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IBM Cloud to Deliver New Home Entertainment Services for Philips Smart TVs

IBM Launches Cloud Platform for the Consumer Electronics Industry

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BERLIN - 31 Aug 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today unveiled a new cloud platform for consumer electronics firms and announced it will power the Philips Smart TV platform for Internet services, which will deliver greater interactive services to millions of TV viewers in more than 30 countries in Europe, as well as Brazil and Argentina.

Through their broadband connections, smart TVs provide consumers with innovative, on-demand access to an unlimited array of entertainment options throughout the Internet. In addition to standard, linear TV, they provide two-way interaction and personalized content, enabling new “intelligent” consumer services.  

Today’s announcement at the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin provides IBM cloud services on a pay-per-use basis to TP Vision, an Amsterdam-based joint venture between Philips and TV manufacturer TPV responsible for the development of Philips Smart TV. 

TP Vision needed a cloud computing environment resilient enough to support unexpected service demands at any given time when millions of TV units access a variety of services on its network.  

“IBM’s cloud platform allows us to place the service and application intelligence into the cloud, and reduces the complexity of managing software in the TVs for our consumers,” said Albert Mombarg, head of Philips Smart TV at TP Vision. “This provides an economic, more flexible way to create new services for our viewers. By engaging with IBM on a cost-per-device basis, we obtain a new business model with predictable costs, and great flexibility to expand our services and grow our user base. We expect it to transform the way we offer new services and drive ongoing business innovation.” 

The new IBM cloud platform opens up paths to new revenue. The data stored within the cloud can provide new insights about consumer needs and behavior for the media and entertainment industry, such as recommending TV shows based on past selections. Service providers, chief marketing officers and advertisers can use Big Data analytics to deliver more personalized entertainment options and targeted advertisements. Marketers can generate collective consumer knowledge derived from the aggregation of data from a population of homes, in addition to an individual TV. 

“As the Internet and smart devices continue to infiltrate home entertainment, today’s consumer electronics manufacturers are looking to deliver new interactive entertainment services,” said Bruce Anderson, general manager of IBM’s global electronics industry. “Televisions are about to become the next open application platform, similar to the application platforms on mobile devices.  Organizations are turning to the IBM cloud as the channel for their innovation.” 

IBM Launches IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery

Today IBM unveils a cloud-based platform managed by IBM global cloud data centers, for subscriber and device management, service life-cycle management and more.  IBM’s new service delivery platform, called the IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery for Electronics, provides consistent management of millions of different connected consumer devices, provisions services, interfaces with third parties, and acts as a collector of customer intelligence. It bundles services, software, hardware, network and third-party services in a single integrated service, for an all-in price, with per active user pricing, making smarter TV services more cost effective for manufacturers and consumers. 

Examples of live solutions demonstrated at IFA include the Philips Smart TV and service portal, and a smart home proof-of-concept, with home management and monitoring, as well as home energy management. 

For more information about IBM’s global electronics industry, visithttp://www.ibm.com/electronics 

To read more about IBM’s news at IFA, visit this Smarter Planet blog post. 

About IBM Cloud Computing

IBM has helped thousands of clients adopt cloud models and manages millions of cloud based transactions every day. IBM assists clients in areas as diverse as banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services. IBM is unique in bringing together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centers. For more information about cloud offerings from IBM, visithttp://www.ibm.com/smartcloud. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ibmcloud and on our blog at http://www.thoughtsoncloud.com

Accenture to Acquire NewsPage, a Leading Provider of Integrated Distributor Management and Mobility Software for the Consumer Goods Industry

Press release from Accenture:

August 30, 2012

Accenture to Acquire NewsPage, a Leading Provider of Integrated Distributor Management and Mobility Software for the Consumer Goods Industry

 

NEW YORK; Aug. 30, 2012 – Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has entered into an agreement to acquire Singapore-based NewsPage Pte Ltd (“NewsPage”), a leading provider of integrated distributor management and mobility software for the consumer goods industry in emerging markets.

 

NewsPage provides software products to some of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. Upon closing, the acquisition will complement the capabilities of the Accenture CAS software platform, a leading integrated software platform that supports the consumer goods industry sales processes, and help strengthen its capabilities in emerging markets. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

 

The Accenture CAS software platform helps consumer goods companies achieve greater trade efficiency and sales by enabling improved product availability on the shelf and increasing their ability to efficiently collaborate with retailers, while supporting the management of large, mobile sales and distribution forces.

 

Upon closing, the acquisition of NewsPage will add distributor management and mobility capabilities to the Accenture CAS software platform through a lean, user-friendly application. Also, NewsPage will bring a multi-platform mobility capability to the Accenture CAS solution, allowing it to run on Windows, Android and iOS devices. NewsPage’s products are delivered on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) basis or on-location.

 

The combination of the Accenture CAS software platform and NewsPage’s products will offer consumer goods companies the ability to manage all of their sales processes on a single global sales platform – from trade promotion management and optimization to retail execution, and from distributor management to direct store delivery, merchandising and customer service.

 

“This acquisition is important as it will enhance Accenture’s ability to help global consumer goods companies by supporting all route-to-market sales and delivery models across mature and emerging markets,” said Fabio Vacirca, senior managing director of Accenture’s Consumer Goods & Services practice. “NewsPage has a strong client base of global consumer goods brands that have benefited from its products. Its addition will strengthen Accenture’s software capabilities in emerging markets and reinforce Accenture’s position as a leading provider of integrated sales software for the consumer goods industry.”

 

Once the transaction has closed, approximately 128 NewsPage employees will join Accenture, and will continue to focus on product development, client sales and delivery. This team will be integrated into the Accenture Software organization.

 

“We are pleased that Accenture has recognized the strength of the NewsPage products, and the valuable work that we deliver for our clients,” said Tim Yoon, CEO of NewsPage. “We believe that the combination of our two organizations will create a compelling offer for consumer goods companies in emerging markets. Now we will be able to meet our client’s software implementation needs in countries outside of our traditional geographic area, benefiting from Accenture’s global reach and experience. This will be particularly useful where clients want business process changes before they implement the software platform.”

 

The acquisition is subject to closing requirements and is expected to close within 60 days.

 

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 249,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$25.5 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

 

Accenture Software combines deep technology acumen with industry knowledge to develop differentiated software products. It offers innovative software-based solutions to enable organizations to meet their business goals and achieve high performance. It's home page is:www.accenture.com/software. For more information on Accenture CAS, please visitwww.accenture.com/accenturecas.

 

About NewsPage
NewsPage, a market leader in mobility, has been in the business of developing and deploying industry-ready mobile applications since 1993. NewsPage Distributor Management is an end-to-end enterprise solution that caters for businesses that sell thru distributors. NewsPage has an extensive install base worldwide with more than 60 successful systems running in 20 countries across 7 different time zones in multiple languages. For more information, visitwww.newspage.com.sg.
 

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Electronic Scores Rank Consumers by Potential Value

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Sunday, August 19, 2012

Electronic Scores Rank Consumers by Potential Value

By NATASHA SINGER

ST. CLOUD, Minn. AMERICANS are obsessed with their scores. Credit scores, G.P.A.’s, SAT’s, blood pressure and cholesterol levels — you name it.

So here’s a new score to obsess about: the e-score, an online calculation that is assuming an increasingly important, and controversial, role in e-commerce.

These digital scores, known broadly as consumer valuation or buying-power scores, measure our potential value as customers. What’s your e-score? You’ll probably never know. That’s because they are largely invisible to the public. But they are highly valuable to companies that want — or in some cases, don’t want — to have you as their customer.

Online consumer scores are calculated by a handful of start-ups, as well as a few financial services stalwarts, that specialize in the flourishing field of predictive consumer analytics. It is a Google-esque business, one fueled by almost unimaginable amounts of data and powered by complex computer algorithms. The result is a private, digital ranking of American society unlike anything that has come before.

It’s true that credit scores, based on personal credit reports, have been around for decades. And direct marketing companies have long ranked consumers by their socioeconomic status. But e-scores go further. They can take into account facts like occupation, salary and home value to spending on luxury goods or pet food, and do it all with algorithms that their creators say accurately predict spending.

A growing number of companies, including banks, credit and debit card providers, insurers and online educational institutions are using these scores to choose whom to woo on the Web. These scores can determine whether someone is pitched a platinum credit card or a plain one, a full-service cable plan or none at all. They can determine whether a customer is routed promptly to an attentive service agent or relegated to an overflow call center.

Federal regulators and consumer advocates worry that these scores could eventually put some consumers at a disadvantage, particularly those under financial stress. In effect, they say, the scores could create a new subprime class: people who are bypassed by companies online without even knowing it. Financial institutions, in particular, might avoid people with low scores, reducing those people’s access to home loans, credit cards and insurance.

It might seem strange that one innovator in this sphere has blossomed here in St. Cloud, a world away from the hothouse of Silicon Valley. It is called eBureau, and it develops eScores — its name for custom scoring algorithms — to predict whether someone is likely to become a customer or a money-loser. Gordy Meyer, the founder and chief executive, says his system needs less than a second to size up a consumer and to transmit his or her score to an eBureau client.

“It’s like gambling,” Mr. Meyer says. “It’s a game of odds, when to double down and when to pass.”

Every month, eBureau scores about 20 million American adults on behalf of clients like banks, payday lenders and insurers, looking to buy the names of prospective customers. An eBureau spinoff called TruSignal, also located here, scores about 110 million consumers monthly for advertisers seeking select audiences for online ads. Mr. Meyer says eBureau’s clients use the scores to answer basic business questions about their potential audience.

“Are they legitimate?” Mr. Meyer asks. “Are they worth pursuing? Are they worth spending money on?” The scores, he adds, are generated without using federally regulated consumer data and are not used to make credit decisions about consumers. (Using regulated credit data for marketing purposes could run afoul of federal law.)

Such assurances aside, consumer value scores have begun to trouble some federal regulators. One of their worries is that these scores, which have spread quietly through American business, measure individuals against one another, using yardsticks that are essentially secret. Another is that the scores could pigeonhole people, limit their financial choices and channel some into predatory loans, they say.

“The scoring is a tool to enable financial institutions to make decisions about financing based on unconventional methods,” says David Vladeck, the director of the bureau of consumer protection at the Federal Trade Commission. “We are troubled by these practices.”

Federal law governs the use of old-fashioned credit scores. Companies must have a legally permissible purpose before checking consumers’ credit reports and must alert them if they are denied credit or insurance based on information in those reports. But the law does not extend to the new valuation scores because they are derived from nontraditional data and promoted for marketing.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

For Buckyballs Toys, Child Safety Is a Growing Issue

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Friday, August 17, 2012

For Buckyballs Toys, Child Safety Is a Growing Issue

By ANDREW MARTIN

Three years ago, two pals from Brooklyn came up with the idea of creating a desktop toy out of powerful magnets. Their creation, Buckyballs, became an instant hit. And by this year, the two — Craig Zucker and Jake Bronstein — had expected annual sales to reach about $25 million.

But their business plan has hit a major, unanticipated snag.

Buckyballs are made from rare-earth elements, which makes them much more powerful than most magnets — and potentially more dangerous when ingested. Though the product is marketed to adults and festooned with warning labels, regulators have moved to stop sales because children keep swallowing Buckyballs and similar products made by others.

An administrative complaint filed last month by the Consumer Product Safety Commission seeks to require the company — officially called Maxfield & Oberton Holdings — to tell the public about the problem and offer customers a refund. The safety commission also asked 12 other manufacturers of rare-earth magnets to voluntarily recall their products and stop sales; 11 have complied.

Besides Buckyballs, Zen Magnets, a small company in Denver, refused. Last week, the safety commission filed an administrative complaint against Zen Magnets too.“The labeling, the warnings, the packaging does not work,” Scott Wolfson, spokesman for the safety agency, said of the products. “You have young children who come into a room and get their hands on a loose magnet or two.”

The action involving Buckyballs and Zen Magnets is unusual because the safety commission rarely files an administrative complaint, which is essentially a request for a mandatory recall. The last one, filed 11 years ago, was against Daisy Manufacturing, which makes BB guns. In Buckyballs’ case, a hearing will be scheduled before an administrative law judge, who will decide whether to grant the safety commission’s request.

In the meantime, Mr. Zucker has started an aggressive public campaign to win support for Buckyballs. Using the cheeky slogan “Save Our Balls,” his company has taken out newspaper ads in Washington, directed at President Obama and lawmakers, and stoked a campaign on social media Web sites like Facebook and Twitter.

In doing so, Mr. Zucker has found enthusiastic support from those who believe the Obama administration has pushed regulation too far.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

Zillow and Other Companies Moving From Consumers to Businesses

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Monday, August 06, 2012

Zillow and Other Companies Moving From Consumers to Businesses

By NICK WINGFIELD

SEATTLE — For the first few years of its existence, the only thing Zillow cared about was getting people to come to its real estate Web site to snoop on the market value of neighbors’ homes and other properties. Over 34 million visitors a month now do so.

In the last 18 months, though, Zillow has lavished its attention on a different audience: real estate agents. It has created one service that lets them build their own Web sites, one for broadcasting their property listings and another for managing communications with home seekers.

There used to be a clearer line between Internet companies that catered to consumers and those that served businesses. The market was neatly divided between the unglamorous business-to-business or B2B companies, operating mostly out of public view, and the flashier business-to-consumer or B2C companies. But with Zillow and a wave of similar firms, that distinction is fading.

LinkedIn, Groupon and GrubHub — consumer services that help people advertise their talents, find daily deals and order takeout food — are among the companies seeking to burrow more deeply into the operations of businesses in their respective markets. Some companies, like Zillow, are shifting toward business clients well after they were begun. For others, it has been part of the plan from the beginning.

Of course, most consumer Internet companies have long had relationships of some kind with other businesses. Amazon.com works with thousands of manufacturers and with sellers who use its site as a storefront. EBay, initially known as a marketplace for individuals to peddle collectibles and other goods, now has plenty of businesses that sell on its site. Then there are the businesses to which Facebook, Google and Yahoo sell advertising.

But consumer Internet companies of the newer generation are doing even more. In many cases, the tools they are providing businesses resemble specialized versions of so-called customer relationship management services from companies like Salesforce.com, which help businesses increase sales and keep track of communications with clients.

By moving in this direction, consumer Internet companies hope to tap potentially rich new sources of revenue, which could make them more attractive to investors. A company that gets business clients to depend on a broad set of its services can make it tougher for competitors to swipe its customers.

American Restaurant Industry Starts to Simmer, Says GE Capital

Press release:


27 March 2012

American Restaurant Industry Starts to Simmer, Says GE Capital

Increased consumer spending and foot traffic boost expectations

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--27 March 2012-- The American restaurant industry is starting to simmer. Consumers are spending more on meals, and foot traffic at establishments is improving, albeit from a diminished base, according to the 22nd edition of the Chain Restaurant Industry Review, released at this week’s Restaurant Leadership Conference by GE Capital, Franchise Finance. As sales trends recover, operators are translating those positive feelings into a greater willingness to invest in their businesses. And with increasingly accessible credit, they’re able to commit to higher capital expenditures.

“The restaurant industry has come through the upheaval of the past several years by listening closely to the consumer and adapting to their changing tastes – and they’ve done it well,” said Agustin Carcoba, president and CEO of GE Capital, Franchise Finance. “Depending on their segment, brand and focus, operators have emphasized food quality, service quality, menu options and other factors that will lead to renewed growth this year and in the years ahead. Even better, operators did it all while managing operational costs.”

Consumers spent $406.6 billion at restaurants in 2011. For 21 consecutive months, they spent more at restaurants than grocery stores, and that trend is expected to continue. Last year, quick-service restaurants (QSR) accounted for 48.0 percent of that figure, while full-service restaurants (FSR) counted for 48.1 percent. The QSR category includes limited service, fast casual, take-out locations and snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars, while FSR includes family, casual, high-end casual and fine dining establishments.

Operators’ improved expectations can be partially attributed to positive results that were sustained throughout last year. QSR same-store sales grew 3.2% last year – ahead of the FSR rate of 2.4%. QSR benefitted from eight consecutive periods of growth due to more consistent traffic, while FSR relied more on menu price increases and higher average checks.

“Restaurateurs are no longer in survival mode; now they’re planning for the future,” said Trey Brown, commercial leader of GE Capital, Franchise Finance. “To capture that growth and maintain a competitive advantage, they’re investing in their businesses by building new stores, remodeling existing ones or investing in new equipment.”

The level of liquidity available in the restaurant space continues to improve. Merger and acquisition activity – an indicator of the popularity of the restaurant industry among investors – increased last year. Total syndicated volume in the restaurant space increased more than 26% to almost $12 billion in 2011. Strategic buyers returned, such as American Blue Ribbon Holdings LLC, Darden Restaurants and Landry’s Inc. Private equity firms were also active; for example, Golden Gate Capital acquired California Pizza Kitchen.

“We expect restaurants to continue to be appealing acquisition targets because of the ongoing increases in food dollars spent away from home, as well as the scalability of this business model,” Brown added.

About GE Capital, Franchise Finance

GE Capital, Franchise Finance is a leading lender for the franchise finance market via direct sales and portfolio acquisition. With more than 30 years of experience and $10 billion in served assets, we serve over 3,000 customers and over 18,000 property locations. We specialize in financing mid-market operators with multiple stores in the restaurant and hospitality industries. Our team of industry experts will work with you to help develop your own growth plan with access to our proprietary industry research and customized tools. More information is available atwww.gefranchisefinance.com.

GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. For more information, visitwww.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter (@GECapital).

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

F.T.C. Seeks Privacy Legislation

Excerpt from an article in

The New York Times

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

F.T.C. Seeks Privacy Legislation

By TANZINA VEGA and EDWARD WYATT

The government’s chief consumer protection agency said on Monday that it intended to take direct aim at the vast industry that has grown up around the buying and selling of information about American consumers.

The agency, the Federal Trade Commission, called on Congress to enact legislation regulating so-called data brokers, which compile and trade a wide range of personal and financial data about millions of consumers from online and offline sources. The legislation would give consumers access to information collected about them and allow them to correct and update such data.

The agency also sent a cautionary signal to technology and advertising companies regarding a “Do Not Track” mechanism that allows consumers to opt out of having their online behavior monitored and shared. It warned that if companies did not voluntarily provide a satisfactory Do Not Track option, it would support additional laws that mandate it.

The recommendations, part of a sweeping set of guidelines in an F.T.C. report on Monday, represent the government’s latest move to address the issue of consumer privacy.

On one side of the debate are data brokers like Experian and Acxiom, which collect and sell information, and the huge ecosystem of technology and online advertising companies — including Google, Microsoft and Facebook — that target consumers based on their personal preferences.

On the other side are consumer groups and privacy advocates that are concerned about the volume of data being collected and how little control consumers have over that information.

The government’s Do Not Track efforts are likely to collide with the desire of companies to continue the lucrative business of collecting, using and sharing information about the people who use their services. Although these businesses say they support limits on using this information, they generally still want to be able to collect it.

GE Capital Retail Bank and Discount Tire Renew Consumer Financing Agreement

26 March 2012

GE Capital Retail Bank and Discount Tire Renew Consumer Financing Agreement

Building on their 15 year relationship, the Discount Tire CarCareONE^SM Card is Available Through more than 800 Locations Nationwide

STAMFORD, Conn. and SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. –– March 26, 2012 –– GE Capital Retail Bank has announced a multi-year renewal to continue providing financing for customers of Discount Tire, the nation’s leading independent tire retailer. GE Capital’s Retail Finance business, the operating entity that provides financial solutions to retailers and dealers to help grow their customer sales, will continue to manage the Discount Tire relationship and service the account.

The Discount Tire CarCareONE credit card program, which began in 1997, provides customers with convenient payment options and benefits for their full-service tire replacement, wheel, and maintenance and repair purchases at any of the company’s more than 800 stores and online at discountire.comor tires.com. Cardholders* can qualify for rebates, promotional financing terms, exclusive savings, e-bill and e-payment, and other options.

“The CarCareONE financing program is an essential tool for supporting our growth initiatives and an important part of our service offering, giving customers payment options that enable them to budget for planned and unplanned auto care,” said Christian Roe, chief financial officer of finance for Discount Tire. “GE Capital understands the needs of our customers and our business as we continue to evolve.”

Established in 1960 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Discount Tire operates more than 800 stores in 23 states and offers one of the largest selections of leading brand tires and wheels, as well as full service tire service and repair. Over the past half century, Discount Tire has grown to become the world's largest independent tire and wheel retailer today.

“For more than 15 years, we’ve enjoyed working with Discount Tire to build their business and provide their customers with convenient payment options,” said Mike Mattevi, vice president of sales, automotive industry, for GE Capital’s Retail Finance business. “We’re pleased to extend our relationship and continue supporting Discount Tire’s customer service and satisfaction guarantee.”

For more than 75 years, GE Capital’s Retail Finance business has provided billions of dollars in consumer financing through major retailers and more than 200,000 small- and mid-sized businesses throughout the United States. GE Capital is a leading provider of consumer credit in the automotive industry for more than 30 years. The company supports its clients with proprietary online technology such as Business Center, which includes service, marketing and sales tools, as well as the newly launched Learning Center, providing businesses with fast and easy access to training tools and resources on how to better understand and offer financing to consumers.

About Discount TireDiscount Tire, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is America's largest independent tire retailer. Also referred to as America's Tire in Oregon and some parts of California and Washington, Discount Tire currently operates over 800 stores in 23 states across the country. Serving more than 40 million customers, Discount Tire has built its success on the motto, "Be fair, be truthful, work hard, be there on time, and help people." Atdiscounttire.com and tires.com, customers can research, order and make an appointment for service.

About GE Capital’s Retail Finance businessGE Capital’s Retail Finance business is among the country’s most successful retail lenders, with more than 75 years of experience in consumer financing. The business, which originates loans as a unit of GE Capital Retail Bank, provides customized credit programs to retailers and consumers in the United States and Canada that help drive sales. This includes private label and bankcard credit programs to major national, regional and independent retailers in the U.S., as well as private label credit programs, promotional and installment lending, bankcards and financial services for consumers through dealers; contractors; manufacturers; healthcare practices; and service providers across nearly 20 industries. More information can be found atwww.gogecapital.com and twitter.com/GoGECapital.

GE Capital is one of the world’s largest providers of credit. For over one million businesses, large and small, GE Capital provides financing to purchase, lease and distribute equipment, as well as capital for real estate and corporate acquisitions, refinancings and restructurings. For our 100+ million consumer customers, GE Capital offers credit cards, sales finance programs, home, car and personal loans and credit insurance. For more information, visit www.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter@GECapital.

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

* subject to credit approval as determined by GE Capital Retail Bank.

Apple Loses First Appeal in Italian Warranty Case

A Rome court has upheld a €900,000 (US$1.2 million) fine imposed on Apple last December by Italy's Antitrust Authority for circumventing consumer protection laws, Italian media reported Friday.

The Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR) of Lazio rejected Apple's appeal that the fine be suspended pending a ruling on the merits of the question slated for May 9.

The Antitrust Authority imposed the fine on Apple Sales International, Apple Italia Srl and Apple Sales Retail for not providing enough information about guarantees afforded by the Italian Consumer Code and for giving misleading information in order to sell more AppleCare packages.

The court did, however, order the suspension of the Antitrust Authority's order that Apple modify its publicity and packaging in relation to the AppleCare Protection Plan, accepting the company's argument that if the order was overturned by the court in May the obligatory modifications would cause "grave and irreparable" harm to Apple.

For more, click the link below:


http://www.pcworld.com/article/252508/apple_loses_first_appeal_in_italian_warranty_case.html#tk.nl_bdx_h_crawl

Google Faces Class-Action Lawsuits Over New Privacy Policy

Google faces consumer complaints in federal courts in New York and California that claim that its new privacy policy violates the company's earlier policies which promised that information provided by a user for one service would not be used by another service without the consumer's consent.

The Internet company is being charged in both lawsuits for violation of the Federal Wiretap Act, for wilful interception of communications and aggregation of personal information of its consumers for financial benefit, and the Stored Electronic Communications Act for exceeding its authorized access to consumer communications stored on its systems. Google is also charged with violation of the Computer Fraud Abuse Act, and other counts including state laws.

The plaintiffs in both suits seek to bring nationwide class action on behalf of holders of Google accounts and owners of Android devices from Aug. 19, 2004 to Feb. 29, 2012, who continued to maintain the Google accounts and own the devices after the new privacy policy came into effect on March 1 this year.

For more, click the link below:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/252332/google_faces_classaction_lawsuits_over_new_privacy_policy.html#tk.nl_bdx_h_crawl

Senate Probes Verizon-Cable Deal

Excerpt from an article in

TheHill.com

Senate probes Verizon-cable deal 
By Brendan Sasso

The Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights will examine Verizon's $3.6 billion deal with a coalition of cable companies on Wednesday afternoon.

Verizon agreed in December to buy wireless airwave licenses, known as spectrum, from cable companies including Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House Networks. Under a separate deal announced simultaneously, Verizon and the cable companies agreed to cross-sell one another's services.

"The subcommittee carefully examines questions about competition in the wireless and video markets, with the ultimate goal of protecting consumers and reducing their cable and cell phone bills, and these deals are no exception," Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said in a statement announcing the hearing.

The witnesses will be Randal Milch, Verizon's general counsel; David Cohen, Comcast's vice president; Steven Berry, CEO of the Rural Cellular Association; Joel Kelsey, policy adviser for consumer group Free Press; and Timothy Wu, a Columbia University law professor who specializes in Internet, communications and antitrust issues.

Wu served as chairman of Free Press from 2008 to 2011.

The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department are probing whether the deals will hurt competition in the wireless industry.

The Rural Cellular Association, other wireless carriers including Sprint and T-Mobile and consumer groups such as Free Press argue the spectrum deal will allow Verizon, the nation's largest wireless carrier, to consolidate its control over the airwaves, stifling competition. The groups also argue that the cross-marketing deals could lead to price-fixing or other anticompetitive behavior.

Verizon said the spectrum deal will help it meet the growing demands of smartphones and tablet computers. The company pointed out that the cable companies have no immediate plans to use the spectrum licenses.

News Release from GE Capital

15 March 2012

GE Capital Retail Bank and The Tile Shop Renew Consumer Financing Program

National Tile Retailer Extends Financing Program through its 57 U.S. Locations and Online Store

KETTERING, OHIO and PLYMOUTH, MINN. – March 15, 2012 – GE Capital Retail Bank and national tile retailer, The Tile Shop, announced today a multi-year extension of their credit card program, which originated in 2009. GE Capital’s Retail Finance business, the operating entity that provides financial solutions to retailers and dealers to help build their customer sales, will continue to manage The Tile Shop relationship and service the account.

Under the agreement, GE Capital will offer The Tile Shop credit card as part of its Home Design^SM program through the retailer’s 57 stores and for online purchases at www.tileshop.com. Special financing options are available for any type of installation product or service, including one-of-a-kind accent tiles, stone, marble, design, tools and accessories.

“Our focus is to provide our customers with the products and resources to transform their homes, including flexible payment options,” said Carl Randazzo, national sales manager for The Tile Shop. “GE Capital shares our commitment to a great customer experience and continues to bring their decades of expertise to help us build loyalty and satisfaction.”

The Tile Shop is known for being at the forefront of the do-it-yourself industry, and offers customers design guidance, extensive product knowledge, and thousands of stone and tile products for almost any home application project.

“We are proud to continue working with The Tile Shop to deliver value to their business and support their stores in building relationships with their customers,” said Steve Roe, general manager, flooring for GE Capital’s Retail Finance business. “Our objective is to offer their customers payment options that enable them to accomplish larger home projects to improve and enjoy their spaces.”

For more than 75 years, GE Capital’s Retail Finance business has provided billions of dollars in consumer financing through major retailers and more than 200,000 small- and mid-sized businesses throughout the United States. GE Capital is a leading provider of consumer credit in the Flooring and Home Improvement industries and supports its clients with proprietary online technology such as Business Center, which includes service, marketing and sales tools, as well as the newly launched Learning Center, providing businesses with fast and easy access to training tools and resources on how to better understand and offer financing to consumers.

Why the Web Lacks Authoritative Reviews of Doctors

Excerpt from an article in

The New York Times

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Why the Web Lacks Authoritative Reviews of Doctors

By RON LIEBER

For all the debate about which Web sites have the best model for reliable reviews — paid or unpaid, anonymous or real name, Angie’s List or Yelp or TripAdvisor — one thing is certain: a robust ecosystem exists online for restaurant and hotel reviews that has changed those industries for the better.

So it is puzzling that there is no such authoritative collection of reviews for physicians, the highest-stakes choice of service provider that most people make.

Sure, various Web sites like HealthGrades and RateMDs have taken their shots, and Yelp and Angie’s List have made a go of it, too. But the listings are often sparse, with few contributors and little of substance.

What we have here is a demand and supply problem: many people want this information, and more consumers would trust it if the sites had more robust offerings. But not enough people take the time to review their doctors. And fixing that problem means figuring out why.

Companies have tried to collect reviews of doctors since the early days of the Web, and RateMDs.com has gathered more than most. The founder, John Swapceinski, was inspired to create it after his success with a site called RateMyProfessors.com, which is well known for the “hotness” rating that college students assign (or not) to their teachers.

“Anything that people spend time or money on ought to be rated,” he said. RateMDs now has reviews of more than 1,370,000 doctors in the United States and Canada.

But getting in the faces of the previously untouchable professional class has inevitably led to legal threats. He says he gets about one each week over negative reviews and receives subpoenas every month or two for information that can help identify reviewers, who believe they are posting anonymously.

Which Mobile App Features make Consumers Tick?

Which Mobile App Features Make Consumers Tick?


Nuance Research Releases New Telling Data on Mobile Apps

Natural Language, Voice Biometrics, and Other Advanced Features are Set to Trigger Wider Consumer Adoption

BURLINGTON, MA. – March 7, 2012

WHAT: Mobile Apps are Here to Stay – When given the option, the majority (84 percent) of consumers would rather use a mobile app instead of calling a company for routine inquiries such as checking their balance, checking flight status and other tasks. While non-technophiles may find this mind-boggling, truth be told, mobile apps are here to stay and the numbers show that this trend is likely to continue. According to a recent survey commissioned by Nuance Research and conducted by Vocal Laboratories Inc. (Vocalabs), 85 percent of consumers expect to turn to a mobile app first for customer service over the next year.

Voice is King – The same survey also found that voice will be a key driver in mobile app growth, particularly when it comes to ease of use with a company’s customer service apps. More than half the respondents (59 percent) believe interacting with a company's mobile phone app through a natural spoken conversation would be easier than typing, while 42 percent said they believe it would be both faster and more fun than typing. For those surveyed who have already experienced natural language interactions through apps like Siri, those numbers skew higher with 68 percent thinking the interaction would be easier and 54 percent believing the interaction would be more fun. The survey also found that 77 percent would like to have the option and/or prefer to interact with mobile apps through a natural spoken conversation. Among those surveyed who have used conversational voice applications like Siri that number jumps to 91 percent.

Consumers Have an Appetite for Voice Biometrics – Nearly every consumer surveyed (a whopping 96 percent) said they make mistakes typing their passwords into their mobile phones, and 10 percent claimed that they make mistakes every time, signaling a clear opportunity for voice biometrics integration into mobile apps. Voice biometrics, which identifies each individual through their unique voiceprint, eliminates the hassle of remembering and then typing in passwords on virtual keyboards. Of the survey participants, 89 percent have more than 10 passwords that they manage, 34 percent have more than 20, and 15 percent have more than 40. Of these respondents, 77 percent feel a voice password would be more convenient than a typed password, while improved security is also a considering factor with 55 percent saying that they feel a voice password would be more secure than a typed password.

GE Capital Retail Bank and Pep Boys Renew Consumer Financing Agreement : Press Releases : News : GE

GE Capital Retail Bank and Pep Boys Renew Consumer Financing Agreement : Press Releases : News : GE