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Networks Asia — The growth of IT and digital as well as a steady stream of replacement-based positions continued to drive hiring, particularly for business-critical functions such as legal and compliance and accounting and finance, according to the Robert Walters Asia Job Index Q3 2015. Despite a slowdown in growth, Asia is still one of the key growth drivers of the global economy and businesses will continue to expand to tap into the opportunities in the region.
Channel News Asia — SINGAPORE: Enterprise cloud computing company Salesforce has been named the best place to work in Singapore, according to a list by consultancy firm Great Place to Work. This is the consultancy’s first annual list for Singapore. In its report released on Friday (Nov 6), it found that high levels of trust and engagement among employees are “synonymous with high-performing work culture”.
IT News — Telstra will shed more than 400 call centre positions throughout Australia, with Townsville in northern Queensland the hardest hit by the staff reductions. According to the Communication Workers Union, most of the proposed redundancies will take place in Telstra’s customer service delivery team.
Taiwan’s unemployment in September fell slightly to 3.89%, the lowest level for that month in 15 years, according to government statistics released Thursday. Statistics showed that the average jobless rate for the first nine months of this year — 3.74 percent — is also the lowest since 2000, when the average unemployment rate of the same period stood at 2.91%.
Deal Street Asia — On the one hand, India is a hotbed for technological innovations with tech start-ups mushrooming across the country and unicorns such as Flipkart giving a tough battle to global giants like Amazon. On the other, educational institutions, barring a few elite and premier ones, are still struggling to make their presence felt online.
CFO Innovation — Salary increases for employees in most markets across Asia Pacific will be lower in real terms next year despite a rise in average salary budgets from 2015, owing to growing inflationary pressure, according to new research released today by leading global professional services company Towers Watson.
Want China Times — Wistron, a Taiwanese contract manufacturer of computer servers for Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Lenovo, denied claims by a Danish human rights organization on Monday that it used forced student labor at its Chinese factory. “As our company receives input from various organizations we will look for any improvements which will enhance the well-being of our staff,” Wistron said in an email to CNA on Monday, citing a statement it issued on Aug.
Digi Times — Rumors have been circulating in Taiwan’s semiconductor industry that Charles Kau, who works both as Inotera Memories chairman and Nanya Technology president, will be hired by China’s Tsinghua Unigroup to support the establishment of the region’s DRAM industry sector. Kau will be appointed as executive VP of Tsinghua Unigroup’s global operations, and will be responsible for the development of China’s home-grown DRAM technology and production capacity, according to the rumors. Kau will also help build a competitive talent pool for China’s DRAM sector.
Times of India — Toshiba Corp may lay off staff in its underperforming home appliances, TV and PC businesses and seek a partner for its nuclear operations to overhaul the company after a $1.3 billion accounting scandal, its chief executive said. “The latest accounting problems might have been driven by the fact that some of our businesses have lost earnings power. We must urgently take action in these businesses,” chief executive Masashi Muromachi told a roundtable of reporters.
Vietnam Net — Annual salaries of IT staff in Vietnam stand at an average of $30,938, ranking the country second from bottom and lower than other countries in Asia such as China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Bulgaria pays the lowest annual salaries for IT workers, at $25,680 per year, while Switzerland pays the highest, at $171,465, followed by Belgium, Denmark, the US, and the UK.
Computer Weekly — IT salaries are rising fast in Singapore, fuelled by shortages in key areas and Singapore’s image as a gateway to Asia for western businesses IT salaries in Singapore are increasing at up to 15%, fuelled by a shortage of workers in the IT industry. The IT sector is considered one of the most competitive recruitment markets in Singapore.
NDTV — The job market in India is improving. About 90 per cent of companies are looking to hire, says Sambhav Rakyan, data services practice leader for Asia Pacific at Towers Watson, a global HR consulting firm. Mr Sambhav Rakyan says its hiring survey showed that strong demand is being seen for graduates from top-tier business schools, research jobs in pharma, technical areas like social, mobile, analytics and cloud computing (SMAC) and SharePoint.
CFO Innovation — The fourth quarter results of the 2015 Manpower Employment Outlook Survey (MEOS) indicates that for the next three months Hong Kong employers continue to report positive hiring plans. Employers also anticipate payroll gains in all six industry sectors during the same period.
Asia One — Amid the decline in its share price in New York, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has announced a cut in its campus recruitment quota. With the original goal of recruiting more than 3,000 fresh graduates in 2016, the Hangzhou-based company said on its official campus recruitment website that the recruitment quota will “shrink due to changes in the group’s talent strategy” and “those who were likely to be recruited will have to face tougher competition”.
Network Aasia — Singapore remains the gateway to businesses in Southeast Asia due to its sound infrastructure, continuing to attract multinational corporations in the commerce and IT industries. The IT sector is considered one of the most competitive arenas in the Singapore marketplace. Salary ranges in this function are constantly changing, which is why staying ahead of the curve and knowing what is coming next is critical to career success.
China Tech News — China’s Lenovo Group announced that they will cut about 3,200 non-manufacturing employees worldwide. Lenovo announced this decision in its financial report for the first quarter of the 2015/16 financial year. The company said facing the dramatic decline of PC sales, Lenovo Group must continue to improve effectiveness and cut expenses. They will reduce about 3,200 non-manufacturing employees around the world, accounting for 10% of its total non-manufacturing employees and about 5% of its total employees. The company reportedly has 60,000 employees worldwide.
Digi Times — HTC has announced that it will reduce its operating costs by 35% and its global workforce by 15% by implementing a restructuring plan to sustain revenues and profit growth with a leaner and more flexible business model. The layoff plan will affect about 2,250 jobs at HTC based on a total of over 15,000 employees the company has as of the end of July.
Times of India — NEW DELHI: Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest contract manufacturer, is aiming to create at least a million jobs by setting up 10-12 manufacturing facilities across the country by 2020, its chairman said. Terry Gou, head of the maker of iPhones and iPads for Apple and Kindles for Amazon, told reporters on a short trip to India that Foxconn would look to set up the manufacturing plants, initially in five states including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra and expand to other states across the country by 2020.
Digital News Asia — THERE was an overall decline in online employment in Malaysia, which dropped 23% between April 2014 and April 2015, according to online recruitment company Monster Worldwide Inc. Despite this year-on-year drop, online hiring activity has increased since March 2015 by 9%, the company said in a statement, citing the Monster Employment Index (MEI), which was generated for Malaysia for the first time.
BENGALURU: Wipro said it will defend all pending lawsuits against it after an Indian employee filed a class action complaint against it in a US court, alleging violation of local labour laws. Media reports indicated Wipro employee Suri Payala had recently filed a complaint in Superior Court of the State of California, alleging that Wipro failed to compensate him for over-time and make other wage settlements.


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Android 10 isn’t a big update for Galaxy devices as far as new features are concerned. And it may be an especially minor update for the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 if Samsung keeps bringing some of the Android 10 functionality to these flagships before the Android 10 update is released worldwide.
Last month, we discovered that Android 10 includes a slow motion mode for the front-facing camera, a feature that Samsung brought to the Galaxy S10 series with a minor update just a few days later. Then, we discovered that the Android 10 beta on the Galaxy Note 10 lets you sync your Gallery files to OneDrive, and that functionality is now making its way to Galaxy Note 10 owners on Android Pie.
Samsung Cloud will use OneDrive to backup your media
Samsung has released a new software update for the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ in Switzerland. The update adds OneDrive integration to Samsung Cloud for syncing media from the Gallery app. We’ve already gone into detail about how this works in our previous article so we won’t repeat it here, but the basic premise is that all your images and videos will be synced to your OneDrive account going forward.
This integration is not an optional feature – Samsung Cloud will eventually ask all users to start using OneDrive for media backup. Other data that’s backed up to Samsung Cloud will remain on it, however, so Samsung’s cloud service is not going anywhere. We reckon the switch to OneDrive for media backup will be necessary once Android 10 comes out for all eligible Galaxy devices, although it may come to the Galaxy S10 series with a regular Android Pie-based update.
The latest Galaxy Note 10 update also improves Bixby performance and the fingerprint recognition algorithm. It sports software version N97*FXXU1ASJM and, like the previous update, includes the November 2019 security patch. It is only available in Switzerland right now but should soon be rolling out in other countries. You can download it over the air from the Settings » Software update menu on your Note 10/10+, or you can upgrade by downloading the latest firmware from our database and flashing it on the phone using a Windows PC.

domain: news


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Today Is National Chocolate Chip DayChocolate chips have been around since 1941, and they come in a variety of flavors.
Hershey's Doubling Size Of Kisses With New Hazelnut ProductThe Hershey Company on Tuesday announced its Hershey Kisses Deluxe.
Can Eating Chocolate Lower The Risk Of Stroke?As if we need another good excuse to eat chocolate, Swedish researchers found that women who ate a moderate amount of dark chocolate on a regular basis, lowered the risk of two types of strokes by 20 percent.
Study: Eating Chocolate Associated With Lower Risk Of Stroke, Heart ProblemsIndulging your chocolate cravings could turn out to be a good thing.
11 Exotic Chocolates for a Sweeter EasterFancy some Pop Rocks Truffles or an Enchanted Mushroom? We found 11 exotic chocolate treats to make your Easter even tastier.
Study Suggests Chocolate Can Be Made Sweeter, And Better For YouA study from the University of Ghana is getting quite a great deal of attention from a meeting in Denver for the American Chemical Society.
Top Things To Do In Philadelphia Today, Nov. 14Looking for something to do today? Here are our top three picks…there’s something for everyone in the Philadelphia area!
Can Eating Chocolate Help Your Memory?According to a study by researchers at Columbia University, chocolate may help your memory.
Hear Philly: Mixing Science And Cocktails At The Franklin InstituteThe Franklin Institute's adults-only monthly events combine scientific learning and happy hour this summer through 2015.
It's Hershey Versus Hershey In A New Lawsuit Over Campaign LogosThe Hershey company says a Maryland candidate is milking its classic chocolate bar for political gain.
Put Down The Wine: Antioxidant Resveratrol Might Not Be So Beneficial After AllA glass of red wine a day might not actually keep the doctor away.
E.S.P.’s Mother’s Day Gift GuideShow mom how much you appreciate all she does by getting her something from E.S.P.'s Mother's Day Gift Guide.


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A Paris governing body has approved a new outdoor advertising contract that bans discriminatory images, including sexist, ageist, and homophobic ads.
After enduring fat-shaming from her elementary school classmates, this 8-year-old went on a run—and then stopped for a delicious snack.
Lively has made the process of bralette shopping much easier for people with larger chests with the announcement of the Busty Bralette.
One mom was diagnosed with three hernias a year after having an emergency C-section, which experts say isn't as scary as it sounds.
In this video, five new moms put on bikinis for the first time since childbirth and talk about how their bodies changed during pregnancy.
Dermatologists agree that retinol cream and serum is the superhero of the antiaging aisle. Here, tips on how to use retinol to get the most benefits.
According to a recent survey, Urban Outfitters and Hot Topic are apparently the most popular stores among millennials.
Netflix is saying goodbye to several titles in April 2017. These include: "Ally McBeal," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "The Princess Bride."
Netflix is introducing many new titles in April 2017. These include: "Casting JonBenet," the new season of "Chelsea," and many Disney exclusives.
Here's why you should care about Trump's plans to cut the Environmental Protection Agency's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program.
Three half-marathon runners helped a fatigued competitor finish a race over the weekend. The trio carried the runner to the end—literally and figuratively.
See the affordable Forever 21 swimsuits that will help get you through beach season without breaking the bank.
Featuring lace and mesh fabrications rendered in soft colors, Spanx's bridal collection aims to bridge the gap between sexy lingerie and practical shapewear.
Besider's new initiative makes it easier for women to get birth control—or another contraceptive of their choice—delivered directly to their doors.
Model Elly Mayday, 28, is documenting her battle with ovarian cancer on Instagram to raise awareness about the disease.
These are the acne treatments dermatologists recommend again and again, from drugstore favorites to prescription options.
One woman is teaching her daughter that stretch marks are something to feel proud of, and she's doing so by changing the conversation surrounding them.
A study of nearly 7,500 Americans age 65 or older suggests that elevated blood pressure is not related to high mortality risk among people in that age group with weak grip strength.
Republicans claim that the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, has no longevity. Experts say that's not necessarily the case.
Make dinner in an instant. These high-protein instant pot recipes would normally take you a long time to make, but instead take hardly any time thanks to an Instant Pot.


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Xbox: UK Regulators Are Reportedly Going to Take Their Decision on Microsoft and Activision Merger Next Week; All You Need to Know
One final roadblock.
The Microsoft-Activision Blizzard acquisition saga has been going for over a year now. The tech giant company has been trying to acquire the Call of Duty and Overwatch studios and the deal is still awaiting approval from the UK regulators. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are the watchdog for the UK and their preliminary decision on the pending deal is reportedly coming next week.
A Verge source has claimed that CMA will be making their preliminary verdict on the $69 billion acquisition before the end of September. This will be followed by a final decision from CMA which is expected to arrive on October 18.
The CMA had earlier blocked the deal back in April due to its concerns about the cloud gaming landscape. Microsoft then restricted their acquisition deal and decided to sell Activision games' cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft. This decision effectively meant that Xbox will not be able to exclusively release those games on Xbox Game Pass, or restrict Activision Blizzard games from releasing on rival platforms. This led the CMA to launch a new merger inquiry and its result is awaited next week.
Earlier, Microsoft had planned to contest the decision made in April and were going to appeal the decision in court in July. However, the CMA and Microsoft postponed legal proceedings and looked for a way to reach an agreement out of court. This mutual decision is why Microsoft restructured its deal, and it seems likely that the CMA will be giving their go-ahead to the acquisition.
The CMA is the last roadblock for Microsoft and Activision Blizzard to tackle before seeing out the biggest acquisition deal in video game history.


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Ofcom, the new watchdog for the telecoms and media industry, bared its teeth yesterday as it announced an investigation into BT Group's recent low-price initiative for residential calls.
BT's new tariffs, which move nine million residential customers off its standard-rate call charges and on to its much cheaper BT Together discount plan, are launched today.
The regulator said it was launching a probe under the Competition Act into whether BT's new pricing structure constitutes an abuse of a dominant position under the terms of the Act.
Ofcom has emergency powers that could force BT to reverse its new price cuts within four weeks. Its statement said: "As a matter of urgency Ofcom is considering the case for seeking interim measures under the Competition Act. If Ofcom concludes that there is a case for the interim measures, the options available would include a requirement upon BT to cease or reverse the proposed new tariffs. Ofcom expects to reach a conclusion on whether interim measures are appropriate within the next four weeks."
BT, which said it had notified Ofcom of its price cuts on 25 February, hit back yesterday saying it was confident of its legal and regulatory position.
Gavin Patterson, a BT group managing director, said: "It does seem bizarre to me. We have made this move on tariffs to bring better value and simplicity to our proposition. We are terribly confident that in doing so we have met all our requirements from a legal and regulatory position."
However, the Ofcom announcement is a blow to the company. When it launched the new pricing structure, it was met with a chorus of derision from competitors including Carphone Warehouse and Tesco.
These same competitors have since complained to Ofcom, prompting yesterday's announcement from the regulator. At the heart of the Ofcom probe is a complaint from BT's competitors that although BT Together offers cheaper calls to residential customers, they are being forced to pay a higher line-rental than under the standard call tariff.
This affects the competitiveness of rival offers - known as Carrier Pre-Select (CPS) services - from the likes of Tesco, which still have to rely on their telecoms customers renting a line from BT.
Ofcom said: "These CPS operators need to route calls over BT's network using a wholesale service provided by BT. The CPS operators have raised concerns that BT's retail tariff packages for line rental and calls, when combined with the wholesale price that they must pay BT for call conveyance, will distort competition in the provision of residential calls."
Charles Dunstone, the chief executive of Carphone Warehouse, said: "By our calculations, BT's announcement last week reflected no real savings for customers but simply a reshuffling of prices."Reuse content


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It's like the excitement just before Christmas, only without the tinsel and fairy lights that don't work anymore.
For gamers, anticipation has been building and this week it is finally time to get at those presents under the tree.
From Tuesday, people will be unboxing the latest Xboxes (if they managed to get a pre-order in on time) - with new PlayStations following just days later.
It's a big moment, not only because there are new experiences to look forward to, but because it's a taste of what the future holds.
Microsoft and Sony executives always say in interviews that it's not a competition between the two - and get frustrated sometimes if you ask them about it.
But in reality, gamers compare them all the time, and so does everyone in the industry.
With most people not having enough cash to buy two new consoles this month, they're facing a choice - which one to buy?
Who won last time around?
PlayStation heads into this new era of gaming having come out top in the previous generation.
Sony's PS4 significantly outsold rival Microsoft's Xbox One.
When it was first released, the PS4 focused solely on becoming a hub for gaming. Slogans such as "4 The Players" made it pretty obvious the machine was all about gaming.
Meanwhile, the Xbox One team was spending a lot of energy on advertising its broader offering including the Kinect camera and live television capabilities.
At the start , the Xbox One limited which older titles you could access on the console as well - this turned many gamers off.
Nintendo's console at the time, the Wii U, also failed to capture the public's imagination.
With a competitive price tag and a conveyor belt of exclusive games, PlayStation took an early lead and sales kept rising.
What can we expect this time?
This time, Microsoft and Sony are offering different visions for the future of gaming.
Xbox has certainly learned lessons from its 2013 Xbox One launch.
It is making its new machines very gamer-friendly and focusing less on all the other things a console can offer.
Microsoft is also going big on its Netflix-like subscription service Game Pass - offering gamers access to more titles than you can shake a stick at for a monthly fee.
However, don't expect a big blockbuster exclusive to convince you to part with your cash on day one. Game Pass is made up mainly of experiences that are available already.
The latest Halo game, which was supposed to be a launch title, has been delayed.
Meanwhile, Sony is following a similar strategy that worked for it in 2013, selling discs and downloads for premium prices.
But at launch, it will not have a brand-new exclusive blockbuster game ready either - although an updated Spider-Man adventure featuring Miles Morales will appeal to some.
What about the hardware?
Sony argues that "generations matter", and so the PS5 is very different to the previous devices in its look and feel.
A step up in graphical capability compared to the current generation and almost instant loading times are the first thing that jump out when you turn on the console for the first time.
Bosses are also promising their new DualSense controller will make players experience games in ways they have never before, by adding more realistic and dynamic vibration to complement what is happening on screen.
Microsoft wants its latest machines to be part of its "family" of consoles.
It has a vision similar to how Apple approaches the iPhone - each device has slightly different capabilities but they're all still compatible with each other and run the same apps.
The Series X is being promoted as the most powerful console on the market - for those interested in the best graphics and performance.
And its digital-only little brother, the Series S, is offering next-generation gaming for less than the cost of a Nintendo Switch (albeit with lower performance capabilities than the Series X).
The flagship PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles will make a significant dent in your wallet - and your living room too.
The devices are huge compared to the previous generation - and each one will set you back around £450.
Despite the expensive price-tags, these are more subtle upgrades compared to previous generational changes.
However, both companies are confident there's still a compelling case for gamers to get their wallets out.
Both Jim Ryan, the boss of PlayStation, and Phil Spencer of Xbox spoke to the BBC for a new gaming podcast, Press X To Continue.
Mr Ryan said the PS5 was "a quantum leap forward compared to the previous generation".
Mr Spencer said gamers would see "a real difference in the speed and feel of your games, and I'm looking forward for people to experience it".
- Press X To Continue launches on 10 November
- You can listen to a preview and subscribe now on BBC Sounds
Strong presales of both systems suggest their confidence is well-placed, although analysts suggest the PS5 may continue its lead from the previous generation.
The consultancy Ampere Analysis expects sales of 13.5 million Xbox Series X and S consoles by the end of 2021, and 17.9 million PS5s.
Of course, hardware is only half the story.
"Xbox Game Pass has become increasingly important to Microsoft's competitive positioning," said Piers Harding-Rolls from Ampere Analysis.
"Sony does not currently have an adequate competitive response to Xbox Game Pass."
The Xbox Series X is released on Tuesday 10 November. The PS5 is released in the some countries including the US and Japan on 12 November, with a global release the following week.


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A new study by market researcher NPD Group found that 85% of children aged 2-14 use game consoles, and 82% of 2-to-5-year-olds play games on one or more devices, while 60% use digital music players, Gamasutra reports. NPD's Kids & Digital Content III report, which surveyed more than 3,500 kids who use electronic devices, also found that a third of the 2-to-14-year-olds watch videos such as movies and online video clips on laptops or other electronic devices, and 22% download ringtones on their cellphones. Here's more on the NPD report from Gamespy. Meanwhile, in a keynote speech at CES, Mike Griffith, CEO of Guitar Hero maker Activision, "proclaimed that video games are 'poised to eclipse all other forms of entertainment in the decade ahead'," the BBC reports. "He quoted US market statistics which showed that between 2003 and 2007 sales of movie tickets fell by 6%; the number of hours of TV watched dropped by 6%, sales of recorded music slumped 12% and purchases of DVDs remained flat.
Safer Internet Day 2105
- Cyberbullying is not a joke: Celebrities and public figures can make a difference
- Facebook’s Scrapbook encourages photos of children, but think before you post
- Pew Survey: Reports of Facebook’s demise among teens greatly exaggerated
- Should I worry about my teens texting?
- Chromebooks & Google Apps appeal to schools & consumers
- Raising digital kids: 10 tips for improving parent-teen relationships
- Setting screen-time limits – for parents
- Digital Trust Foundation seeking proposals on digital abuse programs
- Parent bullying: The one-upper society
- What is the best way to introduce screen media to our three-and-a-half-year-old?
- Internet Explorer had a long and important life, but it’s time to move on
- Seven good smartphone security habits
- Arkansas bill puts youth safety and privacy in jeopardy
- Android apps to get age rating and manual review
- Facebook clarifies policies on nudity, hate speech and other community standards


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A decision to close the charity kiosk at thecentre:mk has been slammed as downright uncharitable by fundraisers.
The kiosk, known as the Community Zone, has been used for years by dozens of charities to promote their work and raise cash.
But shopping centre bosses now say the facility is “beyond reasonable repair” and does not comply with accessibility legislations.
They have decided to scrap the kiosk and instead steer charities towards the MK Community Foundation’s annual car raffle, which splits its proceeds between numerous groups.
They are also encouraging individual charities to take part in centre flag days.
Already some charities are begging them to have a change of heart.
The MK and district branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society is a regular tenant at the kiosk, where the sale of knitted goods accounts for almost 50 percent of its total income each year.
“We cannot identify an alternative location with the same convenience for volunteers, footfall and fundraising opportunity as this site,” said a spokesman for the society.
Centre bosses say the kiosk is frequently empty while the daily income generated is relatively small and “generally not cost effective.”


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SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IngenioSpec and Solos announced today that they have entered into a licensing agreement. Solos has licensed patents from IngenioSpec, adding to its leading technology portfolio for its new smart glasses products.
Solos smart glasses feature crystal clear audio for taking calls and streaming music, and motion sensors to provide tracking and guidance for health and fitness.
With more than 40 patents in the smart eyewear space to support Solos in their continued efforts to bring state-of-the-art smart glasses to market, some of IngenioSpec’s innovative technologies are described at https://www.ingeniospec.com/intellectualware.
Solos and IngenioSpec are excited to partner in the quest to make smart eyewear the preferred wearable technology available on the market.
For more information on Solos, visit solosglasses.com.
For further details on IngenioSpec, visit IngenioSpec.com.


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HORTON PLAZA TIMELINE
1972: Horton Plaza redevelopment project approved.
1974: Ernest W. Hahn Inc. signs exclusive negotiating agreement.
1978: Proposition 13 tax-cutting measure passes, requiring renegotiation of agreement; Hahn plans to buy land for $1 million and build and operate parking structure.
1980: Hahn company sold to Trizec Ltd. of Canada.
1982: Financing completed, construction begins.
1985: Project opens with 51 stores on Aug. 9; United Artists seven-screen cinema opens in December.
1989: Lyceum Theaters open.
1992: City Council approves construction of Horton Fourth Avenue, a housing and retail project that will cover up the Horton Plaza parking garage.
1998: Westfield America buys Horton Plaza and other San Diego County shopping centers.
1998: Horton Plaza gets a makeover, including a paint job and other refurbishing.
2001: Planet Hollywood closes.
2005: Horton Plaza celebrates its 20th anniversary.
2008: Westfield announces
$50 million exterior renovation.
Online: For more renderings of the proposed renovation of Horton Plaza, go to uniontrib.com/more/horton
Horton Plaza will no longer turn its back to the rest of downtown San Diego.
Owner Westfield Corp. plans a $50 million makeover at downtown's first big shopping center, built in the 1980s when south of Broadway meant tattoo parlors, pawn shops and adult bookstores.
Back then, the center was designed as a fortress, with blank walls facing First and Fourth avenues. It was meant to make shoppers feel safe inside with their money.
These days, after a downtown renaissance sparked in part by Horton Plaza, Westfield feels it's time to embrace the street.
Plans filed yesterday show glass storefronts facing outward. A modern-looking, white facade would replace the pastel stucco walls on Broadway and Fourth Avenue. The Australia-based owner wants to start early next year and finish in early 2010.
Westfield is parking a big chunk of capital in San Diego with this and other projects.
It is spending $900 million to recast Westfield UTC in La Jolla as a “walkable village” with housing, offices and more retail space. A plan for a similar makeover at Westfield Mission Valley was filed in August.
Senior Vice President Jonathan Bradhurst said the company likes to hold on to its properties and spruce them up when needed.
Westfield, billed as the largest retail developer in the world, considers San Diego a valuable piece of its $63 billion portfolio, which includes North County mall in Escondido, Plaza Camino Real in Carlsbad, Plaza Bonita in National City and Parkway mall in El Cajon.
Despite the turmoil on Wall Street, Bradhurst said Westfield has $7 billion in funding available for its global pipeline of construction projects.
“We are very conservative and when the market's hot, some would say we're too conservative. But when the market turns upside down, we tend to look pretty clever,” he said.
“What that means is we're able to just look and make the right decisions, and not perhaps be so swayed by the current volatility.”
San Diego real estate consultant Gary London said Westfield probably doesn't have a choice about this makeover if it wants to keep up with the times.
“I bet what they are really saying is in order to remain competitive, they need to spend the money. It's not really a question of do they have the money,” London said.
In its day, Horton Plaza was touted as a breakthrough blueprint for an urban mall. In recent years, it has suffered the departure of major tenants such as Planet Hollywood and Mervyns. The Broadway frontage that once boasted a Robinsons-May now has no street-level occupant.
Despite businesses flourishing around it, Horton Plaza seems to be suffering from a now-dated design.


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Self-published authors normally employ Microsoft Office to write their next novel. Depending on your operating system of choice, the actual design of Office changes dramatically. When Office 2016 comes out later this year it will amalgamate the overall design from the Android and iOS apps into the PC version.
A leaked version of Microsoft Office 2016 has just been released and there is a new “colorful” design. It’s also similar to the Windows 10 touch-optimized versions of Office, with a colored look that matches the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications.
I think unifying the design principals from the mobile line of apps and integrating them into the desktop variant is critical to the continued success of Office. Not too long ago Microsoft was heavily resistant to the mobile space, but under new leadership have fully embraced it.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about electronic readers and technology for the last four years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the Huffington Post, CNET and more. Michael frequently travels to international events such as IFA, Computex, CES, Book Expo and a myriad of others. If you have any questions about any of his articles, please send Michael Kozlowski an email to email@example.com


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Software Coding For Export
By JOHN MARKOFF
Published: March 24, 1992
An organization representing the nation's largest publishers of software for desktop computers is close to completing a confidential agreement with the National Security Agency to permit the sale abroad of programs that contain special data security functions.
Sales of software with the ability to encode information are now tightly controlled by the agency, a Defense Department unit that licenses the export of weapons. But United States software publishers have been putting pressure on the Government to loosen controls on programs that contain such cryptographic features because they are hampering the ability of American companies to compete internationally. Privacy Issue Raised
The proposed deal, outlined in an internal memo circulated among some members of the Software Publishers Association, has brought angry opposition from some computer experts and hardware manufacturers, who say that the negotiations should be out in the open and who contend that the compromise being discussed would offer inadequate privacy for computer users.
The memo acknowledged that there were still issues to be resolved between the association and the N.S.A. And some computer executives say they believe the agency may be dragging its feet and is not seriously considering reaching a final resolution of the issue.
Modern encryption techniques generally involve hiding data by using a formula that employs a numerical "key" to encode and decode the information. Some of these encryption formulas, including those that may be adopted under the proposed agreement, permit a variable key size. The longer the key, the more difficult it is to break the code, even when using high-speed computers in the code-cracking effort. Treated as a Weapon
Critics of the proposed agreement contend that the industry has agreed to an arbitrarily short key that would permit the N.S.A. to examine documents in which it is interested; the agency employs some of the world's most powerful supercomputers.
Since the early 1950's, the United States Government has treated commercial cryptographic technology as a weapon because it has feared that codes could be used to hide information from American intelligence agencies, including the N.S.A., which is responsible for high-tech spying.
The agreement being secretly negotiated by American software makers and the agency would permit companies like Microsoft, Lotus Development, Novell and Wordperfect to build cryptographic routines into programs for sale abroad, so that users could protect their data -- whether in electronic mail, text, spreadsheets or data bases.
Such privacy features are considered increasingly important, as modern desktop computers are connected in large data networks and used in commercial transactions. But critics of the current negotiations argue that a privately reached deal may lead to national encryption standards that cannot be publicly examined. 'Not the Proper Forum'
"Private, secret negotiations between the N.S.A. and a trade association are not the proper forum for deciding the future of cryptography," said Mitchell D. Kapor, the former chairman of Lotus, who now heads the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a Cambridge, Mass., public interest group that focuses on privacy and civil liberties issues.
The N.S.A., one of the most secretive Government agencies, has long had a low profile and a pervasive role in controlling the export of cryptographic software, which is used to code programs and data. Such products must receive special export licenses and are handled through the State Department's Bureau of Export Administration, which also regulates weapons sales. Most exports not involving weapons are controlled by the Commerce Department.
As computer privacy has become an increasingly sensitive issue, the use of cryptographic software has grown. Encoding may be used for something as simple as hiding a user's password when it is stored in a computer, or for obscuring the text of electronic messages and data, as well as verifying an individual's identity in an electronic transaction.
Negotiations between the N.S.A. and the software publishers began after the Bush Administration indicated recently that it would veto pending legislation to shift regulation of cryptographic software to the Commerce Department.
Software publishers defended their decision to enter into private negotiations as an effective near-term approach to resolving an issue that has restricted exports for more than three decades.
"It was a view of the industry that this wasn't a problem that needed to be solved with legislation," said Kenneth Wasch, executive director of the Software Publishers Association, which is based in Washington. Industry at Odds
A number of executives said that while software publishers had been negotiating for a limited agreement, the issue had engendered disagreement within the industry. Some large computer makers, including I.B.M. and the Digital Equipment Corporation have been opposing the negotiations, pressing for the Government to authorize instead the export of another cryptographic function, the Data Encryption Standard, which offers a higher degree of data security.
The internal memorandum, which was circulated to the association's governmental affairs committee on March 11, says the N.S.A. has said that two cryptographic programs commercially available from RSA Data Security, a Redwood, City, Calif. software company, are acceptable for inclusion in mass-market software. The intelligence agency has said, however, that it does not want to publish detailed specifications about the cryptographic procedures in the Federal Register.
"The N.S.A. claims that most of the world does not know of its involvement in reviewing software with encryption, and they don't want to broadcast the fact in the Federal Register," the memorandum said.


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Governor Georgy Poltavchenko at the session of the regional government, said that he has a claim to some small shops. On Tuesday, March 21, according to “Fontanka”.
He explained that he visited one of the outlets in the Central district, which, according to him, was more like a General store.
“It’s a little similar to the St. Petersburg store. Sold everything from nails, finishing meat products, their quality does not correspond to the claimed”, — said the official.
The Governor added that the city government and relevant departments should encourage companies to provide citizens with products appropriate level. “We need to set the task to supply not only inexpensive, but quality products, and create conditions so that businessmen could do it,” — said Poltavchenko.
10 Oct “Fontanka” with reference to the order signed by Georgy Poltavchenko, announced the introduction of a daily allowance of bread of 300 grams in case of emergencies or martial law. Later, the Committee on development of entrepreneurship of St. Petersburg has denied this information.


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Entire street sold for only €950k
A WHOLE street has sold at auction for less than €1MILLION.
And a two-acre square in a salubrious urban location — which failed to go under the hammer — later sold for €140,000.
More than 2,000 people attended the Allsop Space Christmas auction at the Shelbourne Hotel yesterday.
A shopping street in Clonmel — made up of 18 buildings, nine of which are rented — was among the first to sell to an anonymous phone bidder at €950,000.
Pedestrianised Market Street is part of Clonmel’s prime retail stretch. Among the tenants are Xtra Vision, Elvery’s and Specsavers.
All eyes were then on Lot 24 — Dartmouth Square in leafy Ranelagh, Dublin — a two-acre Georgian garden square surrounded by some of Dublin’s finest period red brick properties.
The lot did not sell initially. But later in the day four pre-registered bidders bought the site for €142,000.
Former owner Noel O’Gara was there to see the sale go through.
There was 104 lots, of which 91 were sold, generating a tidy €14.3million. Lakhvir Singh was a happy man when he picked up a two-bed ground-floor apartment in Clondalkin, Dublin, for just €63,000.
And a two-bed pad by the sea in Kilkee, Co Clare, went for €36,000.
A freehold pub in Loughrea, Co Galway, was sold for just €85,000.
Robert Hoban, director of auctions at Allsop Space, said: “In advance of the Budget, it is positive to see such continued activity in the property market.”
He added: “A substantial number of overseas investors actively participated in the sale.”


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British authorities are hoping to go after pirate websites’ sources of revenue, in a continued bid to make them less profitable and less popular. The initiative will see the creation of a list of classified “illegal” websites, known as the Infringing Website List, which will then be distributed to companies around the UK, which can then make sure they aren’t advertising on these sites.
With some of the world’s biggest torrent search site and streaming link sites commanding hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds worth of revenue each year, British authorities are keen to name and shame companies into not advertising with them. While the defence for adverts like the Canadian Department of Finance showing up on The Pirate Bay is often that a third party provider has put it there without request, it seems likely that many groups aren’t bothered by the site’s relative illegality, since it’s a very specific demographic that can be targeted – presumably at a lower cost than more legitimate sites.
However, even if the bigger ones aren’t too impacted by the move, smaller ones and perhaps legal sites may be. There is always the chance of sites getting caught up in the list, in the same way as educational sites have been blocked by David Cameron’s porn filters. Then there’s the fact that some of the content on torrent sites like TPB is perfectly legal. Dan Bull distributes his stuff there sometimes.
The police has said that all sites will be notified before inclusion on the list – and therefore given a chance to disagree with its illegal status.
KitGuru Says: As the BBC reports, a pilot of the scheme cut back on advertising on tested sites by two per cent. If such ‘success’ is repeated in the full scheme, I can see it having very little impact, if any on the sites it’s intended to crack down on.


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Tenet Doubles Down on Urgent Care Facilities
As consumers take on more of the responsibility of paying for healthcare, the popularity of walk-in retail health clinics is surging. Tenet says it's set to double the number of its retail health clinics this year.
Senior Vice President, Outpatient Services of Tenet
In a nod to the growing influence of consumer-driven healthcare, Tenet Healthcare Corporation this week announced that it will double the number of walk-in clinics in its MedPost Urgent Care franchise by the end of this year.
Kyle Burtnett, Tenet's senior vice president, outpatient services, says MedPost is a key component in the Dallas-based for-profit hospital chain's push to grow its outpatient facilities. That growth is part of a broader corporate strategy to offer more services in faster-growing, less-capital intensive and higher-margin businesses.
Burtnett says MedPost is addressing healthcare consumer demand for access to more convenient, less-expensive care.
"Consumers are so used to having everything at the touch of their fingers, whether it is on their smartphones or just having things so conveniently located to where you live and work that when people are sick they want to be able to get care in the same day," Burtnett told me.
"The other thing is you also have patients bearing much more responsibility for the financial aspects of their treatment. Rather than go to an emergency department and incur higher costs, consumers bearing more of the responsibility are taking a much closer look at how they are spending their healthcare dollars. That plays right into urgent care's role as a much more affordable solution."
Tenet now operates 23 MedPost Urgent Care centers in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. They were all recently rebranded under the MedPost name.


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In a series of three blogs, we’re going to look in detail at the steps we’re taking to protect N-able, you, and your customers as one part of a greater, worldwide software supply chain.
A common cliché in cybersecurity is, it’s not a question of if you get attacked, but when. We witnessed this firsthand when our former parent company was part of a major attack last year. While N-able products weren’t affected, it was difficult to watch friends and colleagues deal with the aftermath of an event of that magnitude.
There’s not much we can say about it that isn’t public record, but we want to address how it changed our outlook, and what we’re doing to help protect ourselves, you, and your customers.
Risk has changed
We’re playing a different game these days. It’s not just our former parent company—other major tech companies were part of the same breach. And other MSP vendors recently faced down major breaches as well. We saw the gas pipeline in the southeast United States shut down for days over a breached password.
It’s a trend—large-scale attacks continue proliferating to devastating effects.
These are only the attacks that make the news. Each day, small businesses get hit. Some may come from cybercriminal gangs or from individuals purchasing malware off the dark web, but today’s cybercriminals share resources and run like businesses. This puts everyone at risk—serious risk.
It comes down to this: we’re all part of the supply chain, and we must think about ourselves this way. We cannot think of ourselves as separate. Even though larger vendors make news, smaller companies can get hit with variations on those same attacks.
In the physical world, businesses can get robbed at any minute. Banks have higher levels of security—from alarm systems on the doors to emergency buttons that automatically call police under tellers’ desks—because they keep so much cash on hand, making them high-value targets. Retail stores often lack this level of security due to lower levels of risk. Many convenience stores open later at night—or in areas where crime remains high—have high levels of security due to a lower barrier of an attack, like cages or bulletproof glass between the cashier and customers.
Cybercriminals now have numerous advantage. First, they can attack businesses that don’t have cash on hand, like a medical office or a tech company. These are both high-value targets because of their access financial and data information. Second, the barrier to entry is lower due to the malware-as-a-service trend, where cybercriminals resell their malware to others who lack the hacking skills. Third, they can often get away with it more easily because they are able to hide their tracks by deleting logs or even showing up at the business if they’re in another country (leading to jurisdictional issues that can turn crime into a profit). Plus, cryptocurrencies hide transactions well enough that criminals can further prevent their identities from becoming public.
All this means we’re facing new levels of business risk, and companies need to make sure to tackle it accordingly.
What we’re doing to help
Over the next few blogs, we’ll go into greater depth on how we’re protecting the broader supply chain, from our own infrastructure and products to you and your customers. For now, let’s cover the broad strokes.
- Offering a wide range of integrated products: Your customers need protection at multiple layers—from the data layer up to the internet layer. They also need help at all stages of an attack, from prevention and discovery to investigation and recovery. We offer a broad portfolio of top-of-the-line products that tackle today’s toughest threats and have worked to integrate them where possible. This can help simplify a lot of the process of delivering security. Even with sophisticated attacks, you can still stop many—if not most—threats without needing a full SOC or becoming a full-blown MSSP. Yes, major risks will still exist, but the right layers can still take you far.
- Building with security in mind: We design our products for security before we write a single line of code. From training developers on the latest attack patterns and vectors to scanning code both while running and at rest, we work to minimize potential vulnerabilities slipping into the codebase.
- Protecting our infrastructure: We also protect the underlying foundation that powers and runs our products. From 24/7, global third-party monitoring to regular employee security trainings and wargames, we put multiple safeguards in place to keep cybercriminals from getting into our systems and potentially harming you or your customers.
Protecting the full risk cycle
Cybercriminals have evolved, so we all need to think about risk differently. Today’s sophisticated attack becomes tomorrow’s commonplace as it gets resold on the dark web to criminals who often don’t even need hacking skills to turn a profit.
As we witnessed the storm taking place, our outlook changed. We have always emphasized security, but seeing the effects of something that large—and more importantly what could have happened had it been worse—really affected us.
We fortified areas that were already strong and enhanced our security programs where we could. Over the next few blogs, we’ll cover in more detail the steps we’re taking to protect N-able, you, and your customers as one part of a greater, worldwide software supply chain.


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Spring build season had a significant impact on southern pine lumber with price reaching as high as $433 per MBF during March and April 2013. After the spring surge, composite price declined 17% and leveled off in the month of June.
Year over year, delivered prices for pine pulpwood, hardwood pulpwood and wood fuel in the US South all increased (2Q2012 to 2Q2013). As has been the general trend since 2007, however, all three products decreased in prices quarter over quarter (1Q to 2Q).
Forest2Market Adds National Benchmark & Five-Year Forecasts to Forest2Mill Product Line
By LeAndra Spicer
August was a busy month for Forest2Market. We added five new products to our Forest2Mill service suite designed for buyers and sellers of logs and wood raw materials: a national benchmark, a 5-year delivered price forecast for the Pacific Northwest and three, 5-year stumpage price forecasts for the US South.
Economic Contribution: The Manufacturing of Forest Products
By Suz-Anne Kinney
Forest2Market recently completed an economic impact study for the National Alliance of Forest Owners. The study quantifies the contribution that forestry-related industries make to state, regional and national economies.
As measured by the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) PMI, manufacturing activity jumped noticeably in July -- to 55.4%, an increase of 4.5 percentage points from June's reading of 50.9% (Figure 2).
A replacement woodyard at Resolute Forest Products' Augusta, Georgia mill will likely be operational this month. The Augusta mill currently processes both wood and waste paper to produce approximately 400,000 tons of newsprint each year. The new, $30 million, three-acre woodyard will transition the facility to a pulping process that uses virgin Southern pine trees.


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CultureMap Restaurant Exclusive
New upscale Tex-Mex restaurant plots a Galleria area debut: Powerful restaurant group behind the move
A local restaurant group that knows a lot about wine and comfort food wants to demonstrate that it knows a thing or two about tequila and Tex-Mex too.
At least, that's what job postings from Lasco Enterprises, the company behind popular wine bar The Tasting Room and upscale comfort food restaurant Max's Wine Dive, suggest.
In two ads posted online — one for a bar manager and one for servers, bartenders and line cooks — the company describes a new, unnamed concept. The description reads: "We will deliver premiere Tex-Mex food, classic, high-end drinks and an elevated service experience in a sleek and sophisticated environment. Located in the Galleria area, we will serve chef-driven, upscale Tex-Mex cuisine alongside the finest tequilas and mescals."
If it comes up short, the negative publicity can be savage — as anyone who recalls the negatives reviews of places like Maggie Rita's and Vida Tex-Mex will acknowledge.
Such a concept would put the company head to head with power players like El Tiempo and Cyclone Anaya's in the upscale Tex-Mex space. Of course, neither of those concepts are directly in the Galleria area, although they are nearby with El Tiempo in Upper Kirby and Cyclone Anaya's on Durham near the Katy Freeway.
More broadly, the restaurant has to execute in a cuisine that many Houstonians consider part of their culinary DNA. If it comes up short, the negative publicity can be savage — as anyone who recalls the negatives reviews of places like Maggie Rita's and Vida Tex-Mex will acknowledge.
As for where in the "Galleria area" the company might locate the restaurant, My Table magazine posted a rumor to Facebook that the company has plans for the Arturo's Uptown Italiano space in Uptown Park. The still-open Italian restaurant has operated for almost four years without namesake chef Arturo Boada, but if the rumor is true it's time may be drawing to an end.
For now, Lasco chief brand officer Jonathan Horowitz is declining to comment. When that changes, look for details on the name, the branding and how Lasco plans to stand out from El Tiempo — and avoid becoming the next Maggie Rita's.


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Amazon is denying a rumor that it will soon accept Bitcoin.
Rumors began to fly after the company posted a job listing for a “Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead” last week. But a spokesperson said Tuesday the reports were untrue.
That’s not to say Amazon won’t go crypto sometime in the future – the company says it’s currently “exploring” the idea.
Have you ever bought anything with Bitcoin? How big a deal would it be for cryptocurrency if Amazon began accepting it?


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KAPOLEI, Hawaii (KHON2) — You’ll have to see it to believe it. A second Olive Garden restaurant is making its way to Ka Makana Ali’i Mall.
The eatery is expected to open to the public in the summer of 2021 next to the AT&T and Macy’s stores.
The mall’s general manager says they polled shoppers early on to find out which restaurants they would want to see most in the mall. In the end, Olive Garden came out on top.
Oahu’s first location opened in October at the Ala Moana Center with popular dishes like the steak alfredo and shrimp scampi being served each day.
On Dec 8, the Honolulu location announced it will begin doing take-out orders.
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Apple just released iOS 6 beta 4 to developers. So far it looks like there are a few small bug fixes and performance enhancements except for one unexpected surprise – Apple has removed the YouTube app from the iPhone and iPad.
It’s no secret that Apple has been trying to remove Google’s app from iOS and replace them with better alternatives. Some might think YouTube’s removal isan act of war, but we think it’s just as likely that Apple removed YouTube as a default app just because of plain obsolescence.
YouTube has been a pre-installed app on iOS since the iPhone debuted in 2007. At the time it was the best way to search YouTube’s website for videos and watch them, but as mobile interfaces have improved, the YouTube app has become less of a necessity.
Apple has not released an official statement regarding the YouTube app and its removal, so all mention of it’s removal because of a war with Google or obsolescence are just speculation.
Update: Apple has released an official statement on the app’s removal
“Our license to include the YouTube app in iOS has ended, customers can use YouTube in the Safari browser and Google is working on a new YouTube app to be on the App Store.”


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Jim Cramer: Buy Salesforce and Cisco Systems, and 2 More Stock Picks
Jim Cramer made the following calls on October 29th, 2013. What do you think about his picks?
Salesforce.com (NYSE:CRM): Jim Cramer ranked this stock a Buy. Cramer previously ranked this stock a Buy on October 21, 2013. The stock’s 52-week high is $50.60, and its 52-week low is $34.76. Cramer included Salesforce.com in a list of companies that he had recommended several years ago. While Salesforce has posted considerable gains since then, it is not done yet. With $3 billion in sales, and a name that is gaining more and more weight in the industry, Cramer remains optimistic about the company’s future.


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Small Businesses Delay Big Decisions Until After Election
Small businesses won't budge on some major decisions until after Tuesday's election results are revealed.
So says a new survey released by Insperity Inc. that shows small-business owners are worried about the election's outcome—and massive cuts to federal spending—that may affect their bottom line.
"With the exception of plans to increase employee compensation in the next few months, business owners are standing firm awaiting the results of the 2012 election," said Paul Sarvadi, Insperity's CEO. "Importantly, concerns about the impending fiscal cliff and its wide-ranging economic effects were certainly evident in answers to our open-ended survey questions."


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Square Enix recently announced that it will make at least three separate Nier announcements at Tokyo Game Show on September 24 – one for Nier Replicant, one for Nier: Automata, and one for Nier Reincarnation.
The news comes from the official Nier page on Twitter, where details of what to expect were recently posted online. The tweet also includes a link to the official Nier Tokyo Game Show livestream, which is due to air two weeks from today at 6am PT/11am ET/2pm BST.
Be sure to bookmark this page so you can tune in to the official livestream below on September 24.
“Nier Tokyo Game Show 2020 special information is available, and there is new information,” reads the official tweet when roughly translated from Japanese. “We will send you the latest information on Series 3 titles.” The tweet also notes that the stream is pre-recorded.
Dubbed as the “We Have A Decent Amount Of New Info” special, the stream will provide updates for all three games in the Nier RPG series. It’s not too much of a stretch to surmise that the Nier: Automata announcement could have to do with a certain pair of consoles launching in mid-November…
Admittedly, this announcement doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Given that Nier Replicant was recently rated in Taiwan, it seemed reasonable to assume that the iconic RPG series would be making an appearance at Tokyo Game Show this year – which will be staged digitally via a global livestream.
Although it seems likely that the Nier: Automata announcement could focus on next-gen upgrades for PS5 and Xbox Series X, the Nier Replicant and Nier Reincarnation news is slightly more difficult to predict. The former is a remaster of the original Nier game, whereas the latter is a mysterious mobile game set in the same universe.
If we’re lucky, we might get release dates for one or both of these upcoming titles. Nier Replicant is due to launch for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, whereas Nier Reincarnation will be a mobile game playable on both Android and iOS.
Source: Read Full Article


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A government crackdown on foreign investment has sent speculators fleeing, but one man is more bullish than ever
The company has about 145 items on its U.S. menu, making operations complicated
Wellness programs are supposed to cut costs and make employees healthier. It's not clear they do either
The digital conversion company wants to become a kind of premium YouTube
Once mom and pop operations, some have billions in assets
Simple tablets manufactured by such "local brands" as Eben, Micromax, and Texet are expected to account of one-fourth of global sales this year
Stop-doubting-yourself advice, a PBS documentary on Mel Brooks, and new biz books in haiku
For some, Joel Peterson says, online courses or specialized one-year programs may be better choices than the MBA
Quit-smoking apps get hot in a $1 billion market
By Stacy Perman
Owning a restaurant is considered one of the riskiest ventures around. According to most studies, 9 out of 10 restaurants fail during their first year of operation, even in a good economy. Now, with restaurateurs across the country deploying a host of strategies—from specials to prix fixe meals—to bring in customers, BusinessWeek decided to look at those American eateries that have been in business the longest. They range in age from 41 to 183 years old, and all have weathered economic downturns, location changes, fickle customers, changing tastes, and culinary trends. Each found its own way to staying power.
Flip through this slide show for a taste of the longest-running restaurants in America.


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How Dr. Brandt Skincare transformed its social strategy
Dr. Brandt Skincare was behind in social. As of January, it did not have a Snapchat account and had no way of discerning sales conversions from its other social platforms. Since then, newly installed vp of digital Lisa Raggiri has spearheaded an aggressive social expansion plan for the 17-year-old brand.
Dr. Brandt Skincare has recently seen its social following increase by tens of thousands of followers. On Instagram, for instance, the brand now has nearly 79,000 followers, up from around 30,000 at the end of 2016. The success the brand has seen is due to investing more in social, especially with paid media campaigns, which now run up to $30,000 a month, according to Raggiri.
“Last year, social went from being our eighth priority. It’s now No. 1,” said Raggiri.
Last week, Dr. Brandt Skincare worked with influencer Hannah Bronfman’s lifestyle website HBFit.com on a five-day social campaign to promote its new Water Booster product. In Instagram Stories, HBFit.com showed how viewers could add the product to smoothies and bowls.
The problem, however, is that social platforms are not designed for purchasing goods. Brands have had to find ways to work around the dilemma, such as placing links to their websites in their bios on Instagram or using tags or links in Snapchat Stories.
“When it comes to people looking at social content, liking content and trying to find the content elsewhere to get more information, there’s a lot of friction there,” said Raggiri. “People were always asking us questions about where they can find certain products. That friction bothered me, so we were really looking for a way to inform our audience as well as help them buy what they want.”
Therefore, in April, the brand partnered with video company MikMak to use the new feature MikMak Attach, which allows users to purchase an item without leaving Instagram or Snapchat. On mobile, users swipe up when viewing a Dr. Brandt Skincare Instagram Story, Instagram Ad or Snap Ad, and they are connected to the brand’s e-commerce pop-up window where they can click “Add to Cart” to begin the purchase process.
With the MikMak Attach feature, Dr. Brandt Skincare has seen 16 percent of users add items to their carts, and of those who do, 52 percent completed the purchase, and it’s now the main acquisition channel for the brand.
“The perception is that [Snapchat] is better for brand awareness,” said Raggiri. “But we are making our media investment back by driving direct sales from Snap Ads.”
However, Dr. Brandt Skincare found that the highest ROI came from using the feature on Instagram. Six times more people added a product to their cart from Instagram compared to Snapchat, according to the brand.
“We don’t want to push commerce in our channels so severely; we really want it to be a natural extension,” she said. “This way, if they want to shop, it’s there, it’s easy, it’s one step. If they’re not interested, it’s something they don’t have to think about.”
More in Marketing
There are still those who believe that AR has a place in the marketing funnel, however big or small right now.
With Pokémon Go revenues falling year-over-year, Niantic, its developer, is looking beyond its popular augmented reality game to generate profits.
How brands like Coach are tackling the metaverse opportunity: Is This The Metaverse? Podcast, episode 4
In episode four of the “Is This The Metaverse?” narrative podcast, Glossy international fashion reporter Zofia Zwiegliska spotlights the brand opportunity when it comes to fashion in the metaverse.


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Porsche CEO Oliver Bloom, who has big plans to electrify the company, has said that Ferrari and Lamborghini should not be exempt from the new law banning the production of internal combustion vehicles.
Last week, the Italian Minister of the Interior was looking for a lobby for two famous Italian supercars, Ferrari and Lamborghini, in the European Union. According to the new EU law that does not supply products equipped with internal combustion engines after 2035, supercars will be in a very difficult situation and will damage their business.
Now, this has provoked a reaction from the CEO of Porsche, who does not consider such an exemption reasonable for the two Italian supercars. Oliver Bloom believes that electric cars not only have a higher level of performance than combustion cars, but are also better for the environment, and this should include Ferrari and Lamborghini.
Porsche currently markets the Taikan as an all-electric product and also produces many hybrid models.
In contrast, Lamborghini and Ferrari have been producing hybrid products for some time and have announced that they intend to invest heavily in the production and supply of electric products.
Bloom believes that the failure of electric vehicles in the next decade will not be possible due to the advances made, and in every respect they have a significant advantage over mechanical internal combustion engines.
It is noteworthy that Porsche and Lamborghini are both subdivisions of the large Volkswagen Group, and there are many technical and engineering commonalities between Porsche and Lamborghini, especially Audi.
Lamborghini plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, but that does not mean stopping production of V12-powered models. Lamborghini believes that the company’s identity is tied to V12 engines.
Ferrari also plans to launch its first all-electric product by 2025. Ferrari has no problem with the new law and has announced that it will launch a variety of electrical products.
In the end, it remains to be seen whether the force of Italian lobbyists will reach the EU. If the two companies are exempted, it is expected that other supercars, including Porsche and Audi, will follow suit.
However, the difference between the two Italian supercars and Porsche and Audi is in the amount of their production and products. Ferrari and Lamborghini currently produce less than 10,000 units a year, but Porsche and Audi are mass-producing their products.
However, some time ago Audi officially announced that 2033 will be the last year of production of internal combustion products.


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The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO release date has been set for February 4 as the 12.2-inch high-end tablet is made available for pre-order.
Having been officially unveiled at CES 2014 earlier this month, the Korean tech giant has made the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO available for pre-order through its official online retail outlet with the iPad Air rival sporting a lofty £649 price tag.
Although the manufacturer has yet to make an official announcement about the tablet’s in store release, the company’s website now states that the tablet, which is available in both black and white colour schemes, is “scheduled to ship on Feb 4, 2014.”
Despite the premium price tag, the £649 Samsung Galaxy NotePRO is the Wi-Fi only model, with the Wi-Fi plus 3G option yet to be made available for order.
Running Google’s latest Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO specs sheet sees the tablet’s 12.2-inch panel boast a stunning 2560 x 1600 pixel Full HD resolution.
Powered by a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, the tablet adds a 9500mAh hour Lithium-Ion battery, microSD storage expansion up to 64GB and an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera that is partnered with a secondary 2-megapixel snapper up front.
Lining up at just 7.95mm thick, the plastic bodied Samsung Galaxy NotePRO weighs a reasonable 750g.
Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 review


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Here's The Real Reason Why Business Investment Is Exploding
Just-released November durable goods orders data point to a big rise in business investment last month.
Orders of nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft, commonly referred to as "core capex," were up 4.5%, well above the Wall Street consensus estimate of 0.7% growth and marking a stark turnaround from the 0.7% decline observed in October.
Core capex — a key measure of business investment — has been one of the most notably lacking aspects of the economic recovery, and many of our favorite Wall Street strategists, economists, and portfolio managers have flagged capex as the "most important chart" to watch in 2014.
Today's numbers, then, are a good sign — especially in the context of improvements in other areas of the economy.
However, there's a bit of a catch, as Adrian Miller, director of fixed income strategy at GMP Securities, points out in a note to clients following the release.
"With the market seeking evidence of a broadening economy since business investments has been one of the main missing components, November durable goods data provided such evidence," says Miller. "And yet, and you know there had to be an 'and yet,' we must remember that there are two expiring tax programs relating to investing in R&D and depreciation tax credit that allows companies to write off 50% of equipment purchases that expires at the end of the year. So we are likely seeing a rush of companies taking advantage of the looming deadline effectively pulling forward business spending."
Miller is referring to Internal Revenue Code §41, which expires on December 31.
December durable goods orders data are likely to reveal a similar surge in core capex this month, but crucially, it will be important to see how these gains carry over to January.
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The average cost of a New Year’s table for Russians this year will reach five thousand rubles, as follows from the results of the survey conducted in social networks and published by KP.RU.
According to the results of the survey conducted among 12.5 thousand people of Russia, the majority (37 per cent) of them plan to spend from 2.5 to 5 thousand rubles on festive dishes for the New Year celebration. At the same time, 31 per cent will try to meet exactly 2.5 thousand rubles, 12 per cent — 5-7,5 thousand rubles, and the other 8 per cent — 7.5-10 thousand.
Only 3 per cent of respondents are willing to pay from 10 to 12.5 thousand rubles for their New Year’s dinner, 2 per cent — from 12.5 to 17 thousand rubles, and 7 per cent — more than 15 thousand.
As noted, according to the results of a similar survey in 2021, the average price of treats for the New Year among Russians was 5.7 thousand rubles.


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Mobile bike shop expands in high gear
Times are inevitably changing as the new world of direct-to-consumer Internet shopping and low-profit margins is shutting down countless bicycle shops.
Enter velofix, a mobile bicycle-repair service, which comes in a brightly painted red, black and white Mercedes van to fix your broken bike at your home or office.
In some busy territories, such as Vancouver, Seattle and Toronto, franchise operators have multiple vans, equipped with Wi-Fi, a coffee machine and the promise of friendly advice if you want some do-it-yourself repair tips.
When The Globe and Mail’s Small Business Challenge profiled the company in November 2014, velofix was still in its teething stage, debating how to grow its head-office functions as the company started expanding across North America. It has since hired more staff, and the acceptance from suppliers has changed enormously.
“When we launched this company in 2013, not one [bicycle] supplier in Canada would sell to us because we weren’t a brick-and-mortar store. That’s how much the industry has now changed. So yes, I think we are disrupting the industry, and I think frankly the other big disruptor is online sales,” said CEO Chris Guillemet.
velofix has expanded to most major Canadian and U.S. markets, with close to 100 franchises. The latest annual revenue growth was approximately 320 per cent over the previous year and the company bills itself now not as a curbside repair service but as a complete, mobile bike store, selling anything you need for your bike, any parts and accessories.
Read the full press release on The Globe and Mail Inc.


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Google Buys Itself an IDN Portfolio.
It seems that Google has been quietly building itself an IDN Portfolio.
Many smaller companies have done this already, but we are now seeing a shift into larger companies, purchasing IDN Domain Names for themselves.
Google, is not the only BIG company doing this, as you can see by other posts on this site.
The full story is available on IDNBlog.com


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A nonprofit group is urging people to donate their unwanted Valentine’s Day candy to food pantries.
The Rev. Tom Goodhue of the Long Island Council of Churches says it would sad if the candy “just ended up in the garbage.”
After Christmas, Goodhue had his eye on unwanted fruitcake. But Newsday says he doesn’t just look at holidays past.
[dmc-related-post-wp numitems=”3″ title=”Related stories”]
Goodhue notes that Girl Scout cookies will soon be flooding the market.
If you get a little carried away, he can recommend a place where they’d be welcome.


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FIS sets up $150m fintech start-up fund
FIS, the US-based financial services technology provider, has pledged $150 million through its newly created venture capital arm FIS Ventures to “promising” fintech start-ups over the next three years.
The venture division says its participation in the $35 milllion Series B for Flutterwave, the San Francisco and Lagos-based fintech providing gateway payments for the likes of Uber, Booking.com and Jumia, marked the first investment from the fund.
Early to growth-stage fintech start-ups will be considered for the fund, particularly those which focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation and distributed ledgers, as well as those which address issues around data, security and financial inclusion.
FIS Ventures promises to “actively partner” with the fintechs it invests in and give them access to its global reach, which covers more than 20,000 clients in across roughly 130 countries.
“At a time when many other fintech firms are scaling back their investments, FIS is deepening its commitment to stay at the forefront of innovative technologies,” says FIS’ chief growth officer Asif Ramji.
“FIS Ventures is a significant new component of our investment strategy to identify and bring to market innovative new technologies that advance the way the world pays, banks and invests.”
The new fund is also designed to complement FIS’ annual ‘FIS FinTech Accelerator’ programme, as well as its innovation labs.


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VICTORIA Beckham shared a behind-the-scenes snap of her back in the lab working on her new range for beauty brand Estee Lauder.
Her first limited edition collection was released last September and won rave reviews among fans and beauty editors alike.
Now she's back in the lab working on a new range which will include some new products as well as fan favourites.
Sharing a snap of her in a lab coat working with formulas, Victoria wrote: "Fun day in the lab with @esteelauder, watch this space! X VB #VBxEsteeLauder #FashionStoleMySmile".
Speaking to Vogue magazine about her range, she said: "I was astonished and humbled by the feedback the collection received. Of course, I felt passionately from the outset that each and every product was brilliant, but you never know how it’s going to go.
most read in TV & showbiz
"Creating the first collection with Estée Lauder was the culmination of a long-held dream for me, so when we received such an overwhelmingly positive response from customers and retailers it made sense for us to revisit and develop the collaboration.
"We wanted to review it and look at what worked well - what do we need to fine-tune, where could we extend the range?"
However, while her fans love her Instagram feed with everything from fashion, beauty and her fab family, Victoria received a letter from the US Federal Trade Commission warning her against promoting products on her account.
Designer Victoria, 43 - who has 15.3million followers on the site - regularly uses it to post photos of her own fashion collections.
But she was contacted after posting a snap of beauty product Lancer Contour Décolleté.
The letter read: “The FTC’s Endorsement Guide states that if there is a ‘material connection’ between an endorser and the marketer of the product... the connection should be clearly and conspicuously disclosed.”
The star’s notification came after last month the FTC said it was watching out for products being promoted on social media by celebrities.
The agency included a reminder that marketing messages must be clearly identified.
In response, US publication the National Law Journal submitted an FOI to the agency asking who was under scrutiny.
And the reply named nearly 100 celebrities, influencers and companies, including Victoria.
A source said last night: “There is no suggestion of untoward activity here. Those singled out have simply been reminded of the rules.”
Got a story? email firstname.lastname@example.org or call us direct on 02077824220


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The anti-globalization protestors clogging the streets ofWashington this week blame many of the world's ills on the WorldTrade Organization and its goal of trade liberalization. Meanwhile,on Capitol Hill a vote is looming on a resolution that wouldrequire the United States to withdraw from the international body.If the resolution were to pass and become law, the biggest loserswould be American workers, families, and firms.
The WTO benefits the American economy by encouraging its 135member nations to lower their trade barriers and keep them down.Trade liberalization at home brings the dynamic blessings ofcompetition to the U.S. economy. It spurs innovation, controlscosts, and keeps downward pressure on prices. For consumers, trademeans lower prices, better quality, and wider variety, raising thereal value of their wages. For domestic producers, trade allowsaccess to lower-cost inputs and more sophisticated machinery. Andfor exporters, trade expands markets abroad, making possible largerproduction runs and cost savings through economies of scale.
The WTO has also played an important role in facilitating tradeliberalization in the rest of the world. Since the late 1940s,barriers against the free flow of goods and capital have beenfalling, with average global tariffs on manufactured goods downamong industrialized countries from an average of more than 40percent to under 4 percent today. The volume of world merchandisetrade today is 16 times the volume in 1950, a rate of growth threetimes faster than the growth of global output.
For California, the WTO has helped to keep markets open for the$105 billion in goods exported from the state in 1998. Top exportsfrom California include electronics and electrical equipment;industrial machinery and computer equipment; transportationequipment; instruments and related equipment; and agriculture, withthe top destination countries including Mexico, Japan, Canada,Korea and Taiwan.
Critics of the WTO claim that the U.S. economy has been harmedby more open markets, but the record of the last five years provesjust the opposite. For example, predictions that trade would turnus into a nation of hamburger flippers have proven to be ludicrous.Since the passage of NAFTA and the Uruguay Round Agreement, thefastest-growing sectors of service employment are on the high end:According to a study by the U.S. Department of Labor, 81 percent ofthe new jobs created since 1993 have been in industry/occupationcategories paying above-median wages, and 65 percent are in thehighest-paying third of categories.
Another prediction was that free trade would cause"deindustrialization," when in fact the past decade has witnessed arobust expansion of industrial output. Since 1992, during a periodin which the WTO and NAFTA have both been in operation, industrialproduction--which includes the output of U.S. mines, utilities, andfactories--has increased 37 percent. Manufacturing output by itselfhas risen even faster, by 42 percent.
Contrary to what the critics of trade predicted, Americanindustry has not been losing ground, either in absolute terms orrelative to the rest of the world.
Consider the example of the U.S. auto industry. Domestic outputof motor vehicles and parts has shot up 51 percent since 1992.Total domestic output of cars and light trucks reached 12.6 millionin 1999, a record high and up more than 3 million since 1992.Strong domestic demand for new cars, light trucks, and sportutility vehicles has helped to boost profits and employment in theindustry. In 1998 domestic automobile employment approached 1million, an increase of 177,000 since 1992. Industry profits werehealthy in 1999.
Contrary to what the critics of trade predicted, Americanindustry has not been losing ground, either in absolute terms orrelative to the rest of the world. America remains the world's topexporter of manufactured goods, with exports in 1998 worth $528billion. America's share of global manufacturing exports heldsteady in the 1990s at about 13 percent.
The predicted flight of capital to countries with lower costsand standards never materialized. In fact, during the past decadethe United States has been the world's largest recipient of foreigninvestment. Year after year the United States has run a net surplusin its capital account, with foreign savers investing more in theUnited States than American savers sent abroad. This inflow offoreign capital has kept interest rates down, built new factories,and brought new technology and production methods to our economy.If there has been any giant sucking sound since 1993, it has beenthe rush of global capital into the safe and profitable haven ofthe United States.
America's membership in the WTO has been a double blessing forthe United States. The liberalization of markets abroad has createdexport opportunities for U.S. companies, raising profits,employment, and wages in industries that serve expanding globalmarkets. Meanwhile, WTO membership exerts pressure on the U.S.government to keep our own market open to the global economy, whichgives American families access to a wider range of affordable goodsand services, thus raising the real value of our paychecks.
In testimony before the Senate in February, Federal ReserveBoard chairman Alan Greenspan reminded senators that America'sopenness to imports and immigration has fueled the U.S. economy,prolonging our record expansion. The Fed chairman then went on towarn that, unless fears about trade and openness are addressed, "Ido think the forces against globalization can significantlyundercut this remarkable surge in prosperity that we areobserving."
By encouraging governments around the world to liberalize trade,the WTO enhances the individual freedom as well as the materialwell-being of Americans.


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A deal struck by government CIO John Suffolk and the Cabinet Office could save the public sector billions of pounds by supplying networked, supported PCs for around half the typical price.
Suffolk said the Cabinet Office had cut the total cost of ownership for PCs by half, compared with the Gartner benchmark price of £2,000 per PC. The Gartner benchmark is widely used in the public and private sectors for pricing PCs.
If just £100 a year were saved on every PC used by the UK's three to four million public servants, the annual savings would be at least £3bn over 10 years.
The Cabinet Office will make lower-cost PCs available across the public sector through its Flex framework deal with Fujitsu. Flex has so far been taken up by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Schools, Office of National Statistics and Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.
Suffolk's comments, in an interview with Gartner, are likely to raise questions over hardware prices in organisations that pay more than £1,000 for each networked PC.
The Cabinet Office's price of £800 to £1,000 per PC - according to the numbers bought - includes support, server farms, security to low-level government standards, storage, Open Office software and infrastructure costs. It is "commodity" pricing for supported PCs, said Suffolk.
The government's standard configuration on the deal includes some elements not allowed for in Gartner's price, and vice versa, he said.
Some government departments and the wider public sector have paid at least £2,000 per PC, partly because this is regarded as the standard price for fully supported, networked PCs.
The Cabinet Office's calculations were based on a starting price of zero - suppliers had to explain and justify every item of cost thereafter.
Suffolk told Gartner, "I think we have fundamentally failed on a worldwide basis as an IT industry to understand the cost of what we do. And I roundly blame Gartner for this, because you guys are the ones who come up with TCO [total cost of ownership] benchmarking. It has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"So, I go out and I pick boring desktop infrastructure. What price do you think the suppliers broadly pitch? You will not be shocked to know that it is somewhere around the Gartner TCO benchmark."
Suffolk said a business will be told that the price of a desktop is value for money because it is the same or a little below Gartner's benchmark.
● Public sector outsourcing is costing up to 75% more than the market rate, price checking service Compass has warned.


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Advertisers globally will have spent a gross $5.60 billion this year on YouTube ads by the end of December, according to eMarketer's latest report.
YouTube Ad Revenue Up 65.5 Percent Over 2012
Translated into ad revenues, this comes to $1.96 billion in YouTube's (actually Google's) deep pockets for 2013, a whopping 65.5 percent jump from last year, eMarketer said.
The U.S. market accounts for most of the revenues, at $1.08 billion, still translating into a solid 51.7 percent year-on-year increase. That's a 6.3 percent contribution to Google's net U.S. ad revenues.
Of the $1.08 billion, $850 million will have come from video ads. This compares to an overall $4.15 billion U.S. video ad market, of which, consequently, YouTube takes 20.5 percent.
Mobile to Drive YouTube Revenue Growth to $1.22 Billion in 2014
The rise of mobile content consumption, including video and ads, is expected to rise significantly in the coming years, including 2014.
"Video ad revenues are expected to increase significantly in coming years for YouTube’s US operations, particularly as mobile video viewership grows. eMarketer estimates the company’s revenues from video ad formats will hit $1.22 billion next year, claiming a 21.1 percent share of all US video ad revenues."
Meet Your Favorite ClickZ Contributors
Many of ClickZ's leading expert contributors will be at ClickZ Live, the new online and digital marketing event kicking off in New York (March 31-April 3). Hear from the likes of: Jeremy Hull, Lisa Raehsler, Andrew Goodman, Bryan Eisenberg, Mathew Sweezey, Aaron Kahlow, Stephanie Miller, Simms Jenkins, Jeanne S. Jennings, Dave Hendricks and more!
Liva Judic joined Search Engine Watch and ClickZ in May 2010 as a news blogger. She has lived and worked across the globe in Madagascar, Switzerland, London, NYC, Asia and is now based in between New York and Berlin.
Her background is in government relations and financial media where she started out as a journalist at Bloomberg and became senior editor at AFX news (now part of ThomsonReuters). Prior to forming her own consultancy Judic was head of international PR for a head of state.
Judic focuses on facilitating brand and marketing transitioning for European startups moving to the US. She has been named one of the Top 50 Industry Influencers of 2014 by AGBeat
March 19, 2014


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” Those who can not gain from history are destined duplicate it.”– George Santayana
In early September, the media went abuzz with news of Amazon ending up being the 2nd United States business to go beyond the $1 trillion market cap Nevertheless, the news of Amazon’s success has actually eclipsed specific fascinating truths:
- 2017 was the worst year ever for conventional retailers thanks to e-commerce services like Amazon.
- More than 662 conventional retail services declared insolvency in 2017– a 30 percent boost from 2016.
- Standard sellers were the 2nd greatest task loser in 2017– adding to a loss of over 36,000 tasks.
Abercrombie & Fitch, American Garments, Bebe, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Sears, and RadioShack are simply a few of the high profile conventional sellers that needed to close down shops due to web business like Amazon cutting into their profits.
Now, there’s no point weeping over spilt milk. Professionals think that 2018 will wind up being as challenging as 2017 was for conventional brick-and-mortar shops. All indicators indicate the reality that conventional physical shops will continue to enter into obscurity for as long as the web continue to flourish.
What is most notable, nevertheless, isn’t the reality that a number of these services are going under however the reality that they disregarded the web, which became accountable for their going under, for so long till it was far too late. Ultimately, smaller sized, underfunded, and bootstrapped start-ups like Amazon came by and consumed their lunch.
While very little can be done to assist the conventional physical shops that are going under, there is another technological transformation– comparable to the kind that required a number of these services to go under– on the horizon, and it remains in expert system.
I think expert system will be as disruptive as the web was, and, simply as held true with the web, lots of huge gamers are, and will continue, overlooking expert system. In reality, as reported here on TNW simply recently, a current term paper reveals that China is on track to outspend the United States on AI research study by the end of 2018.
There are stimulates in AI however we require fire
As was narrated here on TNW simply a couple of months back, stimulates are currently being developed in the economic sector when it concerns expert system:
Amongst huge business, car manufacturer Volkswagen (VWAGY) is currently speeding up research study and deal with AI in an effort to make self-driving automobiles a truth. In banking, a great part of JPMorgan Chase’s (JPM) $10 billion tech budget plan for 2018 was appointed to AI, and their hiring choices reveal that they are taking AI major. They have actually currently presented AI-powered services to assist their customers much better invest. In health care, Philips (PHG) has an AI technique in concentrated on launching AI-powered options to help doctor in much better helping clients.
Amongst start-ups, BioSig Technologies (BSGM) is utilizing signal processing to establish a system that obtains and handles electrocardiographic and intracardiac signals in clients going through electrophysiology (EP) treatments. Phrasee is utilizing expert system to examine effective projects and produce copy for companies such as The Times and Domino’s. Vivacity Labs is utilizing AI video camera innovation to collect information on transportation systems and supply information for clever cities.
While the above are all examples of great usage of expert system, both amongst effective mega corporations and start-ups, we have simply hardly scratched the surface area
Research Study from Adobe reveals that just a meager 15 percent of business are utilizing expert system, and information from MIT Sloan Management Evaluation reveals that, while big business with over 100,000 workers are the most likely to have an AI technique, just half of them have one.
In essence, it does not appear the federal government is going to take a lead when it concerns expert system, and while the economic sector is undoubtedly making relocations, adoption is still really sluggish. Something is clear, nevertheless: we can’t manage to neglect expert system.
Here are a few of the reasons that we can’t neglect AI:
1. Info can be processed, examined, and utilized much faster: Due to AI’s adaptiveness, it is simple to procedure, examine, and provide prompt details at a much faster speed.
For instance, in fields such as health care where lives of users might be at stake, health details can be rapidly examined to supply more prompt options and in a manner that decreases mix-ups, misdiagnoses, and other medical mistakes.
2. AI can assist combat criminal activity much better: When we take a look at just how much resource is being squandered on battling criminal activity, a strong case is produced investing more into research study on AI applications for battling criminal activity.
For instance, it was just just recently that it remained in the news that a Chinese fugitive was singled out and detained from a crowd of 60,000 individuals participating in a pop show. Think how he was detained? He was discovered by an AI-powered facial acknowledgment system.
There are a number of benefits to utilizing AI to eliminate criminal activity: simply a couple of consist of the reality that it decreases resources utilized, works much faster and with much better accuracy, and can be automated.
3. AI can assist make transport more effective: Self-driving automobiles, clever traffic systems, and self-managed fleets are simply a few of the methods expert system can assist make sure a more effective transport system.
4. Financial systems can gain from AI: Banks and banks can utilize AI to enhance compliance, functional effectiveness, establish reliable financial investment methods, and automate user activities.
I might continue, however the possible applications of expert system is unlimited. While our federal government isn’t doing as much as they can when it concerns AI, the economic sector has a lot at stake– we will have a larger rate to pay if we sit and not do anything.
This post belongs to our factor series. The views revealed are the author’s own and not always shared by TNW.
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