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  • Facebook’s Management Team Ordered to Abandon Their iPhones

    Facebook’s Management Team Ordered to Abandon Their iPhones

    Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, and CEO of Facebook has allegedly asked his executive team to use Android phones instead of iPhones.

    The New York Times reported that it all began when Apple’s CEO Tim Cook spoke about the privacy concerns surrounding Facebook in an MSNBC interview. He said that personal details of people can be used by advertisers and shouldn’t exist online. Apple, he added, considered privacy a ‘human right’ unlike applications (like Facebook) that violate privacy policies.

    Last year, Facebook made $39.9 billion in advertising revenue. The company offers targeted advertising which helps advertisers display customized ads to a specific group of people.

    If someone searches for something on Google, he/she will see ads related to the topic on social media websites. According to the statement made by Cook in March 2018, these tracking techniques are ‘creepy’.

    Cook was also asked what he would have done in Zuckerberg’s position in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, to which he replied that he “wouldn’t be in this situation.”

    The Majority in the US Prefer Androids Over iPhones

    Zuckerberg was offended by these remarks and ordered his management team to stop using iPhones. Earlier in 2018, Statista reported that 54.5% of the U.S. population used Android’s operating system. Thus, he told his employees that Android had far more users than Apple.

    However, Business Insider also published a survey that showed that 80% of US teenagers preferred iPhones. We’ll have to wait until next year to see whether this figure will tilt the balance in favor of Apple.

    9 Executives Bid Goodbye to Facebook

    2018 was a rough year for Facebook–as soon as news of the data scandal broke on the internet in March 2018, the company faced criticism from all over the world.

    Since then, Zuckerberg has appeared in front of the US Congress and the EU Parliament. He is also set to answer questions raised by the UK and Canadian governments.

    In the meantime, some notable names from the executive team quit their jobs. WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum left the company one month after the data scandal was published.

    Elliot Schrage, Communications and Public Policy’s Head, and Colin Stretch, General Counsel, announced their exit in June and July. They were followed by Alex Stamos, Chief Security Officer, Dan Rose, VP of Partnerships, Rachel Whetstone, VP of Communications, and Alex Hardiman, Head of News Products, in August.

    Finally, Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and co-founder of Oculus Brendan Iribe joined the exodus in September and October.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Elon Musk vs the Regulators – Mexico Says ‘Not so Fast’ to Teslaquila

    Elon Musk vs the Regulators – Mexico Says ‘Not so Fast’ to Teslaquila

    Tesla Inc. co-founder Elon Musk sure likes to create buzz and challenge authorities with his cutting-edge projects. The controversial billionaire is now facing a negative answer from Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT), after tweeting about his latest concept, Teslaquila.

    Regulators aren’t banning the liquor, but they want to make sure that the new product complies with Mexican standards.

    In October, Tesla Inc. filed a trademark for Teslaquila, for both distilled agave liquor and distilled blue agave liquor. The company also filed applications in Mexico, the European Union, and Jamaica.

    April Fools’ Day Joke Comes True

    It all started on April Fools’ Day when Musk published a photo on Twitter showing him passed out on a Model 3 and surrounded by “Teslaquila” bottles. What seemed like a joke generated a wave of enthusiasm from Tesla fans.

    In less than seven months, Musk turned a joke into reality. In October, he used social media to announce the new concept.

    Tesla Is Ready to Comply with Requirements

    The initial reaction from the Mexican authorities wasn’t good for business. Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) released a statement to express its concerns about a liquor similar to tequila that would be produced by Tesla Inc.

    The regulators explain in the statement:

    “The name ‘Teslaquila’ evokes the word Tequila… [and] Tequila is a protected word. If it [Tesla Inc.] wants to make Teslaquila viable as a tequila it would have to associate itself with an authorized tequila producer, comply with certain standards and request authorization from Mexico’s Industrial Property Institute.”

    However, the worries have little grounding since the company will seek the CRT’s approval before producing the liquor. A Tesla spokesperson said that Teslaquila will comply with all standards, and it will be manufactured in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.

    The $4.6-Billion Industry Attracts Many Celebrities

    Elon Musk isn’t the first to take advantage of the business opportunities offered by the tequila industry. Actors, singers, and entertainers have been making money from producing and selling tequila for years.

    George Clooney, Carlos Santana, Adam Levine, Justin Timberlake, and P. Diddy are just some of the celebrities that put their names on tequila brands.

    The tequila market was valued at $4.6 billion in 2017. It’s expected to top $6.36 billion by 2025.

    Featured image from CNET.

  • “Uber” for Football Tailgating Is Making Millions Across the Nation

    “Uber” for Football Tailgating Is Making Millions Across the Nation

    Football tailgating is practically a religion for many fans. It’s a blast to hang out before a game with your friends and enjoy great food with other refreshments.

    The Tailgate Guys saw an overlooked business opportunity in one collegiate campus and grew it into a nationally known business that is raking in the cash.

    It’s a ton of work to put on a great tailgate party.

    Parker Duffey was a construction project manager in Alabama who saw a waiting market a decade ago. He and his friend took out a $30,000 USD loan to get Tailgate Guys off the ground, but according to Parker, they only needed $5,000 USD to get up and running.

    Tailgating Is a Blast

    Parker Duffey went to the University of Alabama, in Auburn, before taking up work in construction. His business partner Michael Otwell also found work in the building industry, as a salesman for construction supplies.

    It was probably an easy transition for the two when they decided to start Tailgate Guys. Although there are some similarities between construction management and event planning, the two still had to do a lot of hard work.

    Parker said about their first year making Tailgate Guys work:

    “It was just two young dudes just getting after it… We bootstrapped everything 100%.”

    Initially, the business only served the University of Alabama, where the founders had numerous community connections to draw on. That has changed over the last 10 years, and today Tailgate Guys serve college campuses all over the USA.

    Tailgate Guys Was a Great Idea

    While Tailgate Guys was a great idea, it wasn’t really original. Parker Duffey was inspired by a local man in Auburn that had a similar business model but on a much smaller scale.

    Parker saw that a guy was basically squatting and selling out choice tailgating space at University of Alabama football games, and the idea for Tailgate Guys was born. It does seem like a simple enough business model, but the two young entrepreneurs had a brilliant addition to bring to the table.

    Tailgate Guys decided to partner up with the schools and make their business a legit part of the game day. Parker mused:

    “That was really our twist-partnering with the schools… It really separated us from anything anyone else was doing.”

    Working with the university and team added a level of credibility to their business, which squatters in empty lots just couldn’t match. The idea has been a successful one, and today Tailgate Guys is represented at more than 16 colleges, and NFL venues to boot!

    Tailgating Could Be the Event

    Most football tickets aren’t cheap, and many millennials could care less about going to the actual game.

    According to Parker:

    “We’re part of a generation where the athletic event somewhat becomes secondary in a lot of ways… We’re drawn to the community aspect of things, where the event around the event is actually the draw and with ride sharing as big as it is people aren’t even driving to games anymore.”

    The fact that millennials may have different tailgating tastes probably isn’t a problem for Tailgating Guys.

    Given their connections with both college and professional sports, their business can adapt to any kind of sports party culture that emerges from a very different generation.

    Featured image from PBS.

  • Are Australians the Richest People in the World? New Report Says So

    Are Australians the Richest People in the World? New Report Says So

    When we think of the country with the richest people in the world, places such as Monaco, Switzerland or even one of the Scandinavian nations springs to mind. But a new report has concluded that Australians are the wealthiest people in the world.

    When talking about Aussies, it’s easy to get caught up in colloquial stereotypes such as Crocodile Dundee, hats with corks dangling off them, beers, sports, Sheilas, Drongos, and Dingoes, but we’re not going to stoop to that level for cheap laughs!

    Richest People in the World in Meridian Terms

    The Credit Suisse’s 2018 Global Wealth Report was released in October and has unearthed some interesting stats.

    Although Switzerland did actually rank in the report as home to the wealthiest people on the planet if you calculate that by the median, the Aussies come out on top.

    The report shows that if you calculate wealth per adult, Switzerland came in first. But if you take into consideration the median standard wealth of everyday people, which is the fairest way to calculate the figures, Aussies on average are the richest people in the world! Strewth mate!

    The median wealth of the average Aussie per adult is $191,453. It seems that in terms of salaries in comparison with the cost of living, Australians are living very well indeed.

    What About Americans?

    We know that Americans like to come first in everything, but this time you didn’t even make it in the top-10.

    The large wealth disparity in the USA is the major reason America didn’t rank as high as expected. The American dream is an exclusive club. There are way more super-rich people in America than in Australia, but the average Aussie is much wealthier.

    There were some interesting stats in the report in regards to the growth of wealth in Australia:

    “Household wealth in Australia grew at a fast pace between 2000 and 2012 in US dollar terms, except for a short interruption in 2008. The average annual growth rate of wealth per adult was 12 percent, with about half due to exchange-rate appreciation against the US dollar.”

    If you have any Aussie mates, make sure you seize the moment to borrow some cash from them. They are the richest people in the world you flaming galah!

    Featured image from Pixabay.

  • The Girl Who Inherited $30 million from Freddie Mercury

    The Girl Who Inherited $30 million from Freddie Mercury

    It’s believed that Queen lead singer and rock icon Freddie Mercury amassed approximately $70 million over the course of his career. Although Freddie was gay, did you know he left nearly half of his fortune to a woman named Mary Austin?

    The late Freddie Mercury and Queen are enjoying a renaissance with the recent release of the Queen biopic movie ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ that has been doing fantastic at the box office. What many people didn’t realize is that Freddie and Mary Austin were both spiritually married to each other, although not formally.

    The Beginning for Freddie Mercury and Mary

    Freddie and Mary first met in 1969 when she was 19 years old and the soon-to-be star was just 24. Within just a few months of first meeting, the couple moved in together and lived this way for the next six years.

    Austin was quoted as saying that she watched him grow from a fledgling and wannabe singer performing shows at his local college to becoming a superstar. When talking to OK Magazine back in 2000, she talked about that night when she saw Freddie perform at college:

    “That night, I realized that I had to go along with this and be part of it. As everything took off I was watching him flower. It was wonderful to observe.”

    Friends Until the End

    Even though the couple romantically separated in 1975, she remained a close friend and a part of his life right up until the end. She was even there to care for Freddie when he was on his deathbed dying from AIDS.

    In the same OK Magazine interview, she discussed her love for Freddie and her heartache when he passed away:

    “I lost somebody who I thought was my eternal love. When he died I felt we’d had a marriage. We’d lived our vows. We’d done it for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. You could never have let go of Freddie unless he died — and even then it was difficult.”

    Even Freddie’s close friends say that Mary was the love of his life.

    When he died in 1991, Freddie Mercury left Mary Austin a vast inheritance that included the singer’s 28-bedroom London mansion where she still lives today. It is also reported that he left Mary and her sons half of his fortune, which apparently caused some jealousy with his former band members.

    If you get the chance to watch the new Bohemian Rhapsody movie at theaters, you will get a sneak glimpse into the relationship with Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin.

    Featured image from Famous Biographies.

  • Kim Says Kanye West Likes Trump’s Personality, Not His Politics

    Kim Says Kanye West Likes Trump’s Personality, Not His Politics

    Is Kanye West in bed with wife Kim Kardashian or Donald Trump? It depends what day of the week it is. Kardashian says that Kanye is more of a fan of Trump’s personality than his politics.

    Kim Kardashian reckons that she had a talk with her hubby after his recent trip to the White House to educate him and set him straight on politics.

    Is Kim Saving Kanye West from Himself?

    Although Kanye West and Kim Kardashian should not really be your first reference point when discussing US politics, they have massive sway with the younger generations of today. I might not be a Trump advocate in any way, shape or form, but Kardashian talking about politics makes me dizzy.

    When speaking at a public appearance on Wednesday, Kardashian took some time to dig Kanye out of the political hole he has created for himself. Talking about Kanye, his wife was quoted as saying:

    “He is very not political, actually. He just happens to like Donald Trump’s personality, but doesn’t know about the politics.”

    She elaborated even further to inform us she has “educated” Kanye West on the nuances of domestic politics. She also said that her husband really liked Trump before he made office and still does and that Kanye fights for what he wants to like, even if others oppose that opinion.

    Making America Great Again?

    Some might say that Trump, West, and Kardashian all have no place in politics, and again, I wouldn’t argue with any of that.

    I am personally not a Donald Trump fan or an American. But I believe that you have to accept what the majority vote for. If not, what have you got left? Hillary Clinton soiling her panties every time she sneezes?

    I used to be a liberal until they changed what liberal meant. And I am definitely against the far-left liberals who think that freedom of speech is now not important. Sounds like a bunch of kids complaining because things didn’t go their way and want to change the rules to suit their opinions. It’s the entitled Western culture we live in today.

    One way or another, it’s great to see Kim Kardashian stand up for Kanye West like that with the media, whether she knows what she’s talking about or not.

    Featured image from Hot 100.5 FM.

  • 8 eSports Leaders and Professional Gamers Make #ForbesUnder30

    8 eSports Leaders and Professional Gamers Make #ForbesUnder30

    Forbes this week released its Forbes 30 Under 30 lists, the “Games” list for 2019 includes five eSports pro-gamers, a YouTuber, and a Twitch streamer, versus just two players and one eSports streamer last year.

    Here are the eight eSports celebrities to make the Forbes Under 30 Games list for 2019, marking the increasing popularity of the eSports industry. Let’s take a look at them here.

    1. Jason Zimmerman – Professional Gamer

    Zimmerman has won multiple world championship titles playing Super Smash Bros Melee under his gamer name “Mew2King,” or “M2K.” At 29, he’s also the co-owner of Most Valuable Gaming. The US-born Zimmerman is known as one of the “Five Gods” of Super Smash Bros Melee and his methodical style of play also earned him the nickname “The Robot.”

    Zimmerman began competing at the age of 16, in 2005 and joined professional eSports team Echo Fox, founded by ex L.A Laker Rick Fox, in 2016. He recently finished first in Melee singles at the Smash Summit 6 in May 2018 and is still a full-time player who also streams on Twitch.

    Most Valuable Gaming (MVG), of which Zimmerman owns 10% as well as playing for them, organizes games events and manages players.

    2. Jacky Yip – Professional Gamer

    Jacky Yip

    American Jacky, or Jake, Yip plays Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for the Brazil-based eSports team MIBR. The team is made of players from both Brazil and around the world. Yip, or “Stewie2K,” aged 20, previously played for Cloud9. Cloud9 is the highest valued eSports team and company at $310 million.

    Despite only competing since 2014, Yip is regarded as one of the best players in North America. His last big prize win of 2018 was for placing 1st in the ZOTAC Cup Masters 2018 where he won $200,000 but he also won the ELEAGUE Major in Boston in January 2018, netting the young player $500,000. In total Yip has won over $1 million worth of eSports tournament prizes since 2016.

    3. Aileena Xu – President of eSports for TSM

    Aileena XuAt 25, Xu leads eSports initiatives for the most successful North American League of Legends Team SoloMid (TSM).

    Just after Cloud9, TSM is the second highest valued eSports team worth an estimated $250 million and is one of the best-known eSports brands.

    In October 2018, TSM also signed their first female Fortnite player Maria “ChicaLive” Lopez who said:

    “I have a deep respect and admiration for the individual members of TSM as well as the organization.”

    4. Lauren Williams – Professional Gamer

    Williams, aged 22, plays under the gaming name “Goddess” and is team captain for Cloud9’s Rainbow Six Siege team and is the first female professional gamer in the Rainbow Six Siege Pro League.

    Her tournament wins date from July 2017, and she began competing for Cloud9 in July 2018. The team was placed first at DreamHack Montreal in July winning $25,000. Cloud9 tweeted to Williams on her success at making the Forbes 30 Under 30 Games list:

    “Look who made it on the @Forbes 30 under 30: Games list! Congratulations @Goddess_R6! We can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2019!”

    5. Yiliang Peng – Professional Gamer – Team Liquid

    Yiliang PengPeng, or “Doublelift,” is billed as one of the best American players of League of Legends. He plays as the marksman in the Team Liquid League of Legends squad. Peng has now won five North American championships and has over 500,000 YouTube, and 800,000 Twitter fans. He’s 25 and lives in California.

    Peng’s professional gaming career began in 2011, he joined TSM in 2016, then Team Liquid in 2017. His team winnings for 2018 total over $300,000 to date.

    Team Liquid is now the most successful eSports team in the world.

    6. Sam Braithwaite – Senior Global eSports Franchise Lead

    Braithwaite, just making the list at age 29, heads eSports for Blizzard and was part of two of Blizzard’s biggest eSports initiatives.

    The first, a 2017 partnership with Disney brought 56 episodes of the Heroes Global Championship to mainstream TV. The second was a multimillion-dollar Twitch broadcast rights deal.

    Blizzard is both a game developer and publisher, hosting a number of global conventions and behind games like World of Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft.

    7. Tyler Blevins “Ninja” – Twitch Streamer

    Blevins, known to fans as “Ninja” is one of the most popular faces in eSports. He has 12 million followers on Twitch and broke the platform’s record for the most concurrent viewers for a single user with 600,000 people watching.

    He won 1st place at Epic Games first official Fortnite Tournament earning him a lucrative sponsorship with Red Bull.

    Blevins earns more from streaming than he does from playing and winning tournaments and has reportedly earned nearly $6 million to date. Fortnite’s five top players have won a combined $1.2 million so far but are each set to win around $1 million each in Fortnite’s tournaments this season.

    8. Alastair Aiken – Fortnite YouTuber

    Aiken, aged 25 and from the UK, alias “Ali-A,” is one of the most popular YouTube content creators for Fortnite with a massive 15 million subscribers and 5 billion views on YouTube. He’s won two Guinness World Records for subscribers and has his own CBBC car show titled “Ali-A’s Superchargers.”

    Aiken lives in London and is worth an estimated $4 million.

    The media production side of eSports is as valuable as the eSports gaming industry itself. The estimated eSports audience is likely to top 427 million in 2019 and eSports revenues for 2018 will likely reach $906 billion up 38% on last year.

    eSports players, promoters, and influencers are likely to make up more and more of the Forbes Under 30 in future years as the gaming generation build an industry that is beginning to rival traditional sports.

    Image credits from Forbes. Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Superstar Beyonce Buys Sir Philip Green Out of Her Fashion Brand

    Superstar Beyonce Buys Sir Philip Green Out of Her Fashion Brand

    Out with the old, in with the new. In this case, out with the aging, controversial businessman shrouded in claims of sexual harassment and racial abuse. Superstar singer and business elite Beyonce has severed ties with Sir Philip Green and bought out his entire stake in her fashion brand Ivy Park.

    Under Pressure from Fans

    Ever since the British business tycoon hit the headlines with his undesirable conduct, fans have expressed their discontent over the star’s partnership with him.

    The last few weeks especially, the pressure has been mounting to disassociate herself from Sir Green after he was named in the Lords as being at the center of a series of harassment and bullying allegations. He strongly denies the claims, however, for a female fashion brand, even a whiff of sexual harassment is not a good look.

    Yesterday, the singer took action, buying out 100% of his share in her sportswear brand.

    In a statement to the Daily Mail, Parkwood, Beyonce’s company confirmed the transaction, a spokesperson for the company said:

    “After discussions of almost a year, Parkwood has acquired 100 percent of the Ivy Park brand…. “Topshop/Arcadia will fulfill the existing orders.”

    She is now said to have cut all ties with the businessman.

    Beyonce Launched Ivy Park Alongside Topshop in 2016

    Beyonce launched Ivy Park clothing alongside Topshop in 2016, at the time saying:

    “I have always loved Topshop for their fashion credentials and forward thinking.”

     

     

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    She later helped the Topshop billionaire to open up the company’s flagship store in New York. With her Ivy Park collection, the singer says that she wants to “push the boundaries of athletic wear,” presumably showing women around the world that you can run a treadmill in four-inch heels.

    Beyonce’s fans will be pleased with the move to break away from the disgraced businessman. The news comes just days after Simon Cowell also reportedly severed ties with Sir Phillip Green, although the America’s Got Talent judge, business tycoon, and music producer insisted that he had cut contact with Sir Green months prior to the recent claims.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Bollywood Stars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh Just Got Married

    Bollywood Stars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh Just Got Married

    Bollywood fans around the world are trembling with emotion as two of their favorite actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh just tied the knot. The newlyweds played the lead roles in an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and just revealed their nuptial announcement today.

    However under wraps the wedding ceremony has been until now, it’s certain to be fitting of two of India’s most loved Bollywood stars and they will be celebrating with a two-day reception today and tomorrow.

    While official details have yet to be released, it’s believed that the couple will be spending the celebrations in Lake Como, Italy, with a select group of family, friends, and of course Bollywood movie stars.

    Social Media Is Abuzz with the News

    Fans of both Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh shared their congratulations and well-wishes on social media.

     

     

    While the couple is well-known on the Bollywood circuit, Deepika recently made her very first appearance in Hollywood in a movie with Vin Diesel. The actress is also engaged in many business activities with an estimated net worth of $20 million, while her new husband is worth some $4.4 million.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Binny Bansal Resigns as Flipkart’s CEO After Misconduct Investigation

    Binny Bansal Resigns as Flipkart’s CEO After Misconduct Investigation

    Walmart Inc., one of the largest companies in the world by market revenue, has had its hopes for further control over the Indian online retail market dealt a massive blow following the resignation of Binny Bansal, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flipkart Group.

    According to a joint statement by Flipkart and Walmart, Bansal was forced to resign on Tuesday after an independent investigation was carried out on behalf of both companies into concerns regarding:

    “serious personal misconduct.”

    The statement went on to say that while there was no evidence found to corroborate the allegations that had been leveled against Bansal, it showed other lapses in judgment, especially related to how he handled the entire station.

    The news comes as a major blow to Walmart, who will be losing a key management staff of the recently acquired e-commerce giant. Walmart purchased a 77% stake in Flipkart back in May for $16 billion with the aim of owning a large stake in the Indian e-commerce market, which has seen steady growth in the past few years.

    The deal seemed to be lucrative for Walmart especially, as Flipkart had been able to account for about 40% of the online retail market in India when the deal was signed.

    However, six months on from the deal, there is trouble in paradise. In October, Walmart announced to its shareholders that the deal to acquire Flipkart was going to constitute a $740 million deduction from their quarterly profit. The sudden departure of Bansal is another problem Walmart didn’t expect when it acquired the Indian e-commerce giant.

    Nevertheless, Walmart’s commitment to Flipkart’s growth seems to be unwavering. The statement confirmed that in the wake of Bansal’s resignation, that Kalyan Krishnamurthy would continue to serve as the CEO of Flipkart. It also affirms that the leadership of Flipkart is looking to evolve into a public-traded company in the future.

    Back in the US, Walmart continues to innovate and lead the industry with new processes and systems that promote productivity in its stores. The retail giant recently introduced a new scheduling system, which they say will provide a greater degree of flexibility and consistency to their associates. The scheduling system is set to launch in all Walmart stores at the end of November.

    Featured image from Zee News India.