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iQOO 11 5G sale time, where to buy
The iQOO 11 5G (review) will go on sale in India for the first time on Friday, January 13th at 12 PM. Interested buyers can head to Amazon India or iQOO e-store to purchase the flagship smartphone. The iQOO 11 will be available in two colour options – Legend and Alpha.
iQOO 11 5G price in India, bank offers
The base model of the iQOO 11 5G offers 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage and is priced at Rs 59,999. The 16GB+256GB variant costs Rs 64,999. During the Prime Early Access Sale that began yesterday at 12 PM, consumers could get an additional prime discount of Rs 1,000 over and above the bank offers and an exchange bonus. The prime discount will not be available today but the bank offers and exchange bonus can still be availed.
Speaking of the bank offers, consumers can avail of Rs 5,000 off on the iQOO 11 5G using HDFC and ICICI Bank credit and debit cards. Additionally, customers will also get a Rs 3,000 exchange bonus. With both these offers combined, the iQOO 11 5G can be bought at an effective price of Rs 51,999 and Rs 56,999, respectively.
|Price||Rs 59,999 (8GB+256GB)||Rs 64,999 (16GB+256GB)|
|HDFC & ICICI offer||Rs 5,000||Rs 5,000|
|Exchange bonus||Rs 3,000||Rs 3,000|
|Effective price||Rs 51,999||Rs 56,999|
iQOO 11 5G specifications, features
The iQOO 11 5G touts a 6.78-inch display. This is India’s first phone with a 2K 144Hz E6 AMOLED panel that also supports HDR10+ and a peak brightness of 1800 nits. The phone also comes with a V2 chip that claims to enhance your gaming experience. Powering the flagship is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset paired with up to 16GB RAM and 256GB internal storage.
In the camera department, the iQOO 11 5G features a 50MP GN5 main camera, a 13MP telephoto and portrait camera, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens. The device packs a 5,000mAh battery that supports 120W fast charging. This promises to juice up the phone to 50 percent in just 8 minutes.


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April 22, 2013
New Penny Black Stamp Release!
Penny Black has a new release and the sneak peeks start today!
Plus, a little birdie told me that there are
to win a giveaway.
Sneak peeks and giveaway details are available "
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Poor ExxonMobile. They are selling 2,220 gas stations citing the low profits the stations produce. Even with gas at $4 a gallon, the company cites poor performance and low profits the reason they will dump the gas stations. Most of the stations are located in either California or New York.
According to this article, it states:
The nation’s largest oil company, which earned nearly $41 billion last year, says it will sell more than 2,000 stations over the next few years.
“The fuels marketing sector is a very challenging market,” ExxonMobil spokesperson Prem Nair said, adding that the company is feeling particular pressure from hypermarkets like Wal-Mart that sell gasoline.
ExxonMobil plans to sell 820 owned and operated stations as well as 1,400 stations leased to dealers. The 2,220 stations make up about 1/5 of the Exxon and Mobil stations in the United States. The company says the stations to be sold will continue to sell ExxonMobil product.
“As the highly competitive fuels marketing business in the U.S. continues to evolve, we believe this transition is the best way for ExxonMobil to compete and grow in the future,” said Ben Soraci, U.S. director of retail sales for ExxonMobil.
Is there something wrong with this picture? When you make $41Billion dollars do you really expect the public to buy this line of BS?
What do you think? Is it just me, or is there something rotten going on here?


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On websites, what's old is suddenly fresh again
To navigate the website for Arcade Fire’s coming album, "Everything Now," users must click through a cluttered cascade of Windows 98-style pop-ups.
The new website of Luxury French fashion house Balenciaga looks as stripped-own as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, with plain black boxes and no-frills Arial font.
And the DIY-looking home page for Solange resembles the desktop of a candy-colored iMac, complete with QuickTime windows and rows of blue folders.
Web designs have come a long way in 20 years, but some are taking a step back in an effort to evoke a sort of hipster nostalgia for the early days of the internet.
"They’re tipping their hat to the 1990s," said David Lee, chief creative officer of Squarespace, a web-platform company based in New York that has created millions of websites for clients.
Lee said that he has seen a recent uptick in what he calls an "anti-design brutalism," with clients opting for more bare-bones, retro-looking sites.
Some websites are purposely cumbersome to navigate, with loud, clip art-filled pages. Others employ a simplistic Craigslist-style utilitarianism that feels like a throwback to an era when web pages were coded by hand.
"There are a lot of animated GIFs and flames," Lee said, "but mixing it with something new."
Although millennials and members of Generation Z — those born in the years spanning from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s — might not remember what the web looked like in the era of AltaVista and GeoCities, the retro designs tap into the current cultural revival of all things '90s. (See the return of "Twin Peaks" and "Will & Grace" as wll as concert T-shirts.)
For those who are older, such sites recall the improvised internet of their youth, in the days before mobile optimization and beta-tested user interfaces brought a sleek uniformity to modern web design.
Nostalgic websites meant to mimic the days of dial-up modems are cropping up in artsy and tech-geek corners of the web.
Windows93.net, a web project by the French music and art duo Jankenpopp & Zombectro, imagines what the Microsoft operating system would have looked like had it been released. (After a two-year development delay, Microsoft instead released Windows 95.) The site has had more than 8 million visitors.
Neocities, built in 2013 by Kyle Drake, 33, a web entrepreneur based in Palo Alto, California, is an ode to GeoCities, the early web hosting platform. (GeoCities, started in 1994, was acquired by Yahoo in 1999 for $3.6 billion and went defunct in the United States in 2009.)
"I really hate the modern internet," Drake said. "My vision is to bring back making websites as a creative thing, not just as a business thing."
More than 140,000 websites have been created through his platform, he said.
Paul Ford, 42, an instructor of interactive design at the School of Visual Arts in New York, agrees that the web these days can feel disappointing to early adopters.
"It’s almost like if your indie band went on to be not the size of U2 but a $4 trillion industry," he said.
"I think there’s a sense of, 'How do we get back to that?'"


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Jennifer Evans, Business Executive at AutoRaise, is heading to Lincoln next week for a tour of the leading UK repair group's Lincoln bodyshop site. AW Repair Group have been an affiliated repairer of AutoRaise for many years and are a huge supporter of bringing apprentices into our industry.
AW’s Lincoln accident repair facility was newly opened earlier this year – the 11th bodyshop site for the Group.
Jen is looking forward to meeting the team and having a tour of the state-of-the-art, 14,000 sq ft bodyshop to kick start plans for AW’s apprentice event in September. This will be Jen’s first AutoRaise outing since joining the repair industry charity in March 2020, “I am really glad to be out in the industry again! AW Repair Group have shown that irrespective of a global pandemic they have grown in strength and numbers and I am excited to see their site and finally meet some familiar voices face to face.”


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The proceeds of the Americas sale are expected to be used to repay certain of the company’s existing indebtedness. Coveris Americas generated sales and adjusted EBITDA for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017 of $966 million in revenues and $128 million, respectively.
“This sale will enable us to focus on our operations in Europe, where we are one of the largest players in the flexibles and rigid packaging market,” said Coveris CEO Jakob A. Mosser. “This supports our recent strategic focus on delivering high performance and sustainable packaging solutions for our customers in the food, pet food, medical and pharmaceutical markets.”
Upon the closing of the Americas sale, the company’s remaining operations will consist of its Rigid, EMEA, and U.K. Food & Consumer businesses, and it will have manufacturing facilities in 14 countries, 44 strategically located facilities and over 8,000 employees. Pro forma for the sale of the Americas business, the Company’s remaining operations generated sales and adjusted EBITDA for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017 of €1.4 billion and €132.4 million (including €21 million of expected synergies in 2018), respectively.
The Americas sale is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and it is expected to close in mid-2018.


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I'm posting the Thanksgiving week schedules a little earlier to give people a chance to find Black Wednesday and Black Friday stuff; not to mention any locations that have announced they will be open for Thanksgiving outdoor service or carryout.
However, I'm posting this on the day that Tier 3 COVID mitigations go into effect across the state (Tribune). We've already faced bans on indoor dining and bar service, but there are further restrictions on other businesses, and gathering.
Because of the uncertainty of these times, I am trying to keep up and post new events—or cancellations—as I learn about them. Hoping that Black Friday events will be set once they're scheduled.
But as always, be sure to check with your favorite places, or with any events you want to check out.
Monday, November 23


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Judge Denies Reprieve in Galaxy Nexus Case, Allowing Sales Ban to Take Effect
A federal judge on Tuesday refused to hold off on an injunction that prevents U.S. sales of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, ruling that Samsung is unlikely to prevail in a patent infringement suit brought by Apple.
U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh ruled that there was not sufficient evidence to put the ban on hold while Samsung pursues an appeal.
“Although some consumers may be disappointed that they cannot purchase the Galaxy Nexus, the Galaxy Nexus, as Samsung itself has repeatedly insisted, is not Samsung’s only smartphone product on the market,” Koh wrote in the ruling.
In order for the sales ban on the Nexus to go into effect, Apple must post a $95.6 million bond to account for the potential impact should a court later decide the injunction was issued in error.
While the ruling means that the Galaxy Nexus is barred from being sold as is, Google and Samsung have been preparing a workaround software patch that Google says should enable sales of the Nexus to continue.
On Monday, Koh declined to put a separate injunction on hold, that one related to Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet.
Although not the biggest-volume Android phone, the Galaxy Nexus is critical strategically for both Samsung and Google, as it was the first device running the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android and is also the reference point for developers testing the next version of the operating system, known as Jelly Bean.
Google gave out Galaxy Nexus devices to developers at last week’s I/O conference in San Francisco.
Update: Samsung said in a statement late Tuesday that it is disappointed with the ruling and will continue to pursue its appeal.
“We believe today’s ruling will ultimately reduce the availability of superior products to consumers in the United States,” Samsung said in a statement. “Meanwhile, we are also working closely with Google to resolve this matter, as the patent in question concerns Google’s unified search function.”


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Business and Operations
Bakeries eligible for grant to offset PPE costs
February 16, 2021 By Bakers Journal
The Ontario government is expanding the number of small businesses that can apply for the Main Street Relief Grant to help offset the costs of purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) to gradually reopen in parts of the province.
Bakeries, bakery-cafés, or anyone in the food industry with 2 to 19 employees can now apply for up to $1,000 in financial support. The expansion is being made as more parts of the province enter the strengthened COVID-19 Response Framework, which allows for the gradual and safe reopening of in-store shopping at non-essential retail stores.
“This funding will help even more main street businesses stay safe, keep people employed, and continue contributing to our communities,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade in a statement. “By expanding the accessibility to the Main Street Relief Grant our government will provide up to 60,000 small businesses with support to help them cover the cost of PPE and protective supplies. We continue to encourage businesses to apply and learn more at ontario.ca/COVIDsupport.”
This one-time grant reimburses main street businesses for up to $1,000 in PPE costs incurred since March 17, 2020. Eligible businesses for the Main Street Relief Grant now include those with 2 to 19 employees in the following sectors:
- retail trade;
- accommodation and food services;
- repair and maintenance;
- personal and laundry services;
- gyms and yoga studios; and
- arts, entertainment, and recreation.
“Expanding eligible sectors for the PPE grant that have been significantly affected by COVID-19 is another way we can support our small business community,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction in a statement. “These businesses often require frequent, in-person contact with coworkers and they have the least space to accommodate physical distancing. They need a steady supply of PPE to function in a sustainable way.”
The grant can be used to help cover the costs of a variety of PPE, including installing plexiglass or purchasing gloves and masks. Eligible businesses can apply for this grant and other COVID-19 financial supports – like the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and property tax or energy cost rebates – through a simple online application.
Small businesses can visit ontario.ca/smallbusiness to learn about the many supports available to them. These include resources to find Ontario-made PPE through the Workplace PPE Supplier Directory, tools to build or expand their online presence through Digital Main Street, tailored local support through the Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Network, and free financial advice
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Each day The Manufacturer compiles the top manufacturing news stories from around the web. To make your life a little easier, we trawl through all the major trade publications, broadsheets and business magazines to find you the most important manufacturing news each morning. Don't forget to bookmark this page and check back daily.
Majority of manufacturers grapple with underperforming cyber security providers, finds new report
Three quarters (75%) of Manufacturing organisations admitted their cyber security provider is either underperforming and they’re looking to make changes (27%) or that there’s room for improvement (48%), according to new research by Threat Detection and Response provider, e2e-assure. More via The Manufacturer
Vauxhall group tells ministers to do more to convince UK drivers to go electric
The demands by the vehicle maker, which also owns Citroën, Fiat, Peugeot and Opel, come as it holds talks with ministers over financial support to convert the plant in Bedfordshire. More via Financial Times
Babcock Australasia welcomes record number of graduates
Babcock Australasia has welcomed a record 69 graduates this year, as it continues to expand in the region and support young people to enter the nation’s critical Defence industry.
Starting this month, the new cohort will have the opportunity to work on Babcock contracts including supporting Collins Class submarines, High Frequency Communications and sustainment of the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet. More via Babcock International
Manufacturing M&A activity drops in 2023 but appetite for deals remains robust
UK manufacturing M&A activity fell by more than 10% in 2023 amidst tough economic headwinds, but the sector is hopeful of a rebound in 2024 as manufacturers look to mergers and acquisitions to expedite their growth plans, according to accountancy and business advisory firm BDO. More via The Manufacturer
Engineer is second most desirable job for teenagers
A survey of more than 4,000 13-16-year-olds shows engineering is the second most desirable career behind doctor for teenagers when they’re older. Being a teacher came in third.
The survey also revealed how young people would rather work for the NHS ahead of companies like Google and Disney. More via BBC Bitesize
‘Mothballing’ Oxfordshire vaccine centre a mistake, former adviser says
The “mothballing” of a government-funded vaccine manufacturing centre that was sold to a private pharmaceutical company has been described as a “mistake”.
The £200m vaccine manufacturing and innovation centre (VMIC) was set up in 2017 in Harwell, Oxfordshire, as a not-for-profit company with the aim of combining vaccine research and manufacturing in one place. More via Shropshire Star
Aston Martin confirms delay to electric car production due to lack of ‘consumer demand’
British manufacturer Aston Martin has delayed the launch of its first electric car as doubts continue to grow about the future of the EV industry.
The iconic sports car maker was expected to produce its first fully electric model in 2025 but this has been pushed back until 2026 at the earliest. More via Express
Aston University receives nearly half a million pounds to create safer and greener batteries
Aston University researchers are to explore the use of gel electrolyte materials to make lithium-ion batteries – the most commonly used for electric vehicles and electronics – safer and less environmentally damaging.
The University has received a grant of £443,058 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to develop safe, reliable, sustainable and commercially relevant gel electrolyte materials. More via The Manufacturer
Manufacturer could create 200 jobs in Cramlington if relocation plans are approved
A planning application was submitted to Northumberland County Council seeking approval for the new facility in Cramlington, which will be used by electrical and digital infrastructure company Legrand.
The international firm with 800 UK employees wants to relocate its London facility to south east Northumberland, and Nelson Park Industrial Estate is now its chosen location. More via Northumberland Gazette


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Whole Foods Market Inc. reported sales rose 15 percent to $2.2 billion for the 12-week third quarter ending July 4.
Comparable store sales increased 8.8 percent, or 6.3 percent on a two-year stacked basis. Identical store sales, excluding three relocations, increased 8.4 percent, or 4.6 percent on a two-year stacked basis. EBITDA increased 27 percent to $179.8 million from $141.4 million last year.
“We are pleased with our results which compare very favorably to most other food retailers and show we are continuing to gain market share. Our identical store sales increased 8.4 percent, accelerating from the second quarter and our highest increase since 2006. Despite tougher comparisons and the recent dip in reported consumer confidence, our two-year stacked identical store sales also sequentially increased,” said John Mackey, co-CEO and co-founder of Whole Foods Market. “We are also very excited to announce six new leases. We have eight leases in negotiation and expect an accelerated pace of lease signings to translate into a higher number of new store openings starting in 2012.”
For the 40-week period ending July 4, sales increased 11 percent to $6.9 billion. Comparable store sales increased 6.7 percent, or 2.9 percent on a two-year stacked basis, and identical store sales (excluding five relocations and two major expansions) increased 5.9 percent, or 1 percent on a two-year stacked basis.
Whole Foods opened six stores, acquired two stores and divested two stores related to an FTC settlement agreement in the third quarter resolving the antitrust challenge to its merger with Wild Oats Markets Inc. With 298 stores totaling 11.2 million square feet, the company expects to open one store in the fourth quarter.
The company has terminated leases for two stores in development and recently signed six new leases averaging 33,900 square feet each in San Francisco; Boise, Idaho; Minneapolis; Austin, Texas (two sites); and Washington, D.C., for stores scheduled to open in fiscal year 2012 and beyond.
“We are projecting steady sales growth for next year and are committed to delivering incremental operating margin improvement as well as earnings growth in excess of sales growth,” said Walter Robb, co-CEO. “We believe this guidance appropriately reflects a tempering of our enthusiasm over current sales growth trends with conservatism due to the competitive environment and the economy.”
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market operates 298 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.


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TransUnion Canada and Lumbermens Credit Bureau hav.. Read more
A new survey from TransUnion Healthcare found that.. Read more
TransUnion Canada and Lumbermens Credit Bureau have entered into an exclusive partnership that will combine two data assets on business credit risk for a comprehensive small business solution.
"Small businesses are vital to the growth of the Canadian economy and continue to represent a challenge for lenders and service providers as often there is limited information in order to make informed decisions," said Todd Skinner, president of TransUnion Canada. "The combination of TransUnion's unique small business credit report and Lumbermens data makes for a powerful solution that will allow our customers to make decisions with improved insight, further enabling the growth of small businesses through access to funds."
TransUnion launched the first ever small business banking exchange in Canada last year. The service provides visibility...Read more from this release


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In today's Marvel press conference, Marvel President Bill Jemas took the blame for the impression '...that it often does look like we are out to get comic shops -- a lot of that is my personal failure to provide complete information about the policies... I know that I have a reputation for being anti-comic shop, but on a policy basis, the reality is, 'Don't worry about what I say, worry about what I do.' If you look at what Marvel does, it really does things to help the comic shops.' Jemas defended his no overprint policy as a successful attempt to restore collectibility to the Marvel line, and he bristled at the notion that comics aren't (or shouldn't be) collectible. 'You may want to believe that number one issues sell 30-50% more because people want to test the book,' he said, 'but then you must also believe that for the last 50 years every number two issue has been worse than issue number one, or you can just believe that there are a significant number of collectors out there in the business. That's why I say things like 'IQ test' [see 'Jemas: Marvel's No Overprint Policy is an IQ Test For Retailers'], because if you really believe that comic books are not collectible, and that there are not a significant number of collectors out there, then you spend the rest of your day explaining away the simple phenomenon of number one and number two books.'
Jemas explained that to ensure the collectibility of its new Ultimate line, Marvel did not send Ultimate Spider-Man #1 to the newsstands. This was, he pointed out, a tough decision that favored the comic market. Instead of allowing them to sell Ultimate Spider-Man #1, Marvel came up with the intrinsically less collectible Ultimate Magazine for the newsstand (see 'Ultimate Magazine Newsstand Only'), and was roundly criticized by comic retailers for not offering the Ultimate Magazine to comic shops. Despite complaints from comic retailers, Jemas didn't emphasize the withholding of the Ultimate Spider-Man #1 from the newsstand at the time because he didn't want to upset the newsstand distributors.
Jemas also claimed that Marvel was helping comic retailers by keeping a larger number of bestselling comics at a low $2.25 price point. Marvel has fourteen titles in the Top 50 at $2.25, far more than any other publisher.
Jemas minced no words when talking about the increasing importance of mainstream bookstores to Marvel's plans. 'We think that the best thing to use for a feeder system [for the comic market] is not the newsstand, increasingly we think bookstores are the feeder,' he said. 'Historically the point of entry into the business has been single issue comic books. When I was a kid, I had a bicycle, a dime, and there was a corner candy shop. That's not the paradigm any more, the paradigm is the car with mom and dad and the kids on the way to the mall with lots of money.' To ease the transition from bookstore to comic shop for those fans that want a more complete line, Marvel is repackaging its single issue comics into trades quickly so that a kid who picks up the latest Marvel trade is only a couple of issues away from being up to date with the single issue series.
Marvel's progress in selling to mainstream bookstores obviously pleased Jemas: 'Our bookstore business is exploding...(it) doubled in the first five months of this year compared with last.' At the beginning of the press conference both Jemas and Editor-in-chief Joe Quesada criticized the comic press for excessive negativity in the face of a 'substantial turnaround in the industry,' and Jemas brought the subject up again when he took exception to what he called a 'negative spin' in comic press reports about Marvel and Diamond's participation in the recently concluded Book Expo America (probably referring to an article written by Charles Brownstein, who worked the Image section of LPC's booth at the BEA, for Comicon's Splash page). Jemas noted that he personally met with the seven key buyers who represent the lion's share of bookstore sales.
Marvel's Financial Situation
When asked about Marvel's financial situation and the problems associated with its troubled Toy Biz division (see 'Marvel in Cash Flow Pain'), Jemas noted that Marvel's publishing division was now a moneymaker. In the past even with circulations much bigger than Marvel has today, the publishing operations lost money, but the company's financial troubles had forced him to make the tough decisions and turn Marvel into a lean, mean machine. 'No matter what happens to Toy Biz, no matter what potential bankruptcies there could be, the comics division makes money now -- so you go to bankruptcy, there is no economic reason that that would have a negative effect on publishing.' He called worrying about Toy Biz dragging Marvel under 'a red herring.' His point was that in a reorganization, a trustee's responsibility is to conserve assets and generate as much cash as possible to pay creditors. Since publishing is now profitable, it's likely that in such a situation, Marvel would continue to publish even if money-losing divisions of the company were shut down.
Editor-in-chief Joe Quesada outlined a fan-friendly plan to discover new artists and writers. Marvel will post a three-page scenario by Dan Jurgens on its website. Amateur artists will be invited to draw their own version of the script and bring it to Marvel at Wizard Con in Chicago or at the San Diego Comic Convention. The winner will get to pencil a 22-page story for a Thor comic to be published next year. Would-be writers will be asked to write a one-page synopsis for an 8-page back-up story, which will appear in the same issue of Thor.
(For other recent comments by Marvel's President, see 'ICv2 Q&A -- Bill Jemas')


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The Cookie Crumbles, But Your Reach Doesn’t Have To
Imagine the digital landscape as a Formula 1 racetrack, and Google just maneuvered to secure its lead position. Third-party cookies – the fuel for decades of targeted marketing – approach their final lap on the Chrome web browser. This isn’t just a tweak under the hood, but a major change, starting with a tiny test group. Though, “tiny” might not be accurate – the 1% of Chrome users for whom Google turned off third-party cookies represents 30 million people.
Navigating the Privacy Shift
Third-party cookies, the technology that has long enabled advertisers to track internet users across websites, are at the heart of this transformation. These digital trackers have made it possible for a clothing manufacturer, for example, to follow a potential customer from one site to another, ensuring that their ads are as relevant as possible. However, with privacy concerns at the forefront, the industry is moving towards a model where such tracking is no longer the norm.
Towards the end of the last decade, web browsers like Mozilla’s Firefox and Apple’s Safari started to limit tracking cookies to protect user privacy. Google, feeling the pressure, announced plans in 2020 to remove these cookies from Chrome. However, they’ve hit the pause button a few times to smooth out concerns from advertisers and privacy supporters. Considering Chrome’s hefty share of 65% of the worldwide internet traffic – making it three times as popular as Safari – Google’s move towards enhancing user privacy is a big deal, signaling a significant shift in how the web operates.
Adapting to Change
But what does this mean for automotive dealerships and their advertising strategies? It’s a signal to adapt and embrace the new tools and methodologies that respect user privacy while maintaining advertising effectiveness. Strong Automotive is your co-pilot in this journey, guiding you through the evolving digital terrain with a map that includes first-party data combined with a targeted advertising strategy, enabling personalized ads based on user behavior – all without third-party cookies.
Shifting to a world without third-party cookies might seem a bit daunting at first. But with Strong Automotive, it’s really just the next step forward. We’ve got the tools and tactics ready to help you use first-party data and smarter targeting techniques, all without relying on deprecated tracking methods. It’s about making sure your dealership’s advertising keeps pace with the times and continues to thrive. We’re excited to be your guide during this change, ensuring a smooth transition for your advertising campaigns.
John Paul Strong
John Paul Strong combines his two decades of automotive marketing experience with a team of more than 150 professionals as owner and CEO of Strong Automotive.
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updated 10:55 am EST, Fri December 10, 2010
HTC said prepping to ship 60m phones in 2011
HTC may be planning to triple its sales and challenge companies like Apple and RIM for the top spot in smartphones, industry sources reported on Friday. It has supposedly told part makers to supply enough for up to 60 million smartphones in 2011. The tally Digitimes heard would be a major leap over just 20 million estimated for this year.
The firm may have grown confident after taking on a slew of new executives headlined by its Chief Operations Officer Matthew Costello. It would have a better chance at taking on rivals with stronger control over shipments, the sources implied. HTC may have shown the info along with a 2011 roadmap at a summit involving its suppliers, giving away the reasons for its confidence.
Although now involved in Windows Phone 7, much of HTC's success is likely to be predicated on Android and could depend heavily on US sales. It should ship Verizon's first known 4G phone, the Incredible HD, near the start of the year and may have multiple devices lined up for the carrier in the first few months of 2011. HTC already has a significant grip on the US but has usually been secondary to Motorola.
The targets if fulfilled could put HTC roughly on par with Apple for share after years of trailing behind. Needham Research analyst Charlie Wolf has estimated that Apple might ship 62 million iPhones in 2011. HTC's estimates are nonetheless maximums and may not anticipate factors such as a multi-carrier US iPhone or moves from fellow Android supporters Motorola and Samsung.


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With the web search engine has become a declining year by year
According to the technology news site VentureBeat, Google recently announced that has acquired a technology startup company called
Google chief executive officer pichardo Iraq announced, galinka will be responsible for all of Google's cloud computing services, which is pichardo Iraq full charge of Google, Google also a key executives appointed.
Pichai said, Bebop provides a new platform for developers to develop and maintain more easily the application software, Google believes that this platform will help companies get more excellent software, enjoy the convenience of cloud computing era.
According to the report, Glyn is not a stranger to Google, in the past three years, she has been a member of the board of directors of Google.
For Google, the status of cloud computing business is rising. Google is currently the main industry is a web search engine and web advertising, but in the mobile Internet era, web, web search and web search is gradually being abandoned by consumers, has been a body of data show that the traditional web search engine traffic began to appear a significant decline, web search service is facing a future crisis.
This Wednesday in San Francisco, held by an industry conference, senior vice president of Google cloud computing business Urs
As is known to all, the current monopoly of the global smart phone market Android system is the development of the Google Corporation, but Google has taken the open source model, almost all of China's Android mobile phone manufacturers, Google's software and services completely removed. So in addition to the software and content download store, Google can't obtain the income of gold and silver from the popularity of Android.
In other words, the income of the Android platform far can not replace the status of the search engine, so Google to focus on the cloud computing business.
In the cloud computing market, Amazon is the industry's first company. There have been third parties, the service capability of the Amazon cloud computing, the sum of the capacity of Microsoft, apple, Google and other competitors, Amazon's cloud computing revenue is also much higher than Google.
Deutsche Bank earlier this month, a report pointed out that in 2017, Amazon cloud computing revenue will reach $160000000000, business valuation will exceed $16000000000, close to the commercial software giant Oracle Corp. Currently, Amazon's cloud computing revenue has maintained a high growth of 3/4.
The media pointed out that such a review, galinka
Over the past year, Google, Amazon and Microsoft three big giants in the cloud computing market for a number of price wars, cloud storage, CPU leasing and other prices, so that the industry is very shocked. This rapid decline in prices, prompting more companies to give up the self built computer room and the purchase of the server, and turned into a cloud computing customers.


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Not content to fire back at the competition with just one volley, the company has continued its barrage with two new announcements. For starters, it's opening up family plans from a limit of five to up to ten lines. For most of us, that inherently means we're going to have to look outside of our immediate families to hit the max. It's time to get grandma a smartphone, call up that cheap uncle, and bring in a couple of college-bound cousins. Read More
Thanks to an awesome, understated design and (eventually) a competitive price, the Moto X has quietly become a favorite among discerning Android users. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Motorola has wasted no time in bringing the latest Android updates to its compact little flagship. Today Sprint's version of the Moto X gets upgraded to Android 4.4.4, up from the 4.4.3 build released in June.
Sprint isn't the last of the "big four" carriers to release its Moto X 4.4.4 update: technically AT&T is still soak testing their release. Read More
Remember that Sprint and T-Mobile price war we mentioned? Yeah, things are continuing to get better. Today T-Mobile has announced an add-on to its Simple Starter plan that will significantly increase how much LTE data customers can use. For an extra $5 a month, they can bump their allotment up from 500 MB to 2GB. This amounts to four times the data, and it manages to beat out the 1GB of LTE allowed under T-Mobile's $50 Simple Choice plan. Read More
Those of you with a tough-as-nails Galaxy S5 Active for AT&T are probably wondering when your phones will be updated to Android 4.4.4. And you can keep on wondering, because the latest over-the-air update from Samsung keeps the phone on the same 4.4.2 build it had when it was released three months ago. But it does add... uh, some user interface changes in the default email app? Roll out the barrels! Read More
Pricing changes don't usually happen this fast in the wireless industry. It seems like T-Mobile and Sprint both have multiple contingencies in place to attack one another based on what goes down each day. Following T-Mobile's announcement of the free LTE upgrade for one year, Sprint has revealed a new unlimited data plan that's only $60 per month. There are a few caveats, though.
T-Mobile has really been stepping up the rhetoric against Sprint since the backroom acquisition deal allegedly fell through a few weeks ago. T-Mobile's latest promotion takes direct aim at the Now Network, but it targets the other big carriers too. Starting next week, if you bring a friend over to T-Mobile on a Simple Choice plan, you and they both get a free upgrade to unlimited LTE for one year. Also, there will be awkward dancing, if T-Mobile's promo image is to be believed. Read More
Update 2: Amir Efrati, author of The Information's report, says Verizon is a lying piece of crap:
Efrati goes on to write that they know for a fact Verizon has been probing carriers, OEMs, and developers about its own Google Play alternative. Read More
If you hopped on the I want a really big HTC phone train, then you probably have a One Max. If that One Max also happens to be on Verizon, it's time to start checking for updates, because Sense 6 is rolling out now. Woo for you.
Image via XDA
This update doesn't appear to have much else going for it, as the device is already running Android 4.4.2, but I guess a major revision to the custom skin is nothing to scoff at. Read More
The Galaxy S4 Mini is not one of the more attention grabbing devices. It's the weaker, smaller variant of last year's flagship Samsung device, and it's only a small phone in the modern sense of the word. Regardless, Sammie is doing right by its customers and keeping the device up-to-date with a fresh version of KitKat. We've already seen version 4.4.2 hit handsets running on Verizon, Sprint, and US Cellular, so it's about time for AT&T customers to get the same experience. Read More
Buried in the press release announcing the Sharp Aquos Crystal on Sprint was the first official mention of Sprint App Pass. It's a subscription-based app store the carrier plans to pre-load on all its Android devices, and we have the full scoop on features thanks to some information we've been given. The gist of it is that you pay a monthly fee and get access to all the stuff offered by App Pass, but only for as long as you keep paying. Read More


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MYCELLE B. MARQUEZ, 31, said it would be her first Christmas without sending a balikbayan box to her family in South Cotabato since she started working as a saleslady in Brunei in 2013.
“I usually send canned goods, clothes and chocolates that are not available in the Philippines,” she said by telephone. “This year, I won’t be able to send a box. I’m worried it will take too much time to arrive because of coronavirus lockdowns.”
Ms. Marquez said the last time she sent a balikbayan box — a carton of food, clothing, toys and household products shipped by a migrant Filipino worker to his family back home — was in October. The repatriate box arrived home in January amid a coronavirus pandemic.
The resurgence of coronavirus infections has driven global supply chains toward breaking point, threatening the flow of raw materials, parts and consumer goods.
Philippine inbound foreign cargo throughput in the fourth quarter of last year was 553,000 metric tons , dwarfed by the 25.376 million metric tons of cargo sent home a year earlier, before the pandemic, according to data from the Philippine Ports Authority.
The country’s inbound foreign cargo throughput hit 24.771 million metric tons in the second quarter, better than 18.226 million metric tons a year earlier.
Balikbayan boxes barely increased between 2019 and 2020, Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla said by telephone.
Apart from global logistics nightmares, rising joblessness among migrant workers means fewer goods being sent home, he pointed out.
“It’s expected because a number of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) lost their jobs due to the pandemic,” Mr. Maronilla said.
Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III last week said 641,717 OFWs have come home during the global health crisis, though some of them are here to visit their families.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said in a policy brief in April that containers and container ships were in short supply.
“The increase in demand was stronger than expected and not met with a sufficient supply of shipping capacity,” it said. “The container crisis is also a reflection of a slowdown in and delays across the maritime supply chain due to strains caused by the pandemic.”
Logistics company DHL in a market update this month said carriers from North America “are still limiting the space back to Asia.” It also cited an increase in shipping rates. “Space and equipment shortage at Asia ports remains for the month of August,” the company said
“Delays are expected as schedule reliability is at an all-time low,” it also said, noting that bookings would have to be made three to four weeks in advance.
Many economies around the world including the Philippines are struggling to contain a fresh surge in coronavirus infections spurred by a more contagious Delta variant and amid a slow vaccine rollout. Governments are reimposing tighter community quarantines.
“The situation in Asia is disrupting global manufacturing supply chains, with shortages and lengthening delivery times adding to inflation pressures,” DHL said.
Atlas Shippers, which delivers balikbayan boxes to the Philippines, in March said it had experienced delays in getting its cargoes processed at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. It said the influx of cargoes to the US had created congestions, with ships waiting for berth space to dock.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this problem with a lot of workers getting sick from the virus,” the company said in a statement.
“Cranes unloading and loading the ships cannot catch up with the manpower not at 100%. A bottleneck has developed at the port and port authorities have reported that there is no sign of improvement in the next few weeks,” it added
LVM Cargo, which ships from the Netherlands, Belgium and west Germany to the Philippines, in July said Christmas shipments have started early this year “due to the worldwide delay in container shipments.”
It has advised clients to ship their boxes early if they wish these to arrive by yearend, with more delays expected from August to October.
Freight forwarding companies should be able to adjust the timeframe for shipments, Laban Konsyumer President Victorio A. Dimagiba said in a mobile phone message.
“In normal times, it’s maximum of 60 days from North America and shorter from Europe,” he said. “I would advise them to double that timeframe.”
Jovann Eve L. Tadena, a 35-year-old teacher working in Jordan, said she and her friend would be sending one balikbayan box for the Christmas holidays, but they will do it much earlier.
“We are planning to send the box in the last week of August or first week of September,” she said by telephone. “Normally, you need 60 days to send a box home.”
Cecille Castillon-Weinstein, 32, said she might just visit home this Christmas and take the presents with her instead of sending them in a balikbayan box. “Based on my experience, service really depends on the freight company that you use.”
“Pasalubong is a very ancient practice of Filipinos,” Nestor T. Castro, an anthropology professor at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, said by telephone.
“It’s been there even before the Spanish colonizers arrived because early Philippine societies practiced long-distance trade with Thailand, Vietnam and China,” he said. “When our seafarers came back home, they brought with them prestige items that were not found in the Philippines.”
“There were many items like artifacts of Buddhist origin even if the Philippines did not convert to Buddhism or Hinduism,” Mr. Castro said.
Imported items were called pasalubong, while exported goods were called pabaon. The pabaon concept is also part of end-of-life rites for some Filipinos, he said, noting that the dead brought objects they deemed precious to the grave.
Mr. Castro said the practice was further institutionalized by Filipinos’ colonial mentality. “They perceive that everything that is imported is more highly valued.”
The balikbayan box is a relatively new concept of pasalubong introduced by the government because it makes it easier for Filipinos overseas to send items home no matter what the size is, as long as they fit in the box.
Sending balikbayan boxes as part of the Christmas celebration is related to gift-giving, which was introduced by the Spaniards who brought Christendom to the Philippines, Mr. Castro said.
“Some OFWs who have been away for a long time try to compensate and show their love through material things,” he said.
Disruptions brought by the pandemic won’t be enough to erase such practices.
“Filipinos always look forward to when the situation will get better. This pandemic may have dragged on for two years already, but Filipinos are still very optimistic that we will recover,” he said.
Ms. Tadena, the Filipina in Jordan, said sending gifts to her family may be unnecessary but it makes them happy.
Ms. Weinstein, the Fil-Am businesswoman in New York, said: “It makes me happy when I see them on social media using the clothes, bags, or shoes that I sent them. It makes me feel like I’m right there with them.”
Brunei-based OFW Ms. Marquez thinks that what matters most this year is that her family will have food on the table during the pandemic
“I will send money instead,” she said. “The balikbayan box might take too long to arrive.”


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Shares of Align Technology (ALGN 3.80%) were sinking 11.1% lower as of 3:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. The sharp decline for the orthodontic-device maker came after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared coronavirus disease COVID-19 a pandemic.
In one sense, WHO's change in designation of COVID-19 from a "global health emergency" to a pandemic doesn't really matter to Align Technology. After all, the pandemic label simply confirms what many already knew: COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the world to a large number of people.
But while many healthcare companies shouldn't be directly impacted very much by the viral disease, Align will be. It makes around 8% of total revenue in China. Concerns about the coronavirus outbreak already led the company to lower its first-quarter guidance in January. With COVID-19 now having a greater impact in countries across the world where Align does business, the company's sales could be affected even more than originally thought.
Correcting the misalignment of teeth isn't a top health priority for people. If the COVID-19 pandemic causes a recession and increased unemployment, consumers could curtail spending and choose to postpone purchasing Align's clear aligners.
For now, it's uncertain how much damage COVID-19 will have on the global economy. Align Technology's shares have already fallen more than 30% off the highs set earlier this year. It seems unlikely that the coronavirus outbreak will diminish the company's business prospects to the extent that its stock has dropped. Long-term investors could have an opportunity now to buy Align Technology at an attractive valuation.


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Highlands Coffee announced suspending stay-in service at its stores in Ho Chi Minh City until the end of March Highlands Coffee has just announced to halt all services at its stores, excepting take away, as of the end of March 31. During this time, the cafés will only serve for takeaway and online order via food delivery applications. Similarly, Starbucks has also temporarily halted serving customers at its stores in the city until the end of the month. The Coffee House has also begun offering home delivery to keep the virus from spreading. Under the impact of the health crisis, Ho Chi Minh City authorities on March 15 issued a decision to close several business establishments like cinemas, massage parlours, bars and clubs, internet cafés, and karaoke bars, among others. The ban has put a string of businesses on the edge, specifically cinema operators like CJ CGV that has stopped operations in the city for nearly two weeks. More telling is that its major cineplexes are located at shopping malls which house a great number of restaurants and coffee stores like Highlands Coffee and Starbucks. Young people tend to visit cafés after a meal at the restaurants or enjoying a movie at the… Read full this story
- How new rules for the Minnesota House signal the downfall of democracy. Or not.
- Pot panel warns of drugged drivers, lists 19 get-tough recommendations
- Outside Maine State House, abortion opponents have the floor
- Starbucks adds new Cinnamon Shortbread Latte to its winter lineup
- Boston Housing Authority Project Among 19 Awarded Millions in Affordable Housing Grants
- Actor digs deep to find her inner Achilles in Cleveland Play House’s ‘An Iliad’
- Elijah Cummings' new power as House Oversight Committee chairman
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- Popular gingerbread house designer offers up some tips
Highlands Coffee, Starbucks, and The Coffee Houses stop serving at stores for COVID-19 have 328 words, post on www.vir.com.vn at March 26, 2020. This is cached page on VietNam Breaking News. If you want remove this page, please contact us.


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Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17661 to Fast ring and Skip Ahead members of the Windows Insider Program.
The latest major update to Windows 10 will bring with it new features such as Timeline, Focus Assist, and other miscellaneous improvements.
A beta tester has discovered a new version of Windows in a recent Insider build. Dubbed Windows 10 Lean, this OS uses less storage space.
Microsoft made available update KB4091666 that includes microcode updates to mitigate Spectre Variant 2 on additional Intel processors.
DPC Watchdog Violation errors were very common when Windows 10 was first released—so much so that Microsoft had to release an update to tackle it.
A common problem that Windows users have encountered when trying to update Windows 10 is the “Unsupported Disk Layout for UEFI Firmware” error.
The new build also improves the settings section and adds text suggestions for those using a keyboard.
Microsoft has decided to release updates to Windows 10 to some users instead of to everyone at once. It might be a while before everyone gets the Fall Creators Update.
Like other recent builds, Microsoft seems to have focused on polishing existing features ahead of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update's release instead of introducing new ones.
The OS is based on the Windows 10 Enterprise Edition with a few tweaks to help officials manage different aspects of the software.


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Private label is gaining momentum in the Asia Pacific as consumer perceptions change, with the food and non-alcoholic drinks categories entering a growth phase, according to a report from data and analytics firm GlobalData.
London-based GlobalData, just-food’s parent company, said “consumer attitudes towards store brands have evolved radically to a point where they no longer suffer the stigma of perceived inferior quality products” amid improving standards and greater awareness among private-label manufacturers around customers’ needs.
In its report – TrendSights Analysis 2019: Private Label Evolution – Innovating private labels from me-too to go-to brands – the data firm said producers of private-label products in Asia Pacific are expanding categories by offering exclusive ranges based on consumers’ health, transparency and sustainability values. In the process, they are becoming more trusted to provide quality products on an equal footing with their branded counterparts.
GlobalData added that alcoholic private-label offerings are in the “emerging” stage driven by demand for more inexpensive options.
Shagun Sachdeva, a consumer insights analyst at GlobalData, said: “Consumer approval of private label is high among shoppers across both developed and emerging markets. In Asia Pacific, shoppers’ confidence in private-label products appears to be growing, with consumers seeing private label as good alternatives to famous name brands.
“With experience-driven shoppers and health-conscious consumers being open to trying out new products, retailers are adopting increasingly refined approaches to their own-brand offerings through proactive trend tracking and product innovation to create new product categories.”
The change in perceptions among consumers for private label creates an opportunity for manufacturers and retailers to work together on product innovation for “premium-quality and lower-priced offerings”, GlobalData said.


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Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
Our top stories today are about: A renter who says she’s been dealing with a very annoying problem for months, a woman detailing the very bad blind date she had with a billionaire, a tech bro who is facing backlash online after claiming to use AI to steal page views from a competitor, and apparently conspiracy theorist Alex Jones launched a video game.
After that, our Senior Reporter Audra has a “That One Sound” column for you.
See you tomorrow!
⚡ Today’s top stories
‘I am not exaggerating when I say that would literally make me go insane’: Renter says flashing light in empty building has been blinding her for months
A woman who has documented her “little life” in her “tiny home” in New York City in a series of TikToks has also uploaded one glaring problem she’s been dealing with over the past several months.
‘It was my first blind date—I find out on the date’: Woman details her surprising date with a billionaire
A strange date with a billionaire has one woman sounding off on social media.
Tech entrepreneur blasted for gleefully publishing how-to guide for using AI to steal content from competitors
A tech bro is facing backlash online after claiming to have used artificial intelligence (AI) to steal millions of page views from a competitor’s website.
Alex Jones launches arcade-style video game—where you go to Epstein Island to hunt Bill Clinton
The 2-D platformer has players battling against various boogeymen of New World Order conspiracies.
We crawl the web so you don’t have to. Sign up to receive web_crawlr, a daily newsletter from the Daily Dot, in your inbox each day.
🎵 That One Sound
By Audra Schroeder
Senior Culture Reporter
A song from an obscure 2000s Canadian kids’ show gets revived on TikTok
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. “That One Sound” is a weekly column from senior internet culture writer Audra Schroeder that explores the origin of popular sounds heard on TikTok. It runs on Wednesdays. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.
🕸 Crawling the web
Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.
🧀 People seemed to relate to this one man’s video where he revealed that his “famous” mac and cheese he brought to a potluck was actually just from Costco.
🌯 There seems to be no shortage of TikTok users who’ve criticized Chipotle for increasing prices. And other folks are less-than-impressed with the amount of food that they’re getting lately.
🍰 In a viral video, one woman recounted how a Cheesecake Factory server confronted her about not tipping.
💳 A Bank of America customer is contending that she had all of her credit cards with the bank canceled without warning.
🧇 How would you react if you ordered waffles at brunch, but were served Eggo frozen waffles?
🍸 Get into the holiday spirit with non-alcoholic spirits. These are the must-try non-alcoholic gins on the market.*
💵 This TikToker went viral after sharing that Dollar General was about to mark down thousands of items to just one penny.
👀 With the holidays upon us, Trader Joe’s is getting into the spirit. And a new viral video features one TikTok user revealing a “Trader Joe’s Thanksgiving surprise.”
🔍 From the Daily Dot archive: How Trump mainstreamed QAnon before anyone ever noticed.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
📝 Question of the Day
Everyone’s got opinions, and we want to know yours. Just click a button below to answer the question, and tomorrow we will let you know how fellow web crawlers like you answered.
HAVE YOU HAD BAD EXPIERENCES WHILE RENTING AN APARTMENT?
To answer questions like this in the future, sign up for web_crawlr here.
👋 Before you go
Restaurant prices have gone up dramatically in recent years—and eager eaters aren’t too thrilled about it.
Given these high costs, diners are increasingly finding themselves in the awkward situation where they enter a restaurant, sit down, then realize they can’t afford it.
This recently happened to TikTok user Kaitlyn Zermeño Smith (@k8.zermenosmith). In a recent video with over 2.3 million views, Smith shows several women looking at menus with embarrassment.
In the text overlaying the video, she writes, “POV: you realized the ‘fancy’ restaurant was a little too fancy for your bank accounts.”
🎶 Now Playing: “Ants to You, Gods to Who?” by André 3000 🎶


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The rising role of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the growing need for a seamless shopping experience, and increasing personalization have made their mark on the retail landscape. These trends are here to stay, not only when it comes to e-commerce.
With that in mind, what retail technology trends can we expect to shape the industry in 2022 and beyond?
Headless tools as unified commerce enablers
The demand for a seamless shopping experience in all retail channels becomes more and more apparent. That’s why many retailers are moving from multi and omnichannel to a unified commerce approach. Yet, to provide a truly harmonious experience, companies must unify the structure of their tools and software architecture.
This shift involves using a “headless commerce” that separates customer-facing elements from back-office processes. According to Michał Sędzielewski, some companies are already leveraging the benefits of this solution:
"Some retailers are already profiting from the agility and flexibility of MACH (microservices-based, API-first, cloud-native, and headless) software. API-first software is much faster to implement and can help retailers implement and test new ideas within days or weeks, which can greatly increase the speed of innovation and competitiveness."
CMO at Voucherify
Headless tools improve system functionality and flexibility, making it much easier for retailers to sell their products via several channels, including their website, social commerce channels, and even brick-and-mortar stores. This way, companies can increase customer satisfaction, reduce error risk, and gain a single source of truth with a 360-degree view of their customers.
The growing role of machine learning in supply chain management
Another retail technology that’s on everyone’s lips is machine learning.
Retailers will continue to invest in artificial intelligence and machine learning to seek efficiency and adaptability. Companies will further leverage the benefits of using ML in sales funnel optimization, putting an ever greater emphasis on its serviceability in supply chain management.
Machine learning will help retailers automate tedious inventory-related tasks and processes and mitigate risks, e.g., poor resource planning.
Thanks to real-time and predictive resource analysis, machine learning will also allow them to become more time and cost-efficient while offering a high-quality service to end customers.
Frictionless payment as a new must-have
As customers expect retailers to provide the same seamless experience across all channels, retailers must comply with their needs. One way of achieving this is by enabling frictionless payments.
Still one of the most significant pain points of the retail-customer experience, payment systems will have to incorporate the ability to pay from anywhere, with the customer in control of the payment channel.
Due to the diminishing use of cash, retailers must introduce other solutions in tune with their customers’ preferences. Whether it’s a credit card, mobile, or the increasingly popular buy now, pay later payment solutions, customers will have to be able to pay without any, well, friction.
Virtual try-ons on the rise
Although it saw some traction in 2021, many retailers were still uncertain about introducing this retail technology into their business. Not that much of a surprise, given that VTO was still far from mature. Yet, the prolonged pandemic, technological advancements, and more data on the beneficial effects of virtual try-ons make companies very hopeful for the future.
"In the next few years, we should witness a big development of augmented and virtual reality hardware. The devices will become much handier, easier to operate, and less tiring to use. It will be much easier to combine offline and online experiences."
CEO, Co-founder at Monsoon.Agency
By connecting augmented reality with the idea of unified commerce, VTO offers both an online and in-store solution tailored to customers’ needs in various channels.
Virtual try-ons can help consumers make more confident purchase decisions, resulting in increased sales and reduced return rates. A boost in sales and desire is not the only benefit, though.
Retailers can use VTOs to test demand for specific items, enabling more thoughtful manufacturing processes and enhancing their sustainability efforts, potentially saving some valuable time and money.
Companies can also use virtual try-ons and AR in brick-and-mortar stores too, e.g., to help customers find a better fit by recommending the right size of the dress or shoe, or to try on different colors of a given garment that is currently not available in their offline spot. This way, retailers can improve their revenues and make the shopping process more exciting and satisfactory for the customers.
Zero interface retail
Another major retail trend for 2022 is a broader introduction of zero interface design. While the pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation in retail, the need for changes was there much earlier. For years companies and users have been looking for ways to make human-machine interaction more personal, and now the time to make it happen has come.
Due to a (mis)belief that zero interface retail is a channel strategy instead of an experience enabler, retailers have been a little apprehensive about introducing this approach. Nevertheless, the need for conversational user interfaces (CUIs) will continue to grow, as will the market demands.
What’s more, thanks to the permeating use of artificial intelligence and constantly advancing NLP (Natural Language Progressing) capabilities, voice will become an enabler across the entire user journey.
From online to offline with experiential retail
Far from being dead, brick-and-mortar stores have returned with a significant rebound, but their nature is changing. Forced by evolving customer needs and the pandemic, retailers are now facing a big shift in the role of brick-and-mortar stores in the sales process.
We’re likely to see companies investing in driving the in-store experience as a point of differentiation and a place where the consumer can truly experience the brand.
To come back to their former glory, brick-and-mortar shops will have to adjust to the demands of modern, digitally-native customers. Customers, who are used to a certain level of CX, expect to receive the same shopping experience offline and online.
Companies can address their needs with experiential retail that goes beyond the traditional experiences commonly offered by the physical stores.
From digital installations and interactive displays to personalized consumer experience, retailers will use intelligent retail technology to drive engagement and loyalty — boosting their offline sales and evolving the role of brick-and-mortar stores.
A great example of such actions is the emerging brick-and-mortar store from Gymshark, which aims to create space for people to experience the brand and celebrate its community rather than just pop in for shopping. This is a model that is likely to see growth, despite the expenses that often come with setting up and managing physical stores.
Technological facilitators of a more sustainable retail
Customers are more and more aware of the way retail and consumerism affect the environment. According to research, 60% of consumers are willing to change their shopping habits to reduce the destructive environmental impact. This means customers are now looking closely into their shopping choices.
It’s no surprise that, buoyed by this consumer need for sustainability, retailers will look to increase their transparency and search for ways to work together on finding the best solutions to current problems.
One way to do so is by using AI/ML-powered technologies across their supply chains to reduce current and future waste. Introducing artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitoring and inventory processes can help retailers become much more sustainable and save money at the same time.
Another one includes introducing new business models such as the circular economy. As a growing number of consumers buy into the idea of recycling, reusing, repairing, renting, and reducing, companies will need to match their new habits to stay relevant.
Whether by choice or compulsion, retailers will need to find their way towards a more sustainable business.
Grab-and-go and contactless payments for the win
"In 2022, a trend in contactless and self-checkout will grow. Consumers will want an easy, quick checkout in their carts."
Digital Innovation Manager at Unilever
Self-checkout and contactless payment have been an undeniable success for commerce, especially given the unexpected emergence of COVID-19.
Yet, according to a report by Kinsley, 79% of consumers intend to continue or increase their usage of self-checkouts in retail even after the pandemic. Why? The answer is pretty simple.
Consumers appreciate the speed and ease of contactless checkouts and payments, which remind them of their user-friendly and smooth online experience. Learning from their experience with e-commerce, retailers will need to introduce similar solutions offline.
"Shorter queues at the checkout are one of the most significant advantages of contactless payment. Customers do not need to carry cash or be hassled with punching in PINs. Computer Vision cameras, weight sensors and AI will suffice to allow for speed, easiness and more freedom when shopping."
Digital Innovation Manager at Unilever
After the initial shock brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, many retailers have used 2021 to develop new strategies and re-engineer their business models to adapt to the changing circumstances.
Moving into 2022, companies will need to focus on addressing the rising needs for sustainability and seamless customer experience, especially within brick-and-mortar stores. Machine learning and artificial intelligence adaptation, VTOs, and experiential retail will become increasingly popular with customers who are looking for personalized and out-of-the-box solutions.
In the next year, less will be more. Consumers will expect contactless payments and a frictionless shopping experience, which will be followed by a rising number of companies using technologies such as grab-and-go.
All in all, to succeed in 2022 and beyond, businesses need to carefully follow the latest retail trends and cultural evolutions, learn which technologies to apply and how to do it the right way.


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Forward Air Solutions is preparing to occupy an 89,600-square-foot distribution facility at Port San Antonio’s industrial airport, Kelly Field, later this year.
The facility at the Texas airport, which can be accessed by truck and cargo aircraft, allows Forward Air Solutions, the Tennessee-based logistics subsidiary of Forward Air Corp., to store and consolidate consumer products to distribute as needed to its customers, including several retailers in the region.
“We are pleased to provide Forward Air Solutions with a great facility and a comprehensive platform to grow its business,” said Bruce E. Miller, president and CEO of Port San Antonio, in a written statement. “As our region continues to prosper, the port’s direct road, air and rail connections, along with our expertise in providing specialized buildings, are growing opportunities for logistics-based industries.”
“South Texas is a fast-growing market, and the strategic facility and comprehensive support provided by Port San Antonio will allow us to broaden our reach in one of the most dynamic communities in the country,” added Roger Gellis, senior vice president and general manager of Forward Air Solutions. “We expect our new location at Port San Antonio will allow us to increase the level of service to our customers and provide us the flexibility to quickly adapt to our customers’ changing needs.”


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Audi Q7 Diesel to come in the US in 2008
Audi AG expects to sell its diesel-powered Q7 cross/utility vehicle in the U.S. by 2008, the auto maker says.
This move represents an aggressive powertrain-development push for Audi, which already has committed to a Q7 hybrid-electric vehicle launch in the same timeframe.
Audi engineers are about two years away from nailing an execution of after-treatment technology that, in concert with low-sulfur diesel fuels, will enable the European Q7’s 3.0L V-6 diesel to meet stringent U.S. federal emissions standards and, more importantly, those in California.
We have decided to bring the diesel to the U.S. when we are fulfilling all emission regulations, Hatz says. Priority No.1 is the Q7.
The turbocharged diesel belongs to a new family of V-engines and features piezo injectors. It generates 230 hp and 369 lb.-ft. (500 Nm) of torque, which is available at 1,400 rpm.
The Q7 already has launched in Europe. Production for the North American market began last month. The CUV is built in Bratislava, Slovakia, alongside the Touareg and Cayenne. The Q7 starts at $49,900.


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Artificial Intelligence & Optimization
Optimization and Predictive Maintenance
Headlines about AI and machine learning may focus on consumer applications such as home helpers and self-driving cars, but the technology impacts the industrial world to a greater extent. Legacy business models in the utilities, oil and gas, and aerospace sectors no longer stand up to rapidly evolving markets driven by changing consumer expectations, increased digitization, predictive maintenance, and next-generation analytics. And as recent history has shown us, companies that are late to embrace these digital trends face imminent disruption.
To mitigate these market risks, industrial companies must leverage AI and machine learning to capitalize on emerging opportunities and pursue new revenue streams and profitability. In this regard, a 2018 report from McKinsey & Company found that 80% of extensive AI practitioners have better financial performance than their peers, while Accenture research shows that AI will drive profitability gains of up to 39% by 2035.
This improved financial position is key to maintaining technological leadership, competitive advantages and stability in dynamic market conditions.


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Veterans' Mobile Information Van at URock Oct. 31
Rockland — On Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Veterans' Affairs Mobile Information Van will be parked at University College at Rockland on Route 1 at the Breakwater Building. Staff from the Veterans Administration say the van ...
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With Canada’s unemployment rate holding near record lows, experts say an increased interest in unions among retail and service workers that began during the COVID-19 pandemic will continue — even as workers face an uphill battle against large, powerful employers.
The pandemic was a catalyst for many frontline workers, who union organizers say were spurred to fight for better pay and working conditions in sectors where unionization is uncommon.
“When we look at the overall landscape of how things have evolved in the retail and service sector over the last few years, it’s been an extremely challenging time for workers,” said Kim Novak, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1518, where a Sephora store unionized last year.
Since 2020, there have been union drives at major retailers including Starbucks, Cineplex, Indigo, Sephora and PetSmart. Just this Friday, workers at an Edmonton Starbucks voted to unionize with the United Steelworkers Union, joining peers in multiple Alberta and British Columbia municipalities.
When there aren’t as many would-be workers sitting on the sidelines, companies have fewer hiring choices. That tends to be good for unionization efforts as it puts workers in a better bargaining position, said Nicole Denier, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Alberta who researches work and labour markets in North America.
It makes workers less fearful about being fired for union activity, because they can find another job relatively quickly, said economist and labour expert Jim Stanford in an email.
“And once they form a union and start collective bargaining, a lower unemployment rate gives them a bit more bargaining power,” he said.
But Stanford said the deck is still stacked in favour of employers.
“It would be wishful thinking to imagine that a relatively tight labour market alone will somehow cause a sea change in union organizing trends,” he said.
Union organizers including Novak say they’re getting more interest from workers in sectors that for decades have seen low rates of unionization, including retail, food service and warehousing. Scott Lunny, Western Canadian director for the United Steelworkers, said there were more union applications in 2022 than 2021 in B.C.
But the increase in union interest described by organizers is not reflected in Statistics Canada data. Just 12.47 per cent of workers in retail were unionized in February 2023, not much changed from five years earlier. Even fewer workers are unionized in accommodation and food services, at less than six per cent, again almost the same as five years earlier.
Stanford said in an interview that it can take time for new union drives to show up in Statistics Canada numbers because data on unionized workplaces is generally based on collective agreements, which can take a significant amount of time to be cemented after a successful union drive.
This lag also gives companies time to try and weaken union support, said Stanford.
But it’s not the only barrier workers are facing, he said.
Currently, the unionized locations of these chain stores are vastly outnumbered by their non-unionized peers. For example, Starbucks had almost 950 company-operated stores open in Canada as of Oct 2, 2022, while Indigo had 173 stores as of April 2, 2022.
Because unionization is normally one physical workplace at a time, employees of chains are at a disadvantage, Lunny said, though some stores have been able to bargain as a unit with others in the same geographical area.
Stanford said one change that would make a big difference would be if workers could bargain in larger groups, similar to how construction workers are unionized by trade and geography instead of by individual workplaces.
Some change has already been underway. For example, in B.C. last year a single-step certification process was introduced that makes it easier and faster for workplaces to unionize, and the B.C. Labour Board in its annual report credits this change with an uptick in certification applications. In February, a fourth Starbucks store in B.C. joined the USW under this new process.
Novak thinks workers have garnered enough momentum to make a change over the longer term.
“This is the slow burn of how workers stand together,” she said. “It starts with these campaigns that don’t necessarily show a difference in the national percentages of unionization.”
She said she’s confident that as more workplaces unionize and workers across the country watch closely to see what comes of collective agreement, “we will see those percentages start to increase.”
And in the meantime, even a single collective agreement could end up benefiting workers across the country.
That’s what happened with the only unionized Sephora in North America, in Kamloops, B.C., where workers achieved a policy in their collective agreement that the retailer enacted nationwide.
Lunny believes there’s been a shift in how workers view their own value.
“They hear a lot of rhetoric and don’t see a lot of action,” he said.
Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press


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Codemasters have sent over a new video that – terrible puns aside – shows off the game’s damage system. Apart from the silly twirling camera angles it actually looks quite nice.
Codemasters stress the damage model is “work-in-progress” (although the game’s out next month) and showcases the Rampage mode, an eight racer battle in “gladiatorial automotive auditoriums.”
Look out for the Knock Out mode, too.
You can read our hands on with the game here.


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Find out how Rihanna celebrates her birthday.
29 years ago Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born. This year, the singer celebrated her birthday by previewing her makeup line for a hot second. Rihanna’s cosmetic line, under the name Fenty Beauty, is set to hit Sephora stores this fall and was reportedly previewed on a new Instagram account that has since been deleted. RiRi herself appeared on the feed, sharing her excitement for the collection. “As you guys may have heard already, I am working on creating a beauty line, Fenty Beauty, and I can’t wait for you guys to see what I’ve been working on,” she said in the clip.


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Transport startup EV Automotive has launched the new EC11 electric van range.
To complement the burgeoning last mile delivery sector, the Brisbane-based company announced it would enter the commercial fleet space as an EV van supplier at last week’s Brisbane Truck Show.
In partnership with Skywell Industries, a predominantly Electric Bus manufacturer, they have created products to enhance the Australian and New Zealand logistics industry and meet growing corporate sustainability initiatives.
With full volume ADR certification and compliance now approved, the EC11 E-CARGO is explicitly designed as an off the shelf solution.
As it features 12.3 cubic meters of cargo space and a 1.7 tonne payload, the van is suitable for the largest loads.
The ECARGO is joined in the lineup by the E-CREW minibus. With a 12-seat capacity, its particularly suited for on-demand operators such as pubs, clubs, NDIS providers, aged care and shuttle transfer industries.
Equipped with a 73.6 kWh battery, CCS Type 2 DC charging and a 22kw capacity AC onboard charger, the EC11 boasts a range of between 200-300km, contingent upon onboard load, giving it sufficient route coverage for daily use especially for companies that perform last mile deliveries within a fixed and limited radius.
EV Automotive claims the EC11 possesses 70kW of power with 350Nm of torque that develops into 100kW and 750Nm, nearly twice the output of a comparably sized diesel competitor.
“Over the past few years, there has been significant growth in the e-commerce industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has further escalated it, causing significant shifts in consumer buying behaviours and establishing online shopping as another new normal for all of us,” said Peter Benardos, EV Automotive General Manager Sales.
“As convenience, delivery speed, and efficiency continue to define customer experience, businesses researching the suitability of Electric Vehicles’ to carry out last mile operations has also increased. With convenience taking centre stage, so does the demand for fast, efficient, and consistent last-mile operations. EVs are ideally suited to the task. They are eco-friendly and offer significant cost-saving benefits to the logistic industry,” he said.
“The logistics industry relies heavily on transportation, which translates into excessive fuel consumption throughout the whole supply chain journey. Using EVs to carry out last-mile deliveries, supply chain enterprises can instantly reduce their fuel consumption significantly.
“EV’s also have fewer moving parts and consumables when compared to regular vehicles. Components such as spark plugs, oil filters, gaskets, fuel pumps, injectors and engine oil are items just not found on an EV. EV’s, therefore, offer a hassle-free maintenance program with a significantly reduced cost.”


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We've got bad news for anyone (still
) waiting on the new DirecTiVo
. The newly relaunched Gizmo Lovers
blog points out a FAQ page on DirecTV.com saying the box is still waiting for production approval, although it's "optimistic" the box will see a release in the 2011 calendar year. Even that rings hollow, however, as our friend Dave Zatz mentions on Twitter that he's heard it may not arrive until November at the earliest. It's been nearly three years since the new box was first announced
, anyone want to lay a wager down on whether the TiVo Premiere will get its second core enabled before we ever see a new TiVo for DirecTV released?


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What Fabulous Gifts Did Prince George Receive in 2014?
The little Prince made out like a king.
From sports equipment to the latest in toddler fashion, 18-month-old Prince George was showered with some 90 gifts from royals, dignitaries and friends around the world this past year.
A rocking horse, sheepskin boots and rugby gear were among the presents from officials and organizations his parents – Prince William and Kate – received during their three-week visit to New Zealand and Australia, according to a list of gifts given to members of the royal family during their overseas tours, which were released by the palace Wednesday.
In addition, the royal family was showered with 610 unofficial presents – including stuffed animals, colorful toys, pictures, clothes, and sports equipment – from euphoric fans.
As well as the publicly-seen gifts such as his first surfboard and skateboard, George received soccer balls, a rugby shirt, a cricket bat and a pair of sheepskin boots (from the Premier of New South Wales, Australia, according to the Palace).
He also got a rocking horse from the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales, when William and Kate toured an agricultural show on the outskirts of Sydney.
In Australia alone, Prince George received from members of the public: 121 items of clothing, 120 books, five textile items, one piece of stationary, 18 pieces of sporting equipment, one plaque, three pictures, seven photographs, four perishable items, one musical instrument, five ornaments, one piece of jewelery, nine household items, 219 games and toys, two DVDs, two coins and four CDs.
In New Zealand, he got 23 books, one coin, 17 items of clothing, one DVD, one piece of furniture, 30 games and toys, two household items, three ornaments, two perishable items, seven pieces of sporting equipment, three pieces of stationery and one textile item, according to the Palace, as well as a miniature Maltese cross from the President of Malta.
On one visit to Brisbane during their tour Down Under, young helpers were seen carrying away box after box of presents from members of an adoring public.
Kate, 33, who didn’t meet President Barack Obama was nevertheless the recipient of a basket of honey.
And it wasn’t just his parents receiving goods on his behalf. When his grandfather Prince Charles, 66, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 67, headed to Canada, they were handed about 25 gifts, including a leather flying jacket.
At 88, Queen Elizabeth II is still doing some traveling, and when she visited Normandy and Paris in June to mark the anniversary of D-Day, President Francois Hollande gave her a 15-piece Sevres porcelain tea set and a set of Hermes photograph albums of the Queen’s previous visits to France, presented in a leather case.
Among presents of hardback books, silver-framed photographs and commemorative items marking her visits to towns and cities, there is the listing of a large wooden coffee grinder from the ambassador of Jordan as well as a very practical one for a woman who has plenty of muddy boots heading into her country homes: a bristle brush boot scraper (from a school in Essex, just east of London).
On his travels, Prince Andrew, 54, received a model of a dow from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science, a model of a VW Beetle when he visited a car factory in Germany and a postal delivery of some mangoes from the President of Pakistan.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent him a copy of her book Hard Choices, and on a visit in the U.K. he was handed a CD by the rock band Arctic Monkeys.
And, in the run-up to Christmas, he was sent a platter of dates by Saudi Arabian Ambassador Mohammed bin Nawaf Al-Saud.


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GiftBlooms now offers Birthday Cake Delivery in Boston Area
Boston, MA (PRWEB) October 18, 2013
Giftsblooms has been in business for long offering delivery services of birthday balloons boston and brithday flowers and now they have announced birthday cake delivery in Boston. City of Red Sox will now receive option for next day cake delivery.
In recent news, GiftBlooms has received massive ratings and efficient same day delivery policy is not the only aspect that has made Giftsblooms receive massive ratings. According to a recently concluded survey conducted by event planners, the famous soft scrumptious cakes that are hard to resist can now be delivered in all major cities including boston also been a major contributing factor.
For many parents who have worked with Giftsblooms before, one thing that stands out is the ability of the company to offer an array of perfumes, cologne, stuffed animals among other thoughtful items to create events that create lasting memories.
The news today will spark some major radical reactions from competitors looking to cement their position in as far as offering cakes for delivery services are concerned. Al eyes will thus shift focus to see whether Giftsblooms will maintain the tremendous status. For more details on how to send birthday cake, feel free to visit Giftsblooms.


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More Hot Air From MannKind
This morning according to an article posted on the Barron’s web site Lilly (NYSE:LLY) is getting ready to acquire MannKind (NASDAQ:MNKD) for $12.50 per share, which is almost double where the stock is trading today. If the rumors are true, and Diabetic Investor does not believe they are, this would mean that Lilly would pay over a billion dollars for a company that does not yet have a product approved for sale.
Skipping for the moment the many issues surrounding MannKind, Lilly just isn’t known for acquiring any company without first partnering with them. Granted Lilly’s insulin franchise isn’t doing all that well but Diabetic Investor does not see MannKind as the answer, especially when you consider the company is already partnered with Amylin (NASDAQ:AMLN) and Alkermes (NASDAQ:ALKS) and will soon have the most promising new diabetes drug on the market, as Bydureon the once-weekly GLP-1 PUDFA date is fast approaching. Given the potential of Bydureon it makes no sense that Lilly would waste valuable resources just as Bydureon is coming to market.
However this is the diabetes world where wacky things are known to happen and this would be one of the wackiest ever.
A more likely scenario is that MannKind leaked this “rumor” hoping it would do exactly what it is doing; driving their shares higher. Keep in mind that MannKind has a history of over-promising and under-delivering. As Diabetic Investor has reported in the past, a conference call doesn’t go by without the company hyping their many discussions with possible partners, but just like the boy who cried wolf no partnerships have materialized.
Looking at the insulin market, currently dominated by Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:SNY) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) and the checkered history of inhaled insulin (can you say Exubera) paying nearly $1.5 billion for an unapproved, unproven product isn’t just wacky, it’s completely crazy. Even if Lilly executives have lost all sense of reality, which is what would need to happen to make this happen, the acquisition price is just the beginning of a sinkhole, as the company would have to invest millions more just to market the product. As Diabetic Investor has noted on several occasions, inhaled insulin is nothing more than a niche product and sales, if the product ever gets here, will likely be in the millions not billions.
Not sure which business school the executives at Lilly went to but even undergrads understand that it’s not exactly good business to invest billions to get back millions. Or as one diabetes executive said “The surest way to get to a small fortune is to start with a big one.”
Looking at the Al Mann, the founder of MannKind, and his history of being able to sell ice cubes to Eskimos (just ask the executives at Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) who paid over $4 billion for MiniMed) nothing is outside the realm of possibility. We know Mr. Mann is huge believer in his product as he promotes it every chance he gets with the zest only a true believer can. It’s easy to understand how investors can be duped into investing in his company as the way he tells it; his product will revolutionize diabetes management.
Given that Diabetic Investor lives in the real world and not fantasy land, we would say this “rumor” is just another attempt by MannKind to pump (pun intended) up the company’s share price.


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Cybercrime isn’t just a plot device of the latest blockbuster or hit tv show. The FBI has teams and divisions across the country dedicated solely to investigating and stopping all sorts of cyber intrusions in the public and private sector. Unfortunately, it’s clear that the threats and attacks are going to keep coming, and your building automation systems (BAS) aren’t immune to the threat. Cyber criminals WILL find the security holes in your BAS. It’s simply a matter of time.
40 million – The number of credit and debit card numbers thieves stole from Target between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, 2013.
70 million – The number of records stolen that included the name, address, email address and phone number of Target shoppers in that same data breech.
0 – The number of people in Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or Chief Security Officer (CSO) jobs at Target (according to the AP).
When you look at these numbers from the Target security breach, you probably pay no mind to them. But what you should know is, the cyber criminals accessed Target’s network through a building automation system control that you probably have in your very building. What if I told you tech giant Google was hacked through their building automation system as well? Two security researchers recently found that they could easily hack the building management system for the corporate giant's Wharf 7 Office overlooking the water in the Pyrmont section of Sydney, Australia.
Cyber Criminals are increasing in numbers and unfortunately our security measures aren’t keeping pace. The total cost of cybercrime is expected to hit $6 trillion by 2021. This would make it the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history, becoming more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal drugs. But even with the evolution of technology, humans have now become the top target for cyber criminals, ahead of machines. Just over 51% of the world’s population currently uses the Internet, and this is expected to increase to 75% by 2022 and 90% by 2030. Just take a look at this list of data breaches reported since 2010.
Health Care Systems Are Under Threat
What’s even scarier is the number of hospitals that are now coming under fire. According to a report from HealthcareInfoSecurity the Department of Health and Human Services’ HIPPA breach portal have recorded 229 data breaches affecting 6.1 million individuals since the start of 2018. From that same source, here are the top 5 security breaches reported this past year alone:
1. West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health: 1,421,107 individuals affected in a hacking/IT incident
2. California Department of Developmental Services: 582,174 individuals affected in a theft incident
3. Bartlett, Tenn.-based MSK Group: 566,236 individuals affected in a hacking/IT incident
4. Baltimore-based LifeBridge Health: 538,127 individuals affected in a hacking/IT incident
5. SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital-Jefferson City (Mo.): 301,000 individuals affected in an improper disposal incident
Every once in a while, it’s out-of-date hardware that leaves your building automation system vulnerable, but more often than not, it comes down to human error. Someone may have a password written on a sticky note with login credentials in an unsecured location, or they may fail to logout of their system. I cannot overstate how important it is to have the BAS team trained and up to speed on how to keep your system more secure. Stay tuned for part two of this post where I’ll share some detail on how to ensure your BAS controls are secure.


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The EV will feature lithium ion batteries which will provide power to four in-wheel motors.
New details have emerged about Toyota's upcoming iQ-based battery electric vehicle.
Essentially previewed by the FT-EV Concept which debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the production EV is expected to be launched in 2010 with unique styling.
Although information is scarce, the EV will feature lithium ion batteries which will provide power to four in-wheel motors. This should enable the car to travel up to 150km (93 miles) on a full charge. Toyota estimates that recharging should take about eight hours, but the exact time will depend on a number of variables.
Overall, the Toyota IQ EV sounds similar to Nissan's upcoming EV which will also be launched in 2010. However, the Nissan boasts a slight advantage as its range is expected to be 160km (99.4 miles).


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Trophy Room and Jordan Brand have a new collaboration releasing this week.
Trophy Room, the sneaker store that’s owned and operated by NBA legend Michael Jordan’s youngest son, Marcus, shared the launch details for its latest project on Instagram. The drop includes the Air Jordan 1 High “Freeze Out” style, as well as a matching apparel collection, which is arriving this week.
According to Trophy Room, the inspiration behind this project revolves around a moment during MJ’s rookie season where he was selected to play in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game. During the game, several players on his team reportedly decided to freeze him out. Jordan went on to score just 7 points on 2-of-9 shooting, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 2 assists in 22 minutes of play.
The sneaker collab wears the iconic “Chicago” color scheme featuring a white-based leather upper that’s paired with red overlays featuring a shimmering effect, while black accents including on the Swoosh and ankle collar add to the look. Additional details include Jordan’s signature on the heel counter, a white midsole and a translucent outsole. Also included in the capsule is a matching hoodie, shorts and a T-shirt.
According to the Instagram post, the online raffle for the Trophy Room x Air Jordan 1 “Freeze Out” collab along with the apparel will go live on Feb. 10 at Trophyroomstore.com. Fans will be able to register from 10 a.m. ET to 11:30 a.m. ET with winners to be announced by 5:23 ET. The shoe will come with a $190 price tag while the T-shirt, shorts and hoodie will retail for $50, $75 and $120, respectively.