ISDX Stock Market to Attract More Companies in 2013

ICAP’s Securities & Derivatives Exchange (ISDX) has demonstrated its intention to build its equity market for smaller growing companies by strengthening its board ready for a growth in 2013.

The former chief financial officer of Chi-x Global has been appointed to the board of ICAP’s new securities exchange, ISDX. The global interdealer broker will be revamping the new ISDX Stock Market in the months ahead. ICAP are already active in a broad range of areas including, commodities, FX, emerging markets, equities and equity derivatives.

In October 2012 the former PLUS-quoted stock market operated by PLUS Markets Group was bought by ICAP. The acquisition of the PLUS-quoted stock market is the latest reincarnation of the junior market. Prior to ownership by PLUS Markets Group, the market was known as OFEX.

Under its new ISDX banner its focus will be as an equity stock market designed for small and medium sized companies who want to raise money from investors, to finance and grow their businesses. ISDX will be of particular interest to smaller companies considering a move to a public markets for the first time to raise equity finance.

Commenting on the move to strengthen ISDX’s board, John Holland of Flotation Consultants Holland Bendelow said, ‘it appears that ICAP are serious about developing Securities & Derivatives Exchange (ISDX)as a real alternative for smaller growing companies seeking modest amounts of investment capital. No doubt there will be further announcements about ISDX’s Board in the coming months as the market cranks up its marketing drive to compete with The London Stock Exchanges AIM Stock Market’.

ISDX has a Recognised Investment Exchange licence from the UK’s stock market regulator, the Financial Services Authority, which permits it to list and facilitate trading in proprietary securities on the platform. ICAP is also aiming to introduce a suite of listed derivative products in a move that could pitch it in competition with leading European market operators Eurex and NYSE LIFFE.

ISDX is generally seen as most suitable for companies looking to raise up to £5m, and with a market capitalisation of up to £20m. There are no formal restrictions on the type of business or industry sector, and applicants may be start-up or existing trading businesses.

The market offers less onerous entry criteria than other UK stock markets and a regulatory regime which is sympathetic to the needs of growing companies.

The market also offers some useful benefits for those looking to invest in ISDX companies which includes various tax planning reliefs. These may include, CGT Gift Relief, Inheritance Tax business property Relief, The Enterprise Investment Scheme, and Venture Capital Trusts.

Stop Autodialers and Telemarketing Calls from Invading Your Privacy

It seems there are a lot of autodialed telemarketing calls intruding in our lives, and if you’re being pestered with numerous, interruptive and unsolicited calls then here are some suggestions on how to effectively stop autodialers.

Telemarketing companies and collection agencies use the autodialer tool to streamline their cold-call process. They don’t want to waste their customer service representative’s time by dialing hundreds of numbers without ever communicating to an actual person. Instead, computer software dials your phone, waits for your live response, and then connects you with the customer representative. Meanwhile you may receive dozens of autodialed phone calls per day, picking up the phone only to hear a pre-recorded message asking you to hold. We are all familiar with the annoyance.

There are legal preventative measures you can take to stop autodialers from invading your privacy. The first step you should take to stop autodialers is to register your phone number with the Do Not Call Registry. Once your number is on this national registry, telemarketers are required to recognize that it is on the list, and then remove it from their internal autodialer lists within 30 days of the discovery. They are allowed one “mistake” call per year after identifying your number on the list, and if they persist in calling after the 30-day period, they may be subject to federal penalties and fines.

There are also hardware solutions to stop autodialers. You can install a call-blocking device to your phone. This device recognizes autodialed calls and answers the call with a digital tone signifying the line is disconnected. This signal usually triggers the autodialer system to remove your number from that specific call list.

If the previous suggestions fail, then you can answer the phone and personally request that the agent remove your number from their list. If this does not work and you continue to be harassed by the same telemarketer, then you can request the company information, and report their abuses to the FTC. In this case it is advisable to keep a record of all the phone calls, voicemails, and attempts made by the offender to call you.

There are federal laws, like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) that protect your consumer rights. The TCPA restricts telemarketers from making unsolicited autodialed calls if your number is on the Do Not Call Registry, or if you have formally requested that your number is removed from their list, either verbally on the phone, or through a written letter sent via certified mail to the telemarketer. They must observe the removal request.

The TCPA does restrict all telemarketing calls from autodialing your cell phone number, unless you give consent for them to do so. Telemarketers are also restricted to make their autodialed calls between 8 A.M. and 9 P.M. They are legally obligated to give you their company information, and to indefinitely remove your number from their lists if you request it.

The TCPA does not provide the same restrictions on autodialed calls from tax-exempt non-profit organizations. Telemarketers who are making sales calls solicited by you, or if you have a working relationship with them are not restricted by the TCPA from making autodialed calls.

If the telemarketer does violate the Do Not Call list, or ignores your request to remove your number from their lists, they are subject to federal penalties and fines. If you have grounds to file a complaint with the FTC, then consulting with a consumer law attorney can be beneficial. The TCPA establishes clear fines that come with violating the federal law.

If you continue to receive autodialed calls from a telemarketer after you have requested your number is removed, or registered with the Do Not Call list, then you may be able to sue the offending party up to $500 per autodialed call after your request was made. The TCPA grants the consumer the right to take legal action in a local court. In some cases the courts can levy triple the amount in damages, if the offender is egregious in their violation of the federal laws. There are also circumstances in which suits may be filed for the violation of other provisions in the TCPA, such as; abuses with faxes, prerecorded and artificial messages, calling multiple lines at an office or business, and calling cell phone numbers.

Everyone is affected by autodialed telemarketing calls. They are annoying, invasive, and in some cases, illegal. You can stop autodialers by registering your landline phone number with the Do Not Call Registry, and you can also directly request the telemarketer to remove your number from their list.

Remember, that the telemarketer must remove your number from their list indefinitely if you make the request. If they persist in calling you after 30 days of your number registry and request to remove your number, then you are entitled to take legal action. You may be able to get compensated for your troubles. If all other preventative methods have failed; then consulting with a consumer law attorney may help you find the relief you need to finally stop autodialers from harassing you.

Mobile Gaming – Top 5 Factors Leading To Bad User Experience

Mobile isn’t just the future, it’s today and it’s everything. It became a natural extension to the human body without much exaggeration. With the evolution of gaming and their compatibility, mobile phones became the vessel for some high-end games. Without the rich consoles and distinct controls, mobile phone gaming experience depends highly on the personalized experience. To get that user experience right, developers have to consider different combinations of variables that affect the behaviour of gamers while playing. It can be the make or break element for the games to stand the competition on stores and stay on the mobiles of gamers.

Dysfunctional, dated and cumbersome interface

The first impression is always the best impression. This simple rule will never become dated. First-time user experience (FTUE) is a user’s first interaction with the game. It is important to have a clean and simple interface that makes it easier for the user to take less time in understanding the game and get right into the game. With the attention span of users being drastically reduced by the day and the increase in free alternative games on the store, it wouldn’t take much time for the player to exit from the game and go for another.

Performance

The change in the performance of games is deemed to be compromised when the Gaming sector got another platform in mobiles other than the PC consoles. Players will not take no for a performance dip. They want to get into the game quickly and play as smoothly as possible. So, it is essential to bring down the loading time and make the game multithreaded. If the game is feature-rich, it is also important to have a simple UI for consistent framerates and optimum performance overall.

Power consumption

One thing that players don’t want to experience ever while playing a game is a notification of low battery or over-heating or even worse, mobile getting switched off. Games that involve complex graphics and hefty user interface usually fall prey to this issue. Such games not only eat up your data quietly but also put the hardware of a mobile phone under heavy load and increase the power consumption and temperature. This distracts the players during the game and puts their excitement off. That momentary distraction may even cause the player to exit the game.

Touch-to-display latency

The time gap between touching the mobile screen and witnessing the result or reaction for that is called Touch-to-display latency. It is more popularly known as LAG in the game. Longer the latency gets, harder the ability to focus. Though the latency is mostly device-dependent, it can also be reduced with thoughtful design and development. Smooth renders, optimum resolutions for UI and non-UI elements in the games, and consistent frame rates can help to reduce the touch-to-display latency.

Navigation and clarity in the goal

Nobody wants to be lost in a game with no clarity of what to do, how to do and where to go. This is where the navigation can make a difference with proper structuring to the game. It involves menu identification, ease of access to the core features and having a flowchart. It allows the user to reach for his required option without sweating around. This architecture will also allow the user to have clarity on what his go-to actions are and what his final objective is. A lack of it will only turn off the user’s experience and make him wander over the UI aimlessly. A simple UI, easily accessible menus, entry points, exit points and defined daily goals with rewards are essential to keep the gamer excited throughout.

The end-user experience is what defines and decides the fate of any game. The cost of customer retention is increasing by the day with new games popping up every single day on the stores. A bad user experience will only make it worse by losing gamers, investors and eventually the revenue. Companies like RubixQ which gaming solutions hire to improve the user experiences in mobile games with mobile test automation, monitoring solutions and other techniques to reduce user-end related issues for a better product.