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Shoppers’ Paradise in Owatonna on November 3
It's a tradition. Crafts, goodies and holiday items galore on Saturday, November 3 in Owatonna. Here's a look at some of the sales.
The Owatonna Elks will have their 20th anniversary craft sale from 8-1:30PM. Besides sale items there will be beverages and rolls available.
The Charity Bazaar will be at the Steele County Community Center on the fairgrounds from 8:30-1:30PM. Besides goodies like lefse, kolache, breads and more, lunch will be available as well.
The 19th annual Christmas for Veterans Craft and Bake Sale will run 8:30-3:30PM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Owatonna. This sale will feature over 30 crafters. Funds raised go to buy gifts for veterans living in local nursing homes and care centers. They will also be accepting toys for the Toys for Tots program.
The Eagles Auxiliary Bazaar runs 9-3PM on November 3 at the Owatonna Eagles Club.
The Owatonna Hospital Auxiliary has their sale Friday 8-4PM and Saturday 8-2PM
Pastimes, the Fine Artists and Crafts sale at the Owatonna Arts Center is Thursday, November 1 from 5-7PM, Friday, November 2 from 9-7PM and Saturday, November 3 from 9-3PM.


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Some 55 million cell phone users in Germany will be able to retain their wireless phone numbers when switching operators at the start of next month.
After four years of delays and frustration, number portability has finally arrived on the German mobile market.
Germany follows several other European countries that have introduced wireless number portability, including Italy, Norway and the U.K., but is ahead of neighbouring France, which will launch the service in June 2003.
Japan has offered number portability since 2001, while the U.S. has chosen to delay the service until next year, following a decision by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in July.
Wireless number portability is expected to be available in most industrialized countries by the end of 2003.
From a user’s standpoint, number portability is a great idea: no need to memorize a new number or print new business cards, when switching to a new operator that offers better tariffs or services or both.
From an operator’s standpoint, the service opens the door even wider to one of the sector’s biggest headaches, churn. With churn rates hovering between 30 per cent and 40 per cent in Europe and the United States, most operators are understandably concerned about any development that might increase that number.
Yet not all operators oppose the concept: small wireless firms see number portability as a way to expand their customer base quickly.
Germany’s tug-of-war over number portability has now ended with the country’s four GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) operators agreeing to offer the service next month at roughly the same price. After resolving technical differences months ago, they finally agreed to allow market forces to determine the fee for switching operators. That price is around 25 euros (CDN$39).
This week Germany’s largest cell phone company, T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH, announced a number portability fee of 24.95 euros, a fee the company had been publicly discussing for months. Also this week Vodafone D2 GmbH, the second biggest operator said it will charge the same fee, which is 5 euros less than it had previously sought.
T-Mobile and Vodafone control over 70 per cent of the German mobile market.
Last week the country’s third-largest operator, E-Plus Mobilfunk GmbH & Co. KG, agreed to 24.95 euros, after lobbying intensively for a fee of around 10 euros, which it claims is the international average. And the country’s smallest GSM phone company, O2 (Germany) GmbH & Co. OHG, said it will charge 22.50 euros for the switch. Like E-Plus, O2 had also sought a much lower fee.
Telecom Italia Mobile SpA, the first in Italy to offer number portability, has levied a fee of 10 euros for prepaid customers and 5 euros for postpaid subscribers.
According to a poll published Wednesday by Mummert Consulting AG, 58 per cent of mobile phone customers in Germany want to switch operators. Their main reasons: high connection fees, expensive subscription contracts and insufficient coverage. Around 55 per cent of polled mobile users with a two-year contract said they want to change, with the percentage even higher for customers with three-year contracts.

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In June 2015 Sainsbury's store portfolio was as follows. ... where it is based, and
has powerful positions within many UK cities.
Sep 17, 2014 ... How many stores does Sainsbury's have in the UK? For more detailed ... using
the store locator. How many customers does Sainsbury's have?
As of March 12, 2016, there were 1374 Sainsbury's grocery stores in the UK, 773
of ... With Statista, you get straight to the point: analyzing data, rather than ...
Jul 10, 2013 ... Sainsbury's was founded in 1869 but only opened its first ... Sainsbury's has
significantly fewer UK stores than Tesco, which has 3,146.
Jan 9, 2016 ... Sainsbury's has decided to step up its battle against discount retailers such as
Aldi and Lidl. The UK supermarket is to open 10 new Netto ...
Jul 28, 2015 ... Convenience stores have helped limit sales falls at Sainsbury's. ... at the Walmart
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reacted badly to Sainsbury's latest results this morning, trading its shares down
much ... The Brexit vote will have "uncertain" implications for prices and will ... It
also confirmed plans to "open 30 Argos digital store...
Mar 21, 2016 ... Analysts claim that up to 330 Argos stores could close if Sainsbury's succeeds in
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J Sainsbury PLC (SBRY.L). Food Distribution & Convenience Stores. Add To
Favourites. In Favourites ... 2016 Citywire.co.uk. All Rights Reserved. Sorry, this
Oct 23, 2015 ... J Sainsbury could triple the number of its convenience stores if the trial of a ... UK
shopping habits have been changing, as consumers move away from large ...
Critics say pledge to exit his empire does not go far enough.


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It's that time of year: pumpkin beer is rolling out. While we weren't ready for this a few weeks ago, we suppose that, despite the heat, it is fall. Urban Chestnut Brewing Company (3229 Washington Avenue; 314-222-0143) is celebrating the release of its pumpkin brew with a screening of its namesake, ... More >>
8 p.m. Friday, January 29. The Way Out Club, 2525 South Jefferson Avenue.


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Fears of a gas leak caused by a car accident in Kirkby Lonsdale have closed the Main Street.
Just before 3pm a BMW crashed into the Royal Hotel on Main Street. The 87 year old driver was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The area has been evacuated as a precaution after fears of a gas leak, emergency services are currently assessing the situation and people are being asked to avoid the area.
More top news
Three men from Dumfries and Galloway have won a share of £1million after pitching their road surfacing business idea to Sir Richard Branson.
With 74 empty shops and businesses in the town centre, D&G council says it's going to spend a million pounds to bring visitors back.
Following Friday's vote to leave the European Union, businesses in the region are worried about how their export market will be affected.


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A new tool offers data-driven and locally focused insights about customer base, supply chain, marketing and advertising, and more.
After a successful event last fall, the Wisconsin Economic Summit returns to Appleton Oct 23-24, 2023. Read about last year's event and sign up to receive updates about the 2023 agenda and registration.
Several WEDC partners are implementing grant projects related to housing, training, forestry careers, and other issues affecting the state’s rural communities.
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS
From practical information for expanding to international markets to best practices for downtown and community development, WEDC offers five email newsletters to keep you informed of the latest economic development news in Wisconsin.


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Amazon has expanded sound detection for routines, as well as made Alexa’s prescription refill skill available to Amazon Pharmacy customers. The company described the changes in its Alexa monthly roundup for November, which also includes mentions the US rollout of Conversation Mode, and that the wall-mountable Echo Show 15 will start shipping next week.
Amazon first announced its plans to support custom sounds at its fall event back in September, but it doesn’t look like you’re able to program custom sounds just yet — Amazon has simply added two new sounds you can tell Alexa to recognize. With the new update, the device can listen out for the sounds of water running and appliances beeping.
If you want Alexa to detect the chime of your dryer, for example, you can set up a routine for Alexa to send you a notification when your dryer has turned off. Previously, the device could only recognize dogs barking, babies crying, snoring, glass shattering, as well as smoke alarms beeping.
You can now say, “Alexa, refill my medications,” if you’re an Amazon Pharmacy customer
Additionally, if you’re an Amazon Pharmacy customer, you can now say, “Alexa, refill my medications,” when you need a refill on your prescriptions. Alexa will provide you with updates on when your medications are delivered, and you can also ask Alexa to call Amazon Pharmacy if you need any assistance. In the past, the ability to request refills through Alexa was only available to Giant Eagle Pharmacy customers.
Amazon has also fully rolled out Conversation Mode for the third-gen Echo Show 10 in the US, something that it started adding to devices in November. You can opt in to the feature by saying, “Alexa, join the conversation.” After that, you can speak more “naturally” with Alexa without using a wake word.
Amazon also notes that anyone in the room can talk with Alexa — they just have to face the device’s camera. During Conversation Mode, Alexa will respond if directly addressed and will also pause if it gets interrupted. You’ll know that Conversation Mode is on by the blue border that appears around the Echo Show’s screen. When you want to turn it off, simply say, “Leave this conversation.”


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GUWAHATI: Tea brands and supermarkets capture over two thirds of the price paid by consumers for Assam tea
in India with just seven per cent remaining for workers of estates, according to a research released on Thursday.
The new research, commissioned by Oxfam and undertaken by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), called for urgent action from supermarkets, tea brands and state authorities to end the suffering of Assam's tea workers.
The research found that despite working for over 13 hours a day, workers earn between Rs 137 to Rs167. It found that tea brands and supermarkets typically capture over two-thirds of the price paid by consumers for Assam tea in India - with just 7% remaining for workers on tea estates. To put it into perspective, for a 200-gram packet of branded Assam tea sold in India for Rs 68, less than Rs 5 is left for workers while tea brands and supermarkets retain around Rs 40, the study noted. "Globally, supermarkets are taking an ever-increasing share of the price paid by shoppers - much of which is channelled to already wealthy shareholders and owners. In Germany and the United States, supermarkets capture 87 and 76 percent of the price of a pack of black tea, with just one percent accruing to workers on tea estates. Tea workers receive just 2 cents from a packet of Assam black tea that sells for 75 cents in the Netherlands - just 14 cents per pack would be enough to ensure tea workers were paid a living wage," the report said.
The report 'Addressing The Human Cost of Assam Tea' included in-depth interviews with 510 workers on 50 tea estates in Assam was done to ascertain the main challenges faced by workers in Assam's tea sector and to find solutions. Another key findings of the research points out that the existing daily wage is so low that half the workers interviewed, receive 'Below Poverty Line' ration cards from the government.
"Indian tea estates are legally obliged under the Plantation Labour Act to provide decent working conditions, housing, healthcare and education. The condition of housing and sanitation is very poor with dilapidated or non-existent facilities. Around 45% of workers interviewed reported suffering from water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, typhoid and jaundice, among others," the report said.
Amitabh Behar, CEO of Oxfam India, said, "We welcome the attempts of the government to increase the wages of tea plantation workers and the upcoming occupational health and safety bill. Both have the potential to address the systemic injustice faced by the tea workers in Assam. The wages that they earn are very low and their working and living conditions call for an urgent response."


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Dell will invest in additional acquisitions and remain committed to its struggling PC business once a $US24.9 billion deal to go private is complete, according to company officials.
Prominent shareholder advisory group Institutional Shareholder Services has given a stamp of approval to Dell founder Michael Dell's bid to take the company private.
Investor Carl Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management have made a counter-offer for Dell that would keep the computer company still publicly traded, according to reports.
In a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, Dell highlighted the dismal financial straits that led to its plan to take the company private, a move that now has some major shareholders in an uproar.
The CEOs of IBM and Dell have called on U.S. government leaders to put aside their differences and create a long-term agenda to promote innovation and improve the country's competitive stature in the world.
The U.S. government can save more than $US1 trillion over the next 10 years by consolidating its IT infrastructure, reducing its energy use and moving to more Web-based citizen services, a group of tech CEOs said in a report released Wednesday.
Two labor unions have asked Dell shareholders to withhold their votes for Chairman and CEO Michael Dell to remain as a director on the company's board following a US$100 million accounting practices settlement the company made with the U.S. Securitie...
Dell will pay US$100 million to resolve an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into the company's past accounting and financial reporting practices, it said Thursday.
Computer maker Dell has proposed a settlement in a long-term investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into the company's accounting and financial reporting practices, the company said Friday.
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Nokian Increasing Capacity in Second Half to Meet Demand
Net sales at Nokian Tyres rose 36.3 per cent year-on-year during the second quarter of 2010 to 260.4 million euros, giving the Finnish tyre maker total net sales of 444.2 million euros in the current financial year – an increase of 28.1 per cent over the first half of 2009. Operating profit for the quarter was 60.9 million euros, a year-on-year growth of 200 per cent, while operating profit for the first half stood at 82.0 million euros, up 369 per cent on the corresponding period of last year. Second quarter net profit amounted to 52.6 million euros, a growth of 342 per cent on the 11.9 million euro profit in quarter two of 2009. Profits for the first two quarters total 72.6 million euros, an impressive 4,740 per cent increase on the 1.5 million euro profit reached in the first half of the 2009 fiscal year.
”The positive current is gaining strength and our operations are ramped up accordingly,” stated Nokian Tyres president and CEO Kim Gran. “The demand on Nokian Tyres’ core products have recovered driven by improving economies, higher car sales, better consumer confidence and strong restocking by distributors. Sales during Q2 were strong in all tyre categories and have left us with low inventories. Strong summer tyre sales, preseason deliveries of winter tyres and OE demand for forestry tyres boosted top line and allowed us to increase capacity utilisation. Operating profit picked up due to improved productivity, lower year-over-year raw material cost and beneficial exchange rates of our main sales currencies.”
Net sales of Nokian passenger car tyres in the January to June period totalled 318.7 million euros, up 30.1 per cent from the corresponding period in 2009. Most of this sales growth came from a significant increase in winter tyre pre-season sales in Russia as well as in Central and Eastern Europe. Sales were up also in the Nordic Countries. Nokian Tyres increased its market share in all three sales areas mentioned, and winter tyres’ share of total sales grew year-on-year. Truck tyre net sales amounted to 15.9 million euros, an increase of 66.7 per cent from the previous year. Sales development was reported to be good in all market areas, with Nokian increasing its market share in the Nordic countries.
When looking at the company’s second quarter activities in terms of regions, the greatest year-on-year increase was seen in Russia and the CIS, where consolidated sales grew 122.8 per cent. For the half-year, sales within the region increased 41.4 per cent to 101.4 million euros, while sales within Russia alone amounted to 91.5 million euros, a 52.7 per cent year-on-year increase over the first half of 2009. Nokian reports that its sales in Russia “grew significantly” due to recovering consumer demand and the improved credit capability of its distributors. Pre-season winter tyre sales were particularly strong. The company reports it improved its market share in Russia and maintains its position as the market and price leader in the premium A-segment. Sales in other CIS countries declined due to the timing of pre-season sales and delivery restrictions relating to distributors’ carry-over stocks, Nokian adds.
Sales in Central and Eastern Europe increase 45.9 per cent in the second quarter and 39.7 per cent during the first half of the year; North American sales for the quarter decreased 10.7 per cent, and 5.6 per cent during the first half; Nordic market sales grew 26.3 per cent in the second quarter and 24.1 per cent over the first half of the fiscal year. This last region is still by far Nokian’s largest, contributing 41.9 per cent of the company’s total sales in the first half of the year. Central and Eastern Europe contributed 26.6 per cent, while Russia and the CIS contributed 21.8 per cent and North America 9.2 per cent.
Speaking on the second half of this current fiscal year, Gran noted: “Our order book is good and it provides us with a good possibility to increase sales and results and to provide a strong cash flow. Our restructuring operations have left us with potential to further increase capacity both in Russia and in Finland. An 8th production line will come on stream during Q3 in Russia and it will, combined with increased production in Finland, help us to improve output and productivity and to serve a growing market.
“However, many challenges remain and the second half of the year with consumer winter tyre sales will be decisive for Nokian Tyres’ results,” Gran cautioned. “Due to low factory inventories production needs to be increased in order not to restrict sales. Increased raw material prices present a major challenge and strong headwind to us during the rest of the year. Our target is to further improve sales mix and push for a price increase of two to six per cent in all product groups during summer and autumn.” To tackle the effects of increasing raw material prices during the second half of the year, Nokian is implementing price increases for both summer and winter products, although the company notes it has “less room” to increase winter tyre prices in 2010 due to a pricing environment it sees as still being a challenging one. However it believes prices will be “defended” by an improving market together with strong core market currencies. Heavy tyre prices also increased by four to six per cent in July as a result of growing material costs.
Production capacity of both passenger car tyres and heavy tyres needs to be boosted in order not to restrict sales during the second half of the year, states Nokian. One place where capacity set to grow is in Russia, where the eighth production line at the company’s plant is set to enter operation during the third quarter. The factory has been operating seven production lines since early June. Two further stated focuses for the second half of 2010 are an extension of the Hakkapeliitta winter truck range and the continued expansion of the Vianor truck service concept in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe.


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Experience behind the wheel may matter more than age when it comes to the safety of young-adult drivers, according to two new studies by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. These results suggest that states could reduce road crashes, fatalities and injuries by extending graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws to novice drivers beyond age 17. AAA is promoting this research as part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, which takes place from Oct. 19-25.
As the days get shorter, lights and wipers play a major role in safe driving, as the chance of an accident increases if you can’t see or be seen, according to the non-profit Car Care Council.
“With fewer daylight hours in fall and winter, it’s important to make sure your vehicle’s lights and wipers are working properly so your visibility is not compromised and you can be seen by others,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “From the driver’s seat, you may not notice a light that isn’t working, so inspect all of your car’s lights and replace those that are out. Also, inspect and replace wiper blades so you can see clearly when wet weather hits.”
Lights are normal wear items that require periodic inspection and replacement. The lighting system provides nighttime visibility; signals and alerts other drivers; and supplies light for viewing instruments and the vehicle’s interior. In addition to replacing dimming, rapidly blinking and non-functioning lights, the following tips can help keep you safe:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2014 -- Who can forget the Griswold's famous cross-country station wagon trip in "National Lampoon's Vacation"? While the 31-year-old movie was made long before the days of in-car movies, and the only "portable electronics" available were cumbersome cassette players people carried around, it seems that – interestingly enough – some things have stayed the same.
The Auto Alliance's latest Auto Index consumer survey found Americans still mostly pass the time on long road trips by looking out the window and taking in the scenery, much like they did in their childhood. In fact, 41 percent of respondents said that's how they spent the road trips of their youth. Today, 40 percent of the public report watching the scenery as their favorite way to pass the time on car trips.
After more than a month of online polling and thousands of votes, Desert Car Care -- a Bumper to Bumper Radio Preferred Shop -- received the 2014 Best of Chandler award in the auto repair shop category. The 2014 Best of Chandler Awards are sponsored by the East Valley Tribune Get Out magazine.
Desert Car Care is a local leader in automotive service and repair with locations not only in Chandler, but in Mesa and Gilbert as well. Frank Leutz and his staff begin with certified professional service advisers and continues with technicians certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
Congratulations from Bumper to Bumper Radio!
Click here to learn more about Desert Car Care.
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If you missed it, you can listen online to the official check presentation from the Bumper to Bumper Radio Preferred Shop Network to Phoenix Children's Hospital. The combined effort of the shops resulted in a record breaking effort, raising over $10,300 for PCH this year.
We invite all our listeners to join us in this important effort by signing up to donate any amount.
Every contribution to Phoenix Children's Hospital has a direct impact on our young patients. Donations from caring people like you make it possible for PCH to offer the very best medical specialists, cutting-edge technology, and family-friendly services without regard to the family's ability to pay.
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Has your car been recalled? If you're one of the millions of drivers impacted by the General Motors recall, what should you do? Automotive analyst Lauren Fix, The Car Coach and Consumer Reports' Jeff Bartlett provide consumers with important information to ensure their cars' safe repair. Watch the segment on The Willis Report.
How do you check your engine oil and when do you change it? Should you buy conventional or synthetic oil? Be Car Care Aware Tips to save you money and protect your engine.
Are self driving cars the wave of the future? Should General Motors be promoting their autonomous cars during their HUGE recall problem? GM President predicts self-driving cars will be available by 2020. Lauren Fix discusses this on Fox Business Channel with Gerri Willis.
Most vehicles start out with a "new car" smell, but there are other specific odors that motorists should never ignore. Identifying these suspect smells early on can help car owners be "Car Care Aware" and avoid the hassle and expense of an unexpected breakdown.
Unusual smells can be the sign of serious, and potentially costly, trouble for your vehicle. By acting quickly and making necessary repairs, you'll be able to breathe easy knowing there is no harmful damage to your car.
Use the sniff test to identify any unusual smells in your vehicle, including the following six warning signs:
Across the country, many buyers soon find out that the number on their odometer doesn't come close to matching their car's true mileage.
We use mileage to determine when to get our oil changed, when to rotate our tires, and how much our vehicle is valued, but that mileage on your new "used" vehicle, may not be what you paid for.
The people at CarFax tells us that, unfortunately, "odometer fraud" is not a forgotten scam. It's been around for decades but, with the advent of the digital odometer, many people mistakenly believe that odometer roll-backs are no longer possible. However going digital has actually made odometer fraud easier; it's just like hacking a computer. The bad news is that New York is one of the top five states with the most amount of "roll-back" cars.
Andrew Abel of the GoodGuys Car Show joins Bumper to Bumper Radio from their remote broadcast at WestWorld.


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Published on : Wednesday, June 21, 2017
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world’s leading global hotel companies, revealed plans to launch a new, high-quality midscale brand at its 2017 Americas Conference this week in Las Vegas. It will target more than 14 million guests in a vastly underserved segment of the U.S. midscale market, estimated to be worth $20 billion in annual industry revenues. This brand will champion the traveler who wants a hotel stay that finally meets their expectations for the type of hospitality they value most – the basics done exceptionally well – at a price point about $10-15 less than IHG’s industry-leading Holiday Inn Express® brand.
Richard Solomons, Chief Executive Officer, IHG, said: “This new brand builds on IHG’s leading position in the midscale segment alongside Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. It addresses the needs of a rapidly growing and underserved segment and we believe it will shape the future of this unique midscale category. This launch will extend our track record of innovation and brand development, with a new offering that is right for our guests, our owners and our shareholders.”
This brand was created around a set of fundamental values: taking a new approach to designing everyday travel; appreciating the value of guests’ every hard-earned dollar and being direct, honest and clear. The name, logo and other brand elements will be announced later this year. Initial features of this brand include:
Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, IHG, Americas, continued: “These travelers will often spend hours researching hotels to find a great and affordable lodging experience in this segment. When they can’t find it, they compromise, accepting lower standards and an inconsistent experience to get the price they want. We will change that with this new brand by delivering a superior guest experience that doesn’t currently exist at this price point. It’s a game changer and a huge opportunity to build scale, strong brand awareness and great financial performance for our owners.”
IHG expects the brand to be franchise-ready in the fall of 2017 with the first hotels beginning construction in early 2018 and opening in 2019. Initial development will be focused in the U.S. market. Working hand-in-hand with its owner advisory board, the brand’s development has been guided by feedback from owners and operators to help ensure these new hotels are efficient to build, operate and maintain.
Once the brand is launched, key elements of the initial owner offer will include:


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UTICA, N.Y. (WUTR-TV) — After nearly 10 months since the first shutdown, the restaurant industry is still in limbo, and the post holiday months make things even harder.
The restaurant business as a whole really slows down quite a bit in the month of January and February with a little action around Valentine’s Day. So we’re already going into the slowest season of the year so for us, we’re going to change our direction a little bit.” – Francis Pezzalonella, Local Restaurant Owner
Francis owns multiple restaurants in Utica. He’s made some tough business decisions by cutting their hours and only taking reservation. He also had to put a hold on opening his new tapas restaurant Nostro.
Nostro will open up as soon as people can sit in groups together and can roam about the restaurant without having a mask on. I don’t see us opening up before that. There’s just no way.” – Francis Pezzalonella, Local Restaurant Owner
Although he’s adapted to business during the pandemic, Francis says one of the hardest challenges has been trying to staff employed.
“Trying to be able to afford to keep them working so they can support their families and that when this is all over that I can still afford to have jobs for all of them.” – Francis Pezzalonella, Local Restaurant Owner
But he still plans on opening a new restaurant. It’s a fast food styled burger place called rick’s that’s prepared to handle another shutdown
“This one is geared to handle the COVID environment. We have ordering kiosks where a customer can come in, place the order without making any contact with our staff.” – Francis Pezzalonella, Local Restaurant Owner
Francis say the safety and health of his staff and customers is his number one concern.


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On Thursday the 12th of May, fintech lender Oakam won its second prestigious award in the space of just under two months! It was a triumphant evening for Oakam who won the Credit Award for the Best Alternative Lender for short to mid-term loans.
Judges were immensely impressed by Oakam’s wider business innovation efforts which involved; enhancing the mobile app to provide a cutting edge user experience for existing customers and leveraging machine learning and diverse data sources, beyond just a credit report, to enhance lending decisions. This is all part of Oakam’s customer centric ethos and business model – to treat customers as individuals whether on the mobile app, on our website, or in one our 19 high street stores.
Less than two months ago, Oakam’s mobile App won an FStech award for the Best Digital Launch of the Year. 1/3 customers downloaded the app within the first 3 months of its launch and downloads and app usage continue to grow month on month.
Winning yet another award within a few weeks of each other is another milestone in Oakam’s corporate development and growth as Oakam is on pace to achieve record breaking loan originations this year.
Frederic Nze, Oakam’s CEO says “Our customer first approach was a crucial factor to winning this award. By combining leading edge mobile and digital technology and our experience underwriting under banked and unbanked consumers, many of whom are from migrant communities, we are able to generate better customer outcomes and improve financial inclusion. We are truly doing things differently in the alternative lending space, and it has been very gratifying to see our business model winning awards. However, as always, our main goal is to delight customers and we are succeeding with more and more of our new customers being referred by our existing ones. We have even more fintech developments in the pipeline that will be deployed throughout the year.”
Oakam is backed by Cabot Square Capital LLP, a leading financial services private equity firm. James Clark, partner at Cabot Square Capital commented: “We are proud of what the business has achieved to date and look forward to supporting their growth plans.”


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For VR to succeed and not become just a gimmick, there need to be those willing to be evangelists. In the United States, there are several of these. Mark Zuckerberg has become one in his own way, as has Gabe Newell of Valve. Here in Asia, we have our own coming up. VR Zone had a conversation with Lionel Chok of iMMERSiVELY, a recent convert to the potential of VR and the creation of entertainment. With BroadcastAsia on the horizon, we discussed the potential of VR and why it has capabilities beyond more traditional media.
VR vs. 360 Video
First and foremost in the discussion was the difference between actual VR content and 360 Video. Chok says this has come from a sudden proliferation of content creators trying to make VR content. “It’s hard to say how many companies are making VR content,” he says, “because that number changes every day. Ask me next week, and it will definitely be much greater!” However, he says that most of these are 360 Video rather than actual VR content. So what is the difference?
Chok gives two definitions, one that used to be favoured by gamers and the other which he uses. The former is the belief that if the video isn’t taking part in a virtual landscape, it’s not VR. Therefore, any live action content cannot be considered VR. Chok says that this is no longer true, because of the kind of work being done all over the world. An example, which wasn’t brought up, is the current work on Intel’s Alloy headset, which allows for interactive live-action content.
The explanation that Chok prefers is how the content is delivered. “It’s the end to end deployment,” he explains, “it’s what is being produced all the way to what is being delivered.” More specifically it is making content which can only be viewed on a VR headset. For Chok, if you remove the headset and you can still see the 360-degree video, it’s just 360 Video. “For example,” he says, “if you make a virtual world but display it on a browser, then it can only be a 360 video.”
The explosion of VR content Creators and the role of Asia
One point Chok brought across many times was the explosion of VR content creators, at least those who call themselves such. “Even those who have never made VR content are beginning to do so.” He puts this down to wanting to stand out to clients and distinguish themselves from the competition. Not just media creators, but architecture firms, real estate and much more are dabbling in the new content. “These are people who have never worked with VR before, and now they are calling themselves VR creators,” Chok says with a small laugh.
That being said, there are many who are working with true VR all over the world, including Singapore. Chok mentions several based near One-North, including game developers and video creators. VR Zone spoke with one of these developers earlier this year about the struggles related to making VR content. Making high-quality content is not a simple task in any medium, especially so in VR when talented developers are in short supply.
Nevertheless, Chok is adamant that VR could be what lets Asia take a global lead in media production. He says that in more traditional media such as film, it is very much dominated by Hollywood. This is more than just a budget issue Chok says, but down to star draw. VR’s potential as an immersive medium, however, can overcome this issue.
There is also the issue of distribution. Chok refers to what he calls the ‘two gatekeepers’ of distribution. That is Television and Film. Before, these two distribution models would dictate what could and couldn’t get published. With online distribution, this is not longer and issue. Chok concedes that early adopters would likely have to deal with a lot of low-quality content, just like the VR Steam store is full of rubbish. However, he has faith that eventually through self-regulation the good quality productions will rise in prominence, and the lesser quality will eventually disappear.
VR has the potential to make lots of high-quality products. Google’s VR film Pearl was nominated for an Oscar this year. Several animated short films have been released to high praise. Chok points to these examples and says that there is plenty of potential for VR. Furthermore, this can give Asia a level playing field in production with Hollywood. Nothing is certain, but signs definitely point to this being a strong eventuality.
If you want to hear more about what Lionel Chok has to say about VR, you can see him at BroadcastAsia on 23-25 May.


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UPDATED: (Feb. 11, 2020) — Winter Bourbon Bash and Brew is sold out.
Bourbon, craft beer and good eats are coming together for a good cause this weekend.
The 2020 Winter Bourbon Bash & Brew is Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center. The Bourbon Bash is an annual fundraiser for the Greene County Agricultural Society.
The main event hours are 5:30-9 p.m. and will feature several tasting tables of bourbon, rye whiskey and local craft beer. Appetizers will be provided by Nick’s Restaurant in Xenia. Tickets are $100. Designated driver tickets are $25.
There will be a silent auction and raffles.
WANT TO GO?
What: Winter Bourbon Bash & Brew — SOLD OUT
When: Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020
Where: Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center, 120 Fairground Road, Xenia
More info: Facebook
About the Author


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“The best conversion rate that retailers are going to get on their website is by introducing live video to support the shopping journey” – Andre Hordagoda.
Our Co-CEO, Andre Hordagoda, featured as a lead panelist in the latest DECODE Retail Webinar hosted by Frenchweb.Fr, in partnership with FAB Ventures Co-Creation Studio. The panel featured retail industry entrepreneurs who are revolutionising and shaping the future of retail.
Kaeya Munjamar, is the CEO of the SwayPay app, that allows customers to use social media posts as currency, in online stores, and Quentin Lebeau, CEO of Toky Woky, a community-building platform designed to enhance consumer loyalty, joined Andre on the panel.
Together, Andre, Kaeya and Quentin discussed how their platforms and technology are solving critical retail business challenges, and how all of their business models are geared to thrive despite the impact of COVID-19 upon the retail sector.
Webinar attendees raised important questions for Go Instore, such as “how do you differentiate from your competitors?”. “We are experiential and a video-first technology provider with no initial text-chat involved. With a click of a button – you’re in the store!”, affirmed Andre.
Stay tuned for more news about Go Instore webinars very soon!
Go Instore Team


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Tag "google apps"
Google has released its own Mobile World Congress application today, putting the free app in the Android Market for devices running 2.2 or higher. Strangely unavailable for Honeycomb tablets, Android
A new feature for Google+ has been announced today which makes it easy to convert a normal status update/conversation into a Hangout with video. Let’s say you and your buddies
The service has expanded to 13 cities, with 25 more on the way.
After what seems like an eternity of waiting, Google has released an official Google Docs application for Android devices. Available for anything running 2.1 or higher, the native app provides
The best map on Android keeps getting better with more Latitude and Hotpot enhancements. Version 5.2 hits the Android Market today for 1.6 devices and above.
Google releases their first Honeycomb-optimized application into the Android Market. Check out the various layers that make up a human body, including nerves, bones, muscle, and more!
Google Goggles 1.3 has landed in the Android Market with support for print (magazine and newspaper) ads as well as the ability to solve Sudoku puzzles.
The XDA Forums site is reporting that forum member Dreetje has made it possible to install the Google Apps package on Android powered Archos tablets. A quote from the posting on XDA:
We’ve waited for more than two years for this day. Google officially rolled out their RSS Reader application to Android handsets on Monday yet we had not seen anyone cover it. It’s crazy too, because we know tons of people who have pined for this app forever!
Google has announced in a blog post that their Google Shopper application is being updated to version 1.3. Google Shopper was much more popular than originally expected, and it’s about to get even better. According to Daniel Switkin, the Senior Software Engineer for Google Shopper, the new version brings a few new features to the table. One such feature is the ability to filter your search results by price and/or brand.
Augen, maker of the GenTouch78, the well known “$150 Kmart tablet,” has been under fire from Google for distributing the Android Market and other Google apps without permission. Since Augen and
Google has announced today that their Google Buzz service is now available on all Android handsets. Up until now Buzz was only available to users with 2.0 or higher. While
Yesterday it was announced that the latest version of Google’s Gmail for Mobile website has been tweaked to include Buzz status in the inbox. It’s now possible to see what
While geo-location applications have become increasingly popular, there are those that still feel uncomfortable broadcasting their every movement to everyone around them. Sometimes, you just don’t want everyone to know


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Nestlé-owned Perrier has launched an AR advertising campaign featuring 3D holographic images of its products floating in thin air.
The sparkling mineral water brand is trialling Provision Interactive Technologies’ 3D Savings Center kiosks, which each contain a 3D holographic display and 2D interactive touchscreen, to influence consumer purchasing decisions with coupons.
The campaign intends to draw consumers into the 3D floating image and have the interact with the touchscreen in order to receive a coupon to be used on Perrier products.
“Our 3D Savings Center provides the opportunity for advertisers to reinvent what is possible with respect to shopper marketing,” said Curt Thornton COO at Provision Interactive Technologies. “We are confident that during our testing phase, the 3D Savings Center will enable Perrier to break through the clutter by the use of augmented reality and generate product awareness and increase in-store purchases through coupon redemption.”
Los Angeles-based Provision’s 3D Savings Center is currently available in hundreds of retailers across the US.
Join us at the 2017 Effective Mobile Marketing Awards Ceremony, taking place in London on Thursday 16 November, to mix with the industry's best and brightest, and raise a glass to the year's best campaigns and solutions. To find out more, and to book your place, click here.


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The big surge of cryptocurrencies in late 2017 has brought in new investors in the market. New ICOS, new projects using blockchain technology are coming into the picture every other day. But the biggest problem of the whole crypto market is its volatile nature. The volatility of the cryptos has been a great headache for the crypto trader. Predicting stock market trends can come with experience and observation but in the crypto market, nothing can be predicted. It is a normal scene where a crypto gets half in value within a span of few days. Such fluctuations can be demotivating for the new and inexperienced investors.
Alphacat realized the need and in response brought a solution which can be a great boon for the crypto enthusiasts. Alphacat is the world’s first robot adviser marketplace that focuses on cryptocurrencies. The platform utilizes the technological advancement of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to predict the future value of specific cryptocurrencies.
Alphacat’s AI robots use big data to calculate to predict the outcome of the market through analyzing various patterns. The prediction accuracy of the platform is said to be around 60% which is to be the best amongst its rivals. The platform is said to live in Q3 of 2018.
Until now the technology is only being used for Bitcoin but can be extended to other cryptocurrencies as well. The founder and CEO, Dr. Bin Li, is the former VP of wealth management behemoth Merrill Lynch and the former Executive Director of Swiss global financial services company UBS. His all-star team consists of over 30 experts in the fields of AI, machine learning, finance technology, big data, and blockchain technology.
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow our socials to stay updated with the latest news on cryptocurrencies and blockchain.


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RCS acquires Mobicred – an online credit platform used by iStore, Takealot and Superbalist
RCS has acquired Mobicred, which will add new retailers to its existing network of over 28,000 stores. Mobicred is available from over 4,000 online merchants. Photo: Mobicred Facebook
- RCS has acquired online credit provider Mobicred.
- Over 4,000 online retailers in South Africa already have Mobicred as one of their payment options.
- RCS also has a network of over 28,000 stores.
Unsecured consumer credit provider RCS has acquired Mobicred. The company, owned by the French group BNP Paribas, is now entering the booming market of buy-it-now and pay-later to finance retail purchases.
Mobicred already describes itself as SA’s main online credit provider. Founded in 2013, Mobicred’s platform is already integrated into more than 4,000 online stores in South Africa.
Online retailers like Takealot, Superbalist, NetFlorist and their traditional counterparts that have online stores have Mobicred as one of their payment options. Other major retailers using it include iStore, Incredible Connection, Hifi Corporation, and even travel providers such as Travelstart and Lyft Airlines.
Mobicred founder and CEO Jason Sive said the company has achieved 70% year-on-year growth since launch.
RCS CEO Regan Adams said there has never been a better opportunity to tap into the growing e-commerce environment. Mobicred will add new brands to RCS’ already well-established retail network of more than 28,000 stores.
“Our acquisition of Mobicred enables us to better meet the needs of South African consumers who require a more diverse suite of credit solutions to help them access and manage their purchases. The acquisition of Mobicred was the natural next step in RCS’ digital transformation strategy. he said.
He added that Mobicred will perfectly complement RCS’s existing offering, as its customers will be able to switch to any shopping platform they choose, whether in-store or online.
“The acquisition also allows the group to tap into new customer segments, with a particular focus on Generation Z and Millennials – the biggest proponents of online sales in South Africa,” RCS said in the statement. .
Adams said RCS’s parent company, BNP Paribas, is constantly looking for ways to strengthen its commitments to more consumers. Due to the rapid growth of e-commerce, its main focus now is to combine the physical footprint of the RCS store with more digital capabilities.
Get the biggest business stories sent by e-mail every day of the week.
Go to the Front page of Fin24.


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Oculus moving on from investing in smaller VR projects
VR market can now support small and mid-sized teams, Oculus now prefers multi-million dollar investments
Oculus VR is now prioritising larger investments in games for its platform, based on the belief that the VR market is now large enough to sustain smaller, less expensive projects.
In an interview with Road To VR, Oculus VP of content Jason Rubin said that the period where "even an inexpensive title didn't have a lot of opportunity for success" has passed. Small and mid-sized VR teams can now make a profit on their work without help from Oculus
"That doesn't mean we're done with investment, but we move up the investment chain," he said. "So we used to invest $100K, $200K, but we don't have to do that so much anymore because those people can get paid out [from the install base]."
At Oculus Connect last October, Facebook committed $250 million to fund the creation of VR content, matching the amount it had already invested. As such, Oculus remains arguably the single most important investor in the VR market, but Rubin said it is now more interested in the £1 million to $5 million funding range.
"We will [eventually] move into the position where the larger console manufacturers are at," he added, "where they are funding content to fill specific goals, not because it wouldn't get made otherwise."
The recent price-cut to a bundle containing a Rift, Touch controllers and seven games is a signal of Oculus' intent to grow the VR market. While temporary, it is the second time this year that Oculus has lowered the price.
While this can only be positive for the many developers that have committed resources to VR, the exact context of those cuts is still unclear. Oculus hasn't shared sales figures for the Rift, so Rubin's assertion that the market can now support small and mid-sized teams is difficult to assess.
Certainly, there is plenty of evidence that the high-end VR market remains a difficult market, as Brendan Sinclair's recent analysis suggested.


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May 19, The US Treasury and the IRS have decided to load nearly 4 million prepaid debit cards due to the effect of coronavirus on the economy. The economy is bouncing back. The Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) card changes government cheques and allows recipients to make purchases. Also, people can get cash from ATMs and transfer funds to their personal bank account for free. To this Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin mentioned, the card can be used at “any retail location where Visa is accepted and provides protection against fraud and loss.
“Treasury and the IRS has been working with extraordinary speed to issue Economic Impact Payments to American families. The resume of US business and social life gained pull on Monday and more Americans emerging from coronavirus lockdown were noticed. Meanwhile, on this Monday, a new hope was seen, a potential vaccine for the coronavirus. Hopefully, if everything goes well, the U.S. economy would recover in the second half of the year.
The knowledge regarding, The White House rejected the plan discussed by the senior administration officials came out. To which “President Trump has been clear that while he is in office, the American people can feel secure without a shadow of a doubt that he will completely protect Social Security and Medicare — end of the story, full stop,” reported by a spokesperson.


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Amazon is again in the sights during a new segment on breaking up syndicates from “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”.
The HBO show addressed the tech giant as part of a lengthy explanation of the tactics companies employ to discourage workers from organizing.
Amidst the blows to Amazon, Oliver pointed to what he called a “leaked internal video” from Amazon instructing its managers on warning signs to stay alert when dealing with a potential union organization. The obvious signs include the use of terms like “living wage” or “administrator,” the animated video says.
“Put aside how completely disguised it is to treat the phrase ‘living wage’ as the first warning sign of a stroke,” Oliver said in reaction to the clip, adding that Amazon’s “enormous amount of pressure is worth noting.” and others Companies can exercise on employees who are evaluating the organization.
Amazon successfully rejected a union effort by the Bessemer, Ala. Retail, wholesale, and department store union to organize nearly 6,000 warehouse workers last spring. A report a few months later by a National Labor Relations Board hearing official said that Amazon stepped out of permitted guidelines and improperly lobbied workers against unionization, and he said the elections should be redone.
Oliver’s segment arrives just a couple of days after Amazon workers at a logistics center in Staten Island, New York withdrew a petition to hold a union election after not having collected a sufficient number of signatures from workers.
Seattle-based coffee giant Starbucks was also called upon by Oliver on Sunday’s show as he’s also tackling workers trying to organize themselves in cafes in Buffalo, NY


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Viewer Tech (纬尔科技), an agtech and robotics startup, has bagged tens of millions of yuan in an angel round early this year, led by XBotPark Capital and Lingyi Capital, Chinese tech media outlet 36kr reported today.
The proceeds will be spent on product R&D and iteration, commercial validation and talent recruitment.
Since its inception in April 2022, Shenzhen-headquartered Viewer Tech has focused on using robotics, computer vision, precision motion control and other cutting-edge technologies to revolutionize the way certain crops, in particular cotton, are grown and harvested.
Traditionally, cotton production has been fully mechanized except for the process of topping. This refers to the practice of removing the growig tips of cotton plants, mostly by hand, so as to stimulate their growth.
If allowed to grow only upward, a cotton plant will only grow flowers from the main stem, instead of on its branches.
Usually, in June to July every year, cotton cultivators will use tools or their thumbs to nip the tops of cotton stalks, so as to make nutrition flow back to other parts of the plants and increase the yield as a result.
One human grower can only work 5 mu, or 0.33 hectare, of cotton fields a day. As such, extra labor is often brought in from neighboring provinces and even countries in peak seasons to cultivate some 48 million mu of cotton fields in China.
Amid a labor shortage and rising labor costs, which are expected to reach 70 yuan (US$9.84) per mu, many cotton growers are looking to agtech and robotics to automate their production.
That’s where Viewer Tech comes in. In response to challenges faced by cotton farmers, the startup has rolled out a cotton topping robot that combines 3D reconstruction in binocular stereo vision, AI algorithms and precision operational techniques.
By replacing human labor in the process of cotton topping, Viewer Tech claims to achieve cost savings of almost 90%.
Photos courtesy of Viewer Tech
Specifically, its self-developed 3D reconstruction in binocular stereo vision enables cost-efficient positioning of the cotton tops in need of pruning.
The startup has built a massive database comprising millions of data sets, covering different strands of cotton and modes of pruning. It uses AI algorithms to identify the tops of each cotton stalk, with an accuracy of over 99%, it says.
And then the robot will plan its own trail of movement and guide a robotic arm to remove the top of every cotton plant.
According to Liu Zheng, founder and CEO of Viewer Tech, the topping robot is only a preview of “more to come.” However, the technical capabilities and experience acquired through the cotton pinching robot are a “commanding height” in precision agricultural machinery.
In the future, the company will adopt modular technologies to come up with more precision agricultural robots to be deployed to scenarios demanding high levels of operational accuracy.
“Currently, agricultural machinery giants worldwide are also going through a smart transition, and this presents a historic opportunity for Chinese manufacturers to overtake them,” said Liu. “The core competitiveness of agricultural machinery will be precision operational capacity.


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International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) or Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) are both trying to live beyond their legacy businesses. The companies can be seen betting their future on enterprise cloud and mobility offerings. But the question many investors keep asking is which of these two giants offers better hope to the future.
Microsoft jumps over IBM
For years, International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM)had been leading Microsoft in terms of revenue until one year ago. While Microsoft reported revenue of $93.6 billion in its fiscal year ended June 2015, IBM’s revenue in a comparable period was $81.7 billion, having contracted 11.9% from the previous year.
In the latest quarter, Microsoft reported revenue decline 2% to $25.7 billion and profit rose 8% to $6.3 billion. In contrast, it was all declines for IBM as revenue dropped 8.5% to $22.1 billion and profit fell 18.6% to $4.5 billion in the latest quarter.
New growth markets
Not only has Microsoft overtaken International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM)in terms of revenue, but the company also appears to be doing well than the competitor in the new market categories. IBM calls its new markets that include cloud computing, analytics, security and mobile Strategic Imperatives. These Strategic Imperatives are supposed to add fuel to IBM’s growth as its legacy business cools. Additionally, IBM sees the Strategic Imperatives as higher-margin businesses.
The company reported that revenue flowing through its Strategic Imperatives rose 17% to $28.9 billion last year, with cloud apparently registering the highest growth at 50%.
However, with International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM)still reporting topline declines, the Strategic Imperatives don’t seem to be drive growth. It is as though IBM is cannibalizing its existing revenue stream instead of growing revenue. IBM has acquired nearly 20 companies to build its Strategic Imperatives.
On its part, Microsoft has a clearly marked cloud and emerging businesses segment. However, you also get the impression that Microsoft’s claim about its cloud business makes the division look larger than it actually is.
Both International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM)and Microsoft are struggling to live beyond their aging businesses, but Microsoft’s transformation approach appears to be more inspiring than IBM’s.


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The US Conference of Mayors, meeting in Miami, banned bottled water this week. The cities will no longer use municipal funds to purchase water bottles.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who proposed the resolution along with 17 other big-city mayors, said:
"Cities are sending the wrong message about the quality of public water when we spend taxpayer dollars on water in disposable containers from a private corporation."
But Newsom isn't exactly the first person on the tap-water train. Sixty American mayors have already canceled their hydration contracts, and some places in Canada have also banned the bottle.
Rejecting plastic water bottles is more environmentally and financially sustainable. Millions of bottles a day do not get recycled, and the plastic takes at least 1,000 years to biodegrade.
The American Beverage Association feels betrayed. In a statement, the association reminded those ready to turn on the bottle that private companies come to the rescue during emergencies that compromise public water systems. The statement also notes that plastic bottles are 100 percent recyclable.
Should thirsty city workers be subjected to tap water? First plastic bags, now plastic water bottles, whatever will we do?! Well, here are some great alternatives to the plastic water bottle.


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Nestle CEO shows true colors in exposed video.
Nestle have had a long history of questionable morals decisions, they have gained a reputation as one of the most immoral companies in the world.
This is due to their involvement in deforestation, their manipulation of uneducated mothers and their avarice bottled water standards.
Nestle were hit with scandal when it was revealed that the company had tapped a natural spring in California, they were bottling the water and then selling it to local residents who had been hit with droughts.
The company was caught out employing internet ‘defenders’ to go on chat rooms and message boards, posing as normal people to drum up support for them, and to shout down anyone who was bad mouthing them, such is their desire to pull the wool over the public’s eyes.
A video has emerged of former Nestle Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe sharing his views on humanity.
In the video he reveals how he thinks water should not be a given human right and shows his support for GMO’s.
Corporate Watch reported on Nestle’s lack of human concern, saying:
“Nestlé production of mineral water involves the abuse of vulnerable water resources. In the Serra da Mantiqueira region of Brazil, home to the “circuit of waters” park whose groundwater has a high mineral content and medicinal properties, over-pumping has resulted in depletion and long-term damage.”
And again they reported on other Nestle controversies:
“In 2001, Nestlé faced criticism for buying cocoa from the Ivory Coast and Ghana, which may have been produced using child slaves. According to an investigative report by the BBC, hundreds of thousands of children in Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo were being purchased from their destitute parents and shipped to the Ivory Coast, to be sold as slaves to cocoa farms.”


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Tuesday, October 22, 2013, 10:16 am PT (01:16 pm ET)
Apple's App Store hits 1M options, iTunes Radio users play 1B songsThe iOS App Store now has more than a million applications available, Apple announced on Tuesday. And the recently launched iTunes Radio has already hit more than 20 million users.
Those 20 million iTunes Radio listeners have streamed over a billion songs to date, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook revealed. iTunes Radio launched in late September as part of iOS 7, and is also available through iTunes.
And with over a million options on the iOS App Store, users have now downloaded more than 60 billion applications to date, Cook said.
Those downloads have now paid out over $13 billion to iOS developers, the CEO revealed.
The iOS App Store now has over one million apps available, and Cook said users have logged over 60 billion downloads. That's up from 900,000 and 50 billion downloads announced during WWDC earlier this year.
On Topic: App Store
- GTA: San Andreas rolls out on iOS App Store as Pinterest, Steam see updates
- Spotify for iPhone, iPad goes subscription-free, with shuffle-only limitation
- Rovio's Angry Birds Go! racing game hits Apple's App Store
- Twitter adds photo support for direct messages, gesture-based UI in app update
- Fiverr lets users buy & sell services anywhere with new iPhone app


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Amidst accusations of promoting racism, adidas made the decision today not to release it’s new “Shackle” Sneakers.
Designed by Jeremy Scott, a New York designer known for his controversial and outrageous creations, the adidas JS Roundhouse Mids have sparked outrage through the adidas fan community. Voicing mixed opinions on adidas’ Facebook page, both fans and critics of the shoe agree it’s a little outrageous that everyone is getting so fired up about the sneaker design.
What do you think? Did adidas make the right decision, or should they move forward with the launch of the JS Roundhouse Mids aka the “Shackle” Sneakers?


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Bangalees can brace themselves for hilsa soup and noodles within a couple of months thanks to a team of researchers who have come up with a way to preserve the sought-after fish in the form of cubes and powder.
Virgo Fish and Agro Process, a local fish processing plant, will market the hilsa products formulated by researchers at the Bangladesh Agricultural University under a Department of Fisheries and World Fish project funded by the USAID.
Hilsa is a high-protein, high-lipid fish. Its omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids eat up the harmful cholesterols in human blood and boost the level of beneficial cholesterol, reducing the risk of myocardial infarction or stroke and cure heart disease.
Yet, the poor and low-income people have little access to the fish because of the high price almost all year round save for the rainy season.
“Keeping this in mind, hilsa soup and noodles have been formulated,” said AKM Nowsad Alam, professor of the Department of Fisheries Technology at the BAU, who led the research team.
The technology was developed in August last year and since then researchers have been testing the quality and consistency of the products.
“Hilsa is a very tasty fish, but many, particularly children and foreigners, cannot sample the fish as it contains very minute, sharp and branched pin bones throughout the muscles. Our effort was to prepare boneless, storable and tasty hilsa products.”
The taste and flavour of the fish has been kept intact, without losing its nutritive value, according to Alam.
The affordability of the products was kept in mind too, Alam said.
The initiative to make boneless hilsa comes at a time when the production of the national fish is on the rise thanks to a host of steps such as a ban on catching of the fish during breeding periods and awareness campaigns by the government.
Hilsa output rose 26 percent year-on-year to 496,417 tonnes in fiscal 2016-17 from a year earlier, according to the DoF.
The popular fish was last year recognised as geographical indication (GI) product of Bangladesh by the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, a local patent authority.
Bangladesh accounts for 70 percent of global production and about 4 lakh fishermen depend on the fish for their livelihoods, according to a DoF publication marking the Fisheries Week 2017.
There is enough supply of hilsa in the market to meet the demand, according to Alam.
“Hilsa production has soared for conservation initiatives. And if we export, we should export high-value products made from hilsa,” Alam added. Virgo Fish and Agro Process is aiming to launch the hilsa soup and noodles in the local market before the Pahela Boishakh, when hilsa is consumed in large numbers.
“We will try to place the products at chain supermarkets within the next two months,” said Jamil Ahmed, executive director of Virgo Fish and Agro Process.
The company is scheduled to get the technology formally at a ceremony today at the DoF.
Soup and noodles from hilsa have great prospects, Ahmed said.
“This fish has appeal to the Bengalis at home and abroad. So, we will cater to both the domestic and international markets.”


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The big news this week is the launch of Apple’s Mac App Store as part of Mac OS X 10.6.6—Adam looks closely at what you’ll encounter when you update and points out the pros and cons for the Mac ecosystem. Also this week, Adam announces an iPad-compatible version of the TidBITS News app, reviews the useful multiple-reminder-per-day HabiTimer app, and ponders the problem of user interface design liberalism. Then check out Matt Neuburg’s coverage of the new Panorama Sheets database/spreadsheet hybrid and Lorenz Szabo’s story about returning to the Mac after nine years away, by way of the iPhone. Notable software releases this week include Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.0.2, Apple Remote Desktop 3.4, cf/x alpha 1.2, Mac OS X 10.6.6, iWork 9.0.5, GarageBand 6.0.1, and iMovie 9.0.1.
iPad users, take note—you can now read TidBITS articles in the free TidBITS News app on the iPad, with a native interface.
If you need to take medication on a regular schedule, or just want something that will remind you to stretch your legs on a repeating basis, check out the free HabiTimer iOS app.
Does the Mac App Store mark a turning point in the constant tussle between those who want user interfaces to be entirely consistent and those who prefer the wild-and-crazy look? Does it matter? Adam thinks it does.
ProVUE’s Panorama, the wonderful database program, recently revised to version 6, now boasts a much less expensive sibling, Panorama Sheets, which will easily suffice for many users. Harness the power of Panorama without the learning curve!
After almost decade in the Windows world, a former Mac fan rediscovers an old friend.
Apple has opened the Mac App Store with over 1,000 applications. The Internet-based store offers easy purchasing, downloading, and updating of applications for the Mac but comes at a cost to developers beyond the 30-percent transaction fee.
Notable software releases this week include Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.0.2, Apple Remote Desktop 3.4, cf/x alpha 1.2, Mac OS X 10.6.6, iWork 9.0.5, GarageBand 6.0.1, and iMovie 9.0.1.
If you want to go further afield from TidBITS this week, be sure to listen to Joe Kissell talking about a paperless lifestyle and tune in Tuesday, when we’ll learn if Verizon Wireless’s media event is indeed to announce the iPhone coming to Verizon.


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Two researchers, who work for the French government, figured out a way to send commands to an iPhone or Android device using Siri or Google Now, according to a Wired report.
To attack the phone, the security researchers take advantage of the wire inside a set of headphones.
Basically, they use the wire as an antenna to send electromagnetic signals via open source GNU Radio software on their laptop to the smartphone from more than 16 feet away. This enables them to make a variety of commands to Siri or Google Now, including sending texts or visiting websites.
The researchers argue this could be dangerous because a hacker could command Siri to visit a malicious website or call a paid phone number to make money.
However, because the attack uses headphones as a way to take advantage of the voice assistants, phones are only vulnerable when headsets are plugged into the device. The headphones must also be microphone-enabled.
Also, the hack does not disable the screen. So when a command comes through, the smartphone user would still be able to see what is happening and could cancel the action.
The researchers originally revealed their findings at a conference in Paris during the summer, but their findings were also published in a white paper.


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The deal will help position VWFS as a leader in mobile payments and parking sectors, while providing the foundation for future PayByPhone growth globally and continued innovation, according to the companies.
PayByPhone's technology, a fast way to pay for parking, will soon be available for millions more drivers across the globe.
In 2016, PayByPhone has already processed more than $250 million in payments and is adding approximately 7,000 users per day to their already substantial base of more than 12.5 million registered users.
Kush Parikh, CEO of PayByPhone (pictured above) said: "This is a tremendous opportunity for PayByPhone to explore new ways to expand our mobile payments technology into different verticals, markets and use cases. The mobile payment movement has exploded recently, and we look forward to accelerating our consumer parking and payments agenda made possible by this deal.
"VWFS has been at the forefront of innovation to fit its customers' mobile lives, and we are honored to be a part of its global vision."
The PayByPhone acquisition expands the VWFS footprint in the mobile-payment solutions market, and positions the organization as the central service provider within the Volkswagen Group for the parking business.
The company has already previously acquired a 92% shareholding in Sunhill Technologies, a German market leader in mobile-parking solutions across 90 German cities.
Dr. Christian Dahlheim, the management board member responsible for sales and marketing at VWFS added: "With the acquisition of PayByPhone, we are now the leading provider for the processing and mobile payment of parking. In the future, we will be bundling this know-how in a separate business field around the theme of parking.”
The acquisition will not affect any of PayByPhone's current operations. In the near future, PayByPhone's existing clients and customers can expect improved support, more services, and greater app functionality as the integration with VWFS continues.
The paybyphone app is available on iOS, Android, and all other mobile platforms via its web application and online presence.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.


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Fans clamored for the original Darkstalkers to get the HD treatment for a digital release, but when they got what they asked for, well…
Gaming giant Capcom recently went on the record with its thoughts about digital HD re-releases of older titles in their catalog. The company released a statement saying that there might not be too many more of their classic games seeing release across digital platforms this generation.
Now Capcom Senior VP Christian Svensson has come right out and said that they’re disappointed in the sales of the latest of these re-done games – Darkstalkers Resurrection.
I’m disappointed in the opening sales response relative to any other fighting titles we’ve put out on the same platforms given the frequency and urgency of requests we’ve had here over the last several years and the quality of the execution.
Svensson did say however that Capcom isn’t totally giving up on the format and added that they were working on “promotions and the like to improve the situation”. Personally, I think the only thing that would make these HD-ified games more palatable to gamers would be lowering the price tag.
HD re-releases are kind at a double-edged disadvantage when you think about it. Big time fans probably already have the game in question on a dozen or so formats and players new to the series might not be all that enthused about a game made a decade or so ago, but with a new coat of paint.
A lower price and maybe some new elements (though you’d tick off purists) might go a long way to making the ‘HD’ worth adding to the end of a game’s title for publishers like Capcom. I’ve never been a big fan of Darkstalkers myself, but I did pick up the Super Street Fighter II HD title that was released a ways back and I’d love to see the Alpha series get a similar release, so I’m glad to hear that Capcom hasn’t completely discontinued the format.
As for just what the company will do in the future, we’ll have to see how robust the changes are and just what kind of ‘promotions’ they’ll be offering.


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Procter & Gamble sells bleach products business
Procter & Gamble Co. started the new year with a divestiture.
P&G (NYSE: PG) sold its bleach products business in Western Europe to Fater, an Italian joint venture that P&G has operated with the Angelini Group since the early 1990s.
Terms of the Dec. 31 transaction were not revealed. P&G transferred hard-surface cleaning products sold under the Ace and Neoblanc brand names. The deal did not include Ace laundry products.
“They’re strong brands and they’re growing market share, but the fabric-care bleach business has a limited global footprint,” said P&G spokesman Paul Fox, who added that Fater’s “proven abilities in innovation” should enable future growth.
P&G announced the sale to its external business partners in October.
Monk covers downtown Cincinnati economic development, Hamilton County commercial real estate, government, politics and Procter & Gamble Co.
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A lawsuit was filed by six female employees in 2001 against the corporate giant Wal-Mart. This leading business house was charged for discriminating women workers.
The suit filers complained that the company paid them less compared to the male employees. Also they were infrequently given promotions.
In 2004 a federal judge approved class-action status. That ruling made it possible for almost every woman who had worked for Wal-Mart since December 1998 to join the suit.
Wal-Mart however opposed this action and appealed not to group the bias claims in a single lawsuit since a one lawsuit would have a single jury trial to defend its practises resulting in billions of dollars in stake.
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has granted the appeal and the hearing would take place in front of a 11-judge panel. The hearing date has not yet been decided.
Irrespective of the nationwide lawsuits, the Wal-Mart attorney, Theodore Boutrous claims that the company has suitable work environment where both genders are treated on equal footings.


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Jazz Jennings is a natural choice for the latest installment of Clean & Clear’s #SeeTheRealMe campaign.
The 14-year-old was named one of Time magazine’s 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014. She’s a YouTube sensation who will star in her own reality show this year. In short, Jennings represents the sort of self-confidence that the Johnson & Johnson brand seeks to inspire in her peers entering the skin-care market.
Like other girls in the campaign, Jennings has traveled a challenging path to adolescence. In her case, she was assigned male at birth.
Jennings’ Clean & Clear sponsorship is the latest in a gradual move by brands to include transgender people in mainstream advertising.
Even as major brands have featured same-sex couples in campaigns for general audiences, many are still assessing how to include the ‘T’ in LGBT.
Kacey Dreby, group brand director for Clean & Clear, emphasized that Jennings’ story is relevant to all girls seeking to find their place in the world. "#SeeTheRealMe encourages courage among teen girls by portraying girls who are their real selves every day. We feel like Jazz’s story of being authentic to who she is is relatable to all teen girls.
"One of the things that’s very important is to reflect the diversity today’s girls see in their world," Dreby continued. "We’ve featured everyone from Demi Lovato to a girl named Sarah who immigrated from India and faced challenges here."
In Jennings’ case, she speaks about overcoming social isolation to make friends and appreciate who she is.
Clean & Clear’s inclusion of Jazz Jennings has sparked headlines because she is one of the rare openly transgender people featured in a mainstream campaign.
Marriott International in June 2014 included transgender model and advocate Geena Rocero in its #LoveTravels campaign targeted at LGBT media, and Barney’s New York in January 2014 unveiled its spring initiative featuring 17 transgender models.
This story originally appeared on Campaign US. Read the rest of it here.


text: There's a new way to shop for groceries in Canada. And if you're concerned about reducing the amount of food you waste and want to shop smart, this is just the thing for you. A new grocery shopping app in Canada is trying to solve the country's food waste problem with super cheap groceries.\nFlashfood, an app that lets you grocery shop directly through the app, has been launching at Real Canadian Superstores across Canada this summer.\nWith the app, items that are nearing their best before date are put up for sale at a super low price. The idea is that customers can get discounted food products that would usually just go to waste the same day they buy them on the app.\n"It’s been really successful for us this summer. This location in particular has been able to save our customers thousands of dollars and we’ve also been able to divert over 11,000 pounds of waste. It’s pretty exciting," said Tarla Confiant, manager of an Edmonton Superstore, to Global News.\nBack in 2017, Flashfood founder and CEO Josh Domingues took his app to Dragon's Den with hopes of getting an investment from one or more of the business people on the panel.\nDomingues asked for $300,000 for 10% of the company. Two people on the panel decided to invest in Flashfood and Domingues got $300,000 while giving up 25% of the company split between the two.\nWhile the other panel members were reluctant to believe that Flashfood could really break into the market, the app now operates at Real Canadian Superstores across Canada.\nIn Alberta, there are 31 locations that use Flashfood, eight in Saskatchewan, 28 in B.C., 11 in Manitoba, one in Yukon, 19 in New Brunswick, 11 in Newfoundland & Labrador, 28 in Nova Scotia, four in PEI, 125 in Ontario and 139 in Quebec.\nSo Canadians across the country have access to a service that reduces the amount of food waste by selling food quickly at a discounted price.\n"When food gets thrown out typically it goes to a landfill, gets covered by other garbage and when it rots it produces methane gas," Domingues told the Dragons.\nBack then, Flashfood was only in one store and the app helped divert 1000 meals from landfills.\nView this post on Instagram 🌟 Start the car!! 🚙 💨 4 new Meijer locations are now on the Flashfood app! 🎊🥳⠀ ⠀ Download the free Flashfood app now! Link in bio☝🏽⠀ ⠀ ==============================================⠀ Download the FREE Flashfood App for iOS & Android [LINK IN BIO] 📲 🥓🍅🍠🥬🥦⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Expansion continues soon!! 🚨 Sign up to get notified 🚨 [LINK IN BIO]⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀ •⠀⠀ •⠀⠀ •⠀⠀ •⠀⠀ •⠀⠀ #detroit #metrodetroit #northville #foodwaste #nofoodwaste #reducefoodwaste #waronwaste #reducereuse #reducewaste #detroitmi #farmingtonhills #detroiteats #detroitfoodie #foodieindetroit #detroitcouponer #detroitcouponers ⠀ A post shared by Flashfood App (@flashfoodinc) on Oct 22, 2019 at 5:48pm PDT\nAccording to Global News, in stores across Edmonton, Flashfood has saved customers more than $41,000 on their grocery bills and stopped more than 20,000 pounds of food from going to landfills.\nWith the app, you can browse deals at participating grocery stores that are close to you and see what you want to buy. Once you've chosen your items you buy them right from the app.\nThen you head to the store that same day and pick up your items from the Flashfood zone in the store and you're set.\nView this post on Instagram One healthy meal at a time. 🍴I see about 5 meal ideas in this pic! 😍 ⠀ ⠀ Comment 👇 How many can you think of! 👨🏻🍳👩🏽🍳⠀ ⠀ Un repas sain à la fois.🍴Je vois environ 5 idées de repas dans cette photo! 😍 ⠀ ⠀ Commenter 👇 Combien de repas voyez-vous?👨🏼🍳👩🏾🍳⠀ ⠀ 📸: @samra.tee A post shared by Flashfood App (@flashfoodinc) on Oct 18, 2019 at 5:29pm PDT\n"All the items put into this app are an automatic 50 percent of the retail price," said Confiant.\nThe goals of the app are to save people money on their grocery bills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save people time.\nFlashfood also operates in two U.S. states, Michigan and Wisconsin.\nThere are stories everywhere. If you spot a newsworthy event in your city, send us a message, photo, or video @NarcityCanada on Twitter and Instagram.


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The two companies announced Monday the launch of the Mercedes-Benz Credit Card from American Express and the Platinum Card from American Express exclusively for Mercedes-Benz.
The cards mark several firsts for American Express. It's the company's first co-branded card with an automaker in the U.S. It's also the first co-branded card to enjoy Membership Rewards. And it's the first credit and charge card with accelerated points, such as five times the points on Mercedes-Benz purchases.
Just think about that. A consumer could buy an SLK-Class Roadster for $55,000 and get 275,000 points (at the dealer's discretion). And if you buy with your Mercedes-Benz Credit Card, you have six months of no interest to pay it off.
The two cards are loaded with other upscale perks, a stark contrast to the co-branded credit card that Mercedes-Benz had with Bank of America a few years ago. That one was a "plain, more generic" card, says Geoff Robinson, vice president of marketing at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
The Mercedes-Benz Credit Card from American Express has a variable rate of prime rate plus 11.99 to 15.99 percentage points. It comes with 5,000 Membership Rewards points after the first purchase, three times the points on gas purchases, double the points on restaurants and one-for-one on everything else. Cardholders also receive $500 off a purchase or lease of a Mercedes-Benz vehicle after spending $5,000 along with 1,000 miles waived at lease-end. The annual fee: $95.
The charge card's annual fee is much pricier at $475. But cardholders receive a whopping 50,000 Membership Rewards after spending $1,000 in the first three months. Cardholders earn one point for each dollar aside from Mercedes-Benz purchases, which rack up five times the points.
The charge card benefits also include: $200 airline fee credits each year; $1,000 off the purchase or lease of a Mercedes-Benz after spending $5,000; 2,000 miles waived at lease-end; travel and retail protections; and other travel and hotel perks.
"This is not just about the car experience," says Gunther Bright, senior vice president and general manager of co-brand partnerships at American Express. "It's about the lifestyle experience."
American Express says current cardholders can either swap out their old card with the Mercedes-Benz card and migrate their points to the new card, or add another American Express card to their wallet.
Another key point: Cardholders don't have to own a Mercedes-Benz to hold the carmaker's card. So feel free to dream.
What kind of credit card perks do you like? Would this new card entice you?
Follow me on Twitter: @JannaHerron


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Journey back with us to 2012 when Bal Harbour Shops closed its doors to host Destination Fashion 2012. GRAMMY award winner Enrique Iglesias entertained thousands in the transformed parking lot of Bal Harbour Shops after a stunning Emilio Pucci’s Spring 2013 Fashion Show presented by Saks Fifth Avenue, dazzled all. NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw hosted the evening, which was chaired by Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones and International Polo Sensation Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras and raised $31 million for The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.
In addition to the Emilio Pucci Fashion show, the Enrique Iglesias private performance in between the palm trees and a seated dinner, the event paid tribute to the notable 2012 Women of Substance and Style honorees, who walked down the runway accompanied by Celebrity Presenters. The Celebrity Presenters were icons from the world of sports, film, entertainment and music including Miguel Cabrera, Tico Torres, Alonzo Mourning, Emilio Estefan, Mike Piazza, Joe Manganiello, Chris Cuomo, Helio Castronoves, Gil De Ferran, Colin Egglesfield, Wayne Newton and more. The evening culminated with guests dancing to the musical stylings of DJ Irie and traveling their way through the shops, which were transformed into “The Destinations” of locations from around the world such as Asia, Africa and the Americas. Bal Harbour Shops donated one-of-a-kind silent auction items too.
Micky and Madeleine Arison and Enrique Iglesias
Tommy Lee Jones, Dawn Jones, Delfina Blaquier, Nacho Figueras
Dorothy Hamill and Emilio Estefan
Tom Brokaw, Gigi Whitman, Matthew Whitman Lazenby and Kristin Lazenby
Adrienne Bosh and Helio Castroneves
Christine Lynn and Tom Brokaw


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Analysts say oil market fundamentals are very bearish, and it would not be surprising to see crude take a temporary dive into the $30s per barrel in the next several months.
Bill Fleckenstein of Fleckenstein Capital says the market looks uniquely "crash prone" at current levels.
Etsy delivered quarterly earnings and revenue that topped short of analysts' expectations on Tuesday.
Apple continued its downward spiral Tuesday, but at least one analyst sees the tech giant's recent rout as a buying opportunity.
Carter Worth says the recent price action in Apple could spell trouble for the Nasdaq.
A new survey found 65 percent of millennials plan to buy a home in the next three months. Understand the trade-offs between renting and owning.
Puerto Rico's job base continues to shrink, taking its economy along with it.
Retail investors appear to have doubled down on oil as prices for the commodity approach a six-year low.
Noted bull Laszlo Birinyi said investors should "stay with it" as he sees a more than 50 percent upside in the S&P 500.
Two market watchers contended that earnings growth and economic fundamentals could not support Laszlo Birinyi's bullish stock call.
Sticker shock at the grocery store could soon get even worse.
Nevada became the second state to offer tax credits to employers who make matching contributions to 529 plans. Will this boost college savings?
There are significant second-half risks for commodities. Here are four things to watch, says UBS's Dominic Schnider. Here are four things
The MLB's digital arm will gain exclusive rights to distribute certain NHL games in a six-year content partnership.
Billionaire private equity professional David Rubenstein has told CNBC that oil prices will bounce back over time.
The recent pullback in Apple shares may have bigger implications for a stock market already struggling to break out of a trading range.
Financial advisor Manisha Thakor of Buckingham and The BAM Alliance discusses how to gauge and manage your comfort level with investment risk.
South Carolina is attracting and expanding two industries with some of the highest-paying blue-collar jobs.
Apple, Microsoft, and Yahoo are sinking after reporting earnings. Have investors lost their taste for the titans of buybacks? Larry McDonald of Societe Generale and Andrew Burkly of Oppenheimer discuss with Brian Sullivan.
Here's how big data is changing the real estate industry, from finance and insurance to daily transactions.


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E-Trade puts on banking glitz / Online trader markets new services already paying dividends
The company that once told you to fire your broker now wants to become your banker.
E-Trade Financial -- having changed its name from E-Trade Group -- began a slick marketing campaign yesterday to inform the world that it is no longer simply the online stock trading Web site that it was when it premiered in 1996.
Chief Executive Officer Christos Cotsakos appeared yesterday at the company's new Market Street financial center to talk at length about E-Trade's movement into new territory, in which it will offer mortgages, insurance, tax planning and other traditional banking services that it once eschewed.
"The killer app wasn't the Internet," Cotsakos said to the room of financial reporters, E-Trade employees and press agents at the Market Street location, where stock prices and indexes streaked and dipped on electronic overhead screens. "It really was financial services."
Of course, it's being done the E-Trade way. Cotsakos said there will be no sales calls from brokers at night encouraging the purchase of shares in this or that company. Instead, its Web site will offer instant messaging advice sessions with consultants and video streaming.
In truth, the transformation has been under way for some time. E-Trade quadrupled its profits from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of last year, to $24 million from $6 million, largely on the strength of its mortgage business, according to industry analysts.
In the process, E-Trade quietly has become the third-largest savings bank and the 12th-largest ATM network in the country. In addition to its financial centers in San Francisco, Denver, New York and elsewhere, it plans to launch thousands of small outlets inside Target stores nationwide.
However E-Trade and the rest of the Internet brokerage firms, whose revenue from customer trading remain a cornerstone of their operations, have been affected by the downturn in the stock market during the recession.
A number of analysts, including Robertson Stephens, E-Trade's own original lead underwriter, cut their ratings on the stock last month after its earnings release, citing the company's growing valuation relative to earnings.
"They're trying to reposition themselves in the minds of their own customers, as well as the minds of their own investors, as a diversified financial services company rather than an e-broker or e-bank," said Eric Wasserstrom, an e-brokerage analyst at UBS Warburg in New York.


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Asda said store jobs were not comparable to distribution centre jobs.
The store workers, who are represented by law firm Leigh Day, made sex discrimination claims, saying they historically got less because most store workers are women while most distribution depot staff are men.
Lawyers representing the store workers say distribution depot workers get between £1.50 and £3.00 an hour more.
Supreme Court justices were asked to consider whether Asda store workers are entitled to compare themselves to distribution staff for equal pay purposes.
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Judges ruled against Asda bosses on Friday after considering arguments at a hearing in July.
Lawyers say the ruling will have implications for supermarkets and other retailers.
In 2016, an employment tribunal decided that store workers were entitled to compare themselves to distribution staff and that decision was upheld by Court of Appeal judges in 2019. Asda then appealed to the Supreme Court.
Lawyers say the store workers’ fight will not end, and litigation could run on for years. They say the next stage would involve an employment tribunal deciding whether specific store and distribution jobs were of “equal value”.
If judges decided that different jobs were of “equal value”, the litigation would then enter a third stage.
Lawyers say an employment tribunal would then consider whether there were reasons – other than gender – why people working in stores should not get the same pay rates as people working in distribution centres.
An Asda spokesperson said: “This ruling relates to one stage of a complex case that is likely to take several years to reach a conclusion.
"We are defending these claims because the pay in our stores and distribution centres is the same for colleagues doing the same jobs regardless of their gender.
"Retail and distribution are very different sectors with their own distinct skill sets and pay rates. Asda has always paid colleagues the market rate in these sectors and we remain confident in our case.”
Workers union GMB has now called on Asda bosses to meet with them and discuss the next stage of shop workers’ compensation claim, which could run to £500m.
Susan Harris, GMB legal director, said: “This is amazing news and a massive victory for Asda’s predominantly women shop floor workforce.
“We are proud to have supported our members in this litigation and helped them in their fight for pay justice.
“Asda has wasted money on lawyers’ bills chasing a lost cause, losing appeal after appeal, while tens of thousands of retail workers remain out of pocket.
“We now call on Asda to sit down with us to reach agreement on the back pay owed to our members – which could run to hundreds of millions of pounds.”


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Xbox 360 Blue Bundle + CoD Ghosts, Black Ops II coming to Walmart next month
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Debut trailer of Resident Evil Revelations 2 promises episodic release... and zombies
MX vs ATV: Supercross release date off roads to October 28
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Warp Zoned’s Fall 2014 Preview Presents the Video Game Fantasy League
Bloodborne: February 6 release date and Collector’s Edition announced, TGS 2014 trailer released
XBL Store Today: D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die, Flockers, Diablo III: UEE
Final Fantasy XV gets a TGS 2014 trailer; Tetsuya Nomura steps down as director
EDF 2025: The Shadow of New Despair TGS 2014 trailer pits mechas versus kaiju
Harmonix ending weekly Rock Band DLC releases on April 2
After a 275-week encore, Harmonix has announced that they will discontinue weekly DLC releases for Rock Band 3 on April 2. But don’t worry Rock Band fans, there will still be plenty of new songs released between now and then:
While there is no content currently scheduled beyond April 2nd, we still have DLC releases lined up for the next few weeks, including the remaining tracks from Rock Band Blitz, several Pro Guitar upgrades, and a handful of artists who have not yet appeared in Rock Band.
Since the first track packs were made available to download on November 20, 2007, Harmonix has released over 4,000 songs through the Rock Band Music Store. Without weekly DLC to keep them busy, the team at Harmonix has announced they’ll be moving on to the multiple new titles they have in development.
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