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Sonic, RealD Form Pact as 3DTV Sales Projections Increase9 Jun, 2010 By: Erik Gruenwedel
Sonic Solutions and RealD Inc. June 9 said they formed an alliance aimed at developing consumer products for the nascent 3D home entertainment market.
Los Angeles-based RealD, which licenses its technology to motion picture exhibitors that show 3D movies, also offers its side-by-side technology (allowing for 3D images to both the left and right eye) to stream into a single channel using today's HD infrastructure to any 3D-enabled TV.
“Our next-generation 3D cinema technology is delivering a premium 3D entertainment experience,” said Michael Lewis, CEO of RealD.
Sonic, of course, allows consumer electronics companies and retailers to download Hollywood movies via its RoxioNow software imbedded in a range of devices, including Blu-ray Disc players.
Samsung recently became the third consumer electronics company to sign with RealD to integrate 3D technology into the home. JVC and Sony joined RealD after the Blu-ray Disc Association announced specifications for 3D on the high-definition format late last year.
Samsung revised its 2010 estimate of domestic 3D TV sales from 1 million units to 4 million, according to Ralph Schackart, digital media analyst with William Blair & Co. in Chicago. He said the upward revision was based on the pending release of Blu-ray 3D movies and dedicated 3D cable TV channels launching.
Indeed, 6.2 million 3D-enabled TVs, 3% of the global TV market, will be sold this year, growing to 83 million units, or 31% of the worldwide market by 2014, according to a Displaybank report.
Earlier this year, Sonic unveiled tools for 3D encoding, authoring and formatting in the Blu-ray 3D format and released Roxio CinePlayer BD, a comprehensive, 3D-capable media player for Windows that recently received Blu-ray Profile 5 certification from the BDA. CinePlayer BD will ship on new 3D-enabled systems from ASUS and MSI later this year.


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Truecaller launched a new backup and restore feature for its Android users. The new feature allows users to backup and restores all your contacts, call history, block list and setting to Google Drive. The company says that backup feature will help users when they want to change their smartphones, get new SIM cards, reset handsets, or even re-install the app. Truecaller said the backup feature will be available on Android smartphones in the “next couple of days.”
The company says, “With just a click of a button, Truecaller will backup all your contacts, call history, call logs, block list and settings preferences to a file that will be stored on your Google Drive.”
With the next Truecaller app update, users who don’t have a Google Drive account will get a prompt to create one. Also, users have to set-up the backup for their account. Users are able to select how often the app would backup data, such as daily, weekly, monthly, or never. If you don’t want the application then you can permanently delete truecaller account easily.
For restoring data, users have to give access to the Google Drive account for connecting to Truecaller. After Google Drive access, users can restore all their last saved data. Additionally, the app also released another feature called Truecaller Contacts. This feature saves every number a user call on, sends SMS to, or make transactions with. It allows users to get numbers from months back, even though they were not saved.
Additionally, Truecaller has announced the rollout of several new features for its Android app last week. The feature includes Simple copy OTP and improvements to flash messages. With Simple Copy OTP, it has created a shortcut for its users. It provides the users, a one-tap way to copy the OTP directly from the notification received on their handset. Also, it improves the flash messaging feature by providing a more polished design.
Abhishek is the founder of Above Android. He has worked hard to bring Above Android where it stands today. He manages his team extremely well and also manages the News section of our site. Having learnt the art of Android Development, he is always keen to know the latest updates in this space and put it down in our news section.

domain: news


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Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Nokia's devices business appears to be getting more due diligence than usual for approval by Chinese authorities.
Such deals typically get approved by China's Ministry of Commerce after a 30-day first phase investigation, but it is currently undergoing a second phase probe, according to The Economic Observer. The deal has already been given the green light in other countries, including the United States and Europe.
According to the news agency's sources, the extra prudence by the ministry stemmed mainly from requests from domestic phonemakers such as ZTE, Lenovo and Xiaomi, who are worried the completion of the deal could lead to higher patent fees by Nokia for its handset technology and tighter enforcement.
Nokia has adopted a loose system for patent protection in China, charging only a few of the country's phonemakers, noted Economic Observer. The patent fees account for about 2 percent of a device's selling price, it added.
Earlier this month, Europe's competition commissionthat it would investigate if there were signs of the company abusing its trove of mobile patents.
In September, Microsoft anounced plans to acquire Nokia's phone-making unit for about US$7.2 billion. The deal would allow Nokia to, which it could turn to for a revenue boost.


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- 11 November 2020
- Transport / Logistics Services
Amidst record sales over the Singles Day (11/11/20) Global Shopping Festival, Alibaba’s Cainiao Smart Logistics has ramped up capacity to meet demand.
As part of this the Chinese logistics giant has aimed at reducing the delivery time for more than half of its cross-border parcels through smart order consolidation and using more than 700 charter flights that will deliver more than 90% of the parcels sent from China. Cainiao claim that Singles Day parcels will arrive with customers in key European cities like Madrid, Paris and Warsaw within three days of making the order.
The Global Shopping festival peaked at 583,000 orders per second and gross merchandise volume (GMV) at US$56.3 billion, outstripping the GMV in 2019 of $38.3bn. More than 250,000 brands are participating in Singles Day.
James Zhao, general manager of Cainiao Global Supply Chain, said technology plays a key role in ensuring the successful delivery of billions of e-commerce parcels worldwide: “Today, 90% of our parcels are tagged with electronic shipping labels and this has fast become a de facto industry standard to achieve full visibility. IoT technology has also accelerated the automation of every aspect of the value chain, from sortation facilities, warehousing to customs clearance and last-mile delivery, significantly boosting operations efficiency and transforming the industry.
“This year, we will be marrying cutting-edge technology with a world-class logistics network to create a truly global infrastructure that can bolster the e-commerce boom.”


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A joint-agreement was concluded recently that will see a Chinese trade delegation and the administration of Aden Port, Yemen, using the port as a transit point from China.
According to Yemen News Agency, the delegation seeks to obtain facilities from the port's administration in order to have shipping lines run from ports in China and East Asia to Aden Port.
The Chinese delegation included CEO of COSCO International Freight Company for East Asia and the Chairman of Feeder Service Company.
The move is anticipated to enhance container traffic for Aden Port by using it as a transit point for containers coming from Hodeidah Port, as opposed to using it for the Port of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Aden Port is currently considered a hub port, as well as a transit point for goods transiting between the East and the West.
COSCO in Aden Port-China Venture. (Source: P Base)


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Newark is getting hot — and it’s not just about rising temperatures.
Hot sauces made by business-savvy high school students are available at local farmers markets. This is a new partnership that will help educate young minds and provide healthy food to our communities.
The farmers market at the Newark Beth Israel Medical Center was packed even though the temperature reached 90 degrees. The weekly market has its own greenhouse on site. It has filled a void in Newark.
“Newark Beth Israel has been committed to healthy eating in Newark City, considered a food desert,” said Darrell Terry, President and CEO of Newark Beth Israel.
As of this week, the hospital also serves as a hands-on, real-life classroom for entrepreneurial high school students.
“Our club was founded with the idea that we want kids on the West Side to know how to start a business,” says incoming junior Roshaughn Barker.
Barker and classmate Shamar Richards are members of the West Side Avenue Business Club at Newark’s West Side High School.
“We launched a mail-order site. Kids started and maintained it and sell the products they make there,” says business teacher Mark Mason.
One of the first products was the Rider Heat Hot Sauce, which is now sold at the Newark Beth Israel Farmers Market.
“We have poblanos, chili and jalapeños,” says Richards.
Students create, market and sell their own products. Hot sauce was already a hit from day one. Students say they are thrilled to be able to participate, even during the summer holidays, while giving back to the community.
“All-natural ingredients, by the community, for the community,” says Richards.
The money you earn on your produce goes back to your greenhouse. Proceeds from hot sauce sales go back to student entrepreneurs and their clubs.
The Newark Beth Israel Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 11am to 3pm through Thanksgiving week.


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Anyone else tired of the computer metaphors surrounding the jab? Or perhaps it isn’t really a metaphor at all.
India last month said that it had created the world’s first DNA vaccine, ZyCoV-D. While standard vaccines use actual ‘hardware’ protein, DNA vaccines use the ‘software’ blueprint of the virus.
India last month began boasting that it has created – and its regulatory body approved – the world’s first DNA vaccine, ZyCoV-D.
The vaccine, developed by a company called Zydus Cadila, expects to have it available for use as early as next month, giving hope to a country that has suffered more than 447,000 deaths at the hand of the virus.


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A number of new rumours have surfaced regarding this year's version of Motorola's Moto X device, and although they help give us an idea of what we can expect, some of the information is rather contradictory.
For example GSMArena reports that the Moto X (2015) will come with a 5.2-inch QHD AMOLED display.
Meanwhile PhoneArena has reported that the Moto X will indeed come with a QHD (1440 x 2560) display, but will come in two different sizes – a 5.2-inch version and a 5.7-inch model that will be exclusive to the Verizon network.
Same but different
GSMArena's rumours also suggest that the new Moto X will come with a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset and a huge 4GB of RAM.
Phone Area reports a more conservative 3GB of RAM, along with 21GB of storage. A leaked image also apparently shows a wooden body, with Phone Arena claiming that the Moto X will come in this material, along with versions in plastic, leather and an unnamed new material.
Previous rumours have also suggested that the upcoming Moto X will come with a Snapdragon 808 chipset, rather than the more powerful 810.
Both sites do agree on something; the Moto X is due to launch with Android 5.1.1 pre-installed.
We won't know how accurate either of these new rumours are until the third generation Moto X is unveiled later this year, but reading between the conflicting reports, a vague idea of what the Moto X will be is beginning to take shape.


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WeChat has provided tools (mostly APIs) to other companies to set up their own accounts in the chat app. These accounts can then be used for promoting products/services, interacting with customers, etc. The end result has been that WeChat is now an integral part of consumers’ mobile lifestyle in China and a big contributor to its parent company Tencent’s profits.
Looking at WeChat’s amazing growth and financial performance, Facebook planned to do something similar for Messenger. At its F8 developer conference, Facebook unveiled Messenger Platform. Messenger Platform will allow its 600 million users to create and share content with third-party tools and communicate directly with businesses. Although a good move, we feel these moves should also be targeted at Whatsapp. Whatsapp, the biggest chat app on earth in terms of subscriber base, was bought by Facebook for a whopping $19 billion. As of September 2015, Whatsapp was on track to have around 900 million users, and I’m pretty confident that by now or sometime next year, Whatsapp will have a billion users. Whatsapp should be the one that Facebook should try to make ‘WeChat like’ instead of just Messenger.
1. Engagement levels
As of June 2015, Messenger had around 700 million users; as of September 2015, Whatsapp had approximately 900 million users. However, raw numbers aren’t enough to build a WeChat-like business. WeChat primarily has engagement, so people are locked inside the chat app. Many of Messenger’s dominance lies in the west, as seen in the image below. Photo credit: adweek Currently, for both Messenger and Whatsapp, their core utility and, in most cases, sole utility is just texting. So the engagement with each app depends upon how much it is used for texting. The problem with western markets is that a lot of texting happens through iMessage and SMS. iMessage is popular because of Apple’s dominance there. SMS is still popular in the west since, in most countries, SMS is generally free on an unlimited basis along with a data pack. So Messenger, when it comes to texting, it faces competition from both SMS and iMessage. Accordingly, Messenger’s engagement levels are competed by both iMessage and normal SMS. Whatsapp, on the other hand, is very popular in emerging countries such as India, African countries, and Latin American countries. In these emerging countries, a minuscule number of people own iPhones, so the competition from iMessage is negligible. Most people in these countries use Android, whose built-in messaging app, i.e., Hangouts, has failed to gain any traction at all amongst users. Apart from that, since operators in both Africa and India don’t provide unlimited texting for free, the appeal of SMS amongst the citizens who use smartphones has constantly dwindled. This has left Whatsapp a clear opportunity to become the most dominant/sole platform for texting. This, in turn, has led to one of the highest engagement levels for Whatsapp. Whatsapp already has a significant amount of engagement, and engagement that’s not competed with, unlike Messenger. We don’t know the current numbers, but back in January this year, WhatsApp was boasting about 30 billion messages being exchanged on its platform. I will not consider Hike or any other app because Whatsapp’s reach in countries like India is too strong for any upstart to compete with it. Now that Whatsapp already has the engagement required, it’s much easier to convince users to use Whatsapp for other services as well. Messenger, on the other hand, has its attention competed with other texting platforms as well. <3>2. Consumer Preferences As mentioned before, Messenger’s dominance lies mostly in the west. In most western countries, the general consumer preference is to have one app for every function. Users generally don’t prefer several functions clubbed into one app. Messenger itself was spun off because Mark Zuckerberg believed a standalone app would lead to a better experience. Still, now this standalone app, i.e., Messenger itself, is trying to amass various functions by virtue of becoming a platform. Apart from that, Facebook isn’t the first company trying to convert its chat app into a platform in the US. Vurb had tried the same in the US and had backing from Tencent as well, but its position in Apple’s App Store is #175.
— Doug MacMillan (@dmac1) December 16, 2015 On the other hand, Whatsapp is dominant in countries where smartphone penetration is still low but rising rapidly. Although the power users are comfortable using one app for each function, there is still a set of people who know nothing about apps as such, are the current feature phone users. Suppose Facebook starts adding utility to Whatsapp at a raprapidlyfeature phone. In that case, users who buy smartphones for the first time can very well become accustomed to using Whatsapp alone for their daily needs. I have seen this work out in real life. I have seen many people whose primary motivation to use the internet for the first time was Facebook alone, and when they got on to Facebook, they discovered a world of its own. You can see videos, visit pages of businesses, make new friends, read articles, chat, etc. I was an early adopter of the internet, so if I wanted to watch videos while on my computer, I would visit YouTube; for reading news, I would BBC or NYTimes, and so on. My mom, on the other hand, made an effort to use the internet only for Facebook, but soon after discovering all that Facebook has to offer, she considered Facebook the internet itself, and in some ways, that makes sense. She can watch videos, see what her relatives are doing, join cooking groups, and do all other stuff from just one destination. The same can be applied to Whatsapp as well. There are users who have yet to make the jump to smartphones. If by the time these users make the jump to smartphones and Whatsapp amasses a lot of things that various apps do, these first-time users will make Whatsapp their de-facto app for almost anything and everything. Even today, the primary motive for a lot of people to buy a smartphone is so that they can be on Whatsapp and Facebook. What WeChat did in China isn’t a lot different.
3. User devices
As is the case in most Western markets, people have access to high-speed data, and their smartphones also have enough internal storage and processing power to make the experience of using every full-fledged native app a pleasing experience. Whereas over here in India, Asia, and Africa, most smartphones sold come in the $100-$200 price range. This means that internal storage is a compromise in most smartphones. Most $100 and lower smartphones have 8GB of internal storage. I’m aware that Android 6.0 allows users to use SD cards as internal storage, but very few current $100 smartphones except for Android One, and a few exceptions will be updated to Android 6.0. Even if we leave the internal storage debate apart, there’s the problem of the internet. Most $100 smartphone users prefer using 2G data packs because of their low cost. Play Store itself doesn’t load properly on most 2G connections; it’s, therefore, no wonder that most apps simply don’t work properly on 2G connections. These apps, if they end up being accessible by Whatsapp, would be a huge benefit. Messenger has done this with Uber, and Whatsapp can do it with Ola/Uber. Most people simply can’t expect a decent experience on Ola or Uber if they’re using 2G internet. On the other hand, if Ola/Uber were contacts that could be saved on Whatsapp such that people could send their location and book a ride, it would be a huge win. Not only would their experience using a 2G connection be better, but they would even save precious storage space. There are several other apps that can be integrated into Whatsapp and bring out a better experience. Take the ‘My Airtel’ app, for example. The only reason I use the app is to know how much data balance I have remaining. If there was an Airtel contact on Whatsapp who could tell me the talktime balance, data balance, and special offers I have, it would be a huge win. Several people book railway tickets, so imagine having a Railway/IRCTC contact on Whatsapp that lets you know the PNR status. If Uber, Ola, Airtel, IRCTC, and lots of other app developers had Whatsapp implementation, there would be much lesser apps and much more space saved for, say, yet another game or video. As a bonus point for Whatsapp, accessing Whatsapp is also cheaper than accessing full-fledged apps. As mentioned already, Whatsapp works well on 2G data connections which are already cheaper than, say, 3G/4G connections. But the benefit in the case of Whatsapp is that several operators in India provide dedicated Whatsapp packs which are at least 3 to 5 times cheaper than full-fledged 2G data packs making access to Whatsapp even cheaper. A similar initiative called Airtel Zero had been rolled out by India’s top telecom operator Airtel to make access to apps free of charge such that the company owning the app would pay the charge but has seen almost zero traction because of the Net Neutrality backlash from the general public. Interestingly, since these dedicated Whatsapp packs were launched before all the Net Neutrality chaos started, they have still managed to survive. Another interesting facet is that even the main Facebook app has dedicated data packs costing lower than a full-fledged 2G data pack but since Messenger is now an app of its own, accessing Messenger requires access to a full-fledged data pack which in turn makes access to Messenger more expensive.
4. Existing implementations
Even though Facebook hasn’t promoted or provided tools to businesses to help them make the most out of Whatsapp, some people have already started using Whatsapp. BSNL for example has started allowing people in Indore to book complaints through Whatsapp. Similarly, I find several Indian websites giving users the option to share an article on Whatsapp but very few, or rather none, do that for Messenger. This article perhaps demonstrates the use cases of Whatsapp in the best manner. Some excerpts from the article: “The messaging application WhatsApp is now a vital part of Sheersat’s work, boosting his income from around Rs 300 per day to Rs 1,000. He is able to support his wife and three children better.” “Bangalore restaurant, Wok n Tava, was doing moderate business before its manager, Subhen, thought of starting a WhatsApp group of regular customers. He sent messages about discounts and offers to the group in the little English he could manage. Since then, Wok n Tava gets more inquiries and orders in a single day than their earlier weekly average.” “It makes more sense to keep in touch with regular customers through WhatsApp than by posting updates on Facebook or Twitter or sending emails, which people get in bulk and don’t pay much attention to,” says Adrian Pereira, owner of the garden restaurant Cocoparra.” This shows that there is a genuine set of companies or people eager to use Whatsapp from a B2C perspective.
Whatsapp wasn’t a side project Facebook started that all of a sudden grew big, nor was it got for free. Facebook paid a whopping $19 billion for Whatsapp. By comparison, Nokia’s phone division which has had such a long history and has thousands of people working for it was sold for less than half of Whatsapp’s price to Microsoft. Now that Facebook, or rather Jan Koum, promised that Whatsapp will not have ads, making Whatsapp a platform would be the best way to monetize it. Tencent’s WeChat, for example, has an ARPU of $7, and the company has built most of it by being a platform. WeChat only dabbled in advertisements sometime earlier this year; a good amount of money has been made solely by being a platform that Whatsapp can be as well.
We are not expecting Whatsapp to be WeChat overnight, but there are things Whatsapp can add to become more useful to the end user. For example, providing tools that would allow Ola or Uber to get bookings directly from Whatsapp or helping operators serve information about balance to customers or helping IRCTC to show PNR status or startups such as Grofers being able to receive orders directly or E-Commerce companies delivering order updates through Whatsapp and so on. The potential Whatsapp has (especially in India) is enormous, and Facebook just needs to dedicate some of its engineering talents to make Whatsapp a central tool in our lives. Yes, there are other issues like Net Neutrality, monopoly, and lack of competition to look at, but that’s for another article altogether.


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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today released its statistical snapshot of 2012 fish landings, noting that America’s commercial fishermen landed 9.6 billion pounds of seafood valued at $5.1 billion.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and New Bedford, Massachusetts remain the top commercial fishing ports.
The top five states by volume were Alaska, 5.3 billion pounds; Louisiana, 1.2 billion pounds; Virginia, 461.9 million pounds; Washington, 420.1 million pounds, and California, 358.2 million pounds. Alaska also ranked first among the top five states in value of landings, at $1.7 billion, followed by Massachusetts, $618.2 million; Maine, $448.5 million; Louisiana, $356.6 million, and Washington, $302 million.
Beneficiaries ranged from fish processors, icehouses, restaurants, grocery stores, bait and tackle shops, fuel stations and many other businesses related to commercial and recreational fisheries.
Still, to meet consumer demand, the United States continues to be a major importer of seafood. Over 90 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States is imported, measured by edible weight.
NOAA officials said this measure has been rising in recent years, reflecting an increase in imported seafood. However, the report noted, a significant portion of this imported seafood is caught by American fishermen, exported overseas for processing, and then reimported to the United States.
While seafood imports do appear to be rising, the exact figure and the significance of this figure is difficult to know, the report said. NOAA is investigating better methods to report consumption and imports, to better understand the significance of imported seafood


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It's a well-known fact that the more steps a shopper must take in order to make a purchase, the less likely that purchase is. The same is true for shoppers on Facebook, of course, which is why San Francisco-based Payvment has developed a tool that lets them buy from vendors without ever leaving the site.
Now in beta, Payvment turns companies' Facebook fan pages from marketing platforms into sales platforms. Specifically, its Facebook app gives vendors everything they need to create a storefront on the social networking site, including a built-in, full-featured admin area. Installation takes 15 minutes, the company says; once it's done, Facebook users can shop and make purchases from that store without needing to leave Facebook. Each TRUSTe-certified storefront can be added to an unlimited number of Facebook pages. Integrated product search enables discovery of the store's items from across Facebook, and a universal shopping cart lets customers complete their purchases from any Payvment-powered storefront on the site. Payvment currently supports sales in more than 20 currencies with automatic conversion; PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover are all accepted. Other features include automated inventory control, email receipts, storefront comment capabilities and instant discounts for Facebook fans. Payvment is free for participants in its public beta program.
Since Payvment launched in November, more than 20,000 businesses and individuals have started to sell goods on Facebook and over 500,000 Facebook users have shopped for products in stores using the Payvment app. Businesses large and small: time to venture into the social shopping waters yourself...?


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Alan Berube and Joseph Parilla at the Brookings Institution recently published a report on the impressive amount of North American regional trade (with a great interactive that traces exports and imports across the continent). U.S. cities send and receive over $500 billion in goods from Mexican and Canadian cities—out of a total $1.1 trillion in intra-regional trade in 2012. The vast majority (some 69 percent) of this trade is in advanced industries (aerospace, automotive, electronics, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and precision instruments), an economic bright spot in the recovering U.S. economy. Here is a quick look at just how vital the United States’ regional trading ties are for its economic strength and competitiveness.
When many Americans think of U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada trade, border states are often what come to mind first. While it is true that Texas, Michigan, and California pulled in some of the biggest trading numbers (with combined regional exports and imports of $463 billion), this is only part of the story. Some forty-one U.S. states have Mexico or Canada as their number one export destination, stretching far across the American heartland (all of the green states in the map below) and supporting some 14 million jobs. Only the nine yellow states have a primary export destination somewhere outside of the region.
Much of the trade moves along the region’s robust supply chains, which stretch from Querétaro to Detroit to Windsor. On average 40 percent of the value of U.S. imports from Mexico and 25 percent of those from Canada actually come from the United States, compared to imports from the rest of the world where U.S. input is closer to 4 percent. This means that of the $277 billion in goods that the United States imported from Mexico in 2012, some $111 billion of the value was created in the United States. This is compared to U.S. imports from China where—despite being a much larger sum of $425 billion—only $17 billion worth of value was made in the United States. In addition, data from the World Trade Organization database reveals that 72 percent of automotive part exports, 71 percent of clothing exports, 55 percent of textile exports, and 58 percent of telecommunications equipment exports stay in the region—meaning the three countries are both making and consuming these products together.
Still, this intra-regional trade as a percent of total trade has been on the decline over the past decade. Though absolute numbers are growing, they are growing more slowly than trade with the rest of the world—reflecting both internal factors, such as U.S. border inefficiencies and higher security costs and external issues, including China’s emergence as a major trading player and Canada and Mexico’s trade diversification. As we look forward, efforts to reverse this trend and re-strengthen continental supply chains will be crucial for pushing the United States’ economy back on its feet, as these numbers show how important the United States neighbors are and will be for its prosperity.


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Target gets "save Thanksgiving" petition from retail worker
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Despite getting an earful from some critics and employees over its plan to open stores on Thanksgiving evening this year, Target Corp. said it will press ahead with the plan.
KSTP reports that a Target retail worker on Monday delivered a petition with more than 350,000 signatures asking the retailer to reverse its decision to open at 9 p.m. Thanksgiving this year.
Tim Curoe, Target's (NYSE: TGT) vice president of human resources, said that the company is grateful for its employees who work the holiday, but added that many of them volunteered because they want the extra hours.
That was much the same response as last year, when workers upset about a midnight Friday opening delivered a 190,000-signature petition. Since then, stores are opening even earlier, with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) leading the way by opening at 8 p.m. this year.
Retailers' standard response is that shoppers will come out and shop whenever they can, and if one chain doesn't open, it'll lose those dollars to competitors. USA Today has a video backing up that argument, posting an interview with a group planning a 24-hour shopping excursion. Their first stops: Target and Wal-Mart.
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Home Tags Wearables
Three previously unseen wearables have appeared in an official Samsung app.
Fitbit newest smartwatch, the Fitbit Versa, is smaller, cheaper, and has a few more features than the Apple Watch.
French tech company Withings unveiled Business Insider's pick as the best wearable of CES 2019: the Move ECG hybrid smartwatch.
For anyone in the market for a new fitness-focused smartwatch, the $255 Fossil Sport is a solid option.
Fitbit's new Versa smartwatch is stylish and lightweight — and costs $150 less right now than the latest Apple Watch.
Fossil says the Fossil Sport is aimed at a "design-conscious consumer," which is why the company opted for six colors.
The Apple Watch packs a surprising amount of tools into a tiny package. Whether you're new to Apple Watch or a longtime user, here are tips for getting the most out of your watch.
This $200 ring packs every fitness-tracking feature you’d want into a tiny package — here’s what it can do
The Motiv ring is a smart ring that tracks your activity, heart rate, calories burned, distance covered, and hours of sleep. And with the second-generation ring, you can now use it to stay more secure online.
Europe's largest consumer electronics show is underway in Berlin, and companies like Lenovo, Sony, and Sennheiser have announced innovative, exciting, and quirky new products.
9to5 Mac on Thursday published what it said was a leaked image of the rumored Apple Watch Series 4. The watch in the photo has an edge-to-edge display, a more advanced watch face, and some subtle design changes.


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The governor of the Philippine central bank, Benjamin Diokno, has revealed that the institution’s “exploratory” study of CBDC suggesting that far more work is required to form a digital peso a reality.
Earlier within the summer, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas had confirmed it had been investigating the feasibility and potential policy implications of issuing its own CBDC, or digital counterpart to the physical peso.
Within an official press release, Diokno reportedly rejected the likelihood that a CBDC might be issued any time within the near future. The study thus far has suggested that ongoing research is required to seem into capacity-building and therefore the creating of networks between other central banks and financial institutions.
So far, the bank’s study has covered basic issues surrounding CBDCs, that specialize in implications for monetary policy, legal frameworks, payments as well as settlement systems, financial inclusion, and regulatory oversight.
The governor has said that CBDC research at the BSP may benefit from a study of the business models of private-sector virtual assets within the Philippines, also like the use of industry sandboxes. The central bank plans to seem into the way to improve the country’s existing payment system and to draw upon other central banks’ CBDC research worldwide.
CBDC research within the Philippines has emerged against the backdrop of the central bank’s Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap, that aims to modify over 50% of retail payments into digital form by 2023, and to make sure that 70% of citizens have a bank account by the end of the time period.
Ongoing CBDC research could require technical input from the Global monetary fund and Bank of Global Settlements, within the BSP’s view.
The central bank remains committed to the view that CBDCs are superior to non-public virtual assets, and has indicated that its digital innovations will still evolve within the prevailing structure of fiat assets.


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Titanfall 2 Will Take Advantage Of PS4 Pro Power; Microsoft Acquires Marketing Deal For The Game
According to Respawn Entertainment’s CEO, Vince Zampella, Titanfall 2 will take advantage of Sony’s PS4 Pro. Meanwhile, it seems that the house of Microsoft has acquired the marketing rights for the game.
Zampella took to Twitter to answer a question whether Titanfall 2 will make use of the enhanced capabilities of the PS4 Pro, and his answer was positive.
— Vince Zampella (@VinceZampella) September 8, 2016
For now, it’s unknown in what way Titanfall 2 will use the PS4 Pro’s extra horsepower. According to Warner Bros. Interactive’s SVP of production and development, Peter Wyse, developers will be able to pick between two optimized rendering options - A "Resolution mode" that allows developers to lock games into a resolution beyond 1080P, and a “Quality Mode” which dynamically scales the resolution depending on the game’s performance.
For FPS titles such as Titanfall 2, a stable framerate is vital so Respawn might opt to dynamically scale the game’s resolution depending on how it performs.
In other related Titanfall news, although Titanfall 2 is no longer a Microsoft exclusive, it seems that Microsoft did acquire the marketing rights for the game. Aaron Greenberg, Microsoft’s head of Xbox marketing, said as much on Twitter overnight.
Respawn officially announced Titanfall 2 during EA's EA Play E3 event. “With the original Titanfall, we focused on nailing the gameplay and reinventing the way you move and fight in a first person shooter,” said Zampella,. "With Titanfall 2, we’re building on that foundation by introducing a bespoke single player campaign backed by a deeper multiplayer experience that together will once again push the shooter genre forward.”
Titanfall 2 releases on October 28 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.


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2012 looks set to be an exciting year for home entertainment fans, with many advanced products all set to be launched onto the market. One of these is the 84 inch, Ultra Definition 3D TV from LG, which will be available to buy some time this year.
LG’s new 3D TV will be the ultimate model of its kind, boasting amazing features such as 3D Depth Control, 3D Sound Zooming and up to four times the resolution of any HD TV currently on the market. It will also feature the Smart TV ecosystem, which will give viewers access to premium content services as well as around 1,200 apps.
The president and CEO of LG, Havis Kwon, said:
“LG is pushing the limits of home entertainment innovation with this 3D UD TV,”
“We are bringing together all our Smart TV and 3D knowledge in the 3D UD TV in order to demonstrate to the CES audience that LG is committed to being the world’s leading brand for immersive home entertainment in 2012 and beyond.”
If you’re planning to save up to buy LG’s revolutionary new 3D TV this year, make sure you you’re your HDMI 1.4 cables ready. This advanced preparation will allow you to connect up your TV and enjoy it the moment you get it home.


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FCC Delivers Net Neutrality Plan to Federal Register
Apr 2, 2015, 7:12 AM by Eric M. Zeman
The FCC has sent its proposed net neutrality rules to the Federal Register, completing another step in the process of making them law. The Federal Register will spend several days reviewing the rules before publishing them. Once published, opponents to the rules will be able to formally challenge them in court. The FCC wants to reclassify broadband network providers under common carrier rules, but many companies are vehemently opposed to the FCC's plan.
Feb 9, 2022
Samsung today announced its lineup of flagship phones for 2022: the Galaxy S22 series. The top-end S22 Ultra sees the biggest changes as it essentially absorbs Samsung's Note series with an integrated S Pen stylus and a more Note-like shape and design, instead of the Contour Cut design of the other models.
Aug 31, 2021
South Korea's National Assembly has passed a new law that will require Apple and Google to open up in-app purchases to third-party payments. Apple and Google currently require the use their own payment systems for in-app purchases, from which the companies extract a cut of up to 30%.
Apr 5, 2021
The Supreme Court today ruled against Oracle in its bid to force Google to pay for implementing Java in the Android smartphone operating system (OS). Oracle owns the intellectual property and copyrights for Java, but Java is widely used throughout the open-source software community.
Dec 9, 2022
President Biden has signed into law the Safe Connections Act of 2022, which provides several new rights relating to cell phone service for victims of domestic abuse and human trafficking. Crucially, it mandates that carriers allow victims to separate their service (and that of dependents, such as children) from family plans controlled by their abuser.
Jul 7, 2020
Fraunhofer HHI, the institute that has created many of the world's most popular audio/video coding and compression standards, has finalized the next standard for video: H.266, AKA Versatile Video Coding (VVC). The new standard is supposedly twice as efficient as its predecessor, H.265/High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC).


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Building on gains won through an endorsement by Charlie Munger yesterday, Chinese tech stock Alibaba Group (BABA 3.46%) continued to soar higher on Thursday.
As of 12:15 p.m. ET, Alibaba shares are up 4.7% -- and you can probably thank Benchmark Capital for that.
Benchmark, you see, gave Alibaba a kind of backhanded compliment this morning. On the one hand, the banker cut its price target on Alibaba stock by $10, to $235 per share -- not good news. On the other hand, though, you may have noticed that Alibaba stock currently sells for barely $127 a share.
Or, in other words: Benchmark thinks Alibaba stock could roughly double this year.
Now mind you, Benchmark didn't just cut its price target on a whim. According to the analyst, Q3 revenue at the Chinese tech giant could come in lower than expected because of "further softness in consumer demand," warns TheFly.com.
The reason: "Macro headwinds and rising COVID resurgences in China could have put incremental pressure on" Alibaba's ability to grow gross merchandise sales volume (GMV).
If you're going to buy into the stock now on Benchmark's (and Munger's) say-so, therefore, you need to be aware of the potential that Alibaba could miss analyst revenue targets, which currently foresee quarterly sales of $39.9 billion in Q3. And yes, that could imply an earnings miss as well. Analysts forecast per-American depositary receipt profits of $2.71 -- already down 19% year over year -- and that number could come in lower than expected if sales volumes slump.
So that right there is two reasons Alibaba stock could take a hit when Q3 earnings come out at the end of this month. Nevertheless, if you can look past the volatility and focus on the fact that Alibaba stock is selling for a historically cheap 17.5 times earnings right now, there's still a good case to be made for Alibaba stock being ready to rebound in 2022.


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AUSTRALIA: Billabong opens books to TPG Capital
Billabong has agreed to open its books to private equity firm TPG Capital, but said it does not believe the AU$694m bid reflects the "fundamental value" of the Australian surfwear brand.
TPG has submitted a $1.45 a share offer for Billabong, much less than the $3.30 per share offer it put forward earlier this year.
Billabong said TPG will be able to conduct non-exclusive due diligence in the hope that it will improve its "understanding and valuation of Billabong".
"The board of Billabong does not believe that the proposal reflects the fundamental value of Billabong in the context of a change of control transaction," a statement said.
It added that Billabong will seek to ensure that the medium to long-term prospects of the company and "its unique brands are reflected in the value realised by Billabong's shareholders".
Billabong said the due diligence process will take several weeks.
The surfwear brand is set to announce its full-year results on 27 August, with recently appointed CEO Launa Inman to unveil a three-year transformation strategy for the brand.
Goldman Sachs is acting as financial adviser and Allens is acting as legal adviser to Billabong.
The most read stories on just-style this week include a look at how sourcing is going to be in 2013, a spotlight on why buyer interest in Billabong has not yet turned into a deal, and M&S extending it...
Australian surfwear brand Billabong has received a rival bid for the brand from VF Corp and private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners, which matches an offer from US boss Paul Naude and Sycamore P...
Australian surfwear brand Billabong has appointed Peter Myers as group chief financial officer, replacing Craig White who resigned last month....
Australian surfwear brand Billabong has opened its books to a consortium comprising the company's former head of its Americas business. ...
Australian surfwear brand Billabong today (19 December) confirmed details of a AUD524m buyout bid - but shares fell 13.3% after the company issued another profit warning....
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- Bangladesh firm comes top in World Textile Awards
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- Primark continues US expansion with third store
- $360m logistics investment to benefit Bangladesh
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
- Primark Stores Limited: Retailing - Company Profile & SWOT Analysis
- Clothing & Footwear Retailing in Indonesia– Market Summary & Forecasts
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- Nike Inc in Apparel and Footwear (World)


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The latest business outlook survey from the Bank of Canada reveals that Canadian business sentiment continued to weaken during the third quarter, with companies expressing concerns over the prospect of reduced sales growth in the coming year. According to the survey released by the central bank on Monday, the business outlook survey indicator has reached its lowest level in over a decade, except for a brief period during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when the economy was largely shut down.
Dampened Demand and Investment Plans: The report from the Bank of Canada notes that the slowdown in demand is placing pressure on businesses’ investment and employment plans. A substantial portion of companies participating in the survey stated that sales have declined over the past year due to a widespread decrease in demand. Rising interest rates are seen as a factor that could negatively impact both sales and investment plans.
Inflation Expectations and Recessional Concerns: The survey also indicates that inflation expectations among businesses have slightly decreased, although they remain above pre-pandemic levels. Many surveyed businesses anticipate that it will take more than three years for inflation to return to the Bank of Canada’s target rate of two percent. Approximately one-third of companies are making preparations for a potential recession in the upcoming year.
Consumer Inflation Expectations and Impact of Rising Interest Rates: Concurrently, the Bank of Canada’s survey of consumer expectations shows that consumer inflation expectations remain elevated. The report underscores a notable gap between perceived and actual inflation. Rising living costs remain a pressing concern for consumers, with many anticipating that the impact of higher interest rates on households is far from over. Consumers expecting adverse effects ahead are less inclined to plan major purchases.
Bank of Canada’s Rate Hikes and Outlook: Economists have noted that the Bank of Canada’s aggressive rate hikes appear to be having the intended effect, with both businesses and consumers anticipating a slowdown in economic activity. However, there is continued vigilance about inflation and wage expectations, which remain above target levels and are decreasing gradually. The overall downbeat sentiment in these surveys aligns with predictions that the central bank will maintain its current interest rate stance, coupled with a tightening bias.
Concerns Over Cost Increases: One notable aspect highlighted in the report is that some businesses are still passing along significant cost increases from the early stages of the pandemic to customers. However, the extent of this cost pass-through depends on competitive market pressures and the strength of consumer demand, both of which are becoming less favorable.
The Bank of Canada is scheduled to announce its next interest rate decision and release its monetary policy report on October 25. While the central bank held its key interest rate target at five percent last month, it has emphasized its readiness to raise rates if necessary to bring inflation back to its target of two percent.
Statistics Canada is expected to announce the annual inflation rate for September on the following day, shedding light on the nation’s economic landscape.


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Credit Suisse Group Reaffirms “Neutral” Rating for Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK)
A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on NOK. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Nokia Corporation from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Vetr downgraded Nokia Corporation from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $6.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, May 3rd. Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc. reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Nokia Corporation in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a market perform rating on shares of Nokia Corporation in a report on Friday, June 16th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity restated a hold rating and issued a $6.00 price objective on shares of Nokia Corporation in a report on Friday, May 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $6.24.
Shares of Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) traded up 0.16% during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $6.26. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 9,597,704 shares. The company has a 50 day moving average of $6.31 and a 200-day moving average of $5.76. The firm’s market capitalization is $35.38 billion. Nokia Corporation has a 12 month low of $4.04 and a 12 month high of $6.65.
Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The technology company reported $0.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.04 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $5.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.64 billion. Nokia Corporation had a positive return on equity of 8.20% and a negative net margin of 1.78%. Nokia Corporation’s revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.03 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Nokia Corporation will post $0.29 EPS for the current year.
COPYRIGHT VIOLATION WARNING: This report was originally published by TheOlympiaReport and is the property of of TheOlympiaReport. If you are accessing this report on another website, it was copied illegally and republished in violation of U.S. and international copyright and trademark law. The original version of this report can be accessed at https://theolympiareport.com/2017/08/12/nokia-corporations-nysenok-neutral-rating-reiterated-at-credit-suisse-group-updated.html.
A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NOK. Nationwide Fund Advisors raised its position in Nokia Corporation by 3.8% in the first quarter. Nationwide Fund Advisors now owns 51,500 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $279,000 after buying an additional 1,900 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC raised its position in Nokia Corporation by 2.5% in the first quarter. CWM LLC now owns 653,389 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $3,541,000 after buying an additional 15,721 shares during the last quarter. Financial & Investment Management Group Ltd. raised its position in shares of Nokia Corporation by 4.8% in the first quarter. Financial & Investment Management Group Ltd. now owns 1,154,881 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $6,259,000 after buying an additional 52,551 shares in the last quarter. Horrell Capital Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Nokia Corporation by 22.2% in the first quarter. Horrell Capital Management Inc. now owns 275,000 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $1,491,000 after buying an additional 50,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capstone Asset Management Co. raised its position in shares of Nokia Corporation by 3.3% in the first quarter. Capstone Asset Management Co. now owns 491,268 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $2,663,000 after buying an additional 15,695 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 5.91% of the company’s stock.
About Nokia Corporation
Nokia Oyj is a Finland-based company engaged in the network and Internet protocol (IP) infrastructure, software, and related services market. The Company’s businesses include Nokia Networks and Nokia Technologies. The Company’s segments include Ultra Broadband Networks, IP Networks and Applications, and Nokia Technologies.
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Posted Fri Sep 9, 2016 at 10:44 AM PDT by Brian Hoss
Time to dance.
Crash is all set to be a guest character for 'Skylanders Imaginators' (on PS4 and PS3), and with today being the 20th Anniversary since the world first met the Bandicoot, Activision has dropped some special footage from the upcoming game.
While the video shows Crash's appearance in 'Imaginators' and in the Thumpin's Wumpa level, it's important to remember that we've all already gotten to play as Crash on the PS4, courtesy of the Drake family.
But that's not all, check out Crash and Aku Aku (Happy 20th!) :
You can find the latest info on 'Skylanders Imaginators' linked from our Video Game Release Schedule.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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Rapper Khaligraph Jones headlined the Guinness ‘Black Shines Brightest’Trademark Elevated Parties at La Baita Restaurant in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Black Shines Brightest is Guinness’ global campaign showcasing how Guinness is collaborating with young talent who are creating their path and giving the younger generation renewed belief that it’s possible to shine in your way.
The multiple-award-winning Hip-Hop singer alias OG was at his usual best, performing a selection of his best hits to a raucous crowd to occasion the official rollout of Elevated Parties that will be staged in 14 different outlets across the country with revellers having a chance to enjoy their favourite drinks while witnessing performances from a selection of local artists.
Elevated Parties are Guinness’ invention to give its consumers the best possible experience. As revellers enjoy their favourite Guinness drinks at select outlets across the country, artist performances will top up the in-bar experience to make it more memorable.
The Covid-19 pandemic and containment measures made it impossible for people to meet and enjoy their favourite drinks at their favourite places and joints. Artists were also especially affected as they could not perform to crowds or use their talent outside the social media settings.
Through its Elevated Parties and the global campaign Black Shines Brightest, Guinness aims to elevate in-bar experiences for revellers and provide a platform for local artists to showcase their talents to a live audience.
“Guinness is proud to collaborate with creative African talent who help to showcase that Black really does Shine Brightest.
The musical talent that we work with have leveraged their individualism and creativity to shape their own path of success and show the younger generation renewed belief that it’s possible to shine in your own way.” Wanjiru Murage, Guinness Marketing Manager, Kenya.
Guinness is a distinctive beer bursting with life. It is a flavorful, bold and dynamic beer, sparkling and brimming with energy and exuberance. It is the liquid embodiment of a Black Shines Brightest attitude.
A beer that has brought a dash of magic to millions in Africa and across the world for over 250 years with the boldness and vision to live life to the full.
Khusoko is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest Food & Drink news and updates.


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“No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying any sports teams,” Musk stated, when requested by a consumer if he was critical about shopping for the membership.
@teslaownersSV No, this can be a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not shopping for any sports activities groups.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 1660710885000
About 4 hours earlier, Musk had tweeted: “I’m buying Manchester United ur (sic) welcome,” with out providing any particulars. Some Manchester United followers, disgruntled by their membership’s declining fortunes of late, had beforehand urged Musk on Twitter to contemplate shopping for the membership.
Also, I’m shopping for Manchester United ur welcome
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 1660694506000
The tweet turnaround comes as Musk seeks to exit a $44 billion settlement to purchase Twitter solely 4 months after saying on the platform he would purchase the social media firm, which has taken him to court docket.
Musk has a historical past of being unconventional and posting irreverent tweets, making it troublesome generally to inform when he’s joking.
“Next I’m buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in,” he tweeted on April 27, two days after Twitter’s board accepted his unsolicited supply to purchase the corporate.
Musk’s tweets about potential acquisitions have landed him in sizzling water with U.S. regulators prior to now.
In 2018, he tweeted that there was “funding secured” for a $72 billion deal to take Tesla personal, however didn’t transfer forward with a suggestion. Musk and Tesla every paid $20 million civil fines – and Musk stepped down as Tesla’s chairman – to resolve U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) claims that Musk defrauded buyers.
The SEC didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Musk’s tweet that he was shopping for the membership exterior regular enterprise hours.
Musk’s ambitions vary from colonising Mars to creating a brand new sustainable power economic system, and within the course of he has constructed probably the most priceless automotive firm on the planet, electrical car maker Tesla, rocket firm SpaceX, and a slew of smaller companies. One is a tunnel maker referred to as the Boring Company.
Manchester United is without doubt one of the most well-known names in world soccer however is at present in disaster on the sector amid offended calls from followers for the membership’s present house owners, the American Glazer household, to tug out.
The northern England-based staff has greater than 32 million followers on its primary Twitter account and Musk’s first tweet concerning the membership had garnered almost 400,000 ‘likes’ on the platform inside 4 hours.
Watch Elon Musk says he was joking about buying Manchester United


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Disney Actress And Singer Coco Jones Dresses As An Angel For Halloween
Disney actress and singer Coco Jones attended the HUB Network’s First Annual Halloween Bash on October 20, 2013. The event will air on the HUB Network on October 26, 2013 from 8-10pm.
The purple carpet for the event was rolled out at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. Some celebrities chose to dress up for the event, and Coco was one of those stars!
Coco hit the purple carpet dress as a gorgeous angel! Are you loving her Halloween look? Her makeup is adorable, and we love her shoes!


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- 16,233 Posts
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference 2015 to be held from June 8-12
Apple will hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8-12, 2015. As with previous WWDC events, the 2015 edition will be held in San Francisco
Apple is currently taking registrations to attend the event, which will close on Friday, April 17 at 10 am PST (1 pm EDT). Potential attendees will need to be a current member of the iOS Developer Program, iOS Developer Enterprise Program, or Mac Developer Program in order to qualify.
Full story from the iMore Blog...
- By Ipheuria in forum Apple WatchReplies: 46Last Post: 04-15-2015, 10:37 PM
- By Ipheuria in forum Apple WatchReplies: 18Last Post: 04-15-2015, 09:02 AM
- By iMore Question in forum iCloudReplies: 2Last Post: 04-14-2015, 08:01 AM
- By iMore.com in forum iMore.com News DiscussionReplies: 0Last Post: 04-14-2015, 07:40 AM


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Swiss functional sportswear brand ODLO has been acquired by Monte Rosa Sports Holding AG, including subsidiary ODLO International, from Herkules Fund III.
Monte Rosa is owned by Hugo Maurstad (pictured left) and Christian Casal (pictured right). Hugo Maurstad has led number of investments in the branded Sport and Leisure industry, including Rossignol Group (Rossignol, Dynastar, Lange, Look), Helly Hansen, Navico (Simrad, B&G, Lowrance), SATS, XXL Sport Retail and Dale of Norway. Christian Casal is the former Head of McKinsey Switzerland and brings vast corporate and turnaround experience.
Swiss firm ODLO has Norwegian root, founded in 1946 from when it pioneered the three-layer principle and sports underwear. As of 1986, ODLO HQ has been based in Hünenberg, Switzerland, now with approximately 800 employees across multiple locations. ODLO offers performance sportswear in six categories, including cycling, and is reportedly a market leader within functional sports underwear in Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria and Italy. The ODLO brand is distributed worldwide in more than 35 countries.
Maurstad said: “We see many similarities between the Helly Hansen and Rossignol investments and ODLO International. The company has a fantastic starting point with a globally recognized brand and strong position in its core markets and segments. We believe bringing ODLO back to its core roots and focus will fortify ODLO’s position as the leading outdoor base layer company in Europe. The management team has done a formidable job in preparing the company for the next phase and we believe we can support the company in delivering profitable growth over the next years.”
Knut Are Høgberg, CEO of ODLO International, added: “We are proud to see, that even in the current challenging business environment, the underlying strong momentum of the ODLO brand has been appreciated by our new owners. We warmly welcome Monte Rosa to the ODLO team and onto our quest – more relevant than ever – to inspire consumers to an active life in the outdoors.”


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Golf Digest is struggling to come up with advertisers as parent company Condé Nast continues to seek a buyer.
In the February issue that hit this week, 10 of the 26 ad pages come from other Condé Nast brands.
And for some reason, the publisher must think golfing makes you hungry. Among the house ads are three for Condé Nast’s Bon Appétit and one for foodie website Epicurious.
Another ad for book publisher Abrams showcases a “Food in Vogue” coffee-table book. There are also ads for the New Yorker, Architectural Digest and GQ.
The Golf Digest sales process has attracted the interest of cable giant Discovery and several other bidders, but insiders said it is still months away from a deal. A Condé spokesman insisted the magazine is “on target” for the first quarter in terms of ad sales.
Meanwhile, GD’s bitter archrival, Golf Magazine, which bank and real estate mogul Howard Milstein bought for an estimated $10 million early last year, underwent a sweeping redesign that supersized it and put it on heavier paper stock effective with the February issue. It has 32 ad pages in a 128-page issue.
It’s now part of a Milstein-owned company called 8AM Golf, which includes the Nicklaus Companies, in partnership with golf’s Jack Nicklaus, and various other golfing entities.
“My investment in Golf is one of many opportunities I’ve pursued within the golf world,” Milstein wrote in a publisher’s letter in the February issue that hit this week.


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Dhaka, May 09: A writ was filed on Thursday with High Court seeking its directive to withdraw and stop production of 52 food products proven to be substandard in the test conducted by Bangladesh Standard Testing Institution (BSTI).Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan filed the writ on behalf of Conscious Consumer Society (CCS) and the High Court division bench comprising Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil may hear the case.
CCS sent legal notice to concerned authorities on May 6 as they did not withdraw the substandard products and did not take legal steps against culprit companies. CCS finally filed the writ as the reply of the notice has not been given. They also pleaded to issue rule in this regard.
Food secretary, commerce secretary, BSTI director general, chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and director general of Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection were made respondents in the writ.


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If the Watch had sold in blowout numbers, Apple might have mentioned them, but that was hardly even possible when initial supplies were likely constrained by faulty taptic engines. Fault Apple for poor due diligence if you want but that's not an effect of poor demand.
Apple said during their quarterly conference call back in October that they weren't going to break out Watch sales figures. This was something decided long before the first Watch shipped. If anything, that should have been another sign that they didn't expect the Watch to sell in blowout numbers. But pundits keep willfully missing the signs.
Whatever retail or online demand there is for the Apple Watch, it is being easily met.
Yes, the fact that you can actually buy an Apple Watch now after months of it being back-ordered is surely a terrible sign.
No one can say with certainty if the watch is a complete marketplace failure for the company...
No one can say with certainty the thing I said repeatedly until someone called me out on it.
So you don't like the term "flop"? That's fine! I guess not everyone expects as much out of Apple as I do.
That's right, we don't expect Apple to release an iPhone every time Tim Cook takes the stage. That's called being reasonable.
Sign up for CIO Asia eNewsletters.


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Aston Martin has recently released a new video with the Vanquish, revealing some interesting driving footage and also the beautiful exhaust sound of the supercar.
The British based automaker Aston Martin is currently trying to keep the new Vanquish into everyone’s center of attention and the latest strategy is using a new promotional video and some extra images with the supercar. For those of you who don’t know it yet, the Aston Martin Vanquish is the replacement of the DBS and its evolutionary styling has been inspired from the Virage and even from the One-77 limited edition. The Vanquish is getting a carbon fiber front splitter, a ventilated hood and 20-inch rims wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires.
Under the hood, the British supercar is coming with a 6.0 liter 6.0 liter V12 engine, which is developing a total output of 565 BHP and 620 Nm of torque (457 lb-ft), mated to a Touchtronic 2 six-speed automatic transmission which is sending power to the rear-wheel drive. The Vanquish can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 183 mph or 295 km/h. The starting price of the Vanquish has been set at 189,995 GBP on its local auto market, where it will go on sale later this year.


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A number of industries in Qatar’s non-hydrocarbon sector have continued to contribute to the country’s diversification strategy despite the challenges the private sector has been facing since the start of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, an official of the Qatar-Indonesia Business Council (QIBC) has said.
According to QIBC president Farhan al-Sayed, the State of Qatar has mobilised several initiatives to cushion the impact of the health crisis on all sectors of society, and he lauded the speech delivered recently by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
On the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, His Highness the Amir addressed the nation saying, “The State has allocated large funds to confront the pandemic and so that our economy could safely surpass this critical stage. I have directed that a package of financial and economic incentives be provided for the private sector.”
On the recent plunge in oil prices, His Highness the Amir also stated, “Our economy should not stay hostage to fluctuations in energy prices, and I have directed the Council of Ministers to undertake radical reforms to liberalise our economies and limit the impact of such changes on it in the future. This issue is not new, we have discussed it over and over. Now is the time for action.”
Al-Sayed stressed that major players and stakeholders in the private sector would benefit from the QR75bn stimulus package announced by the government, allowing many industries to continue functioning while waiting for the market to normalise.
He said those highly-affected by the Covid-19 pandemic are the tourism and leisure, aviation, maritime, automotive, manufacturing and non-essentials, financial and banking, hydrocarbon, and sports sectors, among others.
“While the construction sector is also facing a varied range of challenges, one significant positive is that work on projects related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup is on schedule,” al-Sayed told Gulf Times yesterday.
While the property market is also coping with the impact of the global health crisis, al-Sayed said he is expecting that real estate companies may render further adjustments on rents and other deals.
“A lot of businesses that are connected with the education sector are also affected by the pandemic. Similarly, the operations of taxis and other transport-related companies were also disrupted by social distancing protocols and similar health and safety measures to prevent the spread of the infection,” al-Sayed also pointed out.
On the other hand, al-Sayed said the sectors that have benefited so far from the Covid-19 issue are e-Commerce, ICT, and agriculture, among others. The personal care, and medical supply and medical services industries also witnessed a spike in market demand, he said.
“A lot of health-connected businesses could spring up in the future as people start adjusting to the new normal. Cargo and ports are doing well. In IT-related fields, many stores witnessed a windfall in sales from laptops, computers, and tablets because of work from home and study from home arrangements,” al-Sayed explained.


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Asda has been told to fix 13 areas of concern in its plan to buy Co-op petrol stations over fears the deal could lead to higher prices or less choice.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has given Asda five days to remedy the issues identified or risk a more in depth investigation of the deal.
There are 13 areas across the UK where the CMA is concerned that merging Asda and Co-op businesses could mean insufficient competition.
At present the businesses compete for customers in those locations, which would no longer be the case when stores are merged.
“There’s a risk that customers could face higher prices or worse services in a small number of areas where Asda would face insufficient competition in either groceries or fuel,” the CMA’s senior director of mergers, said.
Any proposals advanced by Asda would be legally binding.
Asda, Britain’s third largest supermarket, paid £611m for 132 petrol forecourts in August last year. The Co-op Group sold its petrol forecourts division in an effort to reduce debt and strengthen its balance sheet.
Responding to the CMA’s findings, Asda’s co-owner said it was looking forward to working constructively with the CMA over the coming days as it considers the findings.
“We remain committed to our long-term strategy to build a convenience business and bring Asda’s great value in fuel and groceries to more customers and communities throughout the UK,” Mohsin Issa said.
Asda was formerly owned by Walmart but is now owned by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital, who also control EG Group, one of the largest independent fuel retailers in Europe.


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Content distribution company Gravitas Ventures will look to scare video-on-demand viewers with a monthly VOD package of independent horror films released prior to or simultaneously with their appearance on video store shelves.
AT&T U-Verse TV, Charter Communications, Dish Network and Verizon FIOS TV will offer the Gravitas Horror On-Demand package beginning in October, according to Gravitas officials.
The package will feature at least seven independent horror movies a month that will be available to operators prior to or simultaneous with each film's DVD street date or theatrical release. Titles available in the package include films from emerging horror directors like Kirk Bowman (Bloodsucking Babes from Burbank), Rusty Nelson (Blood Legend), and Kevin de Lullo (Edgar Allan Poe's Darkness).
"We program films that drive VOD revenues while appealing to the evolving tastes of the incredibly diverse horror community," said Nolan Gallagher, CEO and founder of Gravitas Ventures in a statement. "Partnering with major operators extends the reach of these incredible films and therefore helps raise awareness for the leading and future filmmakers of this genre."
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R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.


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The Bank of Ghana has announced that it has begun the process of creating a pilot central bank digital currency (CBDC).
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are increasingly being used around the world. The latest country to announce its plans for CBDCs is Ghana.
In a recent speech, the First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari, stated
that the Bank of Ghana has begun work on a pilot CBDC plan. The CBDC aims to “move the economy towards a cashless environment”. Sponsored Sponsored
Opoku-Afari also gave more information
on the CBDC
while speaking at a recent workshop, stating that the CBDC is expected to be piloted from September this year.
One of the key reasons for the CBDC will be to advance financial inclusion in this African country. The CBDC will also promote efficiency and stability in the payment system.
The first deputy also admitted that the pilot cannot be rushed, “We need to take time to design it with all the security features and so we started it in the pilot phase through what we call sandbox to learn lessons before we open it to the general public,” he said.
The CBDC is expected to be tested in a so-called sandbox environment. This will allow for further innovation and testing, he added.
Opoku-Afari also acknowledged that the digital currency “is part of the central bank recognising the need for digital payments and digital delivery of financial services.” He added that the CBDC will offer a platform to add more value to digital transactions.
While cryptocurrencies are not currently legal in Ghana, the first deputy governor stated that there is currently a team looking into the industry.
Ghana joins other African nations in adopting CBDC
The announcement of CBDC testing from Ghana comes after Nigeria also recently announced the launch of its own CBDC, which is expected to be ready by the end of 2021.
Tanzania also recently reversed its cryptocurrency ban following a directive from President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The country is now looking at how it can implement blockchain technology to benefit the country.
All information contained on our website is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. Any action taken by the reader in relation to the information on our website is solely at their own risk.


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The property markets across the board are still in hibernation mode, according to the latest Rode’s Report on the State of the Property Market.
Some cause for optimism for shopping-centre landlords has been the recovery in retail sales volumes over the past few months.
The effect of the economic downturn on market rentals has now become strikingly evident.
Overall, the growth in market rentals for office space is still weak. According to the latest Rode’s Report on the SA Property Market, this is especially evident in Cape Town (6%) and Johannesburg (4%) decentralized, where rentals were, on average, lower than what they were a year ago. But, this comes as no surprise in light of the faster northward march of prime-office vacancies in these two decentralized regions.
The effects of softer economic activity on the demand for industrial space to rent, and consequently market rentals, are becoming strikingly evident.
In spite of the technical emergence of the economy out of the recession, the latest Rode’s Report on the Property Market (quarter 2009:4) reveals that rental markets in particular continue to feel the pinch of weak economic conditions across the commercial, industrial and residential arenas.
While property’s PR machine may have started talking about green shoots appearing, the facts reveal that the brakes − in terms of the growth in market rentals − are being applied more firmly now. This is according to data revealed in the latest Rode’s Report on the SA Property Market.
Industrial rental growth in all of the major industrial conurbations is fizzling out, with growth in stand values following suit.
Even as the income streams of listed property funds are still showing fairly robust growth, softer direct-property fundamentals will most likely hinder future distribution.
Speakers at this year’s popular annual Rode Property events countrywide had stern predictions for both residential and non-residential markets, with participants debating whether or not the ‘green shoots’ starting to appear in various sectors of the market are revealing any real indication of an upswing from rock bottom.


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Is Black Friday dead? what we learned from the JDA Consumer survey
Black Friday is an event that is marked in both consumer and retailer calendars. For the customer, incredible discounts on items that may have previously been unobtainable. For retailers, a sure-fire way to increase sales and ultimately increase the number of customers in the store.
It is arguable on the busiest shopping days of the year and so close to the holiday season, who can blame them?
But a recent survey has posed the question, is Black Friday dead?
In the second annual JDA Consumer Survey of more than 1,000 U.S consumers conducted by JDA Software Group Inc it was revealed that nearly three in four respondents (around 73 percent) prefer to do their holiday shopping outside of the holiday season, during e-commerce sales such as Amazon Prime Day.
In actual fact, 47 percent of respondents are planning on giving Black Friday or Cyber Monday a miss this year.
It seems that in the current market of continued proliferation of sales and discounting, and the challenge of satisfying consumer demand across channels, retailers and manufactures now more than ever need an agile supply chain capable of keeping up with changing consumer behaviour to better manage inventory and profitability.
The cost of shipping
Free shipping is fast becoming a more prescient customer expectation; in some cases, it can even be argued that shipping costs can be the make or break moment for a consumer. The survey has shown that one in four consumers do not shop with any retailer if it does not offer free shipping.
For those items that people just aren’t ready to miss out on, 46 percent of respondents said they would be willing to pay for shipping for a priority item. More interestingly, a strong 69 percent of consumers say they have spent way over their originally planned amount – just to qualify for free shipping.
It's time for retailers to ask themselves if free shipping is still a competitive differentiator?
Just pop it through the letterbox
If shipping costs are not an issue, then the actual delivery service most certainly is for 29 percent of respondents who claim that an item was not received despite assurances from the retailers that a successful delivery was made. Delivery is a big concern for shoppers. Forty-four percent stated that in actual fact it is the most serious issue that would affect their future business with a retailer.
It's not all bad though as 75 percent of consumers reported no problems with deliveries.
But where does the blame lay?
Despite the supply chain consisting of both a retailer and a separate shipping company it is the retailer (55 percent) that cops the blame over the shipping company (45 percent).
Return to sender
How successful a company is in handling returned goods goes a long way in the overall success of the company from a consumer perspective. 50 percent of shoppers believe that the inconvenience and cost of returns are the most frustrating elements of returning online purchases.
A modern trend for retail companies and consumers is both Buy Online Pickup in Store (BOPIS) and Buy Online Return in Store (BORIS) to create a true seamless customer experience throughout. 67 percent would prefer to return online purchases in stores. For customers who used BOPIS in the last year, 32 percent also used BORIS services.
Retailers must be ready to face a consumer base that expects this seamless customer experience.
This is my associate
Even though the future of the consumer experience seems to be heading online the survey reveals that for some, in store customer service and face to face interaction is still an important part of the consumer experience.
70 percent of respondents still rely on the support of in store sales associates in some way.
The holiday season has of course historically been a time of increased staff and employment the survey reveals that whether it’s the holiday season or not, it actually has no bearing on retail consumers. 80 percent of respondents say they do not rely on sales associates any more than usual during the holiday season.
That’s not to say that retailers should stop increasing staff to handle increased demand, but the ever-needed role of the sales associate in the modern world is an interesting thought to bear in mind.
The bottom line
The key findings from the survey reveal that consumers consider the cost of delivery and returns a critical element in their purchase decisions.
It also reveals that only one in four consumers will choose to shop again with a retailer if they experience a problem with a home delivery purchase. That number drops to nearly one in five when asked about shopping with that same retailer during peak holiday shopping times.
So, is Black Friday dead?
Retailers are now under more pressure to deliver on their promises to consumers throughout the whole year, regardless of seasonal shopping and the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales events.
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US retailers’ holiday season to withstand storm impactPUBLISHED: 02 Nov 2012 05:00:03 | UPDATED: 04 Nov 2012 01:50:26PRINT EDITION: 02 Nov 2012
A handful of US retailers expect the massive storm on the US East Coast this week to hurt demand in November, while overall holiday sales should still show the slow growth previously forecast.
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New Delhi: Ever since McLaren
started to manufacture cars
, every model it has made has the same 3.8L V8 engine with different tuning on different models. But, the second-generation McLaren Super series
will be different.
The second-generation McLaren Super Series, which will make its public debut on March 7 at the 87th Geneva International
Motor Show, will be powered by a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 engine company confirmed in media statement. The engine’s code name is M840T and will feature a new turbocharger design.
McLaren claims that drivers will be able accelerate from standstill to 200km/h in 7.8 seconds, accompanied by crisp exhaust note that is among the most emotive of any McLaren.
“The new 4.0-litre M840T is an outstanding engine powering an exceptional supercar capable of covering a standing quarter mile in 10.3 seconds,” commented McLaren Super Series Vehicle Line Director, Haydn Baker. “Power, torque and throttle response are all significantly enhanced compared to the first-generation Super Series, yet with fuel efficiency and emissions also notably improved.”
The ultra-low inertia, twin-scroll turbochargers fitted to the new M840T engine typify the engineering philosophy of advancement in every area, pursued throughout the development of McLaren’s new supercar. Spooling up more rapidly than previous designs, they deliver reduced turbo lag and quicker throttle response.
Owners will also be able to showcase the heart of their new car – in particular, the cast-aluminium air intake plenum with McLaren Speedmark logo on top of the new V8 engine – with engine bay illumination that operates on vehicle unlocking.


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The sharp decline of the pound has helped British tobacco company Imperial Brands boost its revenue after snapping up a string of US cigarette brands last year.
The cigarette-maker behind Davidoff, Gauloises and Lambert & Butler spent $7bn in 2015 buying up US brands including Winston and Kool, which it says has helped to boost revenue by 9.7pc. But when the slide of sterling against the dollar is taken into account revenue growth swelled 14.7pc to £7.17bn.
Imperial’s bet on the lucrative US market is a key defense against the decline in UK smokers. Imperial has sold 15pc fewer cigarettes in the UK since 2013 as health-conscious consumers, coupled with government anti-smoking measures, have hit sales.
But despite the fresh evidence that its US focus is paying off the tobacco company’s share price nonetheless slumped over 2pc to £36.74 after the company admitted that the 3pc earnings growth previously expected by the market in the year ahead will be all but wiped out by new investment plans to kickstart its topline growth.
Analysts at Citi said that the gains will be weighted towards the end of next year meaning its first half results “will show the costs, but little of the benefits”.
But Imperial chief executive Allison Cooper said the company will return to growth in 2018 and is confident that the tobacco giant’s investor base will welcome the plans once it has had time to "digest" the new strategy.
“This investment will be supported by a new phase of cost optimisation, targeting a further £300m of annual savings by 2020, at a cost of £750m,” she said, adding that the company will continue to increase its dividend by 10pc over the medium term, as it has done for eight consecutive years.
The investment will be directed to further streamlining its brands so that future investment is directed only towards its core offering as the tobacco industry faces increasingly difficult regulatory challenges.
Ms Cooper brushed off concern over the challenges facing the industry over the next five years saying the company is “very experienced in working in highly regulated environments”.
“We’re remain positive that we can continue to grow by focusing on a simple portfolio and engaging more with our retailers. In fact, in the Australian market we grew our market share by 9 percentage points even after plain packaging regulation was introduced. So we still see opportunities,” she said.


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The latest from ISACA on mobile threats is a an eye opener. Mobile computing devices (i.e., laptops, tablets and smart phones) can cause serious harm to organizations and to device owners, their friends and families, because mobile devices are far less secure than desktops and laptops. The Verizon 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report tens of millions of mobile devices. And, according to Statista, there will be 4.77 billion mobile phone users in 2017 and 1.15 billion tablets in use in 2016. As the number of mobile computing devices increases, so do mobile security concerns. There are already many existing and new threats related to mobile devices.
App-based threats include malware, spyware, vulnerable apps, compromised apps and data information leakage due to poor programming practices. The types of app attacks include:
• Disabling or circumventing security settings
• Unlocking or modifying device features
• Apps that were obtained (free or purchased), but contained malicious code
Examples of malware capabilities include:
• Listening to actual phone calls as they happen
• Secretly reading SMS texts, capturing call logs and emails
• Listening to the phone surroundings (device is used as a remote bugging device)
• Viewing the phone’s GPS location
• Forwarding all email correspondence to another inbox
• Remotely controlling all phone functions via SMS
Each day, mobile device attack vectors are continuously undergoing dynamic changes, and it is difficult to represent a complete set of the threats and vulnerabilities. With the development of mobile computing devices that can be carried in a pocket or a duffle bag comes the responsibility to protect those devices and the data within them. Being aware is only the first step in the fight to protect the data.


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Defective Hood Latches Prompt Recall of Nissan Altima Vehicles
Nissan has announced a recall for sedans equipped with faulty latches.
The automaker's recall applies to certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, inhibiting visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Nissan is including about 850,000 vehicles in its announcement.
According to ABC News, some of these vehicles were previously included in 2014 and 2015 recalls, but the issue was not properly addressed.
Nissan will re-notify all affected owners and dealers will replace the hood latch with a new one, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-February.
Owners with questions about this recall can contact Nissan customer service at (800) 647-7261.


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John Deere touts customer service as a focal point of marketing campaigns
"Companies are putting in place robust, ongoing communication streams that are triggered based on the relationship between the customer and the marketer," she says. "People have been drooling over triggered email and talking about it for years, but thanks to marketing automation, it is starting to hit its stride."
New tools have been rolling out to help marketers strengthen and measure their retention and CRM efforts over the customer's entire lifecycle. In June, email services firm StrongMail launched Lifecycle Marketing, which allows email marketers to design, automate and track their triggered email marketing programs.
The same month, Adobe launched the Adobe Digital Enterprise Platform for Customer Experience Management, which draws on its own internal retention efforts. The platform allows companies to build multichannel digital interactions for social and mobile customers, connecting marketing and IT with customers. At the same time, Adobe introduced six Customer Experience Solutions for b-to-b use, meant to correspond with six points during the customer lifecycle.
"More and more, b-to-b companies are moving away from a reactive, sales request-driven approach to customer marketing toward a fact-based approach," says Megan Heuer, service director of marketing operations strategies for SiriusDecisions, a b-to-b sales and marketing consultancy. "An insight-driven process means companies know specifically what opportunity resides in their customer accounts, and the likely challenges they'll have in winning it."
Technology is being used in other ways to boost enterprise success. For Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating, distributors and contractors who sell the company's products are the primary target of its b-to-b retention efforts, and technology is a key tool.
"In the last year or two, our focus has shifted to how do we disseminate the massive amount of information we have to our sales channel in the most concise and up-to-date way possible?" says Gabriel Weiss, program manager of interactive and emerging technologies at Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating. "We use technology to promote and sell our technology."
Among such new technologies are Microsoft Tag quick response codes included in the company's brochures and product literature. When a distributor or end user scans a barcode with a smartphone, it takes him to informational websites and YouTube videos featuring customer testimonials. The videos are meant not only to interest the end user in the product, but to showcase the distributors as knowledgeable thought leaders, Weiss says.
Mitsubishi also recently rolled out an enterprise-based iPad program for contractors not available to the general public, offering in-home selling materials, videos, presentations and other tools.
"We try to provide our customers — the contractors who are actually in the home — as many tools to support them from a selling or education standpoint as possible," explains Weiss. "We support them as often, with as much stuff as we can."The end of b-to-b as we know it? As advancing technology has allowed the physical workspace to become virtually unnecessary, distinctions between b-to-b and b-to-c marketing have come into question. Segal raised some eyebrows late last year when he declared "the death of b-to-b" at a marketing conference in Berlin.
"The individual is carrying their own computing power on their person and has transcended the firm as the principal organization element in b-to-b communication," Segal says.
With work-life and home-life boundaries in flux, Segal contends, it has become more important than ever to appeal to clients in inspirational and emotional ways — as humans, rather than as organizations.
Segal mentions a print ad Gyro created for John Deere, featuring a lumberjack looking across a vast forest and the tagline, "We work for the guys who look down on the clouds."
"Ninety percent of business decision making is emotional, and yet if we were to comb through the archives of b-to-b marketing communications anywhere, most are rational in their flavor and character," says Segal. "We need to appreciate how to touch the human emotion, especially when speaking to b-to-b customers."


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First, some history. Back in 1994, sustainable business pioneer Ray Anderson, CEO of a petroleum-intense and environmentally unkind textile company, brought his “spear in the chest” epiphany … the business case for running a sustainable and restorative business operation … to a group of Wall Street investors. Predictably, large investors began dumping Interface stock, declaring that Anderson “had clearly gone 'round the bend.'"
Anderson and Interface pushed ahead on sustainability, with no shortage of defeats to go with a few victories. Pay and bonus incentives slowly changed, and employees at all company levels were rewarded for incremental reductions in waste. A company heavily dependent on petroleum with less than one percent of raw materials coming from recycled or renewable sources in 1996 stands today at 49 percent recycled or renewable content.
What does a global industrial carpet company headquartered in Georgia have to do with the launch of Boler College’s first digital magazine? Well, nothing and everything. As one of the nation’s 27 Jesuit business schools, we feel a calling as educators: to provide wisdom and a secure set of values to root the next generation of business creators, innovators, and leaders.
Like Ray Anderson, we know that we remain far from achieving that and many other goals for building a sustainable world. Henry David Thoreau once asked: "What is the use of a fine house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?” Pope Francis talks of humanity’s “dominion” over nature as he writes about the business case for bringing the clean economy to fruition, particularly in the developing world. "The costs,” Francis writes, “would be low, compared to the risks of climate change. In any event, these are primarily ethical decisions, rooted in solidarity between all peoples.”
Inspired Business seeks to look ‘round the bend’ and to shed a small light on that “solidarity between all peoples.” We know that businesses are challenged to create value and drive investment in a profitable and generative future. It is not as much about the system of capitalism as it is about the capitalists that lead it.