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Greece has been honored for its unique destinations and tourism offerings by the digital edition of US travel magazine Global Traveler.
Organized by FXExpress Publications, Inc., the Global Traveler Awards 2020 recognized the best in the world of leisure and lifestyle travel including goods, services, destinations, hotels, airlines and cruises.Santorini, for the seventh consecutive year was announced “Best Island in Europe” at the Global Traveler’s 2020 Leisure Lifestyle Awards.
In addition, Greece was named “Favorite Country” by the readers of FXExpress’ online magazine trazeetravel.com, which targets travelers aged 25-40.
The country also ranked second in the preferences of travelers in the “Best Wedding Destination” category. Tahiti ranked first and the Cook Islands third.
“These new distinctions confirm that Greece ranks high in the preferences of foreign travelers. This is also an encouraging sign ahead of 2021 – a year when the recovery of Greek tourism will gradually begin,” Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) Secretary General Dimitris Fragakis said.
He added that the United States is among Greece’s main source tourism markets and the GNTO is currently working on a promotional plan through its local office, which has been upgraded to take on a more active role.
The winners of the awards will be published in the December issue of Global Traveler and posted on the websites globaltravelerusa.com, trazeetravel.com and webfamily.com.


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| Sep 29, 2013
| 2:02 PM
Born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA, Patrick attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA and graduated Cum Laude in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics.
Upon graduation, Patrick began a career with Shell Oil Co. in New Orleans, LA as an...
| Jun 17, 2013
| 4:53 PM
Google has teamed up with Wal-Mart and several other major retail partners to sell the company's Chromebook laptops at their stores.
The Mountain View, Calif., tech giant said Chromebook laptops will now be sold at more than 6,600 stores, or three times...
| May 30, 2013
Nearly two years after Lufthansa brought the world's largest passenger aircraft — the Airbus 380 — to Miami International Airport, the German airline is gearing up for another milestone there.
Thursday, Lufthansa will debut its Boeing 747-...
| May 30, 2013
| 6:30 AM
SEATTLE -- When an intense storm pounded southwestern Washington in 2007, mud poured down from the mountainsides, logging debris choked streams and the Chehalis River flooded much of the region, causing $57 million in damage.
| May 18, 2013
| 4:39 AM
It's Shopping Saturday! Our ever-popular freebie free-for-all goes coupon crazy so you can save at the mall. Our list is packed with retail coupons, freebies, dining deals and fun things to do. Use it to save all weekend long!
"Like" our Sentinel...
| May 4, 2013
| 6:13 AM
It's a countdown to Mother's Day on May 12 as Freebie Friday morphs into Shopping Saturday! Our fabulous freebie free-for-all goes coupon crazy so you can save save at your all fave stores. Plus, we have dining deals and fun things to do so you can...
| Apr 20, 2013
| 3:40 AM
Freebie Friday morphs into Shopping Saturday! Our freebie free-for-all goes coupon crazy with retail coupons and deal, free offers, savings on dining and free fun things to do. Use it to save all weekend long!
"Like" our Sentinel Deals page on Facebook;...
| Apr 27, 2013
| 5:04 AM
Freebie Friday morphs into Shopping Saturday! Our freebie free-for-all goes coupon crazy with retail coupons and deals, free offers, savings on dining and fun things to do. Use it to save all weekend long! Don't forget, Mother's Day is May 12!
| Apr 17, 2013
| 6:57 AM
Check out festivals and events in May across the state.
This list is organized by region.
Central Florida (including Orlando, Kissimmee, Daytona Beach, Sanford, the Space Coast, Lakeland/Polk and Lake County)
May 2: Jazz Friday at Foosaner Museum...
| Nov 28, 2012
| 9:03 AM
The Newport Beach City Council voted to outsource its printing services and to inch forward in what could eventually be the outsourcing of its refuse collection services....
| Sep 12, 2012
| 4:26 PM
The Florida Panthers' arena in Sunrise has a new name -- the fourth name since opening -- but already I'm having an identity crisis with it. BB&T Center? Blech. As far as bland corporate arena names go, this has to......

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The Japanese government plans to aggressively promote hydrogen fuel-cell cars, by easing regulations related to the technology, constructing more fueling stations, and boosting incentives.
It's a move also intended to encourage widespread use of fuel cells beyond the automotive sector.
The plan to ease fuel-cell rules was discussed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after a test drive of the 2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen car at his official residence, according to Bloomberg.
Abe also called for construction of a network of self-service hydrogen fueling stations in the country, though he didn't discuss specifics or a timeframe for either plan.
2016 Toyota Mirai
Still, the prime minister's officially expressed enthusiasm for hydrogen is noteworthy. He said he wanted "all ministries and agencies to have" fuel-cell cars.
Abe has prevoiusly said Japan will create a "hydrogen society" where fuel cells power homes and office building, as well as cars.
Japan already offers incentives for Toyota's Mirai that are much greater than any offered for battery-electric cars in China, Europe, or the U.S.
Buyers in some areas can get about 3 million yen ($25,500) in subsidies for the Toyota, which went on sale in Japan last month at a price of 7.24 million yen (roughly $68,000) before incentives.
2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell car, Newport Beach, CA, Nov 2014
That amount is more than triple the 950,000 yen ($8,136) in incentives offered for the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car in Japan, not to mention the $7,500 Federal tax credit offered for electric cars in the U.S.
The subsidies seem to be working in Toyota's favor, at least thus far: The company has reportedly received 1,500 orders for the 2016 Mirai in Japan, compared to an original target of 400 sales by the end of this year.
However, about 60 percent of those orders are from government agencies and corporate fleets--which don't have to rely as heavily on public fueling stations.
The announcement by the Japanese prime minister comes just two days after Tesla Motors CEO Musk responded to a question on Toyota's initiative in fuel-cell vehicles.
"If you're gonna pick an energy storage system," Musk told the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit, "Hydrogen is a dumb one."
North American Toyota executive Bob Carter had described the company's plans for the 2016 Toyota Mirai, and its financial support for hydrogen fueling sites in California, at another event earlier the same day.


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In this file:
· Australia’s July beef exports continue year-long struggle
· Why Australian beef’s positive outlook is no mistake
Australia’s July beef exports continue year-long struggle
Beef Central (Australia)
AUSTRALIAN beef exports for the month of July have continued to languish – as they have all year – under the burden of low rates of slaughter, logistics challenges and other factors.
Volumes shipped to all markets last month reached just 74,949 tonnes, down 6pc on the previous month. Unfortunately comparisons with July last year are now less relevant, because production volumes a year ago were by that stage well down, due to the earlier effects of drought and herd rebuilding.
The July result is not surprising, given that Australian weekly beef slaughter only reached 100,000 head for the first time this year the week before last. A long-term weekly kill average is somewhere around 135,000 head, and often at this time of the year, closer to 150,000.
The same trend is apparent in calendar year-to-date exports, covering shipments made from January 1 to July 31.
Total volume for the period this year has reached 473,424t, down 6pc on last year, but a massive 195,000t or 28pc lower than the same six-month period in 2020.
All destinations with the exception of Korea are reflecting the broader trend last month, with volumes well-down across most parts of North and South Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East.
Largest and highest value export customer, Japan...
Why Australian beef’s positive outlook is no mistake
James Nason, Beef Central (Australia)
Despite what short term headlines might suggest, the long-term global dynamics driving demand for Australian red meat remain very positive, this morning’s Australian Brahman Breeder’s Association ‘Brahman Beef for the Future’ Conference was told.
Talking about what is in front of Australia’s red meat industry looking forward, Meat & Livestock Australia managing director Jason Strong said it shouldn’t come as any surprise for producers to hear that the outlook is “very positive”.
“There is no reason to be otherwise, despite what you might see, or read, or hear,” he said.
After a massive decline in the national cattle numbers in 2018-19, the herd was now recovering faster than had ever been seen before, with higher than average rainfalls and increased temperatures still being forecast and underpinning the continuation of a positive production outlook.
The industry is also actually seeing a faster increase in the slaughter rate at the same time, which was being achieved through increased productivity.
This included a 37kg increase per carcase since 2019. Based on a dressed weight price of 810c/kg (conservatively below this morning’s EYCI market level of around 900c/kg), that equates to an additional $300 per carcase in value.
Export value was also growing faster than might have been expected.
Despite less total export volume, Australia was returning more value for the product it is exporting.
“So we’re growing our herd, we’re increasing our turnoff, we’re increasing our carcase weights, and we’re actually doing that at higher prices.
“So the productivity position of the industry is incredibly positive, and there are some big underlying reasons for this.”
One of the challenges facing the industry is that “we are continually surprised by our success”.
But the industry had not arrived in its current strong position “by mistake”, he said.
“The industry’s had a series of strategic plans in place over the last 25 years and they have all been pretty ambitious…
“And what we’re seeing at the moment in our current market environments and the current opportunities in front of us is the culmination of all of those efforts across our industry.”
‘We have to stop being surprised by our success’ ...


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Johan Dennelind, CEO of TeliaSonera, the Swedish-Finnish parent company of Ncell, speaks on telecom trends, privacy, and transparency issues, ahead of a visit to Nepal next week.
Nepali Times: It has been five years since Ncell entered the Nepal market. How have telecom trends internationally changed in that period?
Johann Dennelind: The desire for connectivity has grown dramatically. People increasingly want to be connected anytime and everywhere, even on top of Mt Everest. We have also witnessed drastic growth in mobile data usage, owing mainly to growth of social networks and availability of online video content, as well as machine-to-machine applications.
Industry landscape is changing from voice to data, including voice over IP (applications like Skype, Viber, etc.) Mobile has firmly established itself as an indispensable part of our lives. Mobile navigation, ticketing and check-in, payments, medicine and even mobile voting in elections have become a daily reality during the past few years.
In order to meet the demand for capacity, mobile operators strengthen their networks with new technologies like 4G and even starting to talk about 5G. TeliaSonera was the first in the world to launch 4G in the capitals of Sweden and Norway in 2009. Today, we offer 4G services in all Nordic and Baltic countries, as well as in two countries in the Eurasian region – Azerbaijan and Moldova. Our 4G coverage in Estonia, one of the Baltic Sea countries, has been named the best in Europe.
And how are these changes going to affect TeliaSonera's operations in other parts of Asia in general, and Nepal in particular?
The key focus for all market players today is to secure the right opportunities for future growth. Therefore it is important for us to continue investing in infrastructure, in backbone, access network, applications and of course in customer service. Providing more and smarter opportunities for communication makes us more attractive to the customer, while customer service excellence is going to be a major competitive advantage. These will be high focus areas for us in the coming years.
We also have to be increasingly cost conscious and grow efficiency of our products and processes, in order to stay competitive. This is one of the reasons we invest in solar energy in Nepal, increasing energy efficiency of our network.
The complaint from many users in Nepal is that although the price of hardware has come down steadily, the data plans are still too expensive and bandwidth not satisfactory for smartphones.
There is a major difference between hardware and mobile communication service. While producers are able to make their mobile devices smaller, thinner and more efficient and their production process leaner, we operators have to expand our data pipes, and increase capacity along with the growing consumer demand.
Investments in infrastructure are bigger in scale than hardware investments. This is especially true in Nepal where insufficiency of electricity requires that infrastructure companies like Ncell install back-up generators and deploy alternative energy solutions to generate the electricity they plan to use in black-out times and to store it on their own battery banks.
However, the more users of our service, the cheaper it gets. In Eurasian region, including Nepal, our revenue per one gigabyte of data dropped by 30 per cent in 2013 compared to 2012, whereas data traffic in gigabytes has grown more than twice. This means prices are actually going down.
Share of smartphones in Ncell network has reached 15 per cent, which is still low compared to European countries. Nevertheless we firmly believe in high potential of mobile data in Nepal and Ncell will engage in talks with NTA regarding bandwidth and technology neutrality. Technologically neutral licences allowing operators the most efficient use of the allocated and scarce frequency resources is the best way to boost competition and to deliver advanced services to users in rural areas where digital divide is very obvious today.
How does the growth of the Nepal telecom market compare with other countries where TeliaSonera has a presence?
Nepal has the lowest mobile penetration among the countries where TeliaSonera operates, therefore subscription and revenue growth rates are generally higher here. We are hopeful of favourable more efficient regulation processes for the industries hinder this growth and entrance of new technologies to the market.
Let me again give you an example of Estonia, where having instant access to internet has become a social right on its own, thanks to government’s vision of Estonia“. The country’s well-being is closely linked to development of ICT, which is reflected in one state body, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, overseeing both areas. As a result, the country is doing best in terms of economy out of the three Baltic Sea States, after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in early 1990’s.
Government closely cooperates with the mobile companies working in the country, to increase its administrative efficiency through developing new mobile and electronic solutions. More than 90 per cent of Estonian citizens have an electronic ID card which enables them to perform all kinds of operations online, from birth registration to paying taxes and bills. Five years ago, Mobile ID was introduced, which enables secure authentication and digital signatures via mobile phone, eliminating the need for electronic ID-card reader and computer. People can sign documents, perform bank transactions, etc. on the go, with their mobile phone.
Of course, population of Estonia is 20 times smaller than that of Nepal, but big changes start with small steps. Development of rules and regulations for the telecom industry in a dialogue with industry players would greatly contribute to Nepal government’s target of upgrading the country’s status to Developing Country by 2022.
TeliaSonera has a very strict ethical code and a zero tolerance policy, yet the revelation in the Swedish media about your operations in Central Asia led to an investigation and the resignation of your predecessor. How has the company changed its internal procedures and policies?
TeliaSonera has adopted a comprehensive sustainability program, embracing areas like risk management, supplier ethics, customer privacy, anti-corruption, etc. We have tightened up decision-making and reporting procedures in our operations. Daily operations must have clear values and rules, this is key. We have an anti-corruption and privacy policies in place, most recently adopted policy on freedom of expression, and we are training all our 27,000 employees worldwide on our Group Code of Ethics and Conduct, so that they can act with confidence and knowledge of our ethical principles in dubious situations.
Nepal has been ranked the least competitive in South Asia for foreign investors mainly because of lack of transparency in governance. How does a company with such strict guidelines on business ethics do business in a place like this?
Nepal is a very attractive market for us to be in, and the benefits our services bring to people outweigh the risks. We have established strong mechanisms for risk mitigation and governance. It’s a mutual journey for us and Nepal.
We cannot solve all bottlenecks on our own though, especially when it comes to such sensitive issues as privacy and freedom of expression. Therefore we have initiated establishment of Industry Dialogue, with participation of major industry players, including equipment producers and service providers, to have a more efficient dialogue between industry and governments on these issues.
What do you see as the main opportunities for growth and expansion of telecommunications in a country like Nepal?
As mobile penetration in Nepal has only reached 60 per cent, organic growth by adding more subscriptions is still an opportunity. Mobile data and new offers matching the customer needs are another.
"We are now building capacity"


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Environmentalists applauds McDonald’s decision to ditch plastic
The fast food giant plans to remove all plastic straws from its restaurants by 2020, a decision applauded by environmentalists
As part of a global initiative to clean up the environment, McDonald’s Australia will start to phase out plastic straws from its restaurants.
The fast food giant is responding to mounting pressure to ditch plastic straws amid concerns about the pollution they cause. A paper straw alternative will be trialled in two outlets in August before making the switch across all 970 restaurants by 2020.
McDonald’s Australia supply chain director, Robert Sexton, said to the media: “As one of the world’s largest businesses, we know we have the responsibility and opportunity to make significant changes.”
McDonald’s said the trail is part of a long-term global effort to identify alternatives to the single-use plastic straws by having all guest packaging made from renewable, recycled or certified sources by 2025, a move that environmentalists have applauded.
Greenpeace spokesperson, Simon Black, told AAP: “It’s wonderful McDonald’s is making a commitment to reducing consumption of single-use plastic and we look forward to seeing more detail around this proposal to see the overall impact.”
This comes after UK McDonald’s announced it would phase out plastic straws with plans to implement paper straws in UK and Ireland restaurants by 2019. A McDonald’s Australia spokesperson said the paper straws would be the same sample.
On top of this, US McDonald’s has committed $10 million to help launch a program with Starbucks and Closed Loop to develop a recyclable or compostable cup solution to drive packaging innovation and reduce waste.
McDonald’s Australia began trialling cup recycling in April by separating dining room bins into liquids, plastics, paper cups and general waste.
“Beverage cups are a unique concern when it comes to recycling through normal paper recycling facilities due to the inner plastic lining,” Sexton said.
“By separating the cups through designated bins we can ensure cups are diverted to the right facility to recycle this material. Our trials will provide useful learnings that will help to determine next steps for potential wider restaurant implementation.”
This is the latest in a plastic bag ban sweeping Australia. The mounting pressure from consumers, however, has made it difficult for some retailers to implement the changes, including for supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths.
Sexton assures that the straw alternatives will still suit the Australian consumer. saying: “We know plastic straws is a topic our customers are passionate about and we will find a viable solution.”
This announcement follows Starbuck’s decision to eliminate plastic straws from all its stores within two years to combat the environmental threat to oceans.
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If you're looking for a encrypted, portable OS that can be securely loaded on any computer, Secure-K may be the answer. Also if you're afraid of hackers wearing hoodies in darkened rooms and find joy in a British man repeatedly saying "privacy" in an excited tone, you'll enjoy this video.
Brought to you by Mon-K — which is pronounced just like "monkey," to invoke that feeling of security that primates naturally give off — the Secure-K is an encrypted operating system enclosed in a USB stick that the company says will allow users to protect their data without sacrificing ease of use. The Secure-K is fitted with a pin-pad on the front which is needed to activate the OS, and Mon-K says the drive can be securely used on just about any computer without additional software.
The company says Secure-K will come with a full suite of encrypted apps: chat, video, and VOIP tools, an anonymous internet browser, a full suite of office products, and the ability to sync with Mon-K's secure cloud for back up and recovery in case you lose the actual USB drive. The company says encrypted email will be coming soon.
We'll have to wait until October to find out if the Secure-K is everything Mon-K says it is. Mon-K says there will be personal and enterprise editions available in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB variations when it launches, but the company has note announced pricing yet.


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Where previously the solution would have been two solar thermal panels, Nu-heat says that the single panel streamlines installation and is a cost-effective option.
Nu-Heat adds that the panel has approximately 15 per cent more output than the smaller panel, is the same width but slightly longer, meaning that it will still fit comfortably on a standard roof.
According to the company, for a smaller dwelling such as a flat, where the household uses about 100 litres of hot water daily at 50°C, the panel is likely to produce about half of the annual demand. The figure of 50 per cent is an annual average, and in practice, around 90 per cent of the demand will be met in July and 10 per cent in December.
As part of a smaller, integrated renewable system incorporating a heat pump, the new panel is optimized for use with Nu-Heat’s 255 litre heat pump cylinder.


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Six weeks ago, Potbelly executives were celebrating signs that the sandwich chain’s turnaround was finally paying off.
Now, with fears of COVID-19 keeping diners home, it’s trying to sell cold cuts and rolls alongside sandwiches and shakes — and making no predictions about the future.
Many states, including Illinois, have instituted stay-at-home orders and banned restaurants from offering dine-in service, forcing them to pivot to only takeout and delivery. But only 14% of restaurant operators surveyed by market research firm Datassential in late March said customers had placed enough orders to offset lost dine-in sales.
Some restaurants are pivoting again, selling ingredients alongside standard menu items to help make up the difference.
On April 3, Potbelly’s “Potbelly Pantry” started selling deli meats at $6.99 a pound, 10-ounce packs of sliced cheese for $4.49 and six-packs of rolls for $3.99 along with chips, bags of cookies and bottled drinks. At “Panera Grocery” consumers can pick up $4.99 gallons of milk, produce like avocados — $1.49 each — and grapes along with bread and bagels. LongHorn Steakhouse is selling cuts of meat diners can grill at home, from $6 for a 6-ounce sirloin to $16 for an 18-ounce “Outlaw Ribeye.”
Selling prepared meals is more profitable. But restaurants are quiet, the food is perishable and many consumers are looking for ways to avoid trips to the supermarket.
“It’s definitely a case of necessity being the mother of invention,” said Mark Brandau, group manager at Datassential.
Sales at Potbelly stores open at least a year had been up 2.5% during the first 10 weeks of the year, the Chicago-based company said in an update on its business amid the pandemic last month. That put Potbelly on pace for its first quarter of same-store sales growth in more than three years. Instead, it recently withdrew its financial guidance for the year.
Potbelly has made changes to the menu and look of its stores, but sandwich-centric chains have been struggling, said Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Chicago-based industry research firm Technomic.
“It’s hard for them to differentiate themselves,” Pawlak said. “I think consumers think, ‘a sandwich is a sandwich.’”
The shift to working from home during the pandemic doesn’t help lunch-focused restaurants like Potbelly. But quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, many of which have been investing in online ordering and delivery options, likely will have an easier time adapting to takeout-only business than sit-down restaurants that emphasize high-end service and hospitality, Brandau said.
Quick-service and fast-casual restaurants surveyed by Datassential between March 25 and 27 said business had declined 42% and 51%, respectively, since the pandemic began. Fine dining restaurants said business plummeted 82%.
Potbelly began offering delivery with DoorDash and Grubhub last year and installed racks for pickup orders in shops. Its off-premise and online business, including catering, delivery and pickup orders, accounted for 24.4% of sales in the fourth quarter of 2019, Potbelly CEO Alan Johnson said last month.
“Investments in this channel have proven timely, as they helped build a flexible platform that is allowing us to adjust and react quickly to meet customer needs,” he said.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Cache Inc. CACH, +33.33% reported a 3 percent increase in February comparable store sales over year-ago levels. Total sales for the four-week period increased $2.2 million, or 12 percent, to $20.7 million compared to 2004.
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Opening date for new convenience store announced
- Credit: Archant
The owners of a new convenience store are set to open its doors to the public later this month.
Paresh, Ashish and Bharat Patel will welcome their first customers to the Nisa store, in St Mary’s Street, Ely, on June 24, before an official opening ceremony takes place on July 4.
The store was formerly a Vauxhall dealership and garage before it was closed by the Marshall group in 2012. The showroom has been gutted and has undergone a major refurbishment over the course of the last six months.
Bharat Patel said the store would create 12 full and part-time jobs and would be open seven days a week.
Nisa is a nationwide franchise and has thousands of outlets across the UK, including stores in Little Downham and Burwell.
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Mr Patel added that full and part-time jobs were still available and welcomed applications by e-mail to email@example.com
- 1 Three arrests after suspected brothel discovered
- 2 City’s first Asian grocery store coming to market place
- 3 Fire crews tackling woodland blaze carried pump and equipment 200 metres
- 4 Popular food delivery service Deliveroo launches in city this week
- 5 Transformation of empty offices into luxury flats well under way
- 6 Throwback to places and faces of Ely's past
- 7 Restaurant launches bright pink ‘selfie areas’ ahead of reopening
- 8 Jail for man caught carrying meat cleaver in public after missing tools argument
- 9 Residents ‘left without a voice’ over anti-social car park behaviour
- 10 Photos of the Week: Views along the river and sun-kissed skylines


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|Microsoft announces deal with QR app developer|
|Wednesday, 22 August 2012 11:18|
On 22 August, NeoMedia, the leader in creating QR barcodes, announced a worldwide partnership with Microsoft that will allow the software company to license NeoMedia’s large patent portfolio.
NeoMedia produces the NeoReader, the app that allows 20 million devices to scan the now omnipresent QR barcodes that have cropped up around the UK.
The barcodes, used for advertising and branding purposes dot the consumer landscape in Britain. Just two weeks ago, Tesco debuted a QR-based virtual grocery store in London’s Gatwick Airport. Last week, East Yorkshire Motor Services announced a bus advertising campaign featuring QR codes designed to appeal to the student demographic in Hull.
The Olympics also featured a spike in the UK’s use of QR codes. LOCOG recorded 95,000 scans during the Games, chiefly from the spectator guides that were distributed to ticketholders. iPhones made up 62 per cent of total usage.
The Microsoft deal comes just weeks after the redevelopment of the Windows Phone Marketplace. The rebranding of the Marketplace feature was undertaken to help propel a surge in sales of the new Windows Phone 7. In partnering with NeoMedia in the QR market, Windows may be attempting to close in on its Android and iPhone competition.
CEO of NeoMedia, Laura Marriott, said the deal with Microsoft speaks to a need for the protection of intellectual property in an increasingly connected world.
“As mobile barcodes become a key fixture in the mobile marketing mix, it is important for stakeholders across the industry to ensure the solutions they employ leverage the relevant intellectual property in a responsible manner,” Marriott said.


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People in the Raleigh area who are looking to start a new business may consider opening a restaurant. The food industry is growing in the Triangle, according to a new report. The number of both independent and chain restaurants went up last year, the report indicates.
As of autumn 2012, there were 5,385 restaurants open for business in the Triangle. That is an increase of about 2.5 percent over the previous year, when only 5,254 restaurants were in operation. While the number of chain restaurants increased by about two percent, small-business restaurant businesses made up of one or two locations increased by four percent, suggesting that opportunities may still exist for those interested in opening their own place.
The restaurant industry saw nationwide growth as well, though at a significantly lower rate. The total number of restaurants in the U.S. was measured at slightly over 616,000, an increase of 0.7 percent. Fast-food restaurants led the growth. An executive with the company behind the food-industry study said that people are going out to eat more often and spending more money once there.
Starting a restaurant can be a rewarding way to succeed in business, but there are legal issues that entrepreneurs should consider. These include obtaining the proper licenses and making sure that all business contracts are comprehensive and legally enforceable. Also, opening a chain restaurant may involve different legal obligations than starting an independent location. An experienced business attorney can be helpful when starting a new business such as a restaurant.
Source: Triangle Business Journal, "Number of restaurants in the Triangle growing at a fast rate," Amanda Jones Hoyle, Jan. 24, 2013
- Our law firm provides legal aid for those starting their own business. For more information, please visit our Fayetteville business transaction page.


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After a decade of rapid expansion, Big Tech growth is decelerating.
With the global economy slowing due to a multitude of factors ranging from production bottlenecks to the cost of living crisis, many major tech firms have responded by cutting jobs and reducing outgoings. Even the untouchable tech giants like Google and Microsoft are being affected. In light of this, we take a look at how Big Tech firms have risen over the past few years, and how the future is looking for the industry.
What is Big Tech?
Over the past few decades, rapid technological advancements combined with changing consumer behaviour has led to tech companies becoming some of the largest in the world. The term Big Tech was coined only a few years ago and describes the top five internet-based technology companies that dominate the stock market and have a huge impact on our daily lives.
Since the early naughties, these firms have gained enormous global power and in 2021, had a combined revenue of 1.4 trillion US dollars, with growth exacerbated by the pandemic. Currently, the brands that fall under this umbrella are Meta, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet (owner of Google) and Amazon. Whilst Netflix, WhatsApp, Twitter and PayPal closely follow.
Look back a year ago and the Big Five were virtually bulletproof. Largely because they’ve been leading the technological boom over the past twenty years.
Let’s just reflect a moment… In 2000, only 25% of the UK population were internet users but by 2020, that percentage had grown to a whopping 96%. That’s only 4% of the population who don’t use the internet. With stats like this, it’s pretty clear to see how Big Tech has seen such substantial growth.
Thanks to the internet, we’ve had the rise of social media, smart technology, working from home, the Internet Of Things, ecommerce, data-tracking and so much more. Some argue it’s for the better, and some for the worse. Whichever side of the argument you’re on, it’s safe to say these companies are embedding themselves deeper into our lives, every day. But is that about to change?
In recent weeks, Big Tech firms have reported stagnant growth and in some cases, negative growth. Take Google for example, in 2021 their growth was 62% compared to a mere 13% growth in the same quarter of this year. What’s to blame? It’s pretty clear that the current macroeconomic environment is largely to blame for the sudden downturn. As is the inevitability of downward growth due to the steep rise of Big Tech during the pandemic.
It seems that during the online boom of 2020, the likes of Amazon over-projected future growth, anticipating higher demand due to more people working from home and changing consumer habits. Consequently, they hired too many employees and made too many investments that unfortunately, they can no longer keep up with. Since the world reopened, consumers have ventured out and about and turned to brick and mortar experiences after so long without them.
The downturn also comes at a time when consumer trust is declining. For the first time in its history, Facebook has reported a decline in active daily users on the platform. Perhaps highlighting a move away from consumers who are glued to their phones? Or more likely, a lack of trust due to the multiple data-tracking scandals Meta has faced in recent years.
Additionally, competition for the Big Tech firms is growing stronger. With WhatsApp’s momentum still growing, TikTok becoming the new go-to social platform and expanding into ecommerce, it’s likely that the wave the Big Tech firms have been riding for so many years, may be coming to an end.
So what does the future look like for the Big Tech firms? Whilst they’re certainly not going anywhere anytime soon, they must rethink their strategies. Determining how they will remain competitive in this uncertain economic climate and in a time when consumer choice is ever-expanding, will be make or break for the Big 5.
Keep up with all the latest tech news, right here!


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Ulverston locals’ traffic concerns ‘have been addressed’
Last updated at 16:41, Wednesday, 13 March 2013
PLANNERS behind the proposal to build a new supermarket on the former Robinsons brewery site in Ulverston have hit out at claims the traffic impact would be “unacceptable”.
Last week, opponents of the plans highlighted a recent report that claimed the proposed store would create 4,700 extra car journeys each day.
However neither of the official bodies responsible for the area’s highways have objected to the plans.
Tony Clowes, managing director of Positive Location Properties, is overseeing the development and insists the plans will benefit the town.
He said: “The proposal has been accepted by the Highways Agency, which is responsible for the A590 trunk road and by the Highway Authority, which is responsible for highways generally, including Brewery Street.
“They have confirmed that they have no objection to our proposals.”
The Highways Agency has issued a number of conditions that must be met if the development is to go ahead, including using a variable message sign to warn motorists when the supermarket car park is almost full.
A number of Evening Mail readers have commented that any increase in car journeys caused by a new supermarket would be offset by the fact fewer local residents would have to travel to Barrow to do their shopping.
However, others have suggested the rival application for a Sainsburys at the Beehive site – just off the A590 – would have better vehicle access and so have a reduced traffic impact.
Both planning applications are likely to be decided as early as next month.
First published at 16:17, Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Have your say
Another supermarket could be good for the residents of Ulverston and Furness. A major UK supermarket chain is seeking approval to build a supermarket in Ulverston at another site. The proposals being touted for this particular site appear to be aimed at maximising the value of the site for sale to a third party possibly a supermarket chain. I have only lived in Ulverston for twenty years but I well remember Robinsons brewery company buying the local brewery then closing it down and making its Ulverston employees redundant. While I was not born in Ulverston, I have worked in business management for many years and do not find it difficult to see something in these proposals which could be a risk for the people of Ulverston who would be left with unintended consequences.
County Road from Coro to Tank Square is always a bottle neck now, especially during rush hour, and getting out of the Ellers is tricky to say the least. This development will have 2 impacts, traffic backing up from entering the underground car park onto the roundabout and traffic wishing to go along Brewery Street into Fountain Street and the town centre including the Weint Car Park being gridlocked. This is without the problem of lorries turning from Brewery Street into Hart Street. Might I humbly suggest that residents of the area know the traffic congestion far better than Mr Clowes, an official in the Highways Agency probably in Manchester or someone in an ivory tower in Carlisle.
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Czech automaker Skoda will introduce a sportier vRS version of the Kodiaq SUV in 2018. Autocar reports that the hot edition of the five and seven-seater variants of the SUV is still under development.
Story first published: Monday, September 4, 2017, 10:23 [IST]


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In 2017, Chain Reaction Research analysis showed that 74 percent of SE Asia’s palm oil refining capacity was covered by No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policies. This analysis demonstrated that in Indonesia and Malaysia, refineries with NDPE policies have a combined capacity of 53.2 million MT per year, which equals 74 percent of the total capacity in these countries.
But the report also showed that Hayel Saeed Anam Group (HSA), with its two refineries in Indonesia and one in Malaysia, is the world’s largest player in the leakage refinery market with a total refining capacity of 2.4 million MT per year.
Why does this matter? Because recently, after NGO engagement, companies in the palm oil supply chain such as Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever and others have made a material step towards radical transparency by disclosing over 11,000 interlocking palm oil business relationships. All the listed disclosures sum up to more than 11,000 relationships. These disclosures make it easier to track zero-deforestation commitments.
For example, the environmental NGO Greenpeace, using both satellite-based images and boots-on-the-ground, presented analysis demonstrating that the HSA Group was responsible for deforesting around 4,000 hectares (15 square miles) of tropical forest and peat in Papua, Indonesia from 2015 to 2017. Public supplier lists allowed Greenpeace to identify that Unilever, Mars, Nestlé, and PepsiCo were buying from companies associated with the HSA Group. By sharing this information with their corporate counterparts, NGOs can engage as watchdogs by supporting these same corporate counterparts to achieve their zero-deforestation commitments.
These palm oil sector relationship disclosures provide both NGOs and businesses greater ability to reduce the trade of unsustainable palm oil. NGOs can now view relationships across corporations and use their expertise to inform these same corporations of anomalies between their corporate zero-deforestation commitments and palm oil suppliers and mill operators – such as HSA Group – who continue to either produce or refine deforestation-linked palm oil.
Likewise, when corporations begin publicly disclosing their supply chains, this enables both their buyers and suppliers to further trust the origin and sourcing of the palm oil commodities that they are transacting. For example, this trust can add economic value to the transaction of certified crude palm oil, as is the case of MP Evans who prices its RSPO-certified palm oil at a premium of USD 15. Additionally, operational and business risks are reduced for these corporations.
This is why Unilever’s CEO Paul Polman recently stated “Greenpeace is right to hold our feet to the fire on deforestation” as the Consumer Goods Forum’s 400 members have committed to achieving zero-deforestation by 2020 in their tropical agriculture-related supply chains.


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It’s been reported that Porsche has been mulling the idea of introducing a more coupe-like SUV to rival models, like the BMW X6. Now a new report claims that Porsche has made a decision to build it and we’ll get to see it in a few months.
Autobild is reporting that Porsche will reveal the new Cayenne Coupe this fall, likely at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Since Porsche hasn’t confirmed any details about the new Cayenne Coupe, we don’t have any big details to go on. It’s expected that the Cayenne Coupe will feature a more sloped roofline to give it a more coupe-like look. Under the hood, the Cayenne Coupe will likely share the same powertrains as the standard Cayenne.
The same report claims that Porsche is finally getting ready to release a successor to the original 928. The new 928 will be positioned as a two-door grand tourer version of the Panamera.


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Nissan Gtr Vs Supra 2020
Visit here to get updated on nissan gtr vs supra 2020 and other nissan news.
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By Laura Hinton
WTCC World Touring Car Championship, Seat. Photo by sshtroumpfy
The China touring car championship gets going this Sunday with the first of ten rounds happening in Shanghai. Take a look at a roundup of the championship and it’s cars and contenders.
- The founder of gaming company Ant Hive Games has shared his experiences on starting up a company in China with this useful and informative blog post.
- As if the Qingming traffic wasn’t enough, people queued for hours last night to fill up on gas before the prices went up at midnight. The same week the first privately owned electric cars hit the the streets of Shanghai.
- Shanghai is looking for a catchy nickname for the new Oriental Sports Centre in Pudong. They aim to increase popularity ahead of the world swimming championships in July.
- The line-up has been released for Suzhou’s Strawberry Festival happening this April 30 to May 2 featuring many popular Shanghai bands, although tickets have not yet gone on sale.


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Inside Our LA Kids Fashion Fair, Spring 2019
Photos: Cameron Jordan
On Saturday, March 16, Fashion Mamas hosted its 18th Kids Fashion Fair — our beloved marketplace filled with today’s top baby, kids, and mama brands. This year’s annual spring show took place at The Grove Los Angeles, was hosted by FM members Ali Fedotowsky and Lizzy Mathis, and featured tons of special features, including a Kids Fashion Fair and a Babyzen stroller station. Check out all the fun above!


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An increase in fake reviews and false information, as well as flouting of consumer protection laws, are all possible results of the AI boom.
Consumer goods giant Unilever is set to cut jobs worldwide
By our News Team | 2022
Company with some of the world’s best-known FMCG brands is under pressure after delivering poor business performance last year.
International consumer good company Unilever has announced that it will be cutting 1 500 management jobs in its operations around the world.
The jobs are in junior and senior management in various unnamed countries. The move is believed to be in response to Unilever’s poor business performance last year and consequent pressure from investors.
Unilever has also been publicly criticised over a failed big-money bid for a division of GlaxoSmithKline, which it hoped would help deliver more sales and bottom-line value.
Unilever employs almost 150 000 people and is headquartered in the United Kingdom. In its stable are some of the world’s best-known brands. These include Marmite, Dove soap, Knorr, Lipton, Omo and Domestos. It has around 400 brands in all.
Photo by Tamorlan via Wikimedia Commons
Over-emphasis on brand purpose and sustainability
Recently the company was also criticised by a prominent British investor for a claimed over-emphasis on sustainability and brand-purpose strategies. This, the investor said, was harming its business performance.
As part of the shake-up, Unilever is to be reorganised around five areas: beauty & wellbeing, personal care, home care, nutrition and ice-cream. Each business group will be responsible for its own strategy, growth and profit delivery globally.
Currently, Unilever’s brands operate in three divisions: beauty & personal care, foods & refreshment, and home care.
“Our new organisational model has been developed over the last year and is designed to continue the step-up we are seeing in the performance of our business,” said Chief Executive, Alan Jope.
“Moving to five category-focused business groups will enable us to be more responsive to consumer and channel trends, with crystal-clear accountability for delivery. Growth remains our top priority and these changes will underpin our pursuit of this.”
As tougher times bite, only 10% of CMOs believe their marketing investments will enable them to emerge better off than their competitors.
On-the-Go stores will extend the brand and be located on TotalEnergies service station forecourts to cater to motorists and busy consumers.
The social media platform’s ad revenue is up 25.8% year-on-year and is forecast to total US$71-billion for 2024.
Alliance offers a simple, fast and convenient experience for consumers to buy groceries online, with orders being delivered within an hour.
Consumer must feel that buying the product will somehow elevate them so that they sit more squarely alongside the influencer they follow.
What are the key things that people consider before buying online? Researchers find that the computer mouse holds important clues.
Bon Marché has typically confined itself to the affluent suburbs of Zimbabwe’s capital. Now it has opened in Marondera in Mashonaland East,
As rugby fans liken the SA national team’s alternative kit to the Checkers Sixty60 e-commerce platform, the brand seizes the opportunity.
Sports apparel company renews an old partnership with Newcastle United as it further cements its presence in top soccer competitions.
Interactive Advertising Bureau study finds internet advertising has reached a new high of 34% of the overall SA advertising market.


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Hot on the heels of yesterday’s Sith Trooper design reveal via starwars.com, Lego announces the 484 piece LEGO Sith Trooper Bust (set #77901) which will be available to exclusives portal lottery winners at SDCC for $45.00. The box sports an “Early Release Edition” logo in the bottom right hand side. Hopefully, that means it will see a broader retailer release later this year or next.
Full gallery below:
LEGO® Star Wars™ Sith trooper™ Bust – SDCC Retail Exclusive
A first-look at this must-have collectible building set featuring the bust of the new Sith trooper from the highly anticipated film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker which will be exclusively sold to select attendees at San Diego Comic-Con. Attendees must have entered a submission of interest for this LEGO Exclusive through the San Diego Comic-Con 2019 Exclusives Portal. For more information on SDCC Exclusives, visit the official SDCC site.
A life-size Sith Trooper model will also be on display at the LEGO Comic-Con Booth (#2829 Hall D).
LEGO Star Wars™ Sith trooper™ – a brick-built, life-size model of new Sith trooper from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
- Six-feet-and-two-inches tall
- 34,307 bricks
- 259 hours to design and build
- 169 pounds
Flickering Myth has a time-lapse video of the construction process for the life-size model.
More later. DrunkWooky out!


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A nameplate once synonymous with an SUV will no longer be an SUV.
It's been nearly a year since we first learned Chevrolet plans to bring back the iconic Blazer, an SUV built from 1969 till 2005. The nameplate is synonymous with off-roading and just about everything else a true SUV is capable of. Unfortunately, it does not appear Chevrolet has plans for its reborn Blazer to compete head-on with the also reborn Ford Bronco SUV. That's because the Blazer is coming back as a crossover. Our spy photographers caught what appears to be an advanced prototype in southern Europe undergoing hot weather testing.
Sources claim the new Blazer will fill the slot between the Equinox and the Traverse, and is built on the same platform, known internally as Chi, as the latest GMC Acadia and the just revealed Cadillac XT4. It's also expected to be a five-seater with two rows. Under the hood there'll likely be a choice of two familiar engines, the entry-level 2.5-liter four-cylinder or the optional 3.6-liter V6. If you recall, these are the exact same engines available in the Acadia, though there's one interesting change: a nine-speed automatic transmission is expected to replace the Acadia's six-speed unit. The Blazer will go head-to-head against the likes of the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano.
Thanks to platform sharing and common engines, the new Blazer mainly required only a new design inside and out. It's no longer badge engineering (old GM), but rather platform engineering (nearly the entire auto industry today). An official debut is expected to happen at either Los Angeles in November or in Detroit in January.


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A new feed additive which uses seaweed from the Outer Hebrides has hit the market.
Ekogea UK says its product, BCxF, has successfully undergone trials on more than 20 broiler farms in the UK and has improved bird performance.
Administered via water lines, it is comprised of Ascophyllum Nodosum, a EU-approved feed ingredient which the firm says can improve gut health.
Cornish broiler farmer James Hatch says its use on his farms has reduced mortality, improved feed conversion and overall bird health.
The firm says average weight gain is 4% higher, while ammonia emissions, hock burn, pododermatitis and campylobacter levels are lower.
Philip Hughes, Ekogea’s Agricultural Director, said: “The broiler production industry in the UK faces a number of significant challenges including the need to lower ammonia emissions, reduce the dependency upon antibiotics and provide a roadmap for farms to become more resilient and commercially viable.”
Ekogea UK, which has offices in North Wales and Devon, is also developing a range of other seaweed-derived products for use in other agricultural sectors including pigs and cattle as well as the anaerobic digestion industry.
The company has been selected by the Welsh Government for its Accelerated Growth Programme, a scheme aimed at supporting fast-growth businesses. It has also been working closely with the Department for International Trade as its products have significant export potential.


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After much talk about shifting priorities to making a Tesla pickup truck, CEO Elon Musk now says that Tesla ‘might’ unveil an electric pickup truck prototype as soon as next year.
Musk has been quite excited about the prospect of Tesla making an electric pickup truck – going as far as saying that it is the product he is most excited about in Tesla’s busy product roadmap.
We already know quite a bit about the Tesla pickup truck after Musk sought suggestions about the vehicle in development and shared some of the targeted specs.
He talked about it being a 6-seater “big truck” with an option for 400 to 500 miles of range, “maybe higher”.
While those would be impressive specs for an electric pickup truck, it was not clear why Musk was so excited about the product until he said that the Tesla Pickup Truck will have a ‘really futuristic-like cyberpunk Blade Runner’ design.
They are slowly letting some design ideas and specs out, but the timeline is still unclear.
Now Musk says that we may at least see a prototype of the Tesla pickup truck next year:
I’m dying to make a pickup truck so bad … we might have a prototype to unveil next year
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 11, 2018
Last month, the CEO also hinted at accelerated plans for the electric pickup to take priority over the Tesla Semi and next-generation Roadster at least based on “resource priority”.
We have been pushing for Tesla to unveil and start taking reservations for their electric pickup sooner rather than later because I think it will kickstart the electric pickup truck industry in the US. That should have a massive impact on the emissions from the American transport industry in the long-term.
Rivian did a pretty good job last month with the launch of their own electric pickup, but I think Tesla is more likely to have a bigger impact due to their recent history.
The ideal scenario that we have been talking about is that Tesla would unveil Model Y and Tesla Pickup at the same time in March 2019, but the company is allocating more capital in 2019 to bring Model Y and Tesla Semi to production within the next year.
The pickup could come to market later, but Tesla could still start taking reservations for it to show how much demand there is for electric pickup trucks.
Now the scenario is still a possibility with Musk saying that they could show the prototype in 2019, but it could also be later in the year.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.
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Matthew Yglesias is on vacation.
Lego is thriving over its competitors, and 3D printing may have just crossed a critical threshold. Here’s how they’re related.
When I was in middle school, a friend and I became obsessed with BattleBots, which aired on Comedy Central from 2000-2002 and existed only to show footage of a demolition derby of remote-controlled robots.
Of course, we wanted destructive robots as well. Michael, my friend, chose to build his out of Lego Mindstorms, which were kits that included programmable computers. He was more interested than I was in the finesse of robotics; on one occasion he built a torpedo-launching turret. I was more of an Army of Darkness, helicopter-car kind of kid, so I went with K’Nex, which offered no programmability. My robots, in hindsight, were pretty stupid—at least until I stuck 9-volts in the battery packs.
These memories came flooding back after reports surfaced of a new line of computerized Lego toys that are expanding on that ancestry. They’re more expensive, less child-focused, and, according to one former Lego employee speaking to Businessweek, angrier-looking and more conflict-based. Businessweek also notes that Lego has outpaced its competitors, embraced digital media (including video games and an impending movie with Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman), and integrated smartphone programmability.
There is another reason why Lego is succeeding. It’s because Lego helped build the economy we’re all walking into—for the better.
The specific industry that Lego’s Mindstorms products have most influenced, by my count, isn’t construction or even programming generally. The industry Mindstorms have most influenced is 3D printing. It seems to be a mechanical mecca for the kids who were passionate about their programmable Legos.
To many, 3D printing incorporates a wide swath of weird and extreme topics, from printed guns to piracy. But it’s more accurately associated with everything from superhero movies to medicine, if for no other reason than that’s where the industry’s future lies. This month, a father printed a prosthetic hand for his son instead of paying tens of thousands for one from a factory. He borrowed the printer from his son’s school. And he wasn’t the first. In other words, this industry is already making a ton of money and improving lives, right under our noses.
3D printing’s development depends on how well it’s able to reach the mainstream. That’s why it was big news this week when a 28-year-old from Canada created a printer for under $100. (Here’s a video showing how his process works.) To foster even more techno-utopian charm, CBC is reporting that he’s collected “more than $700,000 in crowdsourced funding.”
The connection between these Lego kids and this new industry that promises to change manufacturing as we know it is anecdotal—for now. But it’s analogous to the era of industry that produced a generation of programmers who were baptized by the Commodore 64. Sergey Brin, a co-founder of Google, noted that as these industries become more refined—as the Commodore 64 turns into an iMac—there are barriers of complexity added as well, which serve to block out the uninitiated.
Michael, for his part, ended up making design tools for architects and built from scratch a three-axis mill, which is like a printer except it cuts material into a shape instead of layering it. He says, “Mindstorms convinced me it wasn’t impossible to make whatever I wanted.”
Lego’s products are the antithesis of those barriers. And so long as Mindstorms graduates shape the 3D printing industry, I expect Lego will be warmly rewarded. By leading innovatively, Lego created effects that have reached well beyond its revenue, and reinforced its position as one of the smartest things parents can buy for their children. Either for play, or for a new hand.
You can build a 3D printer with Legos using these instructions.


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Suffering regarding May 10 begin
Authorities have launched preparations for the next holiday - May 10, the birthday of Heydar Aliyev timed to the Day flowers, a holiday devised by authorities. The essence of the holiday is unclear, and it is only mentioned that Heydar Aliyev was very fond of roses, especially red.
For several years on this day huge amounts of money are spent on the purchase from abroad tons of expensive flowers imported in Baku from around the world. Authorities carefully conceal the cost of these expenses; according to unofficial information the talk is about tens of millions of manats.
Apparently, this time the authorities decided to outdo all previous records , and began preparations a month before. Thus, the square in front of Conservatoire has been fully enclosed; traditionally the holiday takes place there.
However , this year the scale of the festival will be extended by the so-called Winter Boulevard, where began the construction of similar structures, and the festival’s territory will expand by several times.
At the same time these preparatory measures cause problems the residents of the adjacent zone and pedestrians: it is impossible to go to the opposite side, because people have to go round.
Such attitude by the Mayor Office and the authorities to own citizens is no longer news.
The main thing is to prove to ourselves that we do not have analogues. -02В-


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Slashes a fifth of Motorola Mobility workforce. Google's Android hardware partners must watch and wait on any forthcoming Motorola products.
What Kindle Fire Needs To Beat Nexus Tablet
(click image for larger view and for slideshow)
Google in a financial filing Monday revealed that it plans to cut 20% of the workforce at its Motorola Mobility subsidiary--4,000 jobs out of 20,000--in an effort to restore the mobile hardware company to profitability.
Google announced plans to acquire Motorola Mobility in August 2011 for $12.5 billion and the deal was approved by U.S. and E.U. regulators in February 2012. Google CEO Larry Page characterized the acquisition as a way to strengthen Google's patent portfolio, "which will enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple, and other companies."
Page also suggested that Motorola Mobility would continue to be a leading Android hardware maker, though he and other Google executives have been vague about the hardware that Motorola Mobility would be called on to make. It's now clear that Motorola Mobility's contributions to the Android hardware ecosystem will diminish.
Two-thirds of the layoffs are slated for outside the U.S. and the company also plans to shut down about one-third of its 90 facilities in order to simplify its product line and de-emphasize feature phones--low-end mobile phones--in favor of smartphones and other more profitable devices.
"While Motorola expects this strategy to create new opportunities and help return its mobile devices unit to profitability, it understands how hard these changes will be for the employees concerned," a company spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. "Motorola is committed to helping them through this difficult transition and will be providing generous severance packages, as well as outplacement services to help people find new jobs."
In its 8-K filing, Google stated that its expects to incur up to $275 million in severance-related costs in the third and fourth quarters of 2012, along with additional restructuring charges, mainly recognized in the third quarter. The filing also noted that Motorola Mobility lost money in 14 of its last 16 quarters.
Google has yet to prove that it can compete as a maker of consumer electronics devices. It began selling the HTC-designed Nexus One online in January 2010 then stopped six months later, the result of poor sales. Its Google TV effort has struggled to gain traction, thanks to software released too early, lack of support from major content providers, and hardware like the Logitech Revue that was priced too high. And the company's first-home grown hardware, the Nexus Q streaming media player, was recently postponed indefinitely following poor reviews and complaints about the device's high price.
But all is not lost: The Asus-made, Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet has been widely praised and is selling well. The question is what Motorola Mobility, after the layoffs, will be able to bring to the table and how any forthcoming Motorola products might affect the decisions of Google's Android hardware partners.
We welcome your comments on this topic on our social media channels, or [contact us directly] with questions about the site.
2017 State of IT ReportIn today's technology-driven world, "innovation" has become a basic expectation. IT leaders are tasked with making technical magic, improving customer experience, and boosting the bottom line -- yet often without any increase to the IT budget. How are organizations striking the balance between new initiatives and cost control? Download our report to learn about the biggest challenges and how savvy IT executives are overcoming them.


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NMG CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck had the honor of chatting with Brunello Cucinelli and his team live from the brand’s hamlet in Solomeo, Italy. Brunello Cucinelli has been a Neiman Marcus brand partner for over 20 years, and their commitment to tradition and craftsmanship is evident in everything they produce. “Brunello Cucinelli, for me, defines luxury and sophistication, and each piece of the collections tells an incredible story of his inspiration and craftsmanship,” said van Raemdonck. The exclusive conversation revolved around the brand’s long-term partnership with Neiman Marcus, Cucinelli’s hopes for the world after the pandemic, and our collective responsibility for each other and the planet. “Let’s substitute fear with hope…The years to come are going to be better. But I really think what is going to be better is our human soul, because we need kindness, and manners, and grace, and respect. But we also need a balance with giving back. That is our duty – to be guardians for humanity.” Join the conversation about NMG Conversations on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
NMG CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck had the honor of chatting with Brunello Cucinelli and his team live from the brand’s hamlet in Solomeo, Italy.
An exclusive conversation with Jeff Koons and Michel Bernardaud about their newly launched piece of art, “Diamond.”


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Best Summer Travel Apps To Save You Time & Money In just a couple of weeks school will be letting out for the summer break. Whether you have plans to hit the road with the kids or are looking for a little adventure for yourself, there are apps to help you save time and money from your phone.
Google Daydream VR Vision: With Opportunity Comes ChallengesNew virtual-reality headsets based on Google's new Daydream VR system could make for better games and more affordable applications.
Phone Scammers Using Social Media To Hack Into Bank AccountsA little-known vulnerability is being used to empty consumers’ bank accounts using nothing more than a telephone.
Facebook's Zuckerberg Meets With ConservativesFacebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg is meeting with conservative leaders Wednesday to discuss claims its "trending topics" section is biased against them.
Android Software A Core Part of Google ConferenceThe core of Google's annual conference is its Android system that powers 80 percent of the world's smartphones.
Report: Twitter Will Stop Counting Pictures, Links In Character LimitTwitter users will now have a bit more freedom when it comes to their tweets.
Facebook CEO To Meet With Conservative LeadersFacebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to meet with conservative leaders this week- among them radio host Glenn Beck and American Enterprise Institute president Arthur Brooks.
Warren Buffett's Company Buys 9.8 Million Apple SharesWarren Buffett's company bought 9.8 million shares of Apple - something that may lead investors to question his long-standing aversion to tech stocks.
Facebook Says No Evidence Conservative Stories Suppressed Social media giant Facebook says they have found no evidence to prove that their contractors suppressed stories of interest to conservatives in its "Trending" section.
Hulu To Sell Internet TV package With Live ProgrammingHulu says it will expand its internet television programming with a subscription service offering a mix of live cable and broadcast options.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Wants To Wake You UpDwayne "The Rock" Johnson wants to wake you up.
Thousands Pack eMerge Technology ConventioneMerge Americas, a convention in its third year in Miami Beach, brings together technology experts, enthusiasts and investors from all over the world.


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Wintrust Business Lunch 11/14/19: Disney+ Buzz, Bunker Labs Growth, & Amazon 4-star
Steve Bertand, hosts the afternoon business program discussing a range of subjects from why there is so much buzz surrounding Disney+, to how Bunker Labs is helping veterans transition from the service world to the business world.
Segment 1: (At 0:00) Ian Sherr, CNET Editor at CNET, touched base on the technology world by catching up on the buzz surrounding Disney+, how Amazon could be building a grocery store for it’s customers and much more.
Segment 2: (At 7:24) Bill Geiger, CEO of Geiger Wealth Management, reviewed the most important retirement tips for a secure and comfortable retirement after a long hard career.
Segment 3: (At 12:29) Todd Connor, CEO of Bunker Labs, reminded listeners about Veterans Day that kicked off the week and explained how his business lab is helping veterans firsthand by leveraging incredibly qualified people that are outside of the professional world.


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They’re extremely popular
Jack Hollis, general manager of the Toyota Division at Toyota Motor North America, says that 40 percent of all Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner models sold in 2017 had a TRD package – and a whopping 56 percent of Tacomas were TRD variants. Moreover, he says that those numbers are only increasing.
“On Tacoma specifically, it’s still trending upward.”
In fact, Hollis says that #trd is the most-popular Toyota tag on Instagram, because off-roaders tend to like sharing their adventures with friends via social media.. That, in turn, helps spread awareness of the models.
“We win because of that advocacy and enjoyment,” Hollis says.
Limited in quantity, and likely to sell out
Toyota will only build 5,000 units of each of the TRD Pro models, so if you want one, you’ll need to hit your local dealer fast. Traditionally, the vehicles haven’t stuck around on dealer lots for very long at all.
“They fly off the lot,” says Matt Larkin, Toyota vehicle marketing communications planner. “It is definitely fast.”
Tundra/4Runner switch to Fox Racing suspension
The Tacoma TRD Pro had already used Fox Racing shocks since 2016, but now the Tundra and 4Runner also adopt the suspension components – replacing Bilsteins from before. The move was intended to align the feel of all three TRD Pro models as the TRD division adjusted some of its internal ride-and-handling goals, says Jakin Wilson, TRD development engineering manager.
“We wanted to have harmony for the three brothers,” he says. “You can see advantages both on- and off-road.”
Why have the raised-up intake?
That intake, mounted atop the A-pillar, is an option on the TRD Pro; if you want it, you must elect it when ordering the truck. Because a hole must be cut in the fender, the intake cannot be installed after production. TRD decided to add it as a factory option after seeing so many customers installed intakes like that in the aftermarket, Wilson says.
Speaking of which, don’t call it a snorkel. It’s not waterproofed and does not change the Taco’s water fording depth. Instead, the “TRD Desert Air Intake” is intended simply to keep dust out of the air filter. It channels air straight into the regular air filter box under the hood.
“You don’t have as must dust ingestion,” Wilson says. “It was kind of a customer request.”
Voodoo Blue comes from a heritage model
OK, “heritage” might be a bit strong given it was sold in the U.S. through the 2014 model year. But either way, the new TRD Pro-exclusive “Voodoo Blue” paint color comes from the erstwhile FJ Cruiser SUV. Sadly, Toyota has not yet shown us any photos of the color, nor are any Voodoo Blue TRD Pros on display at the auto show – so here's a look at a skid plate instead.
Intended for high-speed desert running
While certainly plenty capable of the type of low-speed rock crawling on which some off-road vehicles are focused, the TRD Pro models are intended more for flat-out, higher-speed blasts through the desert. That fits, after all, with Toyota’s heritage in races like Baja.
“Our focus is really high-speed,” Wilson says. “I think that’s what our customers want.”
Specific customer base
Who buys TRD Pro trucks? According to Larkin, buyers of the special models tend to be younger, more affluent, better educated, and with a higher household income than other versions of the Tacoma/4Runner/Tundra. As to where they’re popular, the answer is really: everywhere.
“They are in high demand, whether they’re on the coasts or in the middle of the country,” Larkin says.


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10 things in tech you need to know today
Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Wednesday.
- Facebook is adding a new e-commerce feature called Shops to let businesses sell products through the social network. Facebook said it accelerated the rollout of the feature to help small businesses affected by COVID-19.
- Google said it will no longer build custom AI tools for fossil fuel extraction as it looks to distance itself from the oil and gas industry. The announcement followed a Greenpeace report revealing a number of cloud computing services provided by tech companies to the energy industry.
- Uber paid its laid-off hourly workers far fewer weeks of severance than others, but the company now plans to retroactively pay them more. The hourly workers are still largely unaware of Uber's plans to pay them more, according to a source familiar with the matter.
- EasyJet says hackers stole 9 million customers' personal data, including email addresses and credit card details. EasyJet said it has closed off the unauthorized access and will notify affected customers this week.
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai refuted a report that the company scaled back its diversity programs in order to avoid conservative backlash. "We probably have more resources invested in diversity now than at any point in our history as a company," said the Google chief.
- Mark Zuckerberg said he is "worried" about China setting the agenda for tech regulation during a live streamed conversation with an EU commissioner. "I think the best antidote to that is having a clear regulatory framework that comes out of Western democratic countries and that can become a standard around the world that we can show works well," Zuckerberg said.
- A court in Texas selected its first jury via Zoom. The case is a summary jury trial, which means the jury's verdict will be non-binding.
- Joe Rogan's podcast is moving exclusively to Spotify. It's the platform's latest addition to the podcast empire it's building to compete with Apple and Google
- When Facebook reopens its offices in July it will limit them to 25% occupancy and require employees to wear masks, Bloomberg reports. Sources told Bloomberg the company outlined to staff globally how it plans to handle a return to major job sites starting July 6.
- Zoom no longer lets users in China sign up for free accounts, Nikkei Asian Review reports. This is reportedly due to "regulatory requirements" in China forcing users to sign up for paid accounts.
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Facilitated by the development of the mobile broadband industry, the attractiveness of smartphones in the Pakistani Nation has full-fledged enormous throughout the last two years. If market calculates approximately in 2015 have been correct, you will get a shock to hear that the country has more than 40 million smartphones today.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Report in 2015. Smartphone delivery to the Pakistani nation saw one of the best ever growth rates for smartphone imports in the Asian and African area, in the same year, smartphones make a payment to half of Pakistan’s mobile imports.
Due to the massive hit of smartphones flood into the country, more and more Pakistani nation revolutionize from feature phones to smartphones. Those who have not yet taken them up haven’t done so majorly due to security concerns, and not for the lack of tendency towards the new trending gadgets. The share of smartphone constantly rises even more in a marketplace equipped with 3G and 4G, which have 35 million mobile data subscribers.
While Apple’s iPhone and the extra feature-rich models of Samsung won the battle and have been favorites among technology fanatics and high-income group customers, Huawei low-end models, QMobile and Samsung and admired because of the sensible price picking they offer. QMobile leads both smartphone and feature phone markets and grasps over 50 % of the smartphone market segment. The previous year, Huawei increased its share from 7.3 % to 8.9% while Samsung had 20.5% of the smartphone market share.
The attractiveness of smartphones among people-powered the expansion of businesses like Careem, which, devoid of owning a single vehicle, has become a triumphant business worth 1 billion US dollars. For today’s businesses Smartphones are the market square. As they present technology connectivity, entrepreneurs anticipate them to be a promotion medium for ideas and products.
The boom in smartphones in these latest years has seen to it that Pakistani nation mobile end users do not observe the mobile phone as a simple communication device anymore. In addition connecting people, phones are now linking technologies. The influx of smartphones has meant that your phone now acts as a camera, as well as a photo editor, a file scanner, weather forecaster, a small portable workplace and much more.
Moreover, thanks to new-fangled online business and medical technology resolutions, this portable device supports health and security, and makes eating, traveling, paying bills more satisfying and simpler practices. Smartphones have given urban life in the rapid lane a boost and gave advantages to start-ups and business ventures. It is no surprise that, along with our reliance on these devices, hopes we have from them are intensifying. Users look forward them to provide convenience and solutions in every field, from health, logistics, and recreation to make things easier for daily bulky tasks.
IDC anticipates smartphones to take the attention feature phones by end of 2017, even though smartphones at this time make up 31% of the mobile market. It looks a massive chunk of our population is gradually adapting to smarter phones. Pakistan is also predictable to have 17 million more mobile subscribers by 2020, reports from the GSMA’s 2017 Mobile Economy Report. These trends are signs of escalating technology knowledge in our nation. As mobile and smartphone users augment in different income groups, we can guess changes in the standard of living of entire communities. More and more people will have right to use to the convenience and technology solutions presented by and through smartphones. The amplified number of users brings business prospects for entrepreneurs that fancy to use this medium to access a wide base of potential and target customers.


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January 6, 2006 (HOSTSEARCH.COM) Phoenix-based web hosting provider StartLogic, Inc. (http://www.startlogic.com) announced recently a new web site hosting special and an improved domain name feature for the companys ProLogic hosting plan.
The special provides new customers with one full year of hosting for only $50. The company also announced improvements in its ProLogic plan which allows its customers to host up to 10 domain names with one hosting account.
This is going to be a great year for StartLogic and we wanted to start it out right, says John Raygoza, General Manager for StartLogic. We are constantly trying to look for additional ways to bring great value to our plans and our products, and we are very pleased to pass the benefits of our efforts along to our customers.


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Men's underwear is not what it used to be.
The classic white cottons are still there for those who like the status quo. But shorts of ribbed cotton, viscose, rayon or silk are increasingly popular. The legs of many new briefs are cut higher, while boxers are longer and knit to be soft and stretchy. Tom Julian, a spokesman for the Men's Fashion Association, a trade group, said this trend complements the new languid fabrics in men's wear.
"Joe Boxer's ribbed-knit boxer with elasticized ribbed cuffs on the thighs is one of the biggest and best innovations we've seen in years," he said. "And Jockey has really changed its mentality."
He cited that company's new string bikinis ($7) in 20 colors and combed-cotton stretch knits, popular this winter in tapered boxers. "They've picked up from the Lycra-spandex biker-short business." For the Active Man
Some men are wearing their underwear over or under running shorts. And there are more variations on waistbands, some in colors and patterns. Cotton flannel is emerging as a favored fabric under running shorts and Lycra bottoms.
Erica Fineberg, a spokeswoman for Jockey, said the company had responded to men's wishes with an array of novelty prints on boxers. This underwear, she says, can literally be worn on the street.
Jockey's Elance line of basic combed cotton hip-huggers has added colors and done away withthe vent front. They are sold three for $12. Jockey's Comfort Ribs line (two pairs for $13) are made in 10 colors, and, like the Elance, have no fly.
Joe Boxer, known for pajamas and loungewear, has come out with a collection of briefs and boxers. Its Almost Knee Length boxer is best described as a hybrid between a brief and a boxer.
It is made of lightweight, soft combed cotton, has a contour pouch instead of a fly and gentle ribbing at the thigh hems to anchor the legs. "We tested our brief and boxer styles and found that men wanted us to do away with the fly," said Alexandra Madero, a spokeswoman for Joe Boxer.
In six colors, they are $18 a pair. Cotton boxers with novelty patterns that double as walking shorts are $15.
Charles Goodnight's underwear line, Shadow Boxer, has moved toward much longer boxers, with waistbands meant to be seen above the beltline of slacks and in vibrant patterns to be worn as streetwear. The line emphasizes sporty icons of fishing, golf and baseball. Its boxers is $13 to $28 a pair, depending on the prints.
"Equality has come even to men's underwear," said Larry Hotz, another spokesman for the Men's Fashion Association. "There are more styles, cuts and patterns than ever.
"When you see what looks like the guy's slip is showing," he added, "that's a fashion look."


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The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced the launch of the Oklahoma Diverse Business Certification Program. Part of the Oklahoma Supplier Diversity Initiative, the program allows Certified Diverse Business Enterprise firms to be registered with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) and provide for simplified vendor registration processes.
“There are so many quality companies in our state and often they don’t know how to make their name, products and services known,” said Brent Kisling, Commerce Executive Director. “State agencies and private businesses often turn to state resources to find qualified companies. Through this certification program and the registered vendor list, we can help connect minority-owned companies to more business opportunities.”
“This initiative will open the door for minority businesses to grow and provide quality products and services that will impact the State of Oklahoma and create true Economic Development for all communities,” said David Castillo, President & CEO, Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber, and Chair of the Governor’s Minority Business Council.
Interested companies can find more information and complete the Diversity Business Certification Program application at okcommerce.gov/diversebusiness. Commerce will review the application and has the authority to qualify and certify Diverse Business Enterprise companies for the State. Once a company receives certification, its business information will be available at okcommerce.gov/diversebusiness.


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Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) has trimmed prices of its apparel range at Pantaloons Retail by 7-8% as the company passed on the benefits of the goods and services tax (GST) to customers and sharpened its focus on value fashion.
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) has trimmed prices of its apparel range at Pantaloons Retail by 7-8% as the company passed on the benefits of the goods and services tax (GST) to customers and sharpened its focus on value fashion. The company has consciously been focusing on value fashion and bringing down product prices in the Pantaloons stores for the last one year. With taxes lowering post roll-out of the GST from July 1, the company passed on the lower tax of 5% from the earlier 7% on products costing below Rs 1,000 to customers to boost demand. Supply chain efficiencies following GST implementation have provided more opportunities to companies to reduce prices. “As we continue to focus on value fashion, we have brought down our prices by 7-8% in the July-September quarter post implementation of the GST,” said Ashish Dikshit, business head, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, at a post earnings conference call.
As on September 30, 2017, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail has 1,893 exclusive brand outlets and 210 Pantaloons value stores operational in the country. The company operates a total 6.7 million sqft of retail space across formats. Experts said the price cut is higher than the direct tax benefit ABFRL got post the roll-out of the GST as companies also passed on lower costs of supply chain, warehousing, among others, to customers. Rajat Wahi, partner, Deloitte India, said: “Apart from getting a direct tax benefit of around 2%, retail companies focusing on value fashion must be passing the supply chain benefits such as abolition of tolls in many locations and reduction in number of warehouses, among others. While there may be short-term impact on margins of companies due to the price cuts, the main focus of companies is to boost sales. However, in the long-term, cost benefits got through supply chain will mitigate the impact.”
Anurag Mathur, partner, PWC, said: “Transportation and logistic costs have rationalised, which has helped the companies to lower prices.” Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail had cut prices of its apparel range by around 4-5% last year as well and had indicated that the company would take further price cuts as it would sharpen its focus on value fashion. Value fashion, or fashion at affordable rates, ranges between Rs 400 and Rs 1,500, and had emerged as one of the fastest growing segments with all large players rapidly expanding their footprints. Vasanth Kumar, executive director at Max Fashion, told FE that the company has reduced product prices by 2-5% in its stores following the GST roll-out. The price cut has been a little higher than the direct GST benefit as the company passed on the benefits of supply chain to customers. Sales of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail were impacted in July soon after the roll-out of the GST, but there was a swift recovery in August. September recorded a strong like-to-like sales growth of 23% on the back of the festive season. The company added 30 Pantaloons stores in Q2FY18 and 72 stores were added between Q2FY17 and Q2FY18.
Hit by the GST, ABFRL reported a net loss of Rs 10 crore in Q2FY18, against a net profit of Rs 65 crore reported in the year-ago period. The profit after tax before the GST impact in Q2FY18 stood at Rs 16 crore. The company reported a 4.3% decline in net revenue to Rs 1,804 crore, mainly due to the impact in sales following the GST.
Moreover, due to early season sales announced in June to clear stocks ahead of the GST implementation, customers made their purchases a month earlier. The company reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of Rs 100 crore in Q2FY18, compared with Rs 172 crore in Q2FY17. ABFRL’s EBITDA margin for the second quarter stood at 5.5%, against 9.1% in the same period a year ago. At the end of the September quarter, the company had net debt of Rs 1,946 crore.


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Lionbridge wins the prestigious Microsoft "Vendor of the Year" Excellence Award
Microsoft Selects Lionbridge among 17,200 Service Providers across Industries; Recognizes Lionbridge for its Exceptional Service
WALTHAM, Mass. (October 03, 2008) – Lionbridge Technologies, Inc., (Nasdaq: LIOX), today announced it has been selected by Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) as its “Vendor of the Year” as part of the 2008 Microsoft Vendor Program (MSVP) Excellence Awards. Chosen from among more than 17,200 Microsoft vendors in the U.S., eight companies were selected across seven categories. Lionbridge was selected as the sole winner of the 2008 “Vendor of the Year” award. Winners in other categories include Marriott International Inc., Grubb & Ellis Co., Compass Group PLC, CRG Events, Toshiba America Inc., MV Transportation Inc., and Revonet Inc. The vendors received their awards during the seventh MSVP Annual Vendor Summit on Microsoft's corporate campus in Redmond last night.
In a Microsoft press release issued yesterday, the Company commented “The MSVP Excellence Awards recognize those Microsoft vendors that stand head and shoulders above the rest for the quality and consistency of their service," said Tim McBride, general manager and chief procurement officer at Microsoft. "Numerous companies make exceptional contributions to the success of Microsoft, making the selection process challenging each year. We congratulate our 2008 MSVP Excellence Awards recipients and look forward to continued partnership and collaboration.”
Selected by a panel of Microsoft executives, recipients of the MSVP Excellence Awards are recognized for the exceptional service they provide to the company. To be considered for this award, vendors must first be nominated by a Microsoft employee based on the characteristics of value, quality, flexibility, innovation, security and privacy.
“This award recognizes the 4,600 Lionbridge team members across 26 countries who excel 24 hours a day, every day to ensure Microsoft’s products and content meet the language and technology requirements of its customers worldwide,” said Rory Cowan, CEO, Lionbridge. “As a world leader in innovation, Microsoft holds its providers to the highest standards for quality, value and creativity. As a leading Microsoft provider for translation, localization, testing and development services, we are honored to meet and exceed those expectations.”
Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIOX) is a leading provider of globalization, development and testing services. Lionbridge combines global onshore, near shore and offshore resources with proven program management methodologies to serve as an outsource partner throughout a client’s product and content lifecycle - from development to globalization, testing and maintenance. Global organizations in all industries rely on Lionbridge services to increase


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Symantec warns of Facebook IPO scam
By Digital News Asia May 23, 2012
- Scam offers ‘soft’ terms to buy FB shares
- Amateurish communications and UPPERCASE headings dead giveaways
SYMANTEC Security Response said it has spotted a 419 scam message offering a "FACEBOOK (IPO) SUBSCRIPTION PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL.”
The use of an all-uppercase heading is a common hallmark of such 419 scams, Symantec said in a statement.
They are known as 419 scams, taking their name from Section 419 of the Nigerian penal code -- many of thse scams seem to originate form that country.
This scam claims to be sent from a finance firm with offices in multiple locations worldwide. The exact nature of the scam is unclear. The scam mentions loaning money under "soft" or generous terms to buy Facebook shares and then selling them back to the finance firm at a price higher than the original purchase price.
As shown in the screenshot below, a strong indication that it is a scam is the email address which the scammer is soliciting replies to, Symantec said. It is an amateurish-looking address at a common free web-based email provider.
A legitimate company would almost certainly use an email address from its own domain rather than a free web-based address, Symantec noted. The email address and name in the "From" header of the message are also different to the email address and name used in the message body.
Facebook was listed on the Nasdaq exchange on May 18, with an offer price of US$38 a share. The stock went down 11% on its first day of full trading. The listing raised US$16 billion and gave the social networking giant a value of around US$104 billion.
Given the high profile nature of this IPO, Symantec expects scammers to take advantage of it in the same way that they have taken advantage of previous news stories and events.
For more information on the above, please click this link to the Symantec’s Security Response blog post at http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/419-scammers-take-advantage-facebook-ipo
Symantec advises Internet users to follow these best practices to avoid falling prey to similar scams:
- Do not click on suspicious links in email messages
- Avoid providing any personal information when answering an email
- Frequently update your security software which protects you from online phishing.