Apple began selling its third iPad Friday as lines snaked their away around Apple stores from New York to Hong Kong. The lines for the “new iPad” were longer than expected, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said in a research note Friday. He personally counted 750 people standing outside Apple’s Fifth Avenue Store, which he says will help Apple sell 60 million iPads this year.
The hooplah and media coverage surrounding the endless queues for each of Apple’s newest offerings does quite a bit of extra marketing for the brand. In fact, analysts estimate it to be worth more than the company’s worldwide marketing budget – nearly $700 million in 2010. And it creates a level of commercial desire once reserved for pop stars. “The Apple lines have become a cultural phenomenon,” says social psychologist Matt Wallaert. “You couldn’t advertize your way into the images of adoring fans that led to Beatlemania. Apple has achieved exactly that.”
Those who buy the iPad online will have to wait two to three weeks for their gadget, according to Apple’s website. The company did not respond to requests for comment.
Experts say all the smiling consumers are the best advertisers a phenomenon not unnoticed by competitors. A case in point: Samsung poked fun at Apple lines in a recent video. Peter Wahlstrom, senior analyst at Morningstar, says retailers like Ralph Lauren or JC Penney could only dream of that kind of free publicity. VF Corp pays real-life climbers to advertize their North Face jackets, he says. Not so Apple. “It doesn’t have to tell these stories,” Wahlstrom says. “In terms of advertising dollars, they’re getting a lot more than they’re putting in.”
Customers who stand in line for products are also more likely to pay more for a product, studies show. In 2010, “A Silver Lining of Standing in Line: Queuing Increases Value of Products,” an academic study published in the Journal of Marketing Research, said consumers believe products are more valuable when there are people behind them and, as a result, contributes to “increased expenditures by queuing consumers.” After all the hype, Wallaert says some people may be left wondering why they stood for hours in line. “It’s called cognitive dissonance,” he says. “When we do something extreme to buy something, our brain tricks us into feeling more valuable.”
Others wonder how long the lines can last. Anthony Scarsella, chief gadget officer of resale site Gazelle.com, says they are getting smaller with each new product. This is mostly due to more network carriers and retail outlets carrying the tablet, plus increased online ordering, he says. For instance, Wal-Mart opened its doors for iPad customers at 12:01 am Friday, hours before the Apple stores opens at 8 am
Apple increased its marketing budget by $190 million to $691 million in 2010, but Rick Singer, CEO of GreatApps.com, says this pales in comparison to Apple’s earnings. The company expects revenue of about $32.5 billion in the second quarter alone. “I checked out the lines in New York today,” says Scott Sutherland, senior analyst at Wedbush Securities, “and while they are hard to quantify it seems like the magic is still there.”
The Parsippany-based residential sales and marketing firm achieved the results thanks in large part to a proactive approach that carefully considered the needs and desires of the marketplace during the design process, noted David Schoner, vice president of Coldwell Bankers New Homes Division.
The company began market and product studies at Summit Place in 2009 – two years prior to the official sales opening of the community located off of Summit Avenue and much earlier than usual for a new construction sales program. Company officials conducted multiple focus groups to determine what prospective buyers were looking for in new homes, as well as what was important to them in the buying process.
From the day site work began at Summit Place, there was significant interest from local residents, many of whom werent necessarily in the market for a new home at that time, said Schoner.
We decided to establish a remote office early on and invite these residents in to discuss topics ranging from why they were interested in the project to what their motivation would be when looking for a new home; what finishes and appointments they would desire and what pricing structure would be attractive to them. For those who had already been considering a new home purchase, we talked about other communities theyd visited and how they felt about the home-buying process in general.
The feedback proved to be invaluable, with many thoughts focused on the often overwhelming task of choosing interior selections. This spurred Summit Places developer, Mark Built Homes, to make a key decision in its development approach.
It was clear from the outset of the focus groups that people were frustrated and anxious about the daunting task of choosing finishes in a new home, said Schoner.
To alleviate these concerns, streamline the process and give buyers what they were looking for, we created seven distinctive selection packages that couldnt be mixed and matched, making the homes semi-customized while eliminating much of the stress. Simply put, we asked buyers what they wanted in their homes in terms of tile, cabinetry, lighting and more, and the developer set out to build it.
The end result was a hit. In fact, 50 percent of the homes in the initial housing phase at Summit Place were purchased by those who participated in the focus groups when sales opened in April of 2011.
The initial phase of homes at Summit Place is situated in an elegant four-story elevator building notable for its classic brick and stucco exterior. A second phase of condominiums is in the early stage of construction with sales expected to open in 2013.
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (Mpeda), under the Ministry of Commerce amp; Industry, has tied up with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Infofish, a Malaysia-based international body, for developing and marketing freshwater fish in India.
The project, under the FAO Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), is the first of its kind that envisages transfer technology for culture, production and marketing of value-added products from fresh water in India. The three-year project has four main components: market/product studies, technology transfer, investment promotion and capacity building and dissemination.
SILVER SPRING, MD.? A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel that met on Feb. 9 did not support approval of a capsaicin-containing transdermal patch as a treatment for pain associated with HIV neuropathy, because product studies had not provided adequate and compelling evidence of its efficacy for treating the condition.
At the meeting, the FDA?s Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee voted 12 to 0 that data from two studies of about 800 people did not provide substantial evidence of effectiveness of the 8% capsaicin patch for the management of neuropathic pain related to HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy. While panelists agreed that the risks associated with treatment were low, the panel also voted 11 to 0, with 1 abstention, that, based on the available data, the risk-benefit profile was not acceptable for approval.
Marketed as Qutenza by San Francisco?based NeurogesX, the 8% capsaicin patch was approved in the United States in November 2009 for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia, and has been approved in the European Union for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain in nondiabetic adults.
The proposed new indication is for the use of the patch, applied for 30 minutes, for the management of neuropathic pain related to HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy. The patch is applied to the foot after a lidocaine cream is applied to the skin; it cannot be reapplied until at least 3 months later. The patch delivers capsaicin ? the most abundant component of chili peppers ? to the site of pain, where it desensitizes hyperactive nociceptors, according to the company.
Panelists expressed regret that they could not support expanded approval because of the unmet need for this type of treatment for these patients ? and noted some evidence that it was effective in one of the two studies presented by the company. But they agreed that the evidence did not meet the FDA?s standards for approval.
Treatment with the 8% capsaicin patch was compared to a low-dose 0.04% capsaicin patch as the control in two 12-week randomized studies of mostly white, middle-aged men with documented HIV, who had experienced HIV peripheral neuropathy for at least 2 months, with moderate to severe pain. Almost 70% of the participants were on other analgesics at baseline, including opioids.
The primary outcome end point evaluating effectiveness was the percent change in the mean daily scores in a pain rating scale from 2 to 12 weeks after the patch was applied. In the first study, which compared the effects of the 8% capsaicin patch and the control patch applied for 30, 60, or 90 minutes, there was some evidence that the 8% patch was more effective than the control patch, but most of that evidence was from post hoc analyses. In the second study, which compared the 8% patch to the low-dose patch applied for 30 or 60 minutes, there were no statistically significant reductions in pain relief at 12 weeks, compared with the control patch.
Overall, the safety profile of the 8% patch in these trials was similar to that seen in patients with postherpetic neuralgia. The most common adverse events associated with treatment were application site reactions, affecting 76% of those who had the higher-dose patch and about 50% of those who had the low-dose control patch.
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MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Oct 07, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
FITT Highway Products, Inc.
/quotes/zigman/605141FHWY -15.00%
(the “Company”) announced
today F.I.T.T Energy Products Inc. (“FITT”), a non-affiliated operating
partner, has begun working with Euro RSCG Edge and a leading marketer of
products to convenience stores to revamp its marketing materials for its
2-ounce FITT Energy shot, “F.I.T.T. Energy With Resveratrol”, for a
launch to the retail market.
FITT is amending its website, TV commercial, energy shot packaging,
energy shot label and all marketing materials for the FITT Energy shot
to include the positive results of the previously announced blood
pressure study on the product. The updated marketing materials will be
focused on a unique selling proposition which differentiates the FITT
Energy shot from leading competitors in the industry.
The study concentrated on changes in systolic and diastolic blood
pressure after the ingestion of the FITT Energy shot, two leading
competitors’ energy shots and a placebo containing diluted fruit juice.
Final study results indicated the F.I.T.T. Energy shot did
not statistically elevate blood pressure over the placebo.
The completed test results also revealed the competitors’ energy shots
caused average increases in patients’ systolic blood pressure in amounts
224% to 355% greater than when taking
F.I.T.T. Energy. F.I.T.T. Energy was able to achieve an “energized
feeling” in the test subjects with less than one-half the caffeine
content of the leading competitive products.
For additional information on “F.I.T.T. Energy With Resveratrol”, please
visit the website
www.throwafitt.com .
For further information about the benefits of F.I.T.T. Energy’s key
ingredients (Resveratrol, L-Arginine and Arginine AKG), please look up
the product studies on the National Institutes of Health website at
http://www.nih.gov/ .
About FITT Highway Products, Inc.
FITT Highway Products, Inc. is a brand management Company which is in
the process of mitigating its debt in order to effectively pursue its
business plan. The Company has entered into an Operating Agreement with
F.I.T.T. Energy Products Inc. to perform a majority of its operating
services, including among other things, selling, marketing, producing
and distributing the “F.I.T.T. Energy Shot With Resveratrol”. F.I.T.T.
Energy Products, Inc. will pay the Company a royalty of 5 cents for each
energy shot sold.
This document contains “forward-looking statements” related to future
events. Forward-looking statements often address our expected
future business and financial performance, and often contain words such
as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” or
“will.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address
matters that are uncertain. Particular uncertainties which could
adversely or positively affect our future results include: consumer
tastes, availability of production, liquidity, general economic
conditions, and the activities of competitors. These
uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially
different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We
do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
SOURCE: FITT Highway Products, Inc.
FITT Highway Products, Inc.
Michael R Dunn, CEO
949-582-5933
miked@thefitthighway.com
(CN) – Native Americans have been left with 5 percent of the land of the United States, and that land contains an estimated 10 percent of the nations energy resources, but harnessing that renewable power is like trying to catch the wind, tribal members say. Its not for lack of motivation from the 565 federally recognized tribes. Nor is it lack of attention from the US Department of Energy, which has run a Tribal Energy Program since the early 1990s. The challenges are more deep-seated than that, ranging from the economic impoverishment of Native American communities, their tax-exempt status, the nature of incentive programs meant to foster economic development, the energy market, and perhaps most stubbornly, the logistics of moving power from the High Plains to the nations more densely populated Midwest and East Coast. Were dirt poor, but resource rich and the potential is really great, said Ken Haukaas, a grandfather and member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe in South Dakota. For more than a decade, Haukaas has been an outspoken advocate for harnessing the wind that blows generously over his tribes 900,000-plus acres. The tribes of the Northern Plains really have a lot of untapped power, he said. But the Rosebud Sioux have succeeded in building just one, 750-kilowatt Nicon Meg turbine, which supplies power to the casino the tribe operates on its southern border. Called Akicita Cikala by the tribe, or Little Soldier, the turbine has worked fitfully since it was commissioned in 2003. It operates on and off, and tends to overheat, Haukaas said. We try to deal with it as best we can. Such is the tough reality of renewable energy on tribal lands in the American West.
DOE Tries to Kick-Start it Among those trying to do something about the situation is Lizana K. Pierce, project manager for the Tribal Energy Program at the US Department of Energys field office in Golden, Colo. Its purpose is to promote tribal energy sufficiency, economic development and employment on tribal lands through the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Appropriations ebb and flow from year to year. Pierce said the program has provided $36.7 million to 160 tribal projects in the past 9 years. Given that the DOE tribal energy effort is a relatively small program, averaging $5 million or $6 million a year, our main focus has been on feasibility studies – collecting wind data, for instance – and weve also provided some planning grants, Pierce said. In the past 12 years, Pierce said, shes seen situations evolve from initial conversations about training and education and awareness of renewable energy technologies to tribes founding energy committees and utilities. Since most tribes are cash-poor and dont have the money to pay for the myriad studies necessary before a major energy project is undertaken, and because they are tax-exempt and dont qualify for the tax breaks used to spur development elsewhere, the tribes seek commercial partners that do not have those constraints. The resulting work product – studies of the energy resources, land use, archaeological, historical and environmental impacts – tend to be paid for and therefore belong to the non-tribal partner. So if for one reason or another the tribe and developer do not move forward with a project, the studies leave with the company. Not surprisingly, one of the first things tribes told Pierce and her colleagues in the energy program was that they needed grants that would allow them to own the data on their resources if they ever were to have any hope of creating a renewable energy project.
Shovel-Ready Wind Project Stalls Inspired by the DOEs Tribal Energy program, the Rosebud Sioux applied for and received a $500,000 grant to install a wind turbine at the reservation. Haukaas said at the time wind energy was new to everybody in the region, and to advance the project, the DOE suggested the tribe partner with Dale Osborn, president of DisGen, a Lakewood, Colo.-based company also known as Distributed Generation Systems Inc. In 2000, the DOE asked me to take a look at the potential of tribal wind deployment in North and South Dakota, Osborn said. So I spent several months there, visiting all of the reservations, talking to tribal leaders, and in the course of that, I identified a total of about 2000 megawatts of potential wind power I thought could be developed on tribal trust lands. Since then, Osborn has worked with 25 to 30 tribes, including the Cheyenne, Kaw, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara, in addition to the Rosebud Sioux. Shortly after the commissioning of the Little Soldier on the Rosebud Sioux reservation, Osborn began talking to tribal members about developing a far more ambitious, 30 MW facility. They soon gave it a name: the Owl Feather War Bonnet Wind Farm. As it had for the Little Soldier, the Rosebud Sioux applied for a DOE grant and with Osborns assistance, secured $586,000 to pay for preliminary wind and environmental impact studies to be performed by DisGen and a transmission and interconnection study conducted by Nebraska Public Power District. By February 2008, the environmental assessment was complete and the utility had determined there would be no problem connecting the 30 MW wind farm to its transmission system. Seven months later, the tribe and Osborn entered into a land use and lease agreement that set aside 680 acres for the project. When the Rosebud Sioux began considering the 30 MW wind farm, most of their studies were based on the idea of tying the facility into the 115 kilovolt Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) line that ran through a portion of South Dakota before dropping down into Nebraska. Haukaas said the tribe approached the utility in the mid- to late-2000s, and was told that it would put out a request for proposals for a green power purchase. But when it did the request for proposals, or RFP, basically they said they would not look at any wind power from outside the boundaries of Nebraska, Haukaas said. Mark C. Becker, a spokesman for the utility, denied that. Becker said that in 2007 the NPPD issued an RFP for up to 100 megawatts of wind power, and DisGen, representing the Rosebud Sioux, submitted a proposal that was accepted by the utilitys management, subject to reaching a power purchase agreement. The developer was unable to sign a (power purchase agreement) with terms that had been submitted through the original RFP, he said. Becker said the utility asked DisGen and the Rosebud Sioux to enter the next round of the process, which was held in 2009. Without a power purchase agreement with a price that made the economics work out, the shovel-ready project has stalled, Haukaas said. Osborn described the Nebraska utility as very gracious – with the exception of the contract terms. Haukaas said the memory still stings. What really gets to us is they charge the local co-op here, [the Cherry-Todd Electric Co-Operative], a wheeling fee (or tariff) of between $14,000 a month and $25,000 a month, for using its transmission line to transfer power to the local consumer, Haukaas said. We have had a 30 percent increase in our electric rates over the last four years, and part of it definitely stems from that fee. They wont buy our power, yet they charge the local utility a tariff fee that gets passed on to us, the local consumers. Its kind of unfair, but … A long pause. … it is what it is, he said. Having failed to secure a deal with Nebraska power district, the Rosebud tribe is considering other options, but outside forces, including turmoil in the broader economy and the price of natural gas, is making it difficult for the tribe to find a buyer. Maybe well build an independent line that will tie in with the Western Area Power Administration line to the north of the reservation, Haukaas said. But that carries with it a hefty price tag – construction of a 15-mile-long transmission line that is likely to cost $250,000 to $300,000 a mile. Another possibility – from the tribes perspective, exclusive of its relationship with Osborn — is building a second wind farm closer to those power lines.
Federal Energy Policy Under the Microscope Osborn believes the answer lies with the federal government. The biggest federal entity in the area is Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha. Having struck out with NPPD, Osborn and the Rosebud Sioux thought it would be a good candidate to buy their energy. But it really hasnt gone very far, Osborn said. The reason? The utilities in Nebraska somehow believe the state Legislature has said that wind projects need to be within the states borders, despite the fact that the Legislature, for its part, has made it clear this is not the case, Osborn said. So technically speaking, when NPPD says that statement was not in the RFP, they are correct. But when they spoke to me about why we didnt win the RFP, a) they didnt mention price, and b) they said [it was] because the Legislature wanted them to rely on wind power generated in Nebraska. So there is nothing written anywhere that says that, but that statement has been made by NPPD and Omaha Public Power District officials in other forums, and it makes sense on a certain level, because if you are a regulator or a utility, youd want to encourage the economic development that goes along with developing a wind farm to occur in your territory. I understand it. But Rosebud is sort of a special circumstance, in that they are, through Cherry-Todd, paying this bunch of money every month for the wheeling, Osborn said. So the way the tribe looks at it is, they are on our sovereign land, were paying them all this money for wheeling, and they are not allowing us to compete.
Other Challenges Frustrated by the way things stand with the utility, Osborn said that working with tribes on renewable energy projects is rife with other challenges. The first thing is, youve got tribal government, and its complicated – much more complicated than anywhere else – because youve got all these dynamics at play between the tribal districts and the individual council members and these things take up a lot of time, Osborn said. I think as far as Owl Feather War Bonnet is concerned, Im probably working with my fourth or fifth council. The second challenge, in my opinion, is that from the federal government perspective, the deck is absolutely stacked against the tribes. According to Osborn, while tribes are supposed to be sovereign entities, in reality, tribal land is actually controlled by the Department of Interior and its Bureau of Indian Affairs, or BIA. Now, what I am going to say next is said from the perspective of my being a free-enterprise guy, but in my opinion, the rules and regulations created by the US Department of Interior exist solely for the benefit of the Department of Interior and dont do a damn thing for the tribes, Osborn said. On reservations, the initials BIA are said to mean Boss Indians Around. Osborn pointed to the tribes experience when they filed their lease agreement for the Owl Father Wind Bonnet wind farm with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. When we work in the private sector, typically well sit down with a large landowner, come to an agreement on terms of land use, and then send it to their attorney for review … a process that might take three to four weeks, he said. But in the case of the Owl Feather War Bonnet wind farm, Osborn said, it took the Bureau of Indian Affairs a full year to make a comment, then Osborn and his team spent another 6 months teaching the BIA how to value the land. Once that was done, the BIA told the tribe they needed to send the document to the solicitor at the State of Minnesota, and we were told that he had a 9-month backlog of documents he needed to review, Osborn said. In the end, the goal here is not to make a lot of money; the goal is to create some economic opportunity for people on these reservations, Osborn said. Its frustrating, but it is a goal worth pursuing until Im dead. Thats the promise Ive made.
Education Never Ends The tribe eventually put out a request for proposals for a second wind farm project in 2007. Among those who responded were Midwest Energy, of Kansas, Pinnacle Wind, of Michigan, and Citizens Energy Corp., of Boston, a firm chaired by Joseph Kennedy II, former congressman and son of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy. Citizens won the RFP. In December 2008, the firm put up two test towers to gather data and compare its findings to those of the tribe. And it hired a contractor to take a fresh look at the capacity left on the Western Area Power Administration line. Haukaas said the contractor found the available capacity was closer to 190 MW, so the tribe designed its project – now called the North Antelope Highland Project – to accommodate 190 MW. Officially, the tribe wont own either of the wind farms it has been developing; it will act as a passive landowner of the sites. The tribe, which is bringing land and access to wind to the table, and assisting the developer with land issues and permitting, will receive 33 percent of the fee; Citizens, which is bringing its development expertise to the project, will get 66 percent. As with its agreement with Osborn, the tribe wont share in a development fee for the Owl Feather War Bonnet wind farm, but it will receive a percentage of the revenue stream from both projects. That part of the financial picture, at least, is pretty cut and dried, Haukaas said. Well have access to the meters, and once we sign a power purchase agreement, well get copies of all the checks, so well know how much money the wind farms are actually getting.
DOE Program Appreciated Haukaas credits the Department of Energys tribal program with getting the ball rolling on the Rosebud reservation. The DOE encouraged it all, he said. They came and spoke with us and said, Go out. Seek wind. For the tribe. They were the ones who encouraged Dale Osborn to come up and work us, and Dale in turn encouraged many different tribes to begin looking at their wind resources. Theyve also provided us with a $1.5 million grant and other support, and I really respect them for that, Haukaas said. Though he has nothing but praise for the DOE, he expressed less happiness with other branches of the federal government. There are a lot of issues here, Haukaas said. We have people here who have to decide whether they are going to feed their families or keep their houses warm in the winter, and it is especially troubling because its not an isolated case here or there – a lot of people are living like that, he said. Its really, really bad. Our resources are the one way we can endure this, and I understand that you have to take one step at a time, but what we need to sustain this hope is a power purchase agreement, and no one in the federal government has been willing to assist us in getting that to happen, he said. I think the DOE has done its part; now other agencies need to step up to the plate. Haukaas is particularly put out with the Department of Interior, which he says has an obligation to foster the Native American economy – an obligation it has not fulfilled. But theres enough blame due in official Washington to go around. If the full weight of the federal government, all of these agencies, came out and said, We want to buy tribal wind, maybe we could get something done. But until that really happens, our projects wont happen. Wed like to start construction in 2012. Wed like to think that. But right now, Owl Feather War Bonnet is basically at a standstill, Haukaas said. We need the feds on our side, otherwise this is just going to continue to be an uphill climb and a real serious struggle. In my mind, it seems like a simple equation, he said with resignation. Why is it so darned hard? I dont understand.
Looking to Geothermal and Solar in Sioux Country Pierce said that given the cost of energy, and the desire among tribes for energy sovereignty and self-sufficiency, she expects tribes interest in renewable energy will only grow over time. The thing about the work that we do is its really like youre planting seeds all over the place – you inevitably leave advocates behind wherever you go, she said. We call them the energy champions of the tribe and they tend to have a lasting impact. You know, Indian Country is really a small place, and people tend to stay either with their own tribe or with another. So once they know about renewables, that knowledge stays within the community. It becomes a part of what that community is, and hopefully represents a path forward, Pierce said. Despite his frustration with the delayed wind farms, Haukaas said hes a firm believer in the potential of renewable energy and would like to get the tribe off the grid. We do have some water power that comes through here already, but Id also like to see solar panels on everybodys roof and maybe some small wind turbines here and there, as needed, he said. The Rosebud Sioux are also looking into how to tap the reservations geothermal potential. Maps developed by the Geothermal Laboratory at Southern Methodist University in Dallas suggest the tribe is sitting right on top of a hot spot of the Earth. Next month the tribe will dig two wells down to 3,500 feet, hoping eventually to pull hot water from the aquifer to heat their homes. We are looking at all of our resources, Haukaas said. We have to find a way to be self-sustainable here, on the reservation, because in my view, the global market … well … weve seen how uncertain it is, havent we? Not that Im a doomsday person, but I think we should always try to sustain ourselves with what weve got here. Its the same way I feel about wind, he said. You see, Id really like to see this money helping our people.
Essentially a tiny portable printer with a small camera attached, the Polaroid 300 Classic takes business card-sized photos at the touch of a button.
It doesnt have to be that way. Camera makers have been fighting the smartphone camera onslaught by putting once-unheard of features in new models. Todays rugged cameras can even offer commercial-grade HD movies.
Professionals now shoot commercials on these relatively small, affordable cameras, says Jay Kelbley, senior product manager for cameras in Samsungs consumer electronics division.
Here are the fantastic four office-ready cameras worth carrying along with your smartphone.
Polaroid 300 Classic Instant ($99, Instant print media runs $13 for 10 exposures)
Its the digital age — the perfect time, I say, for a camera that … gasp, prints! Essentially a tiny portable printer with a small camera attached, the 300 Classic takes business card-sized photos at the touch of a button. You will miss the LED screen and sophisticated controls. But for an idiot-proof camera that not only takes, but gives you, a real picture, you will be taken by the Classic Instant.
Pentax Optio WG-1 Black ($300)
If your shop eats cameras — and you know who you are — the Optio is for you. Essentially indestructible, the Optio WG-1 offers remarkable image quality in a camera that quite literally can be dropped, bashed and left out in the rain. I found the built-in image modes to be surprisingly handy — particularly the microscope mode, which took excellent product studies.
Canon PowerShot ELPH 510 HS ($399)
Canon is pushing the boundaries of what a simple point-and-shoot can do with this latest ELPH. It has a legit 12x optical zoom, extremely good image quality and some excellent control features. With a little bit of lighting help — and time spent with the manual getting all the digital features to work as you like — you can even use the 510 to take near professional-quality images for your website or brochures. If you have a jones for a great Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn(LNKD) imaging tool that you can also take to clients — or the beach — the PowerShot ELPH is surprisingly feature-rich.
Samsung NX200 ($899)
Samsung has decided it wants to be a major player in the camera world. And today it announces a major camera: the NX200. Basically a 20-megapixel, fully functional, HD single-lens reflex camera with no single-lens reflex optics, the brand-new NX200 offers big-camera features in a way-small package. It has interchangeable lenses, advanced video support, can shoot up to seven frames per second and has a handy flash. For the camera-savvy, this tool really can serve as a legit high-end photo and video tool. And it can perform basic tasks around the office. Remember, its still Samsung; you are not dealing with the true first-tier professional makers such as Nikon or Canon, and at $900 this camera is no steal. But if you want a full-on HD camera you can also carry in your pocket, give the NX200 a test. You should find it a remarkably useful piece of office equipment.
Century Iron Mines Corporation is a Toronto based mineral exploration and Development Company with prominent iron ore assets in the provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland Labrador, Canada. A Qualifying was completed on May 18 2011 concurrently with financings totaling USD 115.5 million.
The financings included a USD 60.9 million investment by Wuhan Iron Steel for a 24.99% interest in Century Iron and a USD 12.2 million investment by MinMetals for a 5% interest. Both WISCO and MinMetals are ranked amongst the Forbes Global 500 and are among Chinas largest mining companies.
Century Iron has secured strong strategic partnerships in perhaps the worlds most import iron ore market through WISCO and MinMetals. WISCO is committed to assist in 70% of future project CAPEX debt financing with about 60% of the remainder to be financed by either company. In addition, 70% of the mined product is be pre sold: 60% goes to WISCO and MinMetals takes 10%.
Century Iron aims to become one of Canada largest iron ore producers- China is crucial to those plans. The Middle Kingdom accounted for 627 Mt of crude steel production in 2009, 44.3% of global steel production. Its insatiable appetite for steel drove 2010 iron ore spot prices to record levels. Continued economic growth and need for housing and infrastructure will further drive demand. Growing income and urbanization will help maintain a positive outlook in foreseeable future. Selling to China therefore is a must for any business seeking international growth.
On Century Iron side is a management team with experience in mining and the capital markets. This is particular true of Director and Chief Executive Officer Sandy Chin who has deep mining and trading experience. Needless to say his strong China connections are an invaluable asset to this China-focused company.
Primary land holdings consist of the Duncan Lake property, Attikamagan, and Sunny Lake; all located in Quebec. Together, resources including measured, indicated, and inferred are estimated to be over 852 million tons. The Duncan Lake Project is an advanced exploration stage property consisting of 125 mining claims over an area of about 5,500 hectares in the James Bay region of Quebec.
Century Iron has a 51% interest in the resource with an option to increase the stake to 65% from Augyva by expending an additional USD 14 million within five years. The companies will operate the project together under a joint venture. All resource estimates so far have been for Duncan Lake, leaving considerable room for upside as the earlier stage projects begin to progress.
Duncan Lake had been previously explored in 1973, though current resource estimates are from 10,461 meter drilling program in 2008 to 2009 totaling 52 boreholes. An internal logistics study is ongoing as well as a new 8000 meter drilling program. The site will produce iron concentrate and pellets as the final product. Studies show final iron concentrate to have an excellent grade of 65% to 69% purity.
Located in the Labrador Trough region is the Attikamagen property, an early-stage project comprised of approximately 946 mining claims covering about 31,000 hectares in an area of major iron formation. The property has thin overburden with visible outcrops with preliminary drilling showing the thickness of iron formation to be greater than 100 meters. There are five deposits on a 60 kilometres strike length. A 1,182 meter drilling program was completed in the Fall of 2010.
The company currently has the option to earn a 51% interest in the Champion property by making a USD 7.5 million in exploration expenditures by March 26 2012. This can be increased to 56% with an additional USD 2.5 million spent by March 26 2013 and further increased to a 60% interest by spending another USD 3.0 million by March 26 2014. As with the Duncan Lake project, Century Iron and Champion Minerals will operate the Attikamagen project under a JV agreement.
Sunny Lake is comprised of two groups of claims, together covering approximately 25,850 hectares. It was acquired in 2009 by staking for potential iron mineralization the property is in an area of major iron formation along strike with other major project. Century Iron is the 100% holder of this property. The area is in the boreal forest rising 600 to 700 meters above sea level.
Century Iron is moving quickly to take advantage of its iron resources. Financial backing and technical know-how from its large Chinese strategic partners will enable the company to accomplish this with minimal contribution of its own funds. Only 13% of requirements for capex into production will come from Century Iron. Yet it maintains control of all its projects.
Because both WISCO and MinMetals will become buyers of any Century Iron products, they have a vested interest in the Company in addition to their equity investments. This is especially true of WISCO, which has a significant 25% stake as well as a JV partnership with Century Iron. WISCO has contributed USD 120 million to the joint venture in exchange for a 40% interest in Century Irons share of Duncan Lake, Attkkamagen and Sunny Lake.
The success of Century Iron is tethered to the Chinese economy. If growth rates continue as predicted, the Company future looks bright. Of course, things can change quickly in tightly controlled economies, where production is dictated by government fiat. It is a risk for sure, but the reward is too great to pass up. China economy may face some hiccups, but the long-term trend looks to point up.