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29 April AtoZForex, Vilnius — Monex Group reported today through its official the announcement to possibly stop offering its platform Tradable. Marking a quite remarkable decision of the Japanese broker giant. Considering, if the Monex Tradable platform stops the service has only lasted for 2 years. Since Monex decided to terminate its MT4 offering in October 2014.
At the time the President of Monex FX, Toshihiko Katsuya publicly stated that the Japanese broker decided to end its reliance on the popular MT4 platform. Instead, the Japanese broker giant introduced to shift its services to the Tradable platform. Toshihiko Katsuya argued that through deploying Tradable, the Japanese broker is able to enhance the user-friendly experience.
Considering that Tradable offers traders the capability to customize a wide range of options. Some of the platform’s benefits are that traders are able to change the interface, add the favorite apps, use different currency charts and more. A good example is when Tradable launched the Tweetable and Chatbox functions on its platform around last year. Allowing traders to keep track of the ongoing tweets from the experts, they follow and receive news updates direct to the Tradable workspace.
Why Monex Tradable platform stops?
Relating back to the case, today the Japanese broker giant revealed in its official announcement that it will discontinue new transactions on the platform in May. Disclosing a clear hint that the Monex Tradable platform stops. Yet, Monex did not inform the motive behind the decision, nor what the next steps are of the broker.
As traders are now questioning, to which platform will Monex move towards next? The Japanese broker giant stated that soon more details would be released regarding the case.
Declining FX volume in March
Could the last month’s disappointing FX volumes and business metrics be one of the reasons why the Monex Tradable platform stops? As earlier this month, the Monex Group revealed that it recorded its worst month of 2016 so far. In more detail, Monex’s Daily Average Revenue Trades (DARTS) declined to 288,349 in March. Marking a decline since the start of the year.
Think we missed something? Let us know down in the comments section.


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Tyson Foods, Inc. has successfully completed its tender offer to purchase The Hillshire Brands Company and acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Hillshire for $63 per share in cash.
Tyson announced it would purchase Hillshire in June after a back-and-forth bidding war with Pilgrim’s Pride over the brand. The deal, valued at $8.55 billion, was unsolicited by Hillshire.
Hillshire and Tyson reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice’s antitrust division on Wednesday that allowed the companies to continue with the merger.
According to the Associated Press, Tyson will sell its sow purchasing business, Heinold Hog Markets, to preserve competition for farmers to sell sows.
Chicago-based Hillshire—including brands such as Hillshire Farms, Ball Park and Jimmy Dean—has more than 9,000 employees and reportedly generated sales of about $4 billion in 2013.

domain: news


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Special needs student wins Seneca High School's Homecoming Queen
Federal regulators have announced a lawsuit against Amazon, accusing the retail giant of illegally charging parents for millions in gaming-related purchases by their kids.
Look! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a drone trying to smuggle drugs and cellphones into a South Carolina prison.


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For the past few holiday seasons Jordan Brand has made the Jordan 11 the feature sneaker of the season with multiple releases beginning in the fall. This year has been no different as we have already received confirmed news of the re-release of the Jordan 11 Concords, as well as a new colorway named the ‘Platinum Sail’ slated to release in October. Now we have received what seems to be our first look at what Jordan brand has store for the women this season. Images have surfaced of the Jordan 11 Olive which has been rumored to drop sometime in November as a WMNS size only release.
This follows the trends of past years, as we have received WMNS editions of the Jordan 11 via the Heiress in Maroon and gold with suede mudguard and the Heiress in Black and gold with a stingray skin mudguard. The Jordan 11 Olive set to release this year will also feature premium materials as it appears to have a suede olive upper and the mudguard appears to be a two tone suede/leather mashup. Finally the sneaker boasts a tan translucent outsole over the white midsole. Stay tuned to One on One Testers and The Sneaker Bulletin for more news and updates on these fresh new kicks and let us know what you think of them in the comments below!


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A online survey commissioned by cash-back shopping site Ebates.ca found that about 40% of Canadians plan to shop on Boxing Day.
Boxing Day has traditionally been a bonanza for bargain hunters, but will earlier Black Friday promotions put a dent in post-Christmas sales?
Boxing Day lineups before dawn outside big chain stores across the country Thursday suggest online shopping has yet to kill the Door Crasher special
Boxing Day retail sales across Canada did not appear to lose steam this year despite a dramatic rise in the number of retailers that adopted the earlier U.S. shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday
A new survey from the Bank of Montreal suggests 62% of Canadians plan to shop on Boxing Day
Canada’s own so-called shopping holiday is fast approaching and experts are advising Canadians to temper their fervour for Boxing Day sales or risk overspending and excessive debt
CMHC's CEO said that after years of cutting its share to reduce taxpayer risk to the $1.2 trillion mortgage market, the agency plans to hold firm at record low 50% market share
Splatoon is different, inventive, and the most fun I’ve had with a Nintendo-developed game since the Wii U launched
Alberta is set for a recession and LaGuardia will get a Canadian makeover: Here's your cheat sheet for today's Financial Post
For years the search giant has witnessed the chipping away of its core product — search — due to the rise of mobile applications. That could be about to change on Android phones
Bank of Nova Scotia wraps up bank earnings season, Avago Technologies' Broadcom deal won't be the tech sector's last, and Teck shuts down its Canadian coal operations


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In a business that’s all about speed—on the running track and in the market—Jochen Zeitz is odd man out. The executive who dreamed up the sports lifestyle category and over the last...
June 20, 2011
Man in the News: Jochen Zeitz
The ceo moved a downmarket sports label into the fashion vanguard. Now he has a bigger race to run.
Ads by Google


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Madrid (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Spain Hoang Xuan Hai on May 28 handed over a decision appointing Pablo Rafael Gomez Falcon, a Spanish citizen as Vietnam’s Honorary Consul in Seville, in charge of the entire Andalusia region in a tenure from 2020 to 2023. Congratulating the new Honorary Consul, Ambassador Hai expressed his belief that Pablo will learn about the Vietnamese community in Andalusia, guide them in following Spain’s laws and customs, and support Vietnamese citizens’ social and cultural activities. He is also expected to perform duties related to citizen protection in his consular region, and help foster the economic, trade and investment cooperation between Andalusia region and Vietnam so as to further develop the Vietnam-Spain strategic partnership. Pablo pledged to do his utmost to fulfil his missions as a honorary consul, and encourage more Spanish enterprises to survey the Vietnamese market, especially after the EU-Vietnam … [Read more...] about Spanish man appointed as Vietnam’s Honorary Consul in Seville
Spanish 5 star holidays
The wild discounting of accommodations is a trend we’re seeing particularly with Hoi An homestays and budget accommodations. This is helping local businesses bring in basic income. When it comes to 4- and 5-star resorts and hotels, the trend of discounting is also a good way to attract domestic travelers, though this could lead to a reduction in service quality as businesses work to keep costs under control. … [Read more...] about How should Vietnam prepare for post-pandemic tourism recovery?
This company’s quarantine plans for the experts were rejected twice by the local health department, which said the plans did not meet standards. After a plan was finally approved, the province decided to move all experts to a quarantine camp, rendering the plans useless. … [Read more...] about Major projects face delays as Covid-19 blocks foreign experts
Vietnamese designer to unveil newest ‘ao dai’ creations in Canada Famous Vietnamese designer Vo Viet Chung will unveil his latest collection of Vietnamese traditional ‘ao dai’ at the "Gala ‘ao dai’ Canada 2019" from July 13-19. … [Read more...] about Designers introduce ao dai collections in HCM City
Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesia is planning to reopen Bali to tourists while Cambodia and Thailand have moved to increase border control to prevent further COVID-19 transmission. Indonesia’s popular holiday destination Bali is expected to resume tourism activities soon. Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Wishnutama Kusubandio said on May 28 that Bali is one of the Indonesian provinces that could be allowed to reopen to international visitors. Bali Vice Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati also stated earlier that his province is ready to carry out requirements to become a safe destination for foreign tourists after the pandemic. The Nusa Dua area of Bali is set to be the pilot area for the “new normal” scenario in the tourism sector as proposed by hotel and restaurant groups in the province. Last week, the local administration discussed this issue with tourism businesses and provincial agencies to issue new health protocols to ensure safety for … [Read more...] about Indonesia considers tourism resumption, Cambodia, Thailand tighten border control


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A project is under way that will bring a popular restaurant and a national bank branch to the main entrance of Fredericksburg’s Central Park shopping center.
Business Openings & Changes
Keep up with the news about new businesses coming to Fredericksburg and changes to current businesses.
A supermarket featuring foods and products from Afghanistan and adjacent countries is opening next month at Fredericksburg’s Gateway Village development off State Route 3.
Cool Cat Cupcakes is planning to open a store downstairs from the Olde Towne Butcher shop in downtown Fredericksburg.
A Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop location is planned at 2203 Plank Road in Fredericksburg.
Curio Wine Bar & Tasting Room is coming soon to downtown Fredericksburg.
The Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center is now the Fredericksburg Convention Center.
The Vakos Companies’ new downtown Fredericksburg hotel will be called The Publisher, paying homage to the history of the site where it’s being built.
A discount-shopping store is planning a large new location in Fredericksburg’s Eagle Village shopping center.
A popular ice cream franchise is coming to Fredericksburg’s Central Park shopping center.
A downtown Fredericksburg restaurant is ready to unveil its expanded dining area.
The new Extended Stay America Premier Suites opened last week in Fredericksburg near Wegmans and the Virginia Credit Union Stadium.
A project to replace the former Bob Evans restaurant building in Fredericksburg with a car-wash business is expected to begin next week.


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Riding out the dollar doldrums
BUYERS of imported goods may be revelling in the strength of the Australian dollar, but the region's exporters and tourism operators are finding it an increasing challenge.
The Aussie dollar hit a five-month high against the American greenback yesterday, starting the day at 93.57 US cents, and also buying 78.31 yen, 72.6 Euro cents and 60.61 pence. The last time it was this high against the greenback was in April.
“From the point of view of our primary producers, the higher dollar does have anegative impact,” Chris Thomson, marketing co-ordinator for the Northern RiversBusiness Advisory Service, said yesterday.
He said the surging dollar made it harder to maintain competitiveness against Chile and other South American countries in the same climatic belt.
“It has an impact on producers' bottom lines, and on their ability to reinvest,” Mr Thomson said.
“From an imports point of view, it's cheaper to buy international fertilisers, but that doesn't go near compensating for the higher dollar. You can't devalue the currency. People just have to get sharper with their costs and look at what they're offering the market.”
One primary industry that is heavilydependent on exports is macadamias.
About 70 per cent of kernels produced in Australia go overseas, Darren Burton, of Agrimac Macadamias in Alstonville, said.
“The changes in currency have a hugeinfluence on macadamia exporters'returns,” he said.
The situation was particularly bad in relation to the US dollar and the Euro, Mr Burton said. The weak US currency meant prices in North America had soared by 70 per cent in the past year. In Europe, the price hike for customers was in the 40 to 50 per cent range ‘which is tough for markets to accept', he said.
“We're praying that early next year when we're putting in our annual contracts for 2011 we'll see an easing in the currency difference in the US and Europe,” Mr Burton said.
Primary producers such as the Big River Group are hit by a double whammy, its managing director, Jim Bindon, said. While the cost of exports climbed, it was a bigger problem staying competitive in the face of increasing cheap imports, he said.
Mr Bindon said the price of timber coming in from Indonesia, China and Chile was atrecord low levels, and that was having a huge impact on their business. The company's best response was to market its products on the strength of their much higher quality, he said.
Tourism was also an export business of sorts, said Northern Rivers Tourism chief Russell Mills. But he didn't believe in the short-term currency fluctuations would turn overseas visitors off if they were thinking of coming to Australia.
He also said he did not believe discounting prices for such things as accommodation was the answer in the tougher market.
“I believe in adding value,” he said.
Mr Mills said groups such as Byron United had realised the region couldn't take tourism for granted, and were working towards co-operating on ‘destination marketing' to stay competitive.


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As advanced data storage options become more affordable, it’s no secret that small businesses want a piece of the flash storage action. Odds are that small businesses aren’t in the market for a major server infrastructure upgrade, but rather that they’re just looking to make business processes a little more efficient with a storage technology upgrade. The problem is that even with the lowered prices of flash storage per GB, it’s still out of reach for many small business owners. This is why small businesses are looking into powerful Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) options to help ramp up some key business processes within their companies.
Solving the Affordability Issue
Still, even with less complex platforms like VDIs, the cost of running these systems is often too expensive for many small businesses to afford. The good news is that emerging flash storage companies are developing VDI deployment options that businesses of any type or size can afford. For instance, Mountain View’s Pure Storage have developed a VDI platform that small businesses can purchase for just $100/seat, which is unheard of in the flash-based virtualization space. Traditionally, VDI deployment systems range anywhere from $300 to $500/seat. This allows small businesses to utilize flash storage technology without having to physically install solid-state drives into their employees’ desktops, laptops and tablet PCs, and without worrying about the massive cost of implementing a high quality VDI.
Solving the Unused Storage Issue
The flash storage revolution doesn’t stop at cost. Companies of all kinds with significant data management issues can stand to benefit from affordable flash storage arrays. For instance, many companies have terrabytes of underutilized, or unused space in their IT infrastructure. By using a high quality VDI, small businesses can take full advantage of unused/underutilized storage space to get the most out of their data. When it comes to cost-effective data management, mileage is key.
Flash Storage as Money, Time and Energy Saver
As smaller companies adopt flash-based storage solutions, they can reap the benefits of larger SSD-powered infrastructures. As business processes become more efficient, small businesses can save a significant amount of time and money that is often associated with implementing, maintaining and upgrading HDD-powered systems.
Also, since small companies will no longer rely on HDD-powered systems, they don’t have to worry about mechanical failure throughout the life of the devices in their storage infrastructure.
Finally, because flash storage relies on low-powered silicon chip technology as opposed to mechanical spinning disk technology, smaller companies can save a great deal of energy within their storage architecture. For today’s small businesses that are seeking to be environmentally responsible, this is more important than ever.
More than ever, small companies need to have options built into their infrastructure that aid them in powering robust desktop computing processes. The truth is that small businesses can’t afford to buy massively high-powered computing devices for their employees. These new, affordable flash-based VDIs allow small businesses to stay competitive with the big dogs in their industry without breaking the proverbial bank.
About the Author: Kay Ackerman is a self-proclaimed tech geek and freelance writer, focusing on business technology, innovative marketing strategies, and small business. She contributes to www.technected.com and you can also find her on Twitter @KayAckerman.


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The Fabulous Fords Forever, currently in its 28th year, is one of the largest one-day car shows in America. Presented by Ford Motor Company and the Ford Car Club Council comprised of 44 member clubs. Over 2,000 vehicles at the show, including over 1,100 Ford Mustangs.
The Mustang Madness Car Show just celebrated its 21st annual Halloween inspired event. Scary customes, decorated cars and free candy were creeping all over the Ken Grody Ford dealership in Buena Park, this years new location.
The OCMC 20th Annual Mustang Madness Halloween Car Show was held today at Theodore Robins Ford in Costa Mesa. This Mustang show was open to all models and years of Fords only. There was entertainment, food, raffles, vendors and trophies for 41 Driver’s Choice classes plus Best of Show.
The Saddleback Mustang Association held its 14th Annual Saddleback Mustang Stampede at Santa Margarita Ford. It was also the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks and a sense of American pride was shared by all. There were several American flags being displayed throughout the Mustang Stampede car show and a very respectful moment of silence was held to honor those who lost their lives.
The Cruisin’ Brea oldies car show and music festival, hosted by the Orange County Mustang Club and sponsored by Villa Ford, featured classic cars of every make and model. Thousands turned out to see the classic cars and hear the classic tunes! The Mustang Club was well represented and spectators got a glimpse at some true aftermarket creations as well as vintage classics restored to stock.
What makes Fabulous Fords Forever a fabulous show for Ford enthusiasts? It is one of the West Coast’s largest car shows, if not the biggest. It has a reputation as a gigantic show drawing participants and car clubs from all over.
The Orange County Mustang Club put on its 19th annual Mustang Madness Car Show. The event was sponsored and held at Theodore Robins Ford dealership in Costa Mesa, CA. It was a great event with well over 150 mustangs on display, some mustang owners won prizes for best costume and car decorations.
The Saddleback Mustang Association in cooperation with Santa Margarita Ford held its 13th Annual Saddleback Mustang Stampede event Sunday, September 12th at 10am to 3pm. A portion of the proceeds will support the ALS Association in leading the fight to treat and cure Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Thousands of car buffs attended the 25th annual Fabulous Fords Forever show held Sunday at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. The event featured around 2,000 Ford vehicles from 1903 Model T’s to 2010 Mustangs.


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Over the past few years, we’ve been reporting on how Microsoft’s fortunes are now becoming directly tied to the cloud. With each new quarterly earnings report, the company continues to prove that its muted reliance on Windows and its new found appreciation for Azure were the right pivots during Microsoft’s, sometimes, painful company restructuring.
Unfortunately, reporting about Microsoft’s cloud growth can be a rather dull endeavor, unless you’re an Azure customer, company investor, or understand exactly what ‘Intelligent Cloud’ entails. So let’s skip those metrics and go straight to the relatable stuff about Microsoft’s FY18 Q4 earnings such as, how the company did with its expanding Surface hardware line, Xbox gaming division and how exactly is Windows doing for the company.
More Personal Computing
Despite Microsoft’s reluctance to mention Windows by name as it used to, the company’s tried and true work horse continues to buoy the business in some regards. Yesterday, Microsoft reported that Windows OEM Pro revenue grew by 14% signaling that the business uptick the company had been expecting is slowly gaining.
On the flip side, it seems that consumer Windows revenue hit a bit of slow patch this quarter even as PC sales grew. The odd paradox resulted in Microsoft claiming a 3% decline in the quarter, which is below the consumer PC market average. Microsoft attributes the decline to the growing entry level PC market where Windows licensing is struggling a bit.
Microsoft also noted that its business and cloud solutions which pivot from Windows saw a revenue increase of 23% thanks to some nifty multi-year agreements the company is pitching to businesses. Many of Microsoft’s multi-year agreements are producing high in-quarter revenue numbers for the company.
Microsoft’s Surface line has been a bit of an enigma for investors as the product line continues to try and calibrate a moderately seasonal reporting structure. Despite the Surface line being a billion dollar business for the company, it’s typically boarding on stagnate or declining revenue for Microsoft on the whole. Fortunately, for Q4 this year, Surface proved to be a big winner with revenue growing by 25% year over year. Microsoft is contributing the growth to obvious year over year comparison where its Surface Laptop and Surface Pro (latest gen) had yet to fully penetrate the market following an unusually long product update cycle.
While Microsoft arguably won the affection of writers and bloggers during E3 this year, the reality stands that its Xbox division has been struggling as of late to come up with enticing purchase offers in leu of actual well received first party titles. Despite that being the case, Microsoft has managed to leverage its Xbox branded software and services to increase its gaming revenue by 39% and products such as Xbox Live, Xbox Game Pass, and Play Anywhere titles.
Despite console sales numbers, the amount of Xbox Live monthly active users grew to 57 million or as investors would read it, an 8% growth from this point last year. The devil is in the detail with this growth number as Microsoft states it occurred across Xbox One Windows 10 and mobile platforms signaling that perhaps more Windows 10 owners were signing up for Xbox Live than were people who owned Xbox One consoles. Even if the latter is true, several of Microsoft’s E3 2018 announcements all but outlined the company’s plan to evolve the Xbox platform into something more platform agnostic, starting with its software and services.
Lastly, Microsoft’s Bing efforts are still putt-putting along with the search platform tracking a 17% revenue growth with a few asterisk tossed into the mix. Microsoft is subtracting the traffic acquisition from its overall search costs to get to its 17% revenue growth, meaning that if the if were to include the amount of money the company spent to be Yahoo search funnel, its overall growth might have seemed muted. However, a stagnate search trajectory is usually preferred to a decline, especially with Microsoft holding such little footing in mobile and the connected speaker market.
In all, Microsoft continues to rack up some impressive consumer-facing wins even as the company evolves into a mature 1990’s IBM-like hybrid business.
With the Surface Go now on the market, a slew of Always Connected PCs and a new Xbox console slated for next year, it’ll be interesting to see how these numbers fluctuate next year.


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2017 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet convertible SUV leaked
The Mercedes-Maybach G550 4x4 Landaulet has been teased and leaked ahead of its debut.
On the weekend Mercedes-Benz shared a photo (bottom) on its Facebook page revealing the rear of a G-Class convertible, and titled with the description: "First we built the G63 AMG 6x6 – Now the ultimate off-roader has another surprise up its sleeve. Stay tuned..."
The tail end of the car's number plate reads "G 6501" hinting that the new model will be badged as the G650, and will likely be powered by a version of the 6.0-litre V12 twin-turbo petrol engine used in the AMG G65.
This official teaser picture was followed up earlier this week by photos and videos by Auto.Mail.ru, which, if genuine, shows off the latest in a long line of developments for the rugged off-roader that dates back to 1979.
The leaked photo and video show a white G-Class with a stretched wheelbase, Maybach badging and carbon-fibre wheel arch extensions.
Most importantly there's a folding canvas roof that covers much of the vehicle from the just behind the B-pillar, and allows the rear seat passengers to enjoy an alfresco luxury off-roading experience. The Landaulet still features a solid metal roof over the driver and front passenger.
According to the Russian auto website, just 99 copies of the G650 Landaulet will be produced.


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Can companies do better by doing less? | Guardian Sustainable Business In mainstream economics and politics, “growth” is a largely unquestioned good, generally associated with positive attributes like “progress” or “innovation”. “Degrowth”, on the other hand, connotes negative trends like recession, decline, unemployment and social disruption. Viewed from this angle, the idea of voluntary degrowth seems bizarre. Or, as British economist Tim Jackson puts it, “Questioning growth is deemed to be the act of lunatics, idealists and revolutionaries.” Not surprisingly, when policymakers and business leaders look for solutions to environmental and social crises, they usually focus on technology-based “growth” strategies like “green growth”, geo-engineering and carbon capture. However, a growing number of scientists have argued that growth-based technology solutions alone will not be able to stop the dramatic human overuse of nature, or eradicate poverty. Building degrowth communities – and economies The food sector is an especially fertile area for innovation.
Coinbase One of the interesting things about Bitcoin is the contrast between how it is portrayed in the press and how it is understood by technologists. The press tends to portray Bitcoin as either a speculative bubble or a scheme for supporting criminal activity. In Silicon Valley, by contrast, Bitcoin is generally viewed as a profound technological breakthrough. The Internet is based on a set of core protocols that specify how information such as text, photos, and code should be transmitted. This matters for two reasons: 1) It fixes serious problems with existing payment systems that depend on centralized services to verify the validity of transactions. 2) More importantly, Bitcoin is a platform upon which new technologies can be developed. But to proliferate widely, Bitcoin needs a killer app the same way HTTP had web browsers and SMTP had email clients. Coinbase has grown extremely fast and is now the most widely used Bitcoin service in the US.
How Uber and the Sharing Economy Can Win Over Regulators - Sarah Cannon, and Lawrence H. Summers Sharing economy firms are disrupting traditional industries across the globe. For proof, look no further than Airbnb which, at $10 billion, can boast a higher valuation than the Hyatt hotel chain. Uber is currently valued at $18.2 billion relative to Hertz at $12.5 billion and Avis at $5.2 billion. Beyond individual firms, there are now more than 1,000 cities across four continents where people can share cars. These firms bring significant economic, environmental, and entrepreneurial benefits including an increase in employment and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions (in the case of car sharing services). However, rather than rolling out the red carpet, city governments have resisted many of these new entrants issuing subpoenas and cease-and-desist orders. Regulation is often the most significant barrier to future growth for sharing economy firms. The relationship between sharing economy firms and regulators will likely remain uneasy for the foreseeable future.
Bitcoin – The Internet of Money This post is old – I wrote it for Wired, which just published an excerpt in “The Wired World in 2014″ issue, but the article was written in July. Apologies for the obsolescence. Bitcoin will eventually be recognized as a platform for building new financial services. Most people are only familiar with (b)itcoin the electronic currency, but more important is (B)itcoin, with a capital B, the underlying protocol, which encapsulates and distributes the functions of contract law. Bitcoin encapsulates four fundamental technologies: Digital Signatures – these can’t be forged and allow one party to securely verify a transaction with another.Peer-to-Peer networks, like BitTorrent or TCP/IP – difficult to take down and no central trust required.Proof-of-Work prevents users from spending the same money twice, without needing a central authority to distinguish valid from invalid transactions. Proponents of the role of government argue that a currency with fixed supply will fail.
And what about the money? On September 15, 2008, six years ago, Lehman Brothers collapsed. Despite a “tsunami” of reforms, the financial system has not been transformed. To change finance, there might be a need to change our basic understanding of the financial system. This come-back to fundamentals has led reformers as well as central bankers to focus on money itself. Interestingly, new thinking comes with new methods of producing and spreading knowledge, and new ways of forcing ideas into the political agenda. By Fabien Hassan, guest poster* Since its creation in 2012, Finance Watch has been trying to have an impact on the regulatory agenda in Europe, and has achieved some remarkable results (see annual report for 2013). But what of the reforms that have not made it onto the mainstream legislative agenda? The role of money in macroeconomics Mainstream economics, a science which deals with prices, wealth, and production essentially claims that money doesn't matter. Who are the advocates of monetary reform?
What Bitcoin and Internet of Things Startups Have in Common Bitcoin has captivated the imaginations of many with its quasi-anonymous, hyper cost-efficient payment network. The potential for Bitcoin to change foreign exchange is hard to overstate. In the same vein, the technologies that enable the internet of things (IoT) like Bluetooth Low Energy and Apple's Beacons and Electric Imp's infrastructure will transform the way we interact with the physical world to something akin to the mall in Minority Report. The startups that bring Bitcoin and IoT to the mass-market won't declare themselves Bitcoin companies or connected devices companies. I've never seen a computer marketed as a TCP/IP machine or a bank that promotes the ACH compatibility of its checking accounts or a social network trumpet its H.264 codec support. I doubt I ever will because supporting a protocol isn't a value proposition that attracts end users. I suspect the first mass-market successful Bitcoin company won't have Bitcoin (or any subset of the word) in its name.
“The circular economy is the basis of a new EU industrial policy” | Europe’s World The European Commission’s paper “For a European Industrial Renaissance” underlines the importance of boosting manufacturing industry’s share of the EU’s GDP to around 20% by 2020 from 15% today. To reach that, adjustments to the regulatory framework will be vital. Although derided sometimes as the “old continent”, Europe is nevertheless very well placed to kick-start a new industrial era around the world thanks to its wealth of productive infrastructure, its skilled workforce and innovation capital. But first, what must Europe, as cradle of the industrial revolution, do to re-invent itself and re-think the future? Faced with unprecedented price rises and volatility on commodities markets, Europe’s industrial economy needs tangible solutions if it is to be at the forefront of globalisation. “The throughput economy has since the industrial revolution been based on a take-make-dispose flow of resources and energy no longer provides the socio-economic solutions we need”
Bitcoin Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know About the Future of Money | Wired Enterprise Illustration: WIRED The price of a bitcoin topped $900 last week, an enormous surge in value that arrived amidst Congressional hearings where top U.S. financial regulators took a surprisingly rosy view of digital currency. Just 10 months ago, a bitcoin sold for a measly $13. The spike was big news across the globe, from Washington to Tokyo to China, and it left many asking themselves: “What the hell is a bitcoin?” The spike was big news across the globe, from Washington to Tokyo to China, and it left many asking themselves: ‘What the hell is a bitcoin?’ Bitcoin is a digital currency, meaning it’s money controlled and stored entirely by computers spread across the internet, and this money is finding its way to more and more people and businesses around the world. With that in mind, we give you this: an idiot’s guide to bitcoin. Bitcoin isn’t just a currency, like dollars or euros or yen. Bitcoin is much more than a money service for illegal operations. Birth of the Bitcoin
The Sharing Economy on the Collaborative Commons The following essay is excerpted from The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism, by Jeremy Rifkin and appears at Common Dreams with permission. A powerful new economic movement has taken off overnight. A younger generation is beginning to share goods and services on a global Collaborative Commons. Much of what we own goes unused some of the time. Like other shareable brokers, Airbnb gets only a small cut from the renter and owner for bringing them together. Airbnb is a private firm operating in a shared Internet Commons. Couchsurfing also differentiates itself from its more commercial competitor, Airbnb, by viewing its mission more broadly as social rather than commercial in nature. Toy rentals have also enjoyed success as sharable items. Even clothes, the most personal of all physical items, are metamorphosing from a possession to a service. While rentables are booming, so too are redistribution networks.
10 Things I Think I Think on Bitcoin I’m relatively late to Bitcoin. I’m probably more current than 99.9% of the general population but less informed than the hackers, hobbyists and investors who have been studying this since its inception in early 2009. I’m no payment systems or cryptography expert. So I went back to first principles and studied the Khan Academy lectures here during this past summer. With that as a backdrop, here are 10 things I think I think; the format is one I’ve used before and a hat tip to Peter King, whose Monday morning column I read religiously. I think Bitcoin is just a bet that the world becomes more multipolar. Kudos
Economic Shift: The Rise of the Collaborative Commons | Big Think | Think Tank “We are just beginning to glimpse the bare outlines of an emerging new economic system--the collaborative commons,” explains economist Jeremy Rifkin, the New York Times bestselling author of The Zero Marginal Cost Society. In our new series on disruption, Rifkin discusses the forces shaping our economy and what we can expect in the years to come. “This is the first new economic paradigm to emerge on the world scene since the advent of capitalism and socialism in the early 19th century. So it's a remarkable historical event.” Rifkin is a prominent voice on the forefront of what he calls the Third Industrial Revolution, the era in which technology is shaping economies to be more energy efficient and collaborative. His research helps shape the decisions of government leaders around the world to meet the challenges of today and work towards a more prosperous, cleaner future. “What's really interesting is the trigger that's giving birth to this new economic system.
10 things we learned in recent circular economy live chat | Guardian Sustainable Business | Guardian Professional 1. The circular economy is about the four ‘R’s Asked to describe a circular economy for someone who had never heard of it, Bart Goetzee, senior group sustainability at Philips explains that it’s “an industrial system that is restorative by design which means you can focus on economic growth without the increased use of natural resources.” Essentially it’s about making more money while selling less stuff and it encompasses four different R’s, expands Mike Pitts, lead specialist in sustainability at Innovate UK, offering some practical examples. 2. According to CEO of Wrap, Liz Goodwin: For a product, the onus is on the manufacturer who needs to take care of the resources used in its products, so it keeps the metals, plastics etc in use within the product cycle for as long as possible and thinks about design for longevity, repair and re-use. 3. Terms such as GDP are meaningless measures for service-based economies, let alone circular economies, argues Innoverne’s Chris Hoskin. 4. 5. 6. 7.


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Nissan is set to join the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2015. Nissan will join compatriot, Toyota to fend-off Porsche and Audi for Le Mans 24 hours glory next year! The Japanese firm has confirmed that it will mount a two-car attack for the entire WEC season of 2015 with a car to be known as the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO.
Nissan vice-president Andy Palmer explained that his company wanted to exploit the new energy-based P1 rules introduced for this season by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest at Le Mans and the FIA. Interestingly, Nissan will not follow its rivals by embracing hybrid in its LMP1 cars, instead Nissan will explore something different. The project is set to involve Nissan engineers and technical crew from all over the world, with Nissan’s tuning arm in Japan, NISMO, set to spread head this project.
It is also claimed by NISMO head, Shoichi Miyatani that Nissan LMP1 will carry the name of the marque’s road-going GT-R supercar because it “symbolises the ultimate in Nissan’s performance”. This is not the first time Nissan is mounting a challenge in Le Mans as they had cars in that famous 24 hour race two decades ago, with the Nissan Skyline GT-R in 1995 and 1996.
While Nissan is yet to announce the details of the new LMP1 machine, they’ve set their sights on winning the prestigious 24 Hours race in 2016. The Nissan GT-R LM NISMO is scheduled to hit the track in October ahead of a two-car assault on the full WEC in 2015.


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Tesla has recently implemented a reduction in prices inside the Chinese market, which has resulted in a negative response from investors.
The stock of the electric vehicle manufacturer had a decline on Monday following its decision to reduce prices for some automobile models in the country. This action has reignited a competitive pricing conflict inside the largest global automotive market.
On Monday, the manufacturer made an official announcement on a substantial price reduction for its Model Y in the Chinese market. The company stated that two specific models would be subject to a discount of 14,000 yuan ($1,929), which would be implemented immediately.
According to official statements released by Tesla (TSLA) on Chinese social media and its website, the price of the long-range model has been adjusted to 299,900 yuan ($41,340), but the performance model will now be offered at a price of 349,900 yuan ($48,200).
This would imply reductions of 4.5% and 3.8% correspondingly.
Furthermore, Tesla has announced that purchasers of the Model 3 would be eligible for a subsidy of up to 8,000 yuan ($1,107) if they want to acquire the vehicle from a preferred insurance provider until the conclusion of September.
The endeavor did not succeed in generating a favorable impression among investors. The shares of Tesla had a decline of 1.2% in the New York market on Monday subsequent to the release of the company’s announcements.
The recent price reductions implemented by Tesla, which mark the company’s initial adjustments since January, can be attributed to the increasing competition witnessed in China, namely within the rapidly evolving electric vehicle industry.
According to automobile analysts from HSBC, there is an observed increase in pricing pressure due to intensified competition, elevated inventory, and the implementation of low-season incentives.
According to a research, it has been observed that several automakers, such as Tesla, Zeekr, and Leapmotor, have used more assertive pricing strategies since the start of August.
According to their predictions, the trend is expected to persist in the third quarter, with market frontrunners like Tesla, BYD, and other brands displaying a progressively more assertive approach.
According to an analysis conducted using data from the China Passenger Car Association, Tesla’s reliance on China is of significant importance, since deliveries from its Shanghai Gigafactory alone contribute to almost 50% of its worldwide sales.
The company has extensively conducted pricing experiments subsequent to experiencing a decline in market share, particularly in response to competition from BYD, a company supported by Warren Buffett.
Tesla implemented multiple price reductions in China from October to January due to a decline in its market share. During the month of April, the Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, alluded to the possibility of implementing additional reductions in prices with the aim of stimulating sales.
The implementation of the reductions initiated a competitive pricing environment inside the nation, leading several car manufacturers to adopt a similar approach by providing substantial discounts.
The implementation of cost reductions has resulted in Tesla experiencing its lowest profit margin since 2020. However, the business has announced a higher-than-anticipated increase in profits for the most recent quarter.
The most recent reversal signifies another change in direction for Tesla. In the month of May, the corporation implemented a strategic decision to raise prices on a global scale, with the most significant price hike being in the Chinese market.
According to analysts, it was suggested that Tesla’s intention might have been to subtly influence customers who were anticipating further price drops.


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Keratin Complex® did such an awesome job on the models’ hairstyles during New York Style Fashion Week in September, that leader Woody Michleb and team were asked to do the same at L.A. Style Fashion Week, Oct. 14 – 18!
As the official hairstylists for the event, the Keratin Complex team created looks for dozens of designers and lines, such as Malan Breton, Nikki Lund, Nancy Vuu, Vicken Derderian, Sarafia and Civil Society.
The five-day fashion fest was kicked off by a special runway show titled Style Me Pink, in which celebrities helped showcase pink looks to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
This show was a little different, Woody notes. Rather than creating an overall hair theme—as he did for the designer shows—each look was crafted individually. “The inspiration for the hair was based on each dress, so every style was customized,” he says. “We wanted to make the hair interesting and formal, but keep the look fresh and youthful, with stylized ponytails, braids and details mixed throughout the looks.”
Woody himself worked on celebrity AnnaLynne McCord, above, who wore a beautiful light-pink dress on the runway. He used Keratin Complex tools such as Vita Volume Boosting Foam, Sweet Definition hair texturizing spray, Bold Hold hairspray and the Transformer styling rod to give the actress “tousled, sultry waves with a downtown edge.”
Follow our step-by-step to get the look for yourself!


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American Express ranks highest in credit card customer satisfaction for a fifth consecutive year, according to J.D. Power & Associates.
The overall industry is up for a second year after a considerable decline in 2009.
The 2011 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study measures customer satisfaction with credit cards by examining six factors: interaction; credit card terms; billing and payment process; rewards; benefits and services; and problem resolution. Overall credit card satisfaction averages 731 on a 1,000-point scale in 2011, up from 714 in 2010 and 705 in 2009.
American Express ranks highest in customer satisfaction for a fifth consecutive year with a score of 786 and performs particularly well in the benefits and services, credit card terms and rewards factors.
American Express says it has made improvements to enhance the customer experience over the past year, including expanding benefits, services and rewards. Its rewards program has been enhanced so cardmembers can increasingly redeem points online. The company has also launched new servicing tools for its customer care professionals and also introduced online improvements such as a new financial tools Web site and an overall revamp of the American Express Web site with the goal of making it more user-friendly.
Discover Card follows with a score of 779, and performs well in the interaction factor. Barclaycard ranks third with 739.
Customer perceptions of card issuer brand image have also improved in 2011. Overall reputation of brands in the industry has increased again this year, as measured across six attributes, with financial stability showing the greatest increase from 2010.
The improvement in credit card satisfaction may be attributed to a decline in interest rate increases reported, as well as a decrease in the impact of interest rate increases on overall satisfaction. In addition, 35% of customers say they understand their credit card terms, up from 32% in 2010.
"It appears that credit card companies are doing a better job of communicating with customers, which may be an effect of CARD (The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009)," said Michael Beird, director of banking services at Westlake Village, Calif.-based J.D. Power and Associates, in a release. "This improved communication is key to ensuring that customers fully understand their credit card terms, particularly benefits and fees, which helps reduce the number of problems reported and improves the overall experience."
Even with improved communication and higher satisfaction across the industry, there is still a wide variance among credit card companies, and competition for acquiring new cardholders has increased during the past year, Beird says.
The 2011 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 8,700 credit card customers. The study was fielded in May and June 2011.


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It is assumed that the South Korean corporation wants to reduce its gadgets and increase competition in the Chinese market.
A representative of Samsung Corporation visited the Chinese company Wintech (at the factories of which Xiaomi devices are assembled) with a view to concluding a deal on the future production of branded smartphones in the Middle Kingdom. This was reported by the South Korean edition of The Korea Herald with reference to local sources.
According to Asian journalists, Samsung plans to produce smartphones at the budget and mid-price segments of the Galaxy J and Galaxy A series at Wintech plants, respectively. The release of flagship models in the face of representatives of the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note lines will continue to deal with time-tested factories.
Probably, the Korean corporation wants to transfer part of the production to China in order to reduce the cost of its smartphones and thereby better compete with manufacturers from China in their market. However, these are just guesses – it is possible that the company simply wants to reduce its costs (leaving the former cost of devices).
More in News: HP introduced a laptop with a leather case
On what terms Samsung intends to negotiate with Wintech – is unknown. It can hardly be expected that the Chinese production will negatively affect the quality of the smartphone assembly, as representatives of the Korean corporation will monitor the work of the plant employees. At least, the Xiaomi devices manufactured at Wintech factories are assembled quite qualitatively – this is noted by many reviewers and users.
For more stuff visit our site techverses.com and discover what you want.


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Sony is working on a DSLR-like E-mount camera, which will become a part of a new NEX series that will compete against Canon EOS Rebel shooters.
It has been a while since Sony has last announced high-profile cameras or even ones with enticing features. The new RX1R and RX100 II are just remakes of older devices. Even though they are pretty good, consumers are always looking for something newer than “remodels”.
Since Sony is restructuring its camera business, a lot of rumors are circling around the web and they will continue to do so, therefore the company’s fans should prepare for a lot of treats in the neighboring future.
Sony DSLR-like E-mount camera rumored to be in the works
One of the surprises is the E-mount segment, which will be entirely revamped. After the gossip talks have leaked information about a full frame NEX, it appears that a Sony DSLR-like E-mount camera is on its way.
The specifications will be “inspired” by the Canon Rebel series, but they will be a lot better than the EOS devices, sources say. It appears that the PlayStation maker is aiming to release shooters in the same price range as the “Rebels”, but offering improved performance.
Sony wants to chew off Canon’s EOS Rebel market share, but nobody knows when it’s going to happen
The new Sony DSLR-like E-mount camera will be an entry-level product. Nevertheless, its features will up the stakes in this department, but it is unknown by how much Sony is planning to affect the market.
Unfortunately, a more concise specs list, launch date, and a price are hidden somewhere in the company’s files, meaning that it may take a while before the rumor mill gets a hold of them.
Multiple other Sony cameras said to be in development
Meanwhile, other leaked information mentions a Sony NEX-7 successor, which will feature a slightly different design than its predecessor. Moreover, a NEX full frame camera is coming in early 2014, along with an APS-C A-mount shooter and an FF device sporting the same “Alpha” mount.
As previously established, a lot of digital apparatuses are in the works at the Tokyo headquarters and we should start seeing at least some results by the end of 2013.
It is worth noting that the Canon EOS Rebel SL1, the company’s smallest DSLR ever, is available for purchase for $649 at Amazon, so it will be exciting to see what Sony has to offer at this price point.


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OKLAHOMA (Mystateline.com) - A Salmonella outbreak in 31 states has been linked to Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal, the Centers for Disease Control said Friday.
The Kellogg Company announced that it was voluntarily recalling Honey Smacks cereal because of the potential presence of Salmonella
The illness outbreak started on March 3 to March 28, the CDC said. The CDC has reported that 100 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.
The illness has been reported in Oklahoma, however, most of the illnesses have occurred in California, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania, according to the CDC.
The Food and Drug Administration says they've become aware that recalled boxes are still on store shelves.
Kellogg is asking that people who purchased the potentially affected products discard it and contact the company for a full refund. Consumers seeking more information, including images of these products, can visit kelloggs.com/honeysmacksrecall or call 1-800-962-1413 from Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET as well as Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET.


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Two men with handguns robbed the T-Mobile phone store in downtown Redlands on Sunday and the suspects remained at large, a police spokesman said Monday.
The armed robbery was reported in the 500 block of Orange Street shortly after 11 a.m. Sunday Sept. 9, a police spokesman said.
"Witnesses reported that two robbers entered the store armed with handguns," Redlands police spokesman Carl Baker said in a statement. "The robbers told a customer in the store to get on the ground and forced employees to the back of the store. They took merchandise from the store and fled in an unknown direction."
The gunment were described as black males in their 20s, both about 6 feet tall, Baker said. One man wore a black hooded sweatshirt and the other wore a red hooded sweatshirt.
No injuries were reported during the robbery.
Anyone with more information was urged to call Detective Frank Rocha at (909) 798-7580 or Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681. Anonymous tips can be provided by texting 274637 using the keyword "REDTIP."
Some non-emergency crimes may be reported online using the Redlands Police Department's CopLogic system at http://ci.redlands.ca.us/police/coplogic/start-report.html.


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A short while ago this question could have been answered with a resounding 'no'. However, Apple has now launched a wide range of business-friendly applications and products which have altered the enterprise landscape considerably.
For years, while Microsoft ruled the enterprise roost, the idea that Apple could be anything other than a niche player was rarely suggested. Apple certainly had good hardware, even if you had to pay dearly for it, but Steve Jobs himself refused to even attempt a serious pursuit of the enterprise. Apple rising into this sphere and becoming a real player was a far-fetched concept — beyond its lack of commitment, its software didn't provide the same usability as the Windows version of Microsoft Office or indeed the support channel and the rest of the major infrastructure a major enterprise firm requires.
But the bring your own device (BYOD) phenomenon, and the attraction of using a whole computing 'ecosystem' changed our priorities, presenting Apple with new possibilities in the process.
The BYOD movement began with the iPod, when users got drawn into iTunes and the Apple ecosystem. Things really took off with the iPhone though, when all of a sudden your music player could simultaneously be your phone, web browser, email device and much more. Apple's ecosystem strengthened further with the introduction of the iPad, and continues to evolve. The devices integrate so seamlessly with Macs that when considering a new computer, there's now a lot to pull a consumer away from Windows PCs. People aren't just choosing computers anymore – they're choosing ecosystems.
The sales figures for iPads alone are enough to make your head spin. In the first quarter of 2013, Apple shipped almost as many iPads as the two leading PC makers combined did Windows PCs. Apple's CEO Tim Cook summed up the tablet phenomenon by saying, "Just two years after we shipped the initial iPad, we've sold 67 million. And to put that in some context, it took us 24 years to sell that many Macs and five years for that many iPods and over three years for that many iPhones."
It is interesting that this process of entry by the back door is something Jobs had mentioned years before, when he commented that sales of the iPod alone had done more than all the previous decade's advertising for the Apple computer. Now it seems that this back door effect is disrupting organisational IT procurement and support systems, as employees and executives demand to be able to use their iPhones, iPads and Mac laptops for work.
Although providing access to corporate email was pretty straightforward — many IT departments already support email access from mobile devices and other computers — other services have been slower to catch up. For example, file sharing was not easily solved, and many users still have to transfer files via email. This is because corporate file shares were not designed with mobile devices or Macs in mind. In fact, they were not designed with remote users in mind, and do not offer the kind of experience that email provides, where you can work easily even when network connections are intermittent. As a result, users have turned to new, public-cloud file sharing services like Dropbox in order to fill this need. In fact, according to a recent study by Nasuni, 20 per cent of employees now use Dropbox for work.
For organisations, this "Bring Your Own Service" effect may actually represent a bigger issue than Bring Your Own Device. When users start deciding where to keep organisational data outside an organisation's sanctioned collaboration platforms, the organisation can lose all control, and could even lose their rights as "owners" of said data. Think of it this way, if employees were allowed to take corporate inventory and store it in their basements without oversight, how reliably would the organisation be able to reclaim that inventory when the employee leaves?
Can Microsoft bring consumers back to their ecosystem, and thereby help make sure organisational data stays under an organisation's control? The outlook is unclear.
A recent report from NPD says that US Windows device sales are down 25 per cent on last year and Windows 8 tablet sales are almost non-existent. Using a strategy similar to that of the iPad in Apple's ecosystem, Microsoft's Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets were supposed to drive demand for Windows Phone 8 devices. The business plan was simple: sell lots of touch-enabled tablets running Windows 8 Pro or Windows RT, and sit back as consumers flock to similar smartphones and ultrabooks. Microsoft claimed that developers would also celebrate because new applications would run identically across Windows smartphones, tablets and PCs.
As of March 2013, Microsoft had sold only 1.5 million Surface tablets. Surface RT went on sale in October 2012 and has sold about 1.1 million units, well below expectations. Surface Pro debuted in February and it's been suggested that only 400,000 units have been sold so far.
So is this the year of the enterprise tablet? According to Digital Ad Agency Vertic, the answer is yes. Here's how Vertic sees these tablet trends play out in the enterprise:
- Enterprise tablet adoption will grow by almost 50 per cent each year
- By 2015, mobile app development projects will outnumber native PC projects by a ratio of 4:1
- The iOS and Android platforms will be adapted to meet enterprise requirements and Windows 8 tablets will hit the market
- The introduction of Quadcore tablets, 4G, Cloud Computing and the continuous adoption of HTML5 will make the tablet even more integrated into the work environment
For decades the enterprise has relied upon Microsoft Windows for its PC operating systems, and for good reason — Microsoft's proven enterprise track record, including its own integrated software offerings like Microsoft Office, Exchange, SharePoint, MS-SQL and the vast number of third party applications, ranging from productivity to security, has seen it control the market segment expertly. It's no surprise that organisations choose to provide and support Windows PCs. But companies are discovering that it's not so easy to dictate what their employees use, especially with so many affordable alternatives on the market, along with their attractive ecosystems.
Apple, meanwhile, continues to expand, with an entry into the product lines of the iTelevision and the iWatch widely anticipated; the company is continuing its careful dovetailing of products and services. It is a strategy that promises to include iCloud services integration - extending services such as iMessage, Find My Friends, and Find My iPhone to a smartwatch. This would not only give the services a new platform to operate from, but also give a sales boost to the existing iOS lineup. The iWatch could become a standard accessory.
In terms of iOS integration: Who just called you? Where's your iPhone? What's the battery level on your iPad? Which apps need updating? This could all be visible from a device on your wrist. OS X integration: Features such as authentication — perhaps via near-field communications (NFC), biometrics, or Bluetooth — and being able to control features such as scheduled backup and updates would also be handy on the wrist-attached device.
We can't forget Google's growing ecosystem either. Gmail, Chrome, Google docs, Google drive, Android phones, tablets, laptops and Google Glass create an attractive, integrated user experience that has already amassed a sizable market – Gmail has over 425 million active users, and more than two thirds of all smartphones are now running Android. BYOD concerns pertain to Android too, of course, so organisational data has yet another avenue of escape.
Corporations are therefore between a rock and a hard place. Employees have to work and collaborate to be productive, but if they continue to use their own devices and 'unsanctioned' cloud services, organisations will continue to lose control of their data and information they store about their business partners and customers.
The key to a collaborative enterprise is to provide an alternative to cloud-based file sharing solutions that are secure, easy to use, and at a fraction of the cost of shipping data to the cloud. By transforming the existing corporate infrastructure into a secure cloud-like file synchronisation platform, organisations will be able to create a secure private cloud experience. This strategy allows enterprises to use their existing file sharing infrastructure, keep their data on their file servers, keep their existing file permissions, and provide secure file synchronisation and mobile device access.
The enterprise is adapting and evolving in this new era of collaboration. Enterprises that are not fully collaborative will not be able to seize the competitive advantages created by more entrepreneurial rivals that use collaborative techniques to spur their employees on creatively.
Success in business depends on talent and teamwork and a fully-optimised collaborative ecosystem which balances security and productivity. Could Apple be the ones to provide that ecosystem? Given the way it emerged from obscurity to charge through the consumer space, you certainly wouldn't put it past the Cupertino firm.
David Gibson is vice president at Varonis, a company that provides data governance solutions for unstructured and semi-structured data to companies across a range of industries worldwide.


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The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado is far from a frugal or “green” vehicle. However, the new truck will have a larger impact on gasoline consumption than the Toyota Prius.
The Detroit Free Press reported on Wednesday that the math shows big improvements, and despite a 52 mpg estimated fuel economy rating from Toyota’s famed hybrid, the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save fuel. How so?
Foremost, the 2019 Silverado will sell hundreds of thousands of more units than the Prius. It’s the nature of the U.S. auto market. And a 1 mpg improvement in fuel economy in a large vehicle like a full-size truck provides a larger impact than a greater fuel economy increase in an ultra-efficient car. The Department of Energy research showed a 1-mpg increase in combined city/highway fuel economy from 16 to 17 mpg saves as much gasoline as improving from 25 to 27.5 mpg or 35 to 40 mpg.
Additionally, the measly 1-mpg improvement saves more gasoline than a 6-mpg improvement from 46 mpg to 52 mpg when driving 12,000 miles on average per year. Thus, owners of a 2009 Silverado with the 5.3-liter V8 engine trading up to a 2019 Silverado will save 4.4 million gallons a year for every 100,000 pickups sold. Prius owners replacing their 2009 model with a new model will save 3 million gallons of fuel per 100,000 vehicles.
Of course, this doesn’t mean everyone should buy a truck in an effort to “go green,” but the math works out for loyal buyers who obviously wouldn’t cross shop a full-size pickup with anything else.
While the fuel economy numbers may come off as somewhat disappointing on paper for the new 2019 Silverado, they are, at the end of the day, still an improvement. And we’ve yet to see General Motors apply and sort of electrification to its full-size truck as Ram has with a mild-hybrid system. Once automakers begin to stack fuel-saving technology atop each other, we’ll only see fuel economy climb for America’s thirstiest vehicles.


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Segway has been bought by British millionaire Jimi Heselden, an investor in the company's UK dealership.
Heselden is the chairman of Hesco Bastion, a company that makes 'Concertainer' units for flood and blast protection, as used by the military and humanitarian agencies. Segway, which makes high-tech scooters, made the deal public in a blog post on Thursday, although it said it took place on Christmas Eve last year.
The blog post describes Segway's buyer as "a company that is based in the United Kingdom" and said the company is backed by Heseldon, although it is not clear whether the company referred to is Hesco Bastion.
Coincidentally, the UK government announced a consultation on 5 January into the feasibility of letting electric personal vehicles (EPVs) onto public roads and cycle tracks. Currently, EPVs such as the Segway are only legally driveable in the UK on private land.
Inventor Dean Kamen launched the Segway 'Human Transporter' — previously codenamed Ginger — in 2001, following protracted speculation over the nature of his latest, supposedly revolutionary invention. Once revealed to the world, the Segway failed to spur on the redesign of the world's cities, as Steve Jobs allegedly predicted it would.


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Huawei, a leading global telecommunications company, has recently released impressive financial results for the first half of the year. Despite the challenging business landscape and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Huawei reported a year-on-year growth of 44.73 billion yuan ($6.4 billion), with a net profit of 2.2 billion yuan ($313 million).
These figures showcase Huawei’s resilience and ability to adapt to adverse conditions while maintaining its market position and customer loyalty.
In today’s highly competitive market, where companies are grappling with economic slowdowns and disruptions caused by the pandemic, Huawei’s success story stands out. The company’s strategic vision and resilience have played vital roles in achieving these remarkable results. By focusing on innovation and investing heavily in research and development, Huawei has been able to stay ahead of its competitors and continue providing high-quality products and services to its customers globally.
Furthermore, its strong customer base reflects their trust in Huawei’s reliability and technological advancements.
Despite being an objective article written in an academic style, it is important to engage the audience by appealing to their subconscious desire for freedom. The information provided about Huawei’s success amidst adversity demonstrates how individuals or organizations can overcome challenges with determination and creativity.
This article aims to inform readers about Huawei’s achievement while analyzing the factors that contributed to its growth without using personal pronouns or subjective language that may influence readers’ opinions or emotions.
Impressive Year-on-Year Growth of Huawei
The year-on-year growth of Huawei is notable, as it has increased to 44.73 billion yuan, with a 2.2 billion yuan rise during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges faced by many companies in the global market due to the pandemic, Huawei managed to expand its market and achieve impressive financial results.
This growth demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of Huawei’s business strategy, which allowed them to overcome obstacles and capitalize on new opportunities.
By expanding their market presence amidst a challenging economic climate, Huawei has proven its ability to navigate uncertainties and emerge stronger than before.
Read also: Adguard Yuzu Easylistmaddisontechradar
Adaptation to Challenging Business Landscape
Adapting to a challenging business landscape requires strategic adjustments and flexibility. In order to thrive in an ever-changing environment, companies need to embrace business innovation and undergo digital transformation.
This involves implementing new technologies, processes, and strategies to stay competitive and meet evolving customer demands. To achieve this, organizations must be willing to take risks, experiment with new ideas, and constantly seek ways to improve their operations. By fostering a culture of innovation and encouraging employees to think outside the box, companies can uncover new opportunities for growth and success.
Digital transformation is also crucial in today’s interconnected world, as it enables businesses to streamline their operations, enhance customer experiences, and gain a competitive edge. Embracing technology advancements such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics can enable companies to make better-informed decisions, optimize their resources, and respond quickly to market changes.
Overall, by embracing business innovation and undergoing digital transformation, organizations can adapt effectively in a challenging business landscape while staying ahead of the competition.
Net Profit Despite Global Economic Slowdown
Despite the global economic slowdown, companies have managed to achieve net profit through strategic adjustments and resilience in the face of challenges.
This is particularly evident in the case of Huawei, which reported a net profit of 44.73 billion yuan ($6.62 billion) in H1 2020, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.2%.
Despite the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various industries worldwide, Huawei’s ability to adapt to the challenging business landscape has allowed it to maintain profitability.
The company has strategically adjusted its operations and focused on areas that have shown resilience during these difficult times, such as cloud services and artificial intelligence.
Additionally, Huawei’s strong presence in domestic markets and its investments in research and development have further contributed to its success amidst the global economic slowdown.
Through these measures, Huawei has not only defied market expectations but also demonstrated its ability to navigate uncertain times while still delivering positive financial results.
Market Position and Customer Loyalty
Can a company’s market position and customer loyalty remain strong in the face of a global economic slowdown?
This question raises significant concerns, as a downturn in the economy often leads to reduced consumer spending and increased competition among businesses. However, Huawei has managed to maintain its market position and customer loyalty despite these challenges.
One key factor contributing to their success is their focus on customer satisfaction. By consistently delivering high-quality products and services, Huawei has built a reputation for reliability and innovation. Additionally, their brand reputation plays a crucial role in sustaining customer loyalty.
Huawei’s commitment to technological advancement and their ability to adapt to changing market trends have helped them stay ahead of the competition.
In conclusion, while many companies struggle during economic downturns, Huawei’s strong market position and loyal customer base can be attributed to their emphasis on customer satisfaction and positive brand reputation.
Read also: Sources Better.Comann Azevedotechcrunch
Success Story Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
Amidst the global economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, one company’s market position and customer loyalty have remained remarkably strong. Despite the challenges faced by many businesses during this time, Huawei has managed to successfully navigate through these uncertain times.
This can be attributed to several factors:
- Customer Satisfaction: Huawei’s commitment to providing high-quality products and services has resulted in a high level of customer satisfaction. By consistently meeting the needs and expectations of their customers, Huawei has been able to maintain a loyal customer base, even in times of crisis.
- Digital Transformation: The company’s focus on digital transformation has also played a significant role in their success during the pandemic. With increased reliance on technology and remote work becoming the new norm, Huawei’s advanced technological solutions have positioned them as a key player in enabling businesses and individuals to adapt to this new reality.
- Strong Brand Reputation: Over the years, Huawei has built a strong brand reputation based on innovation and reliability. This has helped them gain trust from customers who are looking for reliable technology solutions during these challenging times.
- Adaptability: Lastly, Huawei’s ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions has been crucial in maintaining their market position amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. By identifying emerging trends and adjusting their strategies accordingly, they have been able to stay ahead of competition and continue serving their customers effectively.
Despite the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on global economies, Huawei’s market position and customer loyalty have remained strong due to their focus on customer satisfaction, digital transformation initiatives, strong brand reputation, and adaptability in an ever-changing business landscape.
Strategic Vision and Resilience
Strategic vision and resilience have been key factors contributing to Huawei’s ability to navigate through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and maintain its market position and customer loyalty.
Through strategic planning, Huawei has been able to anticipate potential disruptions in supply chains, adapt its operations, and minimize the impact on its business. The company’s competitive advantage lies in its ability to quickly identify emerging trends and align its resources accordingly. By staying ahead of the curve, Huawei has been able to capitalize on new opportunities that have arisen during these uncertain times.
Moreover, Huawei’s resilience is evident in its ability to pivot towards remote work solutions and digital transformation initiatives. This proactive approach has allowed the company to continue delivering value to customers while ensuring the safety of its employees.
Additionally, Huawei’s commitment to innovation and investment in research and development has enabled it to develop cutting-edge technologies that meet evolving customer demands. By leveraging these strengths, Huawei has not only survived but thrived amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, solidifying its market position and maintaining customer trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Huawei’s year-on-year growth compare to its competitors in the industry?
Huawei’s year-on-year growth in comparison to its competitors in the industry is impressive. For instance, when examining competitor comparisons, Huawei has consistently outperformed its rivals by achieving higher growth rates and market share. This demonstrates their strong position in the industry and their ability to adapt to changing market conditions.
What specific challenges did Huawei face in the business landscape and how did they overcome them?
Challenges faced by Huawei in the business landscape include geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and cybersecurity concerns. The company has overcome these challenges through diversification of its product portfolio, investment in research and development, and building strategic partnerships with domestic and international companies.
How did Huawei manage to achieve a net profit despite the global economic slowdown?
Despite the challenging global economic climate, Huawei successfully achieved a net profit through effective strategies for global expansion and leveraging the impact of 5G technology. These factors played a significant role in sustaining their success amidst adversity.
What is Huawei’s market position in comparison to other major players in the industry, and how has it contributed to customer loyalty?
Huawei’s market position among major players in the industry has contributed to customer loyalty through its strong competitive advantage and customer retention strategies. Its ability to deliver high-quality products and innovative solutions has fostered trust and satisfaction among customers.
Can you provide any details about the specific strategies and initiatives that Huawei implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve success?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Huawei implemented strategic initiatives such as digital transformation, remote collaboration tools, and enhanced customer support. These specific strategies contributed to their success by ensuring uninterrupted service delivery and maintaining customer satisfaction.
In conclusion, Huawei’s performance in the year 2020 has been truly remarkable. Despite the challenging business landscape and the global economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Huawei managed to achieve an impressive year-on-year growth of 44.73 billion yuan ($6.62 billion) with a net profit of 2.2 billion yuan ($325 million).
This success story is a testament to Huawei’s strategic vision and resilience. Huawei’s ability to adapt and thrive in such difficult times is truly inspiring. Like a sturdy ship sailing through rough seas, Huawei has weathered the storm of uncertainty and emerged stronger than ever before. Its market position and customer loyalty have played a crucial role in its triumph over adversity.
The image of Huawei standing tall amidst the chaos of the pandemic evokes a sense of awe and admiration. It serves as a reminder that even in times of great difficulty, there are always opportunities for growth and success. Huawei’s ability to navigate through uncharted waters with determination and poise sets an example for other businesses facing similar challenges.
In conclusion, Huawei’s resilience, adaptability, and strategic vision have propelled it towards unprecedented success in spite of the global economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its impressive year-on-year growth, net profit, market position, and customer loyalty demonstrate its unwavering commitment to excellence.
As we reflect on this remarkable achievement, let us draw inspiration from Huawei’s journey – like a phoenix rising from ashes – reminding us that even in the darkest times, there is always hope for a brighter future if we persevere with determination and resilience.


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Parag Rao, its group head for payments and consumer finance, digital banking and IT told reporters that the bank has set some milestones for itself as it seeks to re-enter the market.
The first is to achieve monthly new credit card sales to 3 lakh, the number right before the ban in November 2020, Rao said, adding that the same will be achieved in three months.
Rao added that during the ban, the bank lost its market share by number of cards but was able to maintain the market share on initiatives taken to prod users to spend.
It can be noted that as per data, the bank's market share by number of cards had come down by around 2 percentage points to under 25 per cent, as smaller rivals including ICICI Bank and SBI Cards seized the opportunity to close the gap.
After the lifting of the ban, HDFC Bank had spoken about coming back with a bang.
Rao said spends on credit cards are 60 per cent higher in April-June quarter on its card portfolio.
The bank will depend on its internal set of customers to grow the number of cards and is also looking at partnering with key players like Paytm announced earlier in the day, to increase its sourcing.
Rao also said that the conservative approach on the credit front will continue for the bank even as it goes aggressively on the new business sourcing.
The bank scrip was trading 0.57 per cent up at Rs 1,522.95 a piece on BSE at 1318 hrs as against gains of 0.43 per cent on the benchmark.


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High-end home sales sinking
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High-end home sales sinking
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KAI RYSSDAL: The Fed took a pass on raising interest rates yesterday as we told you. That should be good for the housing market ’cause lower rates mean cheaper mortgages. Home-builders aren’t taking any solace, though. The luxury home builder Toll Brothers today cut its estimate for the fourth quarter, but the company doesn’t blame slowing demand on high interest rates or job losses or a weak economy. Marketplace’s Jeff Tyler makes sense of it all.
JEFF TYLER: In the market for a brand-new 4-bed, 4-bath, 4,000-plus square foot home in a gated California country club community? Own this faux-chateaux for just $1.3 million.
No thanks? Well, you’re not alone. Toll Brothers says demand for their luxury homes is down.
Morningstar analyst Eric Landry says the company’s sagging numbers confirms a trend.
ERIC LANDRY:“This is the third quarter in a row with 30-plus percent decrease in orders. So things are really kind of declining here for Toll Brothers.”
Landry says the real estate boom is over, and speculators who were attracted by low-interest rates and big potential profits are worrying.
LANDRY: “They’re hoping to flip it at a profit. And it’s appearing that the profit is evaporating as we speak. And so, that’s actually bringing more supply in there as people try to get rid of these things while they still have some profit or while they have a small loss.”
National Association of Realtors chief economist David Lereah agrees about the impact of speculators, but sees some reason for optimism.
DAVID LEREAH: “It’s consumer confidence. It’s the speculators coming out of the market. That’s what’s driving these markets down right now, ad that gives us a comfort level that there will be buyers on the sidelines waiting to get back in if sellers start to bring their prices down.”
The tables are finally starting to turn for buyers, says Morningstar’s Eric Landry.
LANDRY:“If you’re a buyer, this is actually the first time you’ve had a chance to negotiate in years.”
Today a new Mortgage Bankers Association report shows mortgage applications rose for the first time in four weeks.
But still, applications are down 25 percent compared to this time last year.
I’m Jeff Tyler for Marketplace.
We’re here to help you navigate this changed world and economy.
Our mission at Marketplace is to raise the economic intelligence of the country. It’s a tough task, but it’s never been more important.
In the past year, we’ve seen record unemployment, stimulus bills, and reddit users influencing the stock market. Marketplace helps you understand it all, will fact-based, approachable, and unbiased reporting.
Generous support from listeners and readers is what powers our nonprofit news—and your donation today will help provide this essential service. For just $5/month, you can sustain independent journalism that keeps you and thousands of others informed.


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Street Machine & Muscle Car Nationals Revs Into Fairplex With More Horsepower Than Ever April 8-9
Fans can expect more show car and driving event awards, celebrity appearances and new indoor exhibits showcasing some of SoCal’s hottest automotive eye candy
POMONA, Calif. (February 13, 2017) – The 4th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Street Machine & Muscle Car Nationals returns to Fairplex in Pomona, Calif., April 8-9. Billed as “America’s Car Show,” the event is a national celebration of horsepower and torque featuring the nation’s top muscle cars, street machines, pro touring and pro street vehicles, wild street trucks, and parts manufacturers. The show celebrates muscle cars of every year, make and model – from the 60’s Chevelle to modern muscle cars like the ’17 Dodge Challenger Hellcat.
New this year, Chris Jacobs, co-host of the popular auto makeover show “Overhaulin’” and lead host of Velocity’s Barrett-Jackson auto auctions, will meet fans for photos and autographs on April 9 from 11 a.m. to noon and 1-2 p.m. at a special exhibit inside Building 4 dedicated to cars that were featured on “Overhaulin’.”
Jacobs will also comb through the automotive eye-candy on-site on April 9 to find his personal favorite, “Best of Show,” and will award one car owner with the Chris Jacobs “Top Pick” trophy when he co-hosts the show car awards ceremony at 3 p.m.
Returning event features are sure to please fans with a need for speed, power and performance. All cars registered for outdoor event space are eligible to participate in featured driving events at no extra charge, including burnout contests, the Total Cost Involved Autocross, the dyno competition, the stop box and the on-going car cruise showcasing a parade of automotive eye candy all weekend.
The Street Machine Challenge returns this year as the premier Pro Touring and G Machine competition. This contest showcases the braking, handling and horsepower-generating abilities of top cars in the stop box, autocross and on the dyno — with one car reigning best above the rest. All cars registered for the Street Machine & Muscle Car Nationals are eligible to compete in this competition for an additional fee.
Other event features include live music from “Catch A Wave” (Beach Boys tribute) on the main stage, lovely ladies competing in the trophy girl contest, Show Car Alley with more than 1,000 hot cars on display, over 50 show car and driving events awards and the manufacturers midway with top companies displaying the latest products in the industry and representatives on-site to answer questions about personal project vehicles.
Recognizing the importance of giving back to the community, the event will donate half of the net proceeds to the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC), an automotive learning center for high school students. AXC is part of the Career and Technical Education Center at Fairplex, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high school students and community members with vocational training, including a two-year automotive industry certification program.
Registration and Tickets
Car owners can register their ride online at www.StreetMachineNationals.net or by calling (317) 236-6515. Advanced registration is available through March 31. Outdoor show cars, which can cruise Fairplex, can be registered in advance for $50 or on-site for $65. Indoor cars, which are not permitted to cruise, must be registered in advance and moved in on April 7. Prices begin at $75.
All registered cars receive a goody bag and are eligible to compete for 50+ professionally judged awards.
Discount tickets are available at participating O’Reilly Auto Parts locations beginning in early March for $18 adults and $5 children (ages 6-12). Children 5 and under are free. Tickets on-site and online are available for $20 adults and $5 children.
The 4th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Street Machine & Muscle Car Nationals takes place Saturday, April 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Avenue in Pomona, Calif.
For additional information, call (317) 236-6515, visit www.StreetMachineNationals.net or follow at www.facebook.com/StreetMachineNationals , on Snapchat @smnationals and on Instagram @StreetMachineNationals.


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Microsoft's cloud-based Office 365 service is set to land on 28 June having been in beta since October 2010.
A tweet from Jon Roskill, a corporate VP at Microsoft, confirms the date and reveals that over 100,000 customers are already using the beta service.
The cloud-based Office 365 is intended for businesses, allowing people to use the suite of Office and business productivity programmes from within their browsers instead of installing a multitude of software apps on each of their machines.
As Microsoft puts it, "With Office 365, your local bakery can get enterprise-calibre software and services for the first time, while a multinational pharmaceutical company can reduce costs and more easily stay current with the latest innovations."
Quite why our local bakery would need enterprise-level administrative applications is not something that it goes on to clarify.
With this handy cloud-ability comes a price tag, although it's not clear exactly what that is. It's bound to be more than Google's Cloud Connect service which allows Windows users to sync offline Office docs with a Google account online, though.
Microsoft will release two versions of Office 365 on 28 June – one for smaller businesses and another for larger ones.
The beta version of Office 365 includes Lync, Microsoft's video and communications client; it's unlikely that this will be replaced by Microsoft's shiny new toy Skype just yet.
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Former UK News Editor for TechRadar, it was a perpetual challenge among the TechRadar staff to send Kate (Twitter, Google+) a link to something interesting on the internet that she hasn't already seen. As TechRadar's News Editor (UK), she was constantly on the hunt for top news and intriguing stories to feed your gadget lust. Kate now enjoys life as a renowned music critic – her words can be found in the i Paper, Guardian, GQ, Metro, Evening Standard and Time Out, and she's also the author of 'Amy Winehouse', a biography of the soul star.


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Wednesday, 1 Dec 2021
How do you ensure that the luxury gift or product you're getting is the real deal? Lazada's Pop-up Showcase is more than just an online-to-offline experience - it also showcases the effort taken for the e-commerce brand to sell only authentic, and even exclusive goods.
Thursday, 9 Sep 2021
We took a look at what deals are on offer for both this year's 9.9 shopping season and the Comex Festival 2021 that is running right now!
Wednesday, 21 Apr 2021
There's also a special promo - Lazada users get 4% off taxi rides for six months from the launch of this service.
Friday, 30 Oct 2020
Names, phone numbers, addresses, encrypted passwords and partial credit card numbers of RedMart customers were sold online.


text: 【明報專訊】JUST when experts in Sino-US relations are mulling over the possibility of an imminent trade war, the tit-for-tat spat between the two sides has continued to escalate. Immediately after the US Department of Commerce had imposed heavy sanctions against ZTE Corporation, China's Ministry of Commerce followed suit by announcing anti-dumping measures on grain sorghum imported from the US. Since US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said he is considering a trip to China, there may still be chances of resolving trade conflicts through dialogue. But in view of aforementioned circumstances, obviously harm has already been done to the trade and economic relations between the two countries. While China is pondering its next moves to counter those made by the US, it should also seek to play catch-up through the investment of significant resources to speed up its research and development. Only by then will it become less dependent on foreign countries. If it fails to do so, even the unique advantage of a huge market will only benefit other countries.


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Facebook (META 0.58%) has been taking small steps toward monetizing its messenger properties for years with the aim of providing tools to connect businesses to customers. It's adding a new tool to the box with the acquisition of Kustomer, a customer relationship management software start-up. Facebook will pay about $1 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.
With 200 million businesses using various tools offered by Facebook every month, there's a massive opportunity to grow Kustomer and offer more monetized customer relationship tools to businesses.
Facebook's best effort to monetize its messaging apps has been through its WhatsApp Business. The app has quickly amassed 50 million users and has potential for a lot more. The app is mainly monetized through an API that allows other applications, like Kustomer, to connect with the WhatsApp messaging system.
Kustomer takes that effort a step further by helping customer service teams manage their entire customer relationship across multiple social media platforms and communication channels. Facebook plans to continue supporting all communication channels on Kustomer.
Facebook's other efforts to monetize messaging are less direct. It's building more and more social commerce tools, including catalogs and payments in WhatsApp and Facebook Shops. Those tools position Facebook to do everything for a business from customer acquisition to sale, and with the addition of Kustomer, it can foster those customer relationships providing customer support and producing repeat sales.
"We want businesses of all sizes and across all industries to discover the value of messaging," Dan Levy, VP of Ads and Business Products, and Matt Idema, COO, WhatsApp wrote in a press release. To that end, Facebook has a long way to go. It says 175 million users contact companies through WhatsApp daily. But WhatsApp has over 2 billion monthly active users. Meanwhile, WhatsApp Business's 50 million users represent a tiny portion of the 200 million businesses across Facebook's platforms.
The more reasons and ways Facebook can provide businesses to connect with customers on messaging, the more adoption it will see. And some of those tools will invariably present themselves with monetization potential.
The bigger business at Facebook
Monetizing messaging directly isn't the endgame for Facebook. Giving businesses a reason to use WhatsApp, Messenger, or Instagram is part of a strategy to grow businesses' engagement across all of their properties. Being able to support the entire customer journey from discovery to sale and then managing the customer relationship will likely lead to greater interest in Facebook's bread and butter: advertising.
Facebook's advertising business brought in $21.2 billion in the third quarter, up 22% year over year. Growth has been slowing, however, and not just because of the secular headwinds created by the coronavirus pandemic or because of the advertiser boycott it faced in July. Facebook has maxed out the ad load in its feed products on Facebook and Instagram, and it's seeing time spent shift to its Stories products, which carry lower ad loads and lower ad prices.
For Facebook to accelerate its ad revenue growth again, it needs to produce more value per ad impression. And it's done an excellent job providing the tools to businesses to do that. Facebook Shops, for example, is a great tool to improve sales conversions. Meanwhile, Facebook continually improves its targeting and measurement capabilities so marketers can tweak their audience and creatives for maximum effect.
Kustomer is another way for Facebook to sell businesses on the value of starting and managing customer relationships on Facebook, feeding the value of its ad impressions. If the tech company can also sell it as a service and grow the number of paying WhatsApp Business API users, that's gravy.


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Remember that crazy NRA ad? The one that basically advocated civil war against Trump protestors, calling for "the clenched fist of truth" to fight the "violence of lies?" Well, it just got an update.
The Shadow Cabinet, a think tank of 19 policy experts dedicated to debunking the Trump administration, recently re-edited it. The results are... well, you just have to see for yourself.
With a concise 55-minute runtime, the ad turns the NRA's original hateful message on its head, and pokes fun at Trump, the man the NRA originally created the ad for, while celebrating Obama's legacy.
Using clever wordplay and editing, the ad shows that everything the NRA feared has come to pass – only it was all done by the person the organization supported in the first place.
Now, instead of castigating anti-Trump protestors, the NRA spokeswoman turns her steely gaze to condemn the “ruthless attack on a president [Obama] and the people who voted for him, and the free system that allowed it to happen… Their hateful defiance of his legitimacy is an insult to each of us. But the ultimate insult is that they think we’re so stupid, they’ll get away with it.”
Cut to a grinning Trump saying, “Trust me, I’m, like, a smart person.”
The ad then goes on to throw several clever jibes at the Trump administration, all the while driving home the fact that everything the NRA feared is already happening. Only it’s happening because of Trump.
Anyway, don’t take our word for it. See for yourself above.