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To kick off its first branding campaign, Astoria Federal Savings & Loan Association had to learn what customers thought about the fast-growing bank. Interviews revealed that account holders, many of whom were new to the bank, knew the names of their branch managers and felt they received excellent personal service from the employees.
But the surveys also showed something disturbing. When asked the name of their financial institution, some customers had to turn around to look at the sign above the branch.
"They weren't making a strong connection between their experience with the employees and the brand name," says Brian T. Edwards, marketing director at Astoria, which recently became the area's largest thrift.
This pattern reinforced the need for branding at the Lake Success, L.I.-based thrift. Astoria and many of its peers are revamping their marketing departments, hiring experts charged with creating identities for the staid institutions. Even some larger banks, such as Chase Manhattan Bank and J.P. Morgan, are feeling the need for new image campaigns.
Branding is becoming an increasingly important part of keeping and attracting customers as bank mergers dilute customers' familiarity with institutions. Banks are also venturing into unfamiliar territory as they buy their rivals, enter new regions and launch services such as investments and insurance. And with financial services becoming a wide-open game, banks are finding themselves competing with other institutions -- such as Merrill Lynch and Charles Schwab -- that are image-building veterans with blockbuster advertising budgets.
"Banks have personalities and cultures," says corporate branding specialist Alan Siegel, chief executive of Siegel & Gale in Manhattan. "They have to determine what theirs is and communicate it intelligently to the public."
Most banks have never been good at branding, experts say. These institutions have retained customers and attracted new ones by having branches in convenient places and offering good rates. So bankers have spent much more time and money on securing good locations and advertising their products.
Now they are learning that developing a personality means they have to rethink how to allocate funds. In the first five months of 1999, banks spent a total of $5.3 million on image-building advertisements in the metro area, 24% of their total ad budgets. This is up from only $943,000, or 4% or the total, in the year-earlier period, according to Competitrack.
Banks could face many crises as they craft identities, however. They need to be patient, since breaking through the financial services clutter isn't easy and creating a brand can take years. That means institutions need to break the habit of switching ads frequently and instead stick with a single theme.
"No one has any consistency," says James Gregory, chief executive of Corporate Branding in Stamford, Conn. "Good campaigns don't stay out there very long."
Marine Midland Bank is one New York institution trying to remedy a split personality. The company, well known in the area, recently assumed the name of its parent corporation, HSBC. Now it must familiarize New Yorkers with a name that many find alien, and at the same time try to bring newly acquired Republic Bank of New York into the fold.
To build recognition of what will be the second-largest branch network in the city, HSBC has launched an advertising blitz in the media and in its branches.
The campaign, which includes full-page newspaper ads and television spots, stresses that only the bank's name was changed while its employees remain the same. The ads use simple slogans, such as "Fewer Letters, More Bank," in an effort to raise the visibility of the name. HSBC plans to run the campaign through at least the end of the year.
Advertising is also the most obvious and far-reaching way for a well-established bank to craft a brand. Astoria, for instance, has launched its first-ever broadcast television campaign. This, coupled with print ads in local newspapers, is expected to more than double the institution's advertising spending to at least $4 million.
Using the slogan "Putting People First," Astoria's ads feature real customers talking about their lives. The bank dismissed its agency of 18 years, Greenstone Roberts Advertising in Melville, L.I., and put its new image in the hands of Manhattan-based Brouillard Communications, which has extensive financial services expertise.
Entering the big time
Astoria needs to boost its advertising because it has made three major acquisitions in the past five years. It now commands the second-largest market share of deposits for greater Long Island, yet two-thirds of its 700,000 customers are new to the institution.
Branding, however, needs to be more than advertising. "You have to get the employees on one page so they can voice the message of the brand," says Anthony Morris, marketing director for Atlantic Bank of New York, a $1.4 billion-asset institution in the midst of a branding campaign.
The Manhattan-based bank, which has roots in the local Greek community, is encouraging its employees to reach out to new clients by joining and speaking before trade associations and by networking with referral sources, such as attorneys and developers.
Though branding can be difficult and expensive, some banks have showed that it pays off. For example, European American Bank two years ago launched a campaign to raise its profile, particularly in New York City, which is home to only 25 of its 91 branches.
The Uniondale, L.I.-based institution boosted its ad budget by 20% to $10 million and spent $1.6 million to redo its branches under the tag line "There's a Reason People Bank Here."
Last year, the bank saw a 15% increase in the number of new accounts and a 10% rise in cross-selling products to older ones.
"You plan the brand and the feeling of what the bank is all about," says Mark B. Anderson, executive vice president at EAB. "Then you go to the next step and be a little more specific about how banking with us is better than banking with someone else."


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The head of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Executive Director Keith Bell, has resigned.
Bell’s decision comes just as grocery stores throughout the state are prepping to sell wine.
State Senator Bill Ketron (R – Murfreesboro) told News 2 he is “shocked” at the news and concerned about the timing.
“I’m concerned that there’s not going to be enough trained staff members to handle the growing demand,” said Ketron.
When the so-called wine in grocery stores bill was passed in 2014, lawmakers made room in the budget for increased staffing at the ABC.
The department asked for money to hire 33 people needed to process the pile of new applications for licenses to sell wine.
But Ketron said only a fraction of those positions have been filled.
“As of two weeks ago, he had only hired one,” Ketron said.
Roughly 500 stores in Tennessee are applying to start selling wine on July 1.
Bell’s sudden resignation and the lack of enough staff could mean a backlog of applications, which means some stores may have to wait to sell wine.
“So I’ve got some concern that some retail places are going to fall through the cracks and everybody is going to be screaming come July 1,” said Ketron.
A bill that would allow stores to start ordering wine and pre-stocking shelves before July 1 has cleared the Tennessee Senate and is moving through the House.
Ketron said if that bill isn’t approved, it could be October before some grocery stores start selling wine.

domain: news


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Samsung Patent Details User Interface of a Potential Foldable Phone
For some years now, we have been hearing that foldable phones will be launched in the future. In 2009, Samsung demoed a flexible AMOLED display, but it was extremely bulky and the resolution was low. Since then, the company has confirmed that it is interested in the foldable phone space, but until this year, we have not see any phone foldable phone launch in the market as the technical difficulties to make a foldable phone are immense. In October, we finally saw a foldable phone launch in the form of the ZTE Axon M, a dual-screen device which is now available from AT&T in the US.
The Axon M is in fact a surprisingly well-designed foldable phone, with genuinely innovative use cases. It is clear, though, that the time is not ripe yet for dual-screen phones in general. However, this hasn’t deterred Samsung from researching foldable phones and their user interface.
New reports from GalaxyClub and GSMArena point towards a patent application which was filed by Samsung in South Korea back in early 2016. The patent was named ‘Electronic Device Comprising Multiple Display and Method for Controlling Thereof‘. It details the software side of how a potential foldable phone launched by the company could work. As the patent was filed last year, the user interface matches Samsung’s smartphone user interface of that time.
The device with this interface can be used in both portrait and landscape mode. This enables different usage scenarios for the device, and it allows for different ways to display the interface.
In the images, we can see a smartphone user interface with a main screen and a secondary screen. The dual screens can act as a physical split-screen, and both screens have the recent apps switcher. It is possible to use the split-screen feature even on a single display, so that an increased number of applications are open at the same time.
There is another screen mode which will have the apps or games drawing different parts of their interface on each screen. The ZTE Axon M operates in the same manner (in fact, it has three separate screen modes, which we have detailed here).
According to GSMArena, Samsung has thought of even more use cases for the second screen when the phone is folded. For example, when users are reading an e-book, the second screen could show the cover of the book in order to get an experience similar to books.
It is still unknown whether this user interface patent will actually develop into a foldable phone, as many patents filed in the past did not necessarily end up into being smartphones. However, this does show that Samsung has been working on a foldable dual-screen smartphone, even if it is currently unknown when the device will be launched. Regardless, we are waiting to see if dual-screen smartphones end up being more than just a fad in the world of smartphone trends.


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How the Dow Jones industrial average did Tuesday
The Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 index edged lower on Tuesday as investors picked over another round of earnings reports from companies including electronics retailer Best Buy and Campbell Soup.
Best Buy slumped after it warned of a challenging holiday season ahead. Campbell Soup fell after reporting that its quarterly profit plunged 30 percent as sales of soup and its V8 beverages fell.
The Dow dropped 8.99 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 15,967.03.
The S&P 500 index fell 3.66 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,787.87.
The Nasdaq composite declined 17.51 points, or 0.4 percent, to 3,931.55.
For the week:
The Dow rose 5.33 points, or 0.03 percent.
The S&P 500 index fell 10.31 points, or 0.6 percent.
The Nasdaq composite declined 54.42 points, or 1.4 percent.
For the year:
The Dow is up 2,862.89 points, or 21.9 percent.
The S&P 500 is up 361.68 points, or 25.4 percent.
The Nasdaq is up 912.04 points, or 30.2 percent.


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New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) Fearing further appreciation of the rupee to Rs.38 to a dollar by December, Indian exporters Monday asked the government to implement the relief package announced last year and ease the service tax burden on them.
Monday, October 01, 2007 5:14:39 PM
New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) India not only accounts for three out of five top established global destinations for outsourcing but also has the most number of emerging cities in the area, says a study released Monday.
Monday, October 01, 2007 4:24:47 PM
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (IANS) Technopark, India's biggest IT park, has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Shenyang Information Industry Bureau (SIIB) of China.
Monday, October 01, 2007 3:35:09 PM
Ahmedabad, Oct 1 (IANS) Surat-based Sardar Vallabhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) is holding an entrepreneurship festival called Entru-meet aimed at encouraging students to turn into entrepreneurs.
Monday, October 01, 2007 3:34:40 PM
Attari (Punjab), Oct 1 (IANS) Ishwinder Singh may have been driving trucks for over a decade without being noticed. But when he folded his hands Monday and wished goodbye while sporting a bright yellow jacket saying 'Driver India', he knew he was creating history at the international border between India and Pakistan.
Monday, October 01, 2007 1:19:42 PM
Kulu (Himachal Pradesh), Oct 1 (IANS) National carrier Air India has started flights from Delhi to Kulu four times a week.
Monday, October 01, 2007 12:57:50 PM
Attari (Punjab), Oct 1 (IANS) An Indian truck full of tomatoes entered Pakistan Monday -- for the first time in 60 years -- from this international border near Amritsar.
Monday, October 01, 2007 11:01:56 AM
Jaipur, Oct 1 (IANS) Tourists in Rajasthan can now rent motorcycles to visit their favourite holiday destinations. It is a novel scheme modelled on one that has proved a huge success in Goa.
Monday, October 01, 2007 8:04:04 AM
Canacona (Goa), Oct 1 (IANS) What does the glamour brand of bras and sexy lingerie called Victoria's Secret have in common with a starving child in South Asia? Well, a lot more than you think.
Monday, October 01, 2007 7:41:51 AM
New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) After the huge prize money announced for the Indian cricket team by the cricket board and different state governments, now several companies are trying to get the stars to endorse their products. Bowler R.P. Singh has been signed on to endorse water purifiers.
Saturday, September 29, 2007 9:41:11 PM
News Business Articles Index


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Van Gogh Alive, the world’s most popular immersive, multi-sensory experience that’s welcomed 8.5 million visitors in 80 cities around the world, is coming to Brighton this spring. An interactive event that uses high-definition projections and various immersive installations to showcase the life and work of the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, the exhibition’s Brighton run will include never seen before additions.
After sell-out runs in UK cities including Edinburgh, Manchester, London and Birmingham, Van Gogh Alive, created and produced by Grande Experiences, promises to be one of the highlights of the south coast’s cultural calendar next year.
Opening in spring 2023 for a limited period of three months, the show’s exact location in Brighton will be announced on 25th January when tickets go on sale.
Reviewed by The Sunday Times as: “Glorious, stunning, but also very moving”, Van Gogh Alive allows visitors to experience the life and works of the seminal Dutch artist like never before. Condé Nast recently said: “Van Gogh Alive completely breaks with the traditional museum concept and introduces us fully into the painter’s universe.”
Life-sized installations including Van Gogh’s ‘Bedroom of Arles’ painting and an immersive mirrored sunflower room make this a truly unique, engaging experience. State-of-the-art SENSORY4™ technology will project a kaleidoscope of 3,000 images on life-animating floors and walls of iconic works like ‘Sunflowers’. All visuals are set to a surround sound classical score, combining sound and visuals for a cinematic experience suitable for all ages.
Brighton visitors will also be the first to experience a brand new ‘Starry Night’ installation as the exhibition expands its offering. There will also be a dedicated artist studio that invites people to replicate Van Gogh’s artistic style.
Reduced price early bird tickets are available from 25th January to those who have registered, until the pre-sale window closes on 31st January. Registered users will also be the first to learn of the secret venue announcement. Adult tickets start from £22, with concession tickets from £17 and free entry for under-fives and essential companions. Register now at https://vangoghaliveuk.com/brighton/register/
Bruce Peterson, Founder & CEO of Grande Experiences, said: “Van Gogh Alive has captivated audiences around the world, from Sydney to Rome, and our tour in the UK has been a huge success. Brighton’s strong artistic roots and its immense creative talent make it the perfect location for its next installment. Watch this space for news of the venue and opening dates. We’ll see you soon Brighton!”
Howard Barden, Head of Tourism & Venues for Brighton & Hove City Council adds: “We’re delighted that Brighton & Hove has been chosen to host the Van Gogh Alive experience which promises to give visitors a state-of-the-art immersive experience. Brighton is home to world-beating digital technology so it’s fitting that this ground-breaking marriage of technology and art is showcased in the city, providing yet another reason why you should visit Brighton.”


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updated 11:55 am EDT, Wed October 27, 2010
PandaBoard for developers now shipping for $174
The PandaBoard development tool for mobile app developers is now shipping. The mainboard sports a dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP4 processor and 1GB of RAM, along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1. It will help devs create OMAP4-compatible apps for Android, Angstrom, Chrome, MeeGo and Ubuntu-based devices.
It supports 1080p, 30fps video output thanks to an HDMI port, letting users view their in-progress apps on the big screen. A DVI-D connector allows for simultaneous dual-display output. The mainboard can be ordered now and shipped worldwide for $174.


text: The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), has proposed a regulation to clear coffee of its toxic stigma. The decision follows a review of more than 1000 studies published by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that found “inadequate evidence” that drinking coffee causes cancer. On 15 June, the OEHHA, the lead state agency that implements Proposition 65, gave notice that it wishes to add a new section to Article 7 of Title 27 of the California Code of Regulations, section 25704. “The proposed regulation would state that drinking coffee does not pose a significant cancer risk, despite the presence of chemicals created during the roasting and brewing process that are listed under Proposition 65 as known carcinogens,” the agency said in a statement. “The proposed regulation is based on extensive scientific evidence that drinking coffee has not been shown to increase the risk of cancer and may reduce the risk of some types of cancer.” The proposed regulation would clarify this determination. The state agency implements a law passed by voters in 1986 that requires “clear and reasonable warnings” of about 900 chemicals known to cause cancer and birth defects. One of those chemicals is acrylamide, a byproduct of coffee roasting and brewing. A public hearing will be held on 16 August at the California Environmental Protection Agency Building in Sacramento, California, inviting anyone to make comments orally or in writing on the proposed action. If the regulation is adopted, coffee packaging sold in California won’t be required to display cancer warning signs. Last month, Judge Elihu Berle found that Starbucks and other coffee roasters and retailers had failed to show that benefits from drinking coffee outweighed any cancer risks. The state's action rejects that ruling. The lawsuit against Starbucks and 90 companies was brought under a law that allows private citizens, advocacy groups and attorneys to sue on behalf of the state and collect a portion of civil penalties for failure to provide warnings.


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Walkers’ premium crisp brand Red Sky has lost nearly all its supermarket listings.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda have all stopped selling Red Sky crisps over the past six months, while Waitrose has delisted four products, taking the number of Red Sky lines it sells to just three.
Red Sky was launched in 2009 as a standalone brand with no Walkers branding. Aimed at the premium end of the market, the crisps went on sale at a higher rrp point than even market leader Kettle Chips - despite the fact that it was not a hand-cooked crisp.
But while Red Sky quickly established excellent levels of distribution, sales of the crisps were disappointing, said industry insiders.
“It’s the only real cock-up that Walkers have made,” said one insider. “They thought they could take a normal crisp, put it in a nice bag, take out all reference to Walkers and sell it at a premium. But you can’t fool consumers that easily. If it wasn’t a Walkers brand, Red Sky would have been out much earlier.”
Another source said: “Walkers tried to create a niche-looking crisp brand, but consumers saw through the fact it didn’t have the heritage or quality of alternative products like Kettle Chips, Tyrrells and Burt’s Chips.”
The delistings have eaten into sales of Red Sky. Over the past year, the brand’s sales have slumped 56.5% to £3.1m [Nielsen 52 w/e 7 September], while the total bagged snacks market is up 5.3%.
Walkers declined to comment on the brand’s performance.


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Software giant Microsoft has published “more answers” about the status of its first update to its Windows Phone 7 software update, claiming that 90 percent of users who received an update notification were able to install the new software without any problems. In Microsoft’s estimation, then, 10 percent of users who received an update notice did have problems with the software—and that leaves aside an unknown number of users who have not received an update notice because Microsoft yanked the update for their devices.
A ten percent failure rate would seem to be considerably higher than the “small number of phones” Microsoft originally acknowledged were having issues installing the update. Microsoft introduced its first Windows Phone 7 update yesterday, and was immediately deluged with reports that the new software was rendering Samsung’s Omnia 7 devices inoperable. Microsoft then withdrew the update for Samsung devices.
Among the 10 percent of people who had problems, Microsoft says almost half of them had problems for reasons unrelated to their phone devices: poor Internet connectivity, or lack of storage space on their computer. Again, doing the math, that means more than half the failures were not caused by poor connectivity or insufficient storage.
Unlike many mobile operating system updates, Windows Phone 7 devices must be updated by tethering the phones to a PC, downloading the update to the PC, and updating the phone using either Microsoft’s Zune software (for Windows) or Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac. No over-the-air updates are available.
Although Microsoft claims “the engineering team here was prepared,” the company claims few large-scale software updates ever go smoothly, and they intend to learn from the experience and improving the process for future updates. However, the update gaffe comes at a difficult time for the Windows Phone 7 platform, which is facing strong industry skepticism that—even with Nokia on board as a powerful OEM—it can build momentum to compete with the likes of Apple’s iOS, Android, and RIM’s BlackBerry platform.
- I reviewed 20 phones in 2023. These are my 5 favorites
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ with Type Cover price slashed by $330
- The best Android phones in 2023: the 16 best ones you can buy
- Best Google Pixel 7 Pro deals: Get one of the best phones for free
- Best Google Pixel 7a deals: Get Google’s budget phone for free


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Former national security adviser John Bolton’s book is set to come out later this month.
Bolton’s “The Room Where It Happened” hits shelves on June 23, 2020 and is sure to be a best seller, if President Trump and government allows it to come out. The book has already been delayed several months as the government was supposedly reviewing it.
However, Trump threatened Bolton with “criminal problems,” if the book comes out. The president also said that he actually considers every single conversation with him to be “highly classified.” Uh…..I’m not sure that’s how that works.
Whatever the case, it appears that Trump really does not want people to read this book, a manuscript that Trump admits he hasn’t read himself.


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LEVERKUSEN, Germany/SAN DIEGO — Material manufacturer Covestro and biotechnology pioneer Genomatica have teamed up to successfully produce significant volumes of a plant-based version of the chemical raw material HMDA (hexamethylenediamine).
HMDA, with a worldwide market of 2 million tons per year, is a key ingredient for a widely-used type of nylon (nylon-6,6), as well as an important component for raw materials for coatings and adhesives from Covestro. Up to now, HMDA has been manufactured from fossil feedstocks. Coatings and adhesives can be produced more sustainably thanks to bio-based HMDA, made from renewable feedstocks. Areas of application include automotive, construction, furniture, textiles and fibers.
Teams from Genomatica and Covestro have been working together to develop a commercial process technology for bio-based HMDA. The companies expect to produce ton-quantities of material over the course of multiple production campaigns. Both partners are already processing and testing material from their initial production campaigns, and they report that the resulting bio-HMDA is of high purity and quality. The companies plan to advance the program to full commercial scale, and Covestro has secured an option from Genomatica to license the resulting integrated GENO HMDTM process technology for commercial production.
Genomatica develops widely used ingredients and materials using biotechnology and renewable, plant-based feedstocks rather than fossil feedstocks. Covestro brings extensive know-how in the field of research, chemical process technology and application development. The cooperation for the development of alternative raw materials based on biotechnology advances Covestro’s global program to achieve the circular economy.
"The increased use of alternative raw materials, including the utilization of biotechnology, is an important pillar of our approach to fully embrace the circular economy and help make it a global guiding principle," said Covestro CEO Markus Steilemann, Ph.D. "Our program with Genomatica, which complements our internal R&D, is one of our largest external funding of biotechnology R&D to date, and underscores both the field’s importance to Covestro and the results it can deliver."
"This program is of great importance to us, because markets are increasingly asking for more environmentally friendly products based on renewable raw materials, which are just as powerful as their fossil-based alternatives," said Thorsten Dreier, Ph.D., global head of the Covestro business entity Coatings & Adhesives. "We can reduce this dependence on fossil feedstocks with innovative technology and our partnership. With a purely plant-based HMDA, we can significantly advance our corporate objective of CO2-neutral production."
"Genomatica is committed to delivering a portfolio of sustainable materials that can help any brand reduce the carbon footprint of its products while maintaining the performance customers count on," said Christophe Schilling, Genomatica CEO. “Covestro is a valued partner that is leading the way in improving the environmental impact of many of today’s most prevalent materials. Together, we are taking an important step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for a broad range of products we use in daily life.”


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, the Tata-owned consumer electronics
and smartphone retailer which owns the Croma
chain, registered a 5% increase in total income in 2020-21 to Rs 5,449 crore, while its net loss was lower by 1% at Rs 201 crore, the company's regulatory disclosures show.
The company's sales grew despite the pandemic-led lockdowns and restricted store operating hours. Two industry executives attributed this to high demand for smartphones, laptops and appliances as the intermittent lockdowns continued till the Diwali quarter. All leading electronics companies, including LG
, HP, Lenovo, Xiaomi
, Apple and Realme had posted their best-ever sales during the Diwali festival.
Croma's FY21 earning from online sales was 350% higher than the previous year's.
In the disclosures made to the Registrar of Companies, Croma said it launched a record number of stores last fiscal, driven by the shift from unorganised to organised retailing, which was bolstered by development of the digital economy.
Infiniti Retail's chief marketing officer Ritesh Ghosal
had told ET in April that the company opened 32 new stores in FY21, taking the total count to 193, and another 90 stores were planned for opening in FY22.
As per RoC filings, analysed by business intelligence firm AltInfo, Infiniti Retail did not raise capital from the parent group last fiscal. In April this year, it raised Rs 250 crore.
"The limited infusion of capital in the company last year has impacted growth rate, but the company has shown tremendous growth in managing its expenses and is almost on the verge of profitability," said AltInfo founder Mohit Yadav.
He said Infiniti's net loss has remained at the same level for two years despite increasing revenue, which indicates an attempt is being made to turn the entire operation sustainable.


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Small Business Owner Sues Google & Others Over ‘Android’ Name
An Illinois small business owner is suing Google and 46 other companies because he says they’re infringing on his business name: Android Data. Forbes reports that the lawsuit was filed Tuesday, and seeks almost $100 million in damages from Google and all other companies in the Open Handset Alliance, which includes T-Mobile, Motorola, Toshiba, Sprint Nextel, Qualcomm, and others.
Erich Specht formed Android Data in 1998, and had the name trademarked in 2002. His attorney, Martin Murphy, gave this statement to Forbes:
“Basically, it’s a stolen name. It’s our trademark, and Google is using it as if it’s theirs.”
Forbes reports that the US Patent and Trademark Office granted Specht’s trademark in 2002, then rejected Google’s trademark application in 2008 because it was too similar to Specht’s.
Specht apparently doesn’t have a web site, but this company profile page describes the business as “Computer Processing and Data Preparation and Processing Services.” Google has previously questioned whether Specht’s company is still active, but the PTO continued to reject Google’s appeals of the trademark ruling.
A Google spokesperson tells Forbes that the company believes Specht’s claims have no merit and Google “will defend vigorously against them.”
Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


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McDonald’s downplays Corbyn-backed workers’ strike over pay and conditions
Staff at the chain’s branches in Cambridge and Crayford, south-east London voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action amid concerns over the use of zero-hour contracts. As well as demanding more secure working patterns, the striking workers want to be paid a wage of at least £10 an hour.
About 40 staff in total protested outside both restaurants from around 5am. Members of trade unions joined early-morning picket lines, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn offered his backing.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said in a statement: “We can confirm that, following a ballot process, the BFAWU [The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union] has indicated that a small number of our people representing less than 0.01 per cent of our workforce are intending to strike in two of our 1,270 UK restaurants.
“As per the terms of the ballot, the dispute is solely related to our internal grievances procedures and not concerning pay or contracts.”
The BFAWU said the decision to strike was taken after McDonald’s missed “countless opportunities to resolve grievances.”
“We, at the BFAWU, fully support the historic decision by these brave McDonald’s workers to stand up and fight back against McDonald’s - a company that has let them down too many times,” Ian Hodson, national president of the BFAWU, said in a statement.
“McDonald’s has had countless opportunities to resolve grievances by offering workers a fair wage and acceptable working conditions.”
Minimum wage 2017— Hungry for Justice (@FastfoodRights) September 2, 2017
Under 18 £4.05
We work hard
We deserve better. #McStrike
Although McDonald’s announced in April that all 115,000 UK staff would be offered a fixed-hours contract by the end of the year, it said 86 per cent of workers had chosen to stay on flexible contracts. The fast-food chain is one of the biggest users of zero-hour contracts in Britain.
Corbyn has spoken out in support of the strike, saying in a statement: “Our party offers support and solidarity to the brave McDonald’s workers, who are making history today.
“They are standing up for workers’ rights by leading the first ever strike at McDonald’s in the UK. Their demands - an end to zero hour contracts by the end of the year, union recognition and a £10 per hour minimum wage - are just, and should be met.”
Union and Labour party members also staged a protest outside the company’s headquarters in East Finchley, London, on Saturday.


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Deloitte Study Finds Consumers Are More Interested in EVs, Not Self-Driving Cars
【Summary】Deloitte’s 2020 Global Automotive Consumer Study finds American consumers are willing to consider an electric vehicle more than ever, but the majority of them aren’t interested in spending more money for autonomous technology.
On a global scale, automakers are looking toward electric vehicles. The goal for going down the electrified route is to meet more stringent emission standards and tighter regulations. Autonomous technology is another rabbit hole that a lot of automakers are shifting toward. So far, neither of these two technologies have really taken off. However, that might change down the road.
American Consumers Considering More EVs
Deloitte put out its 2020 Global Automotive Consumer Study and found that interest in electric vehicles is growing rapidly in the United States. The study claims that 41 percent of Americans are now interested in getting a vehicle with an alternative powertrain for their next vehicle. A few reasons for the shift in consumer perception include lower operating costs and lower emissions.
It's not just the U.S., but consumers around the world are starting to make the switch to electrified vehicles. In Japan, interest in alternative powertrains has increased to 63 percent, for consumers in China it's up to 57 percent, and in Germany it's risen to 51 percent. In all of the countries, consumer interest in alternative powertrains has gone up.
That is good news for automakers, which are changing nearly all aspects of their companies to ensure that electric vehicles are at the forefront for the future. Unfortunately, interest in autonomous vehicles isn't growing at a similar rate.
Deloitte's study found that 48 percent of U.S. consumers believe that a fully self-driving vehicle will be unsafe. In fact, from last year, the number of consumers in the U.S. that believe autonomous cars aren't safe increased in 2019 from 2018.
Autonomy Is A Tough Sell
That isn't something that's limited to just the U.S., either. It's a similar situation in Germany and India. In countries like Germany and China, the way consumers feel about autonomous vehicles has remained stagnant – they're not getting more excited about self-driving vehicles, nor are they becoming more skeptical of the machines.
In the U.S., autonomous vehicles are being tested on public roads in high numbers, so that's not a good sign. Companies like Waymo and Uber are trying diligently to prove that self-driving cars are the way forward by having more and more consumers interact with them on a regular basis.
Some automakers, like Tesla, are even selling fully autonomous packages on vehicles for the high cost of $7,000. Apparently, that's way too much, as 58 percent of surveyors claimed that they don't want to pay more than $500 for autonomous technology.
As we've seen before, consumer interest in automobiles can change drastically. Just a few years ago, sedans were the most popular body style in the U.S. and now they've been overtaken by SUVs and crossovers.
Vineeth Joel Patel
Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods
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Tesla’s CEO Showcases How EVs Will Talk to Pedestrians
- Huawei to Develop Radar for Self-Driving Cars in Push into Auto Industry, Execs Say
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- Porsche to Launch Online Vehicle Sales
- NVIDIA Announces DRIVE AXG Orin, One of the Most Advanced Platforms for Autonomous Vehicles
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- Volkswagen Unveils a Robotic Mobile EV Charging Concept
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- Kia Motors Reveals its $25 Billion Electrification Strategy for 2020-2025


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Chevy Corvette Z06 Seriously Ups Its Game
Given the gushing praise from automotive observers and industry professionals, it didn’t seem as if the new Chevrolet (NYSE:GM) Corvette could be improved on in many significant ways. At stock, the car pushes 460 horsepower and around 455 pound-feet of torque; more impressively, for a car in its class, the Corvette can manage near 30 miles per gallon on the highway through the use of some clever computer work.
This all means that Chevrolet’s inevitable higher-performance version of the new ‘Vette would have to be pretty spectacular to adequately differentiate itself from its entry-level sibling. Fortunately, General Motors engineers were up to the task, and the new Corvette Z06 — introduced on Monday at the North American International Auto Show — promises to be one insane car.
Horsepower is bumped by nearly 200 to “at least” 625, while torque is at an equally impressive 635 pound-feet thanks to the liberal application of supercharging. This isn’t just on par with the last generation of the Z06, which went out of production after the 2013 model year: This is nearly equal to the last Corvette ZR1, which ran in the arena of $110,000. Provided that Chevrolet is keen to fill the ZR1′s spot for the new generation, this seems to imply that buyers can obtain old ZR1 performance for a price comparable to the last generation of the Z06, which went for about $75,000. The official pricing of the 2015 Z06 will be announced closer to its launch date.


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By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
Brooklyn, NY – Samsung took over the cavernous Barclay’s Center in downtown Brooklyn, to showcase its latest flagship smartphone. The company also uneiled the new Galaxy Watch, an LTE-connected smartwatch that looks like a premium timepiece and features multi-day fitness tracking, apps and notifications. Samsung also unveiled a the first AI-powered Bixby speaker, the Galaxy Home.
The highlight of the event, which mixed a great degree of stagecraft with audience participation (all attendees were given LED bracelets, which lit up in unison to complement the lights and music), was the Note 9.
The Galaxy Note 9 doesn’t seem like much of a departure from last-year’s Note 8 but the device did bring considerable new features. We’re seeing a trend where smartphone makers have found a comfortable reference desigm and are looking to iterate on performance, camera and additonal functionality over daring new designs.
With the Galaxy Note 9 , the impressive 6.4-inch Infinity Display is the largest Samsung has shipped. The Note has always had the advantage of the S Pen stylus, and this year the accessory can be used for up to 30 feet away to take selfies, control slideshows, play and pause music as well as trigger various apps and functions.
Another hallmark feature of the Note line has been the battery.
Recalling that it wasn’t too long ago that upgrades in battery technology for the Note 7 caused Samsung unprecedented losses and bad publicity as the phones ignited and caused fires.
The Note 7, and by extension many other Samsung devices, were often banned or confiscated by airlines due to the issue.
The Note 9 features the largest battery Samsung has shipped, a whopping 4,000 mAh battery that should power their mammoth device way beyond two days, even with heavy usage. It seems Samsung has finally been able to put in a large battery in a device and done so safely.
The Note 9 also features built-in DeX functionality. DeX is short for Desktop Experience which used to require an accessory dock to ostensibly enable a desktop PC experience complete with windows and a more productivity-focused experience.
Using DeX, the Note 9 can plug into any HDMI-enabled monitor, keyboard and mouse and work on Microsoft Office mobile documents and web-based applications.
DeX doesn’t have very many compatible apps at is its basically a re-skinning of the desktop. For anyone who’d rather carry their documents and spreadsheets in their pockets and work on them on a desktop, Samsung’s Note 9 and the recently launched Tab S4 are the only products that ship with the feature and do not require a dock attachment.
Cameras are another hot feature and Samsung delivers with the same dual 12-megapixel camera array seen on the Samsung Galaxy 9+, but this time around, the company has added improved AI or artificial intelligence, to use the phone’s computational power. AI helps tweak settings for optimal photo quality depending on the scene and lighting. In my limited testing, I found the Galaxy Note 9 has the best low-light performance of any recent smartphone. It is also very accyurate in terms of colour and reproduction.
On a final note, the Note 9 is available with 128 GB of storage and also features 512 GB of storage, which is more than most premium laptops out there.
It still features microSD expansion so it can theoretically hold up to 1 terabyte of storage, an unprecedented amount of storage in a pocketable mobile device.
“The opportunity to make the world’s most advanced smartphone more powerful, even more innovative… I can’t wait to see how you use it in ways we never even imagined, to achieve more than we ever thought possible,” said JD Koh, Samsung Mobile chief executive.
In Canada, Galaxy Note 9 will be offered in Midnight Black with matching S Pen and in Ocean Blue with a yellow S Pen. At launch, the Note 9 will be available for $1,299.99 (MSRP) for the 128GB option and $1,629.99 (MSRP) for the 512GB model.
A smarter Galaxy Watch
A new Galaxy Watch was also launched at the event and features a sporty round design with a smart bezel used to navigate the touchscreen. The Galaxy Watch has access to thousands of watchfaces, it interacts with the Bixby smart assistant and can also work independently from a smartphone with some LTE-enabled models.
The Galaxy Watch runs on Samsung’s own Tizen OS, which makes it one of the products that the company can control top to bottom.
Entering the Smart Speaker market
Samsung also pulled a smart speaker out of its hat. The Galaxy Home is a hi-fi focused speaker that runs off Samsung’s Bixby smart assistant.
This adds a fourth platform for smart speakers behind Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Siri and now, Samsung Bixby.
The Bixby speaker is still expected to come out next year, it isn’t known what the advantage of choosing Samsung over established players is and pricing was also not discussed.
Samsung did announce a partnership with leading music streaming service Spotify, which now pits it directly against rival Apple who owns Apple Music.
One of the biggest announcements at the event was the arrival of the Fortnite video game on Android as a Samsung exclusive, albeit for three short days. Proving that Samsung is focusing on its strengths ut open and willing to partner with companies who specialize in areas it may be lacking in.
Fortnite is a massive multiplayer game that can be played on various devices, Samsung getting them on their platform first punctuates how influential it is as the world’s largest smartphone maker.


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Albion and East Group to start expansion after securing Brixton venue for second London site: Albion and East Group, formerly known as Ruth & Robinson, is to start expansion after securing a venue to open its second London restaurant. Agent Shelley Sandzer has secured a site in Ferndale Road, Brixton, with Albion and East set to open a 4,579 square foot cafe and bar in September. The new restaurant is in The Department Store, a development by Squire & Partners architects with the aim of creating an “evolving hub of creative, retail and community uses”. The venue will be split over the basement and ground-floor levels, with an area for outdoor seating. During the daytime, the venue will provide a relaxed workspace environment with a menu inspired by a wood-fired oven and a coffee hatch opening on to Stockwell Avenue. Shelley Sandzer joint managing partner Nick Weir said: “It’s great to see a budding operator like Albion and East continue to grow and in such a brilliant location. We know this tenant will provide a space perfect for employees and locals.” The Imbiba Partnership-backed Albion and East Group, led by Sarah Weir, opened its debut site, Martello Hall, in Hackney in December. Shelley Sandzer acted for Squire and Partners. Albion & East dealt directly.
Giggling Squid secures Beaconsfield site: Thai restaurant group Giggling Squid, which is backed by the Business Growth Fund, is to continue its expansion by opening a site in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, in early autumn. The company, founded by Thai-born Pranee Laurillard and husband Andy, is opening the venue, which will have capacity for up to 200 guests, in London Road. Andy Laurillard said: “We are delighted to be opening in Beaconsfield. It’s a lovely town and we’ve got a fantastic building, we’re really looking forward to contributing to the food scene in the area.” Giggling Squid took a £6.4m investment from the Business Growth Fund in 2015 to accelerate growth plans. Founded in the basement of a tiny fisherman’s cottage, now the Brighton restaurant, the couple opened their first site in Hove in 2009.
Whitbread to sell three Brewers Fayre restaurants in Northern Ireland to Marston’s as part of seven-site deal: Whitbread is to sell three of its Brewers Fayre restaurants in Northern Ireland to Marston’s as part of a wider seven-site deal. As a result, the Brewers Fayre branch at Antrim’s The Junction retail park – also known as “Antrim Park” – will close on Monday (26 June). It is understood the remaining two Brewers Fayre sites in Northern Ireland, in Carrickfergus and Londonderry, which are also thought to be part of the deal that is expected to complete next week, will remain open. A spokeswoman for The Junction owners Lotus Group told the Belfast Telegraph: “We have been in extensive talks recently with Brewers Fayre about the future of the pub restaurant at Antrim following the sale to Marston’s by Whitbread. We are continuing our discussions to resolve this situation and hope to announce an exciting new operator in the near future.” Marston’s revealed last month it was buying seven sites from a company but declined to name the seller. Industry rumours at the time suggested it was Whitbread.
Crussh opens first food and juice bar within Sainsbury’s store, eyes widening partnership: Crussh, the London-based healthy food and juice brand, has launched its first site in a Sainsbury’s store. The food and juice bar has opened in Sainsbury’s Pimlico store as the retail giant scrambles to fill excess space to counter shifting consumer habits. As online shopping grows in popularity, supermarkets have been adding to their stores to lure customers back through the doors. Sainsbury’s, has already introduced Argos and Habitat concessions into a number of its stores, as well as 17 Sushi Gourmet counters. Pimlico Crussh offers healthy meals and drinks such as turmeric lattes. Demand has so far been strong and Sainsbury’s told the Evening Standard it is likely to bring the brand to other branches. The move comes as Sainsbury’s closes in on a £130m million deal to buy convenience store chain Nisa amid a wider shake-up of the grocery industry. Tesco has agreed to buy wholesaler Booker, while Amazon is to take over upmarket chain Whole Foods. The Pimlico site is the 29th Crussh food and juice bar in the capital.
BrewDog gives Overworks insight: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has said it is on schedule to enter its new Overworks standalone sour beer facility in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, by the end of July. In its blog, the company stated: “The shell of the building is almost done and the mezzanine level and lab area are starting to take shape too. The next stage is to lay in a whole lot of concrete flooring before we dial in the utilities. Progress is awesome so we’re set to be in the building by the end of July. One of the most important, but oft-overlooked, parts of the new-build is temperature control. The Overworks will be fitted out with state-of-the-art monitors. Wild yeasts and bacteria do their best work across a narrow range of temperatures so ensuring Overworks doesn’t fluctuate is imperative (we’re thinking cold winters if not warm summers). Designs have now been finalised for our stainless steel tanks – some of which will be for primary fermentation and others to max out further in the presence of different fruit. And the coolest part? The wort for all these adventures will arrive through a pipe under the road from our Ellon brewhouse!” The Overworks is due to fully open in the autumn.
Investec launches City pop-up with menu based on diners’ appetite for risk: Investment services firm Investec has launched a pop-up restaurant – Click & Investaurant – in the City of London designed to cater for financially cautious Brits. The pop-up coincides with Investec’s launch of online investment service Click & Invest, with its research revealing three-quarters of respondents wouldn’t consider investing even if they received a sudden windfall of £10,000. Every Tuesday evening in July, people can visit 155 Bar & Kitchen in Clerkenwell and pay £38 per head for a two-course meal based on an “attitude to risk” survey they complete before booking their dinner. The menu will range from a “risk-adverse” meal of burgers and chips to a dish for the “adventurous”, who will be served crocodile and crispy crickets. Click & Invest chief executive Jane Warren said: “Risk is something people encounter in their everyday lives in one guise or another and, with Click & Investaurant, we have been able to create an innovative concept for people to explore their appetite for risk while tasting some delicious dishes.”
McDonald’s wins three-year planning battle to open 24-hour site: McDonald’s has won an appeal to open a 24-hour restaurant in Bristol. Protest group No McDonald’s In Fishponds has been fighting to prevent the round-the-clock drive-thru in Fishponds Road since 2014. A government planning officer has approved the plans for the two-storey outlet despite protests from residents and Bristol City Council rejecting the plans in 2015. In a blog post, locals said they were concerned about traffic congestion, litter, health risks and squeezing out competition. Mike Jempson, of the Say No To McDonald’s campaign group, told Bristol 24/7: “We remain convinced the McDonald’s footprint will be to the detriment of greater Fishponds.” He said the group would “consider its options” before deciding whether to challenge the decision in the High Court. McDonald’s responded in a statement: “We are pleased our application has been allowed but will now take time to review the inspector’s decision. We strongly believe we will make a positive contribution to the local community, not least through the creation of 65 jobs for local people.”
Starbucks to hire 2,500 refugees in European stores by 2022: Starbucks has announced plans to hire 2,500 refugees in its European stores by 2022 as part of a global programme announced in January. The company said the figure would be part of Starbuck’s commitment to hire 10,000 refugees globally. The company will work with agencies that aid refugees in eight countries – the UK, France, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands – to launch the project. The Refugee Council in Britain welcomed the partnership, saying it could “make a positive difference to the lives of refugees”, who bring an “incredible wealth of skills, knowledge and experience which are hugely beneficial to society”. Starbucks’ move came in response to US president Donald Trump’s indefinite suspension of Syrian refugees and temporary travel bans applying to six other nations. Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz said the effort would start in the US, where the focus would be on hiring immigrants “who have served with US troops as interpreters and support personnel”.
Edinburgh restaurant Gardener’s Cottage to start expansion by opening sister site in city: Award-winning Edinburgh restaurant Gardener’s Cottage is to start expansion by opening its second site in the city – Quay Commons – in Leigh. Launched in 2012, the restaurant is known for a focus on seasonality and experimentation. It has secured glowing reviews from food critics Jay Rayner and AA Gill and awards such as Waitrose Good Food Guide Reader’s Restaurant of the Year. Quay Commons will occupy a former warehouse in Commercial Street. It will feature an open plan bakery alongside a bar and eating space, where diners can choose a daily market menu as well as bread, house-cured charcuterie and carefully selected wine. Co-founder and chef proprietor Dale Mailley said: “We are humbled to be opening a sister restaurant to our much-loved Gardener’s Cottage and that Leith – an iconic part of Edinburgh with such a rich heritage of food – will be our home.”
D&D London evolves loyalty scheme: Restaurant group D&D London has evolved its customer loyalty scheme, Club D&D, which sees it expand into a three-tiered model of increasingly attractive benefits. The restructure also introduces the D&D White Card, which unlocks the group’s most exclusive benefits to a select few by invitation only. Club D&D is now made up of three distinct tiers. After their first two visits to D&D restaurants, guests are welcomed to Club Orange, with regular guests upgraded to Club Silver after they have dined five times in one year. After dining ten times in 12 months, those in Club Silver are accelerated to Club Gold. Exclusive perks and incentives are built on and expanded as members make their way from tier to tier, including dedicated content, club discounts, events, parties and partnerships with the likes of Workologie – D&D’s workspace scheme in collaboration with Urbanologie. VIP status is incorporated into the final tier, which serves to further reward D&D’s most loyal clientele. D&D marketing director Tiffany Robinson said: “We’ve operated Club D&D for two years now, with a focus on looking after our very best customers exceptionally well via invitations to exciting events inside and outside our restaurants. We have now decided to develop Club D&D into a broader-based, more structured loyalty programme.”
Deliciously Ella relaunches central London sites with new name, look and menu: Deliciously Ella, founded by food writer Ella Mills and husband Matthew, has relaunched its central London sites with a new name, look and menu. Formerly known as The MaE Deli, they have become Deliciously Ella at Weighhouse Street, Deliciously Ella at Seymour Place, and Deliciously Ella The Kitchen Counter. To mark the new names, all locations feature a freshly updated menu and renovated interiors. The delis now offer a concise, plant-based menu with Deliciously Ella bowls. Dishes on the rotating seasonal menu include chilli and rustic cornbread (five-bean chilli drizzled in garlic with cashew cream, rustic cornbread and crunchy slaw); and tahini cauliflower and spring quinoa (pea, radish, mint and spring onion quinoa with tahini-roasted cauliflower and steamed kale). The delis continue to offer a selection of breakfast options as well as freshly made smoothies, sweet treats, cold-pressed juices and hot drinks. The Weighhouse Street and Seymour Place venues also feature a bright new look, with Weighhouse Street showcasing a fresh color scheme, marble table tops and new outdoor seating. Ella Mills said: “The team has spent a long time perfecting this relaunch. Our new Deliciously Ella plant-based bowls are a particular highlight and are ideal as a grab-and-go lunch or dinner.”
JD Wetherspoon to open £4m Ramsgate pub in August: JD Wetherspoon is to open its £4m pub in Ramsgate, Kent, in August. The grade II-listed Royal Victoria Pavilion will open in Harbour Parade on Tuesday, 29 August. The company is looking to recruit 150 staff having already hired a number through an open day at East Kent College. Pub managers Chris Whitbourn and Charlotte Mason will hold a further recruitment day on Thursday, 29 June. Whitbourn told Kent Online: “Charlotte and I are looking forward to opening the new-look pub on this iconic site in Ramsgate. The pub will be one of the largest, if not the largest in the UK, with a customer area of almost 11,000 square feet, plus a ground-floor and first-floor terrace.” In April, firefighters tackled a blaze at the site after a forklift truck caught alight. The former casino and dance hall has stood empty since 2008 and suffered serious damage in another blaze in 2011.
Humble Grape to launch Islington wine bar on Saturday, third London site: Humble Grape, the wine bar and shop concept founded by James Dawson, is to open its Islington venue on Saturday (24 June), the company’s third London site. The venue will open in Theberton Street at the former Tinto Bar & Kitchen site offering more than 400 mainly organic, biodynamic and sustainably sourced single-vineyard wines. Wine will be available to drink in by the glass or carafe or to purchase at retail price from the shop. Humble Grape Islington will also allow guests to discover the origins of each bottle by exploring the Winemaker Wall, with the space flowing from wine shop, bar and wine library to the dining room. Executive head chef Kishen Raheja will champion independent suppliers such as day boat fishermen from Mersea Island and Wildes Cheese. The menu will feature dishes such as diver-caught scallops, and Laverstock farm black pudding and crispy leeks, Hot Dinners reports. Last month, Humble Grape raised almost £1.3m for expansion on crowdfunding platform Seedrs. A fully-funded fourth site is due to open in August, with funds raised from the campaign going towards opening venues five and six and growing the Wine Club, Wine Bank and online sales. The company opened its first venue in Battersea in 2015 and a second in Fleet Street the following year.
YO! Sushi to open Glasgow city centre site next week: YO! Sushi is to open its Glasgow city centre site on Thursday, 29 June. The restaurant will open in West George Street at a former Pizza Hut site and, in keeping with Glasgow’s status as the UK’s “most vegan-friendly city”, it will offer 16 vegan and 33 vegetarian dishes. YO! chief executive Robin Rowland told Glasgow Live: “Fans can expect to enjoy exciting new food offerings as well as all their favourites off our legendary conveyor belt and set against a cutting-edge restaurant interior. YO! Glasgow Central will be a fitting statement for a city we have a fantastic history with.” The restaurant is the company’s third in Glasgow, with others sites in the Silverburn and Braehead shopping centres. YO! Sushi has also signed a 20-year lease on a 2,300 square foot unit at Glasgow Fort’s new leisure quarter. The company, backed by Mayfair Private Equity, has seen like-for-like sales increases of more than 5% since last summer in the wake of moves to evolve the company in a number of key areas. Menus have been redesigned, while new concepts have launched at Boxpark Croydon and Manchester.
Shepherd Neame opens pop-up brewery store at Bluewater: Kent-based brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame has launched a seasonal pop-up brewery store at Bluewater shopping centre. The company will operate the 1,800 square foot brewing boutique in the Upper Guildhall until Wednesday, 5 July after agreeing a deal with complex owner Landsec. The store includes a bar featuring its first cider, Orchard View, and new Cinque Five Grain premium lager. Guests can also purchase merchandise and Shepherd Neame bespoke products, including bottled beer, from the brew shop. In addition, a pioneering “HOPS360” virtual reality experience has been created, allowing each guest to take a virtual tour of a hop garden. Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “It’s great to have collaborated with Bluewater, an exciting and thriving retail destination in Kent for our pop-up store. We look forward to welcoming enthusiasts and those curious to learn more about beer and brewing.” Bluewater and Shepherd Neame both dealt direct.
Caprice Holdings to open Ivy Cafe at Tower Bridge next month: Caprice Holdings, owned by Richard Caring, is opening its site at London’s Tower Bridge next month. The latest Ivy Cafe all-day restaurant will open at Berkeley’s One Tower Bridge mixed-use development on Wednesday, 26 July. The venue will offer breakfast, elevenses, weekend brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, light snacks, dinner and cocktails, with floor-to-ceiling windows making the most of its riverside location and a 50-cover Parisian-style terrace and bar offering “relaxed yet sophisticated dining” overlooking the Thames. The Ivy Cafe will join Rosa’s Thai Café and Coal Shed at One Tower Bridge, alongside a Welsh restaurant from MasterChef: The Professionals star Tom Simmons, and Sir Nicholas Hytner’s and Nick Starr’s 900-seat Bridge Theatre. It is a busy time for Caprice Holdings, which recently continued regional expansion of its Ivy brasserie concept with the launch of sites in Cobham, Surrey, and Marlow, Buckinghamshire. It also signed a 25-year lease earlier this month to bring The Ivy brand to Edinburgh for a first site in Scotland.
IKEA commits to halve food waste in its restaurants by 2020: IKEA has rolled out a smart device-based initiative that aims to halve the amount of food waste at its restaurants by 2020. The Food Is Precious initiative was piloted in the UK and IKEA is now globally rolling out the scheme, which features smart scales that collect data to find solutions to prevent food being wasted at its restaurants, bistros and food markets. More than 20% of IKEA sites have already applied the system, resulting in a reduction of 79,200kg of food waste. A survey found more than 70% of IKEA food staff are proud of the initiative, with 50% taking measures to cut food waste at home. IKEA food services managing director Michael La Cour told Edie.net: “Thanks to engaged co-workers and the measuring solution, we are seeing up to 30% food waste reduction already after a few months.” IKEA has also become a member of the Champions 12.3 coalition – a partnership of 30 government, business and civil society leaders that aims to accelerate progress towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 – to halve food waste and reduce food losses by 2030.
Taco restaurant Del 74 to start expansion with second London site: Del 74, which launched a debut taqueria in Clapton a few months ago, is to start expansion by opening a second site in the capital, this time in London Fields. Cantina Del 74 will open in Mare Street on Thursday, 29 June featuring an expanded menu and a new range of frozen margaritas. More than two-thirds of the menu will feature new items, including botana de brisket (“melt-in-your-mouth” beef brisket with tortilla chips), chicken-thigh tacos (24-hour marinated chicken thighs with cucumber salsa), and Mexican shrimp cocktail, served Acapulco market style. The Cantina will be sited in the rear of Scandinavian cocktail bar Helgi’s, leading to “Icelandic in the front, Mexica in the back – like a bad haircut”, a Del 74 spokesman told Hot Dinners. He added: “There will be a tequila and mezcal offering in the back, and Helgi’s cocktail selection and beers in the front.”
TripAdvisor rolls out new UK campaign: TripAdvisor is rolling out a new campaign in the UK that features its owlish mascot Little Wiser for the first time. The campaign will use a series of six different spots in ten-second, 20-second and 30-second formats that will run on a mix of major cable and national network channels. Created by US-based agency Supermom, each spot focuses on a different function of TripAdvisor, beyond its well-known ratings and review function. TripAdvisor chief marketing officer Barbara Messing told Campaign: “TripAdvisor is a well-known brand that’s been around for 17 years, but it’s not ‘known well’. What I mean is, while we are known and loved for our content when it comes to research and planning, most aren’t aware we have a price comparison tool on our app. The goal of this campaign is to push the TripAdvisor brand further down the purchase funnel, from research and planning to when folks are actually ready to make a booking.” In the UK, TripAdvisor’s most recent television campaign, “Don’t just visit”, ran at the end of 2014. TripAdvisor has appointed Joint as its first agency in the UK for creative execution and testing to support the sustained roll-out of the campaign.
The Great Escape changes name of controversial challenge at Leeds venue: Live escape game centre The Great Escape has changed the focus of its latest horror-themed challenge at its site in Leeds following mounting public pressure and a meeting with the city council. The company faced a backlash from mental health professionals after announcing its latest game would be set in an “abandoned asylum”. Tom Riordan, Leeds City Council chief executive and the council’s designated mental health champion, met with the company following concerns raised about its attraction named “The Asylum” at The Great Escape. Riordan was joined by Leeds Mind chief executive Helen Kemp and Leeds and York Partnership NHS Trust chief executive Dr Sara Munro. The game will now be named “Abducted”, with the central plot of the game set to change, reports Insider Media. The Great Escape was launched in Sheffield at the start of last year by Hannah Duraid and Peter Lacole before expanding into Leeds within the grade II-listed Atlas House building in 2016. In April, the company was given the go-ahead for its third site, in Birmingham.


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After launching the Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A, it appears the Chinese company is gearing up to launch yet another budget-focused smartphone next week. As its name suggests, the Redmi 6 Pro will likely be the highest-end device in the series – complete with a notched display.
If you don’t quite like the notched display, worry not – Xiaomi confirmed in a recent teaser that the Redmi 6 Pro’s notch can be easily “removed” with a software trick. In fact, it’s similar to Huawei’s implementation with the Huawei P20 Pro by simply darkening the area around the notch.
Aside from that, other rumoured specifications of the Redmi 6 Pro include a 19:9 display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset paired with either 2GB or 3GB of RAM, up to 32GB of internal storage, a 12MP + 5MP dual-camera system, a 5MP front-facing shooter, as well as a generous 4,000mAh battery.
Looking at leaked images of the phone, the Redmi 6 Pro does appear to be a more premium offering. It looks to be sporting a metal chassis, as well as a rear fingerprint sensor.
The Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro is expected to be unveiled next week on 25 June. Interestingly, Xiaomi also confirmed that it will be introducing a new tablet at the launch event, and it will even come with an AI-powered face recognition technology.


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Apple will kick off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address by CEO Steve Jobs on Monday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m.
Apple said that this year?s WWDC sold out in a record eight days to over 5,000 developers.
The five-day event running from June 7 to June 11, is focused on providing content for skilled developers across five key technology tracks: Application Frameworks; Internet & Web; Graphics & Media; Developer Tools; and Core OS. Apple engineers will deliver over 100 solutions-oriented technical sessions and labs. WWDC 2010 gives community the opportunity to connect with thousands of fellow iPhone, iPad and Mac developers from around the world.


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Arla has said that 2015 dairy markets will be too unpredictable for it to announce any expectations for its revenue or performance price in 2015.
“The global dairy industry has never been as unpredictable as it is now, but we believe that our strategy is the right one to take us forward,” said the CEO of Arla Foods, Peder Tuborgh.
He said Arla will continue to rigidly streamline and control costs, while investing significant sums in marketing and new products.
“Arla’s ability to profitably handle larger milk volumes will define the success of the business in 2015.”
Last year, it says, was a complex year for Arla. It reported that the farmer-owned company achieved one of its best results ever in a market impacted by volatility and international politics. A strong first half of the year produced record-high earnings, but the global market shifted in the second half, reducing the farmer milk price significantly.
“Seldom has a business year been split in two so opposing halves. 2014 was a year that first saw strong economic tail winds in the global market that carried Arla into the summer with record-high milk prices for its cooperative farmers in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
“Then things changed. The tail winds became head winds as global supplies rapidly outstripped demand, Chinese consumption ebbed off, and inventories were full. Finally, when Russia imposed a ban on dairy products from the EU, the headwinds grew in strength.”
Arla posted its highest-ever revenue of €10.6 billion, with much of it attributable to organic growth of 6.7%.
“We are seeing growth for Arla’s strategic brands and our overall market shares in an otherwise stagnating or declining European dairy market. Throughout 2014 we have worked hard to move more milk into value-added brands, by enhancing our portfolio to our customers through further investment in innovation.
“Our grip on costs has never been more firm. Our owners gave us more milk in 2014, and we managed to absorb the extra volumes without increasing the share of sales to the less profitable commodity category, and we are ready to shift up to 500 million kilo of additional owners’ milk into value-added products in 2015,” says CFO Frederik Lotz.
While Arla continues to move more milk into branded products, the company is also working hard to move those branded products into new markets. Arla’s international operations and ingredients business had yet another strong year with growing opportunities.
“We saw 14% growth in our international business despite the Russian embargo. There has been steady growth in China, and we have created growth of 20% in the Middle East and Africa.
“In 2014 we have begun to enter new markets in Asia and Africa, and in 2015 we will continue to move into new markets where safe and high-quality dairy products are in growing demand,” says Frederik Lotz.


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With the first issue of Marvel’s Star Wars on the shelves and a second- and third-printing soon to follow, readers like you are gearing up for next month’s debut of the publisher’s Darth Vader series, too.
For many readers, this is the first time they’ve experienced Marvel publishing Star Wars titles. For other, older readers for whom the late 1970s is not just passages in a history book, it’s a return of sorts.
The original Marvel run began in 1977 and lasted through 1986, encompassing 107 issues that, for the longest time, was the only entree to the Saga amid the Original Trilogy years until the Expanded Universe took root and proliferated. The tales in the series were wild, amazing and, in some cases, so shockingly weird that they’ve become absurdist masterpieces.


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Sensex slipped in the red after rallying as much as 214 points, led by gains in Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, HDFC, ITC and ONGC.
The Sensex pared some of its intraday gains after rising as much as 383 points but was still trading near its crucial psychological level of 25,300.
'The market has identified several themes across sectors that investors can look at for playing this new found euphoria,' says Jigar Shah.
"Biocon's product line up has been the result of investments of about Rs 250-300 crore that they had done about three years ago."
Seasonal goods have been flying off the shelves over the past week or so, estimating the uptick at 10-15% and attributing it to the severe heat wave in this part of the country.
The cola giants are infusing fresh energy in marketing, retail and distribution, when erratic weather conditions have led to soft drinks sales dropping.
However, television viewership of the ongoing Indian Premier League has been stagnant; so far it is the same as last year.
Neogy occupies what Yahoo calls 'war room' - a room full of screens to monitor Yahoo's football WC sites across 24 countries around the world that have biggest viewership.


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Boris Johnson says his New Year resolution is to ‘lose weight’ but he can’t become vegan because it is a ‘crime against cheese lovers’
- Boris Johnson has revealed his New Year resolution is to lose some weight
- The PM said he had considered becoming vegan to help with his slimming
- But the diet needed too much ‘concentration’ and was a ‘crime against cheese’
Boris Johnson (pictured out for a run in 2018) today said his New Year resolution is to ‘lose weight’
Boris Johnson today said his New Year resolution is to ‘lose weight’ – but revealed he has rejected the idea of becoming vegan.
The PM said he had ‘thought about’ giving up dairy products to aid his slimming, but it ‘requires so much concentration’.
He joked that the increasingly popular diet was a ‘crime against cheese lovers’.
Mr Johnson gave an insight into his plans during his first major TV interview since the Tory election victory.
He told BBC Breakfast ‘losing weight’ was one of his main personal aims for the coming months.
Asked by presenter Dan Walker whether going vegan was something he had considered, Mr Johnnson said: ‘I had thought of it, but it requires so much concentration. I take my hat off to vegans who can manage it…
‘You can’t eat cheese can you?
‘It’s a crime against cheese-lovers.’
Mr Johnson has worked hard to control his weight in the past, with claims girlfriend Carrie put him on a strict diet and exercise regime.
He was often seen out jogging before becoming PM – but the pressures of the job appear to have hampered his ability to get out and about.
During the election campaign he revealed he had given up drinking alcohol until Brexit is delivered.
Interviewed on BBC Breakfast, the PM said he had ‘thought about’ giving up dairy products to aid his slimming, but it ‘requires so much concentration’


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There has been a recall involving Honda's luxury Acura brand. About 76,000 TSX Sedans model year 2004 to 2008 are included in this recall in 22 cold weather states because salty water can corrode the vehicle's electric control unit and make it stall.
In the meantime Apple is beefing up customer security on iTunes, its app store, iBookstore and iCloud. Apple says the new optional two-step verification gives an added level of security for those who choose to use it. When you log in you get a passcode sent as a text message to your iPhone or other device.
Health insurers are warning the cost for individuals and small businesses to get coverage may skyrocket next year. The Wall Street Journal says United Health Group forecasts premiums could more than double in some cases because of the cost of new national health care laws and skyrocketing medical costs.
Groupon is offering a new deal that's likely to grab the attention of a lot of caffeine-loving Starbucks fans! The site is offering a $10 Starbucks E-card for $5. The 50 percent-off deal could be a good way for Starbucks and Groupon to drum up some extra business. Living Social has said its similar offer last September was the best-selling daily deal of all time, raking in $1.5 million.
Investors are still nervous over the future of Cyprus as the country's government struggles to avoid bankruptcy. The concern about Cyprus' contagion has overshadowed positive economic data.


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Last Friday, we spoke to you about the new Career and Technology Center coming to Dunseith, but something unique about the center is that it will also be the first high school in North America with a level two RV technician program — which helps students line up jobs with the Hoefer RV Manufacturing Plant right in town.
The center, which is expected to be completed next year, will offer a special program that could help students find work right after completing it.
The center will be fostering a level two RV technician training program, and it will have a feeder system for jobs with the Hoefer RV Manufacturing Plant, which is set to open later this year in the city.
“This CTE facility will be an instrumental part to helping train and get that workforce up to speed,” said Dave Lehman, the advanced manufacturing business development manager for the North Dakota Department of Commerce.
The CEO of the Hoefer Group says training Dunseith students will help the company in the long run, which is setting up a manufacturing plant just down the road.
“Getting a skilled worker these days in a plant that knows the whole drill of something pertaining to your industry, no matter what the industry is,” said Charles Hoefer. “It’s a gift, a bit of a blessing if you can find workers that already have the prerequisites and prequalifications, so to speak.”
The technician program will also benefit the RV industry, which is currently booming, by training more people in being able to service and repair RVs.
RVs are in such high demand right now that they need more RVs to build.
That’s why skilled workers from our region are extremely important.
“We’re looking to finish this year, the second-largest year in the history of the RV space, second only to last year,” said Curtis Hemmeler, the executive director of the RV Technical Institute and the Senior VP for the RV Industry Association. “As a result of that, the need for service technicians across the country, not just people that can fix them, but experts.”
The manufacturing plant will be beneficial to Dunseith by bringing jobs to the community, but it will also benefit the state as a whole.
“Manufacturing allows new wealth to come to the state,” said Lehman. “So if you’re adding value to something in North Dakota, you’re selling it outside of North Dakota, that brings new dollars into the state. And it helps the state to grow and to develop.”
If the plant in Dunseith successfully grows, there will be a good reason to expand throughout North Dakota.
From the start, it will make the town stronger.
Hoefer says the collaboration between the CTE center, the program with the RV Technical Institute, and his manufacturing plant are perfect together.
“Being able to bring that into the fold of Dunseith, having that five blocks away from the plant, and being able to use that as a job feeder, it couldn’t go hand in hand in a better way,” said Hoefer. “And it will help our company to be able to grow, as we’re looking to get about 50 to 60 new people a year.”
He says he’s excited to be a part of the growth and bring jobs back to the Dunseith community, which lost around 1,200 jobs over the last 25 years. So this boost in manufacturing jobs will help fill in that hole.
Renovations are still being done at the Hoefer RV Manufacturing Plant.
A grand opening is expected to happen this fall.


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Earlier this year when Hyundai announced the all-electric variant of the 2017 IONIQ — a brand-new model designed to be offered with only hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric drivetrain — would offer a just 110-miles of range per charge, we were more than a little disappointed. At the time we argued that while it was okay for an older electric vehicle model to offer a similar range in the hope that it would soon be superseded by a more competent, longer-range second-generation model, designing a brand-new vehicle with just 110-miles of range — a vehicle which would be on the market for at least five years or more before getting a second-generation replacement — seemed nothing short of brand suicide.
Unless of course, it was offered alongside a longer-range variant and sold at a price point far more affordable than the $30,000, long-range electric cars being planned by Tesla, Chevrolet and Nissan. That’s something Ford has already made a commitment to, alongside more expensive, longer-range electric models.
But now it seems Hyundai might be thinking along the same lines, with the news that it plans on launching an electric car capable of 200-miles per charge by 2018, and an electric car capable of 250 miles per charge by 2020.
That’s according to Autobloggreen, which published an exclusive interview yesterday with Byung Ki Ahn, Hyundai’s director of eco-vehicle performance development group in which the executive reiterated company plans to bring 26 new models to market in the next four years involving some form of green or electrified drivetrain.
Not all of those vehicles will be fully-electric of course: the term ‘green’ can mean anything from a mild hybrid system through to a fully-electric drivetrain, as can the term ‘electrified’. In Hyundai’s case however we — and Autobloggreen – take the term ‘green’ to mean plug-in hybrids, hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and of course, battery electric vehicles.
Following the official launch of the 2017 Hyundai IONIQ EV later this year, Ki Ahn said we’ll see a longer-range electric car from Hyundai a few years later offing a promised 200 mile range. Sadly however, there’s no detail as to what test cycle that range is achieved on. Nor is it clear if the promised 200-mile model for 2018 will be a revised form of the IONIQ EV or a brand-new electric model.
Given how new the IONIQ EV is, we’d guess that it’s more likely that the IONIQ EV will be marketed as a moderately priced short-range electric car, while the promised longer-range vehicles will be sold as a more premium choice, perhaps as a mid-size sedan.
Usually, we’d throw in a statement here about the differences between the various fuel economy tests around the world, citing how important it is to know just which fuel economy test cycle a car is being tested on in order to calculate a likely real-world range. Luckily in this instance however, fuel economy tests in South Korea are close enough to the EPA test cycle that any quoted figure is likely to represent an achievable range figure rather than an outlandishly impossible theoretical maximum — as is the case with both the Japanese JC08 and European NEDC test cycles.
We checked with Autobloggreen on the quoted range, and were told that the quotes were made in Michigan while specifically discussing U.S. market models. This gives us hope that the quoted figures should be fairly close to actual EPA ratings. We’ve also reached out to Hyundai for further clarification, so if we hear anything back clearing up the confusion, we’ll let you know. Assuming the quoted figures are actually what we’ll be able to get in real life, the announcement is big news for Hyundai (and by association, its sister company Kia, which shares a lot of Hyundai’s platforms).
[Edit:] Having just heard back from Hyundai’s U.S. press team, we can confirm the quoted figures are indeed based on EPA test cycles, meaning real-world ranges in excess of 200 miles per charge should be possible.
A car with a 200-mile range on the EPA test cycle would put Hyundai well in line with automakers like Tesla Motors, General Motors and Nissan, all of which should have 200+ mile electric cars on sale by the end of 2018. A model with 250 miles or range for 2020 meanwhile, seems like a logical progression to this, perfectly in line with what we’re seeing from other automakers along a similar time frame.
And given Hyundai’s long-standing 7-year warranty program, we’re hopeful that any future electric vehicles from the brand will be a good buy — assuming they deliver on those promised ranges, of course.
Would you consider a 200-mile electric car from Hyundai? And what would you pay for it?
Leave your thoughts in the Comments below.
You can also support us directly as a monthly supporting member by visiting Patreon.com.


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Spain is the world’s biggest olive producer but Spanish olive farmers are now worrying about an unfair advantage they believe Moroccan growers have since the EU signed a free trade deal for fruit and vegetables in February.
In Spain, olive workers make around 45 euros a day plus farmers pay 13-15 euros per worker per day for social security.
In Morocco, however, an average olive worker only makes 6-8 euros a day, so Spanish olive farmers are now worrying about being undercut by cheap Moroccan olives and olive oil because of low-paid Moroccan workers.
More than 200,000 Spaniards are employed in the olive industry and, at a time when Spain’s economy is still dire, the country needs to keep its olive industry thriving.
Let’s hope most people understand the quality of Spanish olive oil is second to none, and the health benefits associated with olive oil only come with the best olive oils.
Most of those come from Spain, which is why, at Seriously Spain, why we would never think of buying anything else but Spanish olive oil — and Spanish extra virgin olive oil at that.
How about you?


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The Just Eat share price has surged by over 26% in Monday trading after weekend reports that the FTSE 100 food delivery company is in merger talks with Amsterdam-listed European peer Takeaway.com. If the deal goes ahead, the combined company would be expected to have value of over £9 billion, making it the biggest food delivery business in the world, ahead of Uber Eats and Deliveroo. The latter is Just Eat’s biggest competitor in the UK and recently attracted a major investment from Amazon.
The food delivery sector has attracted some major investment rounds recently with the European market particularly active. Consolidation has also been a major theme. Takeaway.com acquired Germany’s Delivery Hero for €930 million last December.
Amazon’s investment in Deliveroo, is presumed to have been made with a view to including the company’s service, or at least leveraging its know-how, in ‘last mile’ deliveries. The e-commerce giant led Deliveroo’s recent $575 million funding round. With an ambition to achieve 1-day deliveries for e-commerce orders made on Amazon, and eventually get some product ranges to buyers within hours of them placing an order, the company clearly sees value in Deliveroo’s processes outside of just food delivery.
Uber Eats, the ride hailing app’s food delivery service, has recently stepped up the competition in the UK market by aggressively cutting fees in Britain and Ireland. A Just Eat and Takeaway.com tie-up would be expected to result in a group with the scale to take that competition on head-to-head both in the UK and in Europe.
Just Eat has found itself under pressure in recent times. Former CEO Peter Plumb left the post in January after just 16 months in the job and has yet to be replaced. Cat Rock, the U.S. hedge fund that is an investor in Just Eat has been pushing for a merger, arguing it is the best way for the company to attract a high quality chief executive to fill the vacancy. If the Takeaway.com merger goes through, Jitse Groen, the Dutch company’s founder and CEO would be favourite to take on the mantle of leading the combined group.
After Sky News broke news of the merger talks over the weekend, Just Eat released a comment that talks over a ‘possible combination’ had taken place. Despite the fact the two companies are similarly sized, with Just Eat’s current market capitalisation after today’s share price rise actually higher than Takeaway.com’s at £5.42 billion to £4.72 billion, the merger would be expected to be structured as an offer from the latter.
This article is for information purposes only.
Please remember that financial investments may rise or fall and past performance does not guarantee future performance in respect of income or capital growth; you may not get back the amount you invested.
There is no obligation to purchase anything but, if you decide to do so, you are strongly advised to consult a professional adviser before making any investment decisions.


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While the list of problems Apple is having with their iPhone 12 continues to grow, the company is looking to rectify most of them with some very big changes coming from Apple for their latest iPhone.
In a brand-new video from the popular YouTube channel EverythingApplePro, Filip Koroy reports on information from Max Weinbach – a leaker with a great track record – to reveal the multiple upgrade details for Apple’s iPhone 13. As Koroy reports, the information he is passing along mainly covers the iPhone 13 Pro model, though some upgrades will carry across the entire iPhone 13 roster.
Koroy reports that the new design of the iPhone 13 Pro will have a refined matte back, which will allow for a more comfortable hold. The iPhone 13 finish will reportedly be similar in texture to Google’s Pixel series.
The iPhone 13 Pro is reportedly going to give buyers a 120 Hz ProMotion display using the LPTO OLED technology which has been shown to be very popular and impressive within the new Samsung Galaxy S21 lineup. Not only will Apple be mimicking the S21, but it is also being reported that the 13 will finally bring the always-on display, though “always-on” may not be exactly what it sounds like. Koroy says via Forbes, “Always-On Display will have minimal customizability. [The] Current design basically looks like a toned-down lockscreen. Clock and battery charge is always visible. Notifications seem to be displayed using a bar and icons. Upon receiving, the notification will pop up normally except that the screen will not entirely light up. Instead, it will display just like you’re used to right now, except dimmed down and only temporally.”
Koroy reports that there are three major upgrades coming to the iPhone 13 camera, upgrades which will be for the entire iPhone 13 line. The first upgrade will see Apple introduce an automatic astrophotography mode when users point their 13 toward the sky. This mode is very popular in rival phones, so it is easy to see why Apple decided to include this upgrade.
A second upgrade to the camera is a big one to its ultra-wide camera lens, which will include a new sensor and lens. Third – and perhaps the iPhone 13’s most exciting upgrade – is portrait video. Apple has said this feature in the works for some time, and looks like it might finally be coming to the iPhone 13. Users will finally be able to record portrait videos with the ability to change the depth of field in a post.
The MagSafe magnet, which the iPhone 12 comes equipped with, has the capability to deactivate pacemakers and defibrillators when held close to the chest. With the new iPhone 13, this magnet will now be stronger. The reason for the stronger MagSafe in the 13 is that with the 12, it wasn’t strong enough to securely hold magnetic attachments such as wallets. Apple needed MagSafe to up their holding capability, and apparently, that is exactly what they are doing, regardless of potential lethal risk.
Gurjit Singh, a cardiologist at the Henry Ford Heart and Vascular Institute, commented on this issue, “We were all stunned,” he said via Forbes. “We had assumed that the magnet[s] would be too weak in a phone to trip the defibrillator’s magnetic switch. We believe our findings have profound implications on a large scale for the people who live daily with these devices, who without thinking, will place their phone in their shirt pocket or upper pocket or their coat – not knowing that it can cause their defibrillator or pacemaker to function in a way that could potentially be lethal.” It remains to be seen how Apple will be addressing this potentially lethal health risk.
The upgrades coming to the iPhone 13 look to be massive. In addition to these changes, they will also be seeing other previously reported upgrades, which include a reduction of the notch at the top of the iPhone, tools to help lessen battery drain, as well as increase storage. Apple also plans to bring back their Touch ID to go along with Face ID, making it easier for mask-wearers.
While it’s not yet clear if these rumors are true or not, we will find out with the release of the iPhone 13, which is likely to come out sometime in the fall of 2021.


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In a new era of climate consciousness, what does it mean to be sustainable? Burwood Brickworks puts forward a proposal for development and design that gives more than it takes, environmentally and socially.
With a design that centres community and a building that gives more than it takes, Melbourne’s soon-to-open Burwood Brickworks looks to be forging a new path for retail.
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UK commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing decreased by 1.9% in November, with 8,605 units rolling off production lines, according to figures published this week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). While output for the domestic market rose 10.1%, with logistics and CV operators working flat out to meet growing demand for online deliveries, it failed to offset an 8.8% decline in exports, equivalent to a loss of 490 units, as stricter coronavirus restrictions closed off entire parts of […]
Baxter Freight has announced record first half-year results, despite facing both the ‘once in a lifetime’ effects of the pandemic and the complexities of Brexit.
The port of Liverpool is “uniquely positioned” to overcome major Brexit delays at Dover and should be seen as the exit point of choice for hauliers, according to its owner.
Puro Ventures, which trades as Speedy Freight, has undergone a management buyout which sees its founders leave the business and Eddie Stobart holding company GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions (GWSA) sell its remaining 20% shareholding in the company.


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Employers add 112,000 new jobs in November
Friday, December 3rd 2004, 8:37 am
News On 6
WASHINGTON (AP) _ U.S. employers pulled back on hiring as they entered the holiday shopping season, adding just 112,000 new jobs overall in November. It was the weakest gain in five months and about half of what economists had forecast.
Still, the overall, seasonally adjusted civilian unemployment rate dropped fractionally _ by 0.1 percentage point _ to 5.4 percent, as more people looking for work found jobs, the Labor Department reported Friday.
Employers' payrolls have expanded by 2.3 million since August 2003, but the monthly pace has been sluggish. Analysts had predicted in advance of Friday's Bureau of Labor Statistics report that about 200,000 new jobs were created last month.
Even October's blockbuster showing was tempered a bit in revised figures. The department lowered from 337,000 to 303,000 its previous estimate of new jobs during that month. Economists say the job boom that month was fueled by hurricane cleanup activity. September's job numbers also were changed, falling 20,000 to 119,000.
But some economists weren't too pessimistic.
``It's not great job growth, but it's decent,'' said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors. ``It is decent enough to create income and spending,'' which will keep the economy chugging.
Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of total economic activity, and is being closely watched, especially during this time of the year. Analysts were concerned about the big jump in oil prices earlier this year, which jolted consumers and slowed the overall economy dramatically. Though prices have eased, they may be holding down job growth.
New hiring in the service sector fueled November's overall jobs increase, led by health care, restaurants and hotels. But retailers lost jobs, their payrolls falling by 16,200 last month.
That reflected indications of a disappointing start to the holiday season, as retailers reported lackluster sales for November. The much hoped-for surge in Thanksgiving weekend business failed to materialize.
The manufacturing sector continued to shed jobs for the third straight month, losing 5,000 from its payrolls. The nation's factories, in a long slump, have failed to jump-start hiring in the face of rising competition from low-wage countries such as China.
The weaker-than-expected employment report could fuel concerns that the labor market recovery is stalling. Economists say employers should be adding more than 200,000 new jobs or more each month. Just to keep pace with population growth, about 150,000 new jobs are needed each month. Since August 2003, monthly job creation has averaged 152,000.
In November, the number of people holding more than one job rose by 346,000 to 7.6 million. About 8 million people remain officially categorized as unemployed.
Economists still expect the Fed to raise a key interest rate by one-quarter percentage point to 2.25 percent at its Dec. 14 meeting, the final session of the year.
``The Fed doesn't react emotionally to temporary ups and downs of these numbers,'' Naroff said. ``They're saying, 'Yeah, businesses aren't out there hiring like mad, but they're hiring.'''