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Research by Which? in 2013 found that nearly 8 in 10 shoppers were worried about the increasing cost of food. Six in 10 said they had made changes to their food shopping because of rising food prices. Three quarters were shopping around more to get the best prices and a quarter of shoppers said they had even had to cut back on essentials, such as heating and water, to pay for food.
In this 2013 report, Which? calls for the following action from all supermarkets and the Government to help people manage price rises in the short-term and to address the longer-term underlying causes of rising food prices:
Ensure prices can be compared at a glance - food price labels should help consumers easily assess which product is best value.
Ensure special offers really are special - consumers should be able to rely on them to be genuine.
A healthier balance to promotions - 7 in 10 shoppers think that special offers allow them to make the most of their food budget so it is important that they help, rather than hinder healthier choices.
Develop a national food strategy – a joined up Government strategy is needed to help deal with the different challenges facing the supply chain – from rising food prices to obesity and climate change – in a co-ordinated way.
See our full report:


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One of the biggest hits at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show is printing.
At a nearby booth, DWS, an Italy-based 3-D printer manufacturer, showed how its XFab printer assembled a component of a snowboarding mask. The new devices offer a glimpse of a Star Trek future. In fact, it has been compared to the “replicator” of the popular sci-fi TV series, although we’re not exactly talking about a zap-then-flash process of creation. That’s because printing an object can take hours, even days.
“It’s not like the Star Trek replicator, but it’s very exciting technology,” Discern analyst Cindy Shaw told MarketWatch. But the technology is not yet widely recognized outside of tech circles, she added.
3-D printing is the process of creating a physical object based on a three-dimensional model generated by a computer that is then sliced into tiny sections and put it together layer by layer. It is also referred to as additive manufacturing.
The technology has actually been around for decades, but has been used mainly for heavy-duty industrial operations.
But there’s been an explosion of interest in broadening its reach, including for consumer use. One factor is the recent expiration of key 3-D technology patents, Shaw said.
“The most basic patents for one 3-D printing process expired a few years ago, allowing new entrants to introduce very simple printers at much lower price points, which is critical in the consumer market.”
It has become a crowded, increasingly competitive space.
Jonathan Cobb, Stratasys executive vice president for corporate marketing, quips that “fundamental patents” expired and allowed smaller companies “to make mediocre products.”
At CES, companies with such names as Sculpteo and Solidoodle competed for attention.
They showed off a range of items created with a 3-D printing device, from figurines to toys to industrial parts to women’s shoes.
Shaw of Discern says the 3-D printing market has been estimated to total roughly $3 billion in 2013.
Two of the leading 3-D printing companies, Stratasys and 3-D Systems, have seen big jumps in their stock prices.
IDC analyst Crawford Del Prete said 3-D printing “has the power to disrupt industries, in the same way that newspapers and publishing was disrupted by the internet.\”
“Items that have their inherent value in engineering, design and material can now be produced in the after market via a 3-D printer. Think about the number of \’low tech\’ but hard to find item that need to be inventoried and ordered today in the construction, manufacturing, and service/repair business that could be transformed by 3-D printing. Items such as rare parts for out of production items can now be printed right away with a 3-D printer that otherwise would take a long time and lots of expense to source.”
The technology also offers benefits to small businesses, said Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates.
“It could speed up some aspects of R&D, and it could enable smaller companies that can\’t afford factories with expensive processes to enter into some types of manufacturing,” Kay told MarketWatch.
In fact, Cobb of Stratasys calls it owning “a factory in the box.”
“You look at it and it’s amazing,” he told MarketWatch.
He did took note of the explosion of companies offering 3-D printing systems, and the media attention the technology has received.
“Right now, there’s euphoria,” Cobb said. “It’s an easy industry to get into. Everybody is doing the same thing.”
In fact, Shaw, the Discern analyst, also has warned 3-D printing technology investors that it is too early to determine the long-term winners in 3-D printing.
She said “valuation multiples” for companies including 3-D Systems and Stratasys, “could continue to expand, making them dangerous shorts.” Shaw also took note of what she called “recent large, out-of-pattern insider sales and a looming tax rate increase at 3-D Systems.”
In a Friday note, Shaw told clients \”we continue to believe investors should avoid 3-D Systems stock due to concerns about the company’s ability to meet margin expansion expectations, frequent acquisitions, insider selling and more.”
“I’m very excited about the sector but I think it is in the early stages of a bubble,” she told MarketWatch. “The bubble could persist and grow, but at some point I expect it to blow up and that could get pretty ugly.”
– Benjamin Pimentel
Follow Ben on Twitter @benpimentel
More news from The Tell:

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Belfast sails ahead of rivals as cruise sector prospers
Belfast is on the up as a cruise ship destination.
This year, it will outperform cities like Liverpool and Cork and two ships in one day is not uncommon - in 1999, that was the total for the entire year.
In 2017, the port will host a record 89 ships and recent, accelerated growth in the market has come despite delays in building a £15m cruise terminal.
However, it is worth stating that the 155,000 visitors they bring to Northern Ireland are day-trippers.
Therefore, spend could be viewed as relatively nominal, compared to those on short or long-term breaks, as the vessels sail in and out in one day.
As a proportion of Northern Ireland's overall tourism market, their number would equate to only about 6% of total external visitors.
Nonetheless, they provide a welcome boost to local attractions and coach operators.
Titanic Belfast, Giants Causeway, Hillsborough Castle and Mount Stewart are all said to hold "significant appeal" to cruise visitors.
As a cruise destination, the city is promoted in a partnership arrangement between Visit Belfast and Belfast Harbour.
They say the port can easily handle more cruise traffic and there is "no limitation" on the number of vessels that it can accommodate alongside cargo ships.
Plans for a dedicated cruise terminal, first proposed in 2013, have not been abandoned, but there have been major hold-ups.
Liverpool has a dedicated terminal beside its Royal Liver building.
Nevertheless, Belfast is still doing better - its 89 ships this year compares to Liverpool's 63.
Cruise tourism is a fast-growing sector and Belfast, with its rich maritime history, is determined not to be left behind.


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Where to get your Halloween costume in NoCo
If cutting holes in your sheets for a last-minute ghost costume isn't going to cut it, it's time to start thinking about your Halloween game plan.
There's just one hitch: There isn't a pop-up Halloween store in sight here in Fort Collins. While Spirit Halloween has set up shop in town in years past, this year, the seasonal chain's nearest locations are in Loveland. A store spokeswoman said the decision was made based on what real estate was available in town.
So, you might have to drive a little to find a plastic bag containing everything you need for your Aquaman outfit — yep, that's a thing — or your Daenerys Targaryen wig.
FALL INTO FALL: NoCo's pumpkin patches, haunted houses
But fear not, Halloween lovers. There are other spots in town you can hit up for that perfect costume. Here are a handful of ideas:
Arc Thrift Store, 2701 S. College Ave.
Arc Thrift Stores start preparing for Halloween Nov. 1 the year before the holiday, and the Fort Collins location actually puts out its Halloween fare before any other location in the state. Why? The annual run on costumes before New Belgium Brewery's Tour De Fat.
"It's our bread and butter," marketing director Maggie Scivicque said. "We call it our Super Bowl."
The store stocks its shelves with new costumes and accessories, including makeup kits and wigs. But the real gems, Scivicque said, are the unique finds you might not be able to track down at a traditional retail store. Gogo boots, bell bottoms from the 1970s or a vintage concert T-shirt, she said, can help take a costume over the top.
All Arc stores are set up for Halloween by the end of August. Employees at Arc often wear costumes to work and end up selling them to customers off their backs, she said.
Goodwill, 315 Pavilion Lane
Like Arc, Goodwill has a combination of new, prepackaged Halloween costumes and accessories to go with its selection of used costumes and clothes.
"It's really a one-stop shop, depending on how much work you want to put into it," Goodwill spokeswoman Jessica Hudgins said.
For people in a hurry, the store sells prepackaged costumes that you can run in and pick up. But for people who want to put together something a little more unique, she said, they can shop the stores racks and pair individual items with new accessories to create a costume that's all their own. Goodwill also sells Halloween decorations.
PUMPKIN BREWS: ‘Polarizing’ pumpkin beers have short shelf life
Life of the Party, 4025 S. Mason St.
This year-round costume shop has a wide selection of costumes, wigs, accessories and make-up, plus rentals if you don't want to commit to owning that pink gorilla suit.
Walmart and Target
Both of these big-box stores include a variety of Halloween costumes in adult and children's sizes in seasonal displays.
If you live in Loveland, or you're up for a bit more of a drive, you can check out Spirit Halloween's two Loveland locations, at 1325 E. Eisenhowe Blvd., and next to Eddie Bauer at the Promenade Shops at Centerra.
Because of the election year, Spirit Halloween has relaunched its presidential mask selection. Some of the offerings include a "Tax Evasion Trump," mask — combover wig sold separately — and Cackling Clinton, according to a news release.


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What would the world be like if vapers were forced to rely on fingerprint scanning technology every time that they wanted to activate their vape mods? This argument may be the basis for a new FDA probe, according to a recently updated version of the Cole-Bishop Amendment.
The original wording of the document attempted to redefine the controversial predicate date as set forth by the FDA deeming regulations of 2016. According to the FDA, any vaping device or product placed on the market after February 2007 is required to adhere to the Pre-Market Tobacco Applications (PMTA) process formerly reserved only for Big Tobacco products. Cole-Bishop 1.0 wanted to move that date forward by about ten years.
What’s going on with Cole-Bishop?
The 2019 version keeps the predicate date, but it now applies only to Big Tobacco. All references to the vaping industry are essentially deleted. To make matters even worse, the revised bill now demands that the FDA conduct a new study into the possible health effects on requiring biometric technology on all devices. If this bill were to become law, the predicate date issue becomes obsolete. The fine print of the 2019 Cole-Bishop amendment states the following.
“The Commissioner of Food and Drugs 25 shall conduct a study on preventing the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (referred to in this section as 2 ‘‘ENDS’’) by youth. Such study shall include an analysis
(1) the potential costs and benefits of using, and requiring the use of, biometric security measures in ENDS
(A) during premarket development;
(B) at the time of sale; and
(C) during postmarket use;
(2) the effectiveness of such biometric security measures in preventing usage by youth of ENDS;
(3) the potential costs and benefits of requiring such 13 biometric security measures for sales of ENDS made 14 through mail delivery and via the Internet; and
(4) alternative technologies that may assist in preventing usage by youth of ENDS.
(b) The Commissioner of Food and Drugs shall provide a report on the results of the study under subsection (a) to the Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.”
To be clear, the likelihood that the Cole-Bishop amendment – the 2019 version or otherwise – will be approved and enacted by Congress is almost nil. Simply put, the GOP and the Democrats have much bigger fish to fry before the midterm election occur in November, but the latest version gives the vaping community a little extra insight into the current thinking of FDA officials. The FDA is at least considering the passage of a new regulation that requires all vaporizers to contain biometric technology, which could come in the form of fingerprint scanning, facial recognition software, or even retina scanning, too. Of course, those good old-fashioned tobacco cigarettes would still be completely biometric-free.


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Small Business - Big Opportunity®
March 15, 2011 | Morristown, NJ
On March 15, 2011, the Travelers Institute launched its first of a series of symposia across the country to identify specific challenges facing small businesses in Morristown, New Jersey. The policy discussion, Small Business – Big Opportunity® brought together small business, government, and community leaders to raise awareness and seek solutions for the issues facing small businesses across the country. The Travelers Institute chose New Jersey for its first symposium because the state has undertaken several initiatives to create a positive climate for small businesses. The panel discussed the promotion of job creation, and economic growth, as well as the importance of disaster planning and risk management for small businesses.
Marc Schmittlein, President & CEO, Travelers Select Accounts
Moderator: Joan Woodward, President, Travelers Institute; Executive Vice President, Public Policy; The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco, New Jersey General Assembly, District 25
Steve Liberti, President & Owner, Harbor Freight Transport Corporation
Paul Boudreau, President, Morris County Chamber of Commerce
Donna Childs, CEO of Childs Capital and author of “Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best”
Liz Allen, Executive Vice President, Rue Insurance
Elizabeth MacKay, Senior Policy Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor at New Jersey Department of State
Our small business advocacy initiative, Small Business—Big Opportunity®, helps promote small business success by convening entrepreneurs, policymakers and thought leaders to explore solutions to everyday small business challenges.LEARN MORE


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The fast food giant has announced results for the 2016 fourth quarter.
According to a report by QSR Media, global comparable sales for the fourth quarter increased 2.7 percent.
For the full year, global comparable sales grew 3.8 percent, including positive comparable sales across all segments.
"For McDonald's, 2016 was a year of purposeful change as we focused on the key elements of our turnaround plan – strengthening our business to drive long-term sustainable growth by sharpening our focus on our customers, right-sizing our structure and putting the right talent in place to lead the company into the future,” said Steve Easterbrook, president and CEO.
“I'm confident that we are well-positioned to transition to a longer-term focus in 2017. Our refranchising efforts and financial discipline will enable us to direct our capital and general and administrative resources towards new strategic opportunities to deliver on our long-term strategy."


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(CNN) - A Michigan man has been arrested after he told grocery store employees he had coronavirus and walked around the store touching everything.
The Kroger manager asked the man to leave but he said he wouldn't leave without his belongings.
The store manager called police and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton says Johnathan Miracle's strange behavior didn't end there.
"He said I'm positive for COVID-19. They put them in a police car and started licking the windows inside backseat of the car as well as the partition between the backseat in the front seat. So it was a very bad situation," said Leyton.
Tests later proved Miracle doesn't have coronavirus.
He is already facing several charges and now he could face an additional charge of false report of terrorism.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
for more features.


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In 2018, the future of li-ion in e-bikes looks bright. Most large battery manufacturers are focusing on the lithium battery power of the future. li-ion technology is developing fast and becoming safer, more reliable, cheaper, and with a higher life expectancy. Since li-ion cells are being developed to be safer, more efficient and more economical (mostly for main stream products such as e-bike) the electric bicycle industry will be able to piggy-back and utilize the newly available technology at an affordable price. Currently, the latest “best” chemistry involves Manganese-Cobalt which is a lot more stable than the cobalt chemistry of the past.
Look for big improvements in li-ion batteries in the near future, and better availability and more affordability. The one big “if” on the future of li-ion is how easy and expensive it will be to ship.
We're Here to Help


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Molly Hopkins has stunned 90 Day Fiancé fans with yet another weight loss update. While wearing a blue dress, she is looking stunning in her slimmer figure. A couple of 90 Day Fiancé stars have been a weight loss journey. Last year, Angela Deem underwent gastric sleeve surgery and breast reduction to lose extra weight. Within a year, the 55-year-old meemaw has lost about 106 pounds. Initially, many fans were surprised and glad to see Angela’s weight loss transformation. Some fans even called her glamorous.
However, after watching her violent and offensive actions on the show, many viewers have now stopped complimenting her slimmer figure. Just like Angela, another 90 Day Fiancé star Tiffany Franco got gastric sleeve surgery at the end of June this year. She didn’t reveal how much she used to weigh and how much she has reduced till now. It seems like she is waiting to drop a significant amount of weight before her big reveal. Molly has also been on a weight loss journey for a few months now. Unlike Angela and Tiffany, she decided to lose weight naturally.
The 90 Day Fiancé alum Molly isn’t waiting for a big reveal; she is showing her weight loss progress almost every month. Last month, the TLC star revealed that she dropped 27 pounds in a few months by consuming plant-based supplements. She is now sharing another accomplishment with her fans. Molly posted a gorgeous photo on Instagram in which she is wearing a stunning blue-colored short dress. The TLC star has tied her hair in a bun. She captioned the Instagram post as, “Shameless selfie on my Slim journey. Was able to buy this @michaelkors size 10 and I couldn’t be more please with my Plexus path.”
Although Molly always looked beautiful, it is amazing to see that her weight loss strategy is actually working because she is now a size 10. A fan questioned, “May I ask what size you started at? To me, you never looked that much bigger than a 10-12.” Molly cleared up the fan’s confusion and revealed that she was a size 14-16 before. A fan complimented her dress and boots and wrote, “You look amazing! You truly are one of my favourite people.” Another fan said, “Dammnnn Great molly get it!!!!” Someone else chimed in, “Girl you are looking fantastic but you always looked good.”
Many viewers who have seen Molly on the show noticed that she is now looking much leaner and healthier than before. Her waist is smaller, and she has a radiant glow on her face. The weight loss is also helping 90 Day Fiancé star Molly feel better and look younger. She is 46, but doesn’t look more than 40 in her latest pictures. Some 90 Day Fiancé fans have also asked Molly her weight loss secret because they want to start their own journey.


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H&M increases investment in second-hand platform Sellpy
H&M continues to invest in Sellpy, an online platform for second-hand fashion. The Swedish fashion retail group started investing in Sellpy four years ago and has since then joined all investment rounds. Now, H&M has become a majority owner, with an approximate 70 percent stake in the re-commerce platform.
Through its investment subsidiary CO:LAB, H&M Group has been investing a total of about 4.6 million euros in Sellpy since 2015. Now, with the latest investment of 3.7 million euros and purchase of secondaries for almost 8.5 million euros, H&M continues to invest in the re-commerce platform.
From minority shareholder to majority owner
The Swedish fashion giant will also invest an extra 5.5 million euros in two different installments within a few years, the company announced. When the full investment is handled, H&M will own approximately 74 percent of the company’s stakes.
“We keep investing in Sellpy because we strongly believe in the company and the founders. Sellpy has a unique circular business model, which perfectly aligns with H&M Group’s vision to become fully circular”, says Nanna Andersen, Head of CO:LAB.
Contributing to closed loop for fashion
For H&M, second-hand is an interesting business sector. It says it’s a business opportunity it wants to be part of exploring. “Because it helps customers give their old clothes a new life through reuse, thus contributing to a closed loop for fashion.”
Sellpy was founded in Sweden in 2014 and is a recommerce platform, which means it lets users buy and sell second hand goods. The company is currently preparing for an international expansion, starting with Germany.


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The Lenovo ThinkBook transparent display laptop is a groundbreaking laptop that redefines how we interact and create, featuring a stunning 17.3-inch Micro-LED transparent screen.
The NBA unveiled the state-of-the-art full video LED court that will be used for AllStar 2024 events, at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Frame AI glasses are like a smart pair of glasses that come packed with AI features.
LG and Samsung transparent LED displays unveiled at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.
We are witnessing a battle of display technologies: LCD vs OLED vs MicroLED
Porsche Design Agon Pro PD49 gaming monitor has the perfect design and cutting-edge performance.
The Sol Reader optical modules with its two e-ink displays directly in front of your eyes, mimic the experience of reading on paper.
Samsung unveils a stunning rollable next-generation OLED display for laptops and tablet PCs.
Samsung’s new mobile screen that slides and folds, converts from 10.5-inch 4:3 screen to a wide 12.4-inch, unveiled at CES 2023.
The Ultra Reality™ display is the first desktop monitor to offer conformal monocular depth.


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|By Marketwired .||
|January 6, 2014 06:00 PM EST||
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 01/06/14 --
Core News Facts:
- EasilyDo, a smart personal assistant app that makes sure you never miss anything and gets things done, today announced a content partnership with Samsung in which Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO tablet owners will have access to the Pro version of the app free of charge for the next three months.
- This news comes on the heels of the September release of EasilyDo Pro which was made available for the Samsung Galaxy Gear, Galaxy Note III and Galaxy Note 10.1, showcasing Samsung's recognition that EasilyDo is an essential app for all of their devices.
- Samsung's leadership in the Android tablet market offers an opportunity for EasilyDo to exclusively reach a new set of enthusiastic users as it continues to be the sole personal assistant app available for tablet devices.
- EasilyDo suggests relevant actions based on various user connections such as calendars, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, multiple email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, AOL, Exchange) and other apps like Evernote, Fandango and Eventbrite. The Pro version takes these actions a step further, for example, by providing faster management of duplicate contacts.
- Utilizing Samsung's MultiWindow and Air View features, EasilyDo Pro promotes productivity and efficiency on a large, clear screen, all with the swipe of an S Pen.
- Since launching in December 2012, EasilyDo has identified 100 million tasks and completed more than 50 million actions, saving people nearly 48 years of cumulative time.
- Download EasilyDo Pro today from the Samsung App Store.
Mikael Berner, CEO and co-founder of EasilyDo
"Today's announcement marks a clear and valuable milestone in EasilyDo's relationship with the leading Android tablet provider. Samsung continues to prioritize productivity features in their new devices and we're pleased to be a part of that momentum as EasilyDo fans are connecting with our app across all mobile devices."
Curtis Sasaki, SVP of Samsung Media Solutions Center America
"We are very happy to be able to present our Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO users with EasilyDo Pro right out of the box," said Curtis Sasaki, SVP of Samsung Media Solutions Center America. "EasilyDo Pro helps mobile users manage time efficiently and our new line of Galaxy tablets arms them with a mobile device that has multi-tasking features and a huge, crystal clear screen making it simple to take advantage of everything EasilyDo Pro has to offer."
EasilyDo is a smart assistant that gets the right information and gets things done. Founded in 2011 by Mikael Berner, former CEO of BeVocal, and Hetal Pandya, former Director at Nuance, EasilyDo is on a mission to reimagine and simplify how we get things done. The company is backed by Mayfield and USVP and is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. For more information please visit www.easilydo.com.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 270,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.
Inner Circle Labs for EasilyDo
In recent years, containers have taken the world by storm. Companies of all sizes and industries have realized the massive benefits of containers, such as unprecedented mobility, higher hardware utilization, and increased flexibility and agility; however, many containers today are non-persistent. Containers without persistence miss out on many benefits, and in many cases simply pass the responsibility of persistence onto other infrastructure, adding additional complexity.
Feb. 24, 2017 10:45 AM EST Reads: 585
Almost two-thirds of companies either have or soon will have IoT as the backbone of their business. Though, IoT is far more complex than most firms expected with a majority of IoT projects having failed. How can you not get trapped in the pitfalls? In his session at @ThingsExpo, Tony Shan, Chief IoTologist at Wipro, will introduce a holistic method of IoTification, which is the process of IoTifying the existing technology portfolios and business models to adopt and leverage IoT. He will delve in...
Feb. 24, 2017 10:30 AM EST Reads: 2,068
In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Chris Carter, CEO of Approyo, will discuss the basic set up and solution for an SAP solution in the cloud and what it means to the viability of your company. Chris Carter is CEO of Approyo. He works with business around the globe, to assist them in their journey to the usage of Big Data in the forms of Hadoop (Cloudera and Hortonwork's) and SAP HANA. At Approyo, we support firms who are looking for knowledge to grow through current business process, where even...
Feb. 24, 2017 10:25 AM EST Reads: 101
Stratoscale, the software company developing the next generation data center operating system, exhibited at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which took place at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, in June 2016.Stratoscale is revolutionizing the data center with a zero-to-cloud-in-minutes solution. With Stratoscale’s hardware-agnostic, Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) solution to store everything, run anything and scale everywhere, IT is empowered to take control of their data ce...
Feb. 24, 2017 09:45 AM EST Reads: 1,037
Some people worry that OpenStack is more flash then substance; however, for many customers this could not be farther from the truth. No other technology equalizes the playing field between vendors while giving your internal teams better access than ever to infrastructure when they need it. In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Chris Brown, a Solutions Marketing Manager at Nutanix, will talk through some real-world OpenStack deployments and look into the ways this can benefit customers of all sizes....
Feb. 24, 2017 09:30 AM EST Reads: 842
Tricky charts and visually deceptive graphs often make a case for the impact IT performance has on business. The debate isn't around the obvious; of course, IT performance metrics like website load time influence business metrics such as conversions and revenue. Rather, this presentation will explore various data analysis concepts to understand how, and how not to, assert such correlations. In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Leo Vasiliou, Director of Web Performance Engineering at Catchpoint Sys...
Feb. 24, 2017 09:30 AM EST Reads: 1,579
DevOps is often described as a combination of technology and culture. Without both, DevOps isn't complete. However, applying the culture to outdated technology is a recipe for disaster; as response times grow and connections between teams are delayed by technology, the culture will die. A Nutanix Enterprise Cloud has many benefits that provide the needed base for a true DevOps paradigm. In his general session at 20th Cloud Expo, Chris Brown, a Solutions Marketing Manager at Nutanix, will explore...
Feb. 24, 2017 09:15 AM EST Reads: 864
@DevOpsSummit has been named the ‘Top DevOps Influencer' by iTrend. iTrend processes millions of conversations, tweets, interactions, news articles, press releases, blog posts - and extract meaning form them and analyzes mobile and desktop software platforms used to communicate, various metadata (such as geo location), and automation tools. In overall placement, @DevOpsSummit ranked as the number one ‘DevOps Influencer' followed by @CloudExpo at third, and @MicroservicesE at 24th.
Feb. 24, 2017 09:15 AM EST Reads: 8,125
It is one thing to build single industrial IoT applications, but what will it take to build the Smart Cities and truly society changing applications of the future? The technology won’t be the problem, it will be the number of parties that need to work together and be aligned in their motivation to succeed. In his Day 2 Keynote at @ThingsExpo, Henrik Kenani Dahlgren, Portfolio Marketing Manager at Ericsson, discussed how to plan to cooperate, partner, and form lasting all-star teams to change the...
Feb. 24, 2017 08:45 AM EST Reads: 4,843
SYS-CON Events announced today that Outlyer, a monitoring service for DevOps and operations teams, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Outlyer is a monitoring service for DevOps and Operations teams running Cloud, SaaS, Microservices and IoT deployments. Designed for today's dynamic environments that need beyond cloud-scale monitoring, we make monitoring effortless so you...
Feb. 24, 2017 08:45 AM EST Reads: 1,771
The buzz continues for cloud, data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) and their collective impact across all industries. But a new conversation is emerging - how do companies use industry disruption and technology enablers to lead in markets undergoing change, uncertainty and ambiguity? Organizations of all sizes need to evolve and transform, often under massive pressure, as industry lines blur and merge and traditional business models are assaulted and turned upside down. In this new da...
Feb. 24, 2017 08:45 AM EST Reads: 1,120
SYS-CON Events announced today that LeaseWeb USA, a cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. LeaseWeb is one of the world's largest hosting brands. The company helps customers define, develop and deploy IT infrastructure tailored to their exact business needs, by combining various kinds cloud solutions.
Feb. 24, 2017 08:45 AM EST Reads: 1,781
In his session at @DevOpsSummit at 19th Cloud Expo, Robert Doyle, lead architect at eCube Systems, will examine the issues and need for an agile infrastructure and show the advantages of capturing developer knowledge in an exportable file for migration into production. He will introduce the use of NXTmonitor, a next-generation DevOps tool that captures application environments, dependencies and start/stop procedures in a portable configuration file with an easy-to-use GUI. In addition to captur...
Feb. 24, 2017 08:30 AM EST Reads: 3,496
Wooed by the promise of faster innovation, lower TCO, and greater agility, businesses of every shape and size have embraced the cloud at every layer of the IT stack – from apps to file sharing to infrastructure. The typical organization currently uses more than a dozen sanctioned cloud apps and will shift more than half of all workloads to the cloud by 2018. Such cloud investments have delivered measurable benefits. But they’ve also resulted in some unintended side-effects: complexity and risk. ...
Feb. 24, 2017 08:30 AM EST Reads: 1,658
There are 66 million network cameras capturing terabytes of data. How did factories in Japan improve physical security at the facilities and improve employee productivity? Edge Computing reduces possible kilobytes of data collected per second to only a few kilobytes of data transmitted to the public cloud every day. Data is aggregated and analyzed close to sensors so only intelligent results need to be transmitted to the cloud. Non-essential data is recycled to optimize storage.
Feb. 24, 2017 08:15 AM EST Reads: 1,387


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Instagram launches TikTok-like video editing tool feature
Instagram has reportedly launched a new video editing tool called Reels, nearly identical to a very popular video app TikTok.
The feature, which was first reported by TechCrunch, appears to be an attempt by Instagram to compete more directly with Chinese social media app Tik Tok.
The video tool allows users to create short 15-second clips, with music and all, that can be uploaded to their Stories.
The feature is now available on both iOS and Android but it will initially be limited to users in Brazil.
“No two products are exactly the same, and at the end of the day, sharing video with music is a pretty universal idea we think everyone might be interested in using,” said Robby Stein, director of product management while speaking at event.


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Monday 11th December 1967
The Lincoln Continental Mark III was previewed by the press. The Mark III was created when Lee Iacocca, president of Ford Motor Company at the time, directed Design Vice President, Gene Bordinat, to “put a Rolls Royce grille on a Thunderbird”. Introduced in April 1968 as an early 1969 model, the model was a remarkable commercial success because it combined the high unit revenue of a luxury model with the low development costs and fixed cost – amortizing utility of platform-sharing, in a car that was appealing enough to buyers that many units were sold. Iacocca said, “We brought out the Mark III in April 1968, and in its very first year it outsold the Cadillac Eldorado, which had been our long-range goal. For the next five years [Marks III and IV] we had a field day, in part because the car had been developed on the cheap. We did the whole thing for $30 million, a bargain-basement price, because we were able to use existing parts and designs.” Iacocca explained that this transformed the Lincoln-Mercury Division from losing money on every luxury car (via low unit sales on high fixed costs) to a profit centre that in its best year of the series earned Ford almost $1 billion profit from Lincoln alone, making the new Mark series as big a success as any he ever had in his career.


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As Mexico’s president defends gas price hikes, nationwide protests descend into looting and violence
– Business Insider
“Five days after a reviled fuel price increase went into effect, Mexicans are still in the streets protesting against the measure.
Demonstrations spread throughout Mexicoduring the first days of the year, reportedly occurring in 28 of the country’s 32 states, with Mexicans from political parties, labor unions, and other groups mounting sit-ins, roadblocks, and other protests.
In recent days, popular outrage has curdled into violent displays, as looters have struck stores and other outlets around the country.
Ongoing demonstrations and damage caused by protestors have also hindered state oil company Pemex’s ability to distribute fuel to some parts of Mexico, exacerbating shortages that have popped up for weeks.
“In addition to the problem of supply, there have been blockades of stores — more than 170 — and, even more seriously, looting — of 79 stores — that besides resulting in the theft of merchandise put at risk the lives of clients and workers in the stores, primarily in Mexico State, Michoacan, Hidalgo and Mexico City,” The National Association of Self-Service and Department Stores (ANTAD) said in a statement on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the group said that 250 stores had been totally looted, with stores in Mexico state, Michoacan, Hidalgo, Veracruz, Tabasco, and Mexico City affected.
Authorities were inspecting the stores for damage to installations and equipment, ANTAD government-relations director Manuel Cardona said, “but, in terms of merchandise the looting is absolute.”
…Continue reading @ Business Insider
Rioting & Looting in Mexico as Gas Prices go up by more than 20%
More @ Youtube


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The pandemic has put our health under the microscope like
never before, with many of us reaching for dietary supplements in the hope of
fending off the COVID-19 virus.
A recent survey in the US found nearly 30 per cent of Americans
are now taking more supplements than they were before the pandemic, while in
Australia market researchers report sales of vitamins and supplements have
Are supplements perfectly safe or could we be risking our
health further every time we pop a pill?
What are dietary supplements?
Natural health products such as vitamins, minerals, amino
acids, enzymes and plant extracts all fall under the umbrella term of dietary
supplements. They are also known as complementary medicines. Global supplement
use is growing at a fast rate and expected to reach a value of almost US$300
billion by 2027.
Many dietary supplements are beneficial if used safely, says
Geraldine Moses, Adjunct Associate Professor of the School of Pharmacy at the
University of Queensland. Women who are pregnant or planning to be are
prescribed folic acid and iodine, and deficiencies in certain minerals, such as
iron, are corrected with supplements.
What is the evidence?
Some of us take a multivitamin as a kind of health
insurance, in case our diet is lacking. Yet the highest-quality evidence,
randomised controlled trials, has found no evidence that multivitamins improve
The trials that have been done of vitamins have not shown
benefit in people who are not deficient. We are just seeing it time and time
again, Professor Rachel Neale of the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
One reason dietary supplements are so popular is the
perception that they are harmless, says Professor Moses. But like any other
drug, there are potential dangers from taking vitamins and minerals. Unlike
other drugs, however, we rarely hear of their potential harms.


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We Are Social's Monday Mashup #61
Peer referral or review carries more influence than ads, claims Deloitte
In their third annual State of the Media Democracy report, Deloitte have said that reviews found in social media influence our buying decisions more than advertising. 53% of respondents said that they had decided against buying a particular product due to a negative review online.
Only 4% of respondents responded positively when asked if advertisements on social platforms influenced their buying decisions, compared to a massive 72% who said they didn’t.
Brand interaction is China’s second most popular social media activity
An eMarketer report has shown that 265 million internet users will access social media networks at least once a month in 2011, a 28% increase compared to 2010. Following and ‘friending’ official product or brand profiles is the nation’s second most popular online activity, a statistic that plays neatly into the hands of digital marketers looking to capitalise on China’s high growth digital domain.
But Mike Froggatt, the report’s author, is right to caution: “although social networks in China will increase reach, sites often have very specific audiences – choosing how and where to target these audiences can determine whether social media campaigns are successful or flop”.
Google search becomes more social
Google have added a number of social search features. First, a feature that prioritises content created by friends or people close to you in the real world over other third party content. Secondly, if one of your friends has shared a link on a social platform and you do a relevant search, then that link will be boosted up the rankings, along with a little picture of your friend and a note to let you know they shared it. They’ve also made it possible to consolidate various social media accounts through your Google account privately as well as publicly. And Google will now search automatically to find accounts that they think might be yours, but that aren’t yet consolidated.
Facebook continues to lead in terms of sales conversion value
ChompOn has released data comparing the values of various social media actions in relation to Groupon-style eCommerce deal sites. In line with the findings of a study we featured on the blog last week, Facebook came out tops, with a Facebook ‘share’ being valued at a strong $14, compared to a tweet at just $5.
We agree with TechCrunch though, when they say the results are “a bit tenuous and anecdotal. And it’s important to note that this analysis does not capture the long-term value of customer over time”.
Twitter’s leaked pitch to advertisers
Twitter are officially on the profit warpath. Despite having been slow to capitalise on the massive popularity of the platform – which in retrospect now seems like a good idea – they are looking to earn $100 million of revenue in 2011. No mean feat, but Twitter have been proactive in their attempts so far, pitching to agencies like us on the virtues of their promoted tweets and promoted accounts, and advising major firms on how best to use these tools.
StumbleUpon hits 500 million pageviews a month milestone
Last month, StumbleUpon got one over on Facebook in terms of social media traffic generation. This month, they announced that they had passed more than 500 million page views per month. The site is, in some ways, an unlikely victor, having remained largely unchanged since its inception. Just goes to show that even in the digital age, sometimes the old adage; ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, still rings true.
TV reconsiders its relationship with social media
Every week people are tuning into their favourite shows and tweeting simultaneously; watching and discussing in real time. It’s taken them a while, but TV execs are now cottoning onto the fact and trying their best to capitalise on this trend.
Fashion retailer creates its own branded social network
UNIQLO have developed a social platform that lets their customers upload and compare images of themselves with other UNIQLO shoppers, commenting, complimenting and (hopefully not) criticising on one another’s dress sense and choice of UNIQLO products.
The network, called UNIQLOOKS, has employed a team of moderators to ensure that the commentary is constructive and offers customers the chance to see their range ‘in action’, and to appreciate the tastes of other UNIQLO shoppers.
Oreo goes for Guinness ‘likes’ record
Oreo tried to cement its reputation as the world’s favourite cookie last week, as it attempted to beat the Guinness World Record for number of likes in 24 hours. Oreo set the bar at 50,000 – a figure that had, ironically, been met by Bieber only a few hours before when his post, “happy Valentine’s Day”, elicited 54,853 ‘likes’ from his fans. In something of an anti-climax for cookie lovers the world over, on the day, Oreo was actually toppled by Lil’ Wayne, who snuck in and mustered 200,000 likes in just 45 minutes, doubling that figure shortly thereafter and later breaking 500,000. Unfortunately, it’s still unclear whether or not Lil’ Wayne formally registered his attempt with Guinness and as such, whether he can receive the title. But either way, a crummy result for Oreo…
Swatch use real time Twitter promotion at New York Fashion Week party
At a New York Fashion Week party, Swatch dressed a model up in an outfit made entirely of Swatch’s pastel coloured watches. Party goers were then asked to tweet #swatchgirl and @swatchus to receive one of the aforementioned timepieces.
By 1:30, the dress was off of the girl and onto the wrists of the attendants, leaving the model – somewhat belittlingly referred to as ‘Swatch girl’ – in only a branded sheath. Swatch estimate that the promotion had a reach of 400,000 – although how much of this was simply party-goers wanting to see what was under the watches, is for you to decide…
ChildLine traffic up 900% thanks to Facebook
Last week, ChildLine saw a 900% increase in site visits, with 73% of this traffic coming from Facebook.
This put ChildLine ahead of their third sector peers in terms of traffic, with 13% of all traffic to charity sites going to ChildLine.
Toyota’s rapid response to potential PR debacle
We all love a happy ending, and so to round off this week’s Mashup let’s look at Toyota’s response to what could have turned into a fairly messy brand crisis, but turned out to work right into their hands.
@crissy, a popular mum blogger, wrote that she had been offered a $10 voucher by mommynetworks.org to spread positive word of mouth about Toyota via her blog. Although mommynetworks.org never claimed to have any official relationship with Toyota, it was heavily implicit in the wording of the email. For this reason, when the rightly peeved @crissy took to Twitter to bring this dubious behaviour to light, Toyota came to bear the brunt of the public response.
Quickly – as tends to be the case with these things – word spread, and soon #toyotafail was setting itself up to be another in a long list of late or poorly managed corporate responses to a brand crisis taking place on a social media platform. Thankfully, Toyota was monitoring the situation as it unfolded and nipped the situation in the bud by respond appropriately.
As it turned out, there was absolutely no contracted affiliation between Toyota and mommynetworks.org and Toyota were absolved of all responsibility – meaning they could Corolla on to the next challenge they may face.


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PACKAGING and print PR specialist, Nielsen McAllister, has announced it is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the launch of a new website and fresh branding.
The agency, based in Derby, was founded by current MD Bob Bushby in 1990. While traditional celebrations have been shelved due to Covid-19, the firm’s new website has been completed as planned and the company has taken the opportunity to modernise its branding and logo.
Nielsen McAllister’s seven-strong team has been unable to meet in person since the enforced lockdown. However, staff did manage to enjoy a ‘virtual’ birthday party together online – all bringing a cake they had baked themselves.
Bob Bushby said, “We had some big plans for our birthday year. And, when the lockdown was announced, we almost took the decision to postpone our celebrations until next year. After all, 30 years is quite a milestone to reach in our industry and we were keen to shout about it. But, with the new website and branding already in development, we decided to celebrate regardless, even though everyone was in separate locations.
“I was blown away by the effort made by everybody in our virtual bake-off. The results were amazing and it proved very popular – not least because nobody had to share their final creations!”
Bob said he was extremely proud of the company he started building 30 years ago, and the fact that the first two clients he signed back in 1990 were still clients today illustrated just how highly Nielsen McAllister was regarded.
He added, “The new website looks fantastic, and I’m very grateful to our digital agency, Frogspark, for doing such a wonderful job.”
Nielsen McAllister provides PR and communications services and works with a number of businesses within the packaging and print industries, as well as specialising in property and construction, and professional services sectors.


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The National Retail Federation said it has called on the U.S. Congress to quickly approve a “trade promotion authority” bill that would speed consideration of trade agreements brought to them by the president.
“Passage of this measure will commit the country and our policymakers to a 21st century trade agenda that reflects and is responsive to the global supply chain,” said NRF CEO Matthew Shay. “Opening up new markets for imports and exports benefits the nation’s manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike.”
Lawmakers unveiled the legislation today (Jan. 9) which would mean Congress approves trade pacts with an up-or-down vote without amending them. If passed this would apply to trade agreements for the next four years.
Shay said the legislation is seen as critically important in order for the United States to conclude ongoing trade negotiations with Asia and Europe, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
The bill was introduced by ranking legislators – Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah in the Senate and Dave Camp, R-Mich., in the House – despite concern voiced from both parties that Congress could be cut out of the negotiations if they agree to rushing through trade pacts.
Shay argued that the trade agreements that could will follow this approved legislation will likely strengthen the nation’s recovery and provide the framework for future economic and employment growth. “New trade promotion authority provides our nation’s trade negotiators with the clarity and flexibility they need to deal with our current and future trading partners,” Shay said.


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Customer support for eCommerce is witnessing a step-change in performance, with upwards of 46% of incoming queries being “handled” by AI and early adopters reporting 4x efficiency improvements.
We recently unveiled our latest AI suite designed specifically for eCommerce merchants. Within just a few weeks of launch we’re already seeing indications that AI is poised to change the landscape of customer support globally.
Our new AI features aim to streamline our clients’ support processes, empowering agents to swiftly address customer inquiries while eliminating the burden of repetitive tasks.
Leveraging insights gained from analyzing over 60 million consumer queries, associated with $14 billion in orders, our analysis of clients’ AI-optimized processes identifies where the eCommerce customer support industry is likely to go over the coming months.
For example, we can see that upwards of 46% of all queries can be expertly handled and resolved by AI, promising to reshape the future of customer support.
Key highlights of the artificial intelligence suite that are driving these outcomes, include query classification, which provides concise summaries of incoming customer queries, allowing support agents to efficiently prioritize based on urgency and complexity.
Furthermore, AI-powered comprehensive summaries of lengthy and intricate customer conversations equip agents with rapid context comprehension, facilitating the delivery of personalized responses.
Our AI solution offers suggested responses tailored to a company’s best practices, ensuring consistent and accurate resolutions to customer queries, even for newcomers to the organization or role.
For selected queries, users of the platform can switch on “handsfree” mode, which means that customer queries can be responded to automatically based on intelligent classifications, sentiment analysis and well structured pre-approved personalized templates.
Early adopters of our AI features are witnessing a fourfold increase in customer support agent efficiency, enabling them to handle four times more queries within the same time frame. This boost in productivity promises substantial cost savings.
Ray Nolan, eDesk’s founder and CEO, remains buoyed by the early impact of AI:
We firmly believe that our new AI suite is a game-changer for the customer support industry. By harnessing the power of AI, companies can efficiently handle higher query volumes, reduce response times, and enhance overall customer satisfaction. We eagerly anticipate witnessing our customers leverage these groundbreaking features and remain committed to ongoing innovation in this space
The eDesk AI suite is available to all eDesk customers, with a free trial option for those interested in experiencing the game-changing functionality firsthand.


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Government seeks more Germans to visit MexicoBy Elliot Bullman
Mexico's Secretary of Tourism travelled to Berlin in search of new business opportunities and to increase the flow of visitors.
Last week Enrique De la Madrid Cordero participated in the inauguration of "ITB Berlin 2017, International Tourism Exchange", one of the most important tourism trade fairs in the world. The mission of the trip was to open new business opportunities and increase the flow of visitors from German to Mexico.
Germany is the eighth most important market for Mexico and the third most important market in Europe.
Mexico is the third most visited country by Germans, after Brazil and Dominican Republic. During the past year, Mexico received 230,400 German citizens, representing an increase of 16.8% annually.
Germans prefer the beaches of Cancun and the Riviera Maya, as well as the history of Mexico City. They stay for 17 nights, spending up to $3,000.
The tourism trade event was attended by more than 10,000 exhibitors from 186 countries, showcasing their products and services to more than 175,000 viewers.
- Theatrical producer hires Mexican deportees
- Mexico and Denmark sign Joint Commerce Declaration
- Mexican tech unicorns inspire the creation of startups
- Mexico and Japan use technology to measure seismic breach of Guerrero
- Mexico, US and Canada set to submit joint bid to host 2026 World Cup
- Mexican Auto Industry Sets Export Records in March
- Chinese automaker eyes plants in two Mexican states
- E-commerce doubles in Mexico in one year: IAB
- France Sees Opportunity for Business Expansion in Mexico
- Mexico says new EU trade deal is 'paramount'
- Banxico increases interest rate to 6.50%
- Mexico achieves February trade surplus


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Finding Peace (Frogs, that is) During a Pandemic
When you live fun and do good like Peace Frogs, surely a pandemic can’t keep you down.
Catesby Jones — the founder of the Gloucester-headquartered apparel line that celebrates harmony with an iconic frog offering the peace sign — watched business plummet in the spring when COVID-19 ramped up.
“Peace Frogs had a phenomenal January and February. The economy was great; people were upbeat,” he said. “It’s incredible how fast things changed.”
Retail outlets closed; trade shows were scrapped. That left all orders for the multimillion dollar company canceled. Peace Frogs typically sells to more than 300 stores nationwide. Festivals and trade shows regularly feature the line, which now includes “Peace Dogs,” retro and tie dye.
Not surprisingly, Jones didn’t wallow. His acumen for business dates back 35 years when, as a University of Virginia international relations major, he fashioned shorts out of the flags from of nations behind the Iron Curtain. That idea morphed into what is today the Peace Frogs brand, which celebrates every day as a good one. Merchandise ranges from shirts and shorts to bumper stickers and backpacks.
“You’ve got to adapt to the change,” Jones said. “You can’t just lament the times. You attack them.”
Jones credits the Back to Business grant the company received from the Gloucester County Economic Development Authority, as administered by Middle Peninsula District Planning Commission, for helping business get back on track. The grants for qualified businesses offset the costs that owners incur to keep their businesses open.
A final round of applications opened Sept. 1 and will close Nov. 15. Funds will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Jones used the funds toward technology necessary to connect his team of artists and salespeople who suddenly found themselves working remotely. Some needed laptops; others needed cell-enabled products due to their lack of internet.
“This grant really allowed us to get the equipment we needed to go mobile,” Jones said. “It allowed me to make the investment we need to keep going.”
Jones had no trouble navigating the grant’s application process. “Surprisingly easy,” he said. “Quick and easy.”
Business is improving. Peace Frogs can’t recoup the lost sales, estimated at half a million, but the structure is in place to move forward despite the uncertain times.
Stores reopened in June. E-commerce sales have doubled. The innovative apparel — one mask reads “SPREAD PEACE NOT GERMS” — keeps inspiring Froggies to come back for more.
Just don’t come looking for politics.
“We’re not about that,” Jones said. “We’re just fun.”
The Peace Frogs brand focuses on hope and happiness. Keeping it simple resonates with a loyal customer base that has grown up wearing the whimsical designs.
“We’re unusual at this time,” Jones said. “We’re clean, humorous apparel. People want that. There’s a sense of optimism in what we are.”


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Cash Tech Unlocks Private Sale Tokens
Cash Tech unlocks the final allocation of private sales tokens ahead of the beta application release
As the Cash Tech beta MVP approaches launch, the Cash Tech team has made the decision to fully unlock the last portion of the private sale allocations. The launch of the beta application is setting up to be a significant event and the Cash Tech team has been forced to reconsider the original token unlocking schedule as a result.
There will be significant marketing efforts taking place around the launch of the beta-application. Such marketing efforts will help foster healthy market conditions for the Cash Tech token. It makes sense to give our earliest supporters and stakeholders the discretion to either hold or sell their tokens in such market conditions.
We know that many of our earliest investors intend to hold their Cash Tech tokens long-term but we want to give them complete liberty over this. By unlocking the final portion of the private sale allocation now, which was originally scheduled to unlock in July, we give important Cash Tech stakeholders that freedom.
The Cash Tech team is committed to always being completely fair and transparent with our stakeholders. The decision to unlock the final portion of the vesting schedule was carefully considered and we are fully confident that it is in the best interests of all Cash Tech stakeholders. With the beta app approaching release, an exciting time lies ahead for all Cash Tech token holders and we are happy that all holders will have complete freedom over the buying and selling of their tokens.


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Nominet suspends more than 3,000 domains
Nominet urged to improve stakeholder engagement
Niyazz / Shutterstock.com
A group of domain industry stakeholders operating under the name EGM has expressed concerns about Nominet’s decision to increase the price of registering a .uk domain.
Andrew Bennett, founder of EGM, told TBO that its opposition to the price increase has “wide” support across the “domain community”, including a number of registrars.
Last week, Nominet announced it was increasing the wholesale price of a .uk, .co.uk, .org.uk and .me.uk from £2.50 ($3.76) to £3.75. In addition, the registry confirmed it will review the price of registering the strings every year.
The new price is due to take effect on March 1, 2016.
So far, at the time of writing, an EGM petition against the price increase has attracted more than 100 signatures and a separate EGM petition calling on Nominet to hold a three-month consultation on the price increase has attracted 98 names.
The price of a .uk domain has not changed since 1999.
But Bennett said that the review into the pricing strategy means Nominet is acting more like a business.
“Nominet has made it clear it will now review pricing on an annual basis—this is of concern to everyone who signed the petition. In our view a not-for-profit public benefit private company (with no shareholders) should not be increasing prices annually.”
Nominet has defended the price increase as a remedy to increasing administrative and promotional costs.
Russell Haworth, chief executive of Nominet, wrote in the registry’s member forum on November 27 that 95% of its revenue derives from the sale of .uk registrations, which he said have “slowed dramatically” in recent years.
“Registrants will only continue to rely on domains like .uk if they feel they can trust the namespace. Trust comes from having confidence in the quality, security and service that underpins an online presence. This is why we see future investment in infrastructure, marketing promotions and awareness building on the value of domains as key pillars of our strategy.”
On the decision to review prices annually, Haworth said its intention is not to have a “big change” every year and that the increase is in line with the rate of inflation over the 16-year period.
But Bennett said he is “not sympathetic” to Nominet’s argument that the price increase is necessary to cover administrative and promotional costs.
“With 10 million .uk domain names, the cost of running the registry of Nominet should be decreasing not increasing,” he said.
Nominet; EGM; .co.uk; .uk; domain names


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The wait is over, this month, the new Bluetooth device is finally released, so what can we expect from this new device ? Well, as for the design, the new Divoom Voombox outdoor as the name suggests is specifically designed for outdoor uses. It also comes [...]
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From Windows 8, until Outlook.com and Windows Phone 8, Sinofsky gave the main color on the recent changes in Microsoft.
Less than a month after the launch of Windows 8 operating system, President of the Windows Division at Microsoft, Steven Sinofsky, [...]
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Lenovo’s new hotshot in laptops for SMBs, M490s, offers several security features and maintenance through LSSB (Lenovo Solutions for Small Business).
Among them is a Software Monitor that works to improve security by ensuring the safety of the [...]
Among other things, failing to hide bank accounts.
Millions of Android app users, according to a research, be lured to reveal personal data.
The researchers tested 13,500 Android apps and found nearly 8 percent failing to protect his bank account and [...]
The good news for you smartphone users had Windows Phone OS. Angry Birds can now be downloaded for free.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Thursday (2/5), Angry Birds has changed the status of being free is the original version, that is Angry Birds first.
Theory that claims the existence of super-particles.
Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland has detected a rare decay of a particle that could undermine the theory of super-symmetry, one of the main theories in physics.
Eidos Montreal announced a new game genre action adventure titled Thief 4, which is scheduled to be released on the PS4 console, PC and next-gen Xbox.
The game is scheduled to be released in 2014. Thief Game is a reboot of the classic series that brings [...]
Enjoying the music for some of us to be one of necessity. No exception for you an adventurer who likes to do outdoor activities.
For that, we need gadgets that can facilitate your needs for music, which of course must have toughness in all terrains.
The name is usually known as a popular browser, Firefox, is now present as the operating system of a smartphone made by Alcatel.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Monday (2/25), in the event Mobile World Congress 2013 Barcelona, Alcatel introduced a product called [...]


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Earlier this year, Samsung introduced an all-new Galaxy M series line of smartphones, aiming to regain lost market share in the highly competitive budget smartphone segment in India and a few other markets. In June, the company launched the Galaxy M40, its most expensive M series phone yet. We have now obtained some new information, courtesy of tipster Ishan Agarwal, which suggests Samsung will launch a mid-range Galaxy M series smartphone dubbed the M90 in the fourth quarter of the year.
Samsung Galaxy M90 Likely to Debut Around Diwali This Year
The Samsung Galaxy M90 will arrive in different variants, including SM-M905F. Unfortunately, however, we have no information to share regarding the hardware specifications of the upcoming smartphone at this point. We can only confirm that the device is internally codenamed “R6”. Even though we do not have a specific release timeframe, the phone is likely to be launched before the end of November in the Indian market.
Going by the name of the smartphone, it is likely that the Galaxy M90 will be a much more expensive device compared to the current M series models. Since the Galaxy M40 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 chipset, it is possible that the Galaxy M90 will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 730 chipset, which powers the Galaxy A80.
Apart from a more powerful processor, we also expect to see a bigger display, more storage, and an impressive triple- or quad-camera setup on the back of the phone. On the software front, the phone is likely to debut with Android 9.0 Pie-based One UI out of the box. An upgrade to Android Q-based One UI 2.0 will likely arrive a few weeks or perhaps even months after the smartphone goes on sale. Samsung’s One UI 2.0 is expected to include all Digital Wellbeing improvements that were showcased by Google at I/O 2019, along with several other new features and improvements.


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A couple of days ago, we reported that LG is rumored to feature a 5.7-inch display and Snapdragon 820. And now the company has revealed that the V20 smartphone will port a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC (digital to analog converter) for enhanced audio playback.
“A Quad DAC delivers a crisp and clear sound that comes closest to a live performance when using compatible wired headphones,” LG said in a press release. “Videos taken with the V20 are accompanied by a soundtrack that can capture the roaring sound of waves crashing on a beach or conversations among two individuals at a noisy party.”
The South Korean consumer electronics giant, sent an email statement saying that when using compatible wired headphones, the phone will deliver ‘crisp and clear’ sound to its users. It will be superior to a traditional DAC and is said to be capable of reducing 50 percent of the ambient noise.
Speaking of the Quad DAC, LG has worked with ESS Technology which will be the “lynchpin” for several multimedia-related features that’ll be found on the LG V20. To recall, its highly popular predecessor LG V10 had 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC. The ESS Technology is a leader in the field of high-performance analog and audio devices. The worked closely with LG to ensure that the Quad DAC, delivered the best audio experience for owners of the LG V20.
Juno Cho, president of LG Electronics and Mobile Communications Company, said in the statement: “As smartphones mature, we’re seeing more and more customers looking beyond just fast processors and big displays on their devices. Higher quality audio is simply the natural evolution of the smartphone, as the industry moves toward a more holistic multimedia consumption experience. We’re pleased to continue this long-term partnership with ESS and bring best in class audio to LG V20 users.”
LG V20 will be launched on September 6 and will run on Android 7.0 Nougat. The company also claims that the LG V20 is the first smartphone to launch with the Nougat version.


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Struggling sportswear retailer JJB Sports vowed to survive after suffering a haemorrhaging of sales as key suppliers, such as Nike Inc and Adidas, cut deliveries because they feared the firm faced administration. JJB said revenue slumped 42.
The head of mall owner Taubman Centers Inc on Tuesday 19 May said he was not backing away from his company's identity as a luxury mall owner and operator, despite the hard knocks upscale retail sales have taken.
Mulberry has ended its joint-venture with its American partner. The luxury brand has announced that it has, in principle, agreed a deal to take total control of its boutiques and points of sales in the USA.
Saks Inc sought refuge in cost cuts to post a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss amid falling sales as department stores lose customers to lower-priced outlets like TJX Cos Inc, which reported higher revenue.


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South African Sugarcane growers are unhappy with the country’s sugary beverage tax which they say has cost the sugar industry R1 billion ($70.76 million) so they have called on finance minister Tito Mboweni to shelve the tax, but would this be the best decision for the country?
South African Cane Growers’ Association chair, Graeme Stainbank argues that the tax, which the government said would help in reducing obesity in the country, has an impact on the economy and jobs and until a thorough assessment of its impact is carried out, the tax should be shelved.
In 2016, when the government proposed the tax, the Beverage Association of South Africa (
Obesity is a serious health issue that puts people at a higher risk for serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. According to Healthy Living Alliance, South Africa has the highest obesity rate in Sub-Saharan Africa, with almost 70 percent of women and 39 percent of men being overweight. Even the United Nations Children’s Fund says South Africa has the highest rates of obese children in the world, with 13
Asides the obesity issue, there is an alarming number of people suffering diabetes in the country. As of 2017, there were over 1.83 million of the approximately 58 million South African populace suffered diabetes. That is 5.4
The Cane Growers’ Association chair said the sugar tax in the country has made soft-drink manufacturers to reduce bottle sizes and the sugar content of their products and this has led to a drop in the demand for sugar.
While this might seem like a business challenge that may spiral into an economic challenge, especially as the data gathered by cane growers in the country say that the sugar tax has cost the industry R925 million in the 2018/19 season which runs from April 1 to March 31, the Sugar tax may be first of several health promotion measures in the country.
A can of a carbonated drink contains nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar and the World Health Organisation recommends the consumption of not more than 12 teaspoons of added sugar per day. People should keep the daily intake of sugar under six teaspoons as there are health benefits to doing so.
Without the tax, beverage companies like Coca-Cola would not cut down on the sugar content of their beverages. The Sunday Times reported that Coca-Cola was reeling from the effect of the sugary beverages tax as well as “economic headwinds” which resulted in lower volumes. Following the introduction of the tax, Coca-Cola cut the sugar content in its beverages by 20
Quite alright, drinks are not the only containers of sugars, foods, especially carbohydrates do as well. The body breaks down or converts most carbohydrates into the sugar glucose. While South African government have said the tax is a step to curb obesity, scientists have rebuffed claims that sugar and the lack of exercise causes obesity.
Thanks to imposed sugar tax in different countries
Sugar taxes may not be a panacea for obesity but South Africa’s sugar tax,
which is fixed at 2.1c/g of sugar content exceeding 4g/100ml, has demonstrated that taxing the sugar industry can be effective in persuading manufacturers to reduce sugar contents in their products.
South Africa’s Treasury deputy director-general, Ismail Momoniat stated that the tax had just been introduced in South Africa and would not be shelved, though it would be reviewed at some stage to assess its impact on the industry and on obesity.
However, if the health of the citizens is a priority, the tax is expected to remain for the foreseeable future.


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Ahead of TheStadiumBusiness Summit 2023, Karol Tatar, Senior Marketing Manager at the Polish Football Association (PZPN), discusses emerging trends in the sports sponsorship sector.
Tatar has been at the PZPN for over six years and has held his current role since April 2022. He joined the organisation in February 2017 ahead of Poland’s hosting of the UEFA Euro U21 Championship.
Tatar previously worked as a sponsorship and branding specialist at the PGE Narodowy stadium in Warsaw. The stadium opened ahead of UEFA Euro 2012, which Poland co-hosted with Ukraine, and serves as the home of the Polish national team.
TheStadiumBusiness.com: What are the key current challenges and opportunities in the sponsorship marketplace?
Karol Tatar: “I found women’s football to be the biggest opportunity in the sponsorship marketplace. As the sport continues to grow in popularity, businesses have an opportunity to connect with a new and diverse audience.
“Women’s football has seen an increase in media coverage in recent years, with more opportunities to gain exposure and visibility through sponsorships. What is more, sponsoring women’s football provides businesses with an opportunity to align themselves with a positive and empowering cause. This can help to enhance their brand reputation and appeal to socially conscious consumers.”
TSB: What are the most interesting trends you are witnessing in the sponsorship sector?
KT: “There is a growing focus on sustainability and social responsibility in sponsorship and in sports marketing as well. Many companies are now seeking partnerships with events and organisations that align with their values and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, diversity, and social impact.
“This trend is driven by the growing awareness of social and environmental issues among consumers and the need for companies to demonstrate their commitment to these causes.”
TSB: What’s on the roadmap for the Polish Football Association over the next six to 12 months?
KT: “We continue to extend our commercial potential by commercialising assets related to the national teams, Polish Cup, women’s leagues and eFootball team. Together with two of our sponsors of the national team we are going to strengthen distribution of our products, both already existing and new ones, in their point of sales.
“Activations around our products and brands are always a cherry on the cake and we definitely should bring it more on the market in the near future.”
TSB: What are you most looking forward to about the Summit?
KT: “I am looking forward to meeting other industry experts and enthusiasts the most. Sharing my own experiences and gaining new perspectives is my top priority.”
JOIN KAROL TATAR – AND HUNDREDS OF COLLEAGUES FROM THE SECTOR – AT THESTADIUMBUSINESS SUMMIT 2023 IN MANCHESTER ON 28-29 JUNE. SIGN UP HERE.


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About 30 minutes ago, TMZ finally unveiled the tape of LeBron James getting dunked on by a virtual unknown named Jordan Crawford. They say they “finally found the one SURVIVING copy of the moment LeBron became LeBitch”. There was already a much better copy out and I cut them together for this but whatever.
It took place last week in a casual game at a Nike sponsored camp, but Nike confiscated all footage of the play fearing it would cause damage to James’ rep. If they hadn’t freaked out this would be no big deal. James could just as easily claim he was trying to high-five Crawford as one of them is clearly wearing the wrong jersey and they look like teammates.
There’s no shame in this. If you see a guy named “Jordan Crawford”, that’s a dude who can dunk. Also if he has two capitol letters, an X or an apostrophe in his first name, those dudes can either dunk or run a 4.3 40.


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Electronics and entertainment giant Sony has announced that will soon be bringing its Music Unlimited service to the just-released Xperia Play.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Shawn Layden, executive VP and CEO of Sony Network Entertainment, has revealed that Music Unlimited, which is a part of Qriocity, Sony’s recently launched on-demand music streaming service for its range of televisions and the PlayStation 3, will be available to Xperia Play handsets and a range of other Android handsets sometime “this year”.
"The idea is to make your PlayStation ID your ubiquitous sign-on wherever you go and also allow you to trade off the same wallet”, he added.
To those who have used the likes of Spotify or Grooveshark, Music Unlimited works the much same way and requires and monthly subscription fee of £9.99.
Sony’s intention to expand the service beyond its own product line is not the least bit surprising as the more people use it, the more roubles it stands to make. Whether or not it will be able to complete with its more established rivals remains to be seen . But it has the luxury of owning its own music studio, which means it can flex its muscles to get other studios on board in more territories than its competitors.
And with Apple seemingly unfazed by the rise of music streaming and the potential threat it poses to its iTunes service, the ball is in Sony’s court to avenge the death of its Walkman at the hands of the iPod.


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Unlike their competitors, Mastercard (NYSE: MA; Price: $199.69) and Visa (NYSE: V; Price: $67.79) don’t lend money; they license their brands to banks. So, they aren’t being hit as hard as true credit-card issuers by the rise in defaults.
The drop in the value of the dollar and in consumer spending has hurt the stock value of businesses that are involved in processing card payments, says Sharath M. Sury, who is a University of California finance professor. However, as the economy recovers, the credit-card industry should profit as a result of consumer spending and efficient operations. Mastercard and Visa are enjoying growth internationally, especially in debit-card use.
Increased debit-card use leads to more transaction fees. From Mastercard’s and Visa’s perspective, this is good news. However, if the government forces credit-card firms to lower transaction fees, company profitability could suffer, says Bob Bacarella of Monetta Young Investor Funds, which owns shares in both companies. The silver lining: The loss in revenue from these fees “could be offset by higher volume as credit cards are used for smaller purchases,” he says.
With their large market share “in an industry which is likely to generate huge amounts of cash—credit-card processing,” Mastercard and Visa are good long-term investments, says Peter Cohan of Peter S. Cohan & Associates.


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Milk provides a package of protein and essential nutrients that are not easily replaced with other foods. Among registered dietitians, family physicians and pediatricians who participated in a recent survey, fluid milk was among the top sources of calcium and vitamin D they recommended to their clients/patients.
So what’s up with all of the other items filling the shelves claiming to be milk or just like milk? Walk past the dairy case at any given grocery store, and the choices can be dizzying. To make matters even more confusing, the products’ nutrients are not consistent, and the ingredient lists range from simple to complex.
Only cow’s milk has a long track record of research supporting its health benefits, and other alternatives simply cannot match the complete nutritional equivalent. Non-dairy beverages have no FDA-regulated standard of identity as cow’s milk products do, and the nutrition claims for these items vary greatly.
To help you ‘decode the dairy case,’ here’s a short video from our friends at the American Dairy Association:
At Honor the Harvest, a summit sponsored by the National Dairy Council in June, more than 200 professionals from the culinary, nutrition, health and wellness, and agricultural communities gathered to immerse themselves in the science and insights about dairy’s role from farm to table.
Representing Oregon at this national summit was Anne Goetze, our Senior Director of Nutrition Affairs, Oregon Health and Science University’s Sonja Connor and Oregon Department of Education’s Farm to School Specialist, Rick Sherman.
“Our Oregon guests are leaders locally and nationally. They were intrigued to hear dairy’s sustainability story,” said Anne.
From a packed day of educational sessions and application to a tour of the agricultural experience at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana, participants learned about dairy’s key role as part of sustainable food systems.
“Honoring the harvest is about using the food for its highest purpose and moving nutrients through the food system – from people, to animals, and back to the land to grow more food – instead of going to waste in a landfill,” said Anne. “By working together we can preserve precious resources and feed a growing population.”


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Mentioned in this articleTeams:
Last week was significant for the esports industry in China, as the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) team FunPlus Phoenix (FPX) won the 2019 World Championships in Paris. As a young esports organization founded in 2017, FPX is now the second team from the region to take the global trophy, and has also won the respect of multiple Chinese esports organizations—respect which has already led to new partnerships with non-endemic sponsors. At the end of World Championships, Riot Games revealed that next year’s finals will take place in Shanghai Stadium, a venue with a seating capacity of over 56,000.
Among the top stories: OPPO lights up the 248 meter (813 feet) high Shanghai Global Harbor Twin Towers for FPX, Oishi released FPX-branded chip packets, while SteelSeries and live streaming platform Kuaishou also announced sponsorships with the team.
Meanwhile, VSPN opened its esports venue in the Shanghai entertainment arena Xintiandi, Anker sponsored CrossFire team SV, and Mars Media partnered with medicine brand Voltaren for the Dota 2 Chengdu Major.
Every week The Esports Observer presents the biggest esports business news in China including investments, acquisitions, sponsorships, and other major news from the region.
OPPO Lights Up Shanghai Global Harbor Twin Towers for FPX, SteelSeries and Kuaishou Sponsor Team
On Nov. 7, Chinese phone brand OPPO made a social media campaign on Weibo, stating that if the post was reshared 100K times, the company would light up the Shanghai Global Harbor Twin Towers to encourage FPX in the 2019 League of Legends World Championship grand finals. The 100K reshares were reached, and on Nov. 9 OPPO kept its promise and lit up the 248-meter twin skyscrapers.
This is the first time that the Shanghai Global Harbor Twin Towers have put on a display featuring an esports organization. OPPO is a global partner of FPX, and is also partnered with Riot Games for all its international events. After FPX won the championship, Nicolo Laurent, the CEO of Riot Games, took a selfie with the MVP of the tournament, Gao “Tian” Tianyang, using an OPPO brand smartphone.
Reaching the grand finals of the League of Legends World Championships also led to new sponsorship opportunities for FPX. Between Nov. 8–9, hardware brand SteelSeries and live streaming platform Kuaishou signed deals with the organization. Their brand logos were featured on FPX’s team jersey and appeared at the grand final.
Oishi Releases FPX Exclusive Chip for the Chinese Double 11 Shopping Festival
FPX’s victory in the tournament also led to a strong performance in China’s e-commerce sector. A day after the team won the World Championship, China’s biggest shopping holiday, “Double 11,” began at 12:00 am on Nov. 11. An hour after FPX lifted the trophy, Oishi, the chip sponsor of FPX, released three exclusive team-branded flavors on its online shop. According to CNN Business, the Double 11 brought in a record $38B in sales for Alibaba.
The five FPX League of Legends players featured on the bag of chips are based on their in-game role. For example, the jungle player Tianyang and mid player Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang were featured on the “extra hot flavor” chip.
Unlike previous World Championship winning teams such as Invictus Gaming or T1, which had a significant history before achieving their title, FPX is a young esports organization. It was founded in 2017 by former Riot Games designer Li Chun. FPX is currently sponsored by OPPO, Oishi, live streaming platforms Huya and Kuaishou, social media company Bixin, Steelseries, and Chinese restaurant brand Cool Fish.
VSPN Opens Esports Venue in Shanghai Xintiandi
On Nov. 13, Chinese tournament organizer and production company VSPN hosted a ceremony for the opening of its esports venue at Shanghai Xintiandi arena. Xintiandi is an affluent shopping, eating, and entertainment district of Shanghai. Shanghai Huangpu government representatives and executives from VSPN and Tencent attended the ceremony, including Li Yuan, vice director of Huangpu district; Ying shuling, the CEO of VSPN; and Zhang Yijia, KPL Union president.
The VSPN esports venue in Xintiandi will not only be used for hosting esports events, but also for fan engagement and art exhibitions. In addition, Teng Lingji, president of VSPN and Yijia, announced that the venue will become the official place for esports fans watching Tencent’s King Pro League (KPL) and Peacekeeper Elite League (PEL).
Other Esports Business News:
- On Nov. 8, Yunnan-based esports organization RushB signed a partnership deal with hardware brand Taidu. RushB is currently competing in the PUBG Champions League (PCL) in China, and Taidu was the official partner of 2019 World Cyber Games (WCG) Xi’an.
- On Nov. 6, Chinese CrossFire team Super Villain (SV) signed a partnership with charger brand Anker. SV competes in Tencent’s CrossFire Professional League (CFPL) and CrossFire Mobile League (CFML).
- On Nov. 12, esports team Vici Gaming (VG) announced that it renewed its sponsorship deal with live streaming platform Douyu for its VG PUBG division.
- On Nov. 13, tournament organizer Mars Media signed a partnership with medicine brand Voltaren for the Dota 2 Chengdu Major. According to the announcement, the medicine’s pain killer can be used for wrist pain from players.
- On Nov. 10, Riot Games revealed that the finals for the next year’s League of Legends World Championship will be held in Shanghai Stadium. While the venue has a total of 56,000 seats, Riot Games has said in an interview with ESPN that it plans to change the stage structure to pack as many fans as possible into the stadium.
Esports Rising – Nov. 14 | Who Is Attending?
Esports organizations in the likes of Team Liquid, 100 Thieves, Gen G. Game developers, including Riot Games and Blizzard. Non-endemic sponsors such as adidas, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Jack in the Box and more. Sponsored by Lagardère Sports, and presented by Sports Business Journal / Daily, with support of The Esports Observer.


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(WBIR - Knoxville) Saturday night, visitors to the Knoxville Zoo got to wine and dine with some of the regulars at Feast With The Beasts.
For the 20th year, the event brought some of the area's best restaurants to sample some main dishes. There were also "watering holes" where local breweries and wineries offered drinks.
The event is a huge boost to the Knoxville Zoo, bringing in thousands of dollars in donations. Lisa New, who helped put on the event for the zoo, said the great weather only helps bring in more donations.
It's a wonderful event. Last year it rained, but tonight the weather's perfect," said New. "We've sold a lot of tickets and a lot of people are still coming through the gates, and it's really good to be at the top of the food chain."
If all goes well, New said the Knoxville Zoo could pull in as much as $70,000, all of which goes right back in to the zoo.


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Solarcentury teams up with Abundance to launch direct investment offer, as Trillion Fund closes in on fund-raising deadline
The nascent green crowd-funding market has taken another notable step forward, as leading solar developer Solarcentury today announces it has teamed up with ethical investment platform Abundance Generation....
EXCLUSIVE: Tea company promises to become carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030 and halve Scope 3 value chain emissions
EXCLUSIVE: How the organic tea company plans to cut emissions 'from crop to cup' and become an 'A* green business'
Car-sharing firm teams up with Innovate UK and US-based FreeWire Technologies to test benefits of recharging on the go
UK climate watchdog sets out blueprint to drive decarbonisation, protect habitats, boost food production and build more housing after Brexit


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It's not your typical day at the office when you can snack on fresh-from-the-oven cookies, sample Italian cheeses and wines, spin a roulette wheel, and load up on all kinds of freebies. That's exactly what the day is like for the 1,500 or so attendees at the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce's annual Business to Business Expo.
This year's event, held last month, showcased 80 businesses ranging from banks and business services to caterers and wellness providers.
"We have been selling out of exhibitor space every year for 17 years," said Joan Schmelig, president of the chamber.
"Visibility is high," said Jennifer Dillender, vice president and business center manager of Commerce Bank in Chesterfield. "There's free food for attendees, no charge to get in, and the companies give away free gifts. These things tend to draw people to the expo."
Although many exhibitors said the number of leads that convert to actual customers is fairly low, they said the exposure is valuable. For some, all they need is one new customer for the cost of exhibiting to pay off. A booth at the event ranges from $275 for one in the outside hallway to $550 for a corner booth in the main room.
Colleen Lang, vice president of commercial relationships for Midland States Bank of Chesterfield, said her company generated customers from the 2007 expo, but she said it's tough to quantify an exact return on investment because people don't immediately switch banks. "First we need to establish a rapport," she said.
MedResources, a medical equipment supplier, exhibited at the expo for the first time this year. "If we create one long-term customer, it's a good investment," said Executive Director Jeff Braun.
He said MedResources mainly exhibits at industry-specific fairs. His goal at Chesterfield's expo was to create brand awareness and to advertise the company's new flu clinic.
Victoria Siegel is a St. Louis freelance writer.


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Wangle Technologies Limited focuses on the development and commercialization of consumer App. The company launched Wangle Family Insites (WFI), family protection software suite.
Why was the app ... Read more
A new kind of malware has surfaced causing cyber threats and attacks. It’s called the BadRabbit Ransomware and is spreading across Europe, mainly through Russia, Ukraine, and other Eastern Europ... Read more
Owl Cyber Defence Solutions, LLC, market leader in data diode network cybersecurity solutions makes an announcement that it is selected to speak at the forthcoming Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cyb... Read more
The multi-national top destination hotel Hyatt has a security breach. The hotel announced that its payment systems were breached, exposing credit card data from 41 hotels in 11 countries. However, the... Read more
We spend our day with technology and it is part of our life now. As the usage increases, cybersecurity has become a necessity. It is important to protect cyber attacks like malware, phishing, and soci... Read more


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Published May 26, 2016 at 4:00pm
Two startup companies that hope to take off with technology developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rome facility are sharing $50,000 in prize money to incentivize their efforts.
Xompass FaaS and OneTouchTrust were each awarded $25,000 at the conclusion of the 2016 Spring Commercialization Academy, which is the vehicle that seeks to transfer technology created at Rome lab to the private sector. Eight teams took to the stage at the thINCubator Tuesday to pitch audience members and a panel of judges in order to see which startup company and AFRL technology-based products and services were most deserving of the money.
Xompass FaaS, a service platform that provides intelligence to assets in the energy industries, walked away with the judges’ vote and $25,000, while a company that combats online identity fraud, OneTouchTrust, captured the audience vote and $25,000.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this group, and the Air Force Research Lab has done great things for our technology,” said Patrick Harris, Xompass vice president. “Hopefully we can continue to develop the product to incorporate some more of the research lab’s patents and make the world a better place.”
The judges looked at how each team is using Air Force Research Laboratory technologies, and the ways each entrant is currently bringing, or will bring, these technologies to the public market.
“I am very excited to win! I have been so grateful to be a part of this program,” said Crystal Taggart, OneTouchTrust founder and CEO. “It’s made a huge difference in my business, and helped me to make connections that I wouldn’t have been able to make outside this organization, so I’m really, really, excited to be a part of it.”
Others vying for the prize money were CFO Technology Corp., Covrt Security, GeoPixi, Inara, Sravel and SwitchNote.
The Commercialization Academy is part of the Department of Defense’s effort to thrust more of its technology into the mainstream by pairing entrepreneurs with technologies. The push started about two years ago when Rome lab officials, in partnership with the Griffiss Institute, opened the academy.
Over the last six months, the Commercialization Academy, run by Wasabi Ventures, has seen teams setting out to transform Air Force Research Laboratory technologies into new startups, with eight developed. Teams invited to the academy are formed by businesspeople who fit one of two categories:
They expect a Rome lab-developed technology can be combined with their own invention to make it better, or they envision a product that can be built around intellectual property licensed from the AFRL.
With the support of Wasabi’s’ mentoring and education, the teams were able to create legal entities, license their piece of intellectual property, spec up product designs, learn the proper way to pitch their their product or service, develop a go-to-market, and define their growth strategies — it all led up to this week’s Demo Day.
“The Commercialization Academy represents a transformative approach to doing tech transfer at a research lab,” said TK Kuegler, Wasabi general partner. “The combining of hands-on mentoring, local funding, founders with domain expertise, and world-class intellectual property from the labs has created the ability to create scalable companies that impact the entire ecosystem.”


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Geiger’s designs to expand
Kurt Geiger, the designer shoe brand worn by celebrities such as Katy Perry and Cheryl Cole, will more than double its number of outlets in the next five years, taking the total to 50.
The group, owned by Graphite, the private equity firm, is expanding into Russia, Turkey and Malaysia via joint venture partners in each territory. Britain, where it employs 2,000 people, is its biggest market. It also has a presence in the Middle East and on the Continent.
Aviva charm offensive
Aviva announces a £200m cost-cutting plan this week as part of an investor charm offensive.
Andrew Moss, the insurer’s chief executive, will use a third-quarter trading statement to give an update on his strategy.
He has been under fire after RSA’s £5 billion takeover offer…