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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Ericsson AB surged in pre-market trading Friday after the world's third largest maker of cellular phones said fourth-quarter net income rose by a better-than-expected 33 percent.
The stock jumped 6 5/16, or 9.6 percent, to 71 15/16 over the Island ECN. The Sweden-based company said net income was 6.32 billion Swedish krona, or about $731 million based on recent currency prices (one dollar equaled about 8.645 krona in recent trading). See full story. That was better than the expectation of about 5.3 billion krona, or roughly $613 million. The company attributed strong sales of equipment for mobile networks for the positive results.
Looking ahead, Ericsson said it expects sales to grow by over 20 percent in the 2000 year and expects "substantial" growth in earnings.
Among other European telecom companies, Finland's Nokia NOK, +1.21% rallied 9 5/8 to 188 1/8 in Instinet.
Veritas shares VRTS, +2.22% hiked 10 1/16 higher to 167 13/16 over the Island ECN. The storage software company said late Thursday that it earned $50.7 million, or 18 cents per share, on a pro forma, diluted basis. That's up from $23.9 million, or 9 cents per share in the same quarter last year. Analysts surveyed by First Call expected Veritas to 15 cents per share. See full story. The report comes just one week after Veritas' closest rival, Legato, earned just half the amount Wall Street expected.
Separately, the company said its board of directors declared a 3-for-2 stock split, effective on or about Mar. 3 for shareholders of record on Feb. 18. A number of analysts have followed by raising their price targets for the shares.
Allegiance Telecom algx fell by 7 1/16 to 104 1/16 over the Island ECN. The company said early Friday that it was offering an additional 10 million shares of its common stock, at a price of $105 a share. 6.6 million will come from the company and the others from certain shareholders. The money raised it intended to fund the costs of the company's expanded business plan and other corporate purposes, including acquisitions.
Gillette G, +1.49% edged 9/16 above its NYSE close to 40 in Europe, according to market makers at Madoff Investment Securities. The consumer products company said late Thursday that earnings for the fourth quarter were 32 cents a share, matching lowered expectations. See full story. Before the warning, which came in late October, analysts had expected a 42 cent profit. The company blamed unfavorable exchange rate developments, particularly in Europe, and weak Latin American economies for the disappointing quarter.
America Online AOL, -1.75% slipped 3/8 to 61 1/4 in Instinet, after seeing earlier gains. German telecommunications company Mannesmann AG is in early talks about taking a minority equity stake in AOL Europe, according to a report in Friday's Financial Times. Mannesmann is currently trying to block a hostile take-over attempt by the U.K.'s Vodafone VOD, +1.78%. AOL Europe is half owned by AOL and half by German media group Bertelsmann AG.
NBCi nbci rose 2 to 101 over the Island ECN. The company reported after Thursday's close that fourth-quarter sales spiked 163 percent, helping the Internet media company sail past Wall Street's expectations. The company, which provided similar figures in a preliminary report earlier in the week, posted losses on a pro-forma basis of $51.2 million, or $1.64 a share, vs. $24.6 million, or $1.21 in the final quarter of 1998. NBCi was expected to lose $1.96 a share, according to the First Call survey of analysts. See related story.
Among other Internet stocks seeing activity, Yahoo yhoo lost 4 5/8 to 332 3/4, Amazon AMZN, +1.78% gave up 1 1/8 to 65 13/16, CMGI cmgi eased 2 1/4 to 110 and EBay EBAY, +1.36% shed 2 7/16 to 151 1/2 over Island.
Starbucks SBUX, -0.20% edged up 1/2 to 29 3/8 over the Island ECN. The company reported late Thursday fiscal first-quarter earnings that were in line with the level it pre-announced earlier in the week. The coffee giant said it earned $34.7 million, or 18 cents per share. That compares to $26.7 million, or 14 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. That was in line with the level it set on Tuesday. See related story. Originally, analysts expected Starbucks to earn 16 cents per share.
GTE GTE, -5.04% was trading up 1/2 to 69 1/8, said Madoff. The company and Bell Atlantic BEL, +1.16% said late Thursday that they had filed with the Federal Communications Commission plans to split off GTE's Internet backbone and the related business of GTE Internetworking, in an effort address regulators' concerns over the their proposed merger. The companies said this move was patterned after those that the FCC adopted in approving the SBC-Ameritech merger.
BP Amoco BP.A, +0.00% was trading up 1 1/8 to 55 1/4 and Atlantic Richfield ARC, -0.69% tacked on 2 3/8 to 78 3/4 in Instinet. The Federal Trade Commission is expected to file a lawsuit as early as Monday to block the proposed combination of the two oil giants, according to the Wall Street Journal. The paper said antitrust enforcers had many concerns, including the ability to manipulate the oil futures market and the global price of oil.
Shares of Halliburton HAL, -0.32% stepped 3/8 higher to 37 7/8 in Europe. The oil services company said after Thursday's close that earned 17 cents a share in the fourth-quarter, 2 cents better the year-earlier period and what analysts surveyed by First Call expected. See related story. Revenues, however, declined $500 million from last year. The company's CEO, Dick Cheney, cited "strong worldwide economic conditions, increasing worldwide demand for crude oil, good balance of crude oil demand with supply from both OPEC and non-OPEC producers" for the strong quarter.
March S&P futures dropped 12.30 to 1,397.50 after seeing earlier gains, indicating a negative open. That is about 9 3/4 points below fair value, according to figures provided by HL Camp & Company. The Employment Cost Index for the fourth quarter rose 1.1 percent versus expectations of a 0.9 percent gain. Gross Domestic Product for the quarter came in at 5.8 percent, 0.5 percentage points more than expected. The Implicit Price Deflator, a measure of inflation, rose by 2 percent, while expectations were for a 1.5 percent rise.


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As JC Report explained last week, “the digital revolution is officially here.” In line with this statement, San Francisco is now the home of Fashion Meets Technology, an organization “to connect professionals who perceive tremendous opportunity in, are passionate about, and are compelled to lead major innovation in the fashion industry, by embracing technology.”
I had the pleasure of attending the first kick-off event last week at Cantina SF. The evening was filled with great conversations between fashionistas and ‘istos in PR and marketing, indie fashion labels, designers and techies.
It was insightful to hear brands’ and designers’ perspectives on the fashion landscape as it begins to shift. One of the conversations that stood out was with Cordarounds, a two-man design shop based out of San Francisco. They were kind enough to share their thoughts on keeping up with today’s social media craze. They explained that every week, the brand introduces a new product online with in order for people to keep the Cordarounds brand top of mind. Makes sense, considering social media induces ADD-esq online behavior!
Watch out for the next Fashion Meets Technology event by joining the Facebook group. Hope to see you there!

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FDI in non-bank lenders must be explored for greater support to MSMEs: Gadkari
In addition, foreign direct investment (FDI) can be explored in non-bank financial corporations (NBFCs) to strengthen them, which will lead to greater support for MSMEs, according to an official statement quoting the minister.
He said a credit rating mechanism can be designed for NBFCs as well to support them, adding that a possibility should be explored to secure foreign investment in the NBFC space.
He said that in a situation where an NBFC has a good credit rating, it may be a good thing if such a company can also attract foreign investment, but a criterion must be set for this.
Regarding the request to extend the interest subsidy scheme for MSMEs, which was in place until March 31, 2020, Gadkari said: “We have already recommended to the Ministry of Finance to extend this scheme. my best to get it approved … If I get it, we will certainly continue this scheme “.
The Minister, who also holds the road transport portfolio, held videoconference meetings with representatives of the Council of Leather Export, the FICCI-‘NBFC Program ‘and the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs.
Addressing representatives of the Leather Export Council, the Minister said the proposal to establish a leather cluster near the Agra ring road could be submitted.
These industrial hubs can develop smart cities, smart villages and other infrastructure to help people working in Agra’s leather sector. He added that permission from the Aviation Ministry could be explored to use a private airline to send export products.
Gadkari said the need of the hour is to wage the war on the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing economic activity.
The Minister further mentioned that the pandemic can be a blessing in disguise, and we must seize this opportunity. He insisted on the use of PPE (masks, disinfectant, etc.) and advised to maintain social distancing standards.
He mentioned that special attention is needed to reduce imports from other countries. He added that the MSME Ministry is working on two brochures to cover export and import details for the past three years.


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Online Casino Discusses Online Gaming Tax for US
In 63 countries all around the world, online gambling and online casino sites are licensed and taxed. According to Nigel Payne, CEO of Sportingbet PLC, one of the leading online casino sports betting sites, the United States should begin taking part in this $10 billion market. Although online gambling is against the law in the states, more and more of the online casinos players on the Internet are from the US.
Payne went on to say that regulating online gaming and online casino sites is the safest way to guarantee responsible gaming. ‘America is one of the largest gambling markets in the world with developed gaming in lotteries, casinos, horse racing, dog racing and sports. Gambling exists in every country in the world. The right thing to do, the responsible thing to do, is to regulate it and embrace proper social parameters through regulatory control,’ said Payne in an interview for the CBS show ’60 Minutes’. The rapid growth of the online casino industry is continuing, even though the US maintains an unclear legal and regulatory environment.
Ending on July 31st, 2005, Sportingbet’s results for the year showed that the number of customers worldwide using Sportingbet’s online casino facilities increased by 123 per cent to 2.7 million and the number of sports and gaming bets was up 51 per cent to almost 400 million from 265.5 million in 2004. Revenues had increased from $36 million to $105 million (before good will and exceptional items). These numbers show that the online casino industry, and market, will continue to boom as more and more countries legalize online casinos. However, what the US will do regarding national law and legalization of online gaming remains to be seen.


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Better understanding of restaurant closures due to COVID
New research shows just how devastating the pandemic was to American restaurants.
Market research firm Dataessential says that 10 percent of restaurants have permanently closed in the last year. That translates to more than 625,000 restaurants.
Not surprisingly, the larger chains with 500 or more restaurants fared the best.
The data also shows that cuisine matters. 15 percent of French restaurants boarded up, the worst category in ethnic food. As for location, Washington DC had the most permanent closures, at 15 percent.
Idaho fared best with 7.5 percent.


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What no one--or only a few people--may ever have considered in the app store antitrust context is that we've all been taking something for granted: that Microsoft would not wall its Windows garden in an Apple-style way.
Even if Microsoft had not gone to that extreme but had "merely" turned Windows from an open app platform into a pseudo-open ("fauxpen") one like Android, the consequences would have been dramatic. It's not that they couldn't have tried. It wouldn't have been quick or easy, but a gradual transition, closing door after door, Windows update by Windows update, would have been technically and commercially feasible. And legally? Only because Microsoft faced antitrust issues in different contexts two decades ago over laughably negligible issues compared to what Apple and Google are doing now doesn't mean anyone could apply a stricter standard to them in today's environment than to Apple and Google.
In 2020, Microsoft declared itself in agreement with app store principles laid out by the Coalition for App Fairness (without joining the organization), yet left open the question of whether and when those principles should apply not only to mobile devices and Windows, but also to gaming consoles like the Xbox. Apple pointed, and will keep pointing, to gaming consoles in its defense against Epic Games. On the one hand, it's understandable that Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers was wondering--especially in light of some Epic-internal emails along the lines of "why go after Apple, not Sony?"--why Epic was suing Apple rather than the makers of platforms on which it makes a lot more money and, therefore, pays far greater commissions to platform owners. And she worried about spill-over effects of whatever she would decide (though a case like that doesn't really matter much until the appeals court has spoken). On the other hand, smartphones and consoles are not even an apples-to-oranges comparison: even the minority of consumers who own a gaming console at all have a smartphone in reach 24 hours a day, and access to a console for only a fraction of that time. Therefore, during large parts of the day, and in countless everyday situations, a smartphone is our only computing device at hand, while we always have alternatives to a gaming console (I only ever owned one: the Atari 2600, and my famous game maker at the time was Activision).
On Wednesday, Microsoft made it publicly known that opening up is the way to go, and that the Xbox is slowly but surely transitioning to an open app platform as well. With the industry standing at a crossroads, Microsoft has decided to forgo short-term monopoly rents in favor of betting on a future in which all app developers compete on the merits. No walled gardens, no self-preferencing, no private taxation.
When I saw the headline (Adapting ahead of regulation: a principled approach to app stores), what came to my mind immediately was the ongoing debate over Apple's and Google's bad-faith compliance or possibly even non-compliance with the Dutch dating app ruling and the South Korean in-app payment law. But after reading the long statement in its entirety, it was clear that this was about Activision Blizzard more so than about Apple and Google.
There's no disclaimer of the kind we've often seen at the end of movies: "Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental." Of course, one just cannot talk about app stores without also addressing, even if only indirectly, mobile app stores. And Microsoft itself is a victim of the App Store Tyranny, not only because its mobile revenues are taxed to the tune of 30% but also because it can't offer products it would like to make available to consumers, such as streaming games on iOS (xCloud). But the overall message and tone of Microsoft's statement is like they're already looking past the dark era of app story tyranny. They're making it sound like Apple's total app store control is already a strategically lost position in the face of litigation, regulation, and legislation all over the world. Apple is still fighting a war it has already lost. The greatest injustice and most massive abuse in the history of the information technology industry is simply not sustainable.
Apple has made itself "the Enemy of the States" (1, 2). The only ally it has left is Google, and even Google is urging Apple to support an open messaging standard rather than cash in on classism and bullying.
In the late 1980s, another walled garden was about to collapse: the East Bloc behind its Iron Curtain. Though counterintuitive it may seem, a market failure in capitalism actually creates a situation that has a lot in common with a communist dictatorship. That's why late-19th-century Republicans realized that antitrust laws had to be created in order to cure market failures and restore competition. So, in the late 1980s, Gorbachev told the leaders of other Eastern European communist tyrannies: "Life punishes those who come too late." He urged the likes of Erich Honecker (then the leader of the German "Democratic" Republic) to embrace--not resist--change. In Honecker's case, those calls fell on deaf ears, which is why Comrade Erich had to flee to Moscow before being jailed in Berlin and dying in his Chilean exile.
Microsoft aims to be the Gorbachev of app store governance. It considers the opening up of these platforms as inevitable--a question of when, not if.
There won't be a third-party app store (of which there are various on Windows, and they can even be found in the official Windows Store) on the Xbox tomorrow. They're going to get there one step at a time. And some of Microsoft's principles are so general that Apple--albeit untruthfully--would claim to adhere to them as well, such as #1 ("We will enable all developers to access our app store as long as they meet reasonable and transparent standards for quality and safety") and #4 ("We will hold our own apps to the same standards we hold competing apps"). But there is enough in that statement--such as the right to use alternative payment systems--to give developers comfort that there is a true commitment to open access.
Finally, the Activision Blizzard connection. Microsoft acknowledges in its statement that regulators will ask questions about that $70B deal. In the mid-1990s, I was the first person outside the U.S. to work for Blizzard as a consultant and representative. Warcraft II was Blizzard's first #1 hit, and it became #1 in German sell-through rankings in early 1996 a few months before it did in the United States. I still have one of about 50 T-shirts that were made for the Warcraft II development team, an honor I will never forget.
Interestingly, Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard now represents an opportunity to accelerate the opening up of mobile app stores. Legislation, regulation, and court rulings can open the doors, but in order to really bring down the walls around those walled gardens, there must be viable alternatives. In order to be commercially successful, they must appeal to consumers. Some reasonable degree of consolidation on the content side, with Microsoft uniting some terrific game franchises under its umbrella, will enable certain players to really break the app store monopolies of our times. It's one thing to force Apple to allow sideloading or alternative app stores; it's another to actually make it work against "the Power of Default."
Apart from the fact that Microsoft has committed to the continued availability of its key game titles on other platforms, it would be as myopic as it would be misguided to focus on the games and console markets when there's a massive market failure to correct in connection with mobile app stores. I'm all for Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and that's not because I was a consultant to Blizzard in the mid to late 1990s and announced a consulting project for Microsoft in 2011. It's because I've seen and experienced the unsustainability of the mobile app store tyranny, of the Apple-Google duopoly. Small app developers like my company can't change this. Even Epic has so far made more noise than impact, though its appeal is getting interesting.
We need a Balance of Power. We need the Microsofts, Facebooks (sorry, I mean Metas), and Amazons (and possibly even Teslas, given Elon Musk's clear pro-Epic anti-Apple stance) of the world to create a level playing field for us. I'm not saying Microsoft should buy up all games companies, but enabling them to break Apple and Google's mobile app distribution duopoly would make the world a better place. Yesterday's statement makes me optimistic about the net effects of that deal, and I'm saying so even though I have actively opposed other acquisitions (like Oracle-Sun, because of MySQL, and Google-Motorola, because of standard-essential patent abuse).
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Hermes plans outlets in China as luxury sales soar
AFP - Nov 8th, 14:52
French fashion house Hermes has reported another quarter of brisk sales growth, propelled by red-hot demand in China, where the ultra-chic brand expects further growth as it opens stores and rolls out online sales.
The company said sales in the third quarter climbed 9.4% to €1.46bn, racking up higher sales in all the regions where it operates.
But it was Asia excluding Japan, which has become the group's biggest source of revenue, that set the pace, with sales jumping 11.8% to €519m.
The results reassured investors who had worried that trade tensions between Beijing and Washington could hamper sales of Birkin, Kelly and other hot Hermes handbags to eager Chinese customers.
"We have not seen any change of rhythm in China for now," executive chairman Axel Dumas said. Nonetheless, "we remain vigilant and are not taking anything for granted", he said.
Hermes opened a store in Xi'an in September, after openings in Changsha and Hong Kong in 2018. In October, the Hermes.cn site went online, offering internet sales across China.
The company has not divulged any specific targets for sales growth in 2018. But it said in a statement: "In the medium term, despite growing economic, geopolitical and monetary uncertainties around the world, the group confirms an ambitious goal for revenue growth at constant exchange rates."
At constant rates, overall third-quarter sales rose 9.4%, softening from the 11.6% growth chalked up the previous quarter.
But the storied French leather and fashion house is still enjoying one of its most prosperous eras, with profit margins reaching a record 34.6% in 2017.
It has been bulking up its production capacity, with a new workshop opening in the Franche-Comte region near the French border with Switzerland last April, and two new sites underway near Bordeaux and south of Paris.Business Live
Liquor and drugs boost Spar's sales
15/11/2018 - 15:07
Ireland was JSE-listed Spar’s best performing region, helping to offset sales and profit declines in Switzerland.
Woolworths to return to profit
15/11/2018 - 14:16
Woolworths will return to profit in the first half of its 2019 financial year following the loss caused by its R7bn impairment of Australian department store chain David Jones in the matching period.
Shoprite & Checkers to give away 150 vehicles in SA’s biggest ‘win a car’ competition
15/11/2018 - 10:53
Shoprite and Checkers are again giving away 150 brand new VW up! cars this festive season. Between Monday 5 November and Monday 24 December 2018, a minimum of three customers will win a car every day in South Africa’s biggest car giveaway.
Superbalist.com launches its Click and Collect service in time for peak season shopping
14/11/2018 - 16:09
Customers use the service by choosing “Collection” when they check out on the Superbalist website or app. They are provided a pin code via email and sms and take that to their chosen Takealot Pickup Point within 7 days of delivery - orders arrive within 2-4 days of purchase.
Retail sales growth half that forecast by economists
14/11/2018 - 14:09
Muted growth in the retail sector may be enough to help steer SA out of a recession.


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Carrefour launches food ordering app in Romania
…and fast delivery and the possibility to pay for the products with cash on delivery, by card, or with food stamps (applies only to orders from the gastronomy section of Carrefour hypermarkets). It is said to be the first such app developed by a food retailer in Romania.
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Companies have been known to do a lot of things to sell and market their products, but what Budweiser just did to try to boost falling sales is kind of pathetic. No, wait, remarkably pathetic.
Budweiser, at least through the remainder of the presidential election, has been renamed “America.” Yes, you are reading that correctly. To add insult to the already pitiful rebrand, the company Anheuser–Busch, which puts out Budweiser, is a Belgian multi-national corporation. Even though many still view the beer with American stars and stripes in their eyes. Well, at least people who don’t know what good beer tastes like.
According to Tosh Hall who was the creative director of the branding firm responsible for the name change:
We thought nothing was more iconic than Budweiser and nothing was more iconic than America.
Are we sure “Tosh Hall” isn’t just a pseudonym for Donald J. Trump? Hmm…
The new tagline for the new name is also the nation’s motto, “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” meaning out of many, one. How is that not trademarked already? But if they really wanted to go after the crowd of consumers that would buy into such a ridiculous rebrand, they should have gone with our other motto, “In God We Trust.” Saying we are all one may come across too “commie” for that crowd.
Watch the report regarding the name change via CNBC:
Of course, many are already having too much fun with the new name, as they should:
with budweiser being rebranded “america,” I presume bud light is being rebranded “canada"
— Chris Ziegler (@zpower) May 10, 2016
Oh, Lord, please don’t let them re-name Guinness “Ireland” or Corona “Mexico”
— Michael B Dougherty (@michaelbd) May 10, 2016
— Paul R. La Monica (@LaMonicaBuzz) May 10, 2016
Between now & November elections #Budweiser is rebranding its beer as "America". Not even the Trumpiest of Trumps could make Bud great again
— Shawn Seay (@YesThatShawn) May 10, 2016
i bet the venn diagram of people that are mad about budweiser’s america rebranding and people that would never drink bud has 100% overlap
— dan seifert (@dcseifert) May 10, 2016
— Brett Cailler (@BrettCailler) May 10, 2016
— Ed Frank (@frankstrategies) May 10, 2016
Only time will tell to see if this rebrand will help boost sales, but it’s definitely got people talking about it, so if that’s what they were hoping for, well done.
Featured Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images


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Van 168 Coffee: New spot for Vietnamese coffee and food recently opened
We love when new family-owned restaurants open up in Vancouver, especially when it feels like nearly every well-loved establishment in the city is being forced to close.
A new but potentially hard-to-find spot on our radar is Van 168 Coffee, a restaurant that specializes in Vietnamese food and coffee.
Located at Unit 128-888 Kingsway, this authentic spot softly opened at the end of February but can be kind of tricky to find due to the blue scaffold netting that currently covers the entire frontage of the building.
- You might also like:
- Vancouver Italian bar and grill to reopen in new space after year-long closure
- Korean snack bar to open first Canadian location in downtown Vancouver (PHOTOS)
- SFU launching brand new Indigenous food menu this week (PHOTOS)
Formerly the address of Tina Cake Desserts (which now operates at 2528 Kingsway), Van 168 Coffee is definitely a hidden gem in the making, with dishes based on family recipes, including its Bún Riêu Chả Cá, Chả Tôm (Fish Cake, Shrimp Cake & Crab Paste Vermicelli Soup) and 15 different variations of pho.
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Van 168’s menu also includes several different options for desserts and beverages, such as Chè Đậu Trắng (white bean dessert), Chè Thập Cẩm (rainbow bean dessert), and Cà Phê Sữa Nóng (Vietnamese hot coffee with condensed milk), among others.
You’ll find this spot open daily from 10 am to 11 pm.
Van 168 Coffee
Address: Unit 128-888 Kingsway, Vancouver


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UK lending platform Funding Circle has struck a landmark deal with US investment group KLS Diversified Asset Management to lend £132m (US$207m) to small British businesses, reports the Financial Times.
The daily adds that it marks one of the first instances of cross-border participation in the alternative finance industry.
The deal between Funding Circle and KLS, a specialist fixed-income manager based in New York, is the first time a US investment group has lent to businesses through a European platform and is an example of big investors seeking to tap into the fast-growing peer-to-peer (P2P) sector.
Plans to securitise the loans by packaging them into bonds are also in the pipeline, as a way for a wider range of investors to gain access into the P2P industry and potentially higher-yielding assets, according to the FT.
KLS aims to start talks with credit rating agencies to give the resulting bonds, which would be denominated in sterling, an official stamp of approval.
Funding Circle said the deal “opens up investing” to a range of larger institutional investors, from credit funds to pension schemes and insurers.
Samir Desai, chief executive (CEO) of Funding Circle, said: “In the UK, Funding Circle now has more than 35,000 individuals, the government-backed British Business Bank and other institutional lenders all helping businesses access the finance they need to grow.”
As the first anniversary approaches of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, Thomson Reuters has assessed the impact over the past year on investment banking.
The decision by MSCI to include China shares in its Emerging Markets Index is called “a pivotal moment for global investment”.
The online retail giant is making a major move into the traditional retail sector by acquiring a major US supermarket chain.
A multi-industry survey of nearly 500 employees across UK firms suggests many are ‘grossly unprepared’ ahead of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.


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Poland has strengthened its position as an important trade partner of Germany, as it was the second EU supplier of goods to the country and the fourth in the world, the Polish Economic Institute (PIE) said on Thursday.
Revealed today, the new electric cars from ElectroMobility Poland features state-of-the-art technology, are capable of reaching 0 to 100 km/hr in less than eight seconds, can go up to 400 km on a single charge, and users can “communicate” with the vehicles using either apps, LCD touchscreens or their voice.
The Motor Show automobile fair in Poznań, western Poland, the biggest motor industry event in Poland, has been postponed until June as a precaution against the coronavirus threat, the city's International Poznań Fair agency announced on Tuesday.
DobryMechanik now gets almost double the number of hits of the second most popular website in Europe.
With spare parts for Ferraris and Maseratis sometimes hard to find, ECPS can come to the rescue with its custom-made carbon fibre replicas.
Nearly 1,000 classic vehicles will be on exhibit at the Retro Motor Show which runs from Friday to Sunday in Poznań, western Poland.
Poland has around 6,000 electric passenger cars while the number of traditional vehicles exceeds 17 million, according to an expert of the Samar institute monitoring the car market.
Poland is the most attractive investment destination in its region and ranks sixth in Europe as a whole, behind Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Belgium, according to a new survey by professional services company EY.
Exports of automative parts and accessories were worth a record 12.19 billion euros in 2018, 7.64 percent more than the previous year. Over 90 percent of these were sent to other countries in the EU, with Germany in the lead.
Auto nostalgia descended on Warsaw, with old timers and legends of the road on display at the Fair and Exhibition of Vintage Vehicles. Fans of the four wheels had a chance to admire and even purchase some of the classic cars and their parts.


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Just Eat has become the first online food delivery company to publish the official food hygiene rating of every restaurant listed on its platform after it emerged it was promoting a slew of businesses with a score of just one.
Customers will now be presented with Food Standards Agency (FSA) hygiene information for all the restaurants and takeaway shops hosted on the Just Eat platform, allowing diners to avoid the low-scoring outlets that they may otherwise have ordered from.
How does the food hygiene rating system work?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland businesses are awarded a score of zero to five under the food hygiene rating scheme. A zero ranking indicates that “urgent improvement” around hygiene standards is necessary while a five assures diners that these standards are “very good”.
There are three different ratings in Scotland – pass, meaning that a business meets the legal requirements for food hygiene; improvement required, which signifies it does not meet these standards; and exempt premises, when it meets the pass criteria but is not a place you would normally think of as a food outlet – for example, a gift shop that sells tins of biscuits.
Businesses in Wales and Northern Ireland are obliged to display their rating in a prominent place at their premises, but those in England and Scotland are not required to. It is not mandatory for FSA ratings to be shown online though.
Poor hygiene scores
Commenting on the findings at the time FSA chairwoman Heather Hancock said that delivery companies were “undermining trust in food” by allowing low-scoring businesses to appear on their sites.
Ms Hancock said: “They’re not helping drive up standards, they’re not doing the consumer a service. Convenience is fantastic but convenience at what cost?”
Responding to Just Eat’s decision to display food hygiene ratings on its platform, Ms Hancock said: “Having this transparency allows consumers to consider food safety when choosing to order food online and will help drive up standards across the sector. I encourage others in this sector to follow suit.”


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British designer Stella McCartney has announced the launch of the Stella McCartney Cares Foundation – a charity dedicated to the prevention, early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
The cause has been close to McCartney’s heart since 1998 when she lost her mother, Linda McCartney, to the diseas. The designer has contributed to breast cancer awareness since 2014 with a series of campaigns.
Via her new foundation, the designer hopes to make a more comprehensive contribution to breast cancer care, with focus on patients as well as survivors and their loved ones.
“I am so proud and excited to say that I am launching the Stella McCartney Cares Foundation,” McCartney says.
“In so many cultures, there’s so much stigma attached to breast cancer and I think through this campaign that I’ve really found out that the community is so critical and it’s so important.”
The charity’s first initiative will be the donation of 1,000 of the brand’s Louis Listening post-operative mastectomy compression bras to women undergoing breast cancer treatment. You can put in a request for the bra here.
Stylish and beautiful, each bra is made from super-soft cotton and delicate lace with a practical front zip fastening that allows for ease and reduces discomfort.
It also features a wide underband and deep sides that offer support without underwire.
“The reason I designed them really was my experience of seeing somebody that I loved go through such a traumatising operation,” McCartney explains.
“I found that the mastectomy bras available at the time were just another moment where they lost their femininity and they lost a sense of who they were as a woman.
“And so I wanted to create a product that was still beautiful and still feminine and still celebrating the person that’s going through this terrible moment.”
To celebrate the launch of the foundation, McCartney has also released a cinematic short film called “All is Love.”
Narrated by Idris Elba, who recites an emotive poem by Kai Isia Jamal, the video features a cast of women revealing their mastectomy scars and hopes to encourage both men and women to speak more openly about breast cancer.
More details from the Stella McCartney Foundation will be available from November 2018.


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Facebook’s Social Ad Spending To Prove Beneficial
Baird claims that Facebook social ad spending will be fruitful for them.
Facebook Inc. flattered its investors earlier in January when it came with its financial results for the fourth trimester FY15 results. During the trade sessions that followed, the stock price of the company accelerated by over 13% which enabled them to go beyond the $100 point. On a year over year (YOY) basis, the company’s revenue grew by 52% to $5.84 billion which beat the consensus estimate accumulative to $5.37 billion. The earnings per share of the company were reported to be 79 cents. According to the behavior of the advertisers recently, it is assumed that the company will repeat the same performance trajectory in the present trimester as well.
Colin Sebastian, the analyst at Baird came up with an updated research note that was sent to investors and clients claiming that the trends of first trimester are extremely promising for the social media giant. It also shows that the scenario is in favor of online advertisements. The report was supported by a meeting with Chris Costello, the Director of Market Research at Kenshoo- a renowned digital marketing agency. Mr. Sebastian noted that the company spending on social and search advertisement as well as paired with the search growth seems to be better than the previous trimester. The Kenshoo customers have also observed an increase of 87% in the social advertisement spending this trimester in contrast to 50% during the months that closed on December 31st.
It needs to be noted here that the analyst is of the view that the social spending is embracing a substantial acceleration in terms of the growth rate. This is merely because of the company’s new advertisement channels and format that can enable the company to beat the estimates made by Street. Mr. Sebastian highlighted that the company has benefited from the evolving demand for the dynamic product advertisements.
The company is disrupting the advertisement world where its platform has become the pivot point for advertisers. This new is actually great for the company as their hold in the market will further strengthen during the present fiscal year. The advertisement industry is evolving and with Facebook gaining momentum in this domain there is a long way to go.
The company is presently catering to almost three million active advertisers. This is almost 50% more than the previous annum as per an announcement made by the company. Mr. Costello highlighted that the dynamic product advertisement’s adoption has increased significantly amongst advertisers which constitutes 8 to 9% of the accumulative social advertisement clicks. This is extremely faster than the conventional mechanism of product listing ads that is within the search fared. According to Mr. Costello, the dynamic product advertisement will enable the company to evolve beyond the app install ads.
Baird has presently given the company an outperform rating with the price target of $120 on Facebook stocks. The company can grow further if they polish their skills more and come up with new intriguing advertisement features in the times to come.


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19 January 2013
Ever wanted to hide out from government surveillance cameras?
New York-based artist Adam Harvey and fashion designer Johanna Bloomfield came up with the perfect fit for those who like to foil government voyeurs: clothing that blocks thermal radiation from the infrared scanners drones use.
The anti-surveillance ‘Stealth Wear’ hoodies, burqas, scarves, t-shirts and other gear provide cover for anybody who wants to remain as undetected as possible.
Wearing Harvey and Bloomfield's radiation-blocking outfits would reportedly make that part of the body appear black to a drone, so that the image would appear like a disembodied limb.
The designers also created a special pouch for cell phones that shields them from trackers by blocking the radio signals that phones emit and a shirt that blocks detection of the wearer’s heart.
Harvey has been researching the effects of surveillance on culture for several years as he continues to come up with ways to stay out of the government’s sight.
He sees the designs as a kind of conversation about surveillance in society at large, he told Vice Magazine.
‘It’s about being cognizant about new developments,’ he said. ‘On one hand, it’s to bring awareness to new forms of surveillance. On the other hand it’s an exploration of materials,’
Harvey’s educational background is in mechanical engineering and digital art. His previous work has also focused on the space where privacy protection and art overlap.
In 2012 he introduced face makeup product called CVDazzle that allows the user to throw off face-recognition software.
The nickel-metalized fabrics he uses to create his new clothing line are very specialized and very expensive, he says.
He does plan to offer the clothing at a price, but don’t expect to see these products at Target or Conway.
Harvey’s ‘Stealth Wear’ has been on display at Primitive London, a network of underground designers and artists, since Thursday, January 17.


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43 posts and columns on tour
Earlier this week, BoomTown took the All Things Digital minivan for a spin down to see the new Silicon Valley digs of AOL. The Palo Alto, Calif., office is helmed by former Yahoo exec Brad “Peanut Butter Manifesto” Garlinghouse, who also turned out to be a very entertaining tour guide.
Last night in Redwood City, Chris Shipley–who used to run the famed Demo conference–had a ribbon-cutting for Studio G, a new office for her Guidewire Group aimed at the start-up community. Here’s the video of the party.
Conan O’Brien has been all over the South by Southwest festival this week, hawking a new documentary about his time wandering in the late-night talk television wilderness after he left “The Tonight Show” last year, titled “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop.” His hysterical journey, of course, was deftly played out by O’Brien all over the Internet, which was definitely on “Team Coco.”
Apple may not have been in Vegas, but its legions of followers were. The maker of the Mac and iPhone prefers having the stage to itself, but an entire section of CES was devoted to iStuff. Mobilized toured the show floor and has a video report.
You know how everyone you know who owns a BlackBerry is always complaining that they can’t buy and download MP3s from Amazon directly to their phone? Problem solved!


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Attention U.S. travelers going abroad: You now can bring home all the Cuban rum and cigars you want like drew estate cigars.
The Obama administration announced Friday a new round of executive actions designed to increase trade and travel with the communist island. And this is the one many Americans have been waiting for — no more restrictions on the island’s famed rum and cigars.
Under the new rules, which go into effect Monday, travelers can purchase unlimited quantities of Cuban rum and cigars in any country where they are sold so long as they are for personal consumption. Sorry American couch potatoes: You can’t order Cuban rum and cigars online and have them shipped to your home.
The regulations issued by the U.S. departments of Commerce and Treasury will make it easier for U.S. companies to import Cuban-made pharmaceuticals, U.S. agricultural companies to sell their products to the island and Cubans to purchase U.S.-made goods online.
The changes follow a series of steps taken since President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced on Dec. 17, 2014, that the Cold War foes would normalize relations after more than a half century of enmity.
On Friday, Obama added to the regulatory changes with a presidential policy directive that outlines his Cuba strategy thus far and lays out the future course. It includes a call for Congress to rescind a 50-year-old economic embargo on the island, something lawmakers have been unwilling to do so long as the Castro regime suppresses political and other freedoms.
The goal of the new regulations and policy directive are to make Obama’s Cuba policy “irreversible” by establishing so many relationships with Cuba that a future administration wanting to scale back those ties would face widespread opposition from U.S. businesses and citizens.
“Challenges remain — and very real differences between our governments persist on issues of democracy and human rights — but I believe that engagement is the best way to address those differences and make progress on behalf of our interests and values,” Obama said. “The progress of the last two years, bolstered by today’s action, should remind the world of what’s possible when we look to the future together.”
The most noticeable — and likely most welcome — change for most Americans is the removal of the five-decade ban on Cuban rum and cigars. The Obama administration partially lifted that ban in January 2015, allowing Americans traveling directly to Cuba to return home with up to $100 in rum and cigars in their carry-on luggage.
Now, that monetary restriction is removed and U.S. citizens can purchase as much Cuban tobacco and alcohol as they want from anywhere they find the products abroad. That means all those Cuban bottles and boxes at duty free shops in foreign airports are fair game, and you should now even start to find them at your regular cigar shop as well. The only restriction, according to Treasury: “Normal limits on duty and tax exemptions will apply.”
Other changes announced Friday:
- Cuban pharmaceuticals can receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and be marketed, sold and distributed in the U.S. American scientists will be allowed to work on joint medical research with their Cuban counterparts.
- Cargo ships can visit U.S. ports immediately after departing Cuba. Vessels previously were barred from loading or unloading freight at a U.S. port for 180 days after docking in Cuba.
- Americans can award more grants in larger amounts to Cubans.
- U.S. businesses can work in Cuba to develop the country’s civil aviation security system. U.S. airlines recently began regularly-scheduled commercial flights to Cuba, which has raised concerns among some in Congress that Cuba’s airports are not equipped to secure U.S.-bound flights.
- Cubans can purchase U.S.-made goods online, although the Cuban government tightly restricts Internet access.
“Already we’re seeing what the United States and Cuba can accomplish when we put aside the past and work to build a brighter future,” White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice said in a speech in Washington on Friday “You can now celebrate with Cuban rum and Cuban cigars,” she joked.
Some U.S. businesses said Obama didn’t go far enough in what may be the last round of relaxed rules during his presidency.
John Kavulich, president of the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, said businesses were hoping to see a variety of other changes, including an expansion of exports to Cuba and the ability of Cubans to establish bank accounts in the U.S.
“Boardrooms and offices across the country are gratified that President Obama has made meaningful changes to regulations governing commerce and travel with Cuba,” he said. “However, the President has again chosen a less-than-dynamic regulatory path, and, as a result, challenged his legacy-building efforts with Cuba.”


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Home Depot offers ‘no-fault’ medical insurance for disabled vets
Home Depot has announced plans to offer medical insurance coverage to disabled vets who can afford it, including those who need to keep a low profile in order to maintain a low level of activity.
The company said in a blog post on Monday that it was the first U.S. retail business to offer such coverage for veterans, including for those with chronic medical conditions.
“Vets can be very lonely, and having a home with other people to look after and care for can be overwhelming,” the company wrote.
“While there are a variety of ways that we can help a vet maintain a busy schedule, Home Depot is the first company to offer a full health care coverage to its disabled veterans.”
The plan comes as the company’s stock has risen after a deal was announced in September for it to purchase General Electric’s robotics business for $12.5 billion.
Home Depot said it would use the cash infusion to expand the robotics division and improve the company.
The Home Depot blog post says it would provide access to “a wide variety of health and wellness services including chiropractic, massage, physiotherapy, dietetics, fitness, home maintenance and home repair.”
The blog post said it was part of a plan to expand its disability services and that the company would use some of the cash to invest in “new technology.”
The company did not offer any specific details on how the plan would work.
A Home Depot spokeswoman declined to comment.
The U.K.-based company has been criticized for its pricing of disability insurance and its limited coverage.
Last year, the company lost an appeal by a woman in South Carolina who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and was forced to pay for insurance under her employer’s plan.
Home Depot said last year that it would pay $1.4 billion in annual premiums and deductibles for its disabled employees.


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The LGBT Community – A Potent Constituency Among Cannabis Consumers
- According to the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), 4.3% of adults in Colorado identify as LGBT, yet the same demographic represents 8% of the state’s past-month cannabis users.
- That rate of engagement suggests the LGBT community as a significant if largely untapped business opportunity to develop products and brands catering specifically to the demographic.
- The LGBT community at large both supports cannabis legalization and consumes cannabis at significantly higher rates than heterosexuals.
- Both LGBT advocacy and cannabis legalization have carved popular trajectories of social assimilation over the past 20 years.
- LGBT advocacy and cannabis legalization represent two of the fastest evolving public opinion issues in contemporary American society.
- As a traditional hotbed for the American LGBT movement, activation of the adult use market in San Francisco may present a powerful testing ground for brands targeting the LGBT community.
- Continued exposure of LGBT advocacy may strengthen the economic impact of the community, increasing its influence among trendsetters in the fast-evolving cannabis industry.


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Cybercriminals launched more than 7 million attacks on children, exploiting popular game titles in 2022, an increase of 57% compared to 2021.
And since children in the age group often do not have their own computer and use their parent’s devices, the threats are suspected to be aimed at obtaining credit card data and credentials of the parent, a report from Kaspersky said.
These phishing attacks included pages used to target parents’ devices, luring young players, by mimicking global titles including Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and Apex Legends games. In total, over 878,000 phishing pages were created for these four games in 2022.
Attackers purposely create fake game sites evoking children’s interest to follow phishing pages and download malicious files. In 2022, 232,735 gamers encountered almost 40,000 files, including malware and potentially unwanted applications, that were disguised as the most popular children’s games, the report found.
(For top technology news of the day, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today’s Cache)
This has resulted in a 14% increase in the number of victims, compared to 33,000 gamers attacked in 2021.
The most common social engineering techniques targeting young players involve offers to download popular cheats and mods for games with manuals on how to install the cheat properly. These instructions make a point to ensure that users disable the antivirus before installing a file.
This may not alert young players, but it might be specially created so malware avoids detection on the infected device. The longer the user’s antivirus is disabled, the more information might be collected from the victim’s device, the report said.
Games designed for 3-8-year-olds, including titles like Poppy Playtime and Toca Life World were also found to have been targeted.
“In 2022, cybercriminals even exploited games designed for 3-8-year-old children. This highlights cybercriminals do not filter their targets by age and attack even the youngest gamers, with the likely target of reaching their parent’s devices”,Vasily M. Kolesnikov, a security expert at Kaspersky said.


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Across Europe, nearly a third of couples are keeping financial secrets from their partners – apart from the Dutch, a new survey has found.
Just 13 percent of the Dutch consider keeping money secrets from their partners to be normal behavior, with only 2 percent hiding debt, 13 percent hiding savings and 11 percent hiding their exact earnings, according to the ING International Survey on Savings, which studied the habits of more than 12,000 consumers in an online poll across 13 European countries.
That compares with the supposedly more romantic French, where around 42 percent are keeping money matters in the closet, the study found.
“One of the things we know about the Netherlands is they tend to do financial education quite early. They tend to be responsible with their money,” Ian Bright, senior economist at ING, told CNBC.
It’s not only about spending, saving and debt. More than 10 percent of European couples are in the dark about how much their partner is earning, with the number rising to around one in five in the U.K., Romania, Turkey and the Czech Republic, the study found.
“Amongst those who were divorced, there were 40 percent across the whole of our sample survey who said ‘I think it’s normal to keep money secrets from each other.'” Bright said. “When you ask people who are actually married or in relationships, it’s down at around the 30 percent level.”
As people got older, they become even less likely to keep money secrets, he said.
To be sure, some of these surprises may be pleasant ones.
“European consumers are more likely to conceal a savings account than a debt,” the study said, finding that 17 percent of Europeans are hiding savings, compared with 14 percent hiding debt. But even then, 19 percent are concealing some of their spending.
—By CNBC.Com’s Leslie Shaffer; Follow her on Twitter @LeslieShaffer1


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Windows 8 is slowly scratching its way up the OS food chain.
Microsoft's latest version of Windows took home 3.8 percent of all traffic captured by Web tracker Net Applications in April. That proved a small gain from its .
Starting with a 1.09 percent share in November, Windows 8 sliced out a 1.72 percent share in December. A 2.26 percent share in January helped it sneak past Mac OS X 10.8 to grab fourth place among all desktop operating systems. And February saw.
The stats also looked at both traditional PCs and touch-screen computers. Of the 3.8 percent share earned last month, Windows 8 touch-screen PCs accounted for 0.02 percent. Windows RT touch-screen computers were unable to register any blip at all on Net Applications' radar.
How has Windows 8 fared in comparison with Windows 7?
Both operating systems officially debuted in October of their respective years -- Windows 7 in 2009 and Windows 8 in 2012. By April 2010, Windows 7 has already carved almost 12 percent of the OS market tracked by Net Applications.
Microsoft tried to push Windows 8 last year with a hefty discount. Windows 7, Vista, and XP users were able to buy Windows 8 Pro for $39.99. And Windows 7 users who purchased their PCs between June of last year and January 31 of this year could buy the new OS for just $14.99. But both of those deals expired in January, which means users must cough up $119.99 for the standard version of Windows 8 and $199.99 for the Pro edition.
Microsoft is busy prepping Windows 8.1 for release later this year. Ongoing builds of the OS update show a variety of tweaks and enhancements so far. Rumors have also suggested that Microsoft may kick in a Start button and a boot to desktop option to appease users unhappy with the new Start screen environment.


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Published on April 23rd, 2018 | by gareth0
Avengers: Infinity War Content Comes to Marvel Strike Force
Aspiring Super Heroes (and Super Villains) can test their might in MARVEL Strike Force right now through Avengers: Infinity War content coming to the game ahead of the movie release this weekend!
Starting this week, players can unlock Avengers: Infinity War’s big bad — Thanos himself. Thanos is a powerhouse character and a crucial addition to any S.T.R.I.K.E. Force, and those who wield his destructive Infinity Gauntlet are sure to make it a rough day for all foes on the battlefield.
Check out this trailer to learn more about Thanos and the Avengers: Infinity War content, as told by a S.H.I.E.L.D. Medic:
You can also find assets for the launch of Avengers: Infinity War content in MARVEL Strike Force here.
In the coming weeks, players can unlock additional Avengers: Infinity War characters including Dr. Strange on May 1 and Vision on May 8.


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Luxury yoga wear firm Lululemon goes from strength to strength as men's range proves a hit
Fine figures: Revenue at Lululemon has climbed 25 per cent to £556.7m
High-end yoga wear specialist Lululemon has flaunted impressive sales figures, boosted by growth in its men’s business.
The Canada-based retailer, whose leggings sell in the UK for up to £138, raised its outlook for the year as sales rose 20 per cent.
Revenue climbed 25 per cent to £556.7million, as online sales jumped by almost 50 per cent and the brand saw strong demand in China through its digital outlets.
Shares in Lululemon, which announced the second-quarter results late on Thursday night, shot up by almost 15 per cent in US morning trading yesterday.
Analysts at Susquehanna and RBC Capital said the company’s revised full-year revenue projections of between £2.4billion and £2.5billionn, up from £2.3billion to £2.4billion, were still likely to be ‘conservative’, adding to investors’ excitement.
The results will have been a pat on the back for new boss Calvin McDonald, who joined from make-up giant Sephora last month.
McDonald replaced Laurent Potdevin, who was ousted after the company accused him of falling short of its standards of conduct.
It later emerged he had been in a long-term relationship with a female designer at the company.
She resigned after the relationship began, but he brought her back as a contractor.
Her contract, however, was not renewed in January.
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Cross-border luxury e-tail sales rise strongly
The global economic backdrop may be turbulent, but cross-border luxury sales have been increasing this year, new research from online DTC specialist ESW revealed on Monday.
It said that cross-border e-sales of luxury goods rose 17% in the first half with Chinese shoppers in the driving seat here, along with those from South Korea and the UAE.
The top three most shopped cross-border markets for luxury goods were the US (56%) in number one spot, followed by the UK (32%) and then France (29%) and Italy (25%). British luxury products were purchased most frequently by shoppers in the UAE and China (both 40%), India (39%) and Japan (38%).
ESW’s Global Voices: Consumer Pulse 2022 survey of more than 14,000 consumers across 14 countries, seems to show that despite ongoing economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, and the resulting downward pressure on household budgets, many luxury shoppers around the world are just carrying on as usual.
A fifth of consumers (21%) purchased luxury goods internationally — led as mentioned by shoppers living in China (46%), South Korea (36%) and the UAE (34%).
So what exactly have they been buying? Well, handbags and accessories are high on the list (44%), along with clothing (42%) and jewellery (39%). These were the most popular luxury product categories that were shopped cross-border.
In fact, ESW said that international sales of handbags/accessories and jewellery were higher than those in domestic markets (40% and 33% respectively) with shoppers citing “satisfaction with previous cross-border purchases (31%) and a lack of availability in their home-markets (27%) as the key drivers behind their decision to purchase from international luxury brands”.
It's also interesting that a sizeable majority of cross-border luxury buyers (70%) are happy to forgo the in-store experience in order to access the products they're buying quickly online. That said, they still have high expectations when they buy online with 79% saying “they expect the exceptional, personalised customer service experienced in-store to be replicated”.
Natashia Redfern, VP UK Country Sales Director at ESW, said that the growth this year is particularly impressive given the backdrop and the fact that sales in the luxury category grew 50% in 2021 cross-border.
She said this “showcases the impressive work luxury retailers have put in to recreate the in-store brand experience online to win conversions and customer loyalty. Additionally, brands and retailers must take note, the data clearly shows a positive previous cross-border purchasing experience is the key driver for engendering customer loyalty and repeat purchasing long-term.”
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Articles about SYM
19 Feb 2022Auto
Taiwanese automaker SYM has introduced the 4MICA scooter in its home country. Details pertaining to its availability in India have not been disclosed.
30 Jan 2022Auto
Taiwanese automaker SYM will launch its NH T300 motorbike in Italy soon. To recall, it was unveiled at the 2021 EICMA show.
30 Nov 2021Auto
Taiwanese automaker SYM has revealed its Joyride 300 maxi-style scooter at the 2021 EICMA show in Italy.


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As expected, the Federal Trade Commission today officially proposed its update to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The update brings the law, unchanged since it was passed in 1998, into the 21st century, acknowledging the massive growth of mobile device usage among kids and the data collection that goes along with it.
When COPPA became law, it "was like another era, number 10 pencils ...and yellow legal pads," said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia). "We had no idea what the Internet would look like at the time," he added, noting that the original COPPA rule did not anticipate the growth of the mobile marketplace. Mr. Rockefeller introduced FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz during a press conference this afternoon held in a Senate office building.
The changes would categorize geo-location information, photos and videos as personal information, requiring parental consent before such data are collected on children under age 13. They would also extend COPPA to cover persistent device identifiers such as IP addresses and mobile device IDs that allow companies to track a user across various personal devices. The COPPA changes do not cover mobile app stores.
"Some companies, especially some ad networks, have an insatiable desire to collect information, even from kids," said Mr. Leibowitz.
Mr. Leibowitz, who is expected to step down by early next year, has been instrumental in advancing privacy issues, including development of a Do Not Track standard for browsers, during his tenure. With Do Not Track at a standstill the official COPPA proposal outlining desired changes to the outdated law gives him a feather in his privacy cap. The FTC yesterday announced it has issued orders to nine data broker firms asking them to provide information on their data collection practices.
The FTC also is investigating companies that may be in violation of COPPA, though the agency has not revealed further details.
The COPPA amendments prevent companies from using plug-ins to collect personal information on kids without parental consent and in some cases require third-parties to comply with the law. They would also enhance the FTC's oversight of self-regulatory programs afforded safe harbor under the law. The amendments also provided a variety of acceptable ways to offer notice and garner consent from parents, and give stakeholders a 120-day notice and comment period to seek approval for specific consent methods. Violators of COPPA are subject to a $16,000 fine.
The press conference was a who's-who of privacy on Capitol Hill. Mr. Leibowitz was accompanied by Members of key Congressional Committees dealing with privacy issues in the House and Senate. Mr. Rockefeller and Senate Commerce Committee Member Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas) joined Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Rep. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts.
It's no coincidence that three of them have introduced privacy bills. Mr. Rockefeller proposed his Do-Not-Track Online Act in 2011 while Mr. Markey and Mr. Barton - co-chairs of the House Privacy Caucus - co-sponsored their Do Not Track Kids Act that same year. Mr. Markey today said the bill has 50 co-sponsors though no movement on the bill is expected before year's end.
The Do Not Track Kids bill mirrors the mission of the FTC's COPPA changes. It would prohibit websites or mobile app operators from compiling or disclosing kids' personal data to third parties for targeted marketing purposes. Like many pending privacy bills it would let the FTC craft regulations requiring notice when apps or sites collect location data.
Mr. Rockefeller has also introduced legislation that would enable the National Academy of Sciences "to investigate the impact of violent video games and other content on children's well-being," according to a press release.
The COPPA changes come as government increases pressure on mobile app providers. An FTC study published earlier this month found that only 20% of 400 mobile apps aimed at children included any privacy disclosures before or after downloads.
Last week a bill sponsored by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. that would require companies to obtain consent before collecting or sharing a user's mobile-location information passed through committee. The Commerce Department has also met recently to develop a standard for mobile-app privacy notifications.


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Owners at Pine Marten Plants, in the Queen’s Court Centre, will close their doors for the final time tomorrow (Saturday, January 15).
The fledgling business had only been in operation for around eight months.
But in a social media post, the owners said: “Sadly, as of Saturday, January 15, we will be closing down our Ayr Store.
“We aren’t sad to let it go, it’s just not the right time for Ayr and we accept this.”
It’s understood that the current trading conditions have prompted the closure and the tipping point came when other small businesses in Newmarket Street started to close their doors.
The business is currently offering a 50 per cent discount on a range of plants and products.
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A spokesperson said: “We are doing a 50 per cent closing down sale and will remain online at pinemartenplants.com where we ship out plants every day all over the country.
“We will also be available at our Largs store for in-store shopping.
“Thank you everyone who did continually support us and told all their plant friends.”
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This is a press release, which contains forward looking statements, and should be treated as advertising or promotional material. Bitcoin.com is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy or quality within the press release.
The inaugural ANON Blockchain Summit Austria will be held April 2-3, featuring Microsoft, IBM, Alibaba Cloud and Accenture plus other big names, with the aim of putting Vienna’s vibrant blockchain scene on the map.
The event is expected to bring more than 2,000 people together to talk blockchain, cryptocurrency and decentralization, and with 80 national and international speakers, 40 exhibitors and 100 investors it is shaping up to be the country’s premium networking event.
The main topics of the event will be government, blockchain for business, healthcare, energy, banking, supply chain and mobility, and alongside Microsoft, IBM and Accenture, there will also be representatives from Hyperledger, Bitfury, Bitmain, Raiffeisen Bank International, Wien Energie and…


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CNET news editors and reporters provide top technology news, with investigative reporting and in-depth coverage of tech issues and events.
Updated: 47 min 8 sec ago
Neither Elon Musk's company nor Blue Origin have done it just yet, and it's a long time coming for Richard Branson's space tourism venture.
The Parker Solar Probe zips down the sun's boulevard and asks, "Are you ready for your close-up?"
Splash meets Game of Thrones in this thoroughly entertaining slice of submersible superheroics.
The XT6 will slot between the midsize XT5 and fullsize Escalade in Cadillac's SUV lineup.
The Pentagon, Nutella and Texas didn't do much better.
That's $100 off the retail price you'd pay at the Apple Store.
As time gets short to force action in the House, pressure mounts on telecom-backed Democrats.
Everything we know about the first live-action Star Wars series starring Pedro Pascal as we await the Disney+ streaming service.
Apple no longer sells the iPhone X, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't protect yours if you have one.
The proposal has industry support.
We really got a kick out of the World Cup this year.
Next stop: airports?
The fees would reportedly help make mobile services more accessible to the poor.
One of the best displays of "shooting stars" and a close space snowball fly-by could make for some epic nights this week.
Your idle gaming rig could score you some new Razer gear, but it may take a while and have hidden costs.
Today only, double up on donuts: a buck buys you a dozen when you buy another dozen.
Need some protection for your new iPhone XR? Here's a bunch of top cases to check out, all of them compatible with wireless charging.
One NASA astronaut says Curry is promoting "idiotic conspiracy theories."
Nintendo Switch Bundle for $340, Apple Watch Series 3 for $229, Xbox One for $219: Best deals since Black Friday - CNET
Black Friday is over, but sales are everywhere. Walmart has a solid Switch deal, Google's Pixel 3 price drop is back, and the new iPad is still just $250 at Target.
The Volvo VNR will demonstrate its capabilities for a year in California before going on sale to the whole US in 2020.


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Vivo V23e specifications revealed ahead of launch
Vivo is expected to launch its new V-series smartphone, the V23e soon and now an unboxing video of the handset has also leaked online, revealing...
Friday, 05 November 2021, 23:58 IST
Apple TV Plus coming to Comcast platforms
Comcast has announced that the Apple TV Plus app will launch on its Xfinity X1, Flex, and XClass TV platforms.
Friday, 29 October 2021, 19:58 IST
HP Introduces 'Smart Tank' Series Printers in India
PC and printer maker HP on Tuesday introduced three new ink tank printers under HP Smart Tank 700 series in the Indian market.
Tuesday, 26 October 2021, 21:06 IST
Lenovo presents improved IdeaPad Gaming 3i laptop in India
Lenovo on Monday launched an upgraded IdeaPad Gaming 3i laptop, powered by Intel 11th Gen Core processors and the latest NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, at a...
Monday, 23 August 2021, 19:39 IST
Noise launches Buds VS102 TWS ear buds with unique design, priced at Rs.1299
Noise, the Indian connected lifestyle brand, has announced the launch of the latest TWS earbuds Buds VS102 at an introductory price of INR 1299. The uniquely and ergonomically designed Noise Buds VS102 are launching exclusively on
TECNO launches SPARK 7 Pro featuring 48MP Triple Rear camera & a powerful Helio G80 processor starting at Rs.9,999
TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand, today announced the launch of its all new SPARK 7Pro smartphone, further expanding its existing all-rounder SPARK 7 series. Catering to the needs of its over 1 crore+ happy consumers, the


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Earlier this year at CES 2020, TCL announced a trio of smartphones – the TCL 10L, 10 Pro, and 10 5G – to the US. The only problem is the company wasn’t ready to announce pricing and specs, but now we’re finally getting all of the information on these handsets and they look impressive.
Of the three phones, the TCL 10 5G looks mighty interesting simply due to it being one of the first budget 5G phones that’ll come to market for $400. Every other current 5G phone to this point has cost about $1,000 or more.
The TCL 10 5G features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ LCD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, plus 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (which users can expand with an up to 1TB microSD card). You get a sizable 4,500mAh battery with wireless charging, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
While you might have expected the TCL 10 5G would come rocking the Snapdragon 865 like other 5G phones, the Snapdragon 765G is actually Qualcomm’s first chip to feature an integrated 5G modem. Comparatively, the Snapdragon 865 still requires a separate 5G modem chip.
It also has a ton of cameras including a 64MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide camera with a 118-degree field of view, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there’s a 16MP camera sitting behind the cutout on the display.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any concrete availability information for the TCL 10 5G as the company has only stated that it will release in the US sometime this year.
TCL 10 Pro and TCL 10LThe TCL 10 Pro is the real flagship of this trio and it’s a pretty solid device for $449. The phone comes with a 6.47-inch AMOLED display complete with the curved sides and in-display fingerprint reader you might expect from a flagship device.
It also has a Snapdragon 675 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage with a microSD card slot, 4,500mAh battery, and it even has a headphone jack. The camera setup on the TCL 10 Pro includes a 64MP main camera, a dedicated low light camera, super wide-angle and macro cameras, and a 24MP front-facing camera.
Lastly, the TCL 10L is the most budget option, flying in at $249. This low-cost device offers up a 6.53-inch display Snapdragon 665 processor, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage with a microSD card slot for expansion. What’s more, this affordable handset still packs four cameras, including a 48MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth sensor, and a 16MP front camera.
There’s no mention of water-resistance on either the TCL 10 Pro or 10L, and neither device supports wireless charging. Both of these smartphones are slated for release this quarter, which should last until June, though there’s no exact date.
Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam


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For the quarter, Amazon (ticker: AMZN) posted sales of $96.1 billion, up 37%, and well ahead of the company’s guidance range of $87 billion to $93 billion. Operating income was $6.2 billion, likewise ahead of its guidance range of $2 billion to $5 billion. Earnings were $12.37 a share, well ahead of the Wall Street analyst consensus at $8.87 a share.
For the fourth quarter, the company is projecting sales of $112 billion to $121 billion, up 28% to 29% from a year ago. The Wall Street consensus view has called for revenue of $111.4 billion.
But Amazon shares were down in late trading Thursday, likely because of investor disappointment over Amazon’s forecast for operating income in the fourth quarter. The company said it expected operating income in the quarter to range from $1 billion to $4.5 billion, reflecting an expected $4 billion of costs related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Wall Street had forecast $5.8 billion.
Product sales in the latest quarter were $52.8 billion, up 32.8%. Service sales were $43.4 billion, up 43%. Sales were up 39% in North America, 37% for international markets, and 29% for Amazon Web Services.
The company touted its employee pay and urged other businesses to raise wages.
“Two years ago, we increased Amazon’s minimum wage to $15 for all full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees across the U.S. and challenged other large employers to do the same,” CEO Jeff Bezos said in the company’s earnings release. “
have stepped up, and we hope other large employers will also make the jump to $15. Now would be a great time.”
Amazon stock is down 1.4% at $3,165.65 in premarket trading Friday.
Write to Eric J. Savitz at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Now it is more and more often said that bitcoin is becoming the new standard of the financial system. The US dollar became an international means of settlement and storage of reserves back in 1944, as a result of the creation of the Bretton Woods monetary system. American currency could be exchanged for gold at the rate of $ 35 per troy ounce.
Investing in bitcoin has already brought quite a lot of profit to bitcoin owners. And according to forecasts, this is not the limit.
To buy bitcoin, you can use the BestChange service and find the most favorable conditions for buying. Here https://www.bestchange.com/visa-mastercard-usd-to-bitcoin.html you can choose to buy bitcoin with debit card among more than 440 online exchangers


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Though he was visited by a Microsoft official prior to his recent raid, the hacker who leaked information about the next-generation Xbox gaming console wasn't raided on Microsoft's request – at least that's what the company is saying.
According to a new report from Kotaku's Stephen Totilo, the hacker known as SuperDaE was met by a Microsoft intellectual property official in recent months. The visit followed leaks about Microsoft's next gaming console, supposedly codenamed "Durango," as well as eBay listings by the hacker of a developer version of the console. The Microsoft official, Miles Hawkes (whose LinkedIn profile can be viewed here), asked SuperDaE how he was able to gain access to information on the company's servers.
The hacker claims that by gaining access to Microsoft's servers, he was able to create an account to the company's Xbox Developer Program website. He then ordered a developer version of the console using the fake account, he says.
While little new information is given in the article, Totilo states that SuperDaE told him he preferred the Durango to Sony's recently announced PlayStation 4 console, which the hacker also leaked information about prior to its announcement.
For its part, Microsoft claims no involvement in the recent raid by Australian police and the FBI. A Microsoft representative provided Kotaku with the following statement on the matter: "Microsoft did not initiate this FBI investigation with this individual, as has been asserted in some of the articles in the media. We take security very seriously and have no evidence of any compromise of our corporate network. We have no further comment on this matter."
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox is rumored to be announced sometime in early April. Leaked hardware information indicates a significant upgrade to the company's Kinect motion tracking hardware as well as an eight-core processor from AMD, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a Blu-ray drive and custom DirectX 11 GPU.


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Monument Valley’s final level pack isn’t coming to Android
Monument Valley, 2014’s prettiest and most enjoyable puzzle game on mobile, recently got a whole bunch of new levels on iOS as part of Apple’s massive Project (RED) campaign. But unfortunately for players on Android, they won’t be able to enjoy the title’s final chapter without switching platforms.
“Ida’s (RED) Dream was specially created for @RED in partnership with @AppStore to fight AIDS,” Monument Valley developer Ustwo explained on Twitter. “Therefore there are no Android plans right now.”
Monument Valley has enjoyed great success since making its mobile debut way back in April, receiving rave reviews, numerous awards, recognition from Apple, and lots of players. However, the vast majority of those players are using iOS devices, which means Android just isn’t a priority for Ustwo right now.
“It’s hard for us to prioritise Android when there’s nine times more iOS players,” Ustwo said in response to one fan. “We seek parity but often it’s difficult.”
This is a great shame for Monument Valley players on Android who are itching for more levels, but if there simply aren’t enough players on Google’s platform to warrant the time and resources it would take to port the new level pack over, it’s hard to criticize a game studio for trying to avoid losses.
There may be other factors behind its decision, too. One tweet published by Ustwo suggests that the final level pack it designed for iOS may have been a platform exclusive.
“It’s not down to us I’m afraid, our hands are tied,” the company said. “Hopefully we can do something else in the future though.”
Maybe there will be more for Monument Valley fans on Android in the future, then — but for now, we’ll have to make do. Ustwo has been creating other content for Android, however; if you’re an Android Wear user, you may have noticed that the company has already released two watch face packs that use Google’s new watch face API.


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David Lammy 10am - 1pm
Watch: Moped Gang Smash Through Stock Room Wall During Phone Shop Raid
23 November 2017, 18:19 | Updated: 17 January 2018, 16:30
CCTV has captured the moment a moped gang smashed through the wall of a London mobile phone shop to ransack the stock room.
It was one of 17 aggravated burglaries of phone stores carried out by 10 men across east and north London between May 2016 and November last year.
They stole phones and tablets, with the total cost of stolen goods and damage to the properties estimated to value £1m.
The shocking footage, from a shop in Walthamstow, shows the men in crash helmets and dark clothing smashing their way into the store room using a variety of weapons.
Today (Thursday) four of the men were found guilty of their part in the raids.
Two men had previously been convicted and four pleaded guilty to their part in the offences in August.
Tools such as hammers, knives, portable angle grinders and a battering ram were used to gain access into the shops. During one of the robberies a witness was threatened with a firearm.
Three security staff in separate shops targeted were beaten, often with weapons, as they guarded the stores overnight.
The phones and tablets were fitted with trackers with GPS which were activated when they were moved from the storeroom shelf.
This allowed officers to identify where the phones and tablets were at any given time.
Officers from Operation Vocare tracked the route that one of the phones had taken and identified two suspects who attended a minicab office.
A crash helmet was also identified as containing the DNA of one of the defendants.
On 14 October 2016, the gang targeted a phone shop in Walthamstow. A member of the public called the police and officers followed the suspects on their mopeds with police cars and a helicopter.
During this pursuit, one of the suspects discarded a mobile phone which contained correspondence about the attacks, including text messages about weapons they planned to use.
Six were charged in relation to the burglaries and the handling of the goods from them will face trial in March 2018.


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For a growing number of states, the notion of marijuana legalization isn’t a question of if, but when. Since 1996, some 23 states have legalized medical marijuana. In 2012, voters in Colorado and Washington went even further, passing ballot initiatives that made their states the first in the country to legalize the cultivation, sale and possession of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. Oregon and Washington, D.C., seem certain to follow suit this month. The Vermont Legislature is expected to take up the question of marijuana legalization next year; voters in California will almost certainly consider a legalization ballot measure in 2016. In short, the question of how states should regulate marijuana is already at hand. [Read More]
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PRESS RELEASE LOS ANGELES (JUNE 22, 2022) –Virginia Maggiore, AIA, has been named Principal of RDC, a full-service, award-winning architecture firm. Since joining RDC in 2019, Maggiore has built the firm’s Retail Store Rollout and Planning practice, adding notable retail and cannabis industry clients to the firm’s roster and garnering accolades for her work. “Virginia…
A year after lawmakers passed a bill authorizing cannabis consumption lounges, Nevada officials are poised to approve regulations that could pave the way for bar-like establishments where people could use marijuana as early as this year. The Cannabis Compliance Board is scheduled to meet Tuesday and potentially vote on the regulations governing lounges. The existence of such venues…
By all accounts the infused-beverage sector of the U.S. cannabis industry has only begun to hit its stride and should only expand in the years ahead, even if its share of cannabis sales remains relatively stable. According to the Cannabis Beverage Association, sales surged 40 percent in 2021, to $95.2 million, with THC-infused beverages slated…
Using recreational marijuana is associated with a higher risk of emergency room care and being hospitalized for any reason, a new study has found. “Cannabis use is not as benign and safe as some might think,” said study author Nicholas Vozoris, assistant professor and clinician investigator in the division of respirology at the department of…


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2 King Street, Cambridge
Who you need to know Owner Pippa Sandison
Brands include American Vintage, By Malene Birger, Selected Femme, Libelula, Maison Scotch, Equipment, Ross X Bute, Sam Edelman
Last year Boudoir Femme threw the doors open to its new, larger premises. Spacious changing rooms have added to the customer experience, a new EPoS system has led to better stock management, and the shop has continued to drive sales through partnerships with key local businesses.
However, the contemporary womenswear indie didn’t stop there. It implemented a new loyalty scheme, launched a transactional website, signed up to ecommerce portal Miinto, and raised £3,000 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices with its annual charity fashion show.
Now, owner Pippa Sandison plans to buy deeper into key brands to facilitate online sales, and will push ahead with more in-store events.


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Buyers are snubbing gadgets and jewelry.
On a macro-perspective, declining retail rents and rising vacancy rates may be reflective of a weak retail sector. Latest data from Urban Redevelopment Authority showed that for the first half of 2016, retail rents in the Central Area had eroded by 6.1%, bringing the total correction since the recent peak in 4Q14 to 10.4%. This comes on the back of the continued rise in vacancy rates to a high of 7.8% on an island-wide basis and 9.1% for Singapore’s prime Orchard Road shopping belt.
On a micro-level, tenant sales of CapitaLandMall Trust (CMT) in the first half of the year also gives a glimpse of the retail conditions as it shows which trading goods are taking a rough ride. CMT is amongst Singapore’s largest retail mall owners, with 16 properties and approximately 3,100 leases. It registers 348 million shopper traffic annually.
A chart from RHB showed that the top five trade categories enjoying buoyant sales in CMT’s malls include sporting goods, electrical and electronics, books & stationery, supermarket, and beauty and health. On the losing end, meanwhile, are information & technology, jewelry & watches, department store, telecommunications, toys & hobbies, and music & video.
The data is consistent with recent business consolidations observed in the retail sector recently. Cushman & Wakefield notes that retail chains which have consolidated businesses in the past few months include City Chain, Wing Tai Asia and department stores such as Marks & Spencer, Cold Storage, John Little, Isetan and Metro. Iwannagohome closed its outlets at Tanglin Mall and Great World City in May 2016, while New Look & Celio will be exiting the Singapore market by the second half of Singapore.
Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) believes that the headwinds facing the retail sector is expected to intensify as Brexit could further dampen the already fragile consumer sentiment and affect retail spending. The depreciation of the pound, it said, could divert travellers, including Singapore’s key inbound tourists from China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, to the UK for sightseeing and shopping, instead of traveling to Asia, including Singapore. Additionally, JLL said that Singapore might receive fewer British travellers, who currently contribute about 3% of the total inbound tourists, as it will be dearer to travel to Singapore as a result of the weaker pound.
Do you know more about this story? Contact us anonymously through this link.


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Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai is not retired, still making games
Kirby is the designer of Super Smash Bros, and Kirby continues to work on new games. While many thought the legendary game designer had left the industry after the launch of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, The developer would like to assure fans that there is no time to rest.
In the most recent installment of his YouTube show Creating Games, Sakurai discussed his experience in the game sector. Game developer Sakurai spoke about his experience, reminiscing about his decision to join the game industry at an early age and discussing the current gaming activities
Sakurai revealed to the fans that he’s currently developing games. However, he’ll work with his YouTube channel.
“As for me, I’m still creating games for the time being,” the Smash Bros creator told fans. “But I’m also launching the YouTube channel. I’ve never had the opportunity to do something like this before starting with it, and it’s a bit of a stretch to say that one could argue that I’ve been unable to stay in one place for long.”
For further fan speculation, IGN reports that Sakurai has paired the YouTube clip with an old video from that Super Smash Bros. series. Furthermore, the creator previously stated that Sakurai “can’t imagine a Smash Bros. title without” his involvement.
The legendary game designer also said fans should not be devastated if game designers quit the game industry to pursue new endeavors. Although iconic game designers frequently return, like John Romero releasing new DOOM maps or Fallout creator Tim Cain coming back to play The Outer Worlds 2Instead, they must try to help developers with passions in other areas.
“Aside from those who reach retirement age, there are quite a few people who disappear from the game industry part way through their careers,” Sakurai stated. “Of course, for some of them, it’s simply unclear where they ended up. This isn’t limited to the game industry, but if a creator you know does suddenly vanish without a trace, please don’t write them off as ‘washed up’ or ‘finished!'”
Masahiro Sakurai is believed to be working on the next game in the Super Smash Bros. series to be released on the forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2. There is some concern that the next entry of the series won’t have the same quality as the quantity of content in the latest Ultimate game; the high quality of the game and the graphics will surely provide a thrilling experience.


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Monolith Productions and Warner Bros. have released a new trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of War. This one, titled “Dominate the Open World,” shows off some of the games open world including locations like Gorgoroth, Island of Nurn, Cirith Ungol, Seregost, and more.
Check out the trailer below.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is coming to PC, PS4, and Xbox One on August 22, 2017. You can pre-order now.


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A large quantity of oil prepared from bones and fat of dead animals has been retrieved from Bhains Colony, Karachi.
In a raid conducted by the ARY team, Sindh Food Authority (SFA) and Additional Deputy Commissioner Malir Syed Shujaat Hussain, the targeted location was investigated.
The team found animal carcasses being cooked in huge pots and buffalo heads lying around.
The area was full of vultures feeding on the dead animal remains. Large containers were discovered filled with low-quality oil, while the operators of this unhygienic oil unit escaped from the location.
Watch the Full report below!
ARY’s Zimmedar Kaun team revealed that this unhygienic oil is being sold in some major areas of Karachi including Nazimabad, Federal B Area and Water pump. Several shops were raided from the mentioned areas and the samples of the substandard oil were sent to SFA.
Local shop vendors were selling this poor-quality oil from unregistered brands with no quality and control check of the product.
The samples taken by Sindh Food Authority were tested for their quality, hygiene and nutritional value.
The oil retrieved from Bhains Colony was immediately disposed of, and the Additional commissioner has ordered to seal the place.
This is not the first time that such operations have been conducted by our media. SFA along with Karachi Police should take an immediate action against the ones behind such unethical practices and ensure the disposal of standard edible oil at the consumer end.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more updates and news!


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by Ian Pemberton
Blizzard has leaked selective information about the anticipated new hero for Overwatch, Sombra. The elusive hacker-themed character has been teased by Blizzard for months now, feeding the community small bits of information through increasingly cryptic augmented reality games (ARGs). Despite the most recent ARG hitting a bit of a dry spell recently, fans may have unintentionally gotten confirmation of the new character’s appearance.
A piece of concept art that was signed by character designer and concept artist John Polidora was posted on the Blizzard gear store’s website earlier in the day and was deleted shortly thereafter. This piece of art pretty much all but confirms the leaked in-game still of Sombra that was floating around last month.
Based off the image, Sombra definitely has ability to not just hack and control the sentient robotic omnics, but unmanned mech suits as well. As to how this ability plays out in the game, we will just have to wait and see, as Blizzard has stayed rather quiet on the mysterious hero and her kit.
With the concept art being already prepared on Blizzard’s website, an announcement could easily be right around the corner. With Blizzcon going on this weekend, it would not be too surprising to see the purple hacker make her first public appearance.