a new distribution center for its logistics processes in Asia in Jiaxing (Shanghai, China)
Timken has opened another production facility near Ploie /u0219ti, Romania. The 15,000 m2 factory is intended to cover the increasing global demand for tapered roller bearings in sizes up to 300 mm in diameter. Around $ 60 million was invested in the site, which initially employs 120 people
Linde Hydraulics GmbH & Co. KG opened the completely new main plant in Aschaffenburg on July 12, 2016 with a ceremony
For around 13 years, Keba Industrieautomation has been represented in China with control solutions for machines and robots. The company is now expanding its presence with a fourth location in the Chinese city of Jinan. Customer care is to be ensured with the employees on site
Intensive growth, especially in recent years, made it necessary for Tecnotion to expand the office and manufacturing capacities at the Almelo headquarters. Approximately one year after the foundation stone was laid in mid-October, the linear motor specialist was able to open the new building


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Following AT&T’s decision to introduce new “smartphone” plans that will impact iPhone and iPad 3G users, the company has been flooded with negative sentiments from angry customers. The company’s Facebook Wall is filled with comments ranging from well-mannered and sensible sentiments—“Just imagine the good PR you guys will get if you offer the tethering for free with the [DataPro] plan, it won’t change anything in your service since everybody will use the same data that [they are] already paying [for]”—to bolder and frequently brutal ones, such as “AT&T is showing their true colors… They really truly suck.” Many users, including iLounge readers, have focused about the abrupt change in iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G service terms after only a month on store shelves. “Bait and Switch,” says iLounge reader Liz. “They pumped the iPad 3G for months on the unlimited data plan with no contract and now they’re taking it away only what 2 months or less since the 3G launched? Screw AT&T I’d rather pay the big cash to another carrier and use MiFi instead.”
A quick search of Twitter for the hashtag “#attsucks” turns up numerous recent tweets, for obvious reasons all negative. “I’m sure of two things: as of 6/7 I’m giving $15 less to AT&T each month,” writes user davehiggins1. “As of 11/20 I’m giving $0 to AT&T each month.” Twitter user HelloTasmin writes, “Does it actually make it better that I pay slightly less for a service that becomes sh!*!ier every day?” It remains to be seen whether the backlash will force AT&T’s hand to remedy some of the newly-created issues; however, as iLounge reader Devo points out in a comment on our editorial on the matter, there is some precedent for iPhone-related customer outcry leading a carrier to change its policies.
“When Apple finally announced that Canadians [were] going to get their chance to get their hands on a (legitimate) iPhone, Rogers communications (our AT&T equivalent provider north of the border) announced some pretty lousy data plans,” Devo writes. “In fact, some of them had (have) ridiculously low caps. I think they started [at] 100MB! Canadian customers were so [put] off that Americans were being offered unlimited data that a petition was started to try and force Rogers to offer the same, an unlimited plan at a fair ($30) price. What we got was a limited time offer of 6GB for that $30, and yes I signed up for that. Then last summer, Rogers got wise and when Apple offered tethering on the iPhone, customers could use that service, free of any additional charge, and any data usage incurred would count towards that month’s allowed data. Now AT&T wants to make the same mistakes as Rogers, and hopes to get away with it? What are they thinking? Who in the world thinks it’s a good idea to offer worse service at a higher price, than was available to consumers in the past. They must think you’re all idiots.”
AT&T has announced that it is making several major changes to its data plan offerings, including those for the iPhone and iPad, as well as giving a concrete timeframe for its iPhone tethering launch. The single $30 unlimited iPhone data plan will be replaced by a pair of options: DataPlus, which offers 200MB of data for $15 per month, and DataPro, which provides 2GB of data for $25. Should a customer exceed their data limit, they will receive either an extra 200MB of data for $15 on DataPlus plans or an extra 1GB of data for $10 on DataPro plans. Similar changes will be made to the company’s iPad data offerings, with the $30 unlimited plan being replaced by the new $25 for 2GB a month plan. All of the data plans offer free access to more than 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots as well. Finally, AT&T will be offering iPhone tethering to customers on DataPro plans for an extra $20 per month; the feature will be available when iPhone OS 4.0 is released. Current customers are not required to switch to the new plans but can do so if they wish without extending their contracts; the plans will be available beginning June 7.
Earlier this evening, Apple CEO Steve Jobs gave an on-stage interview with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher to open this year’s D: All Things Digital Conference. Jobs touched on a number of subjects, ranging from the App Store approval process to the purchase and subsequent publication of details relating to the fourth-generation iPhone. Perhaps most notably, Jobs revealed that the basis for the iPhone OS originally started as a software project for a tablet, and was only re-focused on a phone once Jobs saw the initial user interface coming together. He later made an analogy between traditional PCs and trucks and tablet computers and cars, saying that he thinks PCs will be more like trucks, and over time, less people will need them.
Asked about his own open letter regarding Apple’s stance on Flash support for the iPhone OS platform, Jobs depicted the company as having fewer resources than some competitors, and explained that it tries to look for technology that is up and coming, instead of on its way out. He noted Apple’s history of both abandoning outgoing technology earlier than competitors, such as with the 3.5-inch floppy disc in the iMac and optical drives in the MacBook Air, and adopting new, upcoming technologies earlier than others, pointing to USB support in the first iMac. He described Flash as waning, and said he only wrote the letter after Adobe publicly complained about the lack of Flash support on the iPad.
A new report from Czech Republic-based SuperiPhone (Translated Link) claims to have confirmed the resolution of the fourth-generation iPhone’s display at 960 x 640. Using a microscope, the publication compared a display component supposedly meant for the fourth-generation iPhone to the displays of an iPhone 3GS, iPod touch, and Google Nexus One. Based on their results, the report claims that the display does have a resolution of 960 x 640, which results in a density of 320 ppi, and also uses the same IPS technology found in the iPad. John Gruber of Daring Fireball first suggested that the next iPhone would sport a 960 x 640 display in March, later explaining that the quadruple resolution—compared to existing iPhones and iPod touches—would allow current applications to be upscaled with little to no discernable difference in quality.
AT&T is preparing to offer insurance plans for iPhone users, with pricing set at $14 per month, according to a new report. The Boy Genius Report has posted photos showing internal AT&T documents outlining the new service, which will be called MobileProtect and will be activated by downloading an app from the App Store. According to the report, the plan will be run by Asurion, with monthly charges billed through the app to the user’s iTunes account. In addition to the monthly charge, the plan will also include deductibles ranging from $99 for an 8GB iPhone 3G to $199 for a 32GB iPhone 3GS, and must be activated within 30 days of upgrading or purchasing a new iPhone.
An AT&T executive recently claimed that four out of every 10 iPhones the company sells go to enterprise users, according to a ZDNet report. Speaking at the Barclays Capital Communications, Media and Technology conference, Ron Spears, CEO of AT&T’s Business Solutions unit made several comments regarding the iPhone, including its transition to an enterprise-ready device. “Four out of 10 sales of the iPhone are made to enterprise users,” Spears explained. “When the iPhone came out, what most people heard in the first year from ‘07 to ‘08 was oh my God, it’s not BlackBerry secure. This is not going to work on the enterprise space… by the time the 3G came out in ‘08 they had solved about 80% of the security issues.” Spears also provided a glimpse into how AT&T itself uses the iPhone for company business. “Most of our monthly reporting is all built into an app that gets updated when our systems get updated, and we do an automatic fetch,” he said. “And any time I want to look at where we sort of sit from a financial point of view in ABS, it now resides on my iPhone as an app. So it starts to change the way you think about governing your business. It changes the speed with which you can make decisions.”
NBC and Time Warner have told Apple that they won’t be converting their online videos to the iPhone- and iPad-friendly H.264 format, according to a New York Post report. Citing unnamed sources, the report claims that Time Warner, NBC Universal, and several other large media companies have said they will not convert their video libraries over to a non-Flash format, citing expense and the fact that most other devices support Adobe’s software. The report also claims that the media companies feel they are in a better negotiating position following the announcement of Google TV, and the expected launch of Flash-compatible tablets from companies such as Dell and HP. Notably, CNN, which is owned by Time Warner, has reformatted its online videos to be iPhone- and iPad-compatible, and is listed on Apple’s page of “iPad ready” websites, alongside fellow Time Warner property Sports Illustrated.
The number of devices in the United States running Google’s Android operating system is closing in on the number of iPhones in the country, according to AdMob’s April 2010 Mobile Metrics Report (PDF LInk). As of April, AdMob saw requests from 10.7 million unique iPhones, compared to 8.7 million Android devices. When the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch are taken together, they amount to 18.3 million devices. The situation is not the same worldwide, however. Globally, AdMob saw requests from 11.6 million unique Android devices, compared to 27.4 million iPhones. Again, when the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch are taken together, this number is much higher—40.8 million globally. Overall, only 44% of iPhone OS requests are from the U.S, compared to 75% for Android. AdMob’s metrics are based on its advertising network of more than 23,000 mobile websites and applications around the world.
Apple has said in a statement that it is “saddened and upset” by the recent suicides at manufacturing partner Foxconn. Reuters reports that Apple’s comments come as Foxconn and its parent company Hon Hai are launching a PR campaign to counter growing concerns about the company’s handling of its employees. “We are saddened and upset by the recent suicides at Foxconn,” Apple said in a statement. “We are in direct contact with Foxconn senior management and we believe they are taking this matter very seriously. A team from Apple is independently evaluating the steps they are taking to address these tragic events and we will continue our ongoing inspections of the facilities where our products are made.”
Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou has also spoken out about his concern over the ongoing employee suicides, with nine so far this year. “I’m very concerned about this. I can’t sleep every night,” said Gou. “From a scientific point of view, I’m not confident we can stop every case. But, as a responsible employer, we have to take up the responsibility of preventing as many as we can.” Foxconn is an Apple manufacturing partner on the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac product lines.
Apple has tapped Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes to direct its TV advertisements for the next-generation iPhone. Citing a trusted source as well as a pair of Twitter updates, Engadget reports that Mendes, who won the Oscar for Best Director in 2000 for American Beauty, will direct the new commercials, at least one of which will feature a mother and daughter having a video chat conversation using the new front-facing camera. Auditions for the commercials are being held in New York and California, according to the report; Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to announce the next-generation iPhone on June 7 during his keynote address at the company’s WWDC event.
AT&T will bring its first-ever free outdoor Wi-Fi hot spot online today in New York City’s Times Square, in an effort to battle the network traffic congestion caused by smartphone, and most prominently iPhone, users. The Wall Street Journal reports that pedestrians using AT&T smartphones will be able to connect over Wi-Fi at no charge when in range of the hot spot, which is located new 7th Ave. between 45th and 47th Streets. “It’s a very large data off-load in a venue where traditionally data would go over our old voice and data network,” Mike Maus, who oversees AT&T’s New York network, told the WSJ. AT&T also said it may expand the trial to up to three other U.S. cities; although it declined to say where, San Francisco would be a likely choice, given the company’s past congestion problems in the area.
Walmart has announced that it is now offering the 16GB iPhone 3GS for $97. Like all past iPhones, these discounted iPhone 3GS units are new and require a two-year contract with AT&T. With Apple CEO Steve Jobs expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone during his June 7 WWDC keynote address, it is possible that the price drops are a precursor to Apple discontinuing the 8GB iPhone 3G, which is currently sold for roughly $100, and replacing it with the 16GB iPhone 3GS, while the new models fill in the traditional $199 and $299 price points. Notably, neither Apple nor AT&T has yet to drop their prices on 16GB iPhone 3GS models.
Another next-generation iPhone prototype has appeared online, this time sporting a white faceplate. Engadget, citing Chinese site Apple.pro, reports that the faceplate of the prototype does not appear to have been snapped in all the way, hovering some distance above the white Home button and metal sides, but otherwise appears to be legitimate, appearing the photo next to a black prototype similar to the one obtained and photographed by Gizmodo. Several supposed white next-generation iPhone faceplates had previously appeared online, but this is the first time one has been pictured attached to a full prototype unit, lending credence to the idea that Apple may be planning to announce both white and black models of its next-generation iPhone, with the white model becoming the first iPhone OS device to feature a non-black front.
Over 700,000 iPhones have been sold in South Korea since the device went on sale last November, according to a Korea Herald report. An average of 4,000 per day have been sold since the launch, notes KT, the iPhone’s exclusive carrier in South Korea. It took the handset 27 days to go from 500,000 to 600,000 subscribers but only 25 days to add another 100,000, indicating that sales of the iPhone in Korea are accelerating despite delayed purchases from some consumers waiting for the arrival of a new model this summer. Finally, the report states that the number of Korea-developed iPhone apps is approaching 6,000, from roughly 600 registered developers.
AT&T is planning to raise its early termination fees for smartphones and netbooks from $175 to $325, Dow Jones reports, noting that the move comes amid rumors that AT&T may lose its iPhone exclusivity over the next year. Thankfully for current AT&T iPhone customers, the rate changes will not affect current contracts; instead, they will apply to all new and renewing customers beginning June 1. Notably, the higher cancellation fees will apply to any new iPhone customers who purchase the next-generation model expected to be announced at Apple’s 2010 WWDC conference in early June. While the termination fees for smartphones will rise, the same fees will actually drop by $25 for feature or messaging phone contracts. Earlier this week, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega made several comments relating to the possibility of AT&T customers leaving when the company’s iPhone exclusivity ends, noting that 70% of customers are on family plans, which can be a pain to move over to a new carrier, and 40% are on corporate discount plans.
A number of designers are being asked by their clients to ensure that their websites are iPhone- and iPad-compatible, forcing them to abandon Flash for development use in those cases, according to the Wall Street Journal. “Since the iPad came out we’ve had a lot of clients say that they just don’t want Flash on their sites,” said Chantelle Simoes, vice president at CA-based Ninth Degree Inc., which has built websites for Sanyo and NASA. She added that should the trend continue, the 10-person firm will need to hire workers experienced in iPhone development. The report cites several other cases in which designers and companies have needed to look beyond Flash to reach iPhone and iPad users, including Sports Illustrated, which recently launched a new web app built on HTML5 technologies. “We’re going forward on more than one front,” said Terry McDonnell, editor of Sports Illustrated Group. “The last thing that we want to do is make some decision that we’re not sure about.” Cruise line company Carnival launched a new, Flash-free home page last year due to the iPhone, and is unlikely to continue using Adobe’s tech on other projects due to Apple’s stance. “The iPhone and iPad have made us take a look at alternatives” to publishing in Flash, said Jordan Corredera, director and general manager of Carnival’s online business.
According to the latest numbers released by research firm Gartner, Apple was the seventh-largest cell phone manufacturer in the world by units sold in Q1 2010. Apple held 2.7% share of the worldwide cell phone market in Q1, trailing market leader Nokia, Samsung, LG, BlackBerry-maker RIM, Sony Ericsson, and Motorola. In the worldwide smartphone market segment, Apple held down third place in Q1 based on unit sales by operating system, thanks to gains that gave it a 15.4% share of the market, trailing only Symbian, which lost share year-over-year but still finished with a market-leading 44.3% share, and RIM, which also lost market share year-over-year, finishing with 19.4% market share. These numbers are comparable to similar data released by research firm IDC earlier this month. Directly behind Apple was Android OS, which jumped from 1.6% of sales in Q1 2009 to 9.6% in Q1 2010, displacing Windows Mobile from the fourth spot in the process.
Apple has released the fourth beta version of iPhone OS 4 for the iPhone and iPod touch, along with the accompanying SDK. As with prior beta releases, a main Xcode and SDK beta is available for download, as are pre-release builds of the iPhone OS 4 software for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, and the second- and third-generation iPod touch. Mac Rumors notes that the new beta version includes a new configuration page for Internet Tethering, and a special alert for AT&T customers telling them to call AT&T at 611 or visit AT&T’s website to enable tethering on their account, suggesting AT&T may be planning to offer the long-awaited feature with the arrival of iPhone OS 4. Both the new SDK and pre-release builds are available now for download by registered iPhone developers from the iPhone Dev Center.
A Nike+iPod compatible heart rate monitor is expected to launch June 1, according to a posting on the Nike+ support forums. A “Nike+ Pro” member claimed, in response to a question regarding a menu item for the Heart Rate Monitor on an iPod, that the device will launch in the U.S. on June 1, “although it may reach some retail outlets slightly sooner.” The post goes on to say that the monitor will reach Canadian markets later in June and will launch internationally this summer. In addition, the poster, who signed the message “Clover,” also said that he/she was “not able to discuss price, color, device compatibility, and other details at this point.” Evidence of such a device was found within a new Nike + iPod User Guide that was posted to Apple’s site last September, but no mention has been made of it since. [via AppleInsider]
Apple has replaced its prior “This accessory is not made to work with iPhone” prompt with a slightly more descriptive alert in the latest beta version of iPhone OS 4 for the iPhone and iPod touch. The prior prompt asked users if they would like to turn on Airplane Mode to reduce audio interference, noting that they wouldn’t be able to make or receive calls and giving them yes or no options at the bottom. In contrast, the new alert in OS 4 says “This accessory is not optimized for this iPhone,” noting that “[y]ou may experience noise caused by cellular interference and a decrease in cellular signal strength,” with no mention of Airplane Mode and a single “Dismiss” button at the bottom.


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Noonoo partners with Radici USA on area rugs
June 18, 2001-- Home Textiles Today,
Noonoo Rug Company, based here, a division of Millennium Textile Design Ltd., has partnered with fellow area rug manufacturer Radici USA to sell and market new collections of area rugs.
Spartanburg, SC-based Radici is a licensee of Millennium, which licenses its designs for area rugs. To date, Radici has licensed three collections from Millennium: Bergamo, a wool blend, that was introduced in January at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market; Taormina, 100 percent wool, which will be introduced at the High Point market in October; and Positano, a nylon space-dyed collection, which will be introduced in January 2002 at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market.
To "assist Radici in selling and marketing those and future collections," Noonoo president Eugene Newman said, Noonoo will offer space with signage in its three showrooms — Atlanta; High Point, NC; and to Radici for the collections it licenses with Millennium.
"We have certain customers that [Radici] doesn't so this partnership is a good fit for both companies," Newman said.
Newman added that the partnership includes future collections.
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Previewing Heimtextil 2017


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‘DQ’ promoted to Director of Field Promotions at Rapala USA
Dan Quinn has been promoted to Director of Field Promotions for Rapala USA and assumes responsibility for key R&D projects, working closely with the company’s sales, marketing and product development teams.
Quinn, known as ‘DQ’, steps up from his Field Promotions Manager position where he led the company’s national and regional pro staff guides. A brand ambassador for Rapala USA, he also manages day-to-day PR with media partners. “The network of relationships that Dan has built within the industry is invaluable to the momentum of Rapala VMC brands,” said Director of Marketing Matt Jensen. “We are excited to continue Dan’s work with top anglers around the world to help us successfully launch key products. This promotion will grow Dan’s role in the field. His understanding of our brands and his keen knowledge of what anglers want will continue to shape the future of fishing.”
Quinn joined Rapala USA in 2011 and has more than 20 years’ experience of the sportfishing industry. His new role becomes effective immediately.
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Over the years, Uber has effectively replaced taxi cabs and conventional food delivery for some customers. Now it has its sights set on the devil's nectar.
The ride-share giant announced Tuesday that it had purchased alcohol delivery service Drizly for $1.1 billion. Uber said Drizly's mobile app will stay operational, but the ability to order liquid courage using Drizly's infrastructure will be incorporated into the Uber Eats app eventually.
There will also be some benefits on the driver's side of things, per the press release. Drizly drivers will get access to Uber's GPS tech, and, as Uber puts it, drivers have "even more ways to earn" now that people can order a little bit of the bubbly from the comfort of their couch. We assume Uber means they can earn more money and not basic benefits that come from full-time employment.
With a global pandemic raging indefinitely, it makes sense for the perpetually unprofitable Uber to look into ways to make money that don't involve transporting people from one place to the next. The Drizly acquisition goes hand-in-hand with last year's Uber Connect package delivery service in that regard. A word of advice: If you plan on using Uber Eats to get absolutely sauced while you're stuck at home, please tip generously.


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“We are devastated to announce the death of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a passionately devoted father, husband, son, brother and friend. He leaves behind his loving wife, Shannon Abloh, children Lowe Abloh and Gray Abloh, sister Edwina Abloh, his Parents Nee and Eunice Abloh and numerous dear friends and colleagues, “said the article.
“For over two years, Virgil fought valiantly against a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. Since his diagnosis in 2019, he chose to endure his struggle privately, underwent numerous challenging treatments while simultaneously heading several major institutions that Fashion, art, and culture.
Virgil Abloh pictured ahead of an event in Paris this July. Credit: Christian Vierig / Getty Images
Abloh was a true multi-hyphen – first and foremost a fashion designer who founded the cult streetwear label Off-White before making history as the first black artistic director of Louis Vuitton.
At Louis Vuitton, he brought in a younger demographic with men’s collections that blurred the lines between high fashion and streetwear, pushed artistic boundaries and challenged gender norms. A sparkling “embroidered bib” that he designed, for example, immediately became a topic of conversation when it was worn by Timothée Chalamet to the Golden Globes in 2019. Other versions were worn by Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman.
At the 2019 Golden Globes, Timothee Chalamet immediately went viral when he appeared on the red carpet in a sparkling black Louis Vuitton belt. Scroll through the gallery to see more of Virgil Abloh’s best designs and collaborations. Credit: Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic / Getty Images
Famous for cross-collaborations, one of Abloh’s greatest legacies was his contribution to the world of footwear – setting the standard for innovative sneakers, run after run of Off-White x Nike designs.
Kanye West and Virgil Abloh pose after the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring-Summer 2019 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 21, 2018 in Paris, France. Credit: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff / French Select / Getty Images
Overnight tributes poured in for the late designer who was one of the most powerful black men in fashion in an industry known to lack diversity. Harlem couturier Daniel Day, known as Dapper Dan, got to the point in an Instagram post, writing, “Virgil’s life was evidence of how much black lives matter by showing what black lives are capable of.
“His march took him to the forefront of luxury fashion. Virgil started out as a foot soldier but died as a general.”
British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful called him “a giant among men” on Instagram and wrote that Abloh had always worked to “open the door to art and fashion for future generations so that they – unlike himself – would grow in a creative world with people in whom they can be reflected. ”
Virgil Abloh speaks about his design philosophy at Design Miami 2016
Models Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber also used social media, with the latter writing that Abloh was “a one-off creative mind” who changed the way she viewed street style and fashion. The Instagram post was accompanied by a photo of Bieber with Abloh, who custom-made her lace wedding dress in 2019.
“That’s when I knew that I had the honor of wearing a designer whose work transcends both the past and the present.”
The luxury company LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton, tweeted about his death and quoted LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault in a statement: “We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not just a brilliant designer, a visionary, he was too . ” a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom. “
“I am also honored to use this partnership to deepen my long-term commitment, to expand the possibilities for different people and to promote more justice and integration in the industries we serve,” said Abloh at the time. “This is an incredible new platform to take the disruption we have achieved together to a whole new level.”
Abloh, the son of Ghanaian immigrants, was born in Rockford, Illinois in 1980. He earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology; a foundation that would later influence his wider practice.
“I see my work as metaphorical – what can exist in different design disciplines, how to shape a new design language and appeal to a younger audience across icons with different techniques and investigations.”
On June 21, 2018, Virgil Abloh showed his first collection as Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton Menswear. Credit: Peter White / Getty Images


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Abu Dhabi-headquartered Fuze has unveiled a record-breaking Seed Round of US$14 million, led by Further Ventures.
myZoi, an innovative UAE fintech focused on financial inclusion and financial literacy for the underbanked, has raised USD 14 million.
The UAE’s Network International has announced an investment of EGP1 billion to accelerate economic growth in Egypt with innovative payment solutions.
Dubai-based financial wellness platform MALY has secured investment exceeding $1.6 million to grow its automated savings app and its bank-linked card.
Global fintech funding falls to US$52.4 billion, but it’s not all bad news: KPMG Pulse of Fintech – H1 2023
The first six months of 2023 were difficult for the fintech market globally, with both total funding and the number of deals dropping, from US$63.2 billion across 2,885 deals in H2’22 to US$52.4 billion in across 2,153 deals in H1’23. The cloud of uncertainty permeating the market continued to wear on investors, driven by factors including global macroeconomic concerns (high inflation and rising interest rates), geopolitical tensions (the ongoing conflict between Russia and the Ukraine), and tech sector challenges (depressed valuations and a continued lack of exits). The collapse of several US banks early in 2023 likely also kept many investors in wait and see mode during H1’23. But not […]
Private wealth management platform Vault is set to revolutionize investment practices in the UAE through its state-of-the-art digital platform.


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In addition to revealing the latest findings from thousands of research sources, our reports offer expert opinions, projections, key takeaways and case studies providing go-to insights for determining strategies and initiatives. eMarketer will publish over 200 reports this year on the most relevant topics. Take a look at our most recently published reports.
US business-to-business (B2B) advertisers will spend over $4 billion on digital advertising in 2017, with the majority going to desktop/laptop formats.
Google and Facebook, taken together, will account for about 63% of US digital ad revenues this year—and their share is growing. But consumers continue to spend plenty of their time and attention on other sites, and it’s still important for brands to work with other publishers and platforms to reach them.
Cross-platform video advertising presents an opportunity to bridge the divide between digital video and traditional TV, but many hurdles stand in the way, including device and platform fragmentation, lack of scale in connected TV, and technical and workflow issues.
eMarketer estimates adults in India will average 3 hours, 52 minutes per day consuming media in 2017. Of that time, 2 hours, 11 minutes will be spent watching TV.
More than 3.4 billion people worldwide will use the internet regularly this year, with 78.9% gaining access via a mobile phone.
As more viewers spend more of their time watching programs via connected TVs and over-the-top (OTT) video services, advertisers are becoming more eager to be there, too. And, increasingly, they hope to place their ads programmatically.
An overview of eMarketer’s updated figures for consumer time spent with media in China, as well as estimates of ad spending by media, format and company.
A look at hot topics for digital marketers in Canada heading into the new year.
eMarketer’s total media, digital and mobile ad spending forecasts for France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
In 2017, there will be 582.5 million internet users in Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe, of which roughly three-quarters will use a smartphone for access.
Asia-Pacific will be home to 1.90 billion internet users in 2017—more than half of internet users worldwide. Some 70.1% of this audience will use a smartphone regularly.
Some marketers are still emphasizing organic (nonpaid) social media marketing. But times have changed, and so have their typical strategies.
While overall US retail ecommerce share is set to reach just 10% of total retail by next year, many sectors, including apparel and accessories and consumer electronics, have much higher rates.
Department stores have been feeling pressure from all angles, though the growth of digital shopping is only partially to blame.
eMarketer covers its latest forecasts for digital shoppers and buyers, ecommerce and mcommerce growth, and the foremost trends and metrics in these areas.
The apparel sector is fragmented, and digital shoppers buy clothing, shoes and accessories at many different types of stores.
There aren’t many multichannel retailers in the consumer electronics space, which has seen its share of bankruptcies and consolidations. Though retail sales growth has been flat for the past few years, ecommerce sales have been more positive.
Retail ecommerce sales of furniture and home furnishings are growing, getting a boost as millennials come of age.
Millennials are increasingly in a life stage that entails lots of getting and spending, especially among homeowners. But their finances are often shaky. And when it comes to purchase decisions, marketing is just part of what influences how they spend their money.
Discount and variety stores haven’t typically relied on ecommerce, but most of them are boosting their digital presence in one way or another.
eMarketer estimates 177.7 million US adults will simultaneously use a second-screen device while watching TV this year—a 5.1% increase over 2016.
UK digital out-of-home advertising is a growing market. It offers impact and unprecedented reach, all within a flexible and reportable framework. Further growth is expected as more innovation and cross-channel opportunities come to the fore.
Ad industry professionals provide their insights on how to benchmark campaigns for maximum effectiveness, depending on the platform and device.
By 2019, more than four in five US digital display ad dollars will transact programmatically. This report looks at the trends that will help programmatic ad spending go from $32.56 this year to $45.72 billion by 2019, while also breaking spending down by transaction type, format and device.
Retail is in the midst of major changes. Here are nine predictions for the future.
The media consumption habits of consumers around the world continue to evolve. eMarketer’s 2017 Global Media Intelligence Report examines consumers’ traditional and digital media activities in 36 countries.
This year, Amazon will earn $1.65 billion in net US digital ad revenues, thanks to a massive audience and a trove of valuable data on shoppers and their habits.
Retail ecommerce sales from the top 10 US companies ranked in that category will reach $289.86 billion this year, with Amazon leading the way with a 43.5% share of that figure.
This report covers eMarketer’s latest estimates for total media, digital and mobile ad spending in six markets in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
eMarketer examines digital ad spending trends and consumer behaviors in five key industries: automotive, CPG, financial services, retail and travel.
With the goal of driving more revenue, account-based marketing offers B2B companies a targeted approach to reach key accounts. This report explains what ABM is, how companies implement it and some of the risks to avoid.
Artificial intelligence is still in its early stages, but is finally starting to show results. Powerful algorithms, combined with big data and cloud solutions, are helping companies in many industries bring scale, speed and precision to marketing operations.
Paid media ad spending worldwide will grow 7.1% in 2017 to $583.62 billion. Digital formats will account for 39.0% of ad expenditures, of which mobile will make up 62.7%.
Taking a look at eMarketer’s forecast for mobile in Canada, and discussing the new mobile opportunities for advertisers.


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OneFi, the parent company of Paylater, a digital lending startup in Nigeria, has acquired Amplify, a fintech company in Lagos. OneFi recently raised $5 million (debt) from Nairobi-based Lendable to transition into a full-fledged digital banking institution. As expected, OneFi is dropping Paylater, going with OneFi at the interim. (I had written few days ago: “So, the name of a digital bank cannot be Paylater!“.) So, the name change is the way to go.
Of course, OneFi does not need to be a “bank” to offer banking services. With this acquisition, the company will deepen its consumer and social finance using Amplify technologies which it acquired. So, the parent of Paylater is no more just an online lending startup but a digital financial institution.
This consolidation is expected in the African fintech sector which is getting more competitive with likes of WhatsApp and Alipay on the way.
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Lagos based online lending startup OneFi is buying Nigerian payment solutions company Amplify for an undisclosed amount.
OneFi will take over Amplify’s IP, team, and client network of over 1000 merchants to which Amplify provides payment processing services, OneFi CEO Chijioke Dozie told TechCrunch.
Nigeria’s Paylater Raises $5 Million as It Transitions into a Full-Service Digital Bank
The Full Press release
Amplified Payments Ltd [Amplify], a fintech company that builds and facilitates payment solutions and digital financial transactions in Nigeria, has today announced its acquisition by One Finance Limited [OneFi]. The deal, completed for an undisclosed fee, took effect as of March 1st, 2019, and sees OneFi boost its financial services offering, as the company adds Amplify’s assets, tradements and flagship products, AmplifyPay and mTransfers, to its growing portfolio.
Conceived in 2015 by co-founders Segun Adeyemi and Maxwell Obi, who first met as Entrepreneurs-in-Training at MEST Africa’s Entrepreneurial Training Program in Accra, Ghana, Amplify has scaled quickly to become one of Nigeria’s leading online recurring payment processors, supporting over 1,000 merchants and facilitating digital transactions for four of the country’s largest banks.
The company’s core products, AmplifyPay – a payment gateway specialising in recurring transactions – and mTransfers – a keyboard banking solution that enables consumers to conduct bill and P2P payments in any chat app – have propelled the three-year-old start-up to a market-leader in Nigeria’s financial processing space.
As a result of the acquisition, Amplify co-founder and CTO, Maxwell Obi, will join the OneFi team to oversee the payments direction of the company, whilst co-founder and CEO, Segun Adeyemi, will depart as he pursues new ventures. Commenting on the acquisition and his new role, Maxwell says, “The key factor which stood out in our decision to work with OneFi was that we saw them as an extension of our vision. We stepped into this industry to use our payment solutions to facilitate a growing economy, and OneFi’s focus on financial inclusion feeds well into this. It’s a real example of a collaborative effort, and I’m excited to see the next chapter of our development.”
Paylater, OneFi’s consumer-facing lending platform, was launched in 2016 by Nigerian finance entrepreneurs Chijioke and Ngozi Dozie, and provides hassle-free loans without the need for human intervention or bias in decision making. Through its app, which has been downloaded over one million times, Paylater has deployed over $50M across 750,000 loans, approving over 1,500 loans a day at an average of $80 per loan. In late 2018, the company became the first African fintech platform to secure a credit rating. The acquisition of Amplify is the next step in the company’s journey, seeing the platform pivot to a one-stop-shop offering additional products such as savings, bill payments and credit reporting.
Chijioke Dozie, OneFi Founder and CEO, adds, “Today’s announcement signals OneFi’s first acquisition; a strategic decision that kicks off our transformation from a digital lender to a diverse digital financial services platform focused on transactions, payments and loans and will ensure we meet our ambitious goal of doubling our size in Nigeria this year. We have long respected the Amplify team for their ability to provide innovative solutions under adverse conditions, and we look forward to blending our expertise to power the future of fintech infrastructure and digital payments in Africa.”
Amplify also secured their first investment from MEST Africa, the Pan-African incubator, training program and seed fund, in 2016, when Adeyemi and Obi graduated from the program and the company officially launched. Amplify is the 5th MEST Africa company to be acquired and the first in the fintech space.
MEST Managing Director, Aaron Fu, concludes, “Seeing Amplify exit to such an established and well-known player in Nigeria’s fintech sector is a really significant moment in MEST Africa’s 11-year history. Watching Segun and Maxwell develop Amplify into a market leader in just three years has been thrilling to see, and we expect to see many more African tech start-ups take this route to market. Our hope is that the Amplify journey will be an inspiration to thousands of entrepreneurs in the making.


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Tesco stores across Greater Manchester have been visited by concerned shoppers calling on the supermarket giant to cut ties with forest destroyers, as part of an escalating nationwide protest.
Malcolm Atkinson, a music therapist who had never taken part in a Greenpeace action before, said
‘The potential loss of the Amazon rainforest in my lifetime is what made me do this. I’d never done anything like this before and so I wondered what the reaction from the store managers would be. In the end, they were all very friendly, and most wanted to know more about the campaign.’
Concerned customers have visited more than 715 of Tesco’s almost 3000 stores, with many more visits planned in the coming weeks. Throughout May and June, Greenpeace volunteers also left stencilled messages reading ‘Tesco meat = deforestation’ outside more than 270 stores, including more than a dozen in Greater Manchester.
Activists also peacefully confronted delegates at Tesco’s Annual General Meeting in June, holding giant letters spelling out the words ‘FOREST CRIME’. Greenpeace has recently published an open letter calling on Tesco yet again to stop funding Amazon destruction .
Research published in Nature confirmed that the Brazilian Amazon has now reached a tipping point and is emitting more carbon than it stores as a result of human intervention .
The Independent and DeSmog also reported recently that global meat companies are “routinely underreporting emissions, undermining climate science and casting doubt on plant-based alternatives”, and condemned the ‘tobacco company tactics’ used to downplay the harmful role that industrial meat has on our climate .
Despite Tesco claiming to have met its deforestation targets, its meat is not deforestation-free. It buys British chicken and pork from suppliers owned by notorious rainforest-destroyer, JBS. JBS recently admitted it would accept deforestation in its supply chain for another 14 years .
And Tesco continues to sell more soya-fed, factory-farmed meat than any other UK supermarket. It has already failed to keep its promise of zero-deforestation by 2020 and its plans to buy soya ‘only from deforestation-free areas’ by 2025 are meaningless given the complete collapse in 2019 of talks involving traders like Cargill to agree protection for whole areas from soya .
Martin Porter from the Manchester Greenpeace Group said ‘This week the IPCC said the world needs to take radical action on the climate crisis or we face catastrophe. After burning fossil fuels, deforestation is the key driver of climate change, and the main cause of deforestation is animal agriculture. Tesco cares about their image and the link to forest destroyers is not making them look good. We’ll keep taking the message that Tesco meat = deforestation directly to them until the UK’s largest supermarket lives up to its promise to remove deforestation from its supply chain.’


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November 22, 2014 marks the official one year mark for the Xbox One. Microsoft has already made it known that owners of the games console are in for a few treats as a way to say "thank you" for the support out of the gate. Now, an additional perk looks to be making its way to those that picked up the console in its first twelve months.
Limbo, a critically-acclaimed indie title that made its debut on the Xbox 360 via the Xbox Live Arcade, is coming to the Xbox One and has been promised as a free downloadable game. The news has been confirmed to select gamers via the Xbox Live messaging system, where the message reads:
"Thanks for being an Xbox One early adopter. To celebrate Year One, we're giving you Limbo when it's released. Stay tuned, your free code will arrive here."
While the message confirms the coming of Limbo for Xbox One, it isn't known when the game will be brought to the Xbox One platform. In fact, the game was in no way announced or confirmed for an Xbox One release prior to this message going out. Without any additional details, it looks like this free gift will be available to anyone who purchased a console within the first year of the Xbox One release, though we can't say for sure until we hear more from the Xbox team.


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Oil Change Services
Three Choices: No Appointment Needed Regular oil changes are essential to keep your engine clean and properly lubricated, allowing your […]READ MORE -
Can Amazon Crack the Car Parts Market?
Amazon has made headlines several times recently for its push into the automotive aftermarket. Between engine oils, tires and batteries, Amazon has been making a splash in the industry. The question is, how far can the company go? FOX 2 News, out of St. Louis, recently published an article about this very topic. The Amazon … Read more


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A US judge has dismissed a patent infringement lawsuit filed against Apple, Facebook, Google, Yahoo! and other firms by Interval Licensing LLC, a company owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
A U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington ruled that the suit failed to specify devices or products violating patents at issue in the case.
Interval Licensing had filed a complaint last August against major internet search and e-commerce companies alleging that they had infringed on four patents held by Interval. The eleven defendants were AOL, Apple, eBay, Facebook, Google, Netflix, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Staples, Yahoo, and YouTube.
Patents at issue involved using Web browsers to find information; alerting computer users to items of interest, and an "Attention Manager for occupying the peripheral attention of a person in the vicinity of a display device."
Interval Licensing holds patents of Interval Research, the former company founded by Allen and David Liddle in 1992 to perform research and development in the areas of information systems, communications, and computer science. The patents in the lawsuit covered fundamental web technologies first developed at Interval Research in the 1990s.


text: Abhishekh Book Centre, Kolhapur is organising a book exhibition for the book lovers in the city. The book exhibition displays huge variety of Marathi and English books which is getting an overwhelming response from the Nagpurians. The exhibition showcases stories, novels, plays, biographies, historical books, political books, life journey books by famous authors in Marathi and English languages. The books are available with up to 20 per cent to 50 per cent discount. People in large numbers should visit the expo and take benefit of the discounts. The book exhibition is currently underway at CNI Social Science Institute (ISI Hall), infront of Coffee House, near Tuli International, Residency Road, Sadar. The exhibition is open from 10 am to 9 pm.


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Since May 1, all Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) facilities worldwide —including the NAS Patuxent River NEX — have begun health screening all civilian and military associates and affiliated vendors prior to working in the store.
“When an associate or vendor enters a facility they are met by a member of that NEX,” said Kathyln Daughrity, general manager of the Pax River NEX. “There is a screening questionnaire along with a temperature check performed for everyone.”
The questionnaire asks the person’s travel history and any potential contact with anyone affected with COVID-19, and also includes questions pertaining to any current symptoms the person may be experiencing.
“If an individual has a temperature of 100 or higher and/or they have other symptoms, they will be asked to go home until there are no more symptoms,” Daughrity explained. “Associates will be in contact with their supervisors during this time.”
In addition to the health screenings, sneeze shields were installed at all cash registers in April, floor markings are visible at the checkout indicating the suggested 6-feet physical distancing guideline, and anyone entering the NEX — associates, vendors and patrons — is required to wear a face covering.
“The health and safety of our associates and patrons remain imperative as we continue to navigate the impacts of COVID-19,” said Rear Adm. Robert Bianchi, NEXCOM’s chief executive officer, in a released statement. “Our NEX teams will continue to provide additional protections like sneeze shields, cleaning methods, temperature checks and mandatory cloth face coverings. I ask that our patrons continue to maintain social distancing and wear face coverings as well whenever they are in any of our facilities.”
Seniors, at-risk patrons and service members can also take advantage of special shopping hours.
“The main store is operating an hour earlier Monday to Thursday for patrons 60 years and above [or at-risk], and from Friday to Sunday for active-duty members and dependents,” Daughrity added. “Shoppers can shop from 8-9 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9-10 a.m. Sunday prior to the regular store opening. “
Health and safety are top priorities for the NEX and the facility will continue working to ensure safety measures are in place, Daughrity noted.


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Tesla Loses $170M In BTC Investment, Crypto Daily TV 25/10/2022
$170 million down.
Tesla reported that it suffered a $170 million impairment loss on its investment in Bitcoin during the first 9 months of this year, noting that it had also gained roughly $64 million by converting some of the Bitcoin that it owned into fiat money.
British pound fiasco boosts bitcoin’s hedge appeal.
After Britain’s brief Prime Minister Liz Truss unleashed her mini-budget on Sept. 23, filling financial markets with dread, a section of investors stampeded away from the pound and towards the cryptocurrency. Trading volumes between bitcoin and the pound jumped 233% in September from the month before.
Ripple’s director of engineering leaves.
Ripple’s chief engineer announced over the weekend that he is leaving the company to chart new horizons, which he chose not to reveal. At Ripple, Bougalis oversaw a series of developments to the ledger’s code base, including the introduction of NFTs, which is scheduled to go live in November.
BTC/USD Fell 0.8% In The Last Session.
Bitcoin dropped 0.8% against the Dollar in the last session. The ROC is giving a positive signal. Support is at 18863.6667 and resistance is at 20067.6667.
The ROC is currently in positive territory.
ETH Dropped 0.3% Against USD In The Last Session.
Ethereum dropped 0.3% against the Dollar in the last session. The RSI is giving a positive signal. Support is at 1276.471 and resistance is at 1414.791.
The RSI is giving a positive signal.
XRP/USD Dove 2.0% In The Last Session.
The Ripple-Dollar pair plummeted 2.0% in the last session. The Stochastic-RSI is giving a positive signal. Support is at 0.4441 and resistance is at 0.4849.
The Stochastic-RSI is currently in positive territory.
LTC/USD Dove 2.4% In The Last Session.
The Litecoin-Dollar pair plummeted 2.4% in the last session. The MACD is giving a positive signal. Support is at 51.0967 and resistance is at 55.4967.
The MACD is currently in positive territory.
Daily Economic Calendar:
US S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices examine changes in the value of the residential real estate market in 20 regions across the US. The US S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices will be released at 13:00 GMT, the US Consumer Confidence at 14:00 GMT, and the US Redbook Index at 12:55 GMT.
US Consumer Confidence
Consumer Confidence is a leading index that measures consumer confidence in economic activity.
US Redbook Index
The Johnson Redbook Index measures the year-over-year same-store sales growth from a sample of large general merchandise retailers.
DE IFO – Business Climate
The IFO Business Climate index is an early indicator of current conditions and business expectations. The Institute surveys enterprises on their assessment of the economic situation. Germany’s IFO – Business Climate will be released at 08:00 GMT, Germany’s IFO – Current Assessment at 08:00 GMT, and Germany’s IFO – Expectations at 08:00 GMT.
DE IFO – Current Assessment
The IFO Current Assessment is regarded as an indicator of Germany’s current conditions and business expectations. The Institute surveys enterprises to assess their current business situation and short-term planning.
DE IFO – Expectations
The IFO Expectations is regarded as an indicator of business expectations for the next six months. It is based on a survey in which firms rate the future outlook as better, same, or worse.


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An academic study into file sharing has found much lower levels of game piracy than those claimed by the Electronics Software Association.
Three academics have published a paper [PDF] detailing a three-month study into file sharing of games using BitTorrent. The team developed a web crawler to monitor piracy of 14 platforms - notably DS, PC, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 - checking how many people were seeding and leeching the files as well s where they came from.
During the period of the study, they identified 173 games being pirated, by 12.6 million unique peers in 250 locations.
These figures conflict with reports both from the ESA, which claimed piracy was responsible for about 10 million illegal downloads of around 200 games in just the month of December 2009, and Torrent sites like TorrentFreak, which estimated 18.14 million downloads for the five most downloaded PC games in 2010, plus another a further 5.34 million downloads of the five most popular console games.
In a press release given to Wired, one of the study's leaders, Aalborg University's Anders Drachen said many industry conceptions about piracy had been challenged by the results.
"First and foremost, P2P game piracy is extraordinarily prevalent and geographically distributed. However, the numbers in our investigation suggest that previously reported magnitudes in game piracy are too high," he said.
"It also appears that some common myths are wrong, e.g. that it is only shooters that get pirated, as we see a lot of activity for children's and family games on BitTorrent for the period we investigated."
The discrepancy may be explained by the length of the study; the team found that piracy levels of individual titles surged briefly on release, and then tailed off very quickly - so any data extrapolated from a short period of time would potentially be inflated by these spikes.
RPG was the most popular genre among pirates during the study, at 18.9% of all shared games, followed by action-adventure (15.%), third-person shooters (12.7%) and racing (9.3%). Some of the games being shared during this time included Fallout: New Vegas, Darksiders, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Starcraft 2. The highest incidence of piracy to population level was found in Romania, Croatia, Greece, Portugal and Hungary.


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How your cancellation is crippling an industry
A SURGE in cancellations has many travel agents like Erin Sheehan concerned for the future of their industry.
The owner of Broad Horizons Travel in Yamba said she was bracing for difficult challenges ahead as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact business.
"The amount of cancellations and refunds that we have had to deal with is unprecedented," she said.
"We have an enormous workload of non-income bearing work to do."
Tours, cruises and now flights have been cancelled in an effort to combat the virus. Added to this more restrictions in place for travellers including a 14-day self-isolation period for those arriving or returning to Australia. For most, it's easier to just scratch the trip and try again next year. But for travel agents, the sheer volume of cancellations has begun to cripple businesses.
"When a customer's travel arrangements have been cancelled by the operator, the customer is entitled to a full refund," Ms Sheehan explained.
"This typically means that the supplier will refund us the nett fare paid, and then we have to recall the commission that we have already earned, sometimes months ago. Just imagine that for a second: we have to give back money that we have already earned."
To add insult to injury, a recent Channel 9 News segment alleged some travel agencies were "slugging passengers with cancellation fees" which Ms Sheehan said was completely uncalled for.
"It was extremely insulting and upsetting because they failed to understand our role and instead paint us as the bad guys," she said.
"We personally are staring down the barrel of seven-to-nine months of zero cash flow. I've already had to cut my staff's hours and many agencies will likely close down during or after this crisis."
Disgraceful reference about travel agents...the industry as a whole is putting in blood sweat and tears for their travel clients..how about getting the full story and report as professionals...so offensive @Channel9— Justine Waddington (@justwaddington) March 15, 2020
For those still deciding what to do with their upcoming travel plans, Ms Sheehan said there were much better alternatives than simply cancelling all together.
"Just postpone your plans or do something else closer to home," she said.
"We've got such beautiful places in Australia to explore."


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Elon Musk-owned Tesla's Cybertruck has been spotted with a wrap that makes it look like a Ford F-150 pickup truck.
Cybertruck was seen being transported on a truck in Livermore, California, reports Electrek.
On prototype cars, Tesla rarely used camouflage or wraps, but lately, the Cybertruck has been seen more frequently with wraps.
Some people believe that the auto-maker is wrapping the Cybertruck prototypes to hide the final production design, while others speculate that the company is testing wraps since it is going to be the only way to make the vehicle look different
"CEO Elon Musk has always set his sights on the F-150 as a competitor for the Cybertruck," the report said.
Earlier this month, the auto-maker had announced that it built the "first Cybertruck."
However, with the release of its quarter two (Q2) earnings, the company confirmed that it is currently only producing release candidates-- last step before the official start of production.
Also, the pickup truck was recently spotted with a new darker camouflage wrap which was better at hiding the electric pickup truck’s design features.
Last month, the electric pickup truck's prototype was spotted arriving in New Zealand by plane, possibly for its last winter testing.
While the vehicle was covered, it was easy to recognise the electric pickup truck.
Earlier, a prototype of the truck was spotted going through a drive-through in California and it was equipped with camouflage.
Another Cybertruck prototype was spotted stuck in a field in rural Texas in May this year.
The company had claimed that the electric pickup truck would hit the market by the end of 2021 when it first announced the Cybertruck in 2019.


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Factory of the Future
Using the power of 5G to help manufacturers drive up productivity, boost efficiency, improve safety and cut waste.
Digital Catapult will be leading the integration capability for manufacturing and industrial domains, as part of the Factory of the Future project – led by the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).
Efficiency, productivity, and sustainability are everything in manufacturing. From advanced product and machine tracking, to autonomous warehouse transportation and remote assistance for operators, technology can help the industry drive down production costs – while driving up market productivity levels and competitiveness.
5G is the first network able to deliver on all of these use cases. However, many businesses still hold concerns around 5G cost, complexity and security – hindering its meaningful adoption in industrial settings. This means we are losing out on an opportunity to fully realise the potential of industrial digital technologies and reap the benefits of futuristic, smart factories.
By helping industry harness 5G in factory settings, we can:
- Allow real-time feedback & closed loop control of manufacturing systems, thanks to 5G’s low latency
- Allow line side support through augmented and virtual reality devices, thanks to increased bandwidth from 5G
- Enable efficient integration and exploitation of mobile IoT technology for digital manufacturing
The 5G Factory of the Future project brings together industrial and academic leaders from the manufacturing and telecommunications sectors to establish a 5G manufacturing testbed. The project will develop integrated solutions for key challenges in deploying 5G technologies in industry, demystifying the technology and helping the UK to realise the benefits.
By developing an industrial 5G testbed to encourage adoption of 5G technologies in manufacturing, the project will help to increase manufacturers’ understanding of the benefits of 5G adoption in a real- factory environment – from lower costs, to increased product quality and improved delivery times.
Digital Catapult is the technical authority lead and is coordinating the integration of 5G, Operational Technology (OT) and edge computing. It will also be offering cellular, 5G Industrial IoT solution platforms to facilitate experimentation and uptake of digitalisation in the UK’s factories of the future.
Digital Catapult is also working closely with Miralis, BAE Systems, aql and IBM on a use-case looking at how 5G-connected sensors can provide real-time condition monitoring, helping to prevent lost and late supply-chain production items – which can cause significant loss in productivity.
The open-access 5G industrial testbed was awarded £9.5m by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), including match funding from industry, and is part of the government’s £200m investment in 5G test bed facilities across the country.
What will the benefits be?
5G Factory of the Future will provide potential for new ways of working that contribute to broader objectives of UK manufacturing to improve efficiency, productivity, safety, and reduce CO2 emissions and other waste.
By helping companies get ‘5G ready’, the Factory of the Future project will help manufacturers predict downtime, optimise delivery schedules and provide improved customer service in a trusted supply chain; develop full life-cycle product management from incoming materials to products being recycled; and develop new business models and sustainable services.


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KitKat continues to be the most widely used version of the OS.
Google has released the Android distribution numbers for the month of December, which shows that Android 6.0 Marshmallow is now running on 0.5 percent of devices in the wild. As we have seen with all new versions of the OS, Marshmallow is moving at a snail’s pace, with a rise of just 0.2 percent from November. Nexus devices are no doubt the reason behind the measly penetration of Android 6.0, though over the next month or so we should see a sharp rise as manufacturers start bringing it to their devices.
KitKat is still leading the charts with a share of 36.6 percent, which is a slight drop from 37.8 percent last month. Lollipop (versions 5.0 and 5.1) saw a major increase of 4 percent; in an ideal world this sharp rise wouldn’t continue as OEMs would start launching devices with Marshmallow out of the box, but sadly the influx of new phones and tablets with Android 5.x is unlikely to subside in the next couple of months.
The rest of the Android market is made up of devices running Ice Cream Sandwich, Gingerbread and even the long-forgotten Froyo at 2.9, 3.4 and 0.2 percent.
Source: Android Developers


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* No Q1 revenue forecast, planning internally for $7 bln
* Q1 Street rev view $7.2 bln
* Q4 EPS 4 cents, versus Street view 4 cents
* Shares up 1.7 percent (Adds analysts’ comments)
By Gabriel Madway
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Intel Corp (INTC.O) refrained from giving detailed financial forecasts for the current quarter, citing economic uncertainty, but the chip maker gave an internal planning figure for revenue at the low end of expectations.
Shares of Intel, the biggest maker of microprocessors that are the brains of personal computers, gained about 1.7 percent in after-hours trading as analysts said the announcement was not as bad as some had feared following two revenue warnings in the past few months.
Intel said it was not providing a revenue outlook for the first quarter, but “for internal purposes, the company is currently planning for revenue in the vicinity of $7 billion.”
Analysts on average had been looking for revenue of $7.2 billion in the quarter, according to Reuters Estimates.
Intel also warned that gross margins will slip into the low 40s percentage because of start-up and underutilization costs.
“Obviously there’s a lot of uncertainty there now,” Morningstar analyst Andy Ng said.
“It definitely doesn’t provide comfort, but the thing to keep in mind is: this is a very cyclical industry, and it’s seen its fair share of downturns and upturns.”
The technology bellwether reported fourth-quarter results that were in line with lowered analyst estimates following a revenue warning last week, its second for the December quarter. [ID:nN07475140]
Profit for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 27 fell to $234 million, or 4 cents a share, from $2.27 billion, or 38 cents a share, in the year-ago period, Intel said. That matched Wall Street’s forecast of 4 cents, according to Reuters Estimates.
Revenue fell to $8.2 billion from $10.7 billion over the same period.
“They were playing it cautious by not officially providing guidance,” said Edwin Mok, an analyst at Needham. “The big surprise was gross margins, which they guided for the low 40s. I‘m concerned that the company is not letting up on its start-up investments in the face of the economic slowdown.”
Intel is the world’s biggest maker of central processing units (CPUs) and its revenue warnings have touched off alarm bells across the technology sector. The company is a component of the Dow Jones industrial average.
Intel shares rose to $13.58 in extended trading from its close of $13.29 on Nasdaq. (Writing by Edwin Chan; editing by Richard Chang and Tiffany Wu)


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Simply put, BlackBerry missed the consumerization of IT trend and now IT heads are straying from their hardware and their services. In addition, the company didn't help itself out by rebranding itself as a company named after its smartphone.
This makes it even more difficult for enterprise companies to just think about BlackBerry as a software and service provider, said Stephen Beck, a partner at cg42, a management consulting firm specializing in technology and telecommunications.
"BlackBerry, in retrospect, made a very poor decision to rebrand the company around the device brand," Beck said. "Given their failure in the device market, changing their name is going to have to be something that is on the table at some point."
Climbing back from that move isn't going to be easy, Milanesi said.
"It's sort of like the last nail in the coffin, it's so identified with the devices now, that it's going to be really, really hard to change that," Milanesi said. "It's like they are reminding everybody everyday they are a hardware company when they don't want to be that anymore."
However, even though Blackberry's enterprise bets look somewhat bleak, it's really the only card the company has left to play, experts said, and Chen seems to realize that.
"What kind of reputation does BlackBerry have out in the market? We are viewed as secure, we are viewed as having very high-quality devices and we are being used by mostly enterprises and so when I look at the situation I think we are going to offer end-to-end security solution in communication productivity that is mobile based ... at least for next couple years," Chen said.
Blackberry lost the consumer market, so it is doing what it can with what it has left, it just should have done it a few years ago, McGrath said.
"The company is looking at the space where it is most credible and to do that it's going to have to become a more niche company. But they need to be looking at new fresh segments of the market and unfortunately, these new segments tend to be small when they start. They don't look too attractive to a company that was once so big and successful," McGrath said. "And to be honest, I'm not sure if they can pull that off. I'm not very optimistic."
—By CNBC's Cadie Thompson. Follow her on Twitter @CadieThompson.


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Google has finally added a feature to Maps and Search that people have had wanted for years. The Mountain View-based company has announced that users will now be able to find out whether a business is open during a particular festive season. Separately, the company also updated its Calendar app to add the 'Trash' feature.
It's very likely that you've visited a place only to find that it is closed due to a local or national holiday. Google says that it realises this issue, and that is why it will now let people know looking for a place on Maps or through its search engine whether that place will be open on an upcoming holiday in the next seven days - a feature called holiday hours.
"We've added holiday hours to Maps and Search, so when you search for a business and a major holiday is within the next seven days, you'll see whether the business has a special holiday schedule. Not only will you avoid showing up to find the doors locked, but you'll save time by not having to call the business or check the website for hours," the company wrote in a blog post.
For the places that haven't specified their schedules, Google will warn users that the upcoming holiday may affect the opening and closing time of a store or any other place. Users can also filter the result by specifying that they only want to see places that are say, open during a certain period. The company says that the feature will work worldwide and on both mobile and desktop devices, though our attempts to see any Indian organisation or eatery reflect such information were not fruitful.
Separately, the company also added a new feature to the Web client of Calendar. The interface of the service has been tweaked to add a Trash section, from where users can bring back the schedules and plans they accidentally deleted. You can also permanently delete such data from there. The feature is already live for Gmail and Google apps users.


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Next Level Fitness to close, downtown building sold to local investor
After 31 years in the fitness business, owning and operating gyms in Staten Island and Batavia, Ken Mistler says it's time for him to retire for that line of work.
He's sold the building that has been home to Next Level Fitness for 10 years at 85 Main St., Batavia, and the gym will close Feb. 27.
Mistler said he's reached an agreement to sell the massive three-story, 20,000-square-foot building (which includes a 6,800-square-foot basement) to a local investor. He can't disclose who the buyer is or what the buyer plans to do with the building but the new owner will not operate a gym at that location.
"I'm not sure what they're going to do," Mistler said. "I'm not sure if they're going to use the whole building for themselves or cut the building, subdivide the building."
Mistler started in the gym business in Staten Island and then opened Powerhouse Gym on East Main Street in 1997. He still owns that building and all the equipment currently at Next Level. He would like to see somebody open a gym using the existing equipment at the Powerhouse location or see another locally owned gym use this as an opportunity to grow.
"I'm trying to encourage a local small gym in the area to go into that facility so," Mister said, "they will have more options. My customers have said they're looking for options. They're coming to me the last couple of days and asking what else can we do? What do we have available? They're looking for smaller facilities because they aren't a fan of the larger places and they want to keep it local."
Mistler said the closure of Next Level isn't the result of a chain competitor opening in town. He could have competed with a chain if he had wished to make the changes necessary but he didn't want to make those changes after 31 years running gyms, and the real estate offer was attractive and worth taking at this time.
Mister, who owns several downtown properties, and is owner and operator of Ken's Charcoal Pits on Main Street and the local movie theater, Batavia Showtime, said he's grateful for the years of community support for his gym businesses.
"The support has been unbelievable," Mistler said. "If I had to do it over again I would. That's how good the community has been to that facility, especially since I started Next Level, but 31 years in the business is enough."
That gym had a good run.
I'm very excited to see what business moves in! Now if only the Carr's building could get businesses in it...
It's too bad the "Carr's building" wasn't given any of the multitudes of tax breaks that have been the basis of viability for so many businesses on main street while the original Carrs was in business. That was a great long term "local business" anchor. It's too bad the city of Batavia overburdened those businesses with high taxes while themselves degrading the shopping experience of the downtown area for at least the last 30+ years by neglecting THEIR responsibility to maintain the mall. It's too bad the city of Batavia hoarded business spaces in the mall and let them turn into leaking, moldy, dilapidated, toxic, eyesores. It's too bad the city of Batavia let the pipes freeze in the Carr's building after confiscating it for back taxes, turning it from a gorgeous, historic, period, interior building assessed at half a million $ in 1990's dollars into a ten thousand dollar bid at auction. Typical government runamuck.
Too much attention to ☆x2 and not enough "thinking it through. "
Americans hate facts. They're such a nuisance.