Dennis Paradise has a bold prediction: By the end of the year, he expects to see big box retailers like grocery and drug stores selling sex toys. That’s right, the shelves at Target and Walmart may soon be getting a little more risqué, thanks in part to the bottom line — but also due to a more comfortable consumer. If the prediction holds true, the adult industry can thank a fastgrowing segment for helping to ease the transition: Companies specializing in personal care items with a sexy twist have helped society grow increasingly more secure with its sexuality. ...

In a reversal of position, ICANN has decided to authorize ICM Registry to offer and oversee a new “.XXX” TLD regime. Whatever you may think of ICANN’s decision, for now it’s a reality to be dealt with. So the question becomes whether you, as an owner or operator of adult websites, should participate in this, eh hum, brave new world. ...

Have a Seat, Get Comfy

XBIZ delves deeper into the whole milieu of sofas, swings and super-electric surrogates to say — or ask, rather — exactly what ARE some of these products all about? Which ones are most popular? What folks actually buy this freaky furniture and twisted technology? And, eventually, where and how might one purchase these truly erotic pieces of fornicatingly far-out yet, nonetheless, fully functional, objet d’art? ...

Wi-Fi - Security First

One of the benefits of modern mobile technology is the ability of many devices to connect to the Internet — wherever and whenever wireless signals are available. From laptops to Smartphones and other devices, users are surfing the web, checking emails, sending and receiving instant messages, monitoring their online bank accounts and more — all while on the road and away from their home or office. ...

High Jinks, High Profits

From childhood people learn they can rely on jokes and various types of shenanigans to put a smile on their faces. On the retail front, gag items ranging from G-rated classic rubber chickens, snapping gum and squirting products to poop and T-shirts with offensive images or slogans, have long been commonplace fixtures at gift shops — sometimes even constituting their own specialty store. ...

Using Open Source Databases

As the Internet matures, so will the amount of traffic packets and raw data will also grow. For a small startup, this amount of data is easy to deal with, but as a business expands simply storing endless files on disk just doesn’t cut it. You need software that organizes and protects data — a relational database. ...

Novel Trends

There is no doubt that trends pushed onto society by media affect their habits as consumers. The adult novelty industry’s top providers recently sat down with XBIZ to reflect on shifting consumer fads. ...

Converting Pirates Into Paying Surfers

Talk to anyone in the digital content business and you will learn that rampant piracy has taken a dramatic toll on revenue streams. This is due in part to consumers seeking a discounted or free alternative to what they often characterize as “overpriced” material — even to the point of actually breaking the law to obtain it. ...

Before It Was Legal — Man, Did We Have Fun!

When we were outlaws, each of us was working as visual pleasure providers, shooting the images, being part of the debauchery either on or off camera and making the content before it was known as content. Back then, some 45 years ago — before it was legal — each of us faced going to jail. Sometimes even to prison. Anybody remember that? Well, I do. Man, those were the days. Ducking and dodging the law was part of the business, the nature of the job, a risk of the trade. It was just a part of the game. ...