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As the more technical of us already know, the Samsung event where they’ll be announcing the next generation of Galaxy S today (tonight for us in the UK, not starting until 23:00!). There have been rumours about its specs on the internet over the last few weeks, with high quality images leaked online today and even a video of some of its more amazing features. With all this information floating around, I thought I’d sum it all up here!
According to most leaked images, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will look a lot like its predecessor, the S3. Its form factor is generally the same with its curved edges; disappointing to those hoping for a new look like the jump from the S2 to the S3. The screen is set to be a bit larger though, touting a 5″ screen and just 7.7mm thin, just 0.1mm thicker than its main competition, Apples iPhone 5.
According to many blogs on the Internet, the S4 will come with;
- 5″ Screen
- 7.7mm thick
- 8 core processor (it’ll turn off cores not in use to conserve battery power)
- 13MP back camera with dual flash
- 2MP front camera
The S4 is set to be shipped with Androids 4.1 “Jelly Bean” operating system – which, if true has been the point of ridicule from Phil Schiller from Apple earlier on today (Apple usually releases a new iOS with every new model of iPhone packed with new features).
New features that are said to be included are quite amazing though. One feature that has been leaked online today is “floating touch” – you can hover your finger on the screen to select something without tapping on it. Brilliant if you’ve got greasy hands after eating! Here’s a video demo by YouTube user istevencom;
As well as floating touch, Samsung have also added some other cool features;
- Smart Pause – videos will pause when the phone detects that your eyes aren’t looking at the screen.
- Smart Scroll – when you’re getting towards the bottom of the screen reading a text/article/whatever, the phone will automatically scroll down for you.
Heres a video of Smart Pause in action, again by YouTube user istevencom:
Of course, these are only rumours and no one will actually know what features Samsungs new flagship device will have until they announce it later on today. What features would you like to see? Do you think this is an iPhone killer? Let me know in the comments below!

domain: news


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After a heavy load of criticism from Cyberpunk 2077’s buggy release state, CD Projekt Red co-founder Marcin Iwinski has attempted to right the studio’s wrongs with a personal explanation video. Within it, he explains how the project’s ambitions “made it difficult” to succeed, while revealing intentions to launch its next-gen version in the second half of 2021.
“Please don’t fault any of our teams for what happened,” Iwinski pleaded, instead taking the blame himself. He later added that the last-gen consoles’ outdated disk bandwidth was the main reason for the turbulent release of these versions. To resolve their issues, Iwinski stated that another patch is scheduled to release “in the next 10 days,” with a larger one to follow soon after.
To conclude the video, the studio head provided an in-depth road map of what is to come in the near future. The highlight of it, of course, is that the free next-gen update is now specifically targeted for the second half of 2021. Meanwhile, in the first half, players will begin to see their first taste of DLC, along with more “updates and improvements.”
As reported previously, the developer is currently under investigation by a Polish government consumer agency, and may face a steep fine if the game is not improved in due time. Aside from its faults, the headline-making title did still manage to sell a whopping 13 million copies since launch.


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PROJECT SUNRAYS – GENERAL INFORMATION
SUNRAYS PROJECT: Helping air cargo industry get ready for COVID-19 vaccine
As pharmaceutical companies race to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, it is still unclear what impact it will have on the global supply chain, specifically, logistics requirements and the air cargo industry. TIACA and Pharma.Aero joined forces and launched Sunrays project to help the air cargo industry get ready for the transportation of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Provide the air cargo industry with clarity of the demands, expectations and quality supply chain requirements, like critical trade lanes, air cargo capacity, handling and storage, track and trace requirements, for the transportation of the vaccines.
- Provide shippers with more understanding of capabilities of various logistics players.
INDUSTRY PREPAREDNESS SURVEY
To evaluate current sentiment on air cargo preparedness to transport the new vaccine globally, we collected feedback from airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders, airport operators and solution providers.
The results showed that only 28% of our industry feels prepared for COVID-19 transportation worldwide:
- Pharma.Aero and TIACA call for an urgent industry collaboration to address a severe lack of readiness for COVID-19 vaccine logistics (press release)
- Pharma.Aero and TIACA Launch Project Sunrays (press release)
- Pharma.Aero and TIACA Join Forces to Prepare Air Cargo Industry for COVID-19 Vaccine (press release)


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Alkermes (ALKS) recently announced positive top line results from ENLIGHTEN-2, a pivotal Phase III s...
Six-Pack of Small-Caps
04/10/2015 9:00 am EST
A large part of the stock market’s recent struggle is the media-assisted focus on the short-term—on the day-to-day and hour-to-hour ebb and flow of conflicting economic and financial data—asserts Stephen Quickel, editor of US Investment Report.
The 24-hour news cycle is frequently more a hindrance than a help to the stock market. Equity investors today are arguably over-informed.
And in trying to sort out the flood of data, it is hardly surprising that the stock market has become so volatile. But surely we can try to think ahead and zero in on the long-term.
Meanwhile, here are thumbnail profiles of our latest new stock recommendations, all small-caps. Of at least 200 candidates screened, these meet our criteria for growth sector leadership, rapid long-term earnings growth, and reasonable P/E and PEG valuation ratios.
Even so, they are a varied lot, spanning several different industry sectors. All are expected to outgrow the 9% annual earnings rate of the S&P 500, by two-to-one on average, with three growing earnings more than 25% a year.
Analog Devices (ADI)
A big Apple contract win boosts prospects for this chipmaker’s touch-screen technology, which is to be adopted across AAPL’s entire lineup of iPhone and iPad products.
EPAM Systems (EPAM)
An outsourcer of information technology software, EPAM has expanded its design and solutions capabilities resulting in impressive sales and earnings growth of 30% in a string of recent quarters. Mutual fund ownership of this stock has tripled to 325 in two years.
A potent stock for our portfolio in 2013-14, as earnings doubled, THRM slipped from 50 to 30 last fall on growth worries. Now, with sales of its temperature control products topping $1 billion, seven of eight analysts rate it a Strong Buy or Buy.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH)
With 21 ocean-going cruise ships and six more on the drawing boards, this Miami-based holding company expects to grow earnings an average of 27.5% a year, including a 41% surge in the coming 12 months.
Restoration Hardware Holdings (RH)
Analysts disagree about the impact of the gigantic 40,000-to-70,000 square-foot, upscale home furnishings stores RH is opening in Atlanta and other major cities.
Wall Street coverage has tripled to 19 firms, with 12 rating it a Strong Buy or Buy, but seven calling it a Hold. The analysts’ consensus earnings growth is 27.2% a year. The stock’s PEG is 0.90.
Synchronoss Technologies (SNCR)
It’s expanded its focus from mobile device activations for Apple and others to step up its higher margin cloud services, doubling subscribers in a year and exceeding guidance by 30%. Nine of ten analysts rate it a Strong Buy or Buy.
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text: Despite the occurrence of novel coronavirus infection, Princess Cruise is still confident about the future operation of the diamond princess. At present, Princess Cruise is recruiting cleaning and disinfection enterprises for "Diamond Princess" worldwide, and plans to resume operation on April 29. Princess Cruise's official website information shows that the company is conducting a global "bidding" to find the most professional ship cleaning and disinfection company. Companies with corresponding capabilities and requirements need to submit plans before February 26, 2020. It is expected that cleaning work will start after all crew members and passengers disembark and ship quarantine. "The safety and well-being of all guests and crew is our most important consideration," said Jan Swartz, global president of Princess Cruises. Therefore, we are looking for a suitable cleaning company to cooperate in the thorough disinfection of the diamond princess. In order to accomplish this task, the cleaning company must have significant cleaning and disinfection related work experience, and be able to use the well-known cleaning and disinfection products provided by virox, and the company also needs to be equipped with professional personal protective equipment. " Nagin Kamali, director of public relations of Princess Cruise, said that under the guidance of CDC and who, the "Diamond Princess" will be fully disinfected by professional cleaning companies. After that, the cruise ship will enter the dry dock for a period of time before resuming service. As a 115875 ton luxury cruise ship, the diamond princess is like a giant hotel and resort floating on the sea. It needs to be cleaned and disinfected in many places, including the full replacement of all towels in the cabin (including towels, face towels, bath towels), bedsheets, mattress covers, mattresses, pillows, duvets, shower curtains, carpets, curtains and indoor exhibits ; all corridors and railings, handlebar room service storage room and general service area; kitchen, storage room, tableware, catering area, entertainment area; public facilities area (including shops, spa and salon, fitness center, etc.), electrical room, staff cabin, deck and railings, handlebar medical center. In addition, the cleaning and disinfection of air conditioning system and ventilation equipment, air conditioning system (including fan room, pipeline, pipeline), all navigation, hotel and operation equipment and any other local communication that needs to be carried out after assessment shall be included in the cleaning scope. Kamali said the "Diamond Princess" is currently preparing for the resumption of operations on April 29 to coincide with the celebration of Japan's golden week (April 29 to May 5 each year). According to reports, Princess Cruise is working with the Ministry of health, labor and welfare of Japan to determine the final isolation plan for the staff who are still stranded on the ship and do not intend to leave by charter flight in Japan. Novel coronavirus has been diagnosed by 70 crew members in the diamond princess, according to data released by the International Transport Workers Union (ITF). According to ITF, all remaining crew members, mainly Filipinos and Indonesians, will start disembarking and returning home in the next few days after obtaining the princess cruise license. Princess Cruise has approved a total of 1004 crew members from more than 40 countries to disembark on February 21. There are 2666 passengers and 1045 crew members on the diamond princess, most of whom are Japanese (1285). Since February 19th, the novel coronavirus on board has been tested negative and asymptomatic passengers have been disembarked, and 970 passengers who were qualified to get off the boat on the 3 day were disembarked. Among them, Japanese passengers can go home directly, while most overseas passengers need to be isolated for another 14 days after returning by chartered plane. As of February 23, the Ministry of health, labor and welfare confirmed that the total number of confirmed cases of "Diamond Princess" had reached 691, and the proportion of infection among the total 3711 passengers and crew of the cruise ship had reached nearly 19%. In addition, four Japanese passengers in their 80s have died of illness. In addition, among the passengers disembarking from the ship, many people have confirmed the infection. Among them are two Japanese women in their 60s, 18 American, 6 Australian, 4 British, 2 Israeli and 5 Hong Kong Chinese.


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A consolidation of gargantuan proportions saw MakeMyTrip acquiring Ibibo Group. Just days before Diwali, the two players set off fireworks in traveltech by announcing a deal to form India’s biggest online travel company.
Ibibo Group, which is owned by Naspers (91% stake) and Tencent (9% stake), is being sold in full, in consideration of issuance of new shares by MakeMyTrip. Naspers and Tencent will remain the largest shareholders in the resulting company with a combined 40% stake.
This week 20 startups raised about $94 Mn in funding altogether. (Funding amount based on startups that disclosed their funding.)
Startup Fundings Of The Week
3Dexter: Delhi-based edtech startup 3Dexter secured $150K in funding from vocational training and placements institute, ICA Edu Skills. The investment has been done via the latter’s investment firm Newbie Promoters.
ShieldSquare: Bengaluru-based ShieldSquare secured an undisclosed amount of funding from Venture Highway, Vishy Poosala (Engineering Director at Facebook), and existing investors. The company will use the funds to expand further into the global market, and also strategically enhance the product with new features.
Studio Coppre: Pune-based ecommerce platform, Studio Coppre received an undisclosed amount of investment from IT veteran Ganesh Natrajan. The funding will be used to scale its operations and foray into the international market.
Babychakra: Mumbai-based parenting social discovery platform Babychakra raised an undisclosed amount of Series A funding from Seattle-based VC fund RoundGlass Partners. The startup will use the newly raised funds to invest in product development, strategic hires, and creating localised content.
Yumigo: App-based discovery and transactions platform, YuMiGo secured $300K in its first round of funding from a businessman-turned-angel investor, Hemant Sahni. The raised funds will be used to scale up the company’s travel website that will cater to the needs of international travellers during their trips.
Rooter: A social platform to connect sports fans, Rooter, raised an undisclosed amount of Angel funding from actor Boman Irani. Dhruv Chitgopekar, Partner, Kwan Entertainment, and Prantik Dasgupta also participated in this round. The funds will be used to strengthen the technology team at Rooter as well as to create strategic partnerships with various sports platforms, teams, fan clubs, and associations.
FirstCry: Pune-based baby products retailer with omnichannel presence FirstCry raised $34 Mn of new equity capital from the Mahindra Group, Adveq (a large private equity fund), and Kris Gopalakrishnan. The round also saw participation from all existing shareholders.
Trilyo: Bengaluru-based Trilyo, a B2B SaaS company with solutions for restaurants, raised an undisclosed amount of funding in Seed round. The round was led by a Singapore-based private investor and backed by members of Amplifi Angel Group including Vishnu Bhat (Bengaluru-based entrepreneur and former SVP of Infosys); Mumbai-based entrepreneur Rajiv Lunkad, and Dubai-based Naresh Ravindranath. The funds will be used to expand the product suite and build client traction.
Kidsstoppress: Parenting startup Kidsstoppress secured funding from angel investors. The amount of funding remains undisclosed. The raised funds will be used to scale up its technology and expand its reach in other Indian cities. It will also be used in team expansion.
DailyHunt: Bengaluru-based news and ebooks mobile app DailyHunt, raised $25 Mn in a new round of funding led by China’s Bytedance. With this investment, Bytedance founder & CEO Zhang Yiming will join the DailyHunt board. This round also saw participation from Arun Sarin, former global CEO of Vodafone Group, besides existing backers like Matrix Partners India, Sequoia Capital India and Omidyar Network.
Mykindofjob: Online job portal Mykindofjob raised $1 Mn in funding from Mayank Shah and Shreyans Shah in its Angel round. The funding will be used to expand its presence in more Indian cities and to increase team size. It will also be used to scale up its technology.
Tazzo: Hyderabad-based Tazzo Technologies, a tech-enabled motorbike rental platform, raised $225K Seed funding from DSG Consumer Partners. The startup will use the funds to enhance technology, build a fleet, and expand into multiple cities.
Fisdom: Bengaluru-based personal wealth management startup Fisdom secured $1.1 Mn from Saama Capital. The raised funds will be divested towards team expansion and customer acquisition. Fisdom currently has a team of 25 people.
Furlenco: Bengaluru-based online furniture rental company Furlenco raised $30 Mn (INR 200 Cr) in a Series B round. The deal is a mix of equity and debt financing. The equity portion of the investment is led by Lightbox Ventures along with Axis Capital, a Hong Kong-based VC fund and a few prominent HNI’s. The raised funds will be used to expand into newer categories, product ranges, and more cities. The funding also transforms Furlenco into a fully debt-financed model to fund its assets.
Hipcask: Marketing platform for the F&B industry, Mobikon invested an undisclosed amount in Hipcask, an online gifting platform for alcohol and coffee. Other investors who participated in the round include Rajesh Sawhney, Japan Vyas, perk.com’s founder Surojit Niyogi, among others. Hipcask had earlier raised funding from Mobikon and BOLD Capital.
Epaathsala: Bengaluru-based edtech startup Epaathsala raised an undisclosed amount in its Pre-Series A round. The round was led by Hyderabad Angels. Times Internet’s startup accelerator TLabs also participated in the round. The funding will be used for global expansion and partnerships with educational institutions.
ChatOnGo: Hyperlocal platform ChatOnGo, for vendors, raised $300K funding from Janak Jain and an undisclosed HNI. With this funding, the company is planning to expand the team, to enhance the product, and also utilise it for sales and marketing.
Solutions Infini: Italy-based messaging platform Ubiquity invested an undisclosed amount in Bengaluru-based cloud telephony and enterprise communication startup Solutions Infini to acquire 51% stake. This will help Ubiquity diversify its revenue stream and this integration of two platforms into a single compelling platform will cover the whole stack of communications in a seamless way for both large and medium accounts.
Aadyah: Aerospace and defence technology startup Aadyah Aerospace Pvt. Ltd received Pre-series investment of $2 Mn from four undisclosed angel investors. The company would begin with developing three components – electro-mechanical actuators, control actuation systems, and electro-optics systems – for missiles and launch vehicles in the initial phase.
Bharosa Club: Delhi-based online advisory platform, Bharosa Club secured an undisclosed amount in a bridge financing round from the company’s management and investors. The raised funds will be used to scale up its product offering and network and to boost its aim to reach the 1Mn customer milestone.
Acquisitions Of The Week
- FirstCry (BrainBees Solutions Pvt. Ltd) and Mahindra Retail (BabyOye), have consolidated their business activities. The new entity will now work under the brand name FirstCry.com – A FirstCry Mahindra Venture. The move has been marked by Mahindra Retail selling its franchise business to FirstCry. It will now operate all company stores under a FirstCry master franchisee. Supam Maheshwari, the founder of FirstCry, will continue as the CEO of the combined entity.
- SaaS startup Freshdesk acquired Chatimity, a social chat platform that develops artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbot technology. The Chatimity team is now part of Freshdesk and has started to create a scalable customer engagement chat platform.
- Lendingkart Group, a Bengaluru-based fintech startup acqui-hired Bengaluru-based e-lending marketplace, KountMoney. The move will enable Lendingkart to boost its technology and data analytics capabilities.
- Bengaluru-based fintech startup Binge has been acquired by California-based marketing firm vMobo at the former’s valuation of $3.5 Mn. vMobo will now own Binge’s technology, partnerships, and team.
- Ronnie Screwvala’s edtech platform UpGrad acqui-hired Delhi-based SaaS platform Pyoopil Education Technologies. Post the acquisition, Pyoopil will join UpGrad’s team and will continue to develop technology on its platform.
- Delhi-based sports tech startup, Play Your Sport acquired sports discovery and booking platform, Directground. Post the acquisition, Directground’s founder and CEO, Arun Singh Chauhan will join Play Your Sport as Chief Technology Officer.
- Digital content service provider YAAP acquired digital marketing solutions provider FFC Information Solution Pvt. Ltd for an undisclosed amount. With the acquisition, YAAP aims to strengthen its position as a specialised content creator. Seeraj Katoch, founder, FFC will join YAAP’s senior management team as a partner.
- Rise Accelerator announced its first cohort, including 10 fintech startups. During the 18-week programme, the cohort will get to engage closely with internal stakeholders at Barclays, and do a focussed POC. The 10 shortlisted startups included CustomerXPs, CrediWatch, MegDap, RockMetric, ArrowAI, Capital Quant Solutions, Neuron, FixNix, Fund Expert and Anlytiqed.
- Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) proposed to set up a Credit Guarantee Fund with a corpus of $300 Mn (INR 2,000 Cr). The fund aims to support the ventures’ and entrepreneurs’ risk-taking abilities.
- Technology company Intel India hosted its first ‘Maker Lab Startup Conclave’ and ‘Demo Showcase’ in its Bengaluru campus. The first batch had 17 startups in the areas of education, sports, health, agriculture, BFSI, and e-governance, across IoT, cloud, and client computing.
- Next Orbit Ventures (NOVF), a Mumbai-based venture capital firm is in talks with a few UAE investors to raise funds for its $750 Mn plus fund. 18 UAE entities like Mubadala, DP World, Etisalat, Emmar etc., have shown a keen interest in investing in this fund and its project.
- A community-based startup incubator, ThinQbate announced its launch in Mumbai.
- SaaS-focussed accelerator Amplifi has accepted 10 startups in India to join its second cohort for 2016. About 35 startups were shortlisted based on the form and pitch decks for a face-to-face pitch.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed foreign venture capital investors (FVCIs) to invest in Indian startups without any prior permission from it. Foreign venture capital investors that have registered themselves with the SEBI can also invest in unlisted firms belonging to various sectors including biotechnology, nanotechnology, and dairy, without RBI’s permission.
- IBM, under its Global Entrepreneur Program, is organising a startup challenge – IBM Smartcamp for Smart City. Tech-based startups are applicable to participate in the event. The top 10 startups will get a chance to pitch their idea to enterprise VCs, IBM executives and others, and will also receive feedback for the same.
- The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) launched the ASPIRE Fund with a corpus of $8.9 Mn (INR 60 Cr) that aims at the promotion of entrepreneurship in rural India. The fund was launched by Kalraj Mishra, Minister, MSME, India. The funds launched will be administered The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
- Integrated business acceleration and technology investment firm TECHCELX, has announced a $15 Mn (INR 100 Cr) fund to support ventures developing cutting-edge technology products and businesses being disrupted by technology. The company will invest between $75K (INR 50 lakh) and $1.5 Mn (INR 10 Cr) in disruptive technology ventures and the shareholding will range between 15% and 51%.


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Santander launches JCB merchant acquiring operations in Spain
Banco Santander (Santander) has launched JCB merchant acquiring operations in Spain following a license agreement with JCB International (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB, the Japanese global payment brand. With the alliance, Santander now facilitates JCB acceptance at Santander-acquired merchants throughout Spain.
JCB’s 130 million cardholders can now access goods and services from Santander’s merchant network in Spain, including hotels, restaurants and retailers. Santander says that its merchant partners will benefit from the opportunity to capture card sales from JCB’s predominantly Asian cardholder base.


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Data breaches are happening every day, and the number of breaches is only going to grow. To put it in perspective, cyber criminals breach over 4,800 websites each month.
For businesses, and individuals, data breaches have costly consequences including identities being stolen and bank accounts being compromised. And the scary thing is, many months can go by without victims even knowing their data has been compromised.
Have you been affected by any of these 2022 data breaches:
- Revolut data breach exposes information for more than 50,000 customers
- SHEIN fined $1.9m over data breach affecting 39 million customers
- Twitter confirms 5.4 million accounts were stolen
- Hacker tries to sell the data of 500 million WhatsApp users on the dark web
Revolut data breach
Personal information for over 50,000 users of Revolut was accessed during a data breach that took place in September.
The data accessed included information such as names, home and email addresses, and partial payment card information; although Revolut has stated that card details were hidden.
SHEIN data breach
In October, the business that owns SHEIN was fined $1.9m after failing to disclose a data breach which affected 39 million of their customers across the world.
The incident took place in 2018 and saw a third party gain unauthorised access to SHEIN’s payment systems.
The discovery of the hack was made after a credit card network found customer payment details for sale on a popular hacking forum.
Twitter data breach
In July, a hacker posted on BreachForums that they had the data of 5.4 million Twitter users for sale.
The data included email addresses and phone numbers for celebrities, companies, the general public, and those users who have one or two letter Twitter handles, which are seen as desirable screen names (referred to as OGs). The hacker, ‘Devil’, would not accept offers for less than $30,000 for the database.
WhatsApp data breach
On November the 16th, a hacker on BreachForums claimed to have the personal information of 487 million WhatsApp users from 84 countries.
The alleged hacker said those who bought the datasets would receive ‘very recent mobile numbers’ of WhatsApp users.
The hacker did not explain how such a large amount of user data had been collected, saying only that they had ‘used their strategy’ to obtain it.
Which security tools can help lower the risk of a data breach?
If you have yet to implement any tools into your business that help with data breaches and cyber attacks, what are you waiting for? The sooner you have something in place, the sooner you are going to be protected. So, what tools do we recommend your business invests in?
A password manager
Password managers allow your teams to save and manage all their passwords from one safe space. Thus, users will no longer be required to remember multiple passwords, or keep track of any passwords on Post-It notes or in the back of a notepad.
Two or Multi-Factor Authentication
Two, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is all about checking credentials. With MFA, users need to verify their identity by using something like a security token or biometric characteristic (face id or fingerprint scan).
Human error training
Human error is a key factor in over 90% of data breaches. To help prevent human error when it comes to breaches, you should be supplying your team with constant and ongoing cyber security training. If you are providing training to your staff, you will be securing your business against its biggest risk.
If you are worried that your personal details have been obtained, or your business has had a data breach, feel free to give us a call to speak to one of our experts. Alternatively, if you’d like some advice on creating a robust cyber security plan for your business, reach out via our Contact Us page, here.
- by Lizzie Clark
- on January 11, 2023


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Woodard, a leader in the outdoorfurniture industry, is being featured in a major exhibition sponsored by the Shiawassee Art Center in Owosso, Michigan. As a U.S.-based, pioneering manufacturer of wrought-iron, aluminum, and all-seasons–wicker outdoor furniture, Woodard is being honored and recognized for its important and historic contributions to the U.S. furniture industry (made over the past 146 years).
Focusing on Woodard’s time-honored traditions of quality and innovation, the exhibit runs for two months, from June 1 through July 29, on the main floor of the Shiawassee Art Center. It displays designs from three centuries, from the original wooden chairs made in the late 1800s to today’s current wrought-iron furniture. The exhibit will also include Woodard designs that are currently part of the permanent collections of both the Smithsonian Institution and the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
“We are excited to be a part of this exhibition and see it as an opportunity to share with others the roots of Woodard, as well as the growth and change that have been a part of our heritage over the past 146 years,” Matt Weiss, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Woodard, explains. The exhibit is a source of dignity and esteem for a company that has been proudly based in Owosso since its founding in 1866. Woodard is looking forward to continuing the U.S.-made ideals, traditions, and craftsmanship implemented by its founders in Owosso all those years ago and is excited to share its history with the community and the industry alike.


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McDonald’s China inked on Monday [25 September 2017] a strategic cooperation agreement with China Overseas Land and Investment Ltd. (COLI), enabling the fast food chain to expand into more commercial complexes in over 60 cities across the country, and further tapping into the market of China’s third- and fourth-tier cities…Full Article: ECNS.cn Sept 2017
- Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Hong Kong, China Overseas Land & Investment, aka COLI (HKG:0688), is an investment firm that focuses on real estate and property development. COLI is a subsidiary of the state-owned enterprise China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), while CITIC Group is COLI’s second largest shareholder.
- In August 2017, USA’s Carlyle Group and its Chinese partner CITIC Group completed its purchase of McDonald’s franchises in mainland China and Hong Kong. The USD 2.08 billion deal will see CITIC Ltd. and CITIC Capital Partners control a joint 52% stake, while Carlyle Group will control 28%.
- In June 2017, the Chairman of CITIC Group stated that Dah Chong Hong Holdings, a subsidiary of CITIC Group, may become a supplier of McDonald’s in the future.
- In February 2017, Beijing-based Hejun Vanguard Group filed two complaints against McDonald’s China claiming that the CITIC/Carlyle Group deal would negatively impact 120,000 Chinese employees of the fast-food giant, and that McDonald’s itself failed to properly register all of its restaurants in China.
- In January 2017, McDonald’s announced it would sell 80% of Chinese operations (including Hong Kong). As a result of the US$2.08 billion deal, China’s CITIC will have a 52% stake while USA’s Carlyle Group will have a 28% stake. McDonald’s will retain a 20% stake.
- In December 2016, McDonald’s selected USA’s Carlyle Group and its Chinese partner CITIC Group to purchase its franchises in mainland China and Hong Kong for approximately US$2 billion. The bidding prices for McDonald’s China fell roughly from US$3 Billion to US$2 Billion after McDonald’s decided to retain a 25% stake. McDonald’s also decided to not sell its South Korean fast food outlets. During the same month, McDonald’s announced plans to begin online-to-offline (O2O) strategy to allow customers to digitally order, pay, and customize their meal. The pilot phase of the O2O strategy will cover 1,000 restaurants (~40% of its restaurants) located across 13 Chinese cities.
- In October 2016, Wumart’s bidding partner, the California-based private equity firm TPG Capital, exited the bidding process for McDonald’s China. The remaining bidders included Bain Capital and Green-Tree Hospitality (partners), Carlyle Group and CITIC Group Corp. (partners), Wumart Stores Inc. (former partner of TPG Capital), and Beijing Sanyuan Group (see Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group).
- In June 2016, McDonald’s Corporation was exploring selling its mainland Chinese and Hong Kong stores. Potential bidders include Bain Capital, TPG Capital, Carlyle Group, Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group, and GreenTree Hospitality.
- In April 2015, McDonald’s announced it would close dozens of its restaurants in mainland China. As of mid-2015, McDonald’s China had more than 2,000 restaurants.
- In November 2014, McDonald’s China’s supply chain came under increased scrutiny after the US Department of Agriculture approved a genetically modified (GM) potato developed by J.R. Simplot, a McDonald’s supplier.
- In August 2014, McDonald’s in Hong Kong stopped selling fresh corn cups, green salad and fresh lemon tea as these items were primarily sourced from OSI processors in Hebei and Gaungzhou.
- In July 2014, Shanghai Husi, a division of US-based OSI Group LLC, was found to have sold expired meat to McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart (Japan-based convenience store).
- In October 2012, the Vice President of Brasil Foods announced that his company was partnering with CITIC’s Dah Chong Hong (DCH) to construct a pork and poultry processing in China in late 2013.
- Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Beijing, Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group is a conglomeration of Beijing Sanyuan Group (Dairy), Beijing Huadu Group (Poultry), and Beijing Dafa Livestock. Beijing Sanyuan (SHA:600429) is its only publicly traded company in the group and was the only major dairy that was not implicated in the 2008 melamine scandal.
- Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Beijing, Wumart is one of China’s leading retail chains. Their outlets are primarily located in the northern provinces of Beijing, Zhejiang, Tianjin and Hebei.
- In October 1990, McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in mainland China (Shenzhen, Guangdong Province). In April 1992, McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in Beijing.
- Founded in 1979 and headquartered Beijing, CITIC Group (formerly CITIC Pacific; HKG:0267) is a state-owned conglomerate. Dah Chong Hong Holdings (Hong Kong listed) and Citic Guoan Wine (Shanghai listed) are subsidiaries of CITIC.
- In 1975, McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Trends


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Grumpy Gurevitz writies: It’s been a year of worry for the traditional gamer. Whilst gaming might seem to be an ever growing past-time, some of the traditional elements which make up the industry have seemed fragile. Publishers have been busy shutting down traditional developers, especially those famed for 3D racers, but beyond too.
We have seen shops such as Gamestop starting to seriously invest in alternative delivery platforms such as their own tablet and streaming services, fearing a fast-arriving dead end to their current business model. Indeed in the UK, where GAME have been less aggressive in moving into new areas of the business, we are witnessing the start of what will be a contraction of its street presence over the next five years. HMV, too, are struggling and are being quite open about the idea that they might not be around in the next 2-5 years in any shape or form.


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Two thousand people have signed up to be frozen after death, in the hope that medical science will one day revive them. Murray Ballard visited cryonics centres around the world to photograph the industry at work »
Robert Ettinger -- the founder of the cryonics movement -- has died aged 92, and his body has now been frozen »
Cryonics is difficult, but new technology used in the storage of sushi has been extended to the preservation of teeth for as long as 40 years »
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How do you show the mathematical complexity in unloved microscopic structures? By making them much bigger »
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LinuxPR: LinuxComponents.COM is to sell enterprise Linux SolutionsNov 30, 1999, 21:12 (2 Talkback[s])
No-Size-Fits-All! An Application-Down Approach for Your Cloud Transformation REGISTER >
"An online Linux retailer LinuxComponents.COM, widely known as a cheap source for Linux hardware and software products, has just announced that it will sell and support industry recognized enterprise Linux Solutions."
"On Monday LinuxComponents.COM has publically announced it's intent to change the target audience of it's popular web site to target mostly corporate users. It will now sell and support enterprise products such as HP NetServers with preinstalled Linux, Linux web and terminal servers, firewalls, routers, and a number of other products widely used by the corporate users."
"LinuxComponents.COM already sells the majority of such products, many being added every day."
0 Talkback[s] (click to add your comment)


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Sustainability was likely a word that few in the North American beef industry uttered in everyday conversation 10 years ago. Today, the word is on everyone’s lips as producers and beef packers promote and develop new programs that increase the industry’s sustainability in the eyes of beef consumers.
Cargill became the first North American packer to act when it conducted a successful pilot program in 2018 on sustainability in Canada. This led into its certified sustainable beef program that traces beef from audited farms and ranches through the supply chain to consumers. From the start of its pilot program Cargill has paid special credits to producers in the program. The payments so far have averaged just under C$18 a head for animals from certified operations (cow-calf, feedlot and anyone else who has fed or raised the animal).
Just last month, Tyson Foods, the largest fed-beef processor in the world, unveiled a similar program. The main difference is its size as it involves more than 200 ranches in every region of the U.S. The project will work to verify sustainable beef production practices on more than five million acres of cattle-grazing land in the U.S. This would be the largest known beef transparency program in the U.S. and is part of Tyson’s focus on sustainably feeding the world while taking care of people, the planet and animals, it says.
In 2018, Tyson became the first U.S. protein company to license Progressive Beef, a quality management system designed for cattle feeding operators that sell to companies such as Tyson. Operators certified in the program follow best practices for animal welfare, food safety, responsible antibiotic use and environmental sustainability. These practices are verified twice per year through USDA-approved auditors.
Tyson will eventually link the new project with the Progressive Beef system through which it will procure more than three million certified cattle in 2020. Tyson says that represents more than half of the cattle in its supply chain. Tyson will create a value chain over time to create alignment but knows it will take time to do so, says Tyson’s Caroline Ahn.
Like Cargill, Tyson will work with Where Food Comes From, the largest provider of certification and verification services to the food industry, it says. It will source cattle from BeefCARE-verified beef producers who are committed to raising cattle using practices that have a positive impact on the land and animals, and also want to promote it. BeefCARE is a third-party sustainability verification program for cattle ranchers. More than 200 ranches are currently enrolled in the program, with plans to expand the program over the next several years. Their acres are separate from the five million targeted.
As for special payments, Tyson says it currently has several premium beef programs in place that reward producers for delivering the quality, trait-specific cattle that its customers and consumers desire. As it works to verify sustainable beef production practices through the utilization of the BeefCARE program, it will gain a better understanding of the features and benefits of the program and how it may need to structure its incentive programs, it says.
Tyson recognizes the importance of sustainable beef production practices that take care of people, the planet and animals, says Steve Stouffer, group president of Tyson Fresh Meats. Its goal is to work with ranchers to verify and when possible improve those practices so Tyson can be transparent with its customers and consumers about how cattle in its supply chain are raised, he says. I imagine other beef packers will follow Cargill’s and Tyson’s lead for the same reasons.


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The Lego man sitting in a wheelchair was spotted at a toy fair in Germany earlier this week and confirmed by the company Thursday.
A movement called Toy Like Me has been pushing the Denmark-based Lego, Hasbro, Fisher Price, and other toymakers to include disabled figures. Lego fans from all over the world [have demanded the company] release an official set with disabled people.
Bowing to public pressure, Lego has finally released its first minifig in a wheelchair.
“It will speak volumes to children, disabled or otherwise, the world over”, she said.
“We want disabilities taken out of the hospital and into a more fun setting”, said Rebecca Atkinson, the founder of the campaign. It will reportedly go on sale in June.
Organizers of the efforts to include disabled figures in the LEGO toy line – dubbed #ToyLikeMe – are reacting to the news with enthusiasm on their campaign page. Started by the United Kingdom group Toy Like Me, an organization lobbying for disability representation in children’s toys, the petition garnered over 20,000 supporters.
An online campaign via a Lego website for the creation of a Lego wheelchair skatepark was rejected on the basis that submissions with a “political agenda” would not be accepted.
The first set with a minifigure in a wheelchair will come on the market in Summer.
Lego initially resisted the call, arguing to Atkinson: “The beauty of the Lego system is that children may choose how to use the pieces we offer to build their own stories”.
Several sets submitted by fans to the Lego Ideas website have included wheelchairs built from Lego bricks.


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Popular now on KPCC
LA Auto Show: The Cadillac of tomorrow is...the Cadillac of yesterday
Cadillac is most definitely back and back big time. This isn't a terribly new, new story. But General Motors' luxury brand has brought an utterly gorgeous new concept car to the LA Auto Show. It's called the Ciel. It's a convertible.
And it's the kind of convertible that you might drive through the Elysian Fields.
Just watch the video above, for the full, breathtaking effect.
Follow Matthew DeBord and the DeBord Report on Twitter.
LA Auto Show: Do we have a theme yet?
Yesterday, on KPCC's AirTalk, I said that the 2011 LA Auto Show would be about the revival of the small car in America — by American automakers! — and the return of Detroit, after the worst couple of years in its history. You know, that whole bailout-bankruptcy thing.
The mood at the actual show is more one of expectation. On balance, while 2011 was a lot better than 2009, it was a dismal year by the historical standards of the auto industry. Even setting aside the major disruption of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, which created a crisis in the global automotive supply chain, the industry is on track to sell only about 13 million new cars and trucks in the U.S. this year.
Contrast that with the 17 million it sold in 2005.
The hope is that the worst has passed and that 2012 will see the market return to something that more closely resembles normal, even it's a New Normal of around 14-15 million new cars sold in North America.
Occupy LA gets the arrest treatment
It was only a matter of time. I'm at the LA Auto Show, not far from where police in riot gear are currently breaking up an Occupy LA demonstration and arresting protesters in downtown LA. You can tell something its going down due to the numerous hovering helicopters.
KPCC's Frank Stoltze and Corey Moore are reporting from the scene.
You have to give it to LA — at least they did this is broad daylight, in response to a demonstration. Contrast this will New York, where Occupy Wall Street got rousted from Zuccotti Park in the middle of the night.
The Occupy LA emcampment at City Hall, meanwhile, looks calm and orderly, as it has for more than a month.
The Occupy Movement is two months old today. I'll have more to say on this later, but it's clearly entered a new phase. The protesters are upping the ante. Wall Stree itself is...too preoccupied with the eurozone crisis to care. So it's left for the authorities to manage what has become the biggest American protest movement since the Vietnam War was ongoing.
LA Auto Show: More Priuses than you know what to do with!
The Toyota Prius defines "hybrid" in the popular consciousness. If you live in LA, chances are very good that you've owned a Prius, want to own a Prius, will soon own a Prius, have ridden in a Prius, or will soon ride in a Prius. If you're none of the the above, you probably have a Prius or three or eleven in your neighborhood.
I should add that the Prius is the default automobile of public radio, so I'm obligated to visit its home at the LA Auto Show. I used to be obligated to visit Volvo and Subaru, but times change!
A look what I discovered! Every since it arrived on these shores in the early 2000s, there has been basically one Prius model. Now, suddenly, there's a whole happy Prius family. The Prius V is a larger, more wagon-like version of the original. The plug-in Prius allows owners to recharge the car's battery, rather that relying on hybrid gas-electric mode.
The coolest cars in town, in pictures
What are car shows like the LA Auto Show all about? Sure, there are plain old sedans and minivans and pickup trucks. But there's also some hotter fare. Much hotter fare.
The LA Show gives automakers a chance to show off what they've got, in a city that's always had a love affair with the automobile. Run through the slide show for a sampling of some thrilling rides that you'll definitely want to check out when you come down to show this weekend or next week (it opens to the public on Friday, Nov. 18).


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The Victorian Blind Cricket Association has entered into a history-making partnership with apparel company TNF Cricket. The exciting new partnership will see TNF become the official on-field team wear partner of our playing members. The new partnership comes at an exciting time for the VBCA, as it enters a new phase in its long and rich history.
As part of the agreement, TNF will be the supplier of all VBCA branded uniforms, helmets, bats, and more.
For any inquiries, please fill out the form below.


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City of L.A. Takes Away Ride-Sharing Toys
But, just yesterday (six months after California approval), the city of Los Angeles isn’t playing. As Matt Novak points out, Los Angeles has been banning ride-sharing since back in the days of the jitney — nearly 100 years ago — so they sure aren’t going to stop now.
The City of Los Angles cited Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 71.00 in their cease-and-desist letter. Paradoxically, this is this same section that Uber claims grants the California PUC the authority to govern Uber’s drivers.
What is this Ride-Sharing Thing, Anyway?
If you want to know what this ride-sharing thing is all about, Buzzfeed’s Justine Sharrocker has a fantastic article about the new ride-share economy, detailing what it’s like to be a driver for Lyft.
My favorite part is the bit about “mustache maintenance” (all Lyft Cars are supposed to be bedazzled with a gaudy furry pink mustache).


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Chrysler Hints at Smaller V-6 Engine
Could a smaller version of Chrysler's 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine be on its way? That seems to be the case. Two sources familiar with plans of a new 3.2-liter version of Chrysler's award-winning Pentastar V-6 engine told Automotive News it's less than a year away from becoming a reality. The smaller Pentastar engine would be mated to the new nine-speed automatic transmission built by ZF Friedrichshafen AG in an effort to boost fuel economy figures without shorting consumers on power. Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne has hinted about a smaller Pentastar engine in the past when asked about how the automaker is going to boost its overall fuel economy figures. “You should not underestimate the weight of transmissions [to improve fuel efficiency]" Marchionne told Automotive News and other reporters at the Geneva auto show this month. “If we had known the eight-speed [automatic transmission] was coming, we would have made the [3.6-liter] Pentastar a 3.2-liter [engine]." Marchionne isn't the first Chrysler employee to spill the beans about a new, smaller Pentastar engine either. Chrysler first spoke of building a smaller engine in its five-year product plan back in November of 2009. While Fiat's MultiAir technology was not believed to be incorporated into future engines at the time, that appears to have changed in recent months. MultiAir technology works by using small hydraulic pumps and a computer to control when air enters the engine to improve fuel economy. No word yet on when/if that will join Chrysler's latest Pentastar engine.As for when the new engine will be available to the public remains a mystery. We expect the 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6 engine to debut in the Jeep Liberty replacement at Detroit's 2013 North American International Auto Show next January. Marchionne has already said the Liberty's successor will officially bow at NAIAS next year. Where the new Pentastar engine is to be built is coming into focus faster than when it will debut. Bruce Baumhower, president of UAW Local 12 in Toledo, Ohio- where the current Liberty is assembled- also believes the smaller Pentastar engine will receive the nine-speed automatic gearbox. Chrysler has already started working to improve the Toledo North Assembly facility in preparation to build the Liberty successor. The facility is expected to go dark for five months starting in August of this year as the groundwork begins. The Detroit-based automaker has invested $500 million into the Toledo North facility in order to properly equip it to build the Liberty successor. Chrysler uses the current Pentastar in 11 vehicles across the various brands, including the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Jeep Wrangler, and both the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine is configured differently depending on which vehicle uses it, and horsepower numbers fluctuate between 283 and 305 ponies. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine is currently assembled at the Trenton South facility in suburban Detroit and at its twin plant in Saltillo, Mexico. As it stands now, the two facilities are struggling to keep up with the demand for engines. Both facilities are designed to produce 440,000 engines a year but Chrysler needs 1.2 million to quench the demands. Trenton South assembled the one millionth Pentastar engine on January 27 of this year, only 18 months after the introduction into service. Source: Automotive News (subscription required)
The NHTSA and Subaru this morning announced a safety recall for 2009-2012 Subaru Forester SUV's that were...


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PepsiCo Inc said on June 17 it would change the name and brand image of its Aunt Jemima pancake and syrup mix, which has long been considered racist.
The more than 130-year-old brand logo features an African-American woman named after a character from 19th-century minstrel shows and is rooted in a stereotype of a friendly black woman working for a white family.
"Reckoning with the weight of the past is often uncomfortable, but showing more consideration about these issues... could help move us toward a better and more genuinely democratic and united nation," said Riché Richardson, an associate professor of African American literature at Cornell University.
In addition to the name change, the company said in June that it would give at least $5 million "to create meaningful, ongoing support and engagement in the Black community."
Read the entire article https://news.trust.org/item/20201217192718-3ap12/


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Every next-gen console release is an exciting time for all members of the gaming industry. Journalists eat up the opportunity for new coverage, players anticipate the future of their hobby, and indie developers and studios dive right into the new tech. At least, that’s what we see on the surface. Beneath the obvious thrills and exhilaration of a new console release lies another aspect that benefits indie developers and publishing studios quite a bit — new video game marketing opportunities.
Below, we’ll discuss the marketing opportunities presented by next-gen consoles. After reading, you should walk away understanding:
- How next-gen consoles reflect evolving gamer demographics
- Next-gen opportunities for indie developers
- Things to keep in mind when approaching next-gen video game marketing
Next-Gen Consoles and Games Reflect an Evolving Gamer Demographic
When next-gen consoles get released, the changes they bring with them become a central part of their marketing. Gamers are promised visual enhancements, improved gameplay mechanics, and interconnectivity that wasn’t possible in previous generations. However, those aren’t the only changes that come with new console launches.
A new console creates a new persona, and as we’re quickly finding, the gamers that we once knew — the stereotypical youthful male binging on pizza and Mountain Dew — are no longer the norm.
The New Gaming Persona
When people aim to disparage video games, they do so depicting sloppy, rambunctious male teenagers. However, new console developments have expanded the market and have encouraged a larger female playerbase. It’s not just gender that’s evolving. Players are becoming more and more casual, thanks to the growing popularity of mobile games like Pokemon GO!
As the concept of the stereotypical gamer starts to dissolve, next-gen marketing must change to appeal to new generations of consumers. To that end, game developers and innovators also need to alter how they approach creating next-gen games.
How the Most Innovative Game Creators Have Approached Next-Gen?
Long before 8-bit pixilation was replaced by complex textures, video game publishers were selling simplistic products to a very defined market. Next-gen consoles have since forced innovators to define new approaches, leading to the push for cloud gaming and streaming services that make gaming more accessible and affordable.
By focusing on delivering products via Xbox’s Game Pass or PS Now, developers are pushing their new games out to millions of subscribers. As it turns out, next-gen consoles and their online services are a welcomed alternative to Steam’s oversaturated library of indie titles, which was once the only go-to method of release.
With the growth of Twitch and the advent of other streaming platforms, developers are also utilizing the ease of streaming from next-gen consoles to amp up their video game marketing. It takes one button press for a creator to launch into a stream, and all an indie developer has to do is find the right individual to showcase its game through. A game key costs nothing, making this the cheapest form of video game marketing available.
Even the “not-so-innovative” developers have been presented with incredible opportunities thanks to the advancements of next-gen gaming.
The Opportunities Next-Gen Consoles Present to Indie Game Developers
Along with presenting them with a new and exciting platform to develop for, next-gen consoles offer indie developers a host of other opportunities — and the most prolific developers will latch on quickly to boost themselves ahead of the competition.
While there are ample video game marketing opportunities created with the release of new consoles, we’ve laid out three important ones below.
Opportunity 1: ID @ Xbox and Playstation Indies Initiative
When Xbox 360 first allowed indie-developed games onto its platform, they were shuffled into a sloppy UI and often forgotten about. Programs like ID @ Xbox and PlayStation Indie Initiative encourage indie developers to bring their new titles to home consoles. These options allow new ideas to flourish across mediums they may otherwise skip out on due to inconvenience.
Opportunity 2: In-Game Brand Marketing and Strategic Collaborations
Players talk about how realistic next-gen games look, but they may not realize what that can mean for bringing together major brands and indie developers. Here’s just one way indie game developers can partner with big brands on or next-gen games.
With today’s visual technology, it’s quite possible that an indie developer could approach a brand and recommend that they create a clothing line used specifically in the game. The brand could then recreate the in-game design in real life and use the game title as marketing. In exchange, the developer will have someone with name power attached to their project that could help ramp up its video game marketing.
Opportunity 3: Minimal Competition Out of the Gate
Despite the opportunities they bring, next-gen consoles can pose a problem for some indie developers — at the end of the day, they’re a new platform to optimize for. It’s not always attractive to developers to switch to creating content for a new console, especially since they’d be competing with the AAA titles scheduled and hyped for the first year of launch.
However, that opens up an opportunity to innovators that don’t mind being the first to jump onto a platform. By being early adopters, developers can take advantage of relatively bare-boned storefronts and take up more of the spotlight than if they wait to get involved.
Factors to Keep in Mind as You Approach Next-Gen Video Game Marketing
First and foremost it’s important to recognize that, within the first year of launch, you may be reaching a limited market based on stock availability. Those initial numbers will increase as time passes, but don’t be surprised if you don’t see a sudden influx shortly after launch.
You’ll also want to remember that avid gamers have seen it all. You’ll need to go above and beyond to stand out and really grab their attention. Utilize the next-gen graphics to create stunning marketing reels or unique gameplay mechanics to pique interest.
And don’t forget to be mindful of how the market has changed. If you’ve released a game for a prior generation, chances are you’ll need to compile an entirely new marketing plan. As we’ve said, next-gen consoles evolve players and may require you to revisit your strategy.
Finally, when it comes to your audience, be sure to do your research. One of the best methods involves looking at your competition. If they produce similar games, you should be able to deduce what your players want based on their fan reactions.
Next-Gen Consoles Are Changing the Game
If you’re still utilizing marketing techniques that worked for the PS2 and original Xbox, you’re missing out on amazing opportunities. With each next-gen console launch, the industry changes. A new audience evolves, new marketing tools emerge, and exposure can be as simple as utilizing the console’s mechanics.
Don’t miss out on those pivotal marketing opportunities. Contact Loopr today to craft a marketing strategy that fits the next generation of gaming — and your budget.
Can’t get enough of this stuff? Check out our video game PR case studies to learn how we’ve helped indie game developers and esports brands just like you.


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Alabama Telco increased business deposits by $9M with new services
Alabama Telco Credit Union says it is having success with its revamped business services program.
The Birmingham-based credit union said it has been able to expand its business portfolio by $9.9 million in business deposits and $9.6 million in business loans through a new product lineup featuring merchant services and more deposit and loan options.
Julie Thomason, Alabama Telco’s Business Development Officer, said the credit union has heard many success stories from local businesses since the new program launched last year.
“For example, we helped an owner of a local manufacturing company refinance his building loan,” she said in a statement. “We managed to save him $15,000 a year for the next five years. That’s $75,000 he plans on using to expand his business and increase revenue.”
Alabama Telco Credit Union is the third largest credit union in the Birmingham metro with more than $610 million in assets. It has more than 60,000 members across the state of Alabama.
Antrenise Cole covers banking, finance, small business lending, venture capital, accounting and law for the Birmingham Business Journal. Click here to follow her on Twitter.
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26th August 2016
Despite this, the hope is that negotiations with the EU will commence under the leadership of a new prime minister, enabling the country to get on with the business of devising a firm plan and implementing it in a positive way.
We have already seen the value of the pound plunge, several property funds have suspended dealings, and some major UK businesses have decided or threatened to move at least part of their workforce elsewhere within the EU. A number of transactions have fallen over or been put on hold in the weeks following the referendum and we have even seen “Brexit clauses” being triggered. The shock has been particularly apparent in the house builder sector, where the value of some leading companies fell by 20% in the days following the vote. Meanwhile, some developers have put schemes on hold while they wait to see what happens over the coming months.
International investors have been concerned by the uncertainty and it is possible that the prime end of the market will be hardest hit. There is particular concern that London could lose its “safe haven” status, with investors selling their assets rather than watching them lose value. However, looking back to the 2008 crash, more overseas investors flooded into the market to snap up assets relatively cheaply.
There will inevitably be some focus on the occupier market which is very sensitive to economic change, in particular financial and professional services firms. Any impact would be felt nationwide as many regional centres are host to large numbers of such businesses. It is possible that landlords will face pressure to reduce rents to stimulate demand and that tenants might request rent discounts and breaks to take advantage of market conditions.
A potential hit to consumer confidence is not great timing for the retail sector and even in the lead up to the referendum consumers proved cautious and sales were down. Fashion retailers are likely to be hardest hit by a falling pound as costs will increase, but the supermarket sector could be the beneficiary of relief from the deflationary environment dragging revenues lower in recent years. The retail sector is already rapidly changing but Brexit may speed up those plans. We may also see the resurgence of the “Made in Britain” era.
The sector remains attractive – the prospect of more quantitative easing, a potential further cut in interest rates and lower corporate taxes are all aimed at stimulating the market and making the UK an attractive place to do business. It is possible that an emboldened UK, free to certain restrictions and regulations, can thrive outside the EU. Some factors remain unchanged – there is still a shortage of good quality affordable housing stock and people still cannot afford to get a foothold on the property ladder; supply of new offices spaces remains constrained and vacancy rates in cities across the UK have recovered post-2008. Moreover, unlike 2008 when the tap was turned off, now all the indications are that banks are still keen to lend.
Investors and the property sector generally may have overreacted but not without good reason. The UK remains an attractive proposition; it is difficult to see us simply rolling over and not fighting to put in place a framework which enables us to remain a competitive and attractive market, free of some of the regulations burdening the EU. Ultimately the impact on the property sector will depend on two factors: perception and confidence. There is a risk that we talk ourselves down and into a recession. However if we look outwards to the world and actively seek new relationships, the UK might emerge in a better and stronger position.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this article, please get in touch with Ben Tarrant or your usual Thrings contact.


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Ads promoting fraudulent sanitizers and specious coronavirus remedies or linking to fly-by-night websites selling overpriced masks still clog up the digital ad supply chain, companies that monitor advertising creative for programmatic ad firms say. While there has been a decline in the share of ads featuring COVID-19-related messaging that is considered suspicious, they’re still out there. And systems on the lookout for them have the potential to trip up ads carrying important public health information to combat vaccine skepticism.
Around 31% of all coronavirus-related ads assessed by The Media Trust in February 2021 were labeled as “coronavirus suspicious,” down from 62% of all ads in the broad coronavirus category between July and November 2020, according to the company, which uses automated and human monitors to evaluate ad creative for programmatic ad firms. The company includes ads promoting cleaning services or sanitizers that claim to kill nearly 100% of coronavirus as well as those promoting highly sought-after products like N95 masks at exorbitant prices in its suspicious COVID-19 ad category.
Monitoring for COVID-19 scam messages — a whole new arena of information — is an evolving science, requiring technologists to develop and continuously update ways to detect problematic ads. Throughout the past year, The Media Trust has looked to official resources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to inform lists of keywords it uses to watch for ads hyping phony cures or products deemed inappropriate for treating coronavirus, which include terms such as “covid-aid tincture,” “corona destroyer tea” and “hydroxychloroquine.”
Another firm that monitors ads and content for brand safety, AdVerif.AI, has continued to spot ads promoting phony protections against the virus. The company’s technology — which identifies images and text — has picked up ads promoting fake COVID-19 mineral cures and antibody tests, said Or Levi, AdVerif.AI’s CEO and co-founder. However, the volume of bogus ad impressions seem to be relatively low as of late. In March, across roughly 1,000 U.S.-based sites, the company detected 3,500 ad impressions that it deemed fraudulent.
Bad content feeding on bad ads
Meanwhile, some publishers that use services for monitoring ads coming in from programmatic marketplaces are not necessarily worried about the content of ad messaging as much as they are concerned with keeping “heavy” ads featuring video or other elements that can slow their sites’ page-load speeds, said Justin Wohl, chief revenue officer at Salon. The publisher relies on maintaining a price floor for ad inventory as a natural defense against unwanted advertising. “We tend to think that we’re able to block at least a good chunk of those bad actors by putting a price war in place,” he said.
Nonetheless, as many advertisers themselves have stayed away from legitimate COVID-19 related content throughout the pandemic, they’ve left gaps for less palatable ads to seep through. “A great way to get people to your scam sites is cheap programmatic advertising, which was truly in abundance during the first half of 2020 and still remains high,” said Cory Schnurr, head of marketplace innovation at The Media Trust. “Once a [demand-side platform] or buying platform wises up to your scam, you just move onto the next domain or next platform and repeat the process.”
At risk: legitimate public health ads
Now, as the pandemic era rounds the bend into a vaccine distribution phase, the latest issue on the radar is fake vaccine ads and services. Shnurr said ad tech clients originally feared an onslaught of ads pushing fake vaccines or services phishing for social security numbers or requiring people to pay in order to schedule vaccination appointments. However, he said, “The actual amount of scam vaccine creative is lower than we or our clients initially anticipated,” because other COVID-19 related scams promoting false air purification promises or over-priced masks “are simply easier and probably more lucrative.”
Perhaps the most important risk to guard against might not be COVID-19 scams, but rather against unintentionally preventing or flagging ads from small, local health departments or organizations disseminating important public health messaging or promoting vaccine appointments, which could get caught up in these monitoring systems. The Media Trust updates its categorization strategy and taxonomies to minimize AI detection of public service announcements, and rather than blocking ad creative, labels it for review by partners distributing ads, according to Schnurr.
But that might not be enough for publishers, said Wohl, who said he’d want a way to approve creative flagged by ad systems to “make sure you’re not accidentally catching the good guys in the snare.”
The demand for cookieless targeting is fueling ‘SPO 2.0’
Havas Media Group and PubMatic ink partnership, as buyers eye reduced ad tech taxes.
A ‘data buffet’: Mozilla’s review of pregnancy and period trackers sheds light on data privacy concerns
According to a review of 25 period and pregnancy tracking apps and devices reviewed by Mozilla, 18 were found by researchers to not meet their expectations for privacy and security standards.
DTC women’s health brand looks to build community on Instagram, TikTok
Perelel is leveraging influencer marketing on Instagram and TikTok to increase brand awareness, share educational content and build an engaged community.
SponsoredHow brands are activating Gen Z and millennial TikTok audiences
Roland Hamilton, senior vice president of global licensing, Trusted Media Brands Although TikTok is widely considered a Gen Z platform, the video-sharing app also boasts a high number of millennial users. With more than 100 million active users in the U.S. alone, 32% of TikTok’s global audience is between the ages of 25–34. This large […]
WWE Superstars Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville look to organic following to give DTC donut brand a boost
The two stars are promoting DaMandyz Donutz on their own social media channels, as well as through the donut brand's social channels.
HelloFresh uses short-form digital video to target home cooks as school year begins
Meal kit brand HelloFresh is investing in TikTok as the new school year begins, teaming with Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka to develop a new recipe series.


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Disney Fan Expo The Off Market Mouse is This Weekend
Disney’s D23 Expo is this weekend, but the Disney fun is far from over. This Saturday, September 17 is The Off Market Mouse Expo, an unofficial Disney expo. The DisInsider is proud to be the official sponsor and we have the details on what fans can expect.
When and Where
The Off Market Mouse Expo will be this Saturday, September 17, 2022, at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario California. The event is from 11 am to 6 pm.
Tickets are $15 and kids under the age of 12 are FREE. If you head over to Goldstar, tickets are only $7.50.
Who will be there?
As previously mentioned, The DisInsider is the official sponsor of the event and the team will be on hand where we will be doing multiple giveaways for special prizes, which include autographed images from Adam Driver, Paul Rudd, Chris Pratt, Daisy Ridley, Hayden Christensen, and so much. DisInsider founders Skyler Shuler and Derek Cornell will be on stage hosting The DisInsider Show, a trivia contest, and a Jack Sparrow run with special prizes for those who participate. DisInsider editor-in-chief Dempsey Pillot will also be joined by writer Amber Oelkers as they host New From The Castle.
We will be joined by amazing vendors including Mischievous Pins, Sunken City Designs, Nica’s Necessities, Pop Steady, Scentsy, Waltersworx, COLORBLiND ARTiST, and many more.
DJ SALVICIOUS! will also be on stage bringing some much-needed Disney music to the event. The Pizza Planet Truck will also be making an appearance, along with Character Clubhouse. Nerd Mafia will be on hand to host a cosplay contest.
Head over to TheOffMarketMouse.com to get your tickets for this weekend and let’s have an unforgettable weekend!


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The company HJ Heinz Co. will buy Kraft Foods Group Inc., creating what companies described as the third food and beverage Company in North America and fifth worldwide.
Kraft shareholders will receive shares in the new company and a special cash dividend of about 10,000 million in total, or $ 16.50 per share.
Heinz Current investors will own 51% of the combined company, while Kraft will have a 49%.
Among the brands of the new firm will be Kraft, Heinz and Oscar Mayer, among others.
The boards of directors of both companies unanimously approved the plan, which is expected to close in the second half of the year.
The new company, which will be renamed Kraft Heinz Company, will have annual sales of about 28,000 million and distribute its headquarters from Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) and the area of Chicago (Illinois) as they detailed in a statement.
The agreement has been approved by the boards of both groups.
The merger will bring together under one group popular brands such as Heinz, Oscar Mayer, Kraft, and include eight each valued at more than 1,000 million, and five above 500 million.
The fund 3G Capital, led by Brazilian Jorge Paulo Lemann, bought two years ago HJ Heinz group, some 28,000 billion, in a deal which also participated Berkshire Hathaway.
The Brazilian company also owns well-known companies such as Burger King hamburger chain, which he bought in 2010, and also controls InBev, the world’s largest brewer with brands like Budweiser and Stella Artois.
After the deal was announced, Kraft shares soared more than 34% and achieved a market capitalization of about 48,500 million in the Nasdaq market, which have risen by 47% in the last 12 months.
The current Kraft Group is the result of the split in 2012 into two units Kraft Foods, Kraft and Mondelez.
The turnover of Kraft Foods remained stable in 2014 with 18,200 million.
Proponents of the merger believe that this agreement should allow them to save 1,500 million per year by 2017.


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Welcome to Alternative Press’ pick of the 15 best punk guitarists of the ’90s. One notable difference between this list and the other two we’ve compiled is the inclusion of several women. Punk did much to democratize rock ’n’ roll in the ’70s, with many pioneering all-female (the Runaways, the Slits) or mixed-gender lineups (X-Ray […]
The post 15 punk guitarists of the ’90s who paved the way for the genre’s future appeared first on Alternative Press.
For more, go to: AltPress.com (Source)
This is a round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs. All releases due out this Friday unless noted. May also include some other titles released in recent weeks but not previously featured. Includes releases by Depeche Mode, Joy Division and more.
For more, check out: SlicingUpEyeballs.com (Source)
Chris Stewart is a Los Angeles resident who releases stark, twitchy music under the name Black Marble. Musically, Black Marble draws on postpunk and synthpop, as well as the personal and lo-fi music that’s become its own internet-based underground phenomenon in the past couple of decades. Last year, Stewart released the Black Marble album Bigger…
For more, go to: Stereogum.com (Source)
Wire have a new album of stray recordings and outtakes, 10:20, on the way. Originally scheduled for a vinyl-only release on the now-extremely delayed Record Store Day, the seminal UK post-punk band have since decided to give the LP a full general release on all formats in June. They’ve already shared a new version of […]


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The news this month is that the Datsun brand is set for a relaunch. If you’re of a certain age you may have fond (or not so fond) memories of the Datsun, one of the first Japanese car brands to be offered in the UK, US and Australia.
A Datsun was a very reasonably priced car many people ran into the ground. It had a reputation for being, well, affordable, and during the oil crisis in the 1970s was very popular as it ran on the smell of an oily rag. Of course since then Japanese building quality has improved just a little and people have forgotten what Japanese cars used to be like.
Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn announced back in May that the company was planning on relaunching the Datsun brand, initially into emerging markets such as China and India, and an image of the proposed new vehicle was released just a few days ago. Datsun disappeared from view in 1981 when Nissan decided to market cars under their own name.
Since then they’ve launched their upmarket brand, Infiniti, and Ghosn sees the Datsun brand as a way of grabbing a share of the expanding demand for affordable cars in emerging markets. The company also plans on introducing the brand into South Africa, Indonesia and Russia.
The born-again Datsun will leverage new technology which parent Nissan will install in the new models at a very low price point. Pricing will be very competitive indeed, with the company announcing a price point of less than $6,600. In emerging markets Nissan does not have passenger vehicles at the low price end, which accounts for around 40% of the market.
Nissan are planning to cover all price markets, with Datsun at the lower end, Nissan in the middle and Infiniti at the upper end. Datsun will relaunch first in India, with a five door hatchback scheduled to go on sale there in 2014.
We don’t know yet whether Datsun will be making an appearance in the Australian market.
What’s old is new again – part II
Back in Australia, Professor Veena Sahajwalla at the University of NSW, perhaps best known for her appearances on the panel of ABC TV show The New Inventors, is developing a way to make sure old cars are better recycled than they are at present.
Of the 750,000+ cars that are sent to the wreckers in Australia every year, around 110kgs of glass and plastic per car are not recycled and generally end up in landfill. Prof Sahajwalla and her industry partner Arrium (previously OneSteel) are now developing a process to recycle glass and plastic from old cars into new materials.
Her last invention was also involved with reusing waste products from old cars – in this case a process that allows old tyres to be used as a substitute for coke – a source of carbon for electric arc furnaces.
The process has already diverted over a million old tyres from landfill and in addition has boosted efficiency and cut power consumption at Arrium plants.
Whether you’re planning on buying the new Datsun if it comes to Australia, or just ‘moving on’ your old wheels, give us a call for a car finance quote.


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Turkey's economic outlook gets gloomier as firms express more pessimism
Pessimism among consumers and companies across Turkey's economy, from builders to manufacturers and the service industry, is increasing, adding to a picture of economic gloom in the country.
Seasonally adjusted confidence in the construction industry slid to 49.8 in May from 53.9 in April, the Turkish Statistical Institute said in an index published on Thursday. That was the lowest reading since a currency crisis ripped through the economy last August.
In an upbeat assessment earlier this month, Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said that the worst of Turkey’s economic downturn is over. Some economists however are predicting a double-dip recession, with a return to economic growth in the first quarter but another contraction thereafter. Growth data for the first three months of 2019 is due on May 31.
Confidence in the services sector fell to 79.4 from 83.1 in April, the institute said. Retail trade confidence dropped to 89.4. Any figure below 100 reflects pessimism about the future.
Turkish companies are finding it more difficult to sell products and services after the lira extended last year’s losses of 28 percent. The currency has fallen about 14 percent so far this year, pressuring economic activity and inflation, pushing up interest rates and making imported goods and materials more expensive.
The release of the sectoral confidence data followed a dive in consumer confidence reported by the institute on Tuesday. That index fell to 55.3 points in May from 63.5 points in April, the lowest level since records began 15 years go.
The lira dropped 0.8 percent to 6.14 per dollar at 1:21 p.m. local time in Istanbul on Thursday.
Turkey’s government has cut taxes, provided discounts on food and arranged for state-run banks to approve loans at below market interest rates to help reinvigorate the economy. It is now planning to help the finance industry deal with tens of billions of dollars of unpaid debts owed by real estate and energy firms by taking them off banks’ balance sheets and into special funds. But progress on the plan has been limited.
The Turkish central bank said on Thursday that manufacturing confidence in May declined to 98.9, the lowest level since February, from 105.5 in April. Manufacturers benefit from a cheaper lira when selling their goods abroad, but export growth in recent months has been minimal.


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May 8th - Electronic Arts has stated that it has been able to eliminate expenses by ignoring platforms with no long-term potential.
May 8th - Warren Spector goes on a rant about the new Wolfenstein announcement.
May 7th - Pachter states that Nintendo not holding an E3 conference this year is a good thing for the company.
May 7th - Warner Bros. still not talking about the fabled Injustice DLC for Wii U owners.
May 7th - A new trailer from Capcom shows off some of the Wii U exclusive features of Resident Evil: Revelations.
May 7th - Notable hacker fail0verflow details his decision not to continue with a release of a homebrew option for the Wii U.
May 6th - Shadow of the Eternals has been announced for the Wii U, with the crowdfunding campaign starting today.
May 6th - Zen Studios announces a sale on all Marvel pinball tables for the release of Iron Man 3.
May 6th - Senior producer Dominic Guay talks about how mobile devices are going to be connected to Watch Dogs in the future.
May 6th - A look at what the lack of an E3 conference can mean for Nintendo this year.


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Agritourism topic of Visit Vacaville breakfast
By Jessica Rogness, The Reporter
POSTED: 05/10/17, 6:08 PM PDT | UPDATED: 4 DAYS AGO
Visit Vacaville talked tourism over breakfast Wednesday morning at the Opera House.
The 9th annual event highlighted the positive impacts tourism has on the city’s economy, and the breakfast included some local products.
Vacaville’s Soul Food Farm supplied the eggs and High Voltage Donuts had a hearty display of treats. From Suisun Valley, Erickson Ranch brought homemade jams and King Andrews Vineyards provided Albarino pet-nat for mimosas.
Erickson Ranch, Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company, Girl on the Hill boutique vineyard, Morningsun Herb Farm and Lockewood Acres each set up tables with samples of their products.
Many tourists come to Vacaville for the Premium Outlets, Nut Tree Plaza and hotels with reasonable rates, Mayor Len Augustine said.
“We’re very pleased to see people from the outside coming in,” he said.
Many of those outsiders come from the Bay Area, people who want to get out of the city and spend time outdoors, so they also come to Vacaville for the farms.
“Agribusiness has all of a sudden become a big thing,” Augustine said.
However, Solano has always been a farm county, he pointed out.
Carl Ribaudo, president of Strategic Marketing Group Consulting, said agritourism has become a big part of California tourism, and it started with the wine industry.
Visitors want a tangible experience when they get to their destination.
“Shake a farmer’s hand, pet a goat, buy an apple, whatever it may be,” Ribaudo said.
There are many reasons why agritourism is catching on, according to him.
Farmers are trying to generate additional revenue and diversify their farms, and bringing in tourists gives them another way to distribute their products.
But there are also social trends at work, including the “locavore” moment focused on locally grown products, that provide growing support for farms and agricultural businesses, Ribaudo said.
While Wednesday’s breakfast focused mostly on agritourism, Visit Vacaville CEO Melyssa Laughlin provided updates on tourism in general in the city.
Hotels have bounced back from the recession, Visit Vacaville had its biggest restaurant week yet with 14 restaurants participating in January and they will be having their third Farm to Table dinner in July in downtown Vacaville.
Alison Best, executive vice president of member engagement at Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), praised Visit Vacaville’s branding of the city as “Small. In a big way.”
“In fact Melyssa has really put Vacaville on the map nationally,” Best said.
For this year’s National Travel and Tourism Week, the U.S. Travel Association put together a “Faces of Travel” video to highlight the people who work in the industry.
Visit Vacaville produced their own version, interviewing local hotel managers, business owners and farmers, including Alexis Koefoed of Soul Food Farm and Ben Lyons of Lockewood Acres.


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CoroCoro to unveil new Pokémon next month
This month's issue of CoroCoro states that next month's issue will reveal a brand new Pokémon that is to appear in the ninth Pokémon movie, ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea.
It is further hinted that the movie's formal title will also be announced as part of next month's coverage. As has been the tradition with the previous three Advanced Generation movies, the new title will likely consist of the featured Pokémon's name added to the end of the current title. With this in mind, it is safe to expect the Pokémon to be revealed is the Prince of the Sea, in similar fashion to last year's case with Lucario as the Wave-Guiding Hero.
Deserving of note is the narrator's remark in the teaser trailer: "Far, far away, somewhere in this sea, a legendary Pokémon that no-one has seen before is sleeping..."
Bulbanews will provide more information as it becomes available.


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Insurers were this week warned by the City watchdog to be clearer with customers about the cost of paying for policies in instalments rather than as a lump sum. Some customers pay 75 per cent more for spreading their payments while others don’t pay any extra.
That’s something to watch out for, but isn’t the only hidden cost in the industry. We asked two experts to highlight ten others.
An “excess” is the first part of any claim that you agree to pay yourself. It means you typically can’t claim at all for small costs. Many people don’t pay much attention to excess when shopping around for cover although it’s a significant factor in quality of cover.
Kevin Pratt, of Moneysupermarket,…


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The most maddening thing about Oracle’s on-again-off-again hostile takeover of PeopleSoft was the way it just kept going on, like a bad TV miniseries during sweeps week. “”It’s unnerving for customers,”” says Paul Hamerman, vice-president of Forrester Research in Boston. “”There (was) a lot of uncertainty
The Oracle/PeopleSoft saga ran for more than a year before the deal was consummated last December. Merger-mania first gripped the enterprise applications market in the spring of 2003. SSA Global Technologies swallowed Baan and PeopleSoft absorbed JD Edwards while fending off Oracle’s unwanted advances. Customers were left wondering how viable their multimillion dollar ERP investments were in the long run. A JD Edward users who has just become used to dealing with PeopleSoft could be excused for crying out, “”Oh, no, not again!””
Nevertheless, as nerve-wracking as enterprise users might find them, mergers are a fact of life and, what’s more, they can be managed. According to John Matelski, deputy CIO of the City of Orlando, Fla., and executive vice-president of Quest, the erstwhile JD Edwards user group, the first step is to understand what the perils of mergers can be.
“”The primary concerns revolve around the life cycle of product lines, support, maintenance and user group collaboration,”” Matelski says. “”With any merger, companies have to review all of their product lines, make determinations as to what intellectual property transfers should and will occur, and determine how long particular product lines will be supported and/or gradually eliminated. Possible elimination of product lines is what causes the most grief and expense to customers, and thus is of utmost concern.””
Another issue is the quality and continuity of support. Given the complexity and costs involved in the deployment of enterprise applications, no one wants to go throw the baby out with the bathwater and go through the implementation process all over again.
“”Typically companies will tout that efficiencies and enhancements to service and support will occur through mergers and acquisitions,”” Mateski says. “”Unfortunately, many times, as the newly merged company moves forward, as right-sizing and cost savings measures are implemented, good people are lost in the transition, and it takes time for support to get realigned to customer requirements.””
Whether or not your software investment has long-term post-merger viability is very much dependent on why your vendor was acquired in the first place. “”The reasons why a software company is acquired can vary,”” Hamerman says. “”Sometimes, it’s about acquiring technology, and sometimes it’s about acquiring customers, not technology.””
If it’s technology the company is after, customers can usually look forward to a fairly smooth road and continued support. PeopleSoft acquired JD Edwards last year primarily in an effort to expand its portfolio with its acquisition’s technology, though the added customer base was a big bonus. According to Mateski, the transition to the new vendor was relatively painless.
PeopleSoft helped the process along by being unusually candid about the future of the JD Edwards products, providing roadmaps and schedules. Andy Aicklen, PeopleSoft Canada’s vice-president and managing director, was quick to point out that, since technology acquisition was the merger’s whole raison d’être, it followed that his company was committed to supporting it for the near future. “”We made it clear that we were going to continue these products and support them,”” he said in an interview last year. “”It was important to kill the uncertainty as soon as possible.””
However, things look a little different this time around. According to Hamerman, Oracle’s move on PeopleSoft isn’t about technology. “”Oracle wants the customers,”” he says. “”They want a big customer base and they want to be able to up-sell. In a situation like that, customers have to understand that the acquired company’s products will be supported for a limited time.””
Mateski expects that, whatever might happen to PeopleSoft’s product lines, in the short term, users would certainly be migrated to the Oracle database. In the medium term, this could allow Oracle to create the organizational efficiencies it might need to continue supporting PeopleSoft products.
(Oracle spokespeople refused to comment.)
Indeed, even if the acquired company’s technology isn’t a goal of the merger, maintaining that technology, at least for a while, can make good business sense. “”They’d be insane not to,”” says Daniel Duffy, president of Midrange Systems in Markham, Ont., a one-time JD Edwards and current PeopleSoft integrator. “”The maintenance revenue stream is huge. There’s money to be made with those customers, with those products. So things aren’t exactly going to change overnight. It takes a long time to sell ERP and a long time to implement.””
Duffy isn’t too worried. He notes that “”PeopleSoft (had) a phenomenal year in Canada,”” including sales of new licenses. He expects the company’s software to be in use for years to come, merger or no merger.
According to Hamerman, continued support, even for years, is rarely an issue in merger situations. Moreover, even when the vendor ultimately decides to cut the old product lines loose, there are always other options.
“”In the case of PeopleSoft, there has been a third-party market growing up around its products for a number of years,”” he says. “”So customers would be able to benefit from third-party maintenance. There wouldn’t be much in the way of enhancements, but you have to expect that.””
The bottom line is that, even if your enterprise applications vendor is swallowed by a bigger fish tomorrow, corporate ERP investments should remain viable for the foreseeable future. However, Mateski, who’s been through the whole drama before, says that that doesn’t mean that users should just sit back and take it. Technology mergers can be tricky, and it behooves users to be as clued-in to the process as possible.
“”I would say that it is important to get involved with your current vendor and be as tuned-in to things as is possible,”” Mateski says. “”Also, take advantage of user group activities, and ensure that you are networked with other enterprises in your industry and geography. There is power in numbers, and having a large, unified voice to take to the new vendor is essential to protect your investment.””
Above all, the potential merger fallout has to be factored into enterprise IT procurement. It might not, for example, be the best time to rush into a system upgrade until the dust settles. But then again, it might be. As Aicklen said, “”if you ever want your company to be more efficient, get someone to try to make a hostile takeover.”” If anything, PeopleSoft courted new users even more competitively after Oracle began its takeover campaign, he said.
What is important, according to Mateski, is to “”be educated, and be confident that whatever decision you make, there is a path for continuity of operations in the event that an acquisition or merger occurs.””


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The Irish arm of international paper company Paperlinx has been sold off in a move that will see 13 staff made redundant after the firm's UK branch went into administration.
The Irish business has been acquired by former divisional director Enda Brophy.
Mr Brophy now owns 100pc of the firm, which will be renamed Graphic & Paper Merchants Ireland.
The company employs 51 staff in the Republic and 14 in Northern Ireland and had sales of around €35m last year. Thirteen staff are to be made redundant in the Republic as the company restructures.
The process to sell off Paperlinx's Irish arm started when its UK business went into administration earlier this year.
All but five of Paperlinx's 19 UK sites were immediately closed by administrators and 693 of the business' 1200 staff were made redundant.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr Brophy said that the adminstration in the UK had a significant knock-on effect in Ireland, saying: "A lot of global suppliers decided not to trade with us due to credit terms after it [the UK administration].
"The feedback we were getting was that if we exited Paperlinx they would be happy to trade with us as normal. We have good staff and good customers and if we didn't we couldn't have done what we have in the last few months," he said.
As of 2014 Paperlinx employed more than 4,500 staff worldwide and had sales of more than €1.1bn in the first half of that year.


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General Motors will start production of a pure-electric model in China within two years, Matt Tsien, president of General Motors China, told a news conference during the Shanghai auto show.
It’s also the fits time that a plug-in hybrid variant of Prius will stand out from regular hybrid model but still carries similar design cues from the Prius family.
Offering greater efficiency and lower noise than gear drives, BorgWarner’s HY-VO chains transmit torque from the two-motor electric drive unit to the differential and front axles.
According to a recent report from Navigant Research, reusing second-life PEV batteries is expected to grow 10 GWh from 2022 to 2035.
Cars showcased at the event which had Magneti Marelli lighting technology included Chrysler Pacifica, Chevrolet Volt, new Chevrolet Camaro and the new Audi A4
The company, which may debut its hybrids at February’s Indian Motor Show, has established a place for itself in green technologies.