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Li-fi technology guarantees internet access using light
Transmission using light has been around for some time, in remote controls on TVs, for example. Since then, many labs have been working on ways to get a greater amount of information more quickly and efficiently transmitted. In 2011, German Harald Haas, a professor at the University of Edinburgh, coined the term Li-Fi, aiming at a proposal in which each lamp becomes an internet access hotspot
For the system to work, the LED lamp will transmit the signal, making small swings in its light (in nano seconds, totally imperceptible), and will need a device that has a specific receiver for this, a light sensor that interprets this signal . “None of our current cell phones have this,” says Thiago Ribeiro Claro, coordinator of the degree in Technology for Internet Systems at the Senac University Center.
Unlike Wi-Fi, which uses radio signals for transmission, with a current limit of 867 Megabits per second, the Li-Fi works with non-visible light reaching much higher speeds. “As the technology is very new, several searches, looking for the best way to transmit data, are occurring. Until last year the speed record was 10Gbps, which would already be much faster than Wi-Fi, “explains the coordinator. “This year, Oxford researchers were able to transmit data at 224 gigabits per second. This would allow 18 movies to be downloaded in 1 second. It is difficult to predict what the speed of this technology will be when it becomes a commercial product available, because that still depends on the standards that will be adopted, but it will certainly be much faster than Wi-Fi, “says the expert.
Another advantage of Li-fi lies in the security of data transmission, because the light does not cross walls, making it difficult for intruders to access. In addition, with the lamps sending signals to the cell phone inside a closed environment, it is possible to know precisely its positioning. “For example, a supermarket with Li-Fi may offer an app where you search for a product and the app displays an accurate map indicating how to get to the correct shelf. Malls, airports and major events can also enjoy this, “says Thiago Claro.
For now, Li-Fi only works well indoors. According to the coordinator, Li-fi technology would be best used if it were to complement Wi-Fi. “In a company that replaces Wi-Fi with Li-Fi, the phone would be completely disconnected from the network if it was placed in a pocket or drawer,” he explains.
Although promising, this technology is still in research. There is, therefore, a long way to go before it can be adopted as a standard by the market.
The 10 most popular social networks of 2015
Social networks and their message applications are more popular than ever, but which ones are the most popular?
We rank the platforms with the most active monthly users and although the list includes those which are no surprise, some relatively unknown services have entered the list.
Facebook owns and operates four of the six most popular social networks in the world. Only two other services, both of China’s Tencent, entered the competition. Check the list below.
Facebook was the first social network to exceed 1 billion members and closed the third quarter of 2015 with 1.55 billion monthly active users, including 1.39 billion in mobile devices.
The number of daily active users is also impressive, with 1.01 billion active users per day at the end of the third quarter, including 894 million in mobile only.
WhatsApp remains true to its original mission of building a simple message app that works across all mobile platforms and has changed little since its launch in 2009.
The application surpassed 900 million monthly users in early September, according to a post by co-founder and CEO of the company Jan Koum on Facebook. When the co-founded company by Mark Zuckerberg acquired the application for $ 21.8 billion in February 2014, WhatsApp had 450 million monthly active users.
The Tencent QQ messaging application, commonly known as “QQ” or “QZone”, had 860 million monthly users by the end of the third quarter of 2015. The Chinese company Tencent Holdings Limited owns and operates the service and most users of the platform resides in China and other Asian countries. QQ was released in early 1999 as an IM app (Instant Messenger).
Facebook’s stand-alone messaging application was released in August 2011, but it was unsuccessful until the company “forced” its users to download the dedicated application in 2014.
According to co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Messenger had 700 million users in early June, with 100 million of them adopting the service within 10 weeks of their CEO’s announcement.
Another Chinese Tencent app reported 650 million monthly users by the end of the third quarter of 2015. About 11% of WeChat users were located outside of China by the end of the second quarter. The tool became available in 2011, and currently earns around 10 million new users each month.
When Facebook acquired Instagram for $ 1 billion in April 2012, the image-sharing application had about 27 million total users registered. Instagram then announced that it had surpassed 400 million monthly users by September 2015 and that 100 million of them have embraced the service for the nine months following the announcement. Currently, the app earns around 10 million new users every month.
Twitter has been criticized for its low user growth in recent days, but it remains one of the most used social networks on the planet. The company closed the third quarter of 2015 with 320 million monthly users and 80% of them accessed the service at least once a month on mobile devices, according to the company.
The messaging service created in Japan expects to have more than 700 million registered users by the end of this year. Line reported that it had 212 million monthly active users in September 2015. In 2011, 15 engineers working for Korean search provider Naveer developed the app and although it has since become a separate service, Line remains a subsidiary of Naveer.
One of the most popular sites in China is kind of a mix between Facebook and Twitter. By the end of the first half of that year, the company said it had 212 million monthly active users, which represented an increase of 36% over the previous year. Mobile users made 85% of the company’s total users by June 2015, according to the company. Sina Weibo reached an average of 93 million users per day in the same month.
The network of image reference sharing exceeded 100 million monthly users in September, according to a New York Times article, the digital clipping album also continues to additional additional mechanisms for purchase and advertising.
How to choose the company that will develop my site?
Let’s identify some steps that you should evaluate?
1. Portfolio and References
A consolidated company has a diversified portfolio of portfolio, see if the company presents this, be wary if your customers are very specific.
Good relationships with your customers is essential. Get in touch with your customers and see what they say about the company that did the service.
– Quality of Service – assess aspects such as pro-activity, availability and technical knowledge of the area;
– Deadlines for delivery of layouts, programming and contents;
– Maintenance support – if the contact is easy, if the maintenance is done within the established deadlines;
– Return on investment – whether the site is bringing potential new customers or not;
– Pre-Project / Budget
A business that’s developing must have people with skills at least:
– In Requirements Analysis, that professional who together with you will help to organize the ideas and build the site;
– In design (responsible for creating the layout) that will transform your ideas into something visual;
– In programming you will build the tool that you will use;
– Organization and posting of content;
– Support, that contact that will probably train you to use the tool at the end of construction and that will be your help when you have questions or need to resolve some nonconformity.
3 Company Posture
Always evaluate companies that give you a value as soon as “face” without really identifying what you want or need. Without presenting you with a pre-project or a document containing the main points discussed. Thus avoiding situations like: “I thought this or that was included … now I have to pay more?”
Remember that your website is your identity on the internet and that once available to your customers, can always be mentioned positively or negatively.
New Website Balancium Web
The new Balancium Web site should be released in October.
Completely new layout, brings the latest in technology for the creation of Websites.


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Ford has announced that it will soon be selling its first “first-ever rally-inspired EV”, which will expand the Mustang Mach-E SUV range when it arrives early next year.
This new variant is powered by the same 91kWh battery pack and 480hp twin electric motor setup as the equally powerful Mustang Mach-E GT model, but with several cosmetic and technical alterations.
The SUV comes with a rally-tuned suspension with an extra two centimetres of ground clearance with re-tuned springs and magnetically-controlled shock absorbers. Brembo brake callipers finished in red also feature, like on the GT editions.
The Mach-E Rally sits on white 19‑inch alloy wheels which Ford says is inspired by the brand’s history of rally vehicles, which are wrapped in Michelin Cross Climate tyres that have thicker sidewalls to boost grip on loose surfaces.
Besides the black dual racing stripe bodywork finish, exterior alterations include a unique front splitter, a black steel roof, built-in fog lights on the front fascia and a large spoiler above the rear window that the manufacturer says takes inspiration from the now-discontinued Focus RS hot hatch.
On the move, the driver can turn on a new ‘RallySport Drive’ mode that adapts electronic control systems to allow bigger slides, modifies linear throttle response for better control, and stiffens the suspension for better handling in loose corners.
Inside, the interior layout and trim is mostly unchanged. White accents feature on the dash, the lower spokes of the steering wheel, the seatbacks and the stitching on the doors. ‘Mach-E Rally’ branding is embossed on the seats.
That sums up what we know about the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally so far. Pricing and trim specifications are yet to be confirmed, but Ford has said that the model will be available to order in early 2024, with the first orders arriving on UK roads shortly after that. For comparison, the range-topping Mach-E GT is currently priced at over £74k.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E range has been praised by the British motoring media for its straight-line performance and its spacious interior, but the SUV’s ride quality has been criticised, and some reviewers have concluded that its handling is not as good as some rivals. It currently holds an Expert Rating of 75%.

domain: news


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Within several months Russia plans to sign some dozen bilateral agreements on the completion of the negotiations within the framework of Russia's entry into the WTO. Russian Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref told reporters about this on Friday.
At the present time, these agreements are undergoing approbation in the government commission for protective measures in foreign trade and for customs and tariff regulation, he said.
This week, Russia and New Zealand signed a precedent setting agreement on customs regulation. At the Russia-EU summit in Rome the heads of the European Union member-states came out in favour of accelerating the process of Russia's accession to the WTO and completing it till the end of 2004.
At the same time, unsettled problems still remain at the Russia-EU negotiations, in particular in the sphere of energy. The EU insists on evening out the internal and export gas and oil prices and on fixing export customs.
At the beginning of December EU experts will arrive in Moscow to discuss disputable questions. "Though the EU has softened its position, yet it fails to suit us either," said Gref.
Many in Russia reacted painfully to the disappearance of private military company Wagner from the information field


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According to IHS Screen Digest, Microsoft grew its share of the online movie market by more that 50% from 11.6% to 17.9% between 2009 and 2010, despite Appleâ€™s release of video centric devices such as Apple TV and the iPad.
|Rank ||Company ||2009 ||2010 |
While iTunes online store still accounted for more than two-thirds of U.S. consumers’ online movie spending, at 64.5 percent in 2010, their share is down from 2009’s 74.4 percent.
"Apple faced serious competition from Microsoft’s Zune Video and Sony’s PlayStation Store, as well as from Amazon and — most significantly — Walmart," said Arash Amel, IHS digital media research director
The success of Microsoftâ€™s Zune service is largely due to the Xbox 360, increasingly more a media entertainment device rather than just a game machine, and of course boosted by the run-away sucess of the Kinect accessory.
With Apple increasingly losing smartphone market share to other platforms, and the iPod market itself declining, it is inevitable that Appleâ€™s media dominance will erode over the coming months, and with Microsoft now having a strong offering both in the living room and now on smartphones Microsoft should benefit from some of this market share loss.
Thanks Mark for the tip.


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Global appetite for meat could be in danger as many consumers believe a tax on beef, chicken and poultry is a sure-fire way to reduce climate change.
As Syria’s conflict continues, its livestock sector weakens. Now facing a fifth year of civil war, livestock levels are down on even on 2014’s paltry levels, with the sector facing a shortage of fodder, veterinary vaccines and available pastureland.
Tyson Foods, the US food company, is to close two of its prepared food plants, affecting the jobs of 880 people.
Northern Irish meat processor Linden Foods has launched a new premium brand, Turf & Clover, exclusively for international markets.


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The Kentwood Real Estate Marketing Department reported that the luxury home sales market continues to be strong in the Denver Metropolitan area in August. Through August 2013, buyers purchased $731,373,341 in single-family Million Dollar properties comprised of 483 transactions compared to $516,096,152 in sales and 340 transactions in 2012. This resulted in an increase of 42.1% in transactions and an increase of 41.7% in volume respectively. Year to date in 2013 the highest sold property was $8,691,000 (April) which is 15.9% more than the 2012 highest priced sale of $7,500,000 (July). The number of days on the market is now 19.0% less at 166 days versus 205 days in 2012.
RIS Media recently reported based on a recent survey of 500 luxury market buyers that luxury homeowners believe homeownership is a more sound investment than the stock market. The increase in home sales has been partially atrributed to these more affluent buyers as many are making cash investments in real estate property, especially with the rising mortgage interest rates. Putting their money in long-term real estate investments is seen as a solid investment in their opinions. THe survey also revealed that they desire multiple homes, they are willing to sacrifice square footage for luxury amenities, they want a high-tech home, and they value the outdoor spaces.


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Women are progressively dominating the car-buying process, with an increase in licences issued to them than to men on the road in the US, according to latest research.
More than 50 per cent of women globally are dissatisfied with
Bahrain boasts a raw pool of automotive talent that can be harnessed to create a burgeoning homegrown motorsport industry, according to the founder of Bahrain and the region's only sports car manufacturer.
Al-Futtaim Motors, the exclusive distributor of Toyota in the UAE, took part as the automotive partner in the SME World Summit, which concluded in Dubai today (March 27).
The SME World Summit is a business meet
Robert Bosch Middle East said its Bosch Automotive Aftermarket revenue grew 14 per cent last year in GCC, Levant, Pakistan and North East Africa.
The company has also added 84 Bosch Car Service workshops, Express Car Service Centr
The automotive industry’s latest models and technology are set to be displayed in Doha at a leading motor show next month.
The Qatar International Motor Show will take place from February 21 to 25 at the Qatar National Conve
Bahrain's automotive industry will be given a boost by the fourth Bahrain International Motor Show (BIMS) next week, according to organisers.
BIMS chief executive Wassim Sami Farhoud said a wide range of car companies will be
McLaren Automotive’s chief test driver unveiled the groundbreaking McLaren P1 at the Dubai International Motor Show today (November 5).
The show is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre till November 9, with Goo
The machine-to-machine (M2M) market in the Mena region is set to generate more than $2 billion by 2016, providing important opportunities for governments, telecom operators, automotive players and insurance companies, said a report.
Bosch Automotive Aftermarket Middle East and Africa has launched its first vehicle testing centre in Dubai.
The Al Ghusais centre, called Quick Registration, uses the company’s new vehicle inspection platform, capable of pro


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Samsung has started rolling out its over-the-air updates of Android 4.4.2 KitKat to Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 handsets in the UK. It will begin with unlocked phones first, which have updates available now.
The update, at 300-400MB in size, brings users right up to speed with the latest Android 4.4.2 KitKat meaning some subtle visual changes like the white notification bar icons.
Other extras Samsung owners can enjoy are immersive mode that allows an app to go full screen, a transparent notification bar, native cloud printing support and lock screen album art.
If you don’t see the update as available right now keep checking as it’s rolling out and may arrive on your device later in the day. If you’re having trouble with the over-the-air update you could try usingSamsungKies software from your computer.
For the latest technology news and reviews, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Get the official TNG app for Android
Vodafone has opened pre-orders for the Sony Xperia Z2 Android phone and has announced that the first 3,000 customers to place their order will also get a free Sony Bravia 32-inch TV.
The phone will be available from 10 April and should you order it on one of Vodafone’s Red 4G plans, you will get unlimited UK calls and texts, monthly data from 3GB up to 13GB depending on the price plan you choose, and a KDL-32R433B television. The offer started today and will close on 9 April, or until the first 3,000 pre-orders have been bagged. Continue reading Vodafone promises first 3,000 Sony Xperia Z2 pre-orders will get 32-inch TV for free
Last month, the folks at Samsung introduced their 2014 flagship, the much-awaited Galaxy S5, during the Unpacked 5 event along with three new wearable devices, but Samsung’s previous product launches taught us that the Korean phone maker aims to transform the Galaxy S series into a whole family of devices.
Last year, a couple of months after the Galaxy S4 was officially introduced, Samsung announced three new S4 relatives: the Galaxy S4 Mini (which was a more compact device orientated to the mid-range segment), the Galaxy S4 Zoom (which brings an impressive 16 MP camera with OIS), and the Galaxy S4 Active (which is a ruggedized S5 variant).
If the latest reports are to be believed, the freshly-announced Galaxy S5 will have the same faith, as an alleged Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini has just made an appearance on Indian import site Zauba. Usually, the said website holds information about new devices that had entered India with the purpose of being tested by developers.
Zauba’s data base reveals that, on March 4th, eight Samsung smartphones code named SM-G870a (purported Galaxy S5 Mini) were shipped from South Korea for research and development purchases.
Even though the document doesn’t reveal anything about the handset’s specs or software, it shows that the price of a unit is INR 22,253, which might be the price point of the S5 Mini once it hits the market. What lead us into believing this is that the price ratio to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the SM-G870a is the same as the one between the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S4 mini.
Rumorh has it that the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini will sport a Super AMOLED display and that it will run Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box, also borrowing some of the S5′s software features. Even though no one knows exactly when the smartphone will be officially launched, we are expecting to see the shrunken Galaxy S5 sometime in the June – July time frame.
Micromax has launched its first octa-core smartphone, the Canvas Knight, in India at Rs. 19,999.
The popular domestic handset maker has announced that the Canvas Knight smartphone will be exclusively available via company’s online store starting Wednesday.
The highlight of the Micromax Canvas Knightis its octa-core MediaTek (MT6592T) processor clocked at 2GHz, coupled with 2GB of RAM. Continue reading Micromax Canvas Knight with octa-core CPU launched
Pre-order available on Lenovo store
The official Lenovo store notes that the Vibe Z will be delivered in 8 to 10 days, though no word on exact availability dates.
The Chinese handset giant is offering a free Vibe Z smart touch cover worth Rs. 2,039 with every pre-order of the handset. Notably, the company announced the Vibe Z in India at Rs. 35,999 in February, saying it would be available later in the month. Continue reading Lenovo Vibe Z now up for pre-order in India at Rs. 34,999
Just look at the way the light glints off that heartbeat sensor…
Step aside, Academy Award winners, there’s something more important happening on TV tonight: Samsung’s aired their first commercialfor the upcoming Galaxy S5 smartphone. The S5 might be several weeks out still, but that doesn’t mean the marketing blitz can’t get underway. After all, there’s a 5.1-inch HD screen and heartbeat sensorto hype.
Apart from the 30-second dramatic teaser, Samsung’s also put up a 90-second “Amazing Things Happen”video that covers everything that Samsung offers with a screen, and apparently “You need to see this.” Well, you can see it after the break. Continue reading [Video] Samsung airs its first Galaxy S5 and Gear2 commercials during the Oscars
Samsung will release the Galaxy S5 later today and we decided to give one away for free to our readers. Th is a international giveaway is going to have simple rules and we can’t tell you exactly when it’s going to be over, because it depends when we can get our hands on a Galaxy S5 to give it away.
First of all, you will only have to follow us on Facebook Page and subscribe to our daily newsletter.
The newsletter is totally free and you will only receive one email each day with the latest news. We will never spam you and you can always unsubscribe.
The rules are very simple, as we are trying not to complicate this very much:
*. Do not enter multiple times.
*. Do not enter a fake email address, because you will not be able to claim your prize.
Once we get our hands on a Galaxy S5, we’ll announce the winner and ship it to you free of charge, no matter where you live.
Galaxy S5 Giveaway
In order to qualify for the free Galaxy S5 you only need to Like our Facebook page and subscribe to our newsletter.
1. You can follow us by using the widget on the right side of the page or head over to Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter.
2. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
3. Download the Official Android APP of TNG to keep stay updated with the latest tech news and reviews and also the Giveaway news and updates Get the App.
The winner will be announced in a blog post where we will specify a part of his email address. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then we will find another one and so on.
If you have any further questions you can use the comments section below or contact us by going to the Contact page.
BlackBerry will consider releasing a new tablet device, but only when the time is right. Speaking to us, the company’s vice president of global product management Francois Mahieu revealed that the resurgent manufacturer is interested in the tablet market, but has no current plans. Continue reading BlackBerry considering PlayBook tablet successor but ‘nowhere near ready’ yet
LG has just introduced to new smartphones at MWC 2014, the tech fair that is currently undergoing in Barcelona. We are talking about LG F70 and LG F90, two low-end smartphones that arrive with support for 4G LTE networks. Besides F90 and F70, the Korea-based phone maker also introduced its G Pro 2 flagship and the G2 Mini, at the same event. Continue reading MWC 2014: LG Launches LG F90 and LG F70 Low-end Smartphones with LTE Connectivity
A new version of the Moto X handset will launch in “late” summer, Motorola announced at its press event at Mobile World Congress 2014.
Specifications or design for the new version of the Moto X weren’t revealed, but it’s interesting the company won’t be stopping with the Moto Maker formula under its new owner Lenovo. Continue reading Motorola launching new Moto X come ‘late summer’


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: Nearly nine months after taking charge of Tata Group
's budget hotel chain Ginger, Rahul Pandit
is moving fast to change the 13-year old hotel chain’s focus from being just 'basic and no-frills' to a 'value-for-money and desirable' brand targeted at the Indian youth.
"If India is going to be resurgent and up on the move, this brand should enable India be on the move. I am more focused on driving growth to all the pin codes that India travels," said Pandit, CEO of Roots Corporation Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Indian Hotels Company Ltd, which owns the chain of Ginger Hotels
. Pandit started his career with Taj Group and spent six years before moving on to co-found Lemon Tree Hotels with Patu Keswani. He was then roped in by Taj Group to steer its budget brand in mid-2015.
After several meetings with customers, owners, employees, board members and focus groups, Pandit read the pulse of the brand and the key changes he had to bring in to tap today's customers. To start with, he formed a new team to lead the brand's makeover. "We have brought in some young minds and a 'fresh pair of eyes' as the market has changed and the consumer mindset has also changed… We built a team which can question each other."
Since it started 13 years back, Ginger has built a portfolio of 34 hotels through greenfield developments, management contracts and leases. Going forward, the brand will grow asset-light with a focus on leisure destinations as well as existing metro markets.
“We would still look at investments in marquee locations in Mumbai, Delhi, etc.," said Pandit. The company plans to invest over Rs 200 crore in upgrading its existing properties and also its current projects, over a three year period since 2014-15. The hotel chain has 1,300 rooms in the pipeline and plans to double its footprint over the next few years.
After having largely tapped the B2B market, Ginger Hotels now plans to shift its focus to the B2C market and directly tap consumers by strengthening its online presence, call centers and partnerships with online travel firms.
Simultaneously, the hotel chain is also working to improve the different aspects of a hotel stay including safety, room features, food and beverage offerings, etc. "We want to capture the consumer’s amygdala, which gets to decide what a person remembers and what she doesn’t. If we do the basics right, then there’s nothing that’s stopping us," said Pandit.
While the last four years has seen the highest supply in the industry, hotel experts say that India is still far from saturation on the branded budget and mid-market side. In addition to the encouraging market dynamics, hotels of such positioning benefit from shorter construction time, lesser development cost and therefore, a higher return-on-investment.
According to a report by hotel consultancy HVS, mid-market and budget hotels together form around 65% of the proposed branded hotel rooms between 2014-15 and 2019-20.


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Orlando’s own Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company (Facebook | Website) just came home with a trophy for their Half-Toberfest Vienna Lager at the recent Brewers Association World Beer Cup event in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. is excited to add another award to their current list of award-winning beers. Our brew team has been brewing some amazing beers and has proven it over the past few years with medals at US Beer Championship Open and Florida Best Beer, but to take home an award at the World Beer Cup is definitely an amazing accomplishment.”– GLENN CLOSSON, CEO AND FOUNDER, IVANHOE PARK BREWING COMPANY
The World Beer Cup is one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world with over 10,542 beers entered from 2,494 breweries in 57 countries. Ivanhoe Park’s entry was one of 113 in the Vienna-Style Lager category at the 2022 event and they succeeded in winning bronze.


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Below is an article by Crowdfunding Website Reviews entitled "Top 5 Crowdfunding Sites to Watch in 2013". The article lists EquityNet as one of the top 5 crowdfunding sites to keep an eye on.
Top 5 Crowdfunding Sites to Watch in 2013
By: Howard Orloff, Crowdfunding Website Reviews Founder
December 20, 2012
The year 2013 may go down in the books as the year of a financial revolution that changed the world of investing in small business forever.
The federal JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act and crowdfunding are allowing small businesses to side step the expensive and time consuming process of working through investment lawyers and investment banks to create an Initial Public Offering (IPO). Small businesses expect to generate more capital that goes direct into the business and small investors will finally have the chance to buy IPO stock at actual IPO prices.
While small business IPOs going direct to the public is not new, it is spreading like a Colorado wildfire thanks to a handful of crowdfunding websites and a few crowfunding projects that caught the attention of mainstream media. This is getting a serious boost from JOBS.
The financial world is looking at equity crowdfunding to be the BIG thing in 2013 thanks to JOBS, which was signed into law in the spring of 2012. Writing for Forbes, Tanya Prive opened an article about crowdfunding and JOBS with the statement" In the spring of 2012, President Obama passed an act that will drastically alter the landscape of crowdfunding platforms." In other words, the new law makes it much easier for small businesses to raise capital and sell shares of their business via crowdfunding routes.
She further wrote: "Data from Massolution Research indicates that total funds via the reward and donation based crowdfunding are growing at a rate of 524 percent, where platforms raised almost $1.5 billion..." The number of websites with crowdfunding as part of the domain name or meta tags as, well, exploded. With so many websites out there, some will fail and some will succeed. A likely indicator of success is adherence to standards being set forth by the major crowdfunding sites and who runs the company. People with a background in business and finance are more likely to succeed than someone who is jumping on the crowdfunding train in hopes of making a quick buck. Some key sites to watch are listed below.
Widely considered the original equity crowdfunding platform in the digital age, EquityNet had raised $104 million as of mid-August 2012. The company was seven years old at that time.
Among other things, EquityNet is credited with a patented software system that streamlines a business planning process and provides an indicator of success. Company founder Judd Hollas wrote "A survey found that over 50 percent of the entrepreneurs who complete the EquityNet system succeed in raising capital. That's 10 times the industry average of 5 percent."
The company is partnered with a number of business-growth associations like the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds and National Business Incubation Association among others.
Founder Judd Hollas was announced as president and CEO on Jan. 1, 2009. Prior to founding EquityNet, he was a division manager for Underwriting and Progress Monitoring for Beta-Rubicon, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in technology assessment and business due diligence. As of 2009, he had 15 years of experience in investing.
CFWR gives EquityNet five stars for professionalism, ease of use, and customers service. It is ranked No. 2 overall on the CFWR website. The business plan software, which gives further evidence of a startup's chance of long term success is a major reason for the ranking. That software analysis, once completed, can be used anywhere.


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Amul, a dairy company with headquarters in Gujarat, has been accused of interfering with Aavin, which is administered by the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producers Federation, less than a month after Amul was seen at odds with Nandini, a dairy company with headquarters in Karnataka.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding that Shah give Amul immediate and direct instructions to cease milk acquisition operations in Tamil Nadu. Stalin asserted that Amul had established freezing facilities and a manufacturing unit in the Krishnagiri district using its multi-state cooperative license, thereby creating unfavourable competition with Aavin.
Stalin’s Main Arguments Against Amul
In the letter addressed to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Chief Minister stated that it has been a customary practice in India to allow cooperatives to flourish without encroaching on one another’s milk-shed space. Given the current milk scarcity situation in the nation, such cross-procurement violates the tenets of Operation White Flood and would make consumer issues worse. The milk shed area of Aavin (TN Co-operative Milk Producers Federation), which has been developed over many years in a truly cooperative spirit, was infringed upon by AMUL through this intrusive move.
Mr. Stalin voiced his anguish with regards to Amul’s actions which might potentially invigorate unhealthy rivalry among dairy cooperatives that are actively enrolled in the task of selling and procurement. He also stated that Amul planned to buy milk from Self Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organisations in various districts of Tamil Nadu.
The cornerstone of the development of the dairy industry in Tamil Nadu has been regional cooperatives since they are better suited to assist producers, include customers, and shield them from arbitrary price rises. Since 1981, a three-tier dairy cooperative system has successfully served the needs of rural milk producers and consumers in Tamil Nadu. Therefore, Mr. Stalin demanded quick intervention from Shah to order Amul to stop obtaining milk from the dairy-producing regions of Aavin in Tamil Nadu.
The Rich Legacy of Aavin in Tamil Nadu
Aavin governs 9,673 Milk Producers Co-operative Societies and is the leading cooperative marketing organisation in rural areas of Tamil Nadu. It sources milk from roughly 450,000 members and ensures consistent, uniform, and profitable prices to milk producers. Aavin also offers a range of resources, such as cow feed, fodder, mineral mixes, animal medical treatment, and breeding services, to boost and maintain milk output in Tamil Nadu.
Furthermore, it ensures that consumers will be able to access superior quality milk and dairy products at some of the lowest prices in the country. As a result, the Chief Minister stated that Aavin is essential for enhancing the livelihoods of rural milk producers and satisfying consumer nutritional needs.
Amul’s Attempt to Enter Other Markets
Amul unveiled its plans to market its dairy and curd goods in Bengaluru before the Karnataka elections, setting off a political storm. The decision was opposed by Congress and JD-S, the then-opposition parties, who felt it would harm the interests of local dairy farmers and the state-owned Nandini brand, which is run by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).
Farmers fear Amul’s arrival could harm their way of life, despite political parties’ attempts to profit by exploiting the situation. More than 15 lakh milk producers spread across the state rely on KMF for their daily income; therefore it goes beyond simple sentiment and politics.


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Showplans to Launch Showplanner at the Event Production Show
Showplans has announced the official launch of Showplanner, a modular platform enabling show attendees and exhibitors to connect through an interactive 3D floor plan, at the Event Production Show, London Olympia, UK on February 5th-6th, 2013. The latest release from the premium service provider, who organizer Mash Media selected as an official show partner, will include ShowplannerMap, an online portal on the Event Production Show website and ShowplannerApp, an app featuring a stand check-in tool and a 'QR Hunt' game.
Showplans, who will also be exhibiting at the Event Production Show, believe Showplanner will make waves, with the majority of attendees and exhibitors expected to use it to make connections and plan their time at the show. CEO Adam Jones says, “We're excited to debut Showplanner at the Event Production Show. It's the perfect environment to showcase this unique technology, which brings exhibitor lead generation, gamification and attendee planning together in a show app and online platform whose smart interface and visual appeal are sure to turn heads.”
Showplanner consists of several modules for various show types and purposes, including trade and consumer exhibitions, award ceremonies, conferences and networking events plus a specialist tool for exhibition stand sales. Showplanner has already seen a number of pre-release sales, and it will be used again by Mash Media at the Exhibition News Awards in April in the form of the ShowplannerAwards module.
For more information, go to www.showplans.com.


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Android was established in the year 1998, till now it has evolved remarkably. Now it is the world’s most used Mobile Operating System which has the potential to affect millions of users. Sooner or earlier, every large tech manufacturer offers Android-based devices such as smartphones, television, refrigerators, and so on. Frequent software updates keep on adding new features and improves system stability. In addition, Google has finally announced the latest Android 12.
As always, the latest Android version is first made available to app developers for testing. Then, the beta build is released and stability comes at the last. The version is not available for the public as it is largely unstable and might not be useful for daily use. There are several features that have been added to Android 12.
Google revealed the list of Pixel devices that are eligible to install Android 12 Developer Preview 1. Unfortunately, the Android 12 DP is not available for any other device yet.
List of Devices getting Android 12
Note: We will keep updating this list once new devices get compatible with Android 12. You can bookmark this page.
- Pixel 3a
- Pixel 3a XL
- Pixel 3
- Pixel 3 XL
- Pixel 4a 5G
- Pixel 4a
- Pixel 4
- Pixel 4XL
- Pixel 5
The Beta version of Android 12 is expected to be available in May or June that will be more polished and fix bugs in a likelihood.
Pixel device owners can download and install the OTA update for the Android 12 Developer Preview 1. It will be available till April, thereafter, the public beta version will roll out followed by the stable update around September.


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The Joe Biden administration’s new restrictions on technology exports to China could undercut the Asian country’s ability to develop wide swaths of its economy, from semiconductors and supercomputers to surveillance systems and advanced weapons.
The US commerce department on Friday unveiled sweeping regulations that limit the sale of semiconductors and chip-making equipment to Chinese customers, striking at the foundation of the country’s efforts to build its own chip industry. The agency also added 31 organisations to its unverified list, including Yangtze Memory Technologies and a subsidiary of leading chip equipment maker Naura Technology Group, severely limiting their ability to buy technology from abroad.
The moves are the Biden administration’s most aggressive yet as it tries to stop China from developing technological capabilities it sees as a threat. Depending on how broadly Washington enforces the restrictions, the impact could extend well beyond semiconductors and into industries that rely on high-end computing, from electric vehicles and aerospace to simple gadgets like smartphones.
Chinese state media and officials over the weekend raged against the action, warning of economic consequences and stirring speculation about potential retaliation. He Xiaopeng, the chairman and CEO of Chinese EV maker Xpeng, warned last month that escalating US restrictions on chip exports will set back the nation’s autonomous driving sector.
The two countries are now officially in an “economic war”, Dylan Patel, chief analyst at SemiAnalysis, said. A Chinese analyst said there is “no possibility of reconciliation” any longer.
“This is the US salvo against China’s efforts to build its domestic tech capabilities,” said Patel, who estimates the restrictions could reduce global technology and industry trade by hundreds of billions of dollars. “It’s the US firing back, making clear they will fight back.”
Chinese semiconductor stocks tumbled on the news. Bellwether Semiconductor Manufacturing International, better known as SMIC, fell as much as 5.2% in Hong Kong on Monday, the most since 15 August 15. Hua Hong Semiconductor plunged 10%, while Shanghai Fudan Microelectronics Group plummeted 25%.
US officials said the new restrictions are necessary to stop China from becoming more of an economic and military menace. They are seeking to ensure the country’s chip makers don’t secure the capability to make advanced semiconductors.
China “has poured resources into developing supercomputing capabilities and seeks to become a world leader in artificial intelligence by 2030”, said US assistant secretary of commerce for export administration Thea D Rozman Kendler. “It is using these capabilities to monitor, track and surveil their own citizens, and fuel its military modernisation.”
Reaction in China was furious. The nationalistic Global Times newspaper warned the “savage attack on free trade” would have dire consequences for the US.
“Only arrogant and ignorant people can truly believe that the US can block the development of China’s semiconductor or other technology industries by these illegitimate means,” it said in an editorial. “The US hegemony in science and technology that harms others without benefiting itself may bring some short-term difficulties to China’s semiconductor industry, but will, in turn, strengthen China’s will and ability to stand on its own in science and technology.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning said the measures are unfair and will “deal a blow to global industrial and supply chains and world economic recovery”.
“The reality is the US is determined to use chips as a tool to contain China,” Gu Wenjun, head of Chinese chip researcher ICwise, wrote in an online commentary. “There is no possibility of reconciliation.”
The new US regulations broadly limit chip makers from selling to China AI semiconductors and those that can be used for supercomputers. Nvidia warned in September that government restrictions on exporting AI chips to China could affect hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, sending its stock tumbling.
Chip makers can request a US commerce department exception to those rules. But they should presume such requests will be denied, senior officials said.
The commerce department also put in place a raft of restrictions on supplying US machinery that’s capable of making advanced semiconductors. It’s targeting the types of memory and logic chips that are at the heart of state-of-the-art designs.
Specifically, the restrictions cover production of logic chips using so-called nonplanar transistors made with 16-nanometre technology or anything more advanced than that, 18nm dynamic random access memory chips and NAND-style flash memory chips with 128 layers or more. Generally speaking, the smaller the number of nanometres, the more capable the chip.
Analysts pored over the commerce department’s announcement that ran to more than 135 pages for implications. Chinese AI chip designers like Biren could face some restrictions on their orders with TSMC, according to Patel.
Stacy Rasgon and a team from Sanford C Bernstein explained the restrictions on AI, supercomputers and advanced chip-making equipment, while pointing out that the standard CPUs used in PCs and servers would not be blocked from export to China, as some had feared.
“The changes represent a further escalation, and we do not know what China might do in response,” the Bernstein analysts wrote. “Potential retaliation remains a risk.”
One question is how the US rules will affect the ability of companies like ASML Holding to sell into China. The Dutch company is the most advanced maker of equipment for producing semiconductors, effectively the most important arms dealer for chip makers around the world.
ASML has had to strike a challenging balance between the US and China. It has been selling its deep ultraviolet, or DUV, machines to Chinese customers, but has held back from selling its more advanced extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, machines. Under the new commerce department restrictions, the company may be limited from selling DUV technology to Chinese customers, too, Citigroup analysts wrote. Representatives for ASML didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Patel of SemiAnalysis believes the unverified list is a serious threat to China’s tech ambitions. In the past, the commerce department cut off access to critical technologies for companies like Huawei Technologies when they were added to the so-called Entity List, meaning the agency had gathered evidence against them. The unverified list simply means the commerce department can’t verify that a company’s activities are safe.
“That is huge,” he said. “They can pretty much blacklist any company they want in China within two months.” — Bloomberg


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Bank TSB has announced that it will close all of its current accounts with Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin as part of a new anti-fraud initiative. Speaking on Twitter, the bank said that the move was “part of a new anti-fraud initiative”. The new account closures are expected to come into effect on April 17th 2017.
Bank TSB is Ireland’s largest bank, with a €3.5 billion balance sheet. It is a subsidiary of the Bank of Ireland Group, which also owns INBS (Ireland’s largest credit union) and Bank of Ireland (Ireland’s second largest bank). Bank TSB has recently announced that it will be banning the use of cryptocurrencies from customers’ accounts, in order to protect against fraud and money laundering. This will be effective from 2nd of November 2017, and most cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum will be removed from your account.
The Bank TSB has banned the use of cryptocurrencies to buy or sell goods and services, citing concerns about money laundering and the risk of fraud.
Summary of the situation
– TSB bank wants to ban crypto-currencies generated on Binance platform due to fraud.
– TSB Bank joins regulators in the UK and China.
Retail banking group TSB is developing a plan to ban its users from trading in cryptocurrencies. This is due to the fear that virtual currencies are part of a fraudulent system. TSB is the latest UK regulator to crack down on cryptocurrencies and financial crime.
Previously, organizations such as Starling Bank, Monzo Bank and Barclays Plc blocked cryptocurrency transactions. These measures mainly affect platforms like Binance, which dominate the global market.
The UK authorities are not happy with the cryptocurrency market and are therefore trying to regulate it. This comes on top of the rules China has put in place against decentralized currencies. Although there are reasons for the authorities to take these measures, it is considered that they have gone too far.
TSB Bank wants to ban crypto-currencies as soon as possible
The UK’s retail banking authority plans to ban cryptocurrencies as soon as possible. Indeed, the organization wants to quickly activate a blockchain plan to prevent cyber fraud. Unsurprisingly, cryptocurrency fraudsters have also reached UK borders in the wake of the pandemic.
A few hours ago in San Antonio, Texas, a financial services company was charged with fraud. Just as these cyber thefts are happening in the United States, parts of Europe may also be vulnerable. The bank also wants to ban cryptocurrencies to prevent money laundering.
The bank estimates that 3 in 10 transactions involving cryptocurrencies end in fraud or supporting crime. For comparison, 5,500 secure escrow transactions on the bank’s platform.
TSB Bank denies Binance transactions
In its announcement, TSB Bank claimed that two-thirds of virtual fraud occurs on the Binance platform. To ban cryptocurrencies, the bank believes the platform is unsafe and full of scammers, and believes it offers no guarantees to its customers. According to TSB Bank, more than 849 customers have lost money on its platform using the fiat Binance cryptocurrency exchange system.
TSB Bank’s plan to ban cryptocurrencies is in the works and may be approved soon. The bank joins a long list of regulators in the UK that refuse to accept cryptocurrency transactions.
Many people still support cryptocurrencies, even despite this proposed ban on cryptocurrencies. The reports may make the market more inaccessible, but they won’t deter new investors. For every bank that blocks cryptocurrencies, new methods must emerge so that investors can trade without being disrupted.The European Central Bank (ECB) has just issued an official warning against the use of virtual currencies, citing the risks associated with them and calling for a ban on using any type of cryptocurrency in the Eurozone.. Read more about bitcoin leverage liquidation and let us know what you think.
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It is reported that the European fastener Wholesalers Association recently published a report entitled "consolidate the future" project, the 16 page report in-depth analysis of the twenty-first Century European fastener distribution industry status. Dr Volker Lederer, director of the association, said: "the purpose of the document is to give European politicians, government officials and legislators a better understanding of the complexity of today's fastener supply chains.". "
He said: "the association continues to contact European Commission and European Parliament members on many levels. The fasteners importers and wholesalers to support the industry in Europe in all areas of economic development in Europe and provide the necessary jobs and contributions, but outside of the limited understanding of their role, is outdated and in many ways. "
The industry is composed of 2500 major European retailers, and employ more than 44000 skilled labor, and hold more than 2 billion euros in stock, "a paper industry to consolidate this provides a concise and extensive insights into the future", the industry's annual supply of more than 130 thousand kinds of different parts, worth more than 10 billion euros.
The message of "consolidating the future" is that our industry is unable to make any changes in the regulatory environment overnight. The distribution industry has undergone a radical change in the face of increasing customer complexity. We are together to support strategy contributors of this industry, and investment in equipment, the increase in global supply chain links to each other and to effectively manage the complex interpersonal relationship, including the global procurement and supply of fasteners. We hope that this contribution is recognized, but also should be reflected in the regulatory environment, to achieve the mutual connection of European companies in the world, also need a fair and free trade platform to ensure reliable supply chain development in the future. Dr. Volker Lederer, the president of the association, said.


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Jakarta, COTEKNO.COM – A report published by the Washington Post shows that of the 1000 most popular apps for iOS on the App Store, about two percent have mechanisms that “trick” users into spending money.
For example, many apps notify smartphones that they have a virus, prompting unnecessary purchases of “healing” software.
The list also includes several dating apps, QR code scanners, camera apps, and software products; who abuse brands from well-known companies like Amazon and Samsung.
One of the most “harmless” ways to deceive users is fake reviews and ratings. According to calculations, the losses suffered by users amounted to about 48 million US dollars, including commissions of up to 30%, which Apple took from developers.
“I think we showed over time that we did our job better than others. I think one of the real risks of opening iOS to download apps from third-party or third-party stores is that the problem will only multiply,” said Apple spokesman Kyle Andeer.
According to Apple, high standards are applied to apps to ensure that the App Store remains a safe and trusted place to download software.
The company will also always take action against applications that can harm users.
“We uphold developer standards to keep the App Store as a safe and trusted place for customers to download software; and we will always take action against apps that harm users,” said Apple spokesman Fred Sainz.


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At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted supply chains across the country, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) ensured the delivery of vital goods by remaining fully operational. Besides, the port has been taking a plethora of initiatives to maintain its dominant position in container handling. In an interview with Indian Infrastructure, Sanjay Sethi, IAS, chairman, JNPT, shares his views on the port’s success stories, various digitalisation and modernisation initiatives undertaken, expansion plans and the steps taken to deal with the pandemic. Excerpts.…
How has JNPT contributed to India’s growth story over the years?
Over the past 32 years, JNPT has been continuously evolving and upgrading to improve on its operational efficiency parameters. In the process, the port has been consistently improving its volume and dwell time by implementing many trade-friendly measures. Continuous growth and expansion have helped JNPT maintain its position in handling container cargo.
Among many firsts at JNPT, the Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal was India’s first public-private partnership initiative in the port sector in July 1997, when JNPT awarded build-operate-transfer concession to the terminal. Also, the fourth container terminal project marks one of the largest foreign direct investments (FDI) in infrastructure projects in India. We benchmark our services against the best ports in the world and are constantly evolving to meet global market demands.
What has been JNPT’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic?
Last year, when the pandemic struck the world, one of the few sectors that could help the ecosystem was the ports and logistics sector. The critical role played by the Indian ports, logistics and supply chain sectors in the country’s economic growth story cannot be understated. Indian ports ensured the availability of essential goods to sustain national and international needs. By remaining fully operational at a time when numerous industries came to a complete standstill, JNPT continued its delivery of vital goods such as medical supplies, fuel and food items during difficult times. In spite of the various challenges faced during last year, we achieved a few important milestones. The most significant amongst them was the opening of the new centralised parking plaza and the special economic zone (SEZ).
What is the importance of developing world-class ports? What are JNPT’s expansion plans?
Today’s era is that of mega-ships, enormous models of engineering ingenuity, carrying more cargo than ever before at 10-15 per cent lower operational costs and forcing the world to move towards mega ports. The cost of not creating mega ports is higher than creating them.
As part of the Sagarmala vision, India’s cargo traffic handling capacity will be enhanced from 1,550 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 3,000 mtpa by 2025. In order to fulfil the need for handling deep draught ships, JNPT is also developing a new world-class mega port with an all-weather deep draught facility at Vadhavan, near the west coast of Maharashtra, to serve increasing export-import trade. It will be developed as an all-weather, all-cargo port, which will facilitate the berthing of modern ultra-large container vessels. In February 2020, the union cabinet approved the setting up of the country’s 13th major port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra at a total cost of Rs 655.45 billion and with a natural draught of 20 metres. The new port has a potential to cater to the vast hinterland region covering the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, the western parts of Madhya Pradesh and north Indian states. The proposed port will also cater to the spillover traffic from JNPT, once its planned capacity of 10 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) is fully utilised. The development of this port will enable berthing of container vessels of 16,000-25,000 TEU capacity, giving the advantage of economies of scale and reducing logistics costs. India is expected to break into the list of countries with the top 10 container ports in the world with the development of the Vadhavan port. Also, after completion of the 4th terminal at JNPT, which is anticipated to increase its capacity up to 10 million TEUs by 2025, it will stand as the 17th largest container port in the world.
The fourth container terminal is being developed in partnership with the Port of Singapore Authority. It is expected to cost Rs 80 billion and will be funded through 100 per cent FDI. Work on Phase I with a capacity of 2.4 million TEUs was put into operation in December 2017 and when fully operational post the completion of Phase II, it will enhance our capacity to 10 million TEUs.
JNPT developed the multi-product special economic zone (SEZ) by investing Rs 5.65 billion in its owned freehold land of 277 hectares at Navi Mumbai, 6 km southeast from the port. The allotment of land for the industry for 60 years lease is done through e-tender-cum-e-auction process as per policy guidelines for Land Management of the Government of India. A total of 162 hectares land in JNPT SEZ is to be allotted and till date through various e-tender process 65 hectares of land is allotted to 26 micro-small- and medium-enterprises and two free trade warehousing units. Recently, out of this 28 units in JNPT SEZ, six units have generated their first export invoice from JNPT SEZ and are declared as operational SEZ unit. Thus, JNPT has become the first multi-sector port-based operational SEZ, PAN India. This will set a new benchmark for port-led industrialisation.
In continuation of the JNPT SEZ success story, Hindustan Infralog Private Limited, a joint venture between DP World and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (who is the successful bidder for two FTWZ plots in JNPT SEZ) has announced an investment of Rs 10 billion to develop the Nhava Sheva Business Park, a free trade warehousing zone at JNPT SEZ. The project is taken up in phased manner and first phase will be completed by the end of 2021 and will provide a seamless experience for both domestic and international traders at JNPT and will be boon for the stakeholders of JNPT for their trading and warehousing activities.
In addition to this, JNPT is developing dry ports in the hinterland of Maharashtra at Jalna, Wardha and Nashik, based on a hub-and-spoke model for cargo clearance and aggregation, extending hinterland connectivity. To meet the growing demand for liquid cargo, JNPT has undertaken a project to develop a liquid jetty of 4.5 mtpa capacity at a cost of Rs 1.81 billion. The port also commenced commercial operations at the newly built coastal berth on July 9, 2021, in order to give momentum to coastal shipping. Besides, JNPT is also carrying out a road widening project. The port has invested Rs 30 billion for the project and this will be a major facilitator in JNPT’s growth plan. All these projects will not only accentuate JNPT’s capacity and efficiency in business but will also provide employment and livelihood to the local community, and thus help in inclusive development.
How are the various EoDB measures transforming JNPT?
Aligning with the direction of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the port has initiated a number of activities under the ease of doing business (EoDB). JNPT had adopted a three-pronged approach – improvement of infrastructure, simplification of processes and digitalisation of activities.
Today, more than half of the import container traffic in the port is routed through direct port delivery (DPD), enabling trade to save on logistics cost and time. The DPD model has helped reduce clearance time for bills of entry to less than 24 hours, from three to five days earlier. The port has also introduced direct port entry, a facility created exclusively for exporters to bring in export containers directly to the port, as well as inter-terminal rail handling operation (ITRHO), which aims to maximise train placement, track productivity, efficiency and cost-effective handling; reduce dwell time of import inland container depot (ICD) boxes, connecting export ICD boxes to their respective terminals on time; and increase the rail quotient. Overall, ITRHO increases the rail share and volume of transshipment containers at JNPT. The port has also installed one drive-through (rail) container scanner and an integrated common rail yard facility.
Under the digital initiatives, the port has introduced a mobile app, radio frequency identification (RFID)-based terminal gate transaction, container tracking (first time in India), and e-delivery orders. The port has also adopted an RFID-based gate automation system to ensure that the gate transaction time is reduced from 10 minutes to 1 minute, besides providing a high-security profile. The port launched an upgraded version of the port community system (PCS) to enable all stakeholders to exchange data/transactions on the “PCS 1x” platform on a real-time basis. In order to bring all regulators near the port area so that operation efficiency increases and seamless trade is attained, JNPT has allotted office space to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, animal quarantine, plant quarantine, the textile commission and drug controller. All these ease of doing initiatives together have helped JNPT reduce cost and time for the exim trade.


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The coffee scene in downtown Boston is becoming as energetic as a double-shot of espresso, and soon you can add one more to the mix: George Howell Coffee is about to build a new café in Downtown Crossing.
The Acton-based roaster is partnering with the Godfrey Hotel Boston and will open this fall.
The shop will bring Howell, a pioneer in the specialty coffee movement, back to downtown Boston and the new store will be reminiscent to the Coffee Connection store that he first opened in Harvard Square in 1974. After growing Coffee Connection to 24 stores — and introducing a drink known as the Frappuccino — Howell sold it, and the rights to the Frappuccino name, to Starbucks in 1994.
In 2004, Howell founded his latest coffee company, which roasts small batches of coffee every day at the Acton roastery. The company also has a shop in Newtonville and its beans are used at many restaurants and cafes around New England.
The new café will include an espresso bar, hand-poured coffees, and coffee classes. They will also serve coffee flights, which allows for tasting several different coffees at once.
“I have always been driven to take the coffee quality experience as far as it will go, and George Howell Coffee at The Godfrey Hotel Boston will be a true showcase of sharing that passionate pursuit directly with Godfrey travelers, and the larger Downtown Crossing neighborhood,” Howell said in a statement.
Matt Viser can be reached at email@example.com.


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Discover more from Africa: The Big Deal
9ja fintech is eating the world 🤑
Nigerian fintechs have raised $1.5bn of the total ~$5bn raised by all start-ups in Africa since 2019
First things first, we ought to be giving a standing ovation to start-ups in the ecosystem and their $564m raised in August through $100k+ deals. That’s more than 2.5 times the average monthly funding raised in the rest of 2021 so far. Hats off!
Obviously, with OPay’s $400m funding round, and Flutterwave’s, and Kudas’s, and Paystack’s, and Interswitch’s and more before that, it can sometimes feel like a lot of the VC activity in Africa - at least in terms of big tickets and amount raised - is about Nigerian fintech. Well, this is not just a feeling:
First off, in absolute numbers, Nigerian fintech have raised over $1.5bn since early 2019, which is more than the sum of all deals in South Africa + Egypt over that period.
After a little slump in 2020 ($318m vs. 2019’s $468m), Nigerian fintechs are on fire again this year: in the first 8 months of 2021, they have almost already raised as much as 2019 and 2020 combined. So far this year, 37% of all the VC funding in Africa has gone to Nigerian fintechs alone.*
Since 2019, 60% of all the funding raised by fintech start-ups has gone to Nigeria. Over the same period, fintech start-ups in Nigeria have captured 75% (!) of all the funding raised in Nigeria.
While founding and management teams of Nigerian fintechs tend to be overwhelmingly local, they also are overwhelmingly male: of the $1.5b+ of funding raised by Nigerian fintech since 2019, 99.6% went to start-ups with male CEOs, and 99.4% to all-male funding teams.
We’ve crossed the 50,000 total unique post views last week, and we can’t thank you enough for your support. We’ve also brought in some reinforcement, which is great: Welcome Crescence! If you have questions or comments, as always please do not hesitate to get in touch. And for the full database of deals, that’s here.
* Btw this is not just ‘the OPay effect’: even if we removed the $400m deal from the equation, Nigerian fintech would still be representing 22% of all funding in 2021 so far, more than its share in 2020 funding.


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With the COVID-19 pandemic making a drastic impact on the lifestyle and livelihood of everyone, the efforts made to ensure the safety of everyone can be seen in all countries including Brunei Darussalam.
The Belait District is no exception with measures such as social distancing and more being implemented in accordance with the advice given by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the government.
Many places of gathering have seen a decrease in visitors with restricted access to help ensure that those places do not become a source where the virus can potentially spread from person to person.
These include public places, parks and marketplaces, the latter of which, has a significant impact on the livelihood of many who depend on their operation to meet their daily overhead.
One thing that has stemmed from the closure of public areas is the creation of several new opportunities for those affected, one of which is the Buy Local Produce Campaign – a government initiative led by Ghanim International Corporation alongside the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
The campaign seeks to connect farmers, vendors and retailers to ensure that the Belait District has enough supply of produce stock.
This means collecting produce from farmers and vendors at centralised locations for retailers to buy and resell at their retail. In addition to the Belait District, this campaign is also held in the Tutong District.
Meanwhile, retailers across the nation, have also implemented various guidelines for both staff as well as customers to follow.
These include observing safe social distancing as well as limiting the number of customers allowed to be at their premises at a given time.
Measures also include limiting the entry of customers to 50 at a time, or two members per household, being able to shop at the retailer at one time.
In addition, customers are also checked for their temperature as well as given a spray of disinfectant prior to entry to the retail premise, with those who have their body temperature at 37oC or above being barred from entry and encouraged to seek medical aid.
With the various efforts being successfully implemented in the Belait District, the residents are not only supportive of it but several groups and agencies from the district have also contributed directly towards providing aid to the initiative in combatting COVID-19.
Some of the efforts made by these groups and agencies are donations to the frontliners, which include medical workers as well as volunteers working and posted at the hospital as well as strategic key areas to monitor the ever-changing situation.
With Ramadhan underway, night markets are also closed encouraging retailers to conduct extensive showcases of wares to cover for the losses. This can be seen with pop-up stores at shopping centres to provide various meals in preparation for the breaking of the fast while maintaining social distancing etiquettes.
Despite the closures, the outbreak of COVID-19 has also led to a rise in the spirit of volunteerism, as groups across the district have dedicated their time and effort to ensure that strategic key locations are kept clean as they remain unused.
Some of the efforts made include cleaning campaigns, which not only help clean the various premises but also serve to raise awareness on the importance of cleanliness.


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Barbie is about to turn 50 years old.
But not in West Virginia if Rep. Jeff Eldridge has his way.
Eldridge introduced a bill to ban the sale of the iconic doll because it “promote[s] physical beauty to the detriment of girls’ intellectual and emotional development,” according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
This is ridiculous. While it will give late-night comedians something to joke about, it is not amusing that our legislators are wasting time when they should be focusing on the country’s economic situation and other pressing issues.
It’s as ridiculous as Congress’ considerable attention to steroid use in baseball when there are so many more important situations that should be demanding its attention.
Blaming Barbie for creating stereotypes is just as foolish as it is unfair. It’s like blaming forks for the nation’s obesity problem.
While the underlying cause is an important one, the fact is that materialism and obsession with physical beauty are hallmarks in this country. Children have to be able to find self-esteem from their family, not from a toy, and it is unfair to place the blame on a doll.
This bill seems more like a publicity stunt than a well thought out solution.
Congress spent so much time on the steroids issue because it was a safe way to be mentioned on TV without talking about key issues. This bill reeks of the same logic, and it fosters an environment that lacks in productivity.
Barbie has been around for a long time and has enjoyed enormous popularity, and lawmakers would do well to focus on serious issues and let her celebrate her 50th birthday in peace.
Shane Rainey is sophomore chemistry major from Fort Worth.


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Battlefield 4 officially confirmed
Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:29a.m.
Electronic Arts have announced a Battlefield 4 beta will be launched late next year.
The publishers of the critically acclaimed shooter series confirmed the Battlefield 4 news after it was leaked online via a Medal of Honor Warfighter trailer.
Access to the beta will be given exclusively to players that pre-order Medal of Honor Warfighter Limited Edition. Battlefield 3's last batch of downloadable content is scheduled for release in March 2013, just months before Battlefield 4's predicted release in the second half of that year.
A post on official website Battlefield.com states: “we’re not ready to talk about Battlefield 4 yet - in the meantime, we hope you will continue to enjoy Battlefield 3 … there is no further Battlefield 4 news at this point – remember, if you don’t see it published here, it’s just rumor and speculation.”
Battlefield 3 and Medal of Honor Warfighter both share the Frostbite 2 game engine, though EA say the two games will have distinctly different feels.
“Frostbite 2 is an amazingly powerful technology that challenges us to break the multiplayer mold,” says Greg Goodrich, Medal of Honor executive producer.
“The unique premise of global warfighters in Medal of Honor Warfighter has inspired us to pioneer new multiplayer concepts such as Fire Teams and the idea of having Tier 1 Operators from around the world go head-to-head in online competition.”
Medal of Honor Warfighter is set for a release October 26 on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.
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19/07/2012 2:24:10 a.m.
Its a shame they still havn't stopped the cheats in BF3 (theres been cheats since day 1) or even fixed any problems b4 working on anything else. The media should give a review that also reflects wether players can enjoy a cheat free game experience It might sound like a good game but if they rush it out like bf3 then it will be a lemon.
It was the end of the road for Eden Roberts on The X Factor NZ last night after she was voted off in the first of the show's elimination episodes.
Eliminated X Factor NZ contestant Eden Roberts talks to 3 News about being voted off in the first of the show's elimination episodes.
Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox One, its next-generation entertainment console.
Members of the Blizzard team discuss why they are excited to release Diablo 3 on the PS4.
The first full trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins is out and confirms Deathstroke will be a fully playable character.
Copyright © 2013 MediaWorks TV. All Rights Reserved.


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Driveclub's free Playstation Plus (PS+) edition has become something of myth in the gaming world. It was originally supposed to arrive alongside Driveclub at the game 's launch but was delayed for what seems like forever now.
Finally, however, we have a solid release date, and that is tomorrow, Thursday June 25, no really. But there is a catch sadly – the PS+ edition will only allow access to the offline mode for now (well for most of us anyway, a small portion of players will have online access). President of Sony Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida says that the plan is to roll out the online portion to more and more players while monitoring their servers to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Yesterday we reported on the premature release of the PS+ edition only to be quickly pulled. We learned that the PS+ edition of the Playstation 4 exclusive racer will include access to an impressive roster (considering it is somewhat free) of 15 cars and 13 tracks all from India.
There's also access (or will be) to the online challenges, photo mode, offline tour mode, customisation and of course the game's replays. Additionally there's apparently 27 trophies to unlock including a platinum trophy. Those wanting to upgrade to the full version can do so at the cost of $25.
Has the ship long sailed for the PS+ edition of Driveclub?
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Elon Musk, the billionaire founder and CEO of SpaceX, announced his bid to buy the social media company on Thursday (April 14) and shared a link to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing he submitted as part of the process.
Musk laid out his plans to take over Twitter to Bret Taylor, the chair of Twitter’s board and Salesforce co-CEO. In the letter, Musk offered to buy Twitter for $54.20 per share in cash. This news comes as Musk became the largest shareholder of the microblogging platform after he bought 9.2 percent of the shares of Twitter earlier this month. And now, if the sale goes through, Musk will pay $43 billion in cash.
Musk said, “I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy. However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.”
Musk noted that his offer to buy the platform represents a 54 percent premium over what he paid for his initial stake and a 385 percent premium over Twitter’s stock price just before the announcement of his investment.
He continued, “My offer is my best and final offer and if it is not accepted, I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder. Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it.”
Musk is known to use Twitter regularly to share updates on Tesla and SpaceX operations. However, he faced several troubles over the years. For instance, SEC sued Musk for fraud over a Tweet in August 2018 after the billionaire wrote that he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share. Subsequently, Musk and Tesla each paid $20 million fine to settle the dispute with the SEC.


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Mobile influencing smarter business trends in Africa
Useful and Beautiful, a mobile product strategy and development company with clients in South Africa and Nigeria launched last year, with the aim to provide premier and bespoke solutions that deliver the best user experience on all mobile devices placing the user at the core. Mobile trends show how innovation can ripple through societies, boost economies and help the continent skip over development hurdles. Mobile consumption differs in all African countries therefore mobile solutions need to be tailored.
Globally, the proliferation of internet access via broadband, wireless and mobile connectivity has created the foundation for new business ecosystems. Africa has witnessed particular application of this trend in Africa as companies seek to tackle key challenges including power shortages, access to education, health and the limited availability of data. Tech accelerator programs are being established in many African countries to motivate entrepreneurs to solve specific African issues through mobile solutions.
An example of ‘new’ business ecosystems is, Ampion a leading pan-African entrepreneurship initiative that enables young Africans to start ICT companies therefore creating considerable social and economic impact. They have teamed up with Merck a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The main aim for the partnership is to create the first e-health accelerator in Africa. Where e-health startups will be incubated and supported in their aims to create mobile tech solutions for e-health.
Lynette Hundermark the co-owner and founder of Useful and Beautiful states “Launching accelerator programs, suggests that the companies involved understand that the local entrepreneurs will create mobile solutions with a clear understanding of the current mobile status of the particular country. Some African countries are still mostly feature phones and involving local talent allows the businesses to create mobile solutions that suit the particular country. African countries are unique in their culture therefore their mobile consumption patterns when it comes to apps and mobile will be different”.
The key feature in Africa is the rise of mobile phone access,and it’s good to note that the businesses mentioned below , like Useful and Beautiful, have focused on their users and matched the development of the mobile solutions to suite their target audiences.
M-KOPA: “Pay-as-you-go” energy services for off-grid customers in Kenya and Uganda.
Esoko: Communications platform in Ghana that allows farmers access to market prices and allows them to place buy or sell orders. Other mobile agriculture service providers include iCow in Kenya and mFisheries.
Payment Pebble: Technology device developed to enable SMEs and large enterprises to make and receive payments via a smartphone or tablet.
Weza Tele: Mobility solutions in commerce, supply chain and distribution and mobile payments integration.


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Shares of Pitney Bowes Inc.
the technology company that's best known for its postage meters and mailing equipment, surged about 8% in premarket trade Wednesday, after the company reported better-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter and offered upbeat guidance. The company said it had net income of $89.9 million, or 48 cents a share, in the quarter, after a loss of $84.3 million, or 45 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Adjusted per-share earnings came to 40 cents, ahead of the FactSet consensus of 37 cents. Revenue rose 178% to $1.0 billion, also ahead of the FactSet consensus of $974 million. Digital commerce revenue rose 86%, while enterprise business solutions revenue rose 10%. Small and medium business solutions revenue fell 6%. The company said it now expects full-year EPS of $1.40 to $1.55, compared with a FactSet consensus of $1.42. The company is still exploring strategic alternatives and has not set a deadline or timetable for the process. Shares have fallen 21% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500
has gained 23%.


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A bitcoin logo is displayed at the Inside Bitcoins conference and trade show, Monday, April 7, 2014 in New York. Bitcoin users exchange cash for digital money using online exchanges, then store it in a computer program that serves as a wallet. The program can transfer payments directly to merchants or individuals around the world, eliminating transaction fees and the need for bank or credit card information. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) ORG XMIT: NYML110
Shares of Square jumped more than 7% in midday trading Friday after credit card giant Visa disclosed a 9.99% stake in the mobile payments service. Details of the stake — which gives Visa 3.5 million (…)
Pandora shares fell more than 6% after the Net radio provider posted a net loss the fourth quarter and fiscal 2015. Pandora (P) shares fell 6.5% to $8.50 in after-hours trading Thursday. Earlier in the day (…)
U.S. futures predicted big falls Thursday, as oil prices fell again and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen downgraded her view of the economic outlook.
Game maker Zynga saw its shares fall in after-hours trading after it posted a net loss for Q4 2015.
U.S. stock futures were higher Wednesday, ahead of Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s testimony before a House committee.
After Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump declared victory in New Hampshire, U.S. futures dipped. Here’s where futures stood at 10 p.m. ET: S&P 500: -0.3% Nasdaq: -0.3% Dow Jones: -0.3% Whether (…)
U.S. stock futures were lower Monday, while most major Asian markets were closed for the Lunar New Year holidays.


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By Phyllis Wakiaga
Among policymakers and scholars across the globe, a robust manufacturing sector is broadly understood as a fundamental path to economic growth and development. The most recent illustration is the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in March last year, a single market for goods and services in Africa that aims to unlock manufacturing potential and facilitate industrialization thereby driving sustainable growth and jobs among other objectives.
A strong manufacturing base for any economy is increasingly becoming the foundation upon which long-lasting economic frameworks are made. Very few developed economies around the world can speak of their growth success without attributing it largely to their manufacturing sector.
It is no surprise therefore that the President saw it fit to ensure that manufacturing was one of the key pillars in the government’s Big 4 Agenda. This is because Manufacturing plays a prominent role in any country’s economic development made evident by how industrial growth positively affects the overall GDP and productivity of any nation. A strong manufacturing base will support the thriving of the other three pillars in the Big 4 Agenda and build the capacity for the country to withstand global market whims.
Manufacturing activities promote development in that they boost the value generated in an economy by creating activity further along value chain from raw materials to finished products. In Kenya, the story of Manufacturing has unfolded vis-à-vis the country’s growth, accomplishments and resilience. It is through manufacturing that Kenya has made its mark in the world and risen into a regional beacon.
For 60 years, Kenya has grown in leaps and bounds politically, socially and economically. For those 60 years the manufacturing sector has been at the center of catalyzing this growth and shaping the Nation’s economic progress.Since before independence, manufacturing has provided productive jobs that have, in turn, provided security and stability for many Kenyan families. The sector has steered the development of infrastructure that has consequently opened and connected diverse societies to trade and interact with each other. Subsequently, this has led to Kenya’s long-standing reputation as a preferred investment destination in Africa.
Through this period, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has been front and centre in driving fact-based policy advocacy towards the formation of industrial policies to strengthen and support the country’s economic development.
Kenya is predominantly an agricultural country with an economy based on the production and export of primary agricultural products. Having consistently remained the top most economic support system for the country for many years, agriculture’s productivity remains rooted in the manufacturing sector’s ability to augment suppliers and businesses in value chains mainly through backward and forward integration.
It is therefore important to look at the next 60 years in terms of increasing value addition for our exports and addressing global market expansion supported by nurturing relevant fiscal policies. In so doing, Kenya can continue to multiply revenue streams for its economy and propagate shared prosperity for all citizens.
To mark 60 years of existence, KAM in partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives as well as Brand Kenya has organized a five day festival to be held from 3rdto 6thof April at Kasarani in Nairobi. The essence is to celebrate the advancement of locally made products and highlight their global positioning by showcasing them to the general public.
With continued automation and use of data manufacturing, the next 60 years promise to be the future of Kenya with continued investment and deliberate growth of the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing will therefore be central to Kenya’s ability to meet its development goals.
The Writer is the CEO of Kenya Association of Manufacturers and the UN Global Compact Representative for Kenya. She can be reached at email@example.com.


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Front Royal police are seeking a man who robbed the 7-Eleven store at 2000 N. Shenandoah Ave at 11:15 p.m. Aug. 18.
The suspect demanded the store clerk open the cash register, and then the suspect left the store and was last seen running south on North Shenandoah Avenue, according to a press release issued today.
The suspect is described as being a white male, about 6 feet tall and about 200 pounds. He was wearing blue jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact detective David L. Fogle or the Criminal Investigation Division at (540) 636-2208.


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Starwood Unveils New Top-Tier Sheraton Grand Brand
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Back in June, Starwood announced a 10-point plan called “Sheraton 2020” that includes plans to revitalize its down-at-the-heels brand by launching a $100-million marketing campaign, opening 150 new hotels by 2020, improving Sheraton Clubs, instituting better service standards, reclaiming the meetings-travel market share and launching a new Sheraton Grand tier of hotels, among other steps.
According to Skift, Starwood has now followed up with more information about its plans for the Sheraton Grand name, which is already in use at dozens of hotels around the world, but which will now be reserved for about 100 or so premier properties. Presumably, it will also mean the consolidation of Sheraton Grand and Sheraton Grande, both of which are currently in use, into just Sheraton Grand (no “e”).
Sheraton announced that the new sub-brand will launch with 10 properties, seven of which are in Asia, and one each in the Middle East, Europe and South America:
- Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai
- Sheraton Grand Edinburgh
- Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort
- Sheraton Grand Beijing Dongcheng
- Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in Bangok
- Sheraton Grande Taipei
- Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel
- Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort in Japan
- Sheraton Grande Walkerhill in Seoul
- Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway
It’s interesting to note that all these hotels already bear “Grand” or “Grande” in their name, so this is more of a repositioning move that doesn’t involve reinvestment or renovation. However, the launch of a new Sheraton Grand tier is meant to get individual property owners to renovate, as the one in Edinburgh did recently, and according to Starwood’s previous announcement, will focus on global gateways to lure high-value travelers.
By the end of the year, Sheraton will designate 40 more properties as part of the Sheraton Grand portfolio, and hopes to have a total of 100 bearing the name by early 2017. There’s been no word yet on when/if existing Sheraton Grand hotels that aren’t mentioned in the announcement — such as the Sheraton Grand Sacramento — will lose or re-qualify for their Grand status.
This is another big step for Sheraton as it rolls out its 2020 campaign. With the exception of some high-end hotels in the Asia-Pacific region, the brand has for years tended to lag behind some of Starwood’s other full-service brands such as Westin, St. Regis and W. However, with 435 hotels out of Starwood’s 1,200 or so properties, it’s a cornerstone for the company, and good to see Starwood focusing on it again.
As a reminder, both the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express and the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express are offering a $100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in the first three months. Plus, an additional $100 statement credit after your first purchase at participating SPG or Marriott Rewards hotels in the first six months. Both cards now offer a slew of new features including waived foreign transaction fees, free in-room premium internet access, complimentary unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi at hotspots worldwide, and the $95 annual fee is waived the first year.
We see this offer come around about once a year, so if you’ve been waiting to apply, now is the time to do so. And who knows? Maybe those points will come in handy for a stay at one of the new Sheraton Grand properties in the near future.
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A study shows 35 percent of digital mag subscribers pay more attention to the ads than they do when reading print magazines.
The digital magazine market still represents only a fraction of its print counterpart, but a study to be released today suggests that people who subscribe to magazines online are more engaged with the advertising than those who read them in print.
Conducted by The Harrison Group for San Francisco-based Zinio, which publishes digital versions of titles such as "Men's Health," "Kiplinger's" and "Jet," the study says that 35 percent of digital magazine subscribers pay more attention to the ads than they do when reading physical magazines. It also suggests readers put a high value on ads that let them connect directly with advertisers, a distinct advantage to digital publishing.
"Readers feel that the ads are much more interesting, and are much more eager to engage with them because they are interactive," said Jeanniey Mullen, global VP and CMO of Zinio and a ClickZ columnist. "This is a key finding."
Ten percent of the study's respondents said they pay "much more attention" to ads in digital magazines, and 25 percent said they pay "somewhat more attention" to them. Fifty-one percent said the format made no difference.
Eighty-five percent of respondents said they considered it a benefit to be able to click on ads in digital magazines and interact directly with the advertiser. However, only slightly more than a third (39 percent) thought that ads looked better in digital form than they do in print, and less than a third (31 percent), thought the ads were more relevant to them.
Mullen suggested those numbers would increase as advertisers took greater advantage of the possibilities offered by digital magazines, such as inserting rich media or video into their ads. Most publishers currently run the same ads in their digital versions as they do in print, Mullen said, and only a handful of marketers design ads specifically for the format. Zinio is hopeful that studies such as this one, as well as growing subscriber rates, will persuade more to do so.
"The possibilities are endless," she said. "If you're a consumer-based advertiser like Nike, you can not only drive people to your Web site, you can capture e-mail addresses. There is the potential to get some phenomenal metrics on engagement."
Digital magazines -- the flappable, page-by-page replication of a publication's print edition, rather than content uploaded individually to a magazine's Web site -- have been around for about a decade, and Zinio has long been the market leader. Critics sometimes refer to them as "fish with feet" for being an unnatural, and perhaps unsustainable, step in media evolution. Still, Zinio claims to deliver more than 20 million "issues" a year, and that it sold more than 400,000 products from Zinio.com last year.
Among the studies other key findings was that almost half (47 percent) of respondents didn't have print subscriptions to the magazines they subscribed to digitally. Top reasons for subscribing to a digital magazine rather than its print version included immediate delivery and access to content, the ability to store issues on one's computer, and the perception that digital subscriptions are less harmful to the environment.
The study, titled "Engage the Page," was conducted online over a two-week period with 1,500 randomly chosen Zinio subscribers.
Join the Industry's Leading eCommerce & Direct Marketing Experts in Chicago
ClickZ Live Chicago (Nov 3-6) will deliver over 50 sessions across 4 days and 10 individual tracks, including Data-Driven Marketing, Social, Mobile, Display, Search and Email. Check out the full agenda and register by Friday, August 29 to take advantage of Super Saver Rates!
Douglas Quenqua is a journalist based in Brooklyn, NY who writes about culture and technology. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, The New York Observer, and Fortune.
IBM Social Analytics: The Science Behind Social Media Marketing
80% of internet users say they prefer to connect with brands via Facebook. 65% of social media users say they use it to learn more about brands, products and services. Learn about how to find more about customers' attitudes, preferences and buying habits from what they say on social media channels.
The Multiplier Effect of Integrating Search & Social Advertising
Latest research reveals 68% higher revenue per conversion for marketers who integrate their search & social advertising. In addition to the research results, this whitepaper also outlines 5 strategies and 15 tactics you can use to better integrate your search and social campaigns.
September 17, 2014
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