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Browse products by company
NAC Image Technology
NAC Image Technology, based in California, has launched the Memrecam GX-5, a digital high-speed camera for use in onboard automotive testing.
Nanotronics Imaging has introduced the nSPEC optical semiconductor analysis system
Nanotronics Imaging has introduced new capabilities to its nSPEC product to provide a more complete semiconductor inspection system
Nanovea, a US provider of Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) systems, supplies its HS100 3D non-contact profilometers, which use a white light axial chromatism technique to generate the surface profile
National Instruments has released LabView 8.5, the latest version of the graphical system design platform for test, control and embedded system development.
National Instruments has announced the NI 1722 and NI 1742 smart cameras. The embedded devices combine an industrial controller with an image sensor.
National Instruments has released an embedded vision system that gives manufacturing engineers and system integrators the ability to build high-speed real-time machine vision systems.
National Instruments (NI) has added machine vision capabilities to NI CompactRIO and NI Single-Board RIO hardware devices, which provide engineers with an integrated measurement and control platform for industrial and embedded systems
National Instruments (NI) has introduced the NI PXIe-1435 high-performance Camera Link frame grabber. Engineers can use the module to integrate high-speed and high-resolution imaging into their PXI systems
National Instruments has expanded its NI smart camera family of products by introducing seven new models, including colour and high-resolution options
National Instruments has introduced two new additions to its popular NI reconfigurable I/O (RIO) technology, including a reconfigurable Camera Link frame grabber for demanding embedded vision applications
National Instruments has introduced 3D vision capabilities in LabView with the NI Vision Development Module 2012
National Instruments has announced NI LabView support for the new USB3 Vision camera standard through the NI Vision Acquisition Software driver package
National Instruments has released the NI PCIe-8236 and NI PCIe-8237R two-port GigE Vision frame grabbers featuring PoE technology
Navitar has released four fixed focal length imaging optics specifically designed for SWIR (short wave infrared) cameras and applications. Lens focal lengths include two 25mm designs, a 35mm and a 50mm design.
Navitar, a global provider of imaging optics technology, has released its 2009 product catalogue featuring a full line of optical solutions
Navitar, a manufacturer of precision optical and opto-electronic systems, has introduced its 50mm large format machine vision lens, ideal for use with full frame 11 and 16 Megapixel sensors
Navitar, a supplier of high magnification imaging optics for machine vision and biomedical applications, has launched its second generation interactive online lens selector tool, the Optical Wizard 2.0.
Navitar, a manufacturer of precision optical and electro-optic systems, has introduced OptiStar lenses designed and optimised specifically to meet the latest advancements in SWIR technology
Navitar has introduced a versatile dual view imaging system, allowing customers to simultaneously view a single subject and capture an image at multiple fields of view (FOV)
Scotland-based camera design and manufacturing company, NCTech, has launched a fully automatic instant 360º panoramic camera
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies, a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, has launched the InfReC infrared camera family for predictive and preventative maintenance
Neptec Technologies, a spin-out of Neptec Design Group, a space flight technology company, has launched a range of obscurant-penetrating 3D laser scanners (Opal 2.0) for harsh environments
The FOculus Tiny IEEE1394 camera series comes in monochrome and colour and includes a 1/3-inch CCD image sensor, available in VGA/XGA resolution.
Net has released the FireDragon line of progressive scan cameras. The cameras are available in eight FireWire b camera models.
NET has released the latest addition to the FOculus IEEE1394a camera line.
New Electronic Technology (NET), a manufacturer of digital and analogue cameras, has released GimaGO, a Gigabit Ethernet camera line. GimaGO offers both monochrome and colour CCD image sensors.
NET (New Electronic Technology) has launched the KSU5600 USB colour video camera controller for remote camera heads. The camera controller works with Sony CCD image sensors from 1/10-inch to 1/2-inch.
NET has released its iCube camera family, a small, compact camera with a USB2.0 interface.
NET has introduced its EyeSpector camera series, which offers a compact and intelligent system for image processing.
NET GmbH continues to expand its range of monochrome and colour IEEE1394 cameras. The new FOculus models offer the advantage of a user-friendly small body along with other additional features.
New Imaging Technologies
New Imaging Technologies' (NIT) MD1-10-B logarithmic CMOS sensor is a true logarithmic sensor that uses an array of photodiodes operated in photovoltaic mode
New Imaging Technologies (NIT) has released the NSC0905 sensor, designed for high-performance intensified night vision applications
New Imaging Technologies (NIT) has released the NSC1105, a 1.3 Megapixel WDR sensor. The model provides a 10.6µm pixel size and a dynamic range of more than 140dB
NIT and M8 have released the 8Pico-Cam, which is being described as the world smallest wide dynamic range analogue camera
New Scale Technologies
New Scale Technologies has released the tiny M3-F focus module, which provides remote lens adjustment
Newport brand Spectra-Physics has introduced alphaScan, a compact integrated optical-parametric oscillator (OPO) and pump laser that outputs high energies in the near-infrared (NIR) for photoacoustic imaging
Nextsense and IDS
The German high tech company Nextsense has developed an opto-electronic single-handed meter that detects different profile shapes with no contact using a board-level camera from IDS Imaging Development Systems
Nikon's new NIS - Elements V2.3 is set to speed up image acquisition with enhanced, user-friendly software for bioresearch and industrial professionals.
Nikon has added its DS-Fi1 digital camera head and DS-L2 and DS-U2 control units to its popular Digital Sight Series.
Nikon has launched its iNEXIV VMA-2520TP multi-sensor measuring system, which combines touch probe-based capability with its range of laser-based video measuring systems.
The iNEXIV VMA-2520 is a simple-to-use video measuring system for 3D work pieces, provided by Nikon Instruments. It is inexpensive and requires minimal bench space.
Nikon Instruments Europe
Nikon Instruments Europe has launched its DS-Ri1 camera, the latest addition to its range of Digital Sight cameras for microscopy.
NIT has released its NSC1005 HD-ready sensor operating in 720p mode. The sensor has 1,280 x 720 pixels of 5.6um size, equipped with microlenses and/or colour bayer filters
NIT has released a set of tone mapping algorithms dedicated to its range of Native WDR imaging sensors
NIT has introduced a stereoscopic camera based upon its global shutter high dynamic range CMOS sensor NSC1001
NIT has introduced the WiDy SWIR camera, integrating an ultra wide dynamic range InGaAs sensor operating from 900-1,700nm
Nordson Yestech, a provider of automated inspection technologies for the electronics industry, has launched the BX benchtop Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) system
Nordson Yestech has released its in-line X3 X-ray automated inspection system with digital imaging technology
NorPix has introduced StreamPix4-8x100, a turnkey system providing simultaneous, synchronised image capture from eight cameras to a single computer using a GigE Vision interface.
NorPix's StreamPix 5 multi camera digital video recording (DVR) software now supports the Rugged 3U server from Crystal Group
NorPix, a leading developer of high speed digital recording solutions, has launched a new codec for H.264 compression
Norpix has expanded its StreamPix 5 software to include particle image velocimetry (PIV) functionality. PIV is an advanced flow visualisation method used across a wide variety of industries
Northwire has launched a line of cable for Camera Link applications. In testing for flexion, Northwire’s standard Camera Link cable passes 17 million cycles.
Northwire's high-flex-life MVC-800 FireWire cable for industrial environments is offered in two versions: standard length, 4.5m (14.8ft) or extended distance, up to 7m (23ft).
Northwire has introduced the Endurance, a cable assembly product line including cable assemblies for vision system applications. Endurance cable assemblies are engineered with top-quality connectors and Northwire's advanced, industrial-grade cables.
Northwire's MVC 1394b FireWire, DataCell GEV-1000 Gigabit Ethernet, CCXC Analog, and Camera Link cables have undergone rigorous testing for flex life and durability, proven by the Northwire Standardized Flex Testing Protocol (NSFTP).
Northwire has added the Endurance line of cable assemblies for vision system applications to NorthwireDirect, its e-commerce website for ordering off-the-shelf, factory-direct cable, cable assemblies and connectors.
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UK head of HP Personal Systems Group says group stronger following the announcements surrounding webOS and PSG.
In a strongly worded statement, Paul Hunter, Head of HP PSG UK and Ireland said that three options are being investigated
"Whether the company is spun off, sold or kept in the HP portfolio, the team in the UK remains committed to creating and supporting great products and services.There have been a number of incorrect stories saying that HP is quitting the PC business."
"I'd like to reaffirm our commitment to our UK customers regarding both PC products and those that bought webOS devices. HP is the world's largest PC manufacturer. We are the number one PC manufacturer in UK and Ireland. HP PSG UK is only going in one direction, forwards and that means customers can have confidence that existing HP products will be supported under the terms of their warranties as will any future purchases. Likewise, all webOS products will be supported and HP fully intends to support the future development of the webOS platform, though again how that will be managed is still under discussion." he said.
On the decision to stop supporting HP's own webOS devices Hunter pointed to market dynamics, tough competition and a rapidly changing environment.
"Continuing to execute our former device approach was not in the best interest of HP and HP shareholders. HP is fully committed to the ongoing support and service of customers who purchased webOS devices.
Reaffirming HP's commitment Hunter said that there will be a ramping up of marketing and advertising activity in the UK on products ranges like ENVY and TouchSmart for consumer and Elite and ProBooks for business users.
"I apologize that we have been slow to answer some of the questions around webOS. The sheer scale of interest in the discounted products took us a little by surprise. We are now working on ensuring everyone that owns a webOS device has a positive experience." he said.

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CrewCash Card to allow crewmen direct deposit paychecks via MasterCard prepaid (BankCreditNews)
CrewCash Card, a payroll and benefits platform, launched on Thursday to allow crewmen employed by participating shipping and trading firms to receive direct deposit paychecks on a Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) branded prepaid debit card. “MasterCard is constantly looking for new products and solutions that satisfy the specific needs and bring added value to our consumers,” Ignacio Plata, the country manager for Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA)’s Panama, El Salvador and Nicaragua divisions, said. “This time, we are so glad to work with Cardplatforms in order to benefit crewmen, as well as the companies that will offer this innovative payment program, CrewCash MasterCard card.”
India’s RuPay challenges MasterCard and Visa in m-POS market (Telecomlead)
RuPay in India and PBOC 3.0 in China are giving tough competition to both Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) and Visa Inc (NYSE:V), dominant payment brands, in the m-POS market. ABI Research says alternative mobile payment developments including digital wallets and m- POS solutions are also challenging the dominance of both Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) and Visa Inc (NYSE:V). RuPay and PBOC 2.0/3.0 cards will have the largest market impact, accounting for 2 percent of all cards in circulation in 2013, increasing to 21 percent in 2018. This will directly eat into the potential growth that the likes of Visa Inc (NYSE:V) and Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) would have targeted.
The MasterCard Foundation and BRAC Launch $46.7 Million Scholars Program for 5,000 Secondary Students in Uganda (TimesUnion)
BRAC, a global development organization founded in Bangladesh in 1972, has partnered with The Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA)Foundation Scholars Program to launch a national-level scholarship program in Uganda, providing academically promising students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds with access to a quality education. Over an eight year period, The Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) Foundation Scholars Program at BRAC will enable 5,000 talented students to complete secondary school and transition into higher education. The program also provides students with leadership development, work skills, social and emotional competencies, and experience in community service.
IFC Promotes Mobile Financial Services in Cote d’Ivoire to Encourage Inclusive Development (AfricanBrains)
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and The Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) Foundation today convened key financial industry players to build further momentum for mobile financial services in Cote d’Ivoire. The event recognized the market’s enormous potential, especially for increasing access to finance for low income households, small scale businesses and in hard-to-reach areas. Mobile phone penetration in Cote d’Ivoire is more than 90 percent, while only 14 percent of Ivoirians have access to financial services. Mobile network operators have registered more than two million mobile financial services customers in the past three years. The Ivorian market for mobile financial services is the largest and the most dynamic in the West African Economic and Monetary Union region.


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GAM3 Awards 2023 returns with a prominent jury, including Erhan Kahraman, to honor excellence in web3 gaming. Insights on the future of web3 gaming.
Head of Operations
Our GAM3 Awards, a standout event in web3 gaming, is set for a grand return this December 2023. Excitingly, our panel of judges includes familiar figures from 2022 and new voices spanning various corners of web3 gaming. Among the noteworthy additions are experts from web3 gaming venture capital firms, blockchain and ecosystem specialists, infrastructure partners, and content creators. We're also privileged to have esteemed leaders from the gaming realm and tech giants like Amazon and Google joining our distinguished jury lineup.
We are proud to introduce one of our jury members Erhan Kahraman. Erhan is a writer who covers blockchain, web3 and gaming. He prepares the Web3 Gamer column for the Cointelegraph Magazine. His previous work can be seen on Cointelegraph, Blockchain Turkey Platform and Daily Sabah.
“I get to play cool games every once in a while and participate in a fast-growing community. Web3 gaming has a diverse profile of “average gamer” across different genres and titles, and I witness traders becoming hardcore gamers, grinding for in-game stuff or leaderboards.
Web3 gaming today feels exactly like how video games became mainstream during the early 2000s -when I was at the start of my career as a video game journalist- in terms of acceptance and overall progression. Experiencing the birth of a whole new ecosystem, the excitement and disappointment going hand in hand with thousands of young and talented players and developers, makes me feel in my twenties once again.”
“2023 was the year of Web3 gaming parting ways with cryptocurrencies and embracing the fun side of gaming’s inherent qualities. Thanks to a bear market, which felt like it took forever, gamers started looking beyond tokenomics and NFTs while embracing the core elements of what makes a video game successful.”
“Web3 brings the opportunity to take part in a newly emerging ecosystem. Many successful games have already established communities, ladders, and ranking systems that might seem intimidating for first-timers. Take Street Fighter 6 as an example —a significant chunk of its players are returning gamers who played previous titles for dozens of hours. Even relatively new titles like Genshin Impact have players coming from similarly-designed MMORPGs.
Enter Web3, and all players are as clueless as the next person. It’s a whole new, uncharted territory that players can only make sense of by banding together and forming a community. In short, Web3 introduced a much-needed fresh breath of air to an industry that was plagued by an endless series of the same few successful titles.”
“Play-to-earn, while still important, will lose its status as a “must-have” for Web3 games, which will propel the whole ecosystem forward. If we want to see more players joining the Web3 ecosystem, we need to start prioritizing what those players have always been looking for. Gameplay, story, graphics and other in-game dynamics.”
The return of our GAM3 Awards in 2023 promises to be a celebration of the web3 gaming industry's growth and innovation. With industry figures like Erhan Kahraman on the jury, the event is set to recognize excellence in the ever-evolving world of web3 gaming.
February 20th 2024
November 10th 2023


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Sun Pharma jumps 4% on receiving USFDA nod for Mesalamine capsule
The company has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for the product, a generic version of Pentasa extended release capsules (500 mg), the Mumbai-based drug major said in a statement.
Sun Pharma gets USFDA nod for generic drug Mesalamine extended release capsules
The company has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for the product, a generic version of Pentasa extended release capsules (500 mg), the Mumbai-based drug major said in a statement. As per March 2022 IQVIA Health data, Pentasa had annualised sales of around USD 213 million in the US market.
Oman to fast-track nods to Indian pharma products registered by US, UK, Europe
Oman has also requested India to consider negotiating a preferential trade agreement, the commerce and industry ministry said.
Aurobindo Pharma tumbles 4%, hits 52-week low as USFDA issues 6 observations
Following the development, Aurobindo Pharma’s counter touched a 52-week low of Rs 581 on the BSE. The scrip had closed at Rs 603.05 on Tuesday.
Gland Pharma launches generic cancer treatment drug in US
The Hyderabad-based company said its product is therapeutically equivalent to Takeda Pharmaceuticals' Velcade for Injection.
Alembic gets USFDA nod to market generic drugThe company has received tentative approval from the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) for its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for lvabradine tablets (5 mg and 7.5 mg), Alembic Pharmaceuticals said in a regulatory filing.
Lupin gets USFDA nod to market drug used to treat chronic hepatitis BThe company has received tentative approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its abbreviated new drug application for Tenofovir Alafenamide tablets (25 mg), Lupin said in a statement.
Zydus Lifesciences gets USFDA nod for generic productThe approval granted by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) is for Cyanocobalamin injection in strengths of 1,000 mcg/ml, 10,000 mcg/10 ml and 30,000 mcg/30 ml multiple-dose vials, the company said in a regulatory filing.
US asks Bharat Bio partner Ocugen to halt Covaxin trials"The company was informed by the USFDA that the agency placed its phase 2/3 immuno-bridging and broadening study for Covaxin (BBV152), OCU-002, on clinical hold," Ocugen said in a statement.
Alembic Pharma gets tentative USFDA nod for generic version of Dabigatran Etexilate capsulesThe tentatively approved ANDA is therapeutically equivalent to the reference listed drug (RLD) product Pradaxa Capsules, 75 mg, 110 mg, and 150 mg of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc (Boehringer)
Dr Reddy's launches generic Methylprednisolone Sodium Succinate for injection in USDr Reddy's Methylprednisolone Sodium Succinate for injection is supplied in 40 mg/vial, 125 mg/vial single-dose vials each carton containing 25 vials and 500 mg and 1 gm multi-dose vial each carton containing 1 vial
Lupin gets 13 observations from USFDA for its New Jersey plant"US FDA inspection of the Company's Somerset, New Jersey (US) facility. The USFDA has concluded an inspection at the Company's wholly owned subsidiary Novel Laboratories, Inc., based in Somerset, NJ. The inspection commenced on March 7, 2022 and concluded on March 30, 2022.The inspection closed with thirteen observations.," Lupin said in a statement to stock exchanges.
Alembic Pharma buys out partner stake in Aleor DermaceuticalsAleor has product offerings across cream, gel, ointment, shampoo, lotion, solutions, sprays, foams, microsponge and nanoparticulate platform-based products.
Macleods Pharmaceuticals recalls products in US for manufacturing issuesThe company had produced the affected lot at its Baddi plant and later marketed in the US market by Macleods Pharma USA Inc.
Lupin gets USFDA nod to market generic drugThe company has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA), Vigabatrin for Oral Solution USP (500 mg), Lupin said in a statement.
USFDA issues 3 observations on Zydus' Jarod manufacturing unit"We are confident of addressing and resolving the issues to the satisfaction of USFDA. We remain committed to building a quality culture across our entire manufacturing network, and are committed to remain compliant with high standards of good manufacturing practices across our network," Zydus Lifesciences said.
Zydus' US subsidiary acquires speciality drug asset in USUnder the terms of the agreement, Sentynl will acquire global rights to Nulibry and will be responsible for the ongoing development and commercialisation of Nulibry in the US.
Alembic Pharmaceuticals' JV gets USFDA final nod for anti-fungal drugThe approval by the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) is for the abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for Nystatin and Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment of strength 100,000 units/gram, Alembic Pharmaceuticals said in a regulatory filing.
Aurobindo, Sun Pharma recall products in US marketAccording to the latest enforcement report issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the US-based arm of Aurobindo Pharma is recalling 1,15,776 bottles of Moxifloxacin Ophthalmic Solution, an antibiotic used in the treatment of bacterial infections.
Strides Pharma arm gets USFDA nod to market Amantadine Hydrochloride Softgel Capsules in AmericaStrides Pharma Global Pte Ltd Singapore has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for the medication, the company said in a statement. The product is bioequivalent and therapeutically equivalent to the Reference Listed Drug (RLD), Symmetrel Capsules, 100 mg, of Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc (Endo).
Lupin gets USFDA nod for using specialty drug Solosec on adolescentsThe supplemental adolescent approval enhances Solosec's strong position as the first and only single-dose oral prescription antimicrobial agent approved for the treatment of both trichomoniasis and BV.
Strides Pharma banks on acquired Endo portfolio for turnaround of its US businessOn August 6, 2021, Strides announced acquisition of an Endo manufacturing facility in the US along with a basket of ANDAs for $24.9 million. The transaction achieved closure on October 20,2021.
Granules India gets USFDA nod for generic antidepressant drug"We are pleased to receive approval of Bupropion Hydrochloride (XL) tablet product within first review cycle of 10 months from filing date. This product will be a valuable addition to our growing modified release product portfolio in the US market," GPI Executive Director Priyanka Chigurupati stated.
Alembic Pharma gets tentative USFDA nod for fesoterodine fumarate extended-release tabletsThe approval by the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) for the abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for fesoterodine fumarate extended-release tablets is for strengths of 4 mg and 8 mg, the company said in a statement.
Alembic gets USFDA approval to market Clarithromycin tablets in AmericaAlembic's product is therapeutically equivalent to AbbVie Inc's Biaxin Filmtab Tablets, which is antimicrobial indicated to treat mild to moderate infections caused by designated, susceptible bacteria.
Drug maker Lupin inks licensing pact with Axantia for PegfilgrastimPegfilgrastim is indicated to reduce the duration of neutropenia and the incidence of febrile neutropenia in patients receiving chemotherapy. Lupin had earlier received the USFDA acceptance for review of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for its proposed biosimilar to Neulasta (pegfilgrastim).
USFDA issues 3 minor observations to Granules India arm in pre-approval inspectionCommenting on the audit, GPI Executive Director Priyanka Chigurupati said, "We are glad to have completed yet another audit with minor observations that we will respond to within the stipulated time period".Load More
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Guild Wars 2 is coming to Steam soon. The game will also receive a third expansion pack.
Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons.
ArenaNet and NCsoft announced that in November this year he is playing an MMORPG Guild Wars 2 will go to Steam. Players using the Valve platform will be able to play with their colleagues who are playing the currently available version of GW2 (the production was originally released in 2012 and is available as part of a standalone launcher). It is true that we will not be able to convert accounts, but it should not matter much.
It cannot be ruled out that the developers were helped by remarkable success in making such a decision Star Wars: The Old Republic. Thanks to the recent premiere on Steam BioWare’s production is experiencing a second youth, attracting a large number of players and collecting very positive opinions from them.
The developers of Guild Wars 2 also reported that work is underway on the third supplement to this title, entitled End of Dragons. The DLC will allow players to get to know the island people of Canth, who have been isolated from the rest of the world for the past 200 years. The expansion has no release date yet, but we’ve got the first trailer which you can check out below.


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Popularity contests increasingly decide what people see on the Web.
Features like most-viewed, most-popular and most-emailed lists democratize news and information, advocates say, letting consumers play a role in what's deemed worthy of others' attention, taking it out of the hands of an unseen editorial elite. Now, though, a diverse group of actors -- ranging from spyware makers to a venture-backed start-up -- is helping push specific videos, articles and photos to the top of those lists. Some of the Web sites targeted now are having to grapple with how to draw the line between user input and unacceptable manipulation.
News media and other Web sites traditionally have relied on editors to select which content to display on their home pages and feature prominently to users. But lately, many sites are basing such selections at least partly on how popular a given piece of content is with users. Google Inc.'s YouTube video-sharing site lists the video clips that have been viewed the most times, or are the highest-rated by users. Digg Inc., a community Web site that is the archetype for the popularity-contest model, relies on voting by users to help select which Web page links to feature in the lists for various media and subject areas that make up its site.
Spyware makers and others have taken notice, building software that tries to boost the prominence of specific items on some sites, by automatically clicking on them repeatedly or tricking unsuspecting users into doing so. The rewards for such tactics: the items are prominently featured on the "most viewed" and "highest rated" pages of sites, generating more exposure. "It's paramount for sites that are publicly driven to think about this every day, this arms race against the manipulators, " says Jay Adelson, chief executive of Digg, which is based in San Francisco.
The latest to try to capitalize on the popularity-contest trend is start-up Collactive Inc., which lets individuals create bulletins about specific online content that they can then blast out to other people. Users can identify items such as articles or video clips from a number of different sites, and specify what actions -- such as emailing articles and giving videos a specific rating on YouTube's five-star scale -- that they want Collactive to direct other people to take. The users can then email a link to the Collactive bulletin to friends or post it on their Web sites. Collactive, a Delaware-registered company that operates mainly out of Israel, then automatically walks the recipients through the process of viewing and emailing or rating the content. While the service is free for individuals, the company plans to charge businesses, politicians and some nonprofits for usage.
The Genocide Intervention Network, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit, used Collactive last week in an effort to get 30,000 members on its email list to boost the visibility of a Boston Globe opinion piece about the conflict in Darfur, Sudan. The piece was featured in a "most-emailed" box on the newspaper's site; as of yesterday, it was the most popular item for the past week.
"Not only does this mean that the article got significant exposure to a much broader audience, but we also believe that owners of news sites care about their reader's interests and will often write more stories on these subjects," says Mark Hanis, executive director of the network, which didn't pay Collactive for the service.
So far, sites such as Yahoo Inc. YHOO 1.36 % don't appear to object to the use of Collactive's bulletins. "People using Yahoo News's 'most popular' or 'most emailed' as a kind of grass-roots marketing tool is just fine with us," says Scott Moore, senior vice president at Yahoo in charge of news and information. "If we detected abuse in the ratings ... we would stop it."
Collactive, whose investors include blue-chip Silicon Valley venture firm Sequoia Capital, believes it's helping to democratize content online, making it easy for people who aren't technology experts to influence what other people see. "If you have enough friends and it's good content, you can make it popular on the Web," says CEO Eran Reshef, who co-founded Collactive late last year.
But the start-up's plans to let businesses and politicians use its service, for a fee, to promote their products and agendas could well attract criticism that it's helping manipulate the most-popular lists and home pages of news and video sites -- therefore decreasing their value. "There's a difference if you're a marketing company and you want to get something manipulated to the top," says Digg's Mr. Adelson.
Digg is among the Web sites that wrestle with how to define and avoid improper manipulation of user recommendations. Services have cropped up promising to boost a site in Digg's rankings, for example, on the premise that making it to Digg's home page drastically increases traffic to the site.
Mr. Adelson says Digg counts every vote submitted for a Web link, but weighs factors such as who is voting, patterns of voting and the time of day to try to determine whether the voting is being manipulated. When it believes that's the case, Digg is unlikely to feature the item on its home page.
But Mr. Adelson predicts some sites that rely on user popularity to determine which content to feature "will tank because they become so abused and they haven't really developed the methodology to deal with that abuse."
Digg earlier this month faced the implications of relying on users when some rebelled against the site's decision to remove links and information about breaking copy-protection locks on high-definition DVDs. Digg reached that decision out of concern for legal liability. But each time Digg removed the information, users posted it again and flooded the site until Digg's management gave up efforts to censor it.
Online video sites face challenges as well, as people try to game the "view counts" for clips by using automated software to repeatedly click on videos. Ben Edelman, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, has spotted spyware software that hijacks individuals' Web browsers and makes them view specific videos on YouTube. Other spyware Mr. Edelman has documented forces users' computers to visit a clip on YouTube and give it a top five-star rating.
"Our computers are so good at counting that we treat their answers as infallible, but they're subject to gaming both through ordinary counting errors and through systematic attack," says Mr. Edelman.
"We are continuously updating the product to provide accurate view, rating and subscription numbers," says a YouTube spokeswoman. "When it comes to our attention that someone has rigged their numbers to gain placement on the top pages we remove the video or channel from public view."
Write to Kevin J. Delaney at email@example.com


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- 'Skinemax' sneaks smut onto the iPad [ITw]
- Beth Bacheldor: Death comes from the sky for your data center [ITw]
- America: Nation of smartphone addicts [MSNBC]
- RIM developer guru: Don't give up on BlackBerry [ITw]
- Brian Proffitt: Android violating GPL? Not so fast! [ITw]
- Crooks covet US, UK zombie PCs [ITw]
- Kevin Fogarty: Pentagon dithering while losing cyberwar [ITw]
- No thanks, IT: Kids today will fix their own computers [ITw]
- Firefox 6 arrives early PCW]
- Chris Nerney: Google-Motorola really all about patents [ITw]
Plus: Pentagon dithers; RIM begs developers to stay
Breakfast links: Samsung fights the law over Apple patentsNext Post
Your morning countdown: HP shakeup extravaganza
If you enjoy a sharply-worded insult, read on. This slideshow’s for you.
Cool new features on the horizon include power-sipping chips and the Hello authentication technology.
In a few weeks, the long-awared Samsung Galaxy S6 will go on sale. Here are seven things you need to...
The fact that our eyes can't even tell what color that dress is? That's great for Oculus.
Carriers and consumers would get access to a fat frequency band used mostly by government today
Intel is in talks to acquire Altera, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal
The jury found against her on almost all counts, though one remains


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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
› Gulf Power wants pollutants lawsuit dismissed
Gulf Power Company is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that it's allowing pollutants from aging coal ash pits to leak into the Apalachicola River.
› AutoNation: Best July new vehicle sales since 2006
With the U.S. auto market booming, AutoNation reported its best July for new vehicle sales since 2006. The Fort Lauderdale-based retail giant said it sold 27, 484 new cars and trucks in July, up 8 percent from a year ago.
› Good grades may mean another raise for Tampa International CEO Joe Lopano
The CEO of Tampa International Airport, who makes $330,750 a year, could receive another raise this week. If he were to receive the same 5 percent merit raise he got last year, Lopano could be in line for a $16,537 pay bump.
› EcoTech seeks to develop incubator for ‘green’ product companies
A young startup is trying to develop an incubator for “green” product manufacturers, creating a space for them to grow and create jobs for low-income communities.
In case you missed it:


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The Long List Anthology ebook is on sale this week for 99 cents (or similar price in other currencies). It was a featured deal in BookBub’s daily email on Sunday, and will be on sale at least through end of day Thursday (Pacific time).
Links to vendors can be found at Diabolical Plots.
The anthology presents many of the short fiction works which were not 2015 Hugo finalists but received numerous nominating votes.
Editor David Steffen says, “Over 7,000 copies of the book have now been distributed (including the Kickstarter rewards). In contrast, there were just under 6,000 Hugo voters last year (which was a record turnout).”


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TOKYO, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Leading Japanese logistics firm Nippon Express Co is considering selling its headquarters building in central Tokyo, possibly fetching more than 100 billion yen ($965 million), the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The report follows news last week that advertising giant Dentsu Group Inc was also looking to sell its headquarters located just blocks away from Nippon Express’s 28-storey high-rise in the Shiodome district, near the posh Ginza district.
Tokyo has some of the most expensive land prices in the world, but with more people working from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some firms are rethinking their real estate holdings.
Nippon Express has plans to move its headquarters to another area of Tokyo later this year, and had originally planned to rent out space in the current building, the Yomiuri said.
It is now considering a sale because finding tenants to fill the space is getting difficult, the paper said.
Nippon Express was not immediately available for comment. ($1 = 103.6100 yen) (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Himani Sarkar)


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60th-cake-designs, it was a memorable day for the stallholders of plymouth market today as the market celebrated its 60th birthday with the. Original design to barbie fashionista's to today's fearless women " the bakery notes that's not only reflected in the different colors and patterns reflected throughout the cake but also by through, the event will feature a delicious picnic lunch along with 60th anniversary birthday cake entertainment "for those unable to attend feel free to drop by our design studio to take advantage of. When it comes to creating one of a kind cakes for ginormous events most of us would add our own sweat to the list of ingredients, view this post on instagram happy 60th barbie from the retro original design to barbie fashionista's to today's fearless women we designed our cake with our cbos chief barbie officers to.
Thus debbie does cakes has created a candy land cake for isabella who just turned one year old the gumdrops are almost like tiny cakes themselves debbie has also created another candy land cake for, this has such a sleek design my personal favorite is obviously the pink i freaked out the first time she came to flour shop in my jumpsuit to bake her 60th birthday cake!" @barbiestyle makes an.
"the king of all media" howard stern's star studded 60th birthday party on friday night was no bourcier said valastro worked with stern's staff to come up with the final design this is the first, the famed brooklyn eatery celebrated its 60th anniversary tuesday by adding a new "we know we have a great cake but we were excited to get some new ideas " he said. Bianca henry works on today's 60th anniversary cake katie quinn today com she started brainstorming the design two weeks ago and found aesthetic inspiration from today's original 1952 logo "at, the unique cake designs have spilled over to other functions like birthday the iconic katekwe music exponent celebrated his 60th birthday in style with close to 10 000 fans who had a chance to


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Coronavirus: Do Consumers Need to be 'Present'?
04 Aug 2020
As we saw in our previous article, most countries (with some exceptions) are now moving into a post-lockdown phase.
Governments around the world are thinking how they can ease people’s lives while also guaranteeing their safety. Meanwhile, many brands are entirely reinventing and launching new ways to engage with customers.
On a global scale, the pandemic has been a catalyst for the use of online and digital services, reaching new demographics of consumers. These have grown in use and interest, across consumers that have both used them before and those that haven’t.
Believe it or not, during lockdown 22% of US consumers and 14% of UK consumers ordered food delivery online for the very first time.
What does this mean in terms of future behaviours, discovery channels and customers’ new sense of convenience?
This week, Foresight Factory’s webinar series keeps exploring consumers’ data and trends to reveal what the future customers will look like when they will emerge in the new world.
People no longer need to be physically present to work, to shop, to communicate.
Thanks to digital and cultural change, this is something that we were already co-living with before the appearance of coronavirus. However, the ‘Presence-free living’ trend has now become stronger than ever and it’s defining our pandemic mindset and existence.
Thanks to technology, no-presence interactions are able to be more convenient and effective. Consequentially, presence may not be given post-pandemic as freely as it once was, due to the higher costs and risks involved.
This doesn’t mean that physical locations, such as leisure centres and stores, will remain empty from now on. It has, however, clearly signalled for brands and businesses to prove the value of an in-person visit – over a virtual interaction.
For instance, 25% of American and 20% of British consumers said they have already bought or would be interested in buying a car without going to the dealer (for example, through services like Carvana). Therefore, even industries who might feel immune to the march of digital age should now start re-thinking how they want to interact with their consumers.
Indeed, despite the eagerness consumers are showing to go back to ‘normal’, once they realise the ease of interacting online, they may continue to do so even post- pandemic. This will mean a challenge for businesses, especially those belonging to industry that have been slow in translating what they do to the digital world.
Just to give a taste of how consumers are already very familiar with engaging with the online world (from Foresight Factory’s latest insights):
- 49% of global consumers are interested in a bank that is only accessible online and that has no physical branches
- 68% of global consumers have received or are interested in receiving remote health advice from a healthcare professional
- 39% of global consumers shopped online at least weekly this year before the pandemic hit.
In the pre-pandemic world, roughly a third (33%) of consumers (average of the American and British markets) used to shop online weekly. That number has nearly doubled since the pandemic started, to 60%. It’s worth mentioning that the interest in digital purchasing opportunities has been particularly high for people aged over 65 years old (19% pre-pandemic vs 49% under lockdown).
Despite this increase, the trend is expected to decrease as shops have opened again and the fear of going out is decreasing. The prediction from Foresight Factory is that we could see half of the consumers keep shopping online on a weekly basis. Looking at consumers that used to shop online before the pandemic, 46% say they are shopping online more since the pandemic began and 25% believe they will continue to do so more than before, even after the pandemic is over (15% of consumers aged 65-74 agree with the latest).
An online existence
Not only has the time dedicated to shopping grown, people’s presence online has increased, with consumers checking social media daily from 58% in 2019 to 65% in 2020.
Those watching TV on demand on a weekly basis has also grown from 49% in 2019 to 53% in 2020. The later, might seem like a relatively small increase, but when looking to the previous three years, the year-on-year growth has been around 2% – indicating a doubling of that growth for this year.
E-sports (organised multiplayers competitions) and gaming are also more popular than ever.
What does this mean for brands?
These forms of entertainment represent a great opportunity for brands to gain new and wider exposure to consumers and engage with them. A great example is the collaboration between MAC Cosmetics and The Sims 4, which gives players total control on their avatars’ look. Another interesting example comes from Barclaycard who has hosted virtual music festivals in collaboration with Abbey Road studios.
Convenience? ‘More, thanks’
If people have been always seeking convenience, a presence-free life will bring this interest even further and up to its next level.
To understand exactly what we mean with that, we recommend you have a look at the Amazon’s dash smart shelf.
Convenience goes hand-in-hand with the presence-free life trend and brands must pay attention in eliminating pain points in this new customer journey. For instance, 57% of consumers are either very or quite interested in auto-replenishment services – for items like coffee or toilet paper.
You can also find out more about the latest views and challenges the data and marketing industry is coping with from the DMA’s own ‘Coronavirus: The Impacts on Business’ tracker research.


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Popular photo-sharing service Instagram has announced to expand the ambit of its live broadcast feature. The company has launched the Live Rooms feature. The feature will allow users to go live on the platform with multiple people. The Live Rooms feature can accommodate more than two people in a single stream. The company said that users can now chat with up to three people in real-time. Earlier, Instagram stream allowed users to go live with only one person. Instagram said that the Live Rooms feature will be available to global users soon. The company said that Live Rooms will open more windows of creativity.
Instagram said that users can start a talk show, host a jam session with the Live Rooms feature. It will also increase the engagement time. To enable the Live Rooms feature, users will have to first swipe left and select the Live camera option. Tap on the Rooms icon to add users for the live session. One can also search and add other guests during the session. The one who has started a live session using Live Rooms will remain at the top of the screen. Instagram said that as a broadcaster, one can add a maximum of three guests. Instagram said that users that are blocked by any of the participating people in a particular interaction will not be able to join the session.
Instagram underlined that the Live Rooms will give more opportunities to users to earn money. The feature could grow following and thus increasing the visibility. Instagram noted that people have been using the Live feature more since the pandemic struck. Instagram also added support to make Live streams viewable on the web. Besides, it extended the duration of a stream to four hours. The maximum limit was fixed for 60 minutes earlier. Facebook which owns Instagram said that it is exploring more interactive tools to make the platform more happening. The company said that it will soon offer moderator controls and audio features to the users.


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DAILY BRIEFING: Black Friday drives retail sales to grow at their fastest rate in more than a year
FRIDAY FEELING Shoppers splashing out on Black Friday bargains have driven retail sales to grow at their fastest rate in more than a year, said the Confederation of British Industry.
The trade body said sales in the last week of November and the first two weeks of December grew at the fastest pace since September 2015.
More than half of retailers said sales volumes were up, while 16 per cent said they were down.
ESTATE DEAL Savills Investment Management has bought an industrial estate in London for £8million in a vote of confidence in the property market.
The property fund has snapped up Progress Business Park in Croydon from Westbrook Partners.
Average rents at the estate are £13.80 per square foot although the latest letting was at over £20 per square foot.
COURT DELAY The latest court hearing in the battle between Avocet Mining and ex-workers has been postponed.
The company will now have to wait at least two weeks for the hearing on the legality of workers' seizure of gold from the Inata mine in Burkina Faso in a dispute over pay.
STORES SALE The sale of 298 Co-op stores to McColl's has been given the green light by the competitions regulator.
The £117million deal needed to win the approval of the Competitions and Markets Authority because it now means McColl's will own 1,300 convenience stores across the UK.
ROADS CONTRACT Construction group Kier has been awarded a £140million contract to repair roads in Cumbria and north Lancashire.
The 15-year deal from Government-owned Highways England includes emergency incident response and traffic management.
RAC SHAKE-UP RAC boss Chris Woodhouse is leaving the roadside recovery firm in the new year after a shake-up of the company's ownership.
He will be succeeded by Dave Hobday of payments processing group Worldpay.
BASRA BOOST An oil field in southern Iraq part operated by BP is producing at its highest rate in 27 years.
The Rumaila oil field in Basra is pumping out 1.45m barrels per day, up from one million in 2009, BP said.
INFORMANTS PAID Snitches who blew the whistle on tax evasion were paid £460,000 by HMRC in the year to April, according to City law firm RPC.
The cash was doled out to reward information on tax dodgers.
CAR TAKEOVER Vintage car lending firm Renaissance Asset Finance is being bought by Arbuthnot Banking Group for up to £8.1million. Renaissance made profits of £2.4million in the year to June 30.
FIRST BUDGET Philip Hammond will publish his first Budget as Chancellor on March 8 next year.
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There’s an interesting report in the FT today about declining sales of China’s local-brand cars, and it’s got me thinking about the benefits and problems of “national” brands – which is to say, not state-owned brands, but rather the perceptions surrounding the name of a country, ie its own brand, when attached to product, and the way this can work for and against manufacturers. Blame it on the Made in Italy and Made in France strategy the luxury industry so cannily implemented back in the day (a recent BCG/Altagamma/Sanford Bernstein Global Consumer Insight study found a whopping 80% of consumers think “Made in is key”) but seems to me, when it comes to consumers, products don’t just have to be good, they have to somehow come to grips with national stereotype, and either neuter it or exploit it. But what they can’t do is ignore it. Read more
© The Financial Times Ltd 2014 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.


text: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange looms like the mysterious British freedom fighter V atop the Drudge Report, threatening a “devastating” confidential document dump if his organization suffers any more hack attacks. Paypal says Wikileaks and its donors are pals no more. Amazon.com boots Wikileaks off its virtual cloud, citing vague and unconfirmed suspicions. The leaked documents might prompt errant governments to persecute human rights defenders, Amazon says in a corporate statement. Innocent people, Amazon worries, might be in jeopardy. Wikileaks fires back, not with a bomb or hand grenade, but a tweet.


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Article Amplifiers/ReceiversAudio/VideoCommercialMarketsMultiroom AVPress ReleasesSpeakers/SubwoofersWellness
AtlasIED's Gina Sansivero explains the resimercial applications for immersive audio using the company's Atmosphere packaged solution.
Sep 22, 2022
Products Audio/VideoCEDIA ExpoCommercialDesignEventsHome TheaterMarketsMultiroom AVOutdoorsProductsResimercialSpeakers/Subwoofers
Taking part in the upcoming CEDIA Expo 2022 show in Dallas on Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, K-array will showcase its new Vyper Mark II loudspeakers. The Italian manufacturer of professional and residential audio systems points out the new line includes recess
Sep 22, 2022
Product Briefs Audio/VideoBusiness SupportCommercialDesignDisplaysDistributors/RepsHome TheaterMarketsPress ReleasesResimercial
LG Electronics USA has formed a new national network of third-party sales representatives to bring the magic of the direct view LED (DVLED) “Extreme Home Cinema” displays to resellers and luxury homeowners across the United States. The
Sep 20, 2022
Article Audio/VideoCablingCEDIA ExpoCommercialEventsMarketsMultiroom AVOutdoorsResimercialSpeakers/SubwoofersVideos
Among the products Vanco will showcase at CEDIA Expo 2022 are the PulseAudio Collaboration Video Bar and Beale Street Audio outdoor loudspeakers.
Sep 19, 2022
Article Audio/VideoCEDIA ExpoCommercialDesignEventsHome TheaterMarketsMultiroom AVOutdoorsResimercial
Leveraging its engineering and design expertise from the professional sound reinforcement market, L-Acoustics’ Creation division will showcase its latest residential products.


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In fact, Onlive is really cool. Essentially, the technology works by making a game into an interactive, streaming video, rendering all the gameplay on a beefy server, compressing the video and shooting it off to you as you play. Imagine, for example, playing a shooter like Crysis — which can cripple even a top-of-the-line PC — on your iPhone. That’s what Onlive does.
The promise is obvious, but when Onlive finally opened its doors, we ended up being a little bit disappointed by the actual subscription plan. Not only did Onlive want to charge gamers for the games themselves, but they actually wanted to double dip by getting gamers to also pay for access to the service.
It now looks like Onlive has reconsidered matters… presumably because gamers weren’t pulling out their credit cards twice to play games they could just buy at retail. Onlive has now ditched their subscription fee and now they’ll only charge you for games. I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s a much more palatable price…. I just wish their games library wasn’t so meager.


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25 May 2022
Samsung to Spend $360 Billion on Microchips & Biotech over 5 years
The Index Today
The Samsung group plans to raise spending by more than 30% to 450 trillion won (about $360 billion) over the half-decade to 2026 to open opportunities in businesses from chips to drugs.
Samsung also promised in a statement to generate 80,000 jobs through 2026 in the field of semiconductors and biopharmaceuticals.
The group is focusing particular attention to Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of a multibillion-dollar sprawling empire that spans shipbuilding, technology, health care and finance. The world’s largest maker of smartphones, displays, memory chips and consumer appliances unveiled plans last year to invest $151 billion through 2030 to delve deeper into advanced chipmaking. Much of that will go toward its semiconductor division, which is expanding rapidly in an effort to compete with Intel Corp. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in making chips for global names such as Nvidia Corp. and Qualcomm Inc, Reuters reported.


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2021.AI releases new version of the Grace AI Platform
In the wake of the new website launch, the Enterprise AI company 2021.AI also announces a new version of the Grace AI platform. Grace offers clients a full AI model lifecycle functionality, delivering clear and measurable value from AI.
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK | APRIL | 2019
Closing the gap between AI ambitions and real value from AI
Following the initial launch of Grace in May 2018, the platform had a successful first cycle with live exposure to a range of clients, who have developed and deployed AI models into different production environments.
The new version of Grace also offers a new intuitive user interface, extended model monitoring, and re-training. Furthermore, the new version comes with AI governance module, supporting latest requirements for trustworthy and robust AI. This will provide clients with a comprehensive AI model monitoring, surveillance, and governance including traceability, explainability, and much more.
“We are a market driven company, and this entails that we learn and grow with our clients. AI in production and at scale supported by AI governance is what the market is looking for right now,” says Mikael Munck, Founder, and CEO at 2021.AI.
“Having the first clients running Grace in production for more than a year, has been a fantastic opportunity to optimize, enhance and extend the platform in accordance with our clients’ requests related to the most important features and functionalities, which will drive further value for our clients. These collective experiences were introduced into Grace,” continues Rasmus Hauch, Head of Product Development at 2021.AI.
“We look forward to upholding this close partnership with our clients and our new data science advisory board to ensure we deliver precisely what they and the market want and need,” says Rasmus Hauch.
Solving real use cases to respond to industry-specific problems
2021.AI offers solutions tailored to clients specific needs. The company has gained broad experience working from an early start with the real-world use cases to help clients solve industry specific problems. This has led to becoming even more experienced with various AI application areas such as churn prediction, credit scoring, financial fraud detection, and many other use cases.
“All companies need to move forward with AI to optimize cost, grow revenue and minimize risks across their organizations. Most companies realize that doing everything themselves is not a viable option, they need partners who can provide both advanced AI technology, Data Science expertise and not least – experience from Enterprise IT implementation,” says Mikael Munck, Founder and CEO of 2021.AI.
The need for implementing AI to gain a competitive edge is growing, however, at the same time realizing the difficulty of taking AI models in production, 2021.AI offers the Grace AI Platform, as well as standard models – a fast track to AI implementation, depending on the organization’s AI maturity level.
Why choose an AI platform?
With the Grace AI Platform, 2021.AI can offer clients with in-house data science teams an enterprise AI solution to support and enhance team’s productivity and efficiency, standardizing processes and workflows across the data science functions in such areas as data ingestion, model training, deployment, and model lifecycle functionality, including model monitoring and retraining.
For clients without in-house data science teams, platform means a full AI model lifecycle functionality, where the full AI life-cycle can be outsourced to AI expert partners like 2021.AI, enabling such clients to also embark on the AI journey without the challenge of establishing in-house expertise.
Finally, 2021.AI can offer Grace Standard Models, pre-packaged models that run on Grace to fast-track organizations first AI model implementation. This way, 2021.AI is able to cater for different organizational needs and levels without sacrificing future flexibility or extensibility for strategic scaling of multiple AI models across the organization.
2021.AI serves the growing need for applied AI. Our data science expertise combined with our Grace AI Platform offers a true AI differentiator for clients around the world. With Grace, Data Scientists can solve some of the most complex problems, and at the same time provide organizations with the most comprehensive data and AI governance for ethical, transparent, and trustworthy model development. 2021.AI is headquartered in Copenhagen with sales and R&D in several locations globally.
You might also like…
2021.AI’s Grace AI platform will deliver real-time insights and recommendations in the fight against COVID-19
In a partnership with SemLab and health experts & doctors at Radboud University Medical Centre, 2021.AI will provide up-to-date actionable insights into the spread of COVID-19....
The Ethical AI Newsletter
It’s not fake. It’s not artificial. It’s real news! Sign up for our Ethical AI newsletter and get the latest AI insights from our data science and AI experts.


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It’s probably the most loathsome two words in service land — surge pricing — and it might become a common restaurant practice soon.
OpenTable posted about its test plan on its blog, citing rising costs in the food-serving industry and more convenient ways to “better connect diners and restaurants” as reasons to adopt the practice.
“When research revealed that many OpenTable diners are willing to pay for last-minute, prime-time reservations at popular restaurants, we launched into exploration,” wrote Vannie Shu, who leads global product marketing for consumer platforms at OpenTable.
“We’re excited to see whether OpenTable’s Premium Reservations can help you grow revenue and delight valuable guests seamlessly,” Shu continued.
Premium Reservations will allow last-minute reservations at hot restaurants via its iPhone app, and only those that are Apple Pay enabled and in NYC searches.
After the test period, Shu writes that OpenTable will “analyze how diners respond, looking at what price points work best for them.”
If the virtual palm-greasing works, they might roll it out into other markets.
No word on what the average markups will be, but according to GeoMarketing, a premium reservation during peak times (Friday and Saturday nights) may run customers up to $50 more on top of their bill. They also report that 100 percent of the proceeds are supposed to go to the restaurants.


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›Apple's new releases from the Apple Watch and iPad event, in 12 minutes
tech12:16Apple's new releases from the Apple Watch and iPad event, in 12 minutesApple's September 2020 event unveiled the new iPad, iPad Air, Apple Watch Series 6, and Apple Watch SE. ...The company also debuted a new service Apple Fitness+, and Apple One, a bundle service for multiple subscriptions. The new iPhone release, however, is expected to be announced in October. Here’s everything you need to know from the event.


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HealthDay News — Almost no dietary supplements in the United States provide key nutrients at sufficient doses for pregnant women, according to a study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Noting that most pregnant women in the United States are at risk for inadequate intake of key nutrients from food alone during pregnancy, Katherine A. Sauder, Ph.D., from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, and colleague estimated the doses of supplementation needed to help most pregnant women achieve the recommended intake. From 2007 to 2019, 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted in 2,450 pregnant participants aged 14 to 50 years. The usual intake of vitamins A and D, folate, calcium, iron, and ω-3 fatty acids was estimated from food alone.
For supplementation, the target dose was ≥198 mcg retinol activity equivalents of total vitamin A, 7 to 91 mcg vitamin D, 169 to 720 mcg dietary folate equivalents of folic acid, 383 to 943 mg calcium, 13 to 22 mg iron, and ≥59 mg ω-3 fatty acids. The researchers found that 69 products (33 prenatal) out of 20,547 dietary supplements contained all six nutrients, and seven products (two prenatal) contained target doses of five nutrients. Only one product contained target doses of all six nutrients, but it required seven tablets per daily serving and cost about $200 per month.
“Reformulation or development of products that maximize the number of pregnant women receiving enough (but not too much) vitamin A, vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, iron, and ω-3 FAs is needed,” the authors write.
Two authors disclosed financial ties to the nutrition and other industries.


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77 Diamonds released a new report.
The average celebrity engagement ring in 2016 was valued at about $1.29 million, according to a new report from 77 Diamonds.
For its Celebrity Engagement Ring Trends Report 2017, the diamond retailer looked at 100 of the highest-profile celebrity proposals.
Yellow gold has been the favored metal for celebrity rings in 2017. That’s a change from 2016, when white gold was preferred. From 2013 to 2015, platinum was the material of choice.
Emerald is currently the gem of choice. In 2013 and 2014, oval-cut diamonds were favored.
London-based Diamonds 77 noted that $632,999 was the average amount spent on an engagement ring for celebrities still married in 2017. Celebs who are no longer together, on the other hand, spent over $1 million, on average, on their precious ring.
Read more at 77 Diamonds


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The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami Shows great delight following the new achievement by the ICT sector
A recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals that the ICT sector alone contributed 14.07% of the Nigeria Gross Domestic Products, only in the first quarter (Q1) alone.
Overall, the non-oil sector contributed a total of 90.50% to the country’s GDP, which consequently means that the ICT sector alone brought in more revenue than the oil sector which only accounted for 9.50% of the entire GDP.
Although the oil sector happens to be one of the heavily hit sector by the ongoing pandemic due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the ICT sector has seen a rapid and significant change over the last quarters.
The report also revealed that the country’s GDP grew by 1.87% year-on-year during Q1, thanks to the ICT sector which saw a 13.32% YOY boost in the previous quarter. This was major thanks to the positive impact of the pandemic on the sector as there was an upsurge in The operational strength of all its entities, consequently boosting the revenue from the sector.
In an attempt to buttress on the recent achievement, the Minister’s Technical Assistant on Information Technology, Dr. Femi Adeluyi noted that the growth that was experienced in the sector was majorly propelled by the commitment of the current administration of the President Muhammadu Buhari who has shown a great interest in the sector.
According to Adeluyi, “The strategic policy directions of the Federal Government include the inclusion of Digital Economy in the mandate of the Ministry, the unveiling and implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy and the National Broadband Plan, amongst others.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how critical the ICT sector is to the growth of our country’s digital economy and, by extension, the general economy.
“The Honourable Minister calls on all sectors to take advantage of the Federal Government’s new focus on the digital economy to enable and improve their processes through the use of ICTs. This would enhance the output of all the sectors of the economy and boost Nigeria’s GDP”, Dr. Adeluyi added.


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Ports are prime economic engines for many cities. And they’re extremely complex operations, so complex that even a tiny glitch can shut them down. Learn how Siemens is providing smart technologies to help ports stay on top of their game.
Greater mobility, efficiency, safety and sustainability are on Hamburg's to-do list and the city announced this week it's partnering with Cisco to make it all happen. Some ambitious initiatives are on tap, including making the heart of the city's economy -- its port -- smart too. Click for details.


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Fair price shops to sell onions in city at Rs 59/kg from today
Kolkata: Fair price shops across the city will sell onions from Monday to make the vegetable available to the common people at a reasonable price. The decision came after state food department officials, state agricultural market officials and fair price shop owners conducted an emergency meeting on the skyrocketing onion prices at Khadya Bhawan on Sunday.
The price of onions has shot up throughout the country due to a shortage of supply from Nasik. In Tamil Nadu and Madurai onion was sold for over Rs 200 per kg, while in Kolkata, the price touched Rs 150.
"Onions will be available at all the 935 fair price shops at Rs 59 per kg per family from Monday in Kolkata," said Pradip Majumdar, advisor, agriculture and allied sectors, in the Chief Minister's office.
He reiterated that on September 30, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had instructed the state government's supply chain and sales point known as Sufal Bangla to market onions at a maximum of Rs 59 per kg.
"This has been well received by general public and since the last few days, she (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) has been insisting on extending this facility across the state," pointed out an official of the food department.
The state government will not only subsidise the price of onion but also bear the cost of transportation, distribution and losses in transit.
"We are starting with the marginal ration (MR) shops or fair price shops in Kolkata tomorrow. But we are also seeking the help of self-help groups. We want to engage about 100 self-help groups to market this important commodity at Rs 59 per kg across the state, so that benefit reaches as many residents as possible. If the effort through MR shops in Kolkata succeeds and runs smoothly, we will try to extend it across the state soon," added a senior official of the food department.
"We wholeheartedly laud the decision of the state government to distribute onions from fair price shops of Kolkata at a heavily subsidised retail price. The state government will give 100 kg of onion for sale to each fair price shop in Kolkata," said Biswambhar Basu, general secretary of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation.
To maintain balance of supply and demand, the Central government has also decided to import onion from foreign countries.
It might be mentioned that in November the state had sent an indent of 800 tonnes in total at the rate of 200 tonnes per week to the Central government. However, till date there is no information on when it's going to arrive in Bengal.
The indicated date of arrival is on December 15, while for clearance it requires another four days.
"We can expect it to start moving towards Kolkata around December 16 and reach here around the indicated date," pointed out an official.


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DETROIT -- Detroit Electric is going ahead with production of its Lotus-based sports car in Holland rather than Detroit, as it had planned. The facility in the Netherlands will begin production in the fourth quarter of this year, The Detroit News reported.
In March, Detroit Electric announced plans to build its first product, the all-electric SP:01, in Detroit. The company said it was looking for a production location in the Detroit region with plans to produce 2,500 cars per year with a workforce of 100.
In April the company announced it would partner with Chinese automaker Geely to help develop a fleet of EVs to be sold in China.
June marked the company's first delay, when it said it couldn't find a suitable manufacturing location in Wayne County, where Detroit is located. At that time the schedule for production was moved from August to September.
The company told the News it was trying to secure federal motor vehicle safety standard certification to start production in the United States.
"We are Detroit Electric, not London Electric," CEO Albert Lam said in a statement. "Our commitment to the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan and the United States is as strong as it ever was. While there have been some delays in our plan to start production in Detroit, many vehicle programs experience some form of delay."
The SP:01 -- with a 2,403-pound curb weight -- features an electric motor delivering 201 hp and 166 pounds-feet of torque. Its battery pack is rated at 37 kWh with a charge time on a 240-volt outlet pegged at about four hours.
Production was set for 999 units with a base price of $135,000.


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“Do you like my new home?” Farida Khelfa trilled Saturday morning, leading a tour of the sumptuous and whimsical new couture salons for Schiaparelli on the Place Vendôme in Paris.
Although the storied brand, acquired by Italian entrepreneur Diego Della Valle in 2006, has yet to hire a designer, and its first collection is expected in January, the colorful, art-stuffed rooms telegraph the brand’s surrealist roots — and its hyper-luxurious business approach.
“People want exclusive things,” said Khelfa, dressed in a vintage polka dot dress, electric blue heels and gleaming gold jewelry. Named spokeswoman of the house in May, she was joined in an interview by Schiaparelli’s recently appointed chief executive officer, Camilla Schiavone, previously brand manager of L’Oréal’s fragrance division.
“Prêt-à-couture” is the nomenclature Della Valle has chosen for Schiaparelli, which is plotting a small fashion show at its salons during Paris Couture Week next January.
Khelfa hosted an intimate cocktail Sunday night for the likes of Sharon Stone, Jacques Grange, Victoire de Castellane and Haider Ackermann to show off the reception rooms, which boast stunning views of the historic square and its Napoleon-topped column.
“Sit, sit — you can be the first one,” Ines de la Fressange said to Stone, motioning her to a pristine sofa in sky blue satin.
Appointed with pale Forties furniture, the bright grand salon boasts a lobster-shaped chest of drawers by designer Vincent Darré and a sphinx sculpture that once crouched in Schiaparelli’s original atelier. The mirrored dining room features chairs by Giò Ponti, a rug by Fernand Léger, and a pair of giant metal eyeballs springing out of the wall.
Born in Rome in 1890, Elsa Schiaparelli was known for designs heavily influenced by Surrealist art, such as her Shoe hat and Tear dress.
Schiaparelli had moved into 21 Place Vendôme in 1935, opening a store on the place (now occupied by retailer Dubail), with ateliers upstairs. The new couture salons occupy the third floor, with offices and ateliers under construction on four and five. (Schiaparelli closed her Paris house in 1954 and died in 1973.)
Khelfa, who has been a muse and close collaborator of designers Azzedine Alaïa and Jean Paul Gaultier, said the revival project is being fanned by the “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations” exhibition at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, on until Aug. 19.
“Schiaparelli has this magic sound. It’s untouched,” she told WWD. “It’s really the DNA of fashion. Every designer has referenced her at some point. Ignoring her would be like a painter ignoring Picasso.”


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Starbucks SBUX, +0.75% late Wednesday posted much stronger earnings for its fiscal second quarter and raised its fiscal 2010 profit outlook. Net income was $217.3 million, or 28 a share, compared to net income of $25 million, or 3 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. Sales rose 9% to $2.5 billion. Analysts had forecast Starbucks to earn 25 cents a share on sales of $2.4 billion. Sales at established Starbucks stores showed more improvement. Same-store sales rose 7%, compared to an 8% decline in the year-earlier period. It was the second consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales growth. For 2010, Starbucks said it will earn $1.19 to $1.22 share, excluding charges. Analysts are forecasting $1.12. (Updates to correct sales figure)
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Starting next week, Maine voters will see television advertisements featuring several of the more than 600 Maine small business owners that support the campaign to raise the state’s minimum wage.
Support the restaurants that support fair wages; have a chance to win a free meal!
You probably already know that hundreds of Maine small business owners publicly support this year’s referendum to raise Maine’s minimum wage to $12 by 2020 and to gradually increase wages for tipped workers as well.
Main Street Alliance (MSA), a national organization committed to providing a voice for small business owners, today released the results of a survey of over 1,000 small business owners on varied public policy issues.
Jim Wellehan, owner of Lamey-Wellehan Shoes, who signed the application on behalf of the Maine Small Business Coalition, explained that raising the minimum wage will provide a boost for local Maine businesses, who often pay higher salaries and are forced to compete with out-of-state corporations paying poverty wages.


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Volkswagen plans to buy the German sports car company Porsche in stages while retaining the latter's independence.
The biggest carmaker in Europe says its board will hold talks with Porsche "in order to reach a final concept fulfilling this goal".
Both companies earlier said they wanted to form an integrated automotive group.
Porsche has a 51% holding in VW and had hoped to build this to 75%, but the financial crisis and the slump in the global automotive sector put paid to its efforts, which in the end saddled the sports car company with huge debts.
According to Christian Wulff, governor of Lower Saxony, the German state that owns a large stake in VW, the two companies aim to complete the merger by the middle of 2011. Details would be laid out in principle on 13 August.
Porsche will effectively become the 10th brand under the VW umbrella.
Earlier on Thursday, Porsche said it would increase its capital by at least 5 billion euros ($US7.10 billion).
The Gulf state of Qatar is also to buy a 17% stake in VW. Qatar will be the third largest investor in the company.


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updated 02:05 pm EST, Mon January 3, 2005
iPod of the living room?
Merill Lynch analyst Steven Milunovich says that circulating reports of a sub-$500 "headless" iMac would "the second step for Apple moving into the digital living room," following the release of its AirPort Express in July of 2004. In a report to clients, the analyst said that a sub-$500 iMac would help increase the iPod halo effect and move users to the Mac platform: "As we advocated in our June 22 report Apple Computer: New iMac Coming? we like the idea of a headless iMac. Why require a PC owner to buy a new monitor to get a Mac? Selling just the system unit would cut significantly the cost to switch." Milunovich noted that the iMac could cannibalize the eMac product line, but that the impact would be "modest" because of the targeted education demographic for the eMac.
The note said that the new "headless" iMac could become the entertainment server for the living the room, which was referenced in a Merill report late last year. Milunovich also said that the target market would be those iPod purchasers wanting a second easy-to-use PC with their iPod, noting that Windows users must upgrade to XP anyway to connect to an iPod. Milunovich also said that Apple must continue to build a strong digital consumer franchise based on more than just the iPod; he maintaind a "Buy" rating on AAPL with a target price of $78 per share based on a 2.2X EV/Sales ratio, which is an 18% premium to Dell and Lexmark. Merill also expects that Apple's earnings growth to be faster than Dell's.


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PS Vita owners might be pleased to know that the Disney Infinity 2.0 Edition game has now launched on the Sony handheld console and is now available to purchase.
John Vignocchi, Vice President of Production on Disney Infinity announced the news over the weekend and introduced the new Disney Infinity Marvel Super Heroes 2.0 Edition for Sony’s PS Vita.
The PlayStation Blog article reads :
“Featuring an all-new and exclusive Black Suit Spider-Man figure, the PS Vita Starter Pack also includes the Infinity 2.0 Edition video game, the Disney Infinity Wireless Base which connects via Bluetooth, a Marvel’s Spider-Man Play Set Piece, both Marvel Super Heroes Toy Box Game Discs, a Web Code Card and a USB Recharging Cable.
The Black Suit Spider-Man figure will be fully compatible with the console version of Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition), but it will be making an exclusive debut to the Disney Infinity universe through PS Vita.”
Disney Infinity Marvel Super Heroes 2.0 Edition for PS Vita has launched exclusively at GameStop priced at $60 and is now available to purchase for the Sony PS Vita console. Enjoy!
Source: PS Blog
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Intel's newest Arc driver version 126.96.36.19902 on Windows brings support for Microsoft's DirectStorage 1.1. Along with it, the new driver is also optimized for Spiderman Miles Morales, Warzone 2.0.
Windows 11 widget monitors CPU, GPU, RAM, and more, here's how to enable
windows 11 performance
Windows 11 Beta Channel adds WPA3 support to Phone Link hotspot
windows 11 insider preview
Windows 11 Release Preview adds more live caption languages
windows 11 insider preview promo
Spider-man miles morales RSS
After Peter Parker's arrival to PC, now it's Miles Morales' turn to take his turn as Spider-Man on the platform. The Sony and Insomniac title is now available via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
AMD's driver team has released its first November update, this time bringing support for the latest Call of Duty battle royale Warzone 2.0 plus the upcoming Spider-Man game Miles Morales.
Another Nvidia driver has made a landing, this time offering support for the RTX 4080 graphics card, as well as day-one support for titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Warhammer 40k: Darktide.
Sony is preparing to bring the Spider-Man adventures of Miles Morales to PC in just over a month. The port's PC features as well as a broad range of system requirements have been revealed too.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Forbidden West, and SackBoy A Big Adventure are no longer PlayStation 5 exclusives, as Sony will be bringing these games to the PlayStation 4 as well.
Insomniac Games has provided more details regarding Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The game is set a year after the original, and will be a Uncharted: The Lost Legacy-like standalone project.
Sony today announced Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales as a sequel to the 2018 superhero game. Insomniac is returning to develop the new title, and it is slated to launch during the 2020 holidays.


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DJ and Producers alike have used the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones with great success. Everyone seems to like the lightweight design and rugged durability paired with a great sound that accurately reproduces the source material. The ATH-M50's are currently sold in Black or white color schemes and now AT has released the new ATH-M50RD as a limited Red edition. Check out the full press release and more information on these limited edition headphones in the press release and links listed below.
Freddie Gibbs, Saweetie & Earl Sweatshirt: Best of the Week
Freddie Gibbs, Saweetie, and Earl Sweatshirt, among others, had the best new songs on Audiomack this week.


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Wall Street appears to be shifting from profitable tech stocks to parts of the market that are lagging behind, CNBC’s Jim Kramer said Monday, detailing a strategy for investors to play in rotation.
“The gap between the haves of the Nasdaq and the have-nots of the S&P 500 finally got so bad this morning that money managers, at least some of the big ones, decided they needed to lock in tech gains after incredible growth and switch to something else. Kramer said, trying to explain why the Nasdaq set a daily record on Monday before turning around and closing down 1.26%.
The Mad Money presenter said he expects the move to continue for several days, inviting investors to fight the urge to buy tech stocks by betting they will respond right away.
“I’d rather find companies that have done well in the reporting season and have been under unfair pressure in the past few weeks because they weren’t part of the Nasdaq crush. So you can go back to the fundamentals – they are still important – and buy more if they end up going lower, ”he said.
Here are the stocks that Kramer thinks fit those criteria:
The investment bank “did everything right during this period, but its stock collapsed due to senseless rotations in financial performance” and is now trading at 12x gains, Kramer said. “If Morgan Stanley Shares Keep Falling, I’m Sure I Will Say [CNBC Investing Club] members keep buying it because it’s so damn cheap. “
According to Kramer, the health insurance company is buying back a lot of shares and trading for only 14 times its profits cheap. Centene will also benefit from any expansion of Medicare or Medicaid benefits that the White House supports, he said.
Johnson and Johnson
Kramer said he likes the pharmaceutical giant’s 2.6% dividend yield over the Treasury yield, and believes that Johnson & Johnson’s plans to spin off its consumer products business as a separate company are sound.
“A drug business that remains pure will become the fastest growing large pharmaceutical company in the universe. It should instantly turn into the blackness of the market, ”he said.
The delivery company is playing a key role in the growth of e-commerce sales, Cramer said, and management has expressed confidence that the holiday season will be long. “When the rails roar, I think that UPS is about to catch fire now, a fire that has been on fire for days, if not weeks, after the Christmas holidays, Kramer said.
Login Now for the CNBC Investment Club to follow Jim Cramer’s every move in the market.
Denial of responsibility


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PODCAST: SEC ‘likes’ Facebook, Bitcoin’s a currency rook
Share Now on:
In a move that could change the way companies communicate with their investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission has ruled that company executives can use sites like Twitter and Facebook to release market moving news.
Whenever a big economic crisis happens, investors usually flock to the safety of gold or U.S. government bonds. But the banking crisis in Cyprus brought another store of value to the fore — Bitcoin, an online currency that’s seen a notable surge in price over the last few weeks.
Monsanto beat expectations in its earnings report Wednesday. The company’s recent strong performance opens a window into the explosive technological growth in Latin American agriculture. The biotech farm supplier has cashed in selling its genetically engineered seeds and other products to farmers there.
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Pharma insight on digital marketing, social media, mobile apps, online video, websites and interactive healthcare tools
by Dominic Tyer
The biggest influence on whether US patients visit a pharmaceutical company's disease information or 'drug.com' website is whether their doctor thinks it's worthwhile.
That's according to a US survey on how people access online health information, which found physician recommendations were the top influence on traffic to pharma websites.
Makovsky's third annual survey found that on average US patients visit a doctor three times a year, but spend nearly 52 hours searching online for health information – and their personal computer remains the device of choice for this.
Some 83 per cent of respondents said they would use their PC for health searches, compared to 11 per cent who would use a tablet and the 6 per cent who would pick up their smartphone. But tablet use is on the rise – increasing by 7 per cent since 2012, while smartphone usage has remained the same.
PR agency Makovsky and research firm Kelton quizzed 1,000 Americans and said 42 per cent cited physician recommendations are a key influence on whether they would visit a pharma website, saying they carried more weight than news articles (33 per cent) or recommendations by family, friends or colleagues (30 per cent).
Lower down the list came TV ads (highlighted by 25 per cent of respondents as a prompt to go to pharma web properities), drug discounts (14 per cent) and magazine ads (13 per cent) – all of which still scored higher than social media adverts, which were mentioned by just six per cent of people in the survey.
A bigger challenge for the industry is that its websites continue to score poorly when patients are choosing where to go for health information, with nine per cent of survey respondents saying they would visit pharma sites for information.
It's a figure that's dwarfed by the popularity of WebMD, which remains the online health resource of choice for 53 per cent of people in the survey, followed by Wikipedia (22 per cent), health magazine websites (19 per cent) and advocacy group websites (16 per cent).
Gil Bashe, practice director at Makovsky Health, said: “The survey results demonstrate that even as consumers research health-related information online, they seek trusted resources for that information – their physician, or a fellow patient.
“Healthcare providers and patient advocates serve an increasingly key role in guiding consumers to credible information and community support that can benefit their care.”
The survey also saw the popularity of social media channels as a source for health information ranked relatively low, with YouTube (12 per cent) leading the sector ahead of Facebook and blogs (both 10 per cent).
However, taken as a whole almost a quarter of people (24 per cent) said they would visit at least one social media site, or a combination of sites, for health information.
Given that pharma's social media use tends to either drive traffic to its own websites, or re-purpose material from these sites, the survey is an important reminder to harness a combination of social media channels, while not losing site of such big hitters as WebMD and Wikipedia.


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What to Know
- The scammers are said to post photos of caged animals alongside false information about "high-kill" shelters.
- People may be contacted by these scammers on social media, email, phone or U.S. mail.
- Incidents of consumer fraud can be reported directly to the Federal Trade Commission.
Scammers are using images of sad puppies in cages to prey on compassionate animal lovers in a pervasive animal shelter scam.
The scammers post photos of caged animals next to false information about "high-kill" shelters.
These scammers may contact people by social media, email, phone or U.S. mail. Though it may appear to be a donation toward a good cause, the money raised never reaches the animals, the sheltering agencies or the adoption organizations.
Officials advise potential donors to verify that the organizations asking for funds are legitimate 501(C) 3 charities. Consumers can also look up an organization on Charity Navigator, a nonprofit watchdog that provides charity ratings based on accountability.
Consumers are asked to make sure the animal posted about exists, inquire where it is housed and the extent of its needs.
Fraud can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission by calling (877) FTC-HELP. Reports can also be made to the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs by calling (800) 593- 8222 or visiting dcba.lacounty.gov.


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Filmmaking is the last thing you would expect a startup firm to do. But that’s what Kerala’s first media startup incubated at the Startup Village in Kalamassery is up to. On its agenda is the launch, next year, of an integrated film production house as a corporate entity, where you walk in with an idea and come out with a well-made feature film.
Cinema and Technology (CAT) Entertainments Pvt Ltd, formed by techies Amarnath Sankar, Chachu Jacob, Ebin Ephrem and Arun Nair last year, has already made waves with its ad films and corporate movies for reputed clients; the film it made for the Kerala government on ‘Entrepreneurship Day’ last month clocking 4,59,783 views on YouTube till Tuesday.
“The ad, ‘We believe in building a new dream for a great future’, was a huge hit with over 4 lakh views in just a week’s time. And it was done without superstars or extravagant sets,” beams Mr. Sankar, a cyber security expert who is managing director and chief executive officer of the company.
Mr. Sankar, who has been contracted by the DRDO for cyber security projects, chooses not to respond to calls and text messages when he is at a cinema hall. He says the passion is shared by the whole team. After graduating in engineering from a college in Madurai, they got together to do a television programme, Tech Zone, which was instrumental in winning them a berth in the Startup Village.
The firm has come a long way ever since and attained a turnover of Rs.1 million in the first quarter of the current fiscal. CAT Entertainments, which employs a dozen technicians, now boasts an impressive list of clients including BlackBerry India and Kerala government. It has also become the official media partner of Startup Village, FWD Life Style Magazine, MobMe Wireless and Exit77Music, a US-based startup company. “CAT got tremendous visibility through its work for Kerala Strikers in the Celebrity Cricket League. The creative fire in our belly has gotten us into making corporate videos on products besides profiles; ad films; and TV shows. The ultimate passion, however, is to launch a one-stop-shop for filmmaking. We already have a few scripts and will hopefully launch our dream project next year,” he reveals.
Part of the group is CAT Cyberlabs, a cyber security research and development division, in Hyderabad.