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By Confidente Reporter
STANDARD Bank has alerted its customers about a recent ‘vishing’ scam, in which several clients received telephone calls from someone who claimed to be a bank employee.
The customers were requested to provide their ATM card numbers and personal details. This is known as ‘vishing’, which is voice calls and phishing combined.
Phishing is an attempt to obtain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by disguising such a request in an email, as being from trustworthy entity.
“We want to alert our customers to be vigilant of this, as it is a hoax and not associated with Standard Bank. Our staff will never call customers via telephone or cellphone to request personal information, such as bank account numbers, debit or credit card numbers, expiration dates or personal identification number,” said Standard Bank Acting Head of Marketing, Sigrid Tjijorokisa.
It is advised that should a customer receive such a call, they should hang up immediately and not provide any information.
Clients are further advised that fraudsters will use their personal details to steal their identity, or simply steal their money, and then break all contact afterwards.
Tjijorokisa advised that if anyone has received this type of phone call, and has inadvertently given out personal financial information, they must contact their local branch immediately or call the Standard
Confidente. Lifting the Lid. Copyright © 2015


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What’s up, fellow gadget lovers! Prepare to delve into delectable details about the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models that have the rumor mill abuzz. If you’re a fan of cutting-edge smartphones, you’re in for a treat, but there might be a twist in the tale that could affect your wallet.
The Price Tag Surprise
Hold onto your hats, because the latest word on the street is that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to come with a heftier price tag compared to their predecessors. We all know that innovation comes at a cost, and this time, it seems like Apple is pushing the boundaries in more ways than one.
The iPhone 14 Pro currently starts at $999, but the new and improved iPhone 15 Pro could set you back anywhere from $1,099 to $1,199. As for the larger variant, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, brace yourself for a range of $1,199 to $1,299. Yes, you read that right!
Impact on Sales
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room – how will these price hikes affect sales? Well, it’s projected that this significant jump in price could potentially put a dent in the sales figures for these shiny new Pro models.
Initial estimates predicted a shipment of around 83 million units, but with this new information, the numbers might slide down to 77 million units. That’s a noteworthy drop, and it reflects a broader decline of more than five percent in the smartphone industry compared to last year.
Before we delve further into the implications of this pricing strategy, you might want to stay up-to-date on the release date of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Our dedicated article on the iPhone 15 Pro Max release date provides all the details you need to know about when you can get your hands on this new tech marvel.
Not to worry, though! Industry insiders have been dropping hints about this for a while now. Trusty sources like Mark Gurman from Bloomberg and analyst Jeff Pu have both hinted at the possibility of a price hike.
They weren’t wrong, were they? Pu suggested that the iPhone 15 Pro could start at $1,099, up from the starting price of $999 for the iPhone 14 Pro. Seems like the crystal ball was clear on this one.
Countdown to the Big Reveal
So, when can we expect to witness these sleek and pricier gadgets in all their glory? Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 12 – the anticipated date for Apple’s big event.
If the stars align, pre-orders could kick off on Friday, September 15, and the official launch would follow on Friday, September 22. This gives you ample time to deliberate on whether to splurge on the latest and greatest or hold onto your trusty iPhone a little while longer.
In conclusion, while the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have our excitement levels soaring, the potential price bump might give us pause. Innovation and enhanced features are undoubtedly exciting, but whether they’re worth the extra dollars is something each of us will have to consider. Stay tuned for the big event in September, and let’s see if Apple’s newest offerings truly live up to the buzz – premium price and all!

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Scientists from the University of Eastern Finland found that taking a much higher dose of vitamin D than recommended for five years did not affect death risk or the risks of heart disease or cancer in older men and women.
The research is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and was conducted by Jyrki K Virtanen et al.
In population studies, low levels of vitamin D in the body have been linked to an increased risk of many chronic diseases as well as premature death.
However, it cannot be directly deduced from such observational studies whether the use of vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of disease or death.
In the study, researchers examined data from 2,495 participants (men 60 years or older and women 65 years or older) for five years.
These people either joined the placebo group or the groups that received either 40 or 80 micrograms (1600 or 3200 IU) of vitamin D3 per day.
All participants were free of heart disease and cancer at the start of the trial and were allowed to use their own vitamin D supplement of up to 20 micrograms (800 IU) per day.
During the five years of the trial, 119 participants developed heart disease, 129 people were diagnosed with cancer and 19 died.
There was no big difference in the number of events between the groups. The vitamin D doses proved to be safe as no differences in side effects were observed between the groups.
The team also found at the beginning the mean blood vitamin D (calcidiol) concentration, was 75 nmol/L (30 ng/mL).
After one year, the mean calcidiol concentration was 100 nmol/L (40 ng/mL) in the group taking 40 micrograms of vitamin D per day and 120 nmol/L (48 ng/mL) in the group taking 80 micrograms of vitamin D per day.
The findings are well in line with other similar studies that have shown that taking higher doses of vitamin D than recommended for many years does not have a big effect on the risk of developing heart disease or cancer if the body’s vitamin D status is already adequate.
Securing one’s vitamin D intake with vitamin D supplements is still recommended, especially during the winter, if the diet is low in sources of vitamin D, such as fish or vitamin D-fortified foods.
However, the study does not support the use of large vitamin D doses for the prevention of heart diseases or cancer.
Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.


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Ballet flat considered for next emoji release
Emoji creators have prided themselves on diversity, but three of four emoji for shoes for women have a heel. The sensible shoe supporters want a blue ballet flat. They've got a design made and it's one of the finalists for Emoji 6.0. Next week, the Unicode Consortium, keeper of all things emoji, will vote on it.
A T-Mobile-Sprint merger may be imminent. The two companies have decided this week to forego the investor question-and-answer sessions that typically take place after the carriers release their quarterly earnings. An analyst tells USA Today that this a sign the merger could be announced soon, maybe as soon as this week.
Volkswagen won approval from regulators for its fix on diesel cars. These are the cars that were rigged to fool emissions tests. The fixes help VW avoid the cost of buying back all those cars. The approvals cover 2013-2016 Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne SUVs, and 2013-2015 Audi Q7 SUVs. Some of the vehicles will receive updated software while others will also have their hardware modified.
Target's holiday plans including fewer special sales and everyday low prices. Target also says its customers have told them they are tired of "Christmas Creep" -- the notion that Christmas displays are earlier every year. It says it will wait until after Thanksgiving to run Christmas ads.


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$HELE said during 1Q17 Hydro Flask began shipping an innovative new Flex Cap on a variety of wide mouth bottles. This new sleek design includes innovative Honeycomb Insulation with air pockets that help maintain internal temperatures. The Cap features a soft strap that is comfortable, flexible and durable.
$NFLX a monster move, going up. Expect making some money on Monday.
$AMD down more than 6% even after posting above consensus third quarter results.
$MCD stock rose more than 2% after it posted better than expected 3Q16 results, driven by global same-store sales growth. Meanwhile, earnings and revenue were lower than last year, hurt by refranchising efforts.
$RAI has received a $47 billion take over offer from British tobacco giant British American Tobacco! This is huge!


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Like the iPhone XR, the iPhone 11 continues to have a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display, which is an LCD. The device features a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view.
There’s a new camera interface that lets you see outside the frame, and you can tap to swap over to the ultra wide camera. This is ideal for landscape shots and tight spaces.
The camera also has a new Night Mode for low-light photos.
Here’s a Night Mode comparison. It’s turned off on the left, and it’s on on the right. pic.twitter.com/11N8mIGbWd
As rumored, the iPhone 11 features front-facing slo-mo video recording.
— MacRumorsLive (@macrumorslive) September 10, 2019
Apple’s special event is underway at Steve Jobs Theater. Refresh for updates and follow our September 2019 event hub for coverage of all of Apple’s announcements today.


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Straits Times carried a very interesting article yesterday about a start-up that could potentially revolutionize in-camp training for our NSmen. The firm Spaceship is offering to store the duffel bag and field pack as well as deliver it to camp whenever the NSman has in-camp training. Additionally, they also offer to wash uniforms and replace any missing or damage items in the bag, at a cost… of course.
Well, I can probably see the usefulness of such a service. My fieldpack sits in my storeroom for most of a year and its a big space hog. But one wonders what the response will eventually be? Would you considering signing up for the service? Anyway, here’s a link to their page. Tell us if you’re gonna use it.


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Dell Inc.’s merger-and-acquisition specialist, Dave Johnson, has become the latest in a string of senior executives to depart the company.
Johnson is leaving Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) for the Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX), a New York-based private equity firm, according to published reports.
Johnson — who was previously in a similar position at IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) — has been instrumental in buying companies for Dell during the last three years as it attempts to reposition itself as a full-service technology company rather than just a computer maker. He reportedly oversaw the company spend about $10 billion on more than 20 acquisitions since joining Dell in mid 2009.
Dell has bought 19 companies since fiscal 2010.
Johnson is the fifth senior executive to quit Round Rock-based Dell in the last 10 months.
In August 2012, Dell’s president of enterprise solutions, Brad Anderson, quit the company. In May 2012, Colette LaForce, vice president and chief marketing officer for Dell services, departed for Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD). In March 2012, Dell’s president of public and large enterprise business, Paul Bell, left the company after 14 years.
Dell, the No. 3 computer maker in the world, employs an estimated 23,000 workers in Central Texas.
In November 2012, the company posted its fourth consecutive quarter of lower earnings — a $475 million profit on revenue of $13.7 billion during its third quarter versus an $893 million profit and revenue of $15.3 billion during the third quarter fiscal 2012, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.


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A chilling effect. Academics expect that in five years, viruses will still have a large-scale impact on businessesbut not because of direct virus attacks. A major reason the virus problem has become so widespread is the same reason it will get worse in the future: user apathy.
Individual users are the most susceptible to viruses, because they don't always install or update antivirus software and firewalls. They have platforms that are highly vulnerable to viruses. They naively click on attachments. And they don't necessarily have the training to know when they've been infected.
It's those users whose machines become part of the networks of bots that harvest information. "As more of this goes on, it may actually have a chilling effect on people's willingness to go online," says Spafford, "so it'll have an indirect effect on businesses, many of which depend on online markets. If users are afraid to put their credit card numbers online because threats of viruses or spam get too much, they won't do it."
It's difficult to guess how the virus landscape will look ten years from now, when we don't know which operating systems will be primarily used. Ten years ago, Windows 95 hadn't been released, networks weren't used commercially, and Digital Equipment Corp. was the second-largest computer company in the world. If some experts' predictions hold true, in 2014 we may be using hundreds of specialized systems that are immune to viruses, like, say, a microwave. Then again, if the scale of viruses, spamming, and crime reaches the tipping point, governments might conceivably increase law enforcement efforts to reduce the impact and frequency.
It would make sense for ISPs to play a larger role in combating viruses. ISPs could offer services that scan all incoming and outgoing mail for viruses; if a machine were taken over, the ISP would block the traffic, notify the user, and perform an automatic disinfection. This kind of policy could allow ISPs to charge a fee and grow their business.
On the other hand, "ISPs are loath to take a drastic step forward as far as prescanning traffic before it hits the end user," Hinojosa says. "If you were doing a war scenariono holds barredthe place you'd do it for consumers isn't on their machines as much as it is at the ISP." But that takes money at the ISP, already a low-margin business. "You [also] have the privacy concerns, but you'd just have to go, 'The hell with all that, we're just locking it down and we're scanning everything at the ISP,' where you can have the server power to do so."
Meanwhile, as the antivirus companies continue to improve response times, the environment is going to grow more difficult for virus writers. Even the halting attempts that Microsoft is making with Service Pack 2 for Windows XP will make it more difficult to spread the types of worms that are happening now.
"Microsoft screwed up in the past with their paradigm on security," Hinojosa says. "But as slowly as they're doing it, they're making it tougher and tougher. As the top of the animal gets armored scales, virus writers have to find the soft underbelly, and that's probably going to be on the consumer front. So you're going to see [virus writers] having to trick people into stuff, say 10 to 15 years from now. The attacks will be more effective on the consumer than they are on the corporate network end."


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HTC's Evo 4G phone will officially launch this weekend, bringing with it an introduction to 4G data, exclusive HD video applications...and the inability to save anything to the packed-in MicroSD card.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking, and to line James Cameron's unendingly deep pockets with even more gold, Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio will be getting the royal 3D treatment.
Appular has launched the first HTML5 iPhone game demo.
The title - dubbed Hand of Greed - features intense, blade strewn action, along with touch screen controls, fluid animations and dynamic lighting effects.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is confident that Windows will successfully power a "new breed" of touchscreen tablet PCs.
Samsung has released an official picture of its upcoming, 7-inch Galaxy-class tablet.
Rdio has announced a Cloud-based service that offers unlimited, on-demand access to five million songs across multiple devices.
Don't feel like shelling out the big bucks for a brand spanking new TV? Sure, we understand. But what if you could watch 3D porn on it? Would that help change your mind?
Well, they're off: six trained astronauts on a 520 day mission to... Moscow.
Scientist and alchemist Robert Boyle would have approved of the present day. We've finally got round to inventing most of the things on his wish-list of technological developments.
Five chip makers have created a non-profit joint venture to boost investment in Linux and increase its presence in consumer devices such as cellphones, TVs and tablet computers.
As it struggles to compete with Netflix's streaming video service, Blockbuster has just landed a deal with Toshiba to offer its on-demand movies directly through new Blu-ray players.
Someone had to be the first, and AT&T decided that it would be the one to take the plunge - the carrier has announced that it will completely eliminate unlimited data service from new mobile subscription plans.
That's not a typo in the headline; Google has updated its mobile search engine so that people who run a search from their iPhone will be provided with a list of matching apps.
Google has unveiled a new feature that allows users to upload their own pictures to use as the background image on Google.com's main landing page, without affecting the search platform's load times.
After a trial run in select locations, Target will now be introducing Amazon's Kindle throughout its entire chain of more than 1,700 stores in 49 states.
As if there was ever any doubt! Yes, a recent survey published by Nielsen confirms what we already suspected: games are the most downloaded apps on mobile devices.
Should the so-called "fragmentation" of the popular Android mobile OS concern Google? Well, not according to Dan Morrill, who described the over-used term as having "little to do" with reality.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has opined that the iPad and other tablet devices "won't completely" replace traditional laptops and PCs.
A "glasses free" 3D video camera has reportedly surfaced on the tech-savvy Chinese street.
Google's initial release of its long-awaited Chrome operating system is expected to focus on the lucrative laptop sector.
AMD has finally taken the wraps off its next-gen Fusion APU at Computex 2010.
Steve Jobs says conditions are fine at the Chinese factory where staff have been hurling themselves off the roof in recent weeks.
Microsoft has responded angrily to claims that Google is banning Windows from staffers' machines.
Undeterred by Apple's banning of Flash, Adobe has launched a digital viewer for magazines, allowing publishers to create apps like the flagship iPad verion of Wired.
We're not sure about its green credentials, but this is one alternative car. Powered only by Coke and Mentos, it has an impressive 221-foot range.
Wireless data service firm Innocomm has partnered with Telegent Systems, a provider of free analog TV reception for smartphones, to bring out the first Android phone with built-in TV accessibility.
Of the estimated 300,000 3D TV sets that have been sold worldwide, 270,000 have been Samsung units, leaving other powerful companies to fight for the remaining scraps.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released the results of a survey on home broadband use and found that 4 in 5 Americans don't know what their advertised broadband speed is.
Although Apple's arbitrary and capricious censorship on the iPhone App Store has become legendary, even the most self-proclaimed open app platform on the market has to regulate itself sometimes.
Google ditches Windows. Hell breaks loose! Pink newspaper roils the Internets. Windows users cry, "D'oh!"
A 64-bit iteration of Mozilla's Firefox browser for Windows has been spotted in the wild.


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Arena Media has won online bookmaker and betting service Win Cash Live's seven-figure media account.
The Heinz ad featuring dogs dressed in hot dog costumes was the most-shared ad this week in a chart full of Super Bowl ads ahead of the big game on Sunday.
Matt Gee, a group director for development and growth at R/GA, has joined Isobar UK in the newly created role of head of digital transformation.
OMD has completed a restructure of its senior digital leadership team after making a series of new hires and internal promotions.
J Walter Thompson London has hired Lucas Peon, the executive creative director at Possible London, as digital executive creative director.
Alistair Macrow, the senior vice president, chief marketing officer for McDonald's UK, has been announced as the jury chair for the 2016 Effie UK awards.
Arthur Sadoun, the chief executive of Publicis Communications, says he would be "a fool" if he did not encourage his agencies to work more closely together.
You & Mr Jones, the business founded by the former Havas chief executive David Jones, is launching a "brand-tech" practice headed by two former R/GA executives.
Saatchis' worldwide CEO will oversee all UK Publicis Communications agencies.
Jason Goodman is stepping down as the group chief executive of KBS Albion, the shop he founded, to become a non-executive chairman.
MEC has given sole control of the UK agency to its co-chief executive Jason Dormieux. Stuart Bowden, the other co-chief executive, has been named the global chief strategy officer - a role that has been vacant for a year.
The founders of Iris are forming a global executive team in an attempt to drive growth.
Thirty-six women from agencies and media owners including 4Creative, Adam & Eve/DDB and MEC have been shortlisted for the IPA and Campaign Women of Tomorrow Awards.
Mr President has given positions on the board and shares in the agency to Jon Gledstone, its creative director, and Shahla Lalani, the business director.
Engine has extended the remit of its European chief executive, Debbie Klein, to include responsibility for Asia-Pacific as it plots international expansion.
FCB Inferno has hired Giles Hedger as its chief strategy officer.
PR Account Executive £22k - £24k dependent on experience KINC, London (Greater)
Content & Commercials Producer (Digital & Broadcast) £40k+ (negotiable depending on experience) Blonde, London (Central), London (Greater)
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE- RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT 25/27000 JEFFERSON, London (Greater)
Strategy Director - Tier 1 Media Agency £70000 - £80000 per annum + Pension, Healthcare, Bonus etc. Ultimate Asset, West End
AV/TV Buying Exec - Top Media Agency Dependent on experience - circa25- 30k plus superb and unusual benefits!! MediaMigo Recruitment Limited., London (Central), London (Greater)
Junior Account Director or Account Director, £45k - boutique agency, top FMCG / drinks brands £45k + benefits MODA consult, London (Central), London (Greater)
The social network celebrates its latest birthday this week, and there is no sign that its dominance will dwindle any time soon, writes Daniel Price, head of social operations at Lost Boys.
The most successful businesses will be those that remove their self-imposed shackles and aspire to make culture, not just 30-second ads.


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Marketing: At war over the rules of attraction
Overtly sexual ads sell products aboad, so will Ireland soon be awash with them? By Neil Hayes and Alanna Gallagher
THE leather-clad dominatrix that was brought in to whip InfoUSA.com’s sales into shape last year delivered a little more punishment than anticipated. When the ad caused uproar among women’s groups in America, the entire marketing team responsible for creating the ad ended up being punished thoroughly. They were fired and the controversial ad was pulled. They were just trying to sell databases of sales leads and mailing lists.
Overtly sexual images have not hit the billboards here yet, but can they be far off? Sex is the major preoccupation of a very significant target group for advertisers, the 18-24 age group. Almost 50% of the Irish population is under 30 and 18-24-year-olds account for 16% of the adult population.
“It is the number-one concern. It’s what they care about most,” says Douglas Baxter of Rothco, a Dublin marketing company whose clients include Heineken and Coca-Cola.
This is also a group


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As the economy continues to shift from being resource-based, knowledge industries such as tourism will become more sophisticated and important and while business travel makes up just a quarter of the overall tourism pie, its potential extends far beyond its current nominal contribution.
During the recently held Meetings Africa 2018 conference it was indicated that business tourism contributed R115bn
to the South African economy, with the overall travel and tourism industry’s contribution amounting
to R412.2bn in 2017, or 9.4% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
According to a Statistics South Africa report
, the tourism sector is a major job creator, employing over 686,000 people in 2016, outnumbering utilities (118,000) and mining (444,000). People working in tourism made up 4.4% of the South African formal and informal workforces, up from 3.8% in 2015, and this continues to rise, with newly-appointed President Cyril Ramaphosa aiming for 700,000 direct and indirect jobs in the sector this year.
The tourism sector – a rising opportunity for all
First-time visitors to South Africa are often people on business, who would otherwise not think of visiting a country so far to the south of the continent, and one, unfortunately, often covered by bad press. In gaining a first-hand experience of the country, however, business travellers often have their pre-conceived notions about the country strongly challenged, and major investment decisions can be made based on a single visit – whether that investment is in a major job-creating project or in a family holiday.
Visitors are surprised that, not only is South Africa a beautiful place to visit, its commercial centres of Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town are also some of the most sophisticated cities on the continent, with infrastructure that rivals and even surpasses more developed countries. Their personal experience flies in the face of media reports that represent Africa as a homogenous, backward and violent place, home to the starving and corrupt.
In this regard, business tourism is fundamental to the growth of African economies and Africa-focused business events, need to be hosted in a more diverse range of locations in Africa and beyond to create a more even spread of exposure.
In the coming months, for instance, South Africa will play host to a number of events
across a variety of sectors attracting experts from around the world. Africa needs to be marketed (and managed) as a destination that is easily accessible and safe to visit, which offers an amazing experience and is full of possibility – not only for Africa-related conferences but for global conferences as well.
The bulk of these events, however, remain concentrated in the major business centres of Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Africa needs closer collaboration to grow its market
Sisa Ntshona, CEO of South African Tourism, stated during Meetings Africa 2018 that the key to growing the South African MICE sector was closer collaboration between nations in positioning Africa as a diverse but integrated whole. The continent, not just South Africa, boasts the facilities, infrastructure and expertise to pull off world-class conferences, coupled with a variety of unforgettable leisure activities.
While there may be practical reasons for Africa-focused events to be hosted at locations off the continent, wouldn’t it be great if the world’s influential leaders had a chance to experience Africa up close? How would the African air, sounds and people inspire the economic and trade discussions that could affect the lives of millions of people living in the continent?
This means more work needs to be done to attract more people to lesser-known cities and towns, not just in South Africa but across sub-Saharan Africa. The MICE industry is a great opportunity to display the diversity of Africa’s landscape, cultures, and especially its commerce and industry to a highly influential audience.


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Chil-LED shortlisted for Energy Efficient Lighting Product of the Year
We are delighted to announce that Chil-LED, our high-power LED light designed for cold storage areas, has been shortlisted for Energy efficient product of the year – Lighting category, at The Energy Awards 2015.
Chil-LED has greater energy savings than other LED warehouse lights because the heat energy produced by the LED chip (around 70% of the energy input) is extracted via an innovative heat pipe system to a heatsink outside the cold store insulation skin, where it is passively dissipated. Convential LED warehouse lighting dissipates this heat directly into the warehouse where air-conditioning and refridgeration units work overtime to keep the store at the desired temperature.
“It is fantastic news that the judges recognise Chil-LED’s unique energy saving features.” says Simon Leggett, Director and Founder of Olivewood Technology, and inventor of Chil-LED.
We eagerly await the results, which will announced at a ceremony at Hilton Park Lane, London on the 2nd of December – fingers crossed!


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Pininfarina, Benteler, Bosch Team on EV Platform
Automobili Pininfarina has partnered with Germany’s Bosch Engineering and Benteler International to develop a chassis for high-performance electric vehicles.
The partners will start with the “skateboard” style EV platform Benteler unveiled as Electric Drive System 2.0 (pictured) at the Shanghai auto show in April.
Automobili Pininfarina was launched last year by Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.’s Pininfarina design unit. The company says it intends to develop an array of high-performance EVs, starting with a crossover vehicle in 2020.
The EVs will be priced well below the $2.3 million electric Battista supercar Pininfarina debuted in production form last month at Monterey Car Week in California. The company expects to begin hand-building 150 Batistas in late 2020.
The supercar features four electric motors that produce a combined 1,900 hp, enough to propel the two-seater from zero to 100 kph in less than two seconds.
Although the RAV4 has plenty of heritage in the small crossover segment, competition has gotten a whole lot tougher, so Toyota has made significant changes to the fourth-generation model.
Systems engineering in increasingly being recognized as a valuable approach to vehicle development - both in design and production. Siemens posits that PLM is the right software system for systems engineering.
Ram Truck chief exterior designer Joe Dehner talks about how they’ve developed the all-new pickup. “We’ve been building trucks for over 100 years,” he says. “Best I could come up with is that this is our 15th-generation truck.”


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Look, another area where Apple is king, and here Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ) is relegated to runner-up. In a recent survey by Canalys that tracked the sales of personal computers, Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), led the way with a 19 percent market share of all PC sold in the second quarter of 2012. Hewlett-Packard came in second in this survey with 12 percent market share. HP had been the leader in the previous quarter.
Hewlett-Packard had been doing very well in its PC business, but now there ae questions with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) soon to launch its first PCs, the Surface and Surface Pro, which will soon have Window 8 installed. HP has been one of the loyal Windows PC vendors; if Surface does well and gives Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) its own direct market share, where will that leave companies like Hewlett-Packard?
Overall, PC shipment rose 12 percent over the same period a year ago, and tablets as a segment of the PC market rose 75 percent to 24 million units, or about 22 percent of all PCs shipped. Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s PC shipments rose nearly 60 percent to 21 million units, while former leader HP saw an 11 percent drop to 13.5 million units. Lenovo was third in the most recent quarter with 13.1 million, a 27 percent increase over a year ago. The top Android tablet vendor was Samsung, which doubled its shipments from the prior year. Windows PCs, meanwhile, dropped to 73 percent of market share (an all-time low), while Intel processors dropped their market share to below 70 percent for the first time. Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) experienced a sharp decline as well. Dell managed to sell 9.6 million units, down 10.9% year over year.
Apple is making a true imprint on the computer and communications world – first, taking over PC market share, dominating tablets and placing a very strong second to Samsung in smartphones. This new study is just the latest example of Apple’s continued strength and growth as an international brand. These other PC vendors will have their hands full trying to slow down the train, and how Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) affects the game with its direct entrance in the PC market will be something to watch as well. It could signal a new opportunity for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to gain more market share, while some vendors like Hewlett-Packard might be left rooting for the failure of the Surface.


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Many spices from India, the largest exporter of these cooking ingredients to the US, have come under scanner of the health watchdog FDA for being susceptible to Salmonella bacteria contamination.
Salmonella germs are said to have been behind many food poisoning outbreaks in the US, while the food products that can get such contaminations include spices, fish, beef, poultry, milk, eggs and vegetables.
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has put nearly 200 India-based firms on its 'red list' due to presence of Salmonella bacteria in the spices and other food products exported by them to the US between 2009 and 2013.
The products being brought into the US by the companies on the FDA's red-list can face "detention without physical examination".
According to the FDA red-list import alert, the contaminated spices include capsicum, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, celery, basil and pepper.
Amid growing concerns about Salmonella, the FDA initiated a research to characterise the prevalence of Salmonella in imported spices.
The study, whose findings are yet to be made public in full, focussed on over 20,000 food shipments that arrived in the US between 2007 and 2009 and found that around 7 per cent of spices were contaminated with salmonella.
Spices from India were found to be the second-most contaminated after Mexico in this study, based on which the FDA is likely to soon initiate the necessary remedial and precautionary actions.
According to available results of the study, a larger proportion of shipments of spices derived from fruit/seeds or leaves of plants were contaminated than those derived from the bark/flower of spice plants.
Besides, Salmonella prevalence was larger for shipments of ground/cracked capsicum and coriander than for shipments of their whole spice counterparts.
Over one million people annually in the US are affected by salmonella, a common cause of food-borne sickness. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.
India exported nearly 7 lakh tonnes of spices and spice products valued at over Rs 11,100 crore in FY'13 against 5.75 lakh tonnes valued at over Rs 9,700 crore in FY'12, however the share of the US in total exports could not be


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You may never have heard about such a little-known start-up company as NextEV. However, this Chinese-backed electric car company has presented today a new road brand Nio , and it seems to be a mainstream electric supercar within the next few years.
The smart premium Nio EP9 vehicle was unveiled at the Saatchi Gallery in London, UK. Claimed to be the world’s fastest electric supercar, the visionary AWD two-seater has already beaten the fastest Nürburgring Nordschliefe EV lap time, topping the brilliant 7mins 5.12s and focusing on pure performance. Cry bitter tears, Toyota, with TMH EV P001! Under the hood, there are four gearboxes along with four high-performance electric motors, accelerating the 1360bhp road beast from 0 to 62mph in 2.7 seconds boasting a top speed of 313kph. What about being eco-friendly? No worries, the all-electric supercar will charge up in a less 45mins, providing a range of 427km.
NextEV is going to roll out only six Nio EP9 units in the near future, with the reported pricing tag of $1.2M.


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U.S. companies placed more orders for long-lasting goods in December from November, helped by large increase in aircraft demand. But businesses pulled back on orders that indicate investment plans.
The Commerce Department says orders for durable goods increased 4.6 percent. The increase was driven by a 10 percent gain in aircraft orders.
A core category that measures business investment plans rose just 0.2 percent, after two strong months of gains.
Orders for durable goods, which are expected to last three years, can be volatile from month to month.


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Elfquest will return at Dark Horse Comics.
The publisher will team with creators Wendy and Richard Pini to reprint the previous material as well as new stories, it was announced at the 2013 Diamond Retailer Summit.
The original 'Classic Quest' will be reprinted in Dark Horse's archives format along with supplementary material 'Siege at Blue Mountain' and 'Kings of the Broken Wheel'.
The story will be continued in the new 'Final Quest' storyline.
The self-published Elfquest series originally launched in 1978.
The entire series is currently available online for free.


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Japanese Company Creates Hologram Version Of J.A.R.V.I.S. ...Somewhat
Jan 19, 2016 17:10
Imagine being able to control your home using artificial intelligence. And then, putting a face to that artificial intelligence. The Gatebox hologram communication robot isn't exactly like J.A.R.V.I.S., but it's just a start. Who knows, it could one day evolve in to the digital assistant you might need at home.
If you are looking forward to rank your website on top, you might have asked SEO experts a common question – how much time does it take to reach the top rank on Google? The answer is complicated and can never be definite. Read more
It is, without doubt, evident that SEO has had a massive impact in the internet world today, so much that emerging website owners are already informed on techniques like keyword SERP tracking to give the ultimate SEO value to their site. Additionally, useful tools have come up, such as the social network checker that allows web owners, bloggers, small business owners as well as large enterprises check whether the content they share on social media have an impact on their overall digital marketing strategy, and it is affecting the overall ranking of their sites. Read more
Demand for 3D printing has exploded in recent years with hundreds of new 3D printer producers being developed to help meet this huge growth in demand. So, who are the new trailblazers in the industry? We take a look at the top five manufacturers of 3D printers, who are set to shape the industry with new products and innovations. Read more


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by KITV Web Staff
Turtle Bay Resort's management team and volunteers from Pono Pacific handed out support kits complete with fresh produce, rice, spam, and eggs along with personal care items like toilet paper yesterday. More than 420 employees participated in the drive-by event at the resort on O‘ahu's North Shore, where they also picked up freshly-grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.
Supplies were purchased by Turtle Bay Resort or donated by local companies like Cackle Fresh Egg Farm and Y. Hata & Co.
Nearly 1,500 pounds of fresh produce like tomatoes and bananas were donated from Kuilima Farms, as part of Turtle Bay and Pono Pacific's newly launched COVID-19 Farmer Produce Purchase Assistance Program.


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The 'Wall-E' of Water The ocean collects garbage. Not in any discerning, connoisseurial way--no, the ocean collects garbage with the enthusiasm of a hoarder, taking all trash put into it and holding on
Because margaritas aren't even Mexican. We’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo all wrong. It isn’t a holiday in Mexico the way it is here. In fact, it’s hardly recognized in Mexico, aside from Puebla (the only
Learning to code can be a daunting task when you’re starting out — and a bit pricey. To help out, Code School — who have classes on all the major languages and disciplines — is free this weekend. From
A star-studded cast—Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton—animates the Coen brothers' sharp new comedy, but relative newcomer Alden Ehrenreich steals the show. Like life, much
Here is a date which should worry you: July 29th 2016. This is the date Microsoft will start charging for Windows 10. Here is another date which should worry you more: July 17th, 2017. Why? Because it
The last man on Earth is a common trope in fiction – but what if it actually happened? How many people would it take to save our species? This story is featured in BBC Future’s “Best of 2016” collection.
Edwards' most recent call is that if the US economy plunges into a recession led by weak manufacturing output, stocks will be worth about a quarter of what they're priced at now. It's a heavy-duty prediction.
Stockfighter is designed to challenge programmers of all levels. Built in the style of a classic ‘Capture the Flag‘ game, it gives you access to a virtual trading market where you have to write code to
Google is ponying up a million dollars to make its cloud storage safer than your own computer's hard drive
This is an extension of Google's research grant program, where it pays out funding to independent security experts, in return for lending their time and energy towards making sure Google is as safe as
Large investors and financial institutions have started raising warning flags. JPMorgan pegs the chances of a US recession at 76% over the next three years. Citigroup says it's more like 65% over the year.
After the rumblings and grumblings that we’ll get our first look at the Apple Watch 2 in as soon as three months, the Internet is ablaze with all of the great features the update “should” have. But let’s
This one is so plainly obvious it can’t even be classed as a prediction anymore. At the time of writing, Ericsson has also released a report which surveyed 100,000 consumers on their own predictions for
The Fossil Q Founder isn't the highest-tech Android smartwatch, but it may be the best-looking. A company that specializes in designing watches has released an Android Wear model you might actually wear
Google is looking into bringing its gigabit Google Fiber internet service to Chicago and Los Angeles. Today the company announced that it's entered the exploratory phase and, with the help of officials
Netflix alone occupies 37 percent of the Internet that comes into customers homes, while YouTube —which recently began efforts to introduce streaming media with its YouTube Red service — makes up nearly
The facility, which has been in operation for over 25 years, was created by Bill Gates to help create "a new Golden Age of technological advancement," according to Peter Lee, Microsoft Research's corporate
Speedtest.net is something of an institution for checking how quick your internet speed is, but it’s been stuck in the past for years using Adobe Flash to perform the test. Good news: as Ookla, the company
Tesla would be delighted if another new carmaker could make a go of it, especially an all-electric carmaker. For Tesla, it isn't encouraging if Elon Musk and his team are operating in a market of one.
For years, Apple followed user-centered design principles. Then something went wrong. Once upon a time, Apple was known for designing easy-to-use, easy-to-understand products. It was a champion of the
Photograph: Samuel Gibbs for the Guardian The silver ‘S’ is about the only marker that the Blackphone is something special. 84 image/jpeg http://media.guim.co.uk/3035849f71f7e7cc23292b41b9d819856a002663/0_0_2100_1260/140.jpg


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Ooredoo’s New Shahry and Qatarna Plans a Resounding Success With Customers
Qatar’s leading telecommunications operator has announced more than 100,000 customers have already signed up for its recently launched Shahry 5G and Qatarna 5G plans and are now enjoying the many benefits on offer.
Ooredoo’s new plans come loaded with fantastic entertainment including premium football leagues and top-tier global sporting events with the BeIN Connect app; Hollywood and Bollywood movies with STARZ PLAY and ErosNow; and thousands of buy-one-get-one free offers at a wide range of leading leisure, lifestyle and dining options with the Urban Point app in Qatar, Kuwait and Oman.
Customers with 5G-enabled devices will be able to take advantage of Ooredoo’s phenomenal 5G network in areas where it is commercially available. All customers, whether on 4G or 5G, will be able to enjoy more data in the new plans and better endless access to the internet even if their data allowance is fully consumed.
With the Add-Ons, customers can also personalise their plans, giving them extra data and extra local and international minutes.
Speaking of the popularity of the new plans, Sabah Rabiah Al-Kuwari, Director of Public Relations at Ooredoo Qatar, said: “With complete customer satisfaction a key goal at Ooredoo, we’re delighted to see our new Shahry and Qatarna plans are so popular with our customers. We know they represent excellent value for money and offer great flexibility, and of course provide access to all the incredible benefits of entertainment, endless data and our 5G network at no additional cost.”


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The trend is fast catching up among women travellers. As per the Women Traveller Survey 2015 undertaken among 1,300 female respondents across India... ...http://www.financialexpress.com/article/lifestyle/travel-tourism/travelling-going-solo/64856/
European data protection authorities have joined forces to probe Facebook's privacy controls, a French watchdog has said, putting the popular US... ...http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=111781
Previous story: Janssen India Launches INVOKANA To Address Growing Diabetes Pandemic Next story: The San Francisco Travel Association has... ...http://www.apnnews.com/2015/04/17/san-francisco-travel-scores-webby-award-nominations/
Running barefoot on sandy beaches, sampling inventive fusion food and fraternising with friendly tourists... SHONALI MUTHALALY narrates her... ...http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/getting-her-goa-on/article7113243.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication
News this week Record for US Tourism! Orlando surpasses 60mn visitors Visit Orlando, the destination's official tourism association, announced... ...http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-industry-newsletters/hotels-and-tourism-newsletter-april-13-to-17-2015-115041700471_1.html
Trip Advisor GENIUS Home of Manage,...
morro bay restaurants on the...
River Water Rafting.The rivers are...
Strategy and have your best trip with...


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California on Thursday approved a $437 million utility-based program that will add 38,000 new electric-car charging stations over five years.
Approval from the California Public Utilities Commission gives Southern California Edison (SCE) the green light to start installing those stations, increasing charging infrastructure in the state that is by far the leader in electric-car adoption.
This constitutes the nation’s largest light-duty electric vehicle charging program run by an investor-owned utility, an SCE press release said.
The program, called Charge Ready 2, also sets a target to locate 50% of the chargers in state-designated disadvantaged communities, or economically impacted communities that suffer most from the effects of air pollution. In addition, 30% of charging stations must serve multi-family dwellings.
GM and EVgo expand major-metro fast charging
California is targeting 5 million zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2030, encompassing both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains. That is in itself a step back from some policymakers’ original plan to go all-ZEV by 2030.
California played a major role in the diesel settlement with Volkswagen and has negotiated charging-infrastructure plans with Electrify America, the entity created to invest VW emissions penalties in ZEV infrastructure.
With regulators, utilities, and private charging networks like Electrify America all looking to build stations, California has no shortage of enthusiasm for charging infrastructure.
The state has also sought to streamline the permitting process for new charging stations, first with a law passed in 2015, then with a bill introduced earlier this year. More legislation is needed, Electrify America said in a February statement endorsing the new bill, because most California cities and counties don’t follow the 2015 law. The permitting process can take up to 70% longer in California than in other states, Electrify America said.


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For the bitcoin timestamp network, a valid proof of work is found by incrementing a nonce until a value is found that gives the block's hash the required number of leading zero bits. Once the hashing has produced a valid result, the block cannot be changed without redoing the work. As later blocks are chained after it, the work to change the block would include redoing the work for each subsequent block.
Several deep web black markets have been shut by authorities. In October 2013 Silk Road was shut down by U.S. law enforcement leading to a short-term decrease in the value of bitcoin. In 2015, the founder of the site was sentenced to life in prison. Alternative sites were soon available, and in early 2014 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the closure of Silk Road had little impact on the number of Australians selling drugs online, which had actually increased. In early 2014, Dutch authorities closed Utopia, an online illegal goods market, and seized 900 bitcoins. In late 2014, a joint police operation saw European and American authorities seize bitcoins and close 400 deep web sites including the illicit goods market Silk Road 2.0. Law enforcement activity has resulted in several convictions. In December 2014, Charlie Shrem was sentenced to two years in prison for indirectly helping to send $1 million to the Silk Road drugs site, and in February 2015, its founder, Ross Ulbricht, was convicted on drugs charges and faces a life sentence.
To save money on cooling, some mine operators have opted for cooler climates. BitFury also runs three large mining facilities, one of which is in Iceland to benefit from the cool weather. “Many data centers around the world have 30 to 40 percent of electricity costs going to cooling,” explains Valery Vavilov, the CEO of BitFury. “This is not an issue in our Iceland data center.”
You can buy bitcoins at online exchanges similar to a paypal account. Companies like Coinbase allow you to buy bitcoin with a credit card along with wire transfers, checks and ACH. You can also use professional exchanges like Coinbase Pro that allow for institutional investors and experienced traders to trade in high volumes in a variety of cryptocurrencies with minimal fees.
Due to the widespread proliferation of the internet and mobile devices, more people in the developing world now have access to web services. It therefore follows that the number of Bitcoin users should increase as a result. Citizens who find it inconvenient to access traditional banking services will seek out virtual systems such as Bitcoin, and as internet usage increases within the developing world, one can only predict that the adoption of Bitcoin (and cryptocurrencies generally) will go viral.
Press Contacts: San Francisco, CA, Kerryn Lloyd, [email protected] San Francisco, CA – August 28, 2018 –The Bitcoin Foundation has received a commitment of $200,000 for its 2018/2019 plan - $100,000 from Brock Pierce, a venture capitalist, philanthropist, serial entrepreneur and Chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation and a further $100,000 commitment [...]
The information on this website does not convey an offer of any type and is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, commodities, or other financial products. In addition, the information on this website does not constitute the provision of investment advice.No assurances can be made that any aims, assumptions, expectations, strategies, and/or goals expressed or implied herein were or will be realized or that the activities or any performance described did or will continue at all or in the same manner as is described on this website.
Each ASIC has more than 100 cores, all of which operate independently to run Bitcoin’s SHA-256 hashing algorithm. A control board on the top of the machine coordinates the work, downloading the block header to be hashed and distributing the problem to all the hashing engines, which then report back with solutions and the random numbers they used to get them.
Satoshi Nakamoto is credited with designing Bitcoin. Nakamoto claims to be a man living in Japan born on April 5th, 1975 but there are speculations that he is actually either an individual programmer or group of programmers with a penchant for computer science and cryptography scattered around the United States or Europe. Nakamoto is believed to have created the first blockchain database and have been the first to solve the double spending problem other digital currency failed to. While Bitcoin’s creator is shrouded in mystery, his Wizard of Oz status hasn’t stopped the digital currency from becoming increasingly popular with individuals, businesses, and even governments.
Jump up ^ Mooney, Chris; Mufson, Steven (19 December 2017). "Why the bitcoin craze is using up so much energy". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018. several experts told The Washington Post that bitcoin probably uses as much as 1 to 4 gigawatts, or billion watts, of electricity, roughly the output of one to three nuclear reactors.
Bitcoin Mining is a peer-to-peer computer process used to secure and verify bitcoin transactions—payments from one user to another on a decentralized network. Mining involves adding bitcoin transaction data to Bitcoin's global public ledger of past transactions. Each group of transactions is called a block. Blocks are secured by Bitcoin miners and build on top of each other forming a chain. This ledger of past transactions is called the blockchain. The blockchain serves to confirm transactions to the rest of the network as having taken place. Bitcoin nodes use the blockchain to distinguish legitimate Bitcoin transactions from attempts to re-spend coins that have already been spent elsewhere.
If Eve offers to pay Alice a bitcoin in exchange for goods and signs a corresponding transaction, it is still possible that she also creates a different transaction at the same time sending the same bitcoin to Bob. By the rules, the network accepts only one of the transactions. This is called a race attack, since there is a race which transaction will be accepted first. Alice can reduce the risk of race attack stipulating that she will not deliver the goods until Eve's payment to Alice appears in the blockchain.
The other reason is safety. Looking at 2009 alone, 32,489 blocks were mined; at the then-reward rate of 50 BTC per block, the total payout in 2009 was 1,624,500 BTC, which at today’s prices is over $900 million. One may conclude that only Satoshi and perhaps a few other people were mining through 2009, and that they possess a majority of that $900 million worth of BTC. Someone in possession of that much BTC could become a target of criminals, especially since bitcoins are less like stocks and more like cash, where the private keys needed to authorize spending could be printed out and literally kept under a mattress. While it's likely the inventor of Bitcoin would take precautions to make any extortion-induced transfers traceable, remaining anonymous is a good way for Satoshi to limit exposure.
Bitmain gained an edge by supplying a superior product in large quantities, a feat that has eluded every other company in the industry. The Ordos facility is stuffed almost exclusively with Bitmain’s best performing rig, the Antminer S9. According to company specs, the S9 is capable of churning out 14 terahashes, or 14 trillion hashes, every second while consuming around 0.1 joules of energy per gigahash for a total of about 1,400 watts (about as much as a microwave oven consumes).
Anyone who can run the mining program on the specially designed hardware can participate in mining. Over the years, many computer hardware manufacturers have designed specialized Bitcoin mining hardware that can process transactions and build blocks much more quickly and efficiently than regular computers, since the faster the hardware can guess at random, the higher its chances of solving the puzzle, therefore mining a block.
News drives attention, and attention drives understanding. While many people have flocked to cryptocurrencies purely in search of financial gain, there are a ton of people that are simply curious. Some peoples are sticking around and trying to understand what cryptos are all about. While more users increases Bitcoin’s network effect, more people forming in-depth understandings of cryptos also strengthen the active Bitcoin community.
For all that potential, however, the basin’s nascent mining community was beset by the sort of troubles that you would have found in any other boomtown. Mining technology was still so new that the early operations were constantly crashing. There was a growing, often bitter competition for mining sites that had adequate power, and whose landlords didn’t flip out when the walls got “Swiss-cheesed” with ventilation holes. There was the constant fear of electrical overloads, as coin-crazed miners pushed power systems to the limit—as, for example, when one miner nearly torched an old laundromat in downtown Wenatchee.
Malachi Salcido: The Local Talent Salcido, a Wenatchee native and building contractor, studied other miners before launching his own bitcoin operation in 2014. He’s now one of the biggest miners in the basin, and has worked hard to convince the community that bitcoin and the blockchain could transform the region into a technology hub. “What you can actually do with the technology, we’re only beginning to discover,” says Salcido, pictured above in one of his mines. The basin is “building a platform that the entire world is going to use.” | Patrick Cavan Brown for Politico Magazine
In January 2009, the bitcoin network was created when Nakamoto mined the first block of the chain, known as the genesis block. Embedded in the coinbase of this block was the following text: "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks." This note has been interpreted as both a timestamp and a comment on the instability caused by fractional-reserve banking.:18


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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Various businesses in the grand valley are showing their support for the Broncos with the Super Bowl this weekend
Businesses are uniting in orange; at Enstrom Candies they’re doing their part by selling orange and blue Jelly belly's and candy apples with orange and blue whipped cream and sprinkles.
It's something the store workers and customers are enjoying.
"That is great that Grand Junction is supporting the Broncos and businesses like Enstroms are doing this. We just ordered a latte with blue and orange sprinkles on top," says Mike Martin, a customer and Broncos fan.
“That support I think is just great for the Broncos. They made it to the Super Bowl, so give them support, we want them to win the Super Bowl," says Tina Thyfault, an employee at the shop.
This season the employees at the shop have been wearing Bronco jerseys every Friday. They will be selling the Bronco treats through Sunday.


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Amazon has been the big winner so far this year in the battle for a share of the tablet market, shipping 1.6 million units of its Fire device in Q2 2016 and posting year-on-year growth of 1,200% in sales.
Though the online retailer started from a low base — a market share of 0.3%, selling 100,000 units, in the same quarter last year — its achievement in going from that to 1.6 million tablets sold and a market share of 4% stands out, as total tablet sales declined by almost 12.5% year on year.
Worldwide tablet shipments, including both slates and detachables, reached 38.7 million in Q2 2016, according to preliminary data from International Data Corporation's worldwide quarterly tablet tracker. That’s down from 44.1 million last year, as vendors refocus their product lines and consumers hold off on purchases, and equates to a 12.3% fall in sales over the year.
The top five sellers, with market share, were: Apple (25.8%), Samsung (15.6%), Lenovo (6.6%), Huawei (5.6%), Amazon (4%). All others took a surprising 42.4% of total sales in Q2 2016. Apart from Amazon, the only others showing growth were Lenovo and Huawei, up 3.1% and 71% respectively.
The overwhelming majority of tablets shipped this past quarter were Android-based systems (65%) followed by iOS, which captured 26%, and Windows for the remaining share. Though this has been the case for years, there are now signs of change as the Android vendor list has contracted and champions of the OS have begun to offer Windows-based products, hedging against the decline of Android.
Any growth in sales was in the detachables class — those with separate keyboards — but slate-form tablets are still in the vast majority with over three quarters of the market.
Analyst Jean Philippe Bouchard said: "While growth in the detachable category is undeniable, slates continue to represent the vast majority of the segment. Vendors like Amazon, with a very focused approach to positioning, price, and purpose, managed to capture a considerable share of the market. Slate sales are declining but they still serve a purpose and will do so for a long time to come.”
Apple's launch of its second detachable helped hold its decline to 9%, and also helped raise Apple's average selling price and revenue. Price reductions on previous generation iPads and the latest Pro iterations are expected to have the same effect for the remainder of 2016 as consumer and enterprise audiences evaluate their needs.
Samsung continues to hold the number 2 position in the rankings, with methodical coverage of price bands, features, and screen sizes. Samsung's results should get better as it arguably leaves the detachable category still untouched. Samsung's Galaxy View is not included in IDC's tablet taxonomy and doesn’t figure in the results.
Lenovo's strength is primarily in Asia/Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The company has expanded its share on the backs of sometimes esoteric designs. Tablets like the Yoga Tab 3 Pro offer a built-in projector and have allowed Lenovo to differentiate from other premium media-focused tablets. The majority of its shipments still come from the low-cost Lenovo Tab 2 and Lenovo Tab 3 lineups.


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NEW YORK, May 31 - Danish microarray company Exiqonsaid today it has cut its staff and closed its
Though it was not immediately clear how many people lost their jobs, the cuts come mainly from sales and marketing with a smaller number coming from the R&D side, according to Lars Kongsbak, Exiqon's vice president for business development, science, and technology.
The Vedbaek-based maker of microarrays, microplates, and locked nucleic acids is now pursuing "an M&A strategy," said Kongsbak. "Instead of trying to sell our products ourselves we are now looking for partners who will take that on."
Kongsback said the cuts and shift in strategy were motivated principally by the fact that the company' could not see an IPO in the near future, leaving its venture capital backers with no viable exit strategy.
An in-depth version of this article can be read next week on BioArray News.


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Belt Conveyor Guarding
Belt Conveyor Guarding has been in business since 1990, when Paul and Karen Vandergeest started out with a portable weld truck, providing repair and maintenance services for aggregate processors in the region.
Up until 2009, fabrication of industrial equipment was the main focus of the business. Later that year, the business owners restructure the company and changed focus to safety systems. In 2015, the business has established a strong niche in safety guarding for industrial equipment, serving customers throughout North America.
Paul and Karen are still heavily involved in the business, running day-to-day operations as president and vice president, respectively. To ensure operations run smoothly, the pair works alongside a strong management team, including Scott Monkman, operations manager, and Jerry Power, marketing coordinator for Belt Conveyor Guarding.
The company’s primary markets are mining, steel, power generation, pulp and paper, as well as manufacturing. The operation has recently expanded with a second division, reGuarding Solutions, which is focused on companies that use equipment not traditionally associated with conveyors. This development has allowed the business to expand into new markets, such as water and wastewater treatment to guard pumps and other rotating equipment.
For the most part, Belt Conveyor Guarding sells directly to customers and through distribution channels. Many clients are repeat business partners, though frequently, businesses will reach out to the team proactively to find safety solutions for their businesses.
“Often, a company will have an inspector come in and notice that equipment is not compliant,” Scott explains. “We can make recommendations and create specialty products to help protect their employees and machinery. We also have a number of distributors throughout North America who have their foot in the door with major corporations, for which it is tough to become a vendor. They have helped us boost our presence throughout the United States and Canada.”
The company is frequently upgrading its product line, either with new protection products or with innovations and adjustment to existing items. The new reGuarding Solutions division will greatly increase the company’s offerings through products and services that serve new markets and functionalities.
“These products focus more on rotating equipment, couplings, pumps, belts and belt drives in industries, such as power generation, wastewater municipal and other applications that don’t have conveyors, but could still use this type of product,” says Scott.
“We are still in the very early stages of growth for this line,” he elaborates. “We launched in January 2014 and our main focus has been getting our name out there through digital advertising and trade shows. We recently attended the Global Petroleum show in Calgary, which was a great opportunity to showcase our new products; it was very good for us. With a lot of the contacts we have, it is usually a year or two after we get the lead and the opportunity is finalized before we get a purchase order. That has more to do with scheduling and budgeting for downtime.”
Belt Conveyor Guarding stands out in the market as the only company solely focused on guarding equipment. “This is our core business,” Jerry explains. “Our only competition is the equipment manufacturers that have a safety division, but the main focus of those organizations is the industrial equipment they build, such as hoppers and conveyors.”
Due to the company’s history in manufacturing, the team has the experience and expertise to fit this equipment while retaining the ability to focus exclusively on safety products.
The business also runs up against in-house fabrication. When some businesses are cited for a problem, instead of hiring a third party like Belt Conveyor Guarding or reGuarding Solutions, organizations will attempt to fix an issue themselves.
“Typically these solutions are not user friendly or are not permanent,” Scott notes. “We get called in after the fact, re-measure and replace that quick fix with a guard the customer will have for a long time.”
The crew is optimistic about growth. With such a strong niche in the market, the team believes the new division will be a step in the right direction. This new venture represents the opportunity to reach out to new markets with a new set of industrial safety products. The business has several new items in development as Belt Conveyor Guarding continues to grow.


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Mamoru Miyano is going to grace the back cover of the newest issue of BACKSTAGE PASS (B-PASS).
B-PASS (Backstage Pass) magazine announced the lineup its June 2020 issue that hits stores on 27/04/2020.
The back cover is the following:
Mamoru Miyano was interviewed about his newest single, Hikari Sasu Hou e.
BACKSTAGE PASS June 2020 issue is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.
SOURCE: News Dwango
Last updated on 28/04/2020


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According to the Nikkei Asian Review, the company is looking to open nearly 50 agencies in Singapore over the next decade, with the first such unit expected to open in the city-state as early as the summer.
The agencies will sell namely life insurance policies in a market still heavily reliant on savings-oriented policies. Most agencies in Singapore are also tied to a specific insurer.
Sony Life will establish a local joint venture next month to oversee the new business, partnering with Tokyo-based Starts Securities, which has a track record in insurance sales in Japan.
Sony Life will own 74% of the venture, with Starts holding the remaining 26%.
The insurer said it intends to make the new business profitable in five years’ time and to recoup accumulated losses by the ninth year, with the eventual aim of offering its own products via agencies.
“Sony Life believes that its strength in selling insurance products through sophisticated consulting has a good chance of finding potential customers within the country,” the insurer said in a statement.
Last year, it acquired a substantial stake in diversified Australian financial services company ClearView Wealth, which offers life insurance among other financial products.


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Competition closes for online entries via itv.com at 12pm on Thursday 21st March 2013
Which of these is commonly made from oranges?
– we think B!
You can enter the Lorraine & Daybreak competition 6 times per phone number free via the itv.com competitions page.
The prize is £8,000 cash, a 4 night Center Parc break for 8 people and £2,000 spending vouchers….and the great news is that there will be 3 WINNERS!


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ONTARIO >> Members of the local business community interested in entering the global marketplace were able to get resources and information at the 20th annual Inland Empire World Trade Conference at the Radisson Hotel on Thursday.
The panelists and the audience, from both private sector and government, focused on issues and concerns important to businesses wishing to expand in foreign markets.
Panelists included attorneys specializing in trademark and intellectual property protection, logistics experts, local business people involved in global trade, and export finance professionals.
Chris Kuran, owner and president of Waterstone Faucets in Murrietta, was among many local business owners at the event looking for information and resources on global trade.
“We’re learning how to export a little bit more efficiently, and this event is one of those events where we thought we could learn a little bit more about exporting,” Kuran said.
“We’re looking a the different financing capabilities the U.S. government can help us out,” he added. “That’s a point of interest when we get to these types of events. We get an opportunity to talk to folks that normally would be very difficult to get all in one room, and here they are in one room, so we get to learn a lot about the U.S. side of it. What can we get out of our government, and how they can help us because they really are interested in trying to help us export.”
Fred Latuperissa is the regional director for the Inland Empire region of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration and the executive director for the California Inland Empire District Export Council, which with EastWest Bank, help put on the annual event. Latuperissa said the Inland Empire exports represent $7 billion in business annually. His organization helps local businesses find potential distributors and buyers in the global marketplace.
“Our role is to promote U.S. export goods and services and we have 165 offices in 75 countries,” he said. “We provide counseling and advocacy, and the key element of that is that we have a network of commercial officers on the other side, and those are the individuals that you hear speaking here.”
Among the panelists was Roy Paulson, chairman of the National District Export Council, who owns Paulson Manufacturing in Temecula and is director for Paulson International Ltd. in Germany.
“This is World Trade Month and World Trade Month is a whole month dedicated to focusing on world trade, so this type of an event brings together all these different people as a focus point to show the opportunity world trade can create.”
Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Montclair, was also on hand to present the U.S. Department of Commerce 2014 Export Achievement Award to Diamond Wipes International in Chino. More than 95 percent of global economic consumers reside outside U.S. borders, McLeod said. She noted the importance of events like the World Trade Conference providing tools and resources for small businesses here to tap into foreign markets.
“These events help mingle, get together, find what’s going on in the world of import and export,” McLeod said. “You know, we get a lot of calls in our office about exporting, and while we don’t do any of those kinds of things, then we call Fred (Latuperissa) and ask where can we send them.”
For those interested, the United States Department of Commerce’s U.S. Commercial Service is also holding a forum on European trade at the Discover Global Market Forum Series at the Hyatt Regency in Los Angeles from June 3 and 4.


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Next Generation’s Most Powerful BMW 7 Series Goes ElectricMarch 18, 2020
The new 7th series will also be available in gasoline, diesel and hybrid versions, but the most powerful modification will be the EV.
With the test prototypes of the new BMW 7 Series, we were already introduced to early spy shots. Now the German brand has shared plans that relate to the updated flagship. So, during the annual press conference on reporting for 2020, Oliver Zips, chairman of the board of directors of BMW AG, officially announced that a new generation of cars will be offered as a purely electric model. At the same time, the company is not going to abandon gasoline and diesel engines.
Oliver Zips also said that the most powerful version of the next-generation luxury sedan will be the EV. Will the new product get the name “i7” while there is no information.
What power can boast the most high-performance sedan, is also not disclosed. It is only known that all four types of power units will be based on the same architecture. It is hoped that in the near future BMW will officially announce the new 7th series, so far it is not necessary. Foreign photo spies still catch on the camera only test copies of the future news. The presentation of the new BMW 7 Series is expected no earlier than 2022. But the model can enter the US market only in 2023.
- MINI confirms production of electric crossover
- Chevrolet K5 Blazer turned into an electric car
- Electric Kia Soul brought to the “moose test”
- The interior of the Porsche Panamera Turbo S has been improved
- Ferrari is testing a mysterious prototype


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Android YouTube dark mode is finally here (again), running on version 13.34.51 of the mobile app, and this time, it shouldn’t disappear…
Here’s a bit of deja vu. YouTube for Android now has dark mode. (Yes, again.) Several Reddit users report seeing the option on version 13.35.51. And, this time it appears like it’s legitimate. Google first announced the dark theme for the mobile app back in March. Then, in July some users began to encounter it. Although, it was quite limited in its release. Plus, it made a brief appearance in January. But now, it seems like it’s rolling out fully, after the company tweeted its anticipated arrival soon.
Android YouTube Dark Mode is Now Live on the Mobile App
The dark theme first arrived on desktop last year. It allows users to more easily view content at night or in other low-light environments. When enabled, it turns the familiar white background black, making it perfect for sparsely lit spaces.
Not only does it place less demand on the eyes, there are tests which have shown dark modes actually help to save battery life. Those two reason alone are enough to bring the option to the mobile app. (Even though mobile users already consume over one hour of content on the app per day.)
Android users who don’t see the option simply need to update to the latest version. If it doesn’t appear, close the app from the Recents menu and relaunch it. The app should surface a prompt to try dark mode.


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Verizon's FiOS1 Long Island's video report on C.W. Post giving new iPads to incoming freshman and transfer students. Read the related article here.
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Google is unlikely to buy a newspaper, its CEO Eric Schmidt said in an interview with the Financial Times.
More interesting, however, is that the company thought about it. Schmidt told the FT that the company had considered buying one and using its charitable arm to support wannabe non-profit news businesses but had tabled both options for now.
Interesting, because Google has long argued that is has little interest in “crossing the line” between technology and content. It would rather work on technologies to search, scan, distribute and recommend videos, articles, photos and music than create the content itself. The reason: it just thinks it is a better business.
Despite that mantra, Google nevertheless plays a growing role in the world of content. As its own online video service stagnated, it purchased YouTube in 2006. And while it isn’t publishing books, it is scanning them and has plans to offer the works digitally to libraries and consumers. A number of publishers have argued that such distribution activities are awfully close to making Google a content company. (Google disagrees; books, for example, are there for anyone else to scan, too…


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Cargill investing $70m in local output
Bulk goes towards chicken processing
US agricultural processor Cargill has announced investment of US$70 million (2.31 billion baht) in Thailand to expand production in Nakhon Ratchasima, Samut Songkhram and Phetchaburi provinces.
The $70-million budget is expected to be disbursed by next year. Of the total spending, $65 million will go towards manufacturing chicken processing products in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Some $3 million is to upgrade an aqua-feed production plant in Phetchaburi, while $2 million is to establish Cargill's technology application centre for R&D in Samut Songkhram.
David MacLennan, chairman and chief executive of the Minnesota-based company, said this is a new milestone for Cargill in Thailand, as it is confident the country's food industry has potential to expand from consumer demand in both local and overseas markets.
"Poultry consumption is an important business for Cargill, making up nearly 80% of the company's operations in Thailand and exports to 28 countries around the world," he said.
Mr MacLennan said Cargill expects revenue in Thailand to increase by 3-5% this fiscal year, which started in June. Local arm Cargill Siam Ltd reported total revenue of $1 billion in the previous fiscal year.
"The global economy and consumption market can beef up revenue in Thailand to meet Cargill's expectations," he said.
Established locally in 1968, Cargill has operated for 50 years ago with a combined investment of $1.15 billion in various operations.
Cargill Siam has 14 facilities across the country with more than 17,000 employees.
Mr MacLennan said Cargill is running many business units -- agriculture, animal nutrition, bioindustry, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and poultry.
The company has 200 customised animal nutrition solutions for swine, aquaculture and poultry to serve 400 dealers and farm owners.
Cargill is looking for mergers and acquisitions in Thailand, ranging from upstream to downstream business.
At the global level, Cargill has its business presence in 70 countries with 155,000 employees worldwide with 153 years of experience in agricultural services, crops, livestock, food, health and pharmaceutical and industrial and financial risk management.
Cargill's customers include food service companies, convenience store chains, food manufacturers, distributors and large retailers in Japan, Canada, the US, Southeast Asia and Europe.
In the previous fiscal year, ending May 2018, Cargill posted a 5% rise in revenue to $114.7 billion and net earnings for the period grew by 9% to $3.1 billion.
Cash flow in the last fiscal year from operations reached $5.22 billion, of which $3.68 billion was invested in strategic acquisitions, joint ventures, and new and existing facilities. Of the total revenue, 35% was generated in North America while Asia-Pacific made 29%.
Revenue from Europe, Middle East and Africa made up 25%, and the remaining 11% came from Latin America.


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Tiga has launched a new education-matching service to connect its university and college members with guest lecturers from the industry, the trade body has announced.
Tiga said the aim of the scheme is to intensify industry and academia links, promote knowledge transfer and enhance the quality of higher education provision, particularly to those lacking connections.
It added that guest lecturers would be available to educational institutions from areas such as art, animation, audio, programming and QA.
“The UK video games industry competes on the basis of its highly skilled workforce,” said Tiga CEO Richard Wilson.
“This new service will benefit the video games industry, students and universities and colleges.”
Sony audio director Garry Taylor added that the service would also help participating companies identify potential employees and allow them to learn more about developments in higher education.
Tiga education members can view the full list of guest lecturers on the trade body’s website.


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CEO Tim Cook says the company has been good for American workers and wants to be even better.
Tim Cook tells Brian Williams that one of the computer lines will be manufactured here next year.
Warren Buffett and Jamie Dimon are among those with whom the president discusses the fiscal cliff.
Observers believe given Apple’s market strength, it's probably benefiting more than HTC in the deal.
The device gives federal agencies a new option in tablet computing.
Tim Cook suggests customers use maps from other companies.
Around the world people line up to buy Apple's newest iPhone 5.
Tech blogs and social networks are up to their ears with complaints from iPhone users.
The new device is thinner, lighter, faster and has a bigger screen, executives say.
Lawmakers complain that China’s tech companies aren’t playing by the rules of fair trade.
A judge's ruling is a blow to Apple, placing control of pricing back in the hands of retailers.
The bureau denies a claim that it's been tracking millions of iPads and iPhones.
A California jury finds that Samsung violated several of the company’s patents.
The administration’s pursuit of companies over antitrust issues may provide a contrast with Romney.
Not much is known about the tech preferences of the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
They report a 36 percent increase in revenue — but that was less than Wall Street expected.
The company reverses course after pulling the plug on an environmental certification program.
Officials are worried about the company’s decision to withdraw from an environmental rating system.
Firms like Microsoft, Google and Apple use patent tactic to stifle competition.
Automakers already lining up to install the "Eyes Free" technology in their vehicles.


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Internet Fact Database
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Researchers are debating on adding Internet addiction to the list of mental disorders.
In 2002, the average user spent 46 minutes on the Internet per day. In 2012, it was 4 hours.
Internet spammers cost society US$20 billion per year, yet only make US$200 million in revenue.
3% of Americans still have a dial-up Internet connection.
There is high-speed Internet on the moon: 19 MBPS.
The cartoonist behind “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog” made over US$50,000 from its reprinting.
All prisoners in Norway have internet in their cells.
On August 16, 2013, Google went down for 5 minutes and in that time, the global Internet traffic dropped by 40%.
5% of Cubans have access to the open Internet.
Chile has a civilian town in Antarctica, complete with a school, hospital, hostel, post office, Internet, TV and mobile phone coverage.
A man in China fell into a coma after spending a week looking for business ideas on the Internet without sleeping. Five months later, he was woken up by the smell of money.
90% of the world’s Internet Users Don’t Use Twitter.
The first thing ever bought and sold across the Internet was a bag of marijuana around 1971.
The current library at Alexandria has a copy of all the web pages on every website on the Internet since it started in 1996.
India has more people using the internet than the entire population of the U.S.
George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, claims he has not used the internet since the year 2000.
Disconnecting people from the Internet is a human rights violation according to the United Nations.
The more money you make, the less time you spend on the internet, a U.S. study found.
The homeless of Tokyo, Japan, sleep in 24-hour Internet cafes, since it’s cheaper than paying rent.
Search Engines can only access 0.03% of the Internet. The rest is known as the “deep web.”


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POGEE is a leading trade show in Pakistan, providing an outstanding opportunity for meaningful interaction and collaboration between businesses and their prospective customers. The show attracts large number of visitors, which gives the Bata Industrials brand significant exposure.
The Bata Industrials team created a modern booth to exhibit their basic-to-premium safety collection at the event. The global collection was also exhibited, including projects like Bickz, Scorpio, Bora and Hero. The Bickz collection, a casual and stylish safety shoe designed for maximum comfort and grip, remained the highlight of the event, attracting visitors from a variety of industries and sectors.
During the event, the team also made numerous contacts, interacting with decision makers from different sectors where safety equipment is essential. They took the opportunity to brief them about different features that can be provided, according to work environment requirements. These features include, anti-static, insulation, anti-penetration, water resistance, oil and acid resistance, heat resistance and high voltage resistance.
Muhammad Qayyum, company manager of Bata Pakistan, commented: “POGEE has always provided us with a brilliant platform to showcase our products, interact with our customers directly and receive their recommendations and feedback. With our dynamic team and the enthusiastic response received from the customers at the event, I’m positive that together we will achieve greater heights for Bata Industrials.”


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Last fall, the Federal Trade Commission and 48 state attorneys general files a complaint against Facebook, accusing him of illegally maintaining a monopoly on the space of social networks “through anti-competitive conduct of several years”. Shortly thereafter, the US Department of Justice and 11 state attorneys general files a complaint against Google, accusing him of illegally maintaining a monopoly on the search and search advertising markets. Apple is currently locked in civil lawsuit with game developer Epic Games, which challenges Apple’s control over its App Store on antitrust grounds.
Last summer, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee concluded a 19-month investigation into alleged anti-competitive activities by tech titans. The resultant 450 page report described the companies as “the kind of monopolies we last saw in the days of oil barons and railroad tycoons” and recommended that the government take action against them.
It is easy, of course, to dismiss anything that comes from Washington or Brussels as a political attitude, but in this case it would be a mistake. President Joe Biden has named some of Big Tech’s sharpest and most vocal critics, including Columbia University professor Tim Wu, author of the book The curse of greatness, and Lina Khan, who served as special advisor to the Judicial Committee during its investigation, has important roles in its administration. Europe is implementing stricter regulations in an attempt to limit the power of Big Tech. And antitrust action, at least as far as the tech industry is concerned, has become the rarest thing: a bipartisan issue in Congress.
What is arguably more important is that we are in the midst of a drastic shift in the intellectual discussion, a shift that has made it much easier to tackle Big Tech. In many ways, we seem to be going back to the antitrust view that shaped U.S. big business policy for much of the 20th century, a view that is much more skeptical of the virtues of size and much more willing to be aggressive. to prevent companies from exercising monopoly power.
The main US antitrust laws were written around the turn of the 20th century. The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 and the Clayton Act of 1914 remain in the books today. They were written in broad, expansive (and ill-defined) language, targeting monopolists who engaged in what they called “trade restriction.” And they were driven in large part by a desire to curb the giant trusts that, through a series of mergers and acquisitions, had come to dominate the U.S. industrial economy.
The quintessential example was Standard oil, who had built an empire that gave him essentially complete control over oil affairs in the United States. But antitrust law has not been used just to block mergers. It has also been used to put an end to a multitude of practices deemed anti-competitive, including some that today seem routine, such as aggressive discounts or the purchase linked to the purchase of a good by the purchase of a other.
That all changed with the Reagan administration in the 1980s. Instead of worrying about the impact of big business on competitors or suppliers, regulators and courts began to focus almost entirely on what was being done. called the “consumer welfare”. If a merger or a company’s practices were shown to result in higher prices, then it made sense to intervene. If this was not the case, antitrust regulators generally took a hands-off approach. That’s why Facebook’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, Amazon’s acquisition of Zappos, and Google’s acquisitions of DoubleClick, YouTube, Waze, and ITA all went through the regulatory approval process without a hitch.
No more, however. Over the past four or five years, academics, politicians and public advocates have started to come up with a new idea of what antitrust policy should be, arguing that we need to move away from this narrow focus on welfare. consumers – which in practice has generally meant a focus on prices – towards taking into account a much wider range of possible damages resulting from the exercise of market power by companies: damages caused to consumers. suppliers, workers, competitors, customer choice and even the political system as a whole. They did it, unsurprisingly, with the Big Four in mind.
But what exactly would Big Tech’s harnessing the power look like? Short answer: it depends a lot on the company you are looking for.
While antitrust advocates often rhetorically bundle Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook together, creating a memorable image of four giant “gatekeepers” collectively controlling access to the digital economy, in reality, all four companies operate very different which raise very different antitrust issues and will lend themselves to very different antitrust solutions.
Take, for starters, Apple. It is the most valuable company in the world, with a value of over $ 2 trillion at the time of writing. It is also the most profitable company in the world. And yet, when it comes to discussing antitrust and Big Tech, Apple often seems like an afterthought. In Wu’s book, Apple barely makes an appearance, and in Senator Amy Klobuchar’s new book, Antitrust, which is a resounding call for the overhaul and enforcement of anti-monopoly policy, Apple’s discussions seem more superficial than central to its thesis.
Perhaps this is largely because Apple has become a giant on its own. Although it has made many acquisitions, its recent growth is mainly due to the simple fact that it has introduced three of the most successful and lucrative technology products in history. , and continued to convince customers to keep moving to the next generation of products. Even in this new world, it’s not illegal to have huge success building the proverbial best mousetrap.
True, Apple has antitrust issues, which center on its requirement that all developers who create iPhone and iPad apps sell their products through the App Store, with Apple collecting a 30% fee. So it’s possible that Apple will end up letting developers sell directly to consumers, or even allow independent app stores. Even so, he could still collect license fees from any app that wanted to be on the iPhone. And most users would, in all likelihood, continue to use the App Store, if only for habit and convenience.
So in the grand scheme of things, Apple doesn’t seem to have too much to worry about growing antitrust pressures.
Amazon’s situation is more complicated. She too has organic growth going for her; although he has done his share of acquisitions, he has grown mainly on his own, driven by his relentless appetite to sell more, his huge investments in infrastructure and his willingness to spend huge sums of money to win and retain customers. His biggest antitrust problem stems, paradoxically, from something he himself created: the Amazon Marketplace.


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Software & Tech
Gabe Grifoni is founder and CEO of
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