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AMC Theaters Announce 500,000 Stubs A-List Subscribers, Prices To Increase In Busy Markets

written by Ruben Jay

AMC Theaters launches their Stubs A-List subscription plan in the Summer, and at the time of the announcement said their goal for the plan is to get to 500,000 subscribers by their one year mark. Well, they are just days away from reaching that milestone. 

That 500,000 mark is about 7 months ahead of schedule and is a good sign for the theater chain. Since the launch of the program, we’ve seen MoviePass, the failed movie subscription company that started it all, lose subscribers by the bucket load. 

With the announcement that they are close to their year one target, the chain also announced a price hike in major markets like Los Angeles and New York, a move that may see some backlash from consumers. Personally, I don’t mind spending $19.99 a month to be able to watch 12 movies at no extra cost. The new price in certain markets will be $23, a reasonable price for these markets. 

I hope that with the higher price we see a slightly higher discount on concessions or a better reward program for A-List members. 

5 November, 2018 0 comment
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Tech

Snap, Inc. Dives Further Into Original Content With New Scripted Shows. Is This Their Saving Grace?

written by Ruben Jay

The short answer: No. The long answer: We will have to wait and see. 

Snap, Inc., parent company of Snapchat, is launching a series of scripted and non-scripted shows, according to Mashable. The launch of these series will be a pivot for the company. 

Snap has been offering programming for a few years now, but for the most part they have been 3 minute videos regarding pop-culture or very niche items in the news. Now, they are launching 3 scripted series on Wednesday and 6 more later this year. 

This will be Snap’s first go at scripted programming. The new offerings are being dubbed as “Snap Originals”. 

Why Won’t This Save Snapchat? 

Snapchat’s problem has nothing

Snap lost 2M users in their third quarter, according to TechCrunch. While Snap’s overall business is improving with earning $293B in revenue, over the $288B that Wallstreet was looking for. 

Unless these original programs become massive hits for the platform, I don’t see this experiment working. I don’t go onto Snapchat to watch shows, I go onto Snapchat to see what people are doing. 

What’s A Good Way To Save Snapchat? 

If Snap is hell bent on getting into the content production world, they should tap social influencers to do it for them. Sign creators like Logan Paul to production deals to create content for Snap on a regular basis. 

Creators like Paul have the user base that Snap should be trying to attract to their platform and engage with. 

Let’s see how this ‘Snapflix” experiment works for them. 

3 November, 2018 0 comment
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Tech

Apple Is Looking To Buy iHeartMedia, Report Says

written by Ruben Jay

Apple is looking to grow it’s Apple Music business (a big reason for their continue revenue growth) and the Financial Times is reporting that Apple is looking to buy into iHeartMedia. 

iHeartMedia filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and has been looking for either a fix to their financial problems, a strategic partner to help save them, or a new owner of the business. 

Apple Music has 50 Million active subscribers to it’s name and has outgrown rival Spotify in domestic listeners. Bringing in iHeartMedia to their portfolio will do some major good for both companies.

Apple will acquire iHeartRadio, many radio stations, and a set of major music festivals that can promote the Apple Music service to new customers. iHeartMedia will wind itself in a safe position for the first time in years with a major backing of Apple. 

Can you imagine Ryan Seacrest, one of the most famous hosts on the iHeartMedia platform, becoming the face of Apple? 

3 November, 2018 0 comment
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Tech

As iPhone Per Unit Sales Stall, Revenue Continues To Grow Thanks To Their Subscription Services

written by Ruben Jay

Apple is a $1 Trillion company that continues to see growth in overall revenue. One thing that is alarming is the slowing sales of iPhones overall. 

The Hollywood Reporter (THR) is reporting that Apple is seeing a slow down in overall iPhone unit sales, but is still seeing an increase in iPhone revenue. Basic economics would tell you that a higher price point for the iPhone, and more iPhone options are to thank for the increase in overall iPhone revenue to grow. 

Apple is now selling iPhones starting at $999 as opposed to iPhones starting as $600 as before when they had higher unit sales. So if Apple is able to sell less iPhones (and not much less) for a higher pricer tag, you will see the revenue growth. 

Apple’s overall revenue is also growing thanks to their new focus on subscription services like Apple Music, iCloud, and also iTunes sales. 

Apple’s new focus on the subscription side of their business can ultimate lead to a steady guaranteed revenue that will continue to grow as they offer more and more to their platform. 

The new focus is such a pivot from the hard sales on hardware that Apple announced that it would actually stop reporting specific unit sales to their investor, a worrying move to investors. 

The company is working on developing more exclusive content for an eventual streaming service that could be integrated with Apple Music or iTunes. 

Overall, Apple saw $10 Billion in subscription based revenue, up 10% from last quarter. Good news for the tech giant. 

1 November, 2018 0 comment
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LifestyleTech

Elon Musk Is Falling Apart: Exhaustion and Alleged Drug Usage

written by Ruben Jay

Billionaire Elon Musk is falling apart before our very eyes. Musk, CEO of Tesla, has been non-stop for over 15 years nows and he is paying a big price for it. 

In an interview with the New York Times, Musk opened up about his used of Ambien.

“It is often a choice of no sleep or Ambien.”

Elon Musk, New York Times

According to TMZ.com, Musk hasn’t taken a proper vacation in 17 years. Allegedly, Musk hasn’t taken more than a week off since 2001. Musk has also claimed that he does over 120 hours of work a week. 120.

Musk is in a very dangerous position in his life. He is overworking himself and not giving himself the time off he needs. 

At 47, Musk has also spend his birthdays alone at work. He claims “No Friends, nothing” on his birthday.

17 August, 2018 0 comment
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Tech

Movie Pass Is Evolving

written by Ruben Jay

MoviePass send this email out today :

A Message To Our Members:

The revolution is happening now, and it is all thanks to you. In less than a year, three million pioneers joined us on our journey to see more great movies at an unbeatable price. And we want to thank you, our community, for your steadfast support of our company and growth.

In the spirit of innovation and growth, we are now announcing the next phase in the evolution of our product: Demand Pricing.

In the coming weeks, we will roll out three different upgrades to our base $9.95 service for our members.

Bring-A-Guest: MoviePass members will be able to purchase extra tickets to a showing of a movie right through the MoviePass app, so that you can seamlessly reserve seats for you and your friends (at e-ticketing partner theaters) to watch a film even if they aren’t MoviePass subscribers. As a benefit, if your friend signs up for MoviePass within 24 hours, we’ll refund the entire cost of the ticket!

Peak Pricing: MoviePass is committed to maintaining our low monthly price as we continue to grow rapidly. Rather than raise our prices or limit viewings, our plan has been to develop a new variable pricing system based on the demand for particular showtimes. Under this plan, if the combination of demand for a title, date or part of day is higher, subscribers may be asked to pay a small additional fee depending on the level of demand. You can avoid this peak surcharge by choosing an alternative date or film. We will also soon give subscribers one “peak pass” per month, allowing them to waive a Peak Price surcharge once per month. Annual and Quarterly subscribers will not incur peak pricing until their current subscription term ends and then renews.

Premium Showings: MoviePass members on any plan will soon be able to access RealD 3D, IMAX 2D or 3D, and other Premium Large Format showings of any film for an additional upgrade fee.

These features are being tested currently and will slowly roll out to all our members over the next several weeks.

Our aim is to create the most flexible and cost-efficient product, so that we don’t have to simply raise the price on the subscription. We appreciate your flexibility as we evolve our service to keep MoviePass at a low cost. We can’t express how much we value all of you for being part of that vision.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
The MoviePass Team

23 June, 2018 0 comment
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LifestyleTech

Chipotle Introduces Pick-Up Windows At Select Locations

written by Loren Petisce

Need an easier way to get your Chipotle fix?  How about ordering on your phone and picking up at a pick-up window?  It’s a reality already at some Chipotle locations in Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Massachusetts and coming soon to a Chipotle near you in Virginia.

So here’s the deal, you can’t just pull up to the drive-thru window, order and pick up your food, like you would at say McDonald’s or Taco Bell.  Instead the pick-up window is designed to do just what it says, pick up the food you previously ordered online through the Chipotle app.  The way it’s set up now, (I can tell you from personal experience) is that you place your order online through the app, then when your order is ready, you walk into Chipotle and get it.  The addition of the pick-up/drive-thru window eliminates the need to go inside the store.  It doesn’t however, let you place your order in the drive-thru line, you have to place your order prior to getting in the line.

Pick-up windows are seeing an increase in popularity; Dunkin’ Donuts added it’s first pick-up line earlier this year. Starbucks also has a similar feature, but not a separate lane for orders through the app.  All orders are funneled through the same line, but it’s still nice to have already ordered and paid ahead of time and all you have to do is simply drive thru and pick it up!

The Daily Meal checked in with Chipotle’s chief digital and information officer Curt Garner, and he had this to say about the new pick-up windows, “One of the problems that companies have struggled with for a long time is having digital orders or any sort of out-of-store order come in and interrupt the flow on the main line that is servicing customers in person.  This drive-thru line will keep many of the chain’s digital-order customers out of the way of those ordering in-store, instead funneling them through a separate queue.”

31 May, 2018 0 comment
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MusicTech

IHeartMedia Approves Bonuses For Executives In Midst Of Bankruptcy

written by Ruben Jay

iHeartMedia has approved million dollar bonuses for their executives while in the middle of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, according to AllAccess.com.

IHeartMedia released the following:

“Under the 2018 KEIP, each participant is eligible to earn a performance bonus in cash at the end of each of the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2018 (the “Quarterly Bonuses”), depending upon the extent to which certain performance goals have been achieved for each such quarter.”

Here are a few of the bonuses:

  • Chairman/CEO ROBERT W. PITTMAN will be eligible to earn a target Quarterly Bonus for each of the second, third and fourth quarters of 2018 of $2,325,000.
  • COO/CFO RICHARD J. BRESSLER will be eligible to earn a target Quarterly Bonus for each of the second, third and fourth quarters of 2018 of $1,325,000.
  • EVP/General Counsel and Secretary ROBERT H. WALLS, JR. will be eligible to earn a target Quarterly Bonus for each of the second, third and fourth quarters of 2018 of $225,000.

Commentary: In the middle of chapter 11 bankruptcy, iHearMedia has approved bonuses for the executives that caused the company to file for said bankruptcy. It bothers me that they are doing this while thousands of their employees might be losing their jobs.

9 May, 2018 0 comment
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FeaturedTech

The T-Mobile & Sprint Merger Might Be Back On

written by Ruben Jay

After calling off a merger in November 2017, T-Mobile seems to be looking to merge with Sprint again. The merger was called off due to the idea that they were unable to come to terms with a mutually beneficial deal, but according to Yahoo, they have found terms that work for both parties. The deal could be announced this weekend.

T-Mobile would have a minority equity stake in the company while having a majority voting power.

Commentary: I am concerned that if you take two lower-end telecommunication (out of the top 4) and merge them together will only make a weaker third option as opposed to a strong third option. If AT&T or Verizon was going to consume one of the lower-end companies, the customers on the smaller service would actually get better service.

28 April, 2018 0 comment
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