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Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, recently spoke on cryptocurrency regulation, stating that he is somewhat pleased that regulators continue to reject requests for crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Buterin emphasized that the crypto business is still in its early phases of garnering institutional adoption due to the necessity for a thorough regulatory framework to control the market in a Twitter conversation on October 30.
Before adopting ETFs, the software engineer thinks the cryptocurrency field requires time to achieve a certain growth with a comprehensive regulatory architecture that can successfully eliminate bad players from exploiting the ecosystem.
Several Bitcoin spot ETF applications have already been rejected by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including one that was submitted earlier this year by the top global asset management Grayscale Investments.
He added: “Basically, especially at this time, regulation that leaves the crypto space free to act internally but makes it harder for crypto projects to reach the mainstream is much less bad than regulation that intrudes on how crypto works internally”.
He expressed himself by stating that the “KYC on defi frontends” idea does not seem very pointful to him as it would annoy users but do nothing against hackers.
Buterin outlines two major objectives
The Ethereum co-founder stressed that protecting consumers and preventing bad apples from shifting funds across the ecosystem are the two key objectives of regulatory laws. Buterin said that protecting consumers and preventing bad apples from shifting funds across the ecosystem are the two key objectives of regulatory laws.
He added that the difficulties with the second objective are not limited to the DeFi ecosystem but rather affect all crypto payment systems, including centralized exchanges like Coinbase, Binance, and FTX.
Earlier in July Buterin clarified how he thinks that Ethereum is not a security. Meanwhile he isn’t the only one to have recently commented on cryptocurrency laws. Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of the top cryptocurrency exchange FTX, outlined his regulatory goals for the sector earlier this month.


text: The Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem consortium, the industry group behind Hollywood’s UltraViolet initiative, is promising an update on next-steps for the cross-platform DRM system at CES next month. They might want to make one of those steps fixing the bad first impression the system has made in the marketplace so far. One key tell at CES will be how many UltraViolet-enabled devices will be on display from CE makers. If they’re MIA, it means device-makers have heard the complaints from consumers and concluded the system isn’t ready for prime time, and they’re not going to invest in it. That would be a serious blow to the initiative. Here’s something that might help: how about some coordinated marketing?

domain: news


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Canalys, a leading global technology market analyst firm, posted a report with some bold predictions for the future of the foldable smartphone market. The early forecast suggests a yearly shipment rate of 30 million foldable handsets in 2024 resulting in a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 53% between 2021 and 2024.
Canalys expects the average selling price (ASP) of foldable smartphones to drop in half from 2019 values to around $1,000 in 2024.
The foldable segment saw a growth of 148% on a per-year basis for 2021 with an approximated total of 8.9 million shipments. While the regular smartphone market grew by 7 percentage points for the same period.
Premium Android phone shipments have seen an 18% decrease compared to 2019. Android makers will likely try and ramp up demand with new foldable devices to keep up with Apple, which saw an increase of 68% in the same period.


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SHANGHAI Apr.13 (CBI China)--Domestic lead smelting mills increased exports during the past week due to faster rises in LME lead prices compared to domestic market prices, and this situation is expected to continue next week. April exports of refined lead at smelters producing over 50,000mt p.a. should be near 20,000mt, up 100% from the previous three months average.
Domestic smelting mills did not reduce their large export quantities until the reduction in export VAT refund took effect in late 2006. Currently, export quantities appear to be returning to levels before the reduction in VAT refund.


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Blockchain Technology is Booming
Sri Krishnan V, a senior vice president at Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Pvt. Ltd said the German company is already working with several other companies on blockchain technologies. They are working for a paid proof-of-concept in India. Krishnan referring to blockchain’s use says,
We see the adoption accelerating in 2019. All signs are there which say that crossing the chasm could happen within the next couple of years.
Krishnan also says a lot of large enterprise customers across industries understand that adoption of blockchain will reduce inefficiencies and costs. He is confident about blockchain’s adoption isn’t without reason. Companies across sectors and countries are using blockchain for a wide range of functions. While there is a general agreement that blockchain will become mainstream across sectors, the projected timeline differs.
Krishnan didn’t identify that Bosch is working because of non-disclosure agreements. But he said Bosch is working with pharmaceutical companies to identify original medicines. This helps them fight the menace of spurious drugs in the country.
Bosch also works with its own vendors and suppliers in the automotive industry to eliminate spurious components in the market. Krishnan quoted an example of the small European nation of Estonia, which moved all government functions to the blockchain. Krishnan said blockchain technology implementation can reduce time drastically in transportation. Especially across international borders, if the customs and other regulators come onboard.
The Stuttgart-based engineering giant said the main aim of the company’s innovation and incubation business unit is to identify new technologies and invest in those during the early days of the hype cycle so that it doesn’t lose out on a large opportunity.
Bosch has three main research centers – in Silicon Valley, Stuttgart, and Bengaluru. The innovation division focusses on AI, blockchain, internet of things and cloud.
Will the Blockchain technology go mainstream by 2021? Share your views in our comment section.


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TOKYO (Reuters) - Shares in Fujifilm Holdings Corp surged in early Tokyo trading on Thursday after the camera and drug maker released half-year earnings ahead of schedule, revealing a jump in sales and profit.
Fujifilm shares surged as much as 4.8% versus a 1% advance on the benchmark Nikkei index.
The company, which was scheduled to release the results after market close at 3 p.m. (0600 GMT) in Tokyo, said it had inadvertently sent them to some overseas institutional investors early. That prompted Fujifilm to publish the results in Japan at 9:05 am.
The company is investigating the matter, a spokesperson said.
For the half-year, Fujifilm's sales rose 21% to 1.21 trillion yen ($10.60 billion), while operating profit jumped 91% to 107.9 billion yen. The company raised full-year forecasts for both.
Traditionally known for photography and office equipment, Fujifilm is undergoing a three-year, $11 billion investment plan to cement healthcare as its biggest centre of revenue and profit.
($1 = 114.1600 yen)
(Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.)


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Since the legalization of hemp in 2018, CBD brands have struggled with inconsistent policies and enforcement from major social media companies when it comes to marketing their products.
The consequences can be devastating. Accounts of many CBD brands have been suspended at one point or another, interrupting critical communication with customers, and harming goodwill. Sometimes, social media almost seems not worth it.
On the Move the Stairs podcast, Harris Bricken attorney and Canna Law Blog contributor, Nathalie Bougenies, spoke about how CBD companies can thoughtfully address this issue now and where regulations may lead in the future.
Watch and listen via any of the following platforms:
The post CBD and Social Media: Using Brand Protection PR™ to Avoid Pitfalls appeared first on Harris Bricken.


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Patricia Kowsmann, Mark Maurer, and Jing Yang
This year, $2 billion is missing at a German fintech company, $300 million of sales has been found to be fabricated at a Chinese coffee chain and $5 billion in undisclosed debt has been uncovered at two related companies listed in the U.K. Together, the incidents cost shareholders of the companies roughly $30 billion.
All had been audited by Ernst & Young. Last year, EY also audited office-space company WeWork, which nearly collapsed after fumbling a planned initial public offering.
EY is one of the Big Four accounting firms, whose audits are meant to give investors confidence in companies’ figures. EY missed red flags or failed to aggressively pursue them at some of the companies ahead of their scandals, and for the most part it was outsiders who raised questions first, a review based on publicly available documents and interviews with people close to the events shows. Now, regulators are scrutinizing EY’s work.
The EY audit clients that faced financial issues were German payments processor Wirecard AG ; China’s Luckin Coffee Inc. /zigman2/quotes/212253358/composite LKNCY -3.33% ; hospital operator NMC Health PLC /zigman2/quotes/201584526/composite NMHLY 0.00% ; and NMC sister company Finablr PLC , which owned the Travelex currency service.
EY says it stands by its work and has high global audit standards. The firm says it played key roles in uncovering fraud at two of the companies, and it says China’s regulator has found it to be prudent and independent.
Trending at WSJ.com:


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One out of seven UK pageviews goes to Facebook
That Facebook is big and is getting even bigger every day we already knew. The social networking site is growing in every European country, with the UK as example for all the others.
Facebook leads the way with a distance. It accounts for 14,5% market share of all UK visits. Second biggest site Google UK follows with 5,8% just before eBay UK (5,5%).
Hitwise also shows the immense growth Facebook has been making over the past year. Since September 2008 Facebook grew 86,1% and doubled in visits over that same period.
The numbers show the power of Facebook. Where Twitter is 'hotter' at the moment, the long term seems to be pointing at Facebook.
Tagcloudgoogle maps a4uexpo gmail images blogger video seo indonesia london google earth matt cutts facebook twitter mobile bing street view privacy google tools search search engine google wave research streetview yandex blog baidu maps europe sem sea russia business internet event interview searchcowboys realtime android tools advertising


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The More Social You Are, the Healthier You Can Be
The survey found that a conservative 30 percent of those who had discussed health information online have changed a health behavior, such as a change in diet or fitness, as a result (image: HealthyShare Facebook App).
GE Healthcare, with the help of an online survey conducted by Harris Interactive, recently gained more insight on whether or not social media, online communities, message boards and/or forums can encourage improved health behavior. During the same timeframe, the company also convened a panel of global experts through a virtual roundtable to discuss how social networking can best improve health. The collective results show that engagement is notable but there’s work to do to convert conversations into changes in behavior.
The survey found out that 26 percent of U.S. online adults have discussed health information online—through social media, online communities, message boards or forums—in the past 12 months. It also found that a conservative 30 percent of those who had discussed health information online have changed a health behavior, such as a change in diet or fitness, as a result.
According to the survey, many online adults agreed that others knowing about their diet, health and fitness, and/or specific medical condition(s) is the top concern to discussing health information online (46 percent).
However, during the GE Healthcare virtual roundtable on social networking in health, held in October 2012, actively followed on Twitter, the panel of global experts stressed that accuracy of information should be even more top of mind for consumers (vs. privacy). One of the panelists, Dr. Bernie Hogan of the Oxford Internet Institute, explains, “Perhaps most worrying is the fact that the validity of the information (on the internet) is not a prerequisite for promoting the information.”
The roundtable panelists—a group of academic, physician and communications experts—also agreed and outlined that the more social you are, the more likely you are to achieve your health goals using social networking sites to support you. Other variables like trust, a grassroots approach, and the overload of information disseminated online, were also factored in during the discussion.
“We are just starting to tap into the power of social media and its ability to change health behaviors,” said Jeff DeMarrais, chief communications officer at GE Healthcare. “There’s much opportunity ahead.”
The Company has shared all the results extracted from the survey in a recent press release. Research methodology can be found in the release, as well.
What about you? Do you engage in health conversations online? Why? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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Featured News : March 23, 2017
SAP to invest $35 million in early-stage enterprise startups
Enterprise software giant SAP launched the SAP.iO Fund today to invest tens of millions of dollars in startups making products that call upon SAP platforms, data, or APIs made by SAP.
Starting with an initial investment of $35 million, the fund will invest in dozens of enterprise startups in the coming years. SAP also plans to fund startup accelerators in tech capitals cities around the world, like San Francisco and Berlin.
Both the investment fund and accelerator programs will focus on machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and big data, according to SAP chief strategy officer Deepak Krishnamurthy.


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Food fads seem to come and go and so it goes with cupcakes, which just a few years ago were as sizzling hot as the cronut. The latest casualty -- the Crumbs Bake Shop, a national chain that on Monday closed all of its remaining 48 shops.
Facing default on more than $14 million in loans, the country's largest specialty cupcake chain had at one time as many as 65 locations, but the publicly held company was unable to turn a profit.
Crumbs, though, isn't the only cupcake-centric business to fall prey to the fickle fancies of hungry consumers. In San Diego County, a number of entrepreneurs who jumped on the cupcake bandwagon -- Cups in La Jolla, Cupcake Love in Solana Beach and Escondido, and the Corner Cupcakes food truck -- are all no more. Even the Padres parted ways with the jumbo cupcakes it debuted at Petco Park five years ago for a pricey $6.50 each.
So why the fading yen for a single-serving mound of red velvet cake slathered in buttercream?
Cupcakes were a niche market that grew saturated, says restaurant analyst Bonnie Riggs.
And she has the numbers to prove it. Cake servings at restaurants, including cupcake shops, spiked 8 percent in 2012, ending in April, but a year later, that trend reserved itself, with servings down 6 percent, according to the NPD Group. Through April of this year, cake servings remain sluggish, down 1 percent for the year.
"The concept is too narrow, highly discretionary and to stay alive, you need that repeat business," Riggs said. "I not only consider this a fad but it got saturated and with the me-too culture people try to jump on the bandwagon and the economy is still struggling and consumers are still cautious in their spending. It’s just not for the masses."
Some cupcake enterprises, though, have found a way to defy the cupcake slump. Sprinkles, which launched the first cupcakes-only bakery in 2005 and has a shop in La Jolla, is very much alive, having just opened its 20th store and has plans for 10 more in the next year. It's also launched Sprinkles ice cream and cookies and intends to open more of its 24-hour cupcake vending machines because, as it believes, there isn't a time of day when the urge for a cupcake doesn't strike.
"I can’t speak to others’ individual situations. For us,we’re excited about the future," said Charles Nelson, who co-founded Sprinkles with his wife Candace, a pastry chef and judge on Food Network's Cupcake Wars. "No matter whether you’re in fashion or food, you have to continue to innovate and respond to continuing changes in customers’ tastes and the economic climate too."
Also a survivor is Vista-based Little Cakes Cupcake Kitchen, which is planning to relocate to a larger space. Part of its salvation is developing the cupcake catering side of its business for weddings, which increasingly are subbing the miniature confections for tiered cakes, said co-owner Dan Hein.
"But I do think the market was saturated, and in some ways the boom is over," acknowledged Hein, whose shop has recently featured chocolate pistachio, chocolate peanut butter milkshake, and lemon lavendar cream among it various cupcake selections. "Weddings have grown to accept cupcakes, and weddings aren’t going anywhere. As long as that continues there's going to be a place for cupcakes."


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Analysis originally distributed on October 25, 2017 By: Michael Vodicka of Cannabis Stock Trades
Cannabis oils is one of the fastest growing sub-industries in the cannabis sector.
According to a recent Health Canada report, the cannabis oil sector grew more than 871% between April 2016 and March 2017.
The reason for that incredible growth is simple - health benefits. Vaping or placing a few drops of cannabis oil under the tongue doesn't irritate the lungs like smoking cannabis.
Looking forward, this is still the beginning of the trend. Oil should continue to capture market share from dried cannabis for many years.
This migration to oils is creating a great investment opportunity.
In Canada, only a small group of licensed producers have a second license to manufacture and sell oils.
That's why I'm excited to share an undercover Canadian cannabis company. Continue reading "Cannabis Oils Leader Delivers 80% Revenue Growth"


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What we covered in Melbourne food and drink this week
•After nearly eight years, Seddon’s Copper Pot has announced its closure at the end of the month. Get in before then for a menu that celebrates all of its greatest hits.
•In better restaurant news, acclaimed regional fine diner Brae is turning 10 in December. To celebrate, it’s throwing a picnic with dishes and drinks by some of Australia’s best chefs and winemakers.
Save 20% when you buy two or more Broadsheet books. Order now to make sure they arrive in time for Christmas.SHOP NOW
•More positivity: Collingwood icon The Tote has been rescued by a pair of live music lovers – after raising over $3 million from the public to help out.
•The Studley Park Boathouse, in Kew, is another icon with a fresh lease on life. It reopened last weekend after a $5.8 million dollar revamp – with a new restaurant, cafe and bar.
•Instead of closing in spring as planned, Kafeneion, the hit CBD pop-up serving home-style Greek food, will stay on Bourke Street till the end of the year, with a permanent home to follow.
•Elsewhere in the CBD, new Korea-meets-France bakery and cafe The Butter Room is open and already doing a roaring trade. Come for matcha-chocolate canelés, injeolmi buns and “lava” pandoros.
•Roslyn Thai Cafe, nearby in West Melbourne, has just opened too – it’s a cafe that spotlights Thai-style breakfast such as pork ball congee, green curry with fried chicken and coconut and pandan jam toast. It does excellent chiffon cakes and milk teas, too.
•Over on Chapel Street, Studio Amaro, the latest venue from the Commune Group, is open and ready for a good time. This two-storey Italian all-rounder is just as suited to a quiet weeknight dinner as it is a big old Saturday blowout. We’ll leave the decision to you.
•More Italian news: Pizzeria Magma has opened in Fitzroy North in the old Supermaxi space with fun wines and excellent Neapolitan pizzas.
•Even more Italian news: Maestro, by Adrian Richardson, is about to open in Geelong. Come for steak, pastas and views of the city centre.
•Ruben’s Deli is bringing a slice of New York to Armadale – stop by this good-looking modern deli for a customisable bagel bar, smoked fish or a ready-made meal by an Ex-Cutler & Co head chef.
You might have missed…
•Melbourne Food and Wine Festival has just announced the program for its upcoming regional edition, with tickets on sale now. Highlights include a weekend-long food festival, a three-course dinner underground in Ballarat, and two “World’s Longest Lunches” being held simultaneously.
•Josh Niland, arguably Australia’s most famous chef, is opening his first international restaurant – in Singapore. And the fish-loving chef is even putting meat on the menu.
•This week on Broadsheet’s podcast Around Town, we talked about Footscray ice-cream shop Kariton Sorbetes, new Brunswick cafe Lunar by Hikari and covered two recently revamped retro pubs – the Courthouse North Melbourne, and the Healesville Hotel.
•Now open in Prahran Market, Miss Amelie Gourmet brings award-winning pies to the south side, straight from its shed-turned-commercial-kitchen in Wodonga. Expect flavours such as lamb garlic and rosemary; Thai red duck curry; cauliflower and three cheese alongside the winner of the “best gourmet pie in Australia”, the Chinese barbeque pork belly.
•Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca is opening an upstairs bar this weekend, with a very spring-friendly outdoor patio. Vince’s Bar is open from 6pm till late every Friday and Saturday, with its own special drinks and snacks.
•Farmers’ Daughters Alejandro Saravia and Pt. Leo Estate culinary director Jose Espuga are joining up this Sunday for a special lunch celebrating Peru and its distinct regions. Bookings are still available. And on Saturday, in honour of renowned artist Jaume Plensa’s visit to the winery (and the namesake of the estate’s flagship restaurant, Laura), a special morning tea and a dinner is being held.
•Papirica in Collingwood is hosting a pop-up day dedicated to katsu don tomorrow. And there’ll be special cheesecake.


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Fans will get a rare chance to hold one of Babe Ruth’s old game bats each day during the National Sports Collectors Convention July 29-August 2, 2015.
Memory Lane Auctions will have a genuine 1930 Ruth game bat at its booth inside the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center each day of the show and visitors will be able to stop by and have their picture taken with the 34 ¾”, 37.4 ounce white hickory bat ordered by Ruth. The bat, rated PSA/DNA GU10, most recently sold at auction for over $177,000. It was presented by Ruth to Earl Whitehill, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers in 1931 and remained in the player’s family for decades until it was consigned to auction.
The bat will be part of an exhibit of memorabilia that will be on display inside the Memory Lane booth near the front of the show (#1001). Fans can stop by between 11 AM and 2:30 PM daily to hold the bat and have a photograph taken.
Also on display will be the uniform Lou Gehrig wore during the 1934 MLB All-Stars Tour of Japan and the actual costume worn by Christopher Reeve in the original Superman I movie along with the kryptonite stick used during filming. The Gehrig uniform sold for more than $500,000 in 2011.
Memory Lane will be showing off dozens of PSA graded cards and vintage memorabilia items offered for sale at the National and offering free catalogs for its Summer Break Auction which will be underway during the show and features numerous high-grade vintage set breaks.
Memory Lane will be the National’s grand opening sponsor when the show opens to the public on Wednesday, July 29 at 4 PM.
The company will also be accepting consignments for its next catalog auction during the show. Free five-day passes to the National are available now to consignors. Call Memory Lane (1-877-606-5263) or visit their website for more information.


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- Green Growth
- Your Consultant
20:55 | 16/04/2021
Fast-food restaurant chain Lotteria – a subsidiary of South Korean Lotte Group – could close its Vietnamese franchise due to tepid performance.
11:20 | 25/12/2020
Lotte Corporation will fully divest Bibica, leaving The PAN Group king of the hill at the Vietnamese confectionery maker.
08:25 | 23/09/2020
Ten years after the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force in 2009, with import tariffs removed already, Japanese consumer goods suppliers are looking into ...
17:03 | 11/08/2020
Lotte Chemical has recently acquired Vina Polytech to realise its vision of becoming the seventh-largest chemical company in the world.
11:00 | 17/07/2020
Foreign retailers set to make a debut in Vietnam may find themselves in a harsh competitive landscape after the global health crisis.
21:44 | 19/01/2020
The founder of South Korea's sprawling retail conglomerate Lotte Group has died at the age of 97, company officials said Sunday (Jan 19).
11:55 | 03/01/2020
South Korean giant Lotte announced closing the curtains on its Lotte.vn website, effectively quitting the e-commerce race in Vietnam.
10:33 | 16/09/2019
Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee will propose the prime minister to permit Lotte Group to continue its Eco-smart City located in Thu Thiem New ...
17:54 | 25/06/2019
Lotte Card launched Lotte Finance in Vietnam, marking an important milestone in the financial market after nearly six months of business operation.
10:57 | 24/04/2019
The credit card launch marks an important milestone for Lotte Finance in positioning its premium brand in the Vietnamese market.


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Back in 2007, Ford changed the way we interacted with our cars. Ford SYNC was the first mass-market system that enabled drivers to perform simple in-car tasks--such as changing the radio station or making phone calls via voice commands. While similar features were already being offered by several other carmakers, those were a bit too upscale for most folks’ budgets.
Nine years later, the industry leader in auto connectivity is taking things a notch yet again. The SYNC 3 system will offer users the ability to connect their cars to their phones via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The two systems can now be paired seamlessly with one’s Ford vehicle. Now, drivers and passengers can access their apps, make calls, send and receive text messages, and do just about anything they would on their phone without taking their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road.
For instance, Android users can use Google Maps to find their way in and around town. Meanwhile, iPhone diehards can interact with Siri behind the wheel without picking up their phone. But wait, there’s more.
The year 2016 also ushers in Applink. This smart new feature gives drivers the ability to control their mobile-phone apps through voice activation. Among the first apps that Ford’s SYNC can now access are Cityseeker, Eventseeker, Concur and the AAA app in the United States. These apps allow users to seek auto assistance, find the nearest events and places, and even log a business trip for official purposes.
Apart from these, 4G LTE connectivity allows owners to start the vehicle, check fuel levels, or even locate their car via smartphone--all from a remote location. You can practically play James Bond with your Ford.
Ford SYNC 3 will be initially available on the 2017 Escape and can be had on all 2016 models specified for upgrade. With over 15 million SYNC-equipped cars and SUVs out on the streets, and an expected 43 million by 2020, Ford hopes that this smart technology will make driving a Ford safer and more hassle-free. We’re guessing that it will only be a matter of time before Ford Philippines rolls out the technology in our market. The only question is: Which Ford model will get it first?


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Affiliates earn 20% commission on sales.
financial publication, financial news, business news, financial news


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Cryptocurrencies, where are the digital currencies of central banks
by Maurizio Sgroi
All major jurisdictions are working on the construction of central bank digital currencies (CBDC). The in-depth analysis by Maurizio Sgroi for Econopoly of the Sole 24 Ore
A little big success, one could say by observing the first cross-border fund transfer experiment of a central bank digital currency between different institutions presented by the Bis of Basel. Perhaps it is an exaggeration to bother the story, but only because the theme is exotic and therefore necessarily not very popular. And yet the fact is relevant: for the first time there has been a passage of central bank digital currency (CBDC) - using a blockchain (Distributed Ledger Technology, DLT), in full Bitcoin spirit.
The test allowed “three participating central banks to control the flow of their CBDC and to monitor the transactions and balances of their issued CBDC,” Bis explains. And the successful outcome of the experiment has given way to a new phase - the third of a project begun years ago - which aims to arrive at a ready-to-use network to be made available to central banks in open source ".
The first phase of this project involved the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Bank of Thailand (BOT) - Project Inthanon-LionRock - and was completed in January 2020. It took another eighteen months to get to phase two , which involves other stakeholders, while it is not yet clear how long it will take to complete phase 3.
The point remains: transferring funds between countries, using CBDC on a DLT, will become too enticing an opportunity not to be considered. It is no coincidence that Benoît Cœuré, head of the BIS Innovation Hub, speaks of the prototype as “part of our efforts to design CBDC technology”.
To make the operation interesting, the simple reason is that the transfer took place in a matter of seconds compared to the days normally required for a cross-border payment with current systems. And at half the cost.
There is also another reason: the experiment is the result of an institutional collaboration between the BIS innovation hub of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong monetary authority, the Thai central bank, the Digital currency Institute of the People's Bank of China and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates. Certainly an original collaboration, also due to the political significance that can be attributed to it.
The technical reasons for this evolution are obviously numerous. The prototype of multiple Central Bank Digital Currencies (mCBDCs) "demonstrated the potential of using digital currencies and DLT technology for real-time, cheaper and safer cross-border payments and settlements". Furthermore, the platform operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day. In the words of Bénédicte Nolens, head of the BIS Innovation Hub, in Hong Kong, "Faster and cheaper cross-border wholesale payments, even to jurisdictions that do not benefit from a vibrant correspondence banking system, would be positive for trade and economic development ".
It is worth remembering that this "internationalization" of a CBDC was not born out of a stroke of genius by some central banks - or at least not only - but is part of a specific G20 mandate to create "cheaper, faster and cheaper cross-border payments. more resilient ". So it is not a sport event, but the consequence of a precise strategy that starts from afar and that will lead to a substantial change in the financial ecosystem that revolves around payments, international but not limited to.
The indication of the G20, in fact, is part of the broader scenario that sees more and more central banks engaged in the development of digital currencies, an object that has only recently begun to gain access to public opinion thanks to the considerable work of dissemination and analysis done by central banks.
Central banks have not only helped explain and study the phenomenon, but have expressed a growing number of positions in favor of the adoption of this technology.
So we got to today. All major jurisdictions are working on building a central bank digital currency. Some smaller countries, such as Jamaica, also recently announced that they are ready to launch. While among the large countries, China - which participates in the cross-border payment experiment - has been experimenting with an e-yuan in some city contexts for some time and is also preparing for a targeted use of digital currency for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics.
It is too early to say that nothing will be the same after the mCBDC test. But that moment will come, few now doubt it among those who follow these events. The problem is how this transition will be handled. The risk that all central banks have is to "disintermediate" commercial banks too much, ending up by cutting them out of payment systems.
Which nobody wants, and first and foremost central banks, which are certainly not equipped to manage retail customers. For this reason, among the various hypotheses circulated in recent months in the eurozone, it has emerged that of limiting the amount in digital currency available to each economic entity to only a certain amount. And then of course there are difficult privacy issues at stake. But it is a question of surmountable difficulties. The process for the "digitization" of cash is now well underway. Where it will lead us is a whole other story.


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Apple is working hard to rock the worlds of owners of its next iPhone, both virtual and real worlds, that is.
For now though the early stage features of augmented reality should appear soon in the new iPhone. Tim Cook has already expressed that he thinks AR is the future, so seeing it start to appear in the iPhone makes sense.
The features expected to appear in the future iPhone include a Snapchat style filter that will let users put objects on photos that appear to fit - like masks on faces as they continue to move.
This should all be possible thanks to Apple using a method to detect depth in images and specifically detect objects within that. This is likely how those filters will be able to work accurately. It should also make for future augmented reality displays, on glasses, more seamlessly like reality than ever.
According to the report Apple has a whole department working on this with former HoloLens and Oculus workers as part of the team.
Check out the link below to find out everything expected on the next big jump for Apple in the iPhone 8.


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Gaming platforms are not just for gaming anymore. More and more people are using platforms like Xbox and Playstation to access music. Increased competition for the top-selling game has pushed game developers to really focus on creating a great sound track. Game developers are licensing more music than ever before and now fans can even purchase the tracks from the game without ever leaving the console. In addition, game consoles are incorporating online streaming and other music services, allowing fans to listen to their music from the central point of most homes – the TV.
This [surge in game console popularity and competition] matters to the music industry for three reasons, and all of them are good. The first is that these new devices represent absolute growth in the number of paths for digital music services to enter the living room.
“For content owners, this can be an opportunity,” Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst Colin Sebastian says. “These are exciting new platforms for music and other digitally delivered content.”
Companies like Vevo, Rhapsody, BandPage, Slacker and TuneIn have actively pursued distribution deals with over-the-top distribution services with the belief that to succeed, they need to go where the audience is.
Accessing music through a TV is no longer considered odd, especially since many living room TVs are often hooked up to the best audio system in the house. About 30% of Americans have listened this year to music through TVs that were connected to the Internet, either by game consoles or other means, according to a report by Edison Research.
Music services say consoles represent an opportunity to expand their footprint in the living room.
SoundCloud chief executive Alex Ljung points out that consoles have become one of the main routes to “smart” TVs, building a bridge for Internet services to the living room. “In some ways, game consoles were the first and still by far the largest user base for smart TVs. It’s a way to take a screen and connect it to the Web,” he says. “In that sense, the console enables us to get to the TV.”
The second reason why consoles matter lies in the calculation of royalties. Music delivered through Internet-based services has historically generated higher absolute royalties in aggregate than music delivered by cable and satellite TV companies. While per-stream rates established by the Copyright Royalty Board for cable, satellite and Internet conduits aren’t directly comparable to one another, it’s well-known that Pandora, an Internet-based service, is the largest single contributor to SoundExchange, which collects music royalties under statutory licensing. Should listening to Internet music on TVs in a home environment become as popular as mobile, rights holders stand to gain.
The third opportunity for music, albeit a smaller one than during the heyday of “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero,” games themselves represent a vehicle for licensing and distribution. This year and next, a handful of titles will incorporate music as a central feature in their experiences, including Ubisoft Entertainment’s “Just Dance 2014” and “Rocksmith 2” and Harmonix’s “Fantasia.” As with movies, games require increasingly sophisticated scores and soundtracks, particularly for console titles that heavily emphasize cinematic environments and character development.
Perhaps the best source of licensing revenue this year will come from “Grand Theft Auto V,” which licensed 240 tracks and commissioned original songs from A$AP Rocky, Flying Lotus, Twin Shadow, Neon Indian, Yeasayer, OFF! and Tyler, the Creator, among others. The game, which has so far generated more than $1.3 billion in retail revenue since its release on Sept. 17, also features 15 in-game radio stations hosted by well-known DJs, including Bootsy Collins.
Inspired by the “GTA” radio feature, some streaming music providers including Rhapsody have explored the possibility of integrating their services into gaming worlds. Gamers spend about four hours per week on average playing, according to a 2012 survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Some even turn off the game’s sound to pipe in their own musical selections.
To read the full article, visit Billboard.com.


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Retailers that are looking to keep up with Amazon need to ramp up their delivery services. With 89 percent of shoppers defining fast delivery as being within two days, instant gratification is being the norm rather than the exception. Even though Amazon is the clear leader in same-day delivery services, there is still plenty of room for the competition. Right now, Amazon only offers same-day delivery in 27 markets.
According to data from L2, a quarter of shoppers say they would abandon their shopping cart if they could not get same-day delivery, yet less than one fifth of the 97 retailers studied offered this service. In addition, 40 percent of shoppers say they would turn to same-day delivery if they were unable to get to a store, which means there is a huge opportunity here.
Customers Willing to Pay for Instant Gratification
Even though people have come to expect free two-day shipping thanks to Amazon Prime, most are still willing to shell out for an upgrade to same-day delivery – with customers willing to pay as much as $5 more to get their goods by the end of the day. However, that amount is not enough to cover the average cost of the service, which is $10 more. Firms have a few options here, including offering two-day shipping for free or at a certain order threshold and absorbing the cost or charging customers outright for the shipping fees.
Businesses that are not prepared to invest in the infrastructure needed for such an offering do not have to be left out; startups like Deliv and Uber can step in to make this a reality.
One firm that is making strides in keeping up with the demand for same-day delivery is Macy’s. Despite falling revenue and 150 store closures, its ecommerce sales are making double-digit gains. A partnership with Deliv allows Macy’s to bring customers reasonable same-day delivery options, with a $99 free shipping threshold and a mere $5 charge for same-day delivery in certain markets.
This blog post was based off of an article from Multi-Channel Merchant. View the original here.


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It's been a tedious couple of months for Netflix subscribers, who have seen a service they adored transformed by a dramatic increase in prices, unbundling of streaming video from DVDs by mail, and vanishing content.
Netflix initially downplayed customers' concerns, but when the company cut its customer forecast by 1 million - sending its stock into a nosedive - CEO Reed Hastings penned a blog entry Sunday pouring fuel on the fire.
In an attempt to "apologize and explain," Hastings also announced Qwikster, the new name of Netflix's spun-off DVD-by-mail service. He also described how Qwikster will work, including that customers who want video streaming and DVDs will have to manage two separate queues on two different websites and get billed twice.
Some customers described the changes as inconvenient and confusing. And for some, the news from Netflix-Qwikster might just be the last straw.
Growing discontentment aside, experts note that the Netflix-Qwikster combination is still unrivaled.
"When you look at all the services out there, Netflix today is still kind of the best option," says Bryan Gonzalez, director of the Social & Digital Media Technology Labs Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California. "The reason I say that is Netflix is a subscription model that a lot of mainstream users understand and enjoy."
Gonzalez says that many digital alternatives to Netflix boil down to pay-per-view while Netflix's streaming library offers viewers all they can watch for one price. It's kind of like comparing an all-you-can-eat buffet to a small-plates menu.
"I feel a lot of users were with Netflix because it was cheap and easy," Gonzalez said. "Now that the Netflix user base is stirred up, they might be exploring their options."
So for those whose goodwill toward Netflix is at an end, there are other options, including DVD-by-mail rentals, video streaming and pay-per-view choices.
Blockbuster: Blockbuster - once on the ropes thanks to Netflix's meteoric rise - is trying to cash in on its rival's recent woes. It even went so far as to promote a tweet last week across all of Twitter mocking Netflix's fallout with fans: "Netflix customers, seeing red? We have the newest releases."
Indeed, Blockbuster begins renting many new releases about 30 days before its competitor because of deals made with several studios. Blockbuster has embraced per-day pricing: Just-released movies cost $3 for the first day, and other new movies are $2 for the first day with extra days running $1.
Blockbuster does not offer a monthly streaming plan; all of its online rentals are pay-per-view. Blockbuster's DVD-by-mail subscriptions are similar to Netflix: $9.99 a month for one movie or video game at a time or $14.99 for unlimited two-at-a-time rentals. A similar DVD-only plan from Netflix that would include Blu-ray DVDs but not games costs $9.99 a month for one disc and $13.99 for two.
Blockbuster renters can return mailed DVDs to the company's stores, some of which offer unlimited exchanges for customers unwilling to wait for the next disc to arrive via mail. Blockbuster's digital offerings can be downloaded to computers and some tablets and smartphones.
Hulu and Hulu Plus: For Netflixers subscribing for streaming TV episodes, Hulu provides a reasonable offering of television programming, as well as some movies and original programs. In addition to the free service, Hulu Plus subscribers pay $8 per month for more content, high-definition viewing and access on the iPad and newer-model iPhones, as well as video game consoles and some TV sets.
Amazon Instant Video: Amazon.com rents more than 100,000 movies and TV shows online, with prices ranging from $1 to $5. There is no monthly subscription plan, but the pay-per-view library includes more than 15,000 rentals in high definition. Viewers have access to a video for one to seven days after they've started watching.
Amazon also provides free movie streaming to shoppers who are members of its $79-a-year Prime club, which includes free two-day shipping and discounts on next-day shipping. The menu of movies is smaller compared with Netflix's library, with Amazon streaming about 6,000 movies and TV shows vs. more than 20,000 available from Netflix. Amazon lets viewers watch movies on their computers and on TVs using some Internet-connected electronics, including some Blu-ray player and set-top box from companies like Logitech or Roku.
Apple iTunes: Apple's online store rents and sells television shows and movies in standard and high definition, viewable on iOS devices such as the iPad, computers or on a television using an Apple TV set-top box. Many iTunes rentals cost $3 or $4, but first-run, high-definition movies available the day they come out on DVD cost $5. TV shows generally range around $1. Once you've started watching a rental, it lasts a couple of days before expiring.
Redbox: Redbox, which has rental kiosks all over Milwaukee, rents standard DVDs for a $1 a night and Blu-ray discs for $1.50. Each machine - typically located outside grocery stores and drugstores - holds 200 movies that are refreshed every Tuesday. Redbox, similar to Netflix, delays renting new releases for 28 days to honor deals with Universal, Warner Bros. and Fox, which want the suspension to encourage DVD sales.
Wal-Mart's Vu-du: Walmart.com offers more than 30,000 streaming movies and TV shows through Vudu.com. Vu-du doesn't offer subscriptions, but many movies are available for streaming and in HD via pay-per-view the same day they come out on DVD. Rentals range from $1 to $6, and permanent purchases start around $15. Vu-du is available on some HDTVs, Blu-ray players, computers, Apple's iPad and Sony's PlayStation 3.
Microsoft Zune: Microsoft's online media service sells and rents movies and TV shows through computers, the Xbox 360 game system and some media players and smartphones. Many movies usually cost $20 and rent for $6.
Sony PlayStation Network: Sony sells and rents movies, including new releases, through its online PlayStation Store on the PlayStation 3 game system. Movies usually cost $20 to own and $6 to rent.
Microsoft plans to release an update to the Xbox 360 soon that will add support for 3-D TVs, according to a report.
This upgrade will allegedly arrive over Xbox Live in time for several titles scheduled for release this holiday season featuring 3-D visuals, including "Gears of War 3," "Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary" and "Batman: Arkham City," according to the games site MSBoxWorld.
The website offers an image of an option on an Xbox 360's dashboard that says: "Enable 3D to use stereoscopic 3D in games and experiences that support it," suggesting the 3-D support could also cover streaming video services such Zune or Netflix. The site also says the update will add the ability to will detect a television's size or let viewers set the dimensions manually.
Sony's PlayStation 3 has offered 3-D gaming for a while and has promoted it heavily. But players and the industry, don't seem to be embracing it, and that is not a good sign considering players typically pave the way for the eventual mainstream adoption of popular entertainment technologies.
Time is ticking away for Netflix viewers.
The company's controversial new subscription plans - and substantial price increases - that it announced in July kick in Sept. 6.
Now viewers need to decide whether they're going to stomach a 60% rise in price, change their plan so it stays within what they are paying now or end their relationship with Netflix altogether.
As a longtime Netflix customer, I weighed all three options, and none of them were all that appealing.
The first choice, which was keeping my current plan of one DVD-at-a-time rental and unlimited online streaming, was the first crossed off the list.
The news that Netflix was nearly doubling the cost of that plan - jacking it up from $9.99 a month to $15.98 - wasn't happy news.
Realistically, $16 a month isn't going to break the bank. But the casual and callous way Netflix treated jacking up its rates turned me off as a consumer.
Even more surprisingly, however, was that Netflix decided to present its new, higher prices without ensconcing them in reasons why people should be paying more.
Netflix made several announcements leading up to and after its price increases that the company failed to leverage when it came time to deliver bad news.
For example, it landed four seasons of AMC's popular series "Mad Men" for its streaming service.
It redesigned its website to make it easier for visitors to find and watch streaming movies and TV shows.
Netflix's streaming service became available on Nintendo's latest portable gaming system, the 3DS.
And as recently as Tuesday, the company added a "just for kids" tab on its website leading to a list of child-friendly recommendations drawn from about 1,000 movies and TV shows.
Properly packaged, these developments and others could have been used to temper the consumer outrage that soon followed its new subscription plans and rising prices.
With feelings hurt and the damage done, the decision boiled down to either selecting the one DVD-at-a-time plan for $7.99 a month or online streaming for the same price.
In the end, practicality won out. Although Netflix's streaming library isn't nearly as robust as its DVD catalog, I simply own too many streaming devices for DVDs to win out.
I'm hoping that the streaming selection gets better - it's pretty hit or miss as it is now - and I will have to fill in the gaps by buying movies on demand through digital services such as Apple's iTunes, Microsoft's Zune and Sony's PlayStation Network.
Microsoft had to do a little damage control after tweeting out a suggestion that fans of Amy Winehouse, who died Saturday, remember her by buying her album "Back To Black" from its Zune digital marketplace.
It's actually not a sinister idea. Sunday morning I had Winehouse's album playing in the background, remembering the endless series of briefs I used to edit about her dramas back when I was responsible for the paper's Encore page.
Unfortunately for Microsoft, at least a portion of the Twitter population took issue with the digital download pitch, howling that the message was crass, among other gripes. So Microsoft says it's sorry: "Apologies to everyone if our earlier Amy Winehouse ‘download’ tweet seemed purely commercially motivated. Far from the case, we assure you."
Because how dare Microsoft send out a Tweet promoting a service from an account clearly labeled "Microsoft UK PR." After all, no one is promoting anything on Twitter... Seriously, if you don't want to be pitched, why exactly are you following a public relations-run account?
Microsoft has dropped several notable announcements so far at the e3 Expo in Los Angeles, including the introduction of voice-powered search on the Xbox 360, more live television programming, the addition of YouTube and, of course, a boat load of games.
Microsoft says the voice search will reinvent the Xbox 360's user-interface by using Bing's technology to query the console's entertainment apps, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, ESPN, as well as Zune music, video and Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
The goal, the company says, is to let players simply tell their systems what they want to watch and then choose from several sources on Xbox 360 that may be offering it live or on demand.
Microsoft also announced it will expand its live television programming on the Xbox 360 to more providers in the United States and worldwide this year, including news, sports and local channels. Xbox Live is also getting Ultimate Fighting Championship shows and YouTube streams. The new Xbox Live television features are scheduled to launch this fall.
The list of games coming for the Xbox 360 is long and diverse. A few big-money Xbox 360 games teased at the e3 expo so far include "Halo 4" due for the holiday season next year; "Kinect Star Wars" from LucasArts due this holiday season; and “Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary,” an HD, online-coop enabled version of the first-ever Halo game due Nov. 15. Those are just a few, the full list is up at Microsoft's e3 2011 press kit site, which is available to everyone. One of the most surprising and exciting announcements from Microsoft, in my opinion, is that “Minecraft,” the popular, independently developed PC game phenomenon, will be ported exclusively to the Xbox 360. There are loads of clips from Microsoft's press event posted at the Xbox YouTube Channel.
"Halo 4" debut trailer at the e3 Expo
There's loads of Kinect coverage out there from all the usual suspects, including the N.Y Times, Engadget, Kotaku, Wired and Gizmodo. I suggest you read them all because they are kind of all over the place. The Times write-up is a bit too light on the details and overly gushy for me to take too seriously. Wired unapologetically points out some of its limitations. Kotaku's stuff straddles the fence with its verdict but has some useful videos of Kinect in action in living room settings. I am picking mine up today and will begin tinkering with it tonight. If anyone in our area is picking up Kinect today and wants to share their thoughts on how they like, I'd love to hear it. I am really excited about Kinect's potential, which I think extends well beyond games. So even if the technology has some shortcomings out of box, I still can't wait to try it.
Microsoft rewired the software and online service for the Xbox 360 today, adding a streaming ESPN channel, redesigning its on-demand video library and revamping the overall interface in preparation for Kinect, a device launching Thursday that will let players control the system with motion and voice commands.
It's yet another evolution of Microsoft's console that's moving the Xbox and Xbox Live service beyond games and into more forms of entertainment, which also include streaming music from Last.FM, streaming video from Netflix and social networking via Facebook and Twitter. All these extras require a "gold" subscription to the Xbox Live gaming service, which increased to $59.99 from $49.99 starting today.
The updated software was beamed out automatically to Internet-connected Xboxes nationwide in pieces; the system update takes about five minutes to download and install, and then other programs on the Xbox need updating separately at a minute or two each depending on the speed of the broadband connection.
Sporting events and other video features from ESPN are among the biggest additions to the Xbox lineup, promising to deliver some 3,500 on-demand and live games and vignettes to view a year. The ESPN video is accessible only to ESPN3.com participating providers, but that includes Time Warner and AT&T DSL and Uverse customers in the Milwaukee area. Much of the video is in high-definition, including Sports Center Now, which is a brief daily roundup of sports news and highlights. In addition to viewing featured games available for replay -- like Michigan State vs. Iowa game from this weekend -- sports fans can build a personalized channel within the ESPN app that follows their favorite sports or teams.
The new ESPN on the Xbox also includes out-of-market games, digital video recording features, score boards, voice chat and a platform to predict the winners of games and compare those picks with others.
Xbox Live's video and music service, which is called the Zune Marketplace, is also remodeled. The on-demand video service has an all-new look that makes it easier to preview movies before renting or buying them. Microsoft has also added unlimited on-demand streaming of millions of songs through the service with a Zune Pass music subscription, which costs $14.99 a month. Zune music on the Xbox now includes a Smart DJ feature that plays songs based on your musical tastes and a new social networking feature that links listeners with like-minded music fans.
The Xbox update also includes enhanced search features for Netflix on the Xbox 360 and updated family settings so parents can more easily select limits on what kinds of content can be viewed or played.
The update dropped three days before the release of Microsoft's Kinect, which is a $150 camera system that lets players control games, media and other functions with body movements and voice commands.
Zune HD, the next generation of Microsoft's portable digital media player, will go on sale Sept. 15 and is available now for pre-ordering, the company announced today. The pre-order players are in available in a black 16GB version and platinum 32GB model and cost $220 and $290 respectively. Launch day both capacities will be available in five different colors with the option to customize them with one of 10 engravings designed by guest artists. The new Zune is the first Microsoft player to feature a touch screen, and other features include: an HD Radio receiver; HD video output; a 3.3-inch OLED display with a 16:9 widescreen format display and a resolution of 480 x 272; Wi-Fi wireless networking; and Web browsing with zoom-in and zoom-out gestures. I am still skeptical whether the Zune HD will pose any real challenge to the Goliath that is the iPod, but I will stay open minded until I've had a chance to try one.


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MADRID 28 APRIL 2023 – The European Tech Alliance (EUTA) has stepped up its ambitions to drive the growth and success of the European tech industry. Over the last two days, ten of the EUTA’s member companies met with Spanish officials in Madrid to discuss how to propel European and Spanish tech companies to the top. Spain will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union as of 1st July 2023.
The EUTA invited Spanish policymakers to continue to foster an environment where Europe’s tech industry can scale and has the potential to compete with global players. Discussions focused on continuing the drive of EU’s competitiveness and innovation; keeping EU initiatives targeted; and ensuring fair and consistent enforcement.
The EUTA’s Secretary General Victoria de Posson said:
“To propel EU tech companies to the top, EU policymakers should focus on fair and consistent enforcement for all players operating in the EU market. EU tech regulation should be targeted to precise issues and specific to the many business models in the digital sector.”
María del Puerto Rodríguez Blázquez, Head of Regulatory Affairs (Spain) at eDreams ODIGEO, one of the world’s largest online travel companies said:
“The EUTA’s visit to Madrid ahead of Spain’s Presidency is essential to show the Spanish institutions the relevance of European technology companies, and to emphasise the need for public/private collaboration to provide regulatory conditions that increase the competitiveness of the EU.”
Carlota Marzo, EU Affairs Manager at Glovo, a pioneering multi-category app connecting users with businesses and couriers said:
“Spain has a clear vision for digital and technology to ensure competitiveness, and pave the way for the growth of current and future tech champions in Europe. Ahead of their Presidency of the Council of the EU, these meetings were a unique opportunity to present the concerns and proposals of a group of EU tech champions.”
About the European Tech Alliance (EUTA)
The EUTA gathers major European digital champions and scaleups successfully built across Europe, with a total of 29 companies from 14 European countries. All our members have been founded in Europe, grow in Europe, and have most of their operations in Europe.
The EUTA aims to ensure that Europe remains a leading force in the global economy by boosting EU tech businesses’ competitiveness and leveraging the advantages of technology for the benefit of European citizens. We strongly believe in building an innovative, sustainable, fair and inclusive tech industry in Europe for future generations based on EU values.
Visit us at www.eutechalliance.eu
For media inquiries, please contact:
Victoria de Posson,
EUTA Secretary General
Square de Meeus, 35


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By Chip Johnson
The San Francisco Chronicle
OAKLAND, Calif. — On any given day in the Bay Area, it's common to come across aspiring musicians hawking homemade music CDs on the streets of Oakland, Berkeley or San Francisco.
Kazi Reeves, 25, who spends time each week outside Peet's Coffee Shop on Oakland's Lakeshore Avenue, is an easygoing pitchman who uses an iPod and headphones to offer potential customers a free sample.
Cops bracing for worst in BART cop verdict


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At the upcoming meeting of the trade and investment working group under its G20 presidency, India will push the agenda of how logistics can be made ‘fair and accessible’ for developing nations, people aware of the matter said.
The focus will also be on how logistics costs can be reduced, as far as international trade is concerned.
“Shipping costs have fallen as the pandemic-related supply chain disruption has eased. A large portion of its containers come from China. To increase container production, we also plan to launch a PLI (production-linked incentive scheme) on this,” one of the people cited above told Business Standard.
Domestic manufacturing of containers will not only cut logistics costs but is also expected to reduce its dependence on China as far as shipping containers are concerned.
The commerce department is now gearing up for the trade and investment
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It is surprising that more brands are encouraged to do. Finally, to promote the product does not produce. But Apple decided canceling production plans for the Air Force, a wireless charger for the iPhone, which was announced by CEO Tim Cook in 2017.
What is surprising? Many products of the company and was told in a box or in the instructions that are compatible with this device.
"After much effort, we came to the conclusion that Airpower did not reach the high standards and we have canceled the projectWe apologize to those customers who have been waiting for this release. We continue to believe that the future of wireless, and seeks to promote this experience, "said a company statement.
Apple's, cancels a product that has publicly declared the head of the company, and during one of the presentations that Cupertinoo signature is not a & # 39 is common, and though for a long time thinking about this opportunity, Friday surprised the industry acknowledgment.
Airpower was supposed to be a flat device is physically as a coaster or rug, which will charge the battery of mobile phone, tablet, or smart watch, when they were placed on him, without wires.
Cook announced the product in September 2017 at the same event in which they were presented to iPhone and iPhone mobile X 8 and promised to be in stores in 2018, something that never got to meet.
Apple devices can be charged wirelessly with other similar accessories brands that the company planned to develop, but none of them has the opportunity to do something that the promise of the Cupertino company: Load three different products simultaneously (For example, iPhone, Apple, clock and AirPods headphones).
The company closed this on & # 39; true a week that began with another important event, in which he published three new television subscription services, news and sports, as well as its own credit card.


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Ford enthusiasts have long been eagerly awaiting the highly anticipated release of the new GT500, a powerhouse of a vehicle that promises to redefine the boundaries of performance and exhilaration. As the legendary car manufacturer gears up to unveil this beastly creation, one burning question remains on the minds of enthusiasts worldwide: when will Ford finally reveal the jaw-dropping horsepower specifications that will propel the new GT500 into a league of it’s own? Though the exact date still eludes us, the anticipation only grows as we find ourselves on the precipice of a momentous automotive unveiling. With whispers of mind-boggling figures and awe-inspiring advancements, the automotive world stands poised, waiting to witness the incredible power and performance that Ford's meticulously crafted GT500 holds within it’s sleek and intimidating frame. As the wait continues, anticipation mounts and excitement builds, leaving fans and experts alike eagerly counting down the days until Ford unveils the game-changing horsepower specs of their latest masterpiece.
What Is the Future of the GT500?
The future of the GT500 holds immense excitement and anticipation among automotive enthusiasts. As the 2022 model continues to impress with it’s supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine and staggering 760 horsepower, the upcoming iteration slated for release in 2025 as a 2026 model promises to raise the bar even higher. Ford has already set an impressive precedent with the highest-horsepower 5.0-liter engine in the 2024 Mustang GT, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the potential improvements in the GT500.
As automakers continue to refine their designs, efficiency becomes a crucial aspect in achieving optimal performance. By utilizing cutting-edge materials and aerodynamic enhancements, Ford is likely to prioritize creating a more agile and responsive GT500 that can handle tight corners with ease.
While it’s difficult to predict specifics about the new GT500, one can only imagine the advancements in interior technology and comfort. As driver-assistance features and infotainment systems become increasingly prevalent, Ford might choose to incorporate these features into the GT500 to enhance the overall driving experience. The future GT500 may offer a seamless integration of technology and performance, creating a driving environment that surpasses expectations.
With the 2025 release on the horizon, enthusiasts can eagerly anticipate the unveiling of this awe-inspiring machine, ready to dominate both the road and the hearts of automotive enthusiasts worldwide.
Limited Edition or Special Edition Models: Explore the Possibility of Ford Releasing Limited Edition or Special Edition Versions of the GT500 With Unique Features and Design Elements.
- Explore the possibility of Ford releasing limited edition or special edition versions of the GT500 with unique features and design elements.
For the 2023 model year, Ford has made the decision to discontinue the Shelby GT500 high-performance variant of the Mustang. While the Mustang lineup still offers a versatile range of models, this change marks a significant departure for enthusiasts seeking the ultimate in Mustang performance. Let’s take a closer look at the changes and updates for the 2023 Ford Mustang.
What Mustang Is Being Discontinued in 2023?
The 2023 Ford Mustang has undergone significant changes and updates, as one notable variant, the Shelby GT500 high-performance model, has been discontinued. This decision has come as a surprise to many Mustang enthusiasts, who’ve been accustomed to the iconic GT500s powerful presence on the market. However, Fords decision to discontinue the GT500 is likely to pave the way for new and exciting models and technologies in the future.
The standard Mustang models are equipped with powerful engines and boast aggressive styling that embodies the Mustangs legendary heritage. Ford has also made improvements to the Mustangs driving dynamics, ensuring a thrilling and engaging performance on the road.
In terms of design, the 2023 Mustang offers several updates that provide a fresh and modern look. The front fascia has been revised, featuring a more aggressive grille and sleeker headlights. The rear of the Mustang showcases a redesigned bumper and taillights, giving it a more refined and dynamic appearance.
Inside the cabin, the 2023 Mustang features a host of technology upgrades, including a larger infotainment screen and enhanced connectivity options. The interior now offers more comfort and convenience than ever before, allowing drivers and passengers to enjoy a first-class driving experience.
As the automotive world eagerly awaits the future of the iconic Ford Mustang, enthusiasts have reason to be excited. Ford has recently released a teaser for what lies ahead in 2025, unveiling a tantalizing glimpse of the highly anticipated Mustang Shelby GT350. Adding to the excitement, Ford also hinted at a forthcoming Shelby variant of the Mach-E EV, intriguingly named the Mustang Shelby-E. With these sneak peeks, it appears that the Mustang legacy is set to continue, promising exhilarating performance and electrifying innovations in the years to come.
Is There Going to Be a 2025 Mustang?
The anticipation for a new Mustang in 2025 is reaching a fever pitch among enthusiasts and fans alike. Ford recently delighted us with a glimpse into the future, teasing the potential arrival of not just one, but two remarkable additions to the Mustang family.
First in line for the thrilling 2025 debut is the iconic Mustang Shelby GT350. This legendary powerhouse has long been embraced by speed enthusiasts for it’s remarkable performance and exhilarating driving experience. With the promise of a new iteration, Ford continues to push the boundaries of what this cherished muscle car can achieve.
In a surprising move, Ford has also unveiled the exciting Shelby variant of the Mach-E EV, aptly named the Mustang Shelby-E. This marks an intriguing fusion of the iconic Mustang legacy with the innovative strides in electric mobility. With the Mustang Shelby-E, fans can expect a harmonious blend of power, efficiency, and cutting-edge technology, all wrapped in the iconic Mustang design language.
Until then, we can only imagine the exhilarating experiences and stunning design that Ford has in store for us. The Mustang legacy is strong, and these upcoming models promise to carry the torch, captivating both traditionalists and those embracing the cutting-edge of automotive technology.
Ford has tantalized us with a glimpse into what might lay ahead, leaving us eagerly counting down the days until we can finally witness the next chapter in Mustang history.
The Anticipated Competition for the 2025 Mustangs in the Sports Car Market
- Tesla Model S
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Porsche 911
- Audi R8
- BMW M4
- Mercedes-AMG GT
- Nissan GT-R
- Ford GT
- Dodge Challenger
- Toyota Supra
While an exact date for the official unveiling hasn’t been confirmed, Ford's commitment to pushing the boundaries of performance and innovation is evident. As the automotive industry evolves, it’s exciting to witness the technological advancements and thrill that cars like the GT500 bring. The eventual release of the horsepower specs will undoubtedly showcase Ford's dedication to delivering a powerful and exhilarating driving experience.


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In the next three months, there will be no thefts of bitcoins from bitcoin end-users resulting from a the end-user's GNU/Linux system being compromised.
- tedks estimated 90% on 2011-06-18
- gwern said “What counts as a linux system? the recent mtgox crosssite scripting is done with the user’s browser regardless of what OS the browser runs on…” on 2011-06-19
- tedks said “That’s a theft from an mtgox account, not a bitcoin end-user. I mean something like wallet stealing. This is based on an AFK conversation with coworkers.” on 2011-06-19
- fergus estimated 80% on 2011-08-19
- Jach estimated 85% on 2011-08-19
- Laurent Bossavit said “tags: internet, security, bitcoin” on 2011-09-04
- Robert Kosten estimated 70% on 2011-09-11
- tedks judged this prediction right on 2011-09-18.
Please log in to respond to or judge prediction


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Roughly 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into the world’s oceans every year, and according to a new study, the majority of this waste comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
It appears that these five countries are responsible for up to 60 percent of the marine plasticentering our oceans, according to Stemming the Tide, a study released last month by the Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment.
Why are these parts of Asia leaking so much plastic? Well, as the study suggests, these emerging countries are experiencing rapid economic growth, reduced poverty and improved quality of life. This development is, of course, fantastic. However, as these economies grow, so does the consumer use of plastic and plastic-intensive goods.
The caveat of this increased plastic demand is that these countries do not yet have waste-management infrastructures that can tackle the accompanying excess waste.
It’s projected that by 2025, plastic consumption in Asia will increase by an astonishing 80 percent to surpass 200 million tons. And unless steps are taken to manage this waste properly, in ten short years the ocean could contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish, “an unthinkable outcome,” the study says.
It makes sense then, as Fast Company observed from the study, that global ocean plastic clean-up efforts should initially be concentrated in these areas.
“Specifically, interventions in these five countries could reduce global plastic-waste leakage by approximately 45 percent over the next ten years,” the report says.
The study’s authors came up with the five best approaches (out of 21) to address plastic waste, customized for each country: collection services, closing leakage points in collection facilities, gasification (converting waste into fuel) and MRF-recylcing (diverting plastic from the waste stream).
“This study outlines a path that can generate considerable benefits to communities, preserve the bio-productivity of the ocean, and reduce risks for industry,” the report says. “Concerted action in the form of a $5 billion annual ramp-up in waste-management spending could create a vibrant secondary resource market, trigger investment in packaging and recovery systems, and let the ocean thrive.”
“Of course, extending these interventions to other countries could have even more impact on this global issue,” the report points out.
Plastic waste in the Philippines, for instance, is having “drastic consequences on the livelihoods and health of the people of Dagupan,” said city mayor Belen Fernandez in a press release for the study.
“Our town has had a dump site on our beach for over 50 years,” he continued about the coastal Philippine city. “We’re working hard to close the dump, and increase the capacity of waste management in Dagupan. Addressing the problem of ocean plastic will have real benefits for not just the environment, but for our citizens—by improving their quality of life. I hope our city and our work will become a model for what’s possible around the world.”
Andreas Merkl, CEO of Ocean Conservancy, said in a statement that the study is the first to outline a specific path forward for the reduction and ultimate elimination of plastic waste in the oceans.
“The report’s findings confirm what many have long thought—that ocean plastic solutions actually begin on land. It will take a coordinated effort of industry, NGOs and government to solve this growing economic and environmental problem,” he said.
Check out some of the Ocean Conservancy’s infographics on the issue below:
Plastic waste and other garbage on Rayong beach, Thailand. Photo credit: relax_gap / Shutterstock.com


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So, you think Tanzania is a risky place to do business,
DAR ES SALAAM, 26 June, 2012 – The African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) in partnership with the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) today launched “ATI Week”, which will end with a cocktail event on Friday, 29th June, where the two organisations will present an award to the Bakhresa Group for their significant contribution to cross-border trade. The week-long marketing campaign is designed to raise awareness through media ads and interviews, and workshops, about the tools and services being offered to Tanzanian companies. Both ATI and TPSF aim to strengthen the business environment in order to help attract more investments and trade into Tanzania.
“The Government of Tanzania, like most East African governments has set out a list of economic targets they would like to achieve by 2025. This plan is known as Vision 2025. We are here to stand behind the government in their plans – to support their efforts to build strong local companies and to attract investments,” commented George Otieno, ATI’s Chief Executive Officer during a press conference to launch the campaign.
“TPSF has been partnering with ATI in Tanzania since 2008. ATI’s insurance/guarantees against non-payment and political risks have helped the TPSF to offer unique solutions to its members and to the business community. With more awareness about these products, we expect to reduce the private sector’s risk exposure so they can feel confident enough to take bolder steps towards expansion,” added Godfrey Simbeye, the Executive Director of TPSF.
ATI provides insurance/guarantees to protect projects, contracts, investments and other business transactions against non-payment risks and risks that involve the government – known as political risks. As a founding member and shareholder of ATI, Tanzania has benefited from ATI’s products. With the presence of a local office since 2010 that is headed by Albert Rweyemamu, the Resident Underwriter – ATI’s Tanzania office facilitated over $1 billion worth of investments and trade into the country in 2011. These projects ranged from constructing roads and buildings to power plants as well as cover to a $200 million financing facility for infrastructure projects.
“The Euro zone debt crisis is actually an extension of the global financial crisis that began in 2008/2009. In this current phase of the crisis, we are already seeing that the impact will be harder on Africa than the previous cycle because now European banks are pulling their financing or are making it very difficult for Africa to access financing. As a result, banks are now accounting for one of our major clients – ATI covered a record $900 million worth of regional bank-financed transactions in 2011,” noted Mr. Rweyemamu.
The main challenge that ATI faces is getting the word out about their products, which the campaign hopes to solve. ATI fills a unique space in the world of insurance/guarantees. For instance, companies wishing to expand their business into new markets outside of Tanzania may be exposed to non-payment risks from clients or buyers they do not know. ATI can play a role by giving these companies the comfort of knowing they will be reimbursed if their client fails to pay them. This peace of mind can be the difference between a company deciding to expand or stay in its home market.
“There is a trillion dollars worth of business in regional markets. What we try explain to companies is that they don’t have to leave Africa to expand. There is plenty of opportunity right here for everyone as long as your risks are covered,” explained Mr. Rweyemamu.
In accepting the award for their contribution to enhancing cross-border trade in the region, the Bakhresa Group of companies provides the greatest example of what can be achieved in Africa. The G-20 recently honoured the company in a ceremony in Mexico, along with 14 other companies from around the world for their business innovation in addressing the needs of low-income people. Mr.Abubakar Bakhresa, Executive Director of one of the group of companies accepted the award on behalf of the Managing Director.
Bakhresa, acclaimed as Tanzania’s number one consumer brand, has grown from its humble beginnings as a restaurant in Dar es Salaam in the mid seventies to an operation with a turnover of more than $300 million and a staff of over two thousand in Tanzania, to Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.
ATI is the highest rated insurer in Africa with an ‘A/Stable’ rating from Standard & Poor’s earned for the past four consecutive years. This standing gives investors the confidence they may need to put their money into Africa, it also helps ATI to attract more insurance capacity through partnerships with international insurers.


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Amsterdam to appeal Airbnb ad decision
Netherlands: Amsterdam, the Dutch capital, has announced that it will appeal a recent court ruling to end its ban on Airbnb ads in three neighborhoods.
Gastvrij Amsterdam, an interest group of vacation renters and short-term rental owners, took the case to court earlier this month and managed to end the ban. The municipality of Amsterdam has, however, announced its intention to appeal the lifting of the ban before the start of summer travel.
Originally, the ban was based on the Housing Act, but the recent court ruling found that the law was unable to create targeted bans against tourist apartment rentals in the area.
The previous ban applied to the neighborhoods of Burgwallen-Oude Zijde, Burgwallen-Nieuwe Zijde and Grachtengordel-Zuid, and was put in place after residents reported that short-term rentals in their neighborhoods significantly affected their ability to live in areas.
Even with the ban lifted, Amsterdam residents will have the option to regulate vacation rentals in their neighborhoods. According to the decision, citizens will retain the ability to regulate the duration of renting an apartment, as well as the number of guests that can stay.
Concerns about excessive tourism and disruptive tenants in Amsterdam have been significant issues for residents for many years. As short-term rentals become more popular and preferred for post-pandemic summer travel, the city hopes the call will put in place clear and effective policies to regulate how tourism affects their neighborhoods.
Laurens Ivens, deputy mayor of Amsterdam, said legal clarity is needed on the issue, and aims to achieve this through the city’s recent appeal.


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Gun control advocates routinely call for banning some category of firearm or another. For a long time, it was handguns. That ship has long since sailed, though, and now gun bans are focused on so-called assault weapons.
The idea is that if you ban a gun, law-abiding citizens won’t have them and somehow that will keep criminals from having them, too.
No, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me either.
But it seems that gun bans do one thing that should surprise no one. They make gun sales go through the roof.
Industry officials reviewing the latest FBI background check information said that states planning gun bans or moving to change the rules governing firearms purchases saw massive jumps in April sales.
In Washington state, where the governor just signed a law banning the sale or transfer of AR-style rifles, background checks for April sales surged to 71,272 compared to 49,641 in April 2022, a 43.6% increase, said Mark Oliva, the spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
The industry trade group found a surge in Illinois, where it recently won a federal court decision to block a ban on modern sporting rifles. There, Oliva said, sales background checks increased 11.7% in April.
Ditto in Oregon, he said: “Oregon, a state with a legislature and governor’s office hostile to lawful firearm ownership, totaled 43,574 adjusted background checks in April 2023, compared to 27,921 a year ago, representing a 56.1% increase.”
That’s thoroughly unsurprising.
After all, the AR-15 is the most popular rifle in the country, but prior to the 1994 Assault Weapon Ban, it wasn’t really all that big of a deal.
People started buying them because the anti-gunners wanted to ban them.
Gun bans do a couple of things to drive up sales. First, there are those who simply don’t like being told they can’t have something, so they buy them out of spite.
Then you have people who kind of wanted one but delayed because there was always time. When you start looking at a gun ban, though, it creates urgency. That urgency sends people to the gun store to buy the forbidden firearm while they still can.
As a result, the bans put more guns in private hands than if they’d just kept quiet.
Further, in their zealousness to demonize the firearms, they often either highlight the benefits of the guns or overstate their capabilities, providing marketing that the gun companies simply couldn’t manage.
Hell, take a look at the “ghost gun” hysteria for a moment.
You’ve been able to buy kits for firearms for decades. I bought my first receiver kit 15 or more years ago and it wasn’t exactly a new concept then. Yet the bad guys weren’t making guns at any appreciable rate.
Then the politicians and the media got onto what was going on and started freaking out. News reports abounded, drawing attention to the fact that this was a thing, then guess what? Bad guys started making their own guns.
Every time a politician opens their mouth about firearms, it increases interest in that firearm.
So yeah, gun bans drive sales. That’s not shocking, but it’s worth remembering going forward.


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On seeing the new Toyota Auris Hybrid, we counted the doors and noted the hatchback, then thought, doesn't Toyota already sell a Prius? A glance at the specifications furthered our confusion, as the power trains between 2010 Prius and new Auris Hybrid are identical, a 1.8-liter engine coupled to Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. In its press materials, Toyota takes the stance that the Auris Hybrid, or HSD as they call it, is the next logical step in the company's move to offer hybrid versions of all its models.
If you're wondering what an Auris is, well, it's not sold in the U.S. Our nearest model is the Toyota Matrix. But Toyota sells the Auris just about everywhere else in the world, in both gasoline and diesel versions. It's a four-door hatchback based on the Corolla platform.
In hybrid form, the Auris gets the same power train settings as the 2010 Prius: Eco, Power, and EV. It reaches 60 mph in about 10 seconds, and it should get slightly less gas mileage than the Prius because of its inferior aerodynamic characteristics. Also similar to the Prius, it can be had with a solar roof that powers a cabin ventilation fan. Toyota also intends to make dashboard solar panels available that can be used to charge cell phones and other electronic devices. Now that's a step in the right direction.
For European environmental regulations, the most important thing about the hybrid Auris is that it emits less than 100 grams of CO2 per kilometer.


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Labour's largest individual donor has launched proposals for a new economic strategy which he believes would boost GDP growth to 5% and remove the need to eliminate the UK's national deficit.
Businessman John Mills called for a radical devaluation of the pound to boost exports, coupled with a drive to boost investment in business from its current rate of 13.5% of national income to more than 20%.
In a pamphlet entitled There Is An Alternative, Mr Mills accused the Treasury of "short-termist" thinking which had saddled the UK with an economy which consumes too much, invests too little and cannot pay its way in the world.
The UK is competing in a global market where countries invest an average of 23% of national income, while it China it is as high as 46%, he said.
Of the £224 billion gross investment in the UK in 2012, some £176 billion - almost 80% of the total - was offset by capital consumption or depreciation to allow for expenditure on keeping existing assets from deteriorating, leaving only £48 billion - 3% of GDP - as net new investment, said Mr Mills.
His report, published by thinktank Civitas, set out a model under which the value of sterling falls from 1.60 to 1.10 US dollars and efforts are made to redirect finance to commercial investment in plants, machinery and working capital, as well as retraining workers, developing new production facilities, speeding up planning permission and installing better infrastructure such as roads, rail and high speed internet.
The report argued that achieving growth of about 5% would remove the need to eliminate the budget deficit, as the three main parties plan to do by 2020. Instead it should be allowed to run at 2% or 3% of GDP.
Mr Mills last year gave the Labour Party £1.65 million of shares in his TV shopping and consumer product company JML.


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Investors are increasingly looking abroad to overseas stock exchanges to broaden their investment portfolio, according to new data from CommSec.
CommSec, Australia’s largest online broker, has seen a sharp increase in demand for foreign owned shares.
The number of customers opening up international trading accounts has grown almost 50 per cent in the past six months, compared to the preceding half year.
Paul Rayson, Managing Director, CommSec said: “Australians are becoming more confident in investing in foreign based companies, many of which are known globally and deliver strong returns.”
This trend is backed up by a recent Investment Trends report stating that more than 20 per cent of Australian traders plan on increasing their exposure on international equities, a significant rise from less than 5 per cent in 2011.
“We’ve seen our clients increasingly looking at overseas markets to diversify their portfolio. The Australian market will continue to remain popular due to its familiarity and relatively strong returns; however it makes up only less than 3 per cent of global market capitalisation. Investors are becoming more sophisticated and are looking for broader opportunities,” Mr Rayson said.
“There’s also a lot of demand for investment in certain sectors, such as technology which doesn’t have as big a presence on the ASX. Investors are seeing quality companies like Apple and Google in growth sectors and want to get involved.”
CommSec data also shows that in the past 18 months, trading in international technology stocks has grown more than 67 per cent.
“We see a lot of customers dipping their feet into international trading around the time of high profile IPOs, such as the Alibaba listing last year,” Mr Rayson added.
CommSec has also seen growth in the number of individuals investing in internationally based Exchange Traded Funds, increasing fourfold since 2013. This shows investors are increasingly looking for a simple, low cost way to invest offshore and diversify their portfolio.
“Often people are apprehensive at first about looking outside the comfort of the ASX for share investing, however we’ve worked hard to simplify investing in overseas markets, so that it’s easy, intuitive and you have the support you require at all times,” Mr Rayson said.
CommSec has recently enhanced its international trading platform, which allows customers to trade in 25 different countries around the world and transfer foreign exchange online. This is supported by 24 hour help desk availability.


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Consumer magazines have been noticing the “it” factor of the mobile Web lately. Hearst has nine mobile magazine sites, The New York Times just launched a mobile real estate page and Playboy recently began offering non-nude mobile photos, along with some other Playboy-branded mobile content.
“This is really new consumer behavior,” says Sophia Stuart, director of Hearst Mobile. “Sometimes I feel like it’s d?j? vu because these conversations are often like what we heard about the Internet 10 or 15 years ago; it’s the Internet in your pocket.”
This pocket Internet comes complete with all the ads that consumers see on their desktops. With ad sales in print magazines relatively flat between last year and this year, mobile sites provide a new platform for magazine brands to sell ad space. Unlike their paper counterparts, mobile magazine sites provide ad space that can be targeted to exact locations, respond to user requests and allows users to opt in, providing a dynamic ad platform.
“The key is that the sites need to update,” points out Andy Miller, CEO of Playboy’s mobile Web partner, Quattro Wireless. “You need to take dynamic content and allow the mobile Web site to reflect what’s going on the wired Web site, which unlike static magazines is updated frequently to keep people coming back. It’s a good move for magazines to develop another platform, and it seems to be really easy for advertisers to get their arms around mobile.”
Because phones are portable and personal devices, mobile ads can reach – and potentially annoy – consumers quicker and more intensely than ads in other media. Miller notes that the frequency of return visitors to mobile sites outstrips that of Internet sites, as does the regularity of their visits, upping ad visibility. He also mentions that the Mobile Marketing Association keeps strict guidelines on phones, protecting them from spam. Hence, most mobile advertising is limited to opt-in. With their support of the National Do-Not-Call list, consumers have made clear how much they value their phone privacy.
Hearst has partnered with Sprint for its mobile Web efforts. The carrier sells and runs advertisements directly with consumer information that it owns, and Hearst takes a share. Another advertising option is SMS, which includes mobile coupons and store locators and is often opt-in, through in-book promotions. Advertising on the mobile Web has proven easier for advertisers than other forms of mobile marketing, Miller says, because with mobile Web advertisers are making their buys on a Web site and not on a phone.
This interplay between mobile and other media platforms is important to advertisers, but it’s also a brand-building tool, offering consumers more options to engage with a brand. And though a brand may translate easily, the content needs tweaking to play up the strengths of each platform.
“We’re not taking magazines to mobile,” Stuart asserts regarding the Hearst titles that have launched mobile sites. “What we’re doing is taking brands to mobile because we took the core user of each brand and translated it to mobile. We’re not reproducing magazine content, we’re looking at what women need on the go.”


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3VR Security, a searchable surveillance provider, announced that Vector Security, one of the electronic security industry's security experts in retail loss prevention, joined 3VR's channel partner network. Vector Security currently ranks within the electronic security industry's top ten companies, providing security solutions and quality residential and commercial services, and ranks fourth in national multi-site retail services.
"3VR is a unique fit for Vector and the retail market at large,” said Michael Grady, Executive VP at Vector Security and head of the National Accounts Division. “3VR provides a complete platform of surveillance technologies that greatly increases the value we bring to our customers. We are already in pilot with several retailers. Together with 3VR, we hope to continue this progress and expand our ability to help retailers prevent fraud and address the industry's growing need for intelligent video management.”
3VR combines a powerful searchable surveillance platform with advanced analytics and comprehensive integration options to retail specific applications to create the most sophisticated and affordable surveillance solution on the market today. 3VR's breadth of products range from the E-Series SmartRecorder, a hybrid DVR/NVR, to the S-Series SmartRecorder, a newly released compact and economical video system built on 3VR's searchable surveillance platform. All products feature enterprise management and bandwidth operation features, making 3VR the suitable solution for retailers large and small aiming to improve the overall security of their operations.
"3VR offers superior searchable video recorders that meet the sophisticated needs of retailers,” said Jim Rao, Director of video technologies at Vector's National Accounts Division. “While their entry level models are easy to install and use, the depth of the 3VR platform is where the real value lies for our customers.”
Al Shipp, CEO of 3VR, said, “Working with Vector Security gives us the opportunity to combine industry-leading service and reliability with our advanced searchable surveillance technology to offer the retail sector the most robust and intelligent security solution available.”