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(by Carlo Piovano and Gregory Katz, for the AP at CTV News) LONDON — Hundreds of thousands of travellers were stranded across the world Monday after the British tour company Thomas Cook collapsed [shut down; went out of business] in the middle of the night, immediately halting almost all its flights and hotel services and laying off its employees.
Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority announced about 2:30 a.m. that Thomas Cook, a 178-year-old company… had ceased trading. It said the firm’s four airlines were grounded, and its 21,000 employees in 16 countries — including 9,000 in the U.K. — will lose their jobs.
The collapse of the firm is expected to have sweeping effects across the European and North African tourism industries and elsewhere, as hotels worry about being paid for tourists they have already served and confirmed Thomas Cook bookings for high-season winter resorts suddenly are cancelled.
Overall, about 600,000 people were travelling with the company as of Sunday, though it was unclear how many of them would be left stranded, as some travel subsidiaries were in talks with local authorities to continue operating. Thomas Cook says it served 22 million customers a year.
The British government was taking charge of getting the firm’s 150,000 U.K.-based customers back home from vacation spots across the globe, the largest repatriation effort in the country’s peacetime history. The process began Monday but officials urged patience and warned of delays.
A stream of reports Monday morning hinted at the extent of the travel chaos: some 50,000 Thomas Cook travellers were stranded in Greece; up to 30,000 stuck in Spain’s Canary Islands; 21,000 were left in Turkey and 15,000 were in Cyprus. Airports saw queues of Thomas Cook travellers lining up for other ways to get home. …
An estimated 1 million future Thomas Cook travellers also found their bookings for upcoming holidays cancelled. Many of them are likely to receive refunds under travel insurance plans but had no idea when they would get their money back.
Lewis and Amy Bromiley, from Manchester, England, had paid 7,000 pounds ($8,700) for a January honeymoon in the Maldives.
“Me and my wife are devastated,” said Bromiley, 25. “We’ll have to wait for the refund, which could take months.”
Most of Thomas Cook’s customers from Britain are protected by the government-run travel insurance program, which makes sure vacationers can get home if a British-based tour operator fails while they are abroad. …
…British authorities said they had chartered dozens of aircraft to fly customers home free of charge over the next two weeks, and hired hundreds of people to staff call centres and airport operations centres, [but warned of delays and urged patience].
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was travelling to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said the government was right not to bail out the company, arguing that bailing out Thomas Cook could have led other firms to expect the same treatment. …
Thomas Cook’s collapse is also a blow to the many companies in vacation resorts that have long relied on it, including the 3,150 hotels it does business with.
In Spain’s Canary Islands, a favoured year-round destination for Europeans, the association of hotels said it feared an economic hit, especially from the loss of the winter holiday bookings. The Spanish government was holding meetings Monday with regional authorities to assess the damage.
In Tunisia, the TAP news agency said the tourism minister intervened after reports that some Thomas Cook tourists in Hammamet were locked into one hotel and “being held hostage” as hotel staff demanded they pay extra. The government said the situation was resolved and Thomas Cook clients would not be prevented from leaving the country.
AP writeers Jill Lawless in New York, Pan Pylas in London, Aritz Parra in Madrid, Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, and John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.
From and AP report published by CTV News .ca on September 23, 2019. Reprinted here for educational purposes only. May not be reproduced on other websites without permission from the Associated Press and Canadian TV News.
1. For THE UNITED KINGDOM, give the following information
[Note: GREAT BRITAIN includes England, Scotland and Wales; THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK) includes those countries AND Northern Ireland.]:
- location/the countries that share its borders
- the religious breakdown of the population
- the type of government
- the chief of state (and head of government if different) If monarch or dictator, since what date has he/she ruled?
- the population
Find the answers at the CIA World FactBook website. Answers can be found under the “Geography” “People” and “Government” headings.
NOTE: Before answering the following questions, read the info under “Background” and watch the video under “Resources” below.
2. For THE UK (UNITED KINGDOM):
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) How have people been affected by the sudden shut down of Britain’s Thomas Cook? Be specific.
c) For what reasons did the travel agency shut down?
d) How long has Thomas Cook been in business?
e) What is your reaction to this respected business announcing they were shutting down suddenly in the middle of the night?
An estimated 1 million customers also found their bookings for upcoming trips cancelled. Many of them are likely to receive refunds under travel insurance plans but had no idea when they would get their money back. Thomas Cook said it served 22 million customers a year.
The company, which began in 1841 with one-day train excursions in England, grew to have travel operations around the world but has been struggling for years because of competition from budget airlines and low-cost online booking sites.
In contrast to internet sites, Thomas Cook had high fixed costs: It operated a fleet of 105 jets and owned about 550 travel agencies on major streets across Britain as well as 200 hotels in sun-drenched countries.
“The growing popularity of the pick-and-mix type of travel that allows consumers to book their holiday packages separately, as well as new kids on the block like Airbnb, has seen the travel industry change beyond all recognition in the past decade, as consumers book travel, accommodation, and car hire independently,” said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets.
Business was also hurt in recent years by terror attacks in the Middle East and heat waves in Northern Europe that led people to stay home.
Things got worse this year, with the company blaming a slowdown in bookings on uncertainty over Britain’s impending departure from the European Union. A drop in the pound also made it more expensive for Britons to travel abroad.
While many of these factors also affected rival companies, Thomas Cook was also burdened by $2 billion in debt. It was seeking 200 million pounds ($250 million) to avoid going bust and held talks over the weekend with shareholders and creditors.
CEO Peter Fankhauser stood outside the company’s offices before dawn and announced that the effort to stave off collapse had failed.
“I know that this outcome will be devastating to many people and will cause a lot of anxiety, stress and disruption,” he said.
(published at ctvnews .com on Sept. 23, by Carlo Piovano and Gregory Katz and Carlo Piovano, The Associated Press)
Daily “Answers” emails are provided for Daily News Articles, Tuesday’s World Events and Friday’s News Quiz.


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Here's a video uploaded by an anoyomous Youtube user showing the acceleration capabilities of the new Verna/Accent (codename - RB) heading to India by the end of 2011. The new Verna/Accent was caught..
Nov 2 saw the launch of an eagerly awaited global sedan from Hyundai. The 2011 Accent subcompact sedan (caught testing in Tamil Nadu last month) is finally out of the bag. This is such a big step forw..

domain: news


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Tag: Virgin HotelsView All Tags
Once again, Virgin Hotels is
harassing driving by other hotels in town, flaunting what they got. This time, it's free WiFi which will be available for every guest at the Virgin Hotel Chicago when it opens in January.
Virgin took the streets of Chicago in a branded van the other night and parked at the intersection of Wells and Adams St., which is conveniently near both the JW Marrioott and the W City Center hotels, two hotels that charge for WiFi in the guest rooms. (Although, internet access is available in the lobby for free.)
But not only did Virgin be like, "Look what we have that they don't have!", they also offered free high-speed WiFi from the van so passerbys could experience the Virgin WiFi network.
Virgin will also not charge for early departure fees, room service delivery fees, minibar stocking fees, and business center fees so expect this van to come back around. again.
[Photo: Virgin Hotels]
Virgin Hotels / Loyalty Program News / Hotel Loyalty Programs / Virgin America / Virgin Atlantic / Hotel News / → All Tags
We now know you can FINALLY book a room at The Virgin Hotel Chicago on January 15, starting at $209 for a Chamber king room. We also know that you'll get a room with a sliding partition, an ergonomic bed, an oversized vanity, minibar snacks at normal prices and free WiFi.
Outside of your kinky room, there will be five restaurants and lounges for you to socialize in because ain't nobody leaving the hotel when it's freezing outside.
The good news is there will definitely be one. But the bad news is we have to wait a little longer for the details. A Virgin Hotels spokesperson has told us that the loyalty program will be coming out much sooner that initially reported (well before the first Virgin Hotel opens) and it will be integrated into the airlines' current loyalty programs. Whee!
So while the ins and outs of the Virgin Hotels loyalty program are still under wraps, we bet if you have status on either Virign America or Virgin Atlantic, you will see probably some status perks at Virgin Hotels.
[Photo: Rayme Gorniak for HotelChatter]
Virgin Hotels / Hotel News / Sir Richard Branson / Chicago Hotels / Hotel Hype / Hotel Websites / → All Tags
Earlier tonight, Virgin Hotels, at long last, unveiled their new website with actual information, not just rumors, about their hotels. Even better, reservations are now open for the Virgin Chicago starting on January 15. Rates for a “Chamber King” start at $209 a night.
We're still undressing the Virgin Hotels site but here are the pertinent details. Before we go any further, we strongly suggest you watch the video above to get a clear sense of what the hotel has to offer and how they plan on doing it.
Virgin Hotels have put an end to the rumors they willingly helped others spread about themselves, but there's still a while to go before the hotel actually opens to the public. Yet if you continue to be good little boys and girls, you should be able to sleep with a Virgin by Christmas.
The unofficial opening date for the Virgin Hotel Chicago is now December. And boy, do we hope Santa Branson and his elves can pull this off. Work is still obviously underway at the hotel and we've yet to see an actual website for the property. But they do have a general manager and a chef on board.
So we hope the rest is just a matter of making lists, checking them twice, finding out what's naughty and nice, and then, finally, crossing them off.
[Photo: Virgin Hotels/Facebook]
Looks like starting crazy rumors about themselves wasn't enough.
Virgin Hotels are now printing those rumors--on doormats--and dropping them off at other competing hotels in Chicago. Here are a couple of snapshots of the upcoming hotel's cheeky brand awareness campaign.
We've actually seen this sort of campaign before when CitizenM parked a stretch limo plastered with ads for their new Times Square hotel in front of luxury hotels. We like the doormat idea better but would it have hurt you, Virgin, to put an opening date on the doormat? #canthardlywaitanylonger
[Photos via Virgin Hotels]
Virgin Hotels / Hotel Hype / Sir Richard Branson / Hotel News / Chicago Hotels / Hotel Openings / Hotel Contests / → All Tags
At long last, Virgin Hotels are getting ready to strip down for guests.
Since 2011, we've been
not so patiently awaiting the opening of the Virgin Hotel Chicago, which will be the first hotel for the brand. Making the wait more frustrating, aside from the repeated opening delays, is that we're still rather in the dark about what the Virgin Hotel concept is about.
We did learn 6 important things about the Virgin brand this past spring and about their 6 F&B concepts in Chicago, but largely, we've just been speculating as to what will be inside the Virgin Hotel. In true tease fashion, Virgin wants us to keep guessing.
Today, Sir Richard Branson himself is spreading rumors about the Virgin Hotel and wants you to spread some of your own too.
The Branson-sanctioned rumor-mongering is all part of a gimmick to drum up attention for the Virgin Chicago property as well as give fans an opportunity to win a two-night stay at the hotel. Here's how it works:
Branson has shared some Virgin rumors here in this video including one that says he personally tucks in every guest at night and that the hairdryers have a "beard setting."
You can submit your own Virgin rumors over the next five weeks by tweeting here on the Virgin Hotels website. Be sure to hashtag this entry with #virginrumors. Whoever submits the best rumor will be win the two night stay at Virgin Hotels, plus airfare and transport to the hotel's opening party. A rep for Virgin also cryptically said the "rumors will play out on the streets of Chicago this week" so we'll be sure to report on that as we see them.
Alas, there's no hint as to when the actual hotel opening will be but if the contest is running for five weeks, then we know the hotel won't be open before then. Ooo, did we just come up with our own entry for #virginrumors? Indeed we have.
Hotel Openings / Hotel News / London Hotels / Hotel Hype / Montcalm Hotels / Virgin Hotels / Michael Achenbaum / Gansevoort Hotels / Nobu Hotels / Art'Otel Hotels / Hotel Woes / Hotel Construction / → All Tags
We’ve been heading east so often recently to scope out the latest London hotels news that we thought it was time to do a quick roundup of what we have on our radar in the Shoreditch (and Shoreditch-adjacent) area. Here are five new hotels that are likely to open their doors in the next few years, though some we’d be much more inclined to put our money on than others.
1. M by Montcalm Shoreditch: is it happening? Looking at the construction we saw just weeks ago, we’d say yes, but timing we think will be late spring to summer next year. From a brand perspective, who knows at this point, whether Montcalm will stick or Virgin or someone else swoops in and picks it up, we’ll have to find out. Location is just north of Old Street roundabout.
Given how little information we could parse together about the two new Montcalm Hotels potentially opening in London, we headed into town to see what we could find in person. Double-checking addresses, we struck one of our list before we even left the house, with the hotel on Finsbury Square no longer featured on the website.
What we found in Shoreditch was a little more encouraging in terms of actual construction going on, with the hotel at or very near its highest point. Just north of Old Street Station, the pointy building is very nearly without horizontal lines, sitting next to a fancy apartment complex (on the left) also in progress.
A tipster whispers in our ear that despite the ongoing construction under the Montcalm banner, a number of other groups, including Virgin Hotels, are interested in acquiring the property. While we can’t verify that bit of delicious hotel gossip, we’re all over it – especially since Montcalm doesn’t seem quite sure of anything when it comes to the hotel.
The Virgin Hotel Chicago announced their new executive chef last week and with that announcement we also learned a little bit more about the very mysterious Virgin we're dying to sleep with.
Chef Rick Gresh comes to Virgin after a 7-year stint as Executive Chef at David Burke's Primehouse restaurant at The James Hotel, which was deemed "Best Steakhouse" by Chicago Magazine in 2013. He's been cooking in Chicago for nearly 20 years and puts innovative concepts and local sourcing at the forefront of his approach to cooking. Here's what he said about joining Team Virgin:
“I am thrilled to join Virgin Hotels and inspired by their dedication to exceptional, locally sourced food,” says Gresh. “With six unique concepts under one property, this project will mark a landmark moment in Chicago’s F&B landscape, and I am very excited to be a part of the team.”
Yup. Read it again. He really did say SIX F&B concepts.
What will those be? We can only guess but it will include at least the hotel's main restaurant, probably the rooftop, possibly a bar menu, hypothetically a small cafe and maybe, room service? But that's only five concepts. Dammit, Virgin. You're killing us here. Guess we will have to wait until September when the hotel opens to find out.
In the meantime, here are 6 things we already know about Virgin Hotels.
[Photo: Virgin Hotels]
The Virgin Hotel in Nashville, which is set to open at One Music Row in 2016, has not even been built yet but is already suffering from some ED issues--Ex-Developer issues.
The Tennessean reports that developer David Chase, executive vice president of D.F. Chase Inc. and the lead developer behind the Virgin Hotel, was arrested last week for twice assaulting his girlfriend. In one day. Chase faces charges of aggravated assault by strangulation, vandalism and interference with a 911 call.
The investors behind the Virgin project are now trying to figure out how to get Chase to "step aside" but his ownership stake in the lot where the hotel will go up has complicated matters. Still, a Virgin spokesperson gave this statement to the Tennessean: "We are aware of the situation and while we cannot comment on a pending investigation, we have no tolerance for domestic violence."
Meanwhile, construction on the hotel was to start this summer but that could be delayed until a new developer is found.
[Photo: Nashville CVB]
Virgin Hotels are still working away on their first hotel in Chicago, four long years after Sir Richard Branson hinted to us there would be a Virgin Hotels brand, but the new locations are starting to populate.
Most recently, the brand announced plans for Nashville along with NYC and with Dallas, LA, Miami, and London on the horizon. And now possibly. Silicon Valley.
The Silicon Valley Business Journal reports that Virgin Hotels are looking to develop a hotel on a parking lot next to a Caltrain station in downtown Mountain View, which is home to Google and other tech companies. In typical Virgin Hotels fashion, details are scant on the project idea. But maybe some new info will come to light when it's discussed at the city council meeting on Tuesday.
Yet as the Virgin Hotel brand stays fully clothed from head to toe, they did give us 6 things we should know about the Virgin Hotel experience and they are all pretty perfect things for Silicon Valley's start-up culture. Except maybe the part about wooing women. Virgin might have teach some of those kids a few things about that.
[Photo: Virgin Hotels]
Virgin Hotels have been taking
too long their sweet time in opening their first property. They've also been extremely tight-lipped--some may even say closed-off--about the details of their hotel experience. But today, HotelChatter has an inside line on what to expect when the first Virgin Hotel opens in Chicago this fall, to be followed by other eager, young Virgins around the world.
Here are 6 THINGS VIRGIN HOTELS WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THEM as told to HotelChatter by Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels.
1. Virgin Hotels Will Woo Women
"We are building a product experience sensitive to how women travel," Leal said. Indeed, 60 percent of the Virgin Hotels team is women and they've been giving their input on the room experience from a female business traveler perspective, highlighting more drawers and closet space and a dedicated space to apply make-up. But Leal said Virgin will still be build something that both sexes like and that "works for both sides."


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Currency fluctuation cited as top business risk
Currency fluctuation is one of the top major risks facing businesses across the world, new research shows.
According to a survey from banking group Lloyds, volatility in the currency markets is cited as one of the top five most serious risks businesses in all of the world's major regions apart from North America have to contend with.
When the survey was conducted in 2009, currency fluctuation was cited as the second most important risk facing businesses across the globe, highlighting the importance of thorough currency comparison.
Lloyd's research revealed that export-led countries such as China and India, which have industries particularly reliant on importing raw materials and exporting finished products, were especially fearful of exchange rate fluctuation and viewed it as a barrier to sustainability and economic growth.
The report pointed out that China is increasingly investing in its own infrastructure and trying to stimulate more domestic consumer spending in the face of a slowdown in orders from North America and Europe.
China now has the highest savings in the world and it will use some of its current account surplus - which stands at more than $350 billion (£222 billion) - to encourage Chinese manufacturing companies to prioritise supplying domestic markets.
Lloyds' report also reveals that the falling values of the euro and the dollar in Europe and the US resulted in a flight to the Swiss franc, forcing the Swiss National Bank to peg its value to that of the euro in September 2011.
Corporate investors and governments are also increasingly showing a preference for secure investment options such as low yields in safe havens as they are faced with uncertainty in the global markets.


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KUALA LUMPUR: Dacsee is making a mark in Malaysia’s ride-sharing market, having seen explosive growth in the number of drivers and users since its official launch in July last year. In just six months, the number of bookings has jumped by almost 800%.
In a media statement, Dacsee said that it will expand its services to other South-East Asian countries this year, including Thailand.
South Korea is also another market Dacsee will be launching its platform.
Ride-hailing services in South-East Asia are expected to surge to almost US$30bil by 2025 from US$7.7bil in 2018, according to a Google-Temasek report.
Affirming its stance in providing a community driven service emphasising the sharing economy, Dacsee is the first in the world to provide ride-sharing services utilising the advantages of blockchain technology and decentralization to reduce platform fees and create a self-sustainable ecosystem.


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The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Rev. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, has been adjudged the Outstanding Public Leadership at the fifth Ghana CEO’s Summit held recently.
The award was presented to the Commissioner-General by the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
A press statement from the GRA said the award was in recognition of the initiatives introduced at the GRA under the leadership of Rev. Owusu-Amoah.
It said the initiatives had resulted in the achievement of significant milestones, including the revenue targets for two consecutive years.
Speaking as a panellist on behalf of the Commissioner-General, Mr Dominic Naab, an Assistant Commissioner, noted that the world was running very fast in terms of technology, and to remain relevant and effective, countries would have no choice but to be abreast of the times.
He added that GRA was focused on the use of digital tools to aid compliance with the expected result of increasing revenue mobilisation for the development of Ghana.
He mentioned some innovations introduced by the authority as to include the introduction of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) and filling of returns electronically via the Ghana.gov platform.
He said the Ghana.gov platform could be accessed online via the GRA website- www.gra.gov.gh,
He said other technology-based initiatives of the authority included the cashless system, taxing the high-net-worth individuals, which commenced in earnest in 2020 and the restructuring of Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) into Area Offices and Taxpayer Service Centres
He said the GRA had also commenced the use of Ghana Card Personal Identification Number as the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) for individuals as well as introduced new excise tax stamps.
He said it had also started a rigorous effort to tax players in the e-commerce industry embarked on intensive debt collection drive and the prosecution of tax defaulters as well as increased tax education.
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ALTDORF, Switzerland—Datwyler Holding is "generally confident" about the second half of 2020, despite a massive slump in demand within its automotive and oil industry target markets.
First half earnings (EBITDA) fell 17.8 percent year-on-year to $106 million, on 22.7 percent lower sales of $596 million, Datwyler said Aug. 11.
The Swiss manufacturer reported an operating loss (EBIT) of $437 million, down from $99 million of profits reported in the first half of 2019.
Datwyler attributed the operating loss to the sale of its Distrelec and Nedis distribution companies, which led to a non-cash loss of $508 million in total. The company remained profitable with an EBIT margin of 11.9 percent.
Despite the weak results, the Altdorf-based manufacturer said it was generally confident about the second half of the year, due mainly to high order volumes in its health care solutions business area.
Earlier this year, Datwyler launched a restructuring program to focus on "system-critical elastomer components" sealing business.
The reorganization combined the company's market and production activities to form two business areas: Health Care Solutions and Industrial Solutions.
In its half-year press release, Datwyler said the streamlining of the business structure proved its worth, allowing the company to respond to changing market conditions "with speed and agility."
In the health care business, sales remained flat at $220 million, hit by a 5.7 percent negative currency impact of strong franc. Due to additional costs from COVID-19, operating results (EBIT) fell to $38.8 million from $46.3 million reported in the first half of 2019.
Datwyler's industrial solutions faced with "sharp declines" in demand from automotive and oil and gas customers, with many mobility customers closing their plants for several weeks.
Helped by its food and beverage business unit, the segment reported a 24 percent decline in sales to $232 million. Adjusted operating result (EBIT) was nearly halved to $23.2 million during the six-month period.
For the full year, Datwyler said it is expecting conditions in the automotive and oil and gas markets to continue to have "significant uncertainty for the foreseeable future." The company said it believed that demand would only recover slowly in the markets and a recovery to 2019 levels will be possible by 2022.
By contrast, the manufacturer said it was confident that revenue growth will remain high in the food and beverage business unit as well as its health care segment in the second half of the year.


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The need for new customers is always a top business priority but a marketing rule of thumb says that it is eight times more expensive to gain new customers than to increase sales to existing ones. New and existing customers want better service and expect companies to approach them with tailored communications in a way that suits them – whether by mail, email, telephone or social media.
For these reasons, CRM is more important than ever. To address how organisations can gain and retain customers, SugarCRM, the world’s fastest growing customer relationship management (CRM) company, will highlight best practices at its CRM Acceleration event in London on September 11th, 2012 at the Cumberland Hotel.
Esteemed journalist and author of This is Social Media and This is Social Commerce, Guy Clapperton, will deliver a keynote called, "How CRM became Social," looking at how the customer is changing, why they suddenly expect to engage directly with a brand when they wouldn't before and where some opportunities lie.
In addition, Larry Augustin, CEO of SugarCRM will present, “The Vision of CRM,” and Roy Lee, Europe IOT Mid Market Marketing Leader, IBM United Kingdom will present, “The Future of Business Ecosystems.” Customer speakers will also share their real-world experiences.


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CyberPower PC has announced their new "Syber" Steam-centric gaming PC that will compete with Valve's recently delayed "Steam Machine." It will start at $599.99, and offer a higher end model.
Microsoft Lumia 640 review: Impressive device, affordable price
Windows 10 signoff will occur in mid July
Windows 10 promo
"..is now a top seller and lets you put all your favorite sci-fi ships against each other" - Brad Wardell
galactic civilizations 3
Review: Elephone P6000 - rethinking the flagship


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As an professional on appears for nuptials, I advise in opposition to going for really dewy skin, leaning into tendencies, and getting lash extensions before your big day. PVDs, as they’re identified inside UPS, are a well-recognized idea in a delivery worldincreasingly run on gig-economylabor. These short-term workers supplement full-time drivers, delivering packages whereas driving their very own vehicles. According to the present contract, UPS can rent PVDs as seasonal laborers so lengthy as it gives precedence to union workers. Some drivers see it because the commodification or“uber-ization” of their job. O’Brien’s hardest task may be undoing elements of UPS’ current contract, which went into effect on a technicality, despite the actual fact that members who voted had been in opposition to it.
The enhanced Google Pay app’s emphasis on cash management tools could probably be a major customer acquisition advantage. Mcommerce has the potential to turn out to be a major channel for buying and to alter consumer shopping habits. Many are deployed on chatbot platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat, Slack, or textual content messages.
The categorization is an apparent downgrade from Dimon’s earlier feedback in June when he warned of an “financial hurricane,” Business Insider reported. Retail mcommerce gross sales hit $359.32 billion in 2021, an increase of 15.2% over 2020. By 2025, retail mcommerce gross sales should more than double to reach $728.28 billion and account for forty four.2% of retail ecommerce gross sales in the US. By 2024, client retail spend through chatbots worldwide will attain $142 billion—up from simply $2.eight billion in 2019, in accordance with Juniper Research.
Get business insights on the newest tech innovations, market developments, and your competitors with data-driven research. Deployment channels similar to messaging apps, cloud networks, SMS, and email purchasers are where chatbots live and interact with users. Third-party chatbots are brands and companies that a buyer could use to, for instance, order an Uber via Facebook Messenger. Business Insider’s primary concern is its geographically various consumer base — they have seven worldwide editions with five million guests every month.
The Insider app provides you with a quick and handy way to read business news on the go. Glenn Greenwald has critiqued the reliability of Business Insider, together with that of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo! News, and Slate. In 2010, Business Insider falsely reported that New York Governor David Paterson was slated to resign; BI had earlier reported a false story alleging that Steve Jobs experienced a heart assault. Google lately revamped its Google Pay app for Android and iOS customers, and includes checking and financial savings accounts in partnership with Citi and Stanford Federal Credit Union.
Dominick Cruz suffered a broken nostril in his knockout loss Saturday to Chito Vera at the UFC event in San Diego. “Are we really ready to merely accept the uncertainties and the depths of this sort of strategic competition?” one expert Insider spoke with requested. Get the within scoop on what traders are speaking about — delivered day by day to your inbox. Get a day by day selection of our prime stories based on your studying preferences.
After Business Insider was purchased by Axel Springer SE in 2015, a substantial portion of its staff left the corporate. According to a CNN report, some workers who exited complained that “site visitors took priority over enterprise reporting”. In 2018, workers members had been requested to signal a confidentiality agreement that included a nondisparagement clause requiring them not to criticize the location during or after their employment. Kylie Keefe posted a video on TikTok about how her dad accidentally booked a tiny house in New York that couldn’t come near fitting everyone. There are so many ways to make the classic dinner side dish, so I decided to put three methods to the test that have wildly different bake times.
As of 2013, Jeff Bezos was a Business Insider investor; his funding firm Bezos Expeditions held approximately 3 percent of the corporate as of its acquisition in 2015. News Corp is a global, diversified media and knowledge providers company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content material and different services. And mcommerce is poised to burst into the mainstream due to a host of technological advances which might be making it simpler for users to buy on their phones. Below, we’ve outlined the street ahead for mcommerce progress and detailed some mobile purchasing statistics. More and extra main firms continue to announce their help for chatbots within their very own business, such as LinkedIn, Starbucks, British Airways, and eBay.
The ease and accessibility to construct a customizable bot alongside the increased utilization of messaging apps solely proves the growth and strength that can push the chatbot trade ahead. As the business matures, the underlying AI know-how continues to develop and develop extra refined. Business Insider serves personalized content material to individual customers, ensuring their editors, logged-in readers, and guests every have a novel expertise on BusinessInsider.com. They do that by writing and instantly deploying Custom Varnish Configuration Language to attach totally different headers for every type of person. This allows editors to see the content material uncached, and provides them the flexibility to publish and replace content instantly, whereas readers see the most recent content material in actual time. Article feedback are cached individually from the article itself — using Fastly’s surrogate keys, Business Insider can show the newest comments without having to purge the whole web page.


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Our Community is 705,000 Strong. Join Us.
The New Challenger Is A Go!
07-03-2006, 01:41 PM
Chrysler Group President Tom LaSorda Says
Dodge Challenger is a "Go"
July 1, 2006
Nearly 35 years later, Dodge Challenger returns as the ultimate modern American muscle coupe
Unprecedented public response to Challenger concept leads to "green light" decision for production
Another chapter in Chrysler Group's concept-to-production success story Daytona Beach, Fla. - Chrysler Group President and CEO Tom LaSorda today announced that Dodge Challenger will return to production after a nearly 35-year hiatus. The all-new Dodge Challenger will debut as a 2008 model in calendar-year 2008.
The announcement was made shortly before the Pepsi 400 NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Driving out with the Dodge Challenger was Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer Eric Ridenour.
"We haven't seen this kind of spontaneous, passionate response to a car since we unveiled the Dodge Viper concept in 1989," said LaSorda. "But it's easy to see what people like about the Dodge Challenger. It's bold, powerful and capable. It's a modern take on one of the most iconic muscle cars, and sets a new standard for pure ‘pony car' performance."
The Dodge Challenger will feature the long hood, short deck, wide stance and two-door coupe body style that distinguished the iconic Challengers of the 1970s.
"We drew on the rich heritage of the Dodge Challenger, but with contemporary forms and technologies," said LaSorda. "It's not just a re-creation; it's a reinterpretation."
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2014


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Financial service institutions often feel torn between “opening up” to new technologies and maintaining good security and compliance practices. But new standards are emerging to help them meet both goals.
The nonprofit standards organization Financial Data Exchange (FDX) late last month released a new application protocol with the goal of providing better two-way data sharing between data providers and third-party financial technology firms, as well as more consumer control of where data is shared. FDX is hoping to standardize financial data sharing as U.S. financial institutions continue to adopt open banking.
The latest release, the fifth version of the FDX API, promises to improve data-sharing around “consent, user control and consumer dashboards,” and to mesh with other security standards like OpenID Foundation and the insurance industry’s ACORD, per the recent release. “FDX API 5.0 represents FDX’s first major release since early 2020 and significantly expands the standardization of consumer data sharing in the financial industry,” said FDX Managing Director Don Cardinal, in a prepared statement. “FDX API 5.0 is not only increasing efficiency and ease of use across the open finance and open banking landscape, but we have made huge strides on global interoperability with this release.”
According to FDX, the new API is expected to improve the user experience with the financial services industry as well as third-party providers and data partners; to make user consent more standard and transparent throughout the financial data-sharing process; and to put these financial APIs more in line with Open ID, ACORD, and other globally recognized standards.
Gideon Taub, CEO of Pinkaloo, and vice president of emerging markets for RenPSG, said these changes “would provide two significant benefits.”
“First, it would reduce security risk by creating a standard and making it easier to confirm that only data that is absolutely required to be shared is actually shared, and that it is shared in a secure and compliant format,” said Taub. “Second, it will allow FinTech-FSI partnerships to be launched more quickly, as the required diligence reviews can be streamlined.”
Indeed, Dinesh Katyal, FDX’s director of product, echoed the concept that this latest iteration of the standard has drawn widespread support, in his prepared comment: “Almost every industry player involved in open finance and open banking data sharing in the U.S. and Canada is at the FDX table working to make FDX standards the absolute best in the world.”
FDX API 5.0 was created based on 43 “Request for Change” (RFC) proposals by FDX members. Additionally, FDX recently reported that 22 million consumer accounts are currently using the FDX API for financial data sharing in the U.S. and Canada. FDX releases updates to the FDX API twice a year with major updates delineated by whole version numbers.


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We already know a small Chinese company is prepping a super-cheap netbook based on Google's Android platform. Could Dell be doing the same? The guys at Engadget spotted a reference to an Android-powered Dell netbook in a press release from a mobile software firm.
Bsquare's press release is up on MarketWire, and its title leaves little to the imagination: "Bsquare to Port Adobe Flash Lite on New Google Android Netbook for Dell." The document mentions a port of Adobe Flash Lite 3.17 to "Dell Netbooks running Google's Android platform," which apparently include the "Mini Inspiron 910"—a likely reference to the Inspiron Mini 9.
Right now, the cheapest flavor of the Mini 9 comes with Ubuntu Linux 8.04 and costs $279. That's not too far off the aforementioned Chinese firm's $250 target, except the Dell system has an Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, and an 8.9" display. The question remains whether Android would be a good choice for such a relatively full-featured netbook, especially since Ubuntu comes with a versions of Firefox, OpenOffice.org, and other open-source desktop apps.
|It's official: Microsoft will consolidate Windows development||38|
|Steam controller gets an analog stick||5|
|Delays strike Battlefield: Hardline, Dragon Age: Inquisition||11|
|Microsoft's 2014 revenue up 11.5%, but income stagnates||23|
|Tuesday Night Shortbread||48|
|New Humble Bundle includes Thief, Deus Ex, Anachronox, Hitman||27|
|Nvidia Shield Tablet is packed with ports, possibilities||58|
|Intel adopts SK Hynix flash for Pro 2500 Series SSD||10|
|Windows Threshold shots show Start menu, windowed Modern UI||58|
|The new new name for the UI is called Retro.||+33|


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Workhorse Delivers UPS Its First New Fuel Efficient W62 Gas Chassis
achieve significant fuel savings with its upgraded W62 chassis for walk-in trucks.
One of the first UPS delivery trucks built on an upgraded W62 gasoline-powered chassis was on display at this week
Bakery Fleet Orders AMP Electric Vans
on the renowned W62 chassis.
"These vehicles are particularly well-suited for the stop and go nature of route delivery
Workhorse Displays New Hybrid Truck Chassis
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The new W62 walk-in truck platform introduced by Workhorse Custom Chassis at the National Truck Equipment Association Work Truck Show brings new gas and diesel choices to
Workhorse Offers Extensive Choice of Warranty Options
Workhorse gas and diesel W42 and W62 walk-in truck chassis ranging from 9,400 to 23,500-lbs. GVWR, with wheelbases of 125 to 218 inches. The Workhorse W42 gas platform (up to 16,000-lbs. GVWR) uses GM Vortec
Workhorse Offers PTO, Renames Walk-In Truck
-in trucks built on Workhorse’s new heavy-duty W62 diesel chassis.
Workhorse has created an integrated build process that enables the PTO option to be spec’d with the chassis right from the dealer. The
Navistar Shutting Down Workhorse as Part of Cost-Cutting
Securities & Exchange Commission.Workhorse stopped making its W42 and W62 van chassis early this year, one competitor said, and final production is apparently of motor home chassis. Production
Workhorse Introduces New Walk-In Truck Look
capabilities of our new heavy-duty 23,500 lb. GVWR W62 chassis in respect to the tough jobs that trucks are needed for.”
The initial Workhorse model is now available on an 86-inch wide body. Within the
What’s New in 2010 Model-Year Light- and Medium-Duty
addition to a MaxxForce diesel engine, the WorkForce W42 and W62 chassis models include gasoline-powered versions, powered by GM Vortec engines - a 4.8L V-8 in the W42 and 8.1L V-8 in the W


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Kennedy Funding Completes $2.338 Million Financing for South Carolina Shopping Center
Loan paid off an existing first lien on Fairfield Square
Englewood Cliffs, NJ – Kennedy Funding, Inc. has completed a $2.338 million loan for Fairfield Square Shopping Center, a 99,345-square-foot grocery-anchored retail property in Winnsboro, SC. The financing, obtained by Fairfield Square, LLC, carries a three-year, interest-only term and paid off an existing loan on the property.
“As most agree, the real estate lending environment remains challenging,” said Kevin Wolfer, CEO and president of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey based Kennedy Funding, one of the nation’s largest direct private lenders. “Each transaction is different, requiring special attention to turn each situation into a ‘win-win’ for all parties involved.”
“While it is more than 83% leased, Fairfield Square provides substantial upside potential,” Wolfer said. “We recognized that upside potential and were able to craft a transaction that will benefit all involved, and we are prepared to continue to structure unique financings in this marketplace.”
Specifically, Fairfield Square Shopping Center’s upside is the fact that while Food Lion, a 1,200 store supermarket chain, continues to pay rent for its 33,000-square-foot anchor unit and is committed to do so until 2018, the grocer no longer occupies the space.
“The borrower is actively negotiating a potential buyout of Food Lion’s lease, and an agreement is expected to be reached soon,” said Wolfer. “In addition to an anticipated payment by Food Lion, the agreement will free up a well-located anchor unit for re-leasing in a strong retail market.”
Fairfield Square is situated on 16.5 acres at 29-123 US Highway 321 Bypass in Winnsboro, within the Greater Columbia metro area. Constructed in 1971, the shopping center was substantially renovated in 1998 and acquired by Fairfield Square, LLC, a local investor group, in 2006. Current tenants include Dollar General, CVS, Peebles, CitiFinancial Bank, H&R Block and China Buffet.
“Where other lenders might see uncertainty, we see an opportunity to make a difference,” said Wolfer. “We will actively continue to pursue those opportunities.”
America’s leading direct, hard money lender, Kennedy Funding specializes in bridge loans for commercial property and land acquisition, development, workouts, bankruptcies, and foreclosures. The firm’s creative financing expertise enables the closing of equity-based loans of up to 75% loan-to-value ratio, from $1 million to more than $50 million, in as little as five days. Kennedy Funding continues to actively seek new funding opportunities throughout the world.


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The author is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association.
Last month, the Consumer Electronics Association became the Consumer Technology Association. The new name more accurately reflects our vision, scope of activity, current membership base and brand promise. We announced the name and introduced the new logo at CES Unveiled New York, a half-day event offering a sneak preview of the year’s most innovative products and technologies ahead of CES 2016 in early January.
While our association’s name has changed, our mission has not.
As representatives of more than 2,200 U.S. technology companies, promoting and spurring innovation are at the core of everything our association does. And to represent our members fully and fairly, we needed to make sure we understood their needs and their business models. Starting from first principles, this has meant taking a closer look at our organization’s name.
CTA remains the voice of the consumer technology industry and committed to its growth. We fight for and defend pro-innovation public policies. Our focus on, and commitment to, excellence in market research and industry standards, as well as to promoting and spurring innovation, will continue unabashed and unabated.
Our name change is less revolutionary than evolutionary. While our association has successfully staked its claim as a global champion of technological innovation, the term “electronics” no longer accurately represented the full scope of our membership and the industry we represent.
Just think about the evolution in radio over the last two decades. In 1996, Sonicwave.com launched the first Internet radio station. Today, more than 119 million people listen to online radio every week, averaging about 13 hours of playtime. Technology is evolving at the lightning speed of innovation.
This name change is not our first reformation. In fact, our association has a long history of changing our name to reflect the rapidly-evolving industry we represent. We began, in 1924, as the Radio Manufacturers Association. Later, we became the Electronic Industries Association, the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association and then the Consumer Electronics Association. With every step in our evolution we’ve grown our membership, expanded our scope of technology and strengthened our public voice.
Over the last nine decades, our membership has broadened to include new technologies and innovative industries, including automakers, crowdsourcing technology, software and app creators, drone companies, 3D-printer makers, digital health leaders, robotics innovators, Internet of Things players, search engines, content creators and more. The name “Consumer Technology Association” allows us to update our brand without changing our identity.
With this evolution, we also more inclusively represent the member companies that are non-hardware innovators, such as Uber and Lyft, BMW and Ford, Netflix and Pandora, Expedia Inc. and Yelp, Google and WebMD, and Twentieth Century Fox and Starz. Indeed, much of what our industry is creating today is smart, connected and not “electronics” per se — at least not as traditionally defined.
WHAT’S THE SAME?
One thing that isn’t changing is the name of CTA’s annual industry trade show in Las Vegas. CES, the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, has become the global brand for innovation where representatives from the world’s technology industry discover the latest trends, conduct business and network. With more than 2 million net square feet of exhibit space across three venues, CES reflects the awe-inspiring scope, breadth and innovative breakthroughs of today’s consumer technology industry.
Another thing that isn’t changing is CTA’s 35-year co-sponsorship of the National Radio Systems Committee in collaboration with the National Association of Broadcasters. During that time, the NRSC has standardized broadcast-radio technologies in analog and digital AM/FM radio, as well as text delivery via the Radio Broadcast Data System. The roughly 200 engineers who participate in the NRSC’s standards development groups have helped keep consumer technology manufacturers on the same page as broadcasters, even as radio has evolved.
Because of the timing of our name change and the sheer size and scale of CES, some attendees will see CEA signage at the 2016 show. But anyone looking for us online at CE.org is now automatically redirected to our new Web address, CTA.tech.
As technology evolves, so do we. Our new name better represents the full promise and potential of our member’s products and services, whether that lies in creating new jobs, strengthening technology’s role as an economic engine or introducing life-enhancing innovations. Embracing innovation is at the core of our organization.
Gary Shapiro also is author of the books “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” and “The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream.” His views are his own. Connect with him on Twitter: @GaryShapiro.


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Linens 'n Things coming to Silverdale
The new home furnishings store is tight-lipped about its opening.
By Elena Castaneda
A retail chain that calls itself "the home furnishing superstore" will be moving into a vacant Silverdale storefront this spring, but company officials aren't saying exactly when Linens 'n Things will open.
When Linens 'n Things does move to Silverdale, it will provide Kitsap shoppers with another retail outlet focused on home goods. The store will be moving into Mickelberry Center to the site previously occupied by Best Products.
The Clifton, N.J.-based company says on its Web site that its "linens" include bedding, towels and pillows, and defines "things" as housewares and home accessories.
Sheets, comforters, towels, window treatments, picture frames, bath accessories, flatware, cookware and kitchen gadgets are among the brand-name products available at the stores. It also carries its own line of goods.
Over 170 Linens 'n Things stores operate across the country, including locations in Issaquah, Lynnwood and Tukwila. It employs 7,500 associates and plans to open approximately 100 new stores in the next three years.
The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its 1997 net sales increased 25.6 percent to $874 million compared with $696 million in 1996.
Linens 'n Things chief financial officer Bill Giles did not provide information on when the Silverdale store would open and how many people the store might employ when contacted last week.


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Despite continuing Omicron concerns, retail sales last month rose to 3.8% — a total of $649.8 billion — the U.S. Department of Commerce reported Wednesday morning. Those numbers come after December saw a tough 2.5% slide during the typically-busy holiday season.
Inflation, which quickly rose to 7% in 2021 (the fastest pace since 1982) and 7.5% in January, helped to pump the numbers up. The monthly sales are also up 13% from a year prior, while sales from November to January 2021 were up 16% from that same period in 2020.
Furniture and home furnishing stores saw a 7.2% change, while online retailers led the way with a 14.5% rise. Rounding out the top producers is motor vehicle dealers with 5.7%. Meanwhile, electronic and appliances stores registered a 1.9% rise, while food and restaurants saw a 0.9% decline due to rising fears and increased precautions over the spreading COVID-19 variants.
Bankrate.com senior industry analyst Ted Rossman explained to ABC News that Omicron cases — along with the cost — could be the culprit for falling gasoline prices as well, which declined 1.3%. However, gasoline stations saw the biggest year-over-year jump with 33.4%. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas currently sits at around $3.5 dollars, up from $2.5 dollars a year ago.
This economic resilience in the face of a new COVID wave is certainly one to be admired. Omicron looked to be more dangerous and contagious than the Delta variant, and the U.S. endured a pandemic-high 1.4 million new cases on Jan. 10. With workers out sick, a shortage began, forcing many stores to cut hours.
However, cases have since seen a decline, with the current seven-day average laying around 141,000. In addition to retail sales, jobs also prevailed despite the surge – nonfarm payrolls rose by 467,000 last month, 150,00 more than Wall Street’s estimate, while the unemployment rate increased by 0.1% to 4%. Wages increased 0.7% on the month and 5.7% for the year, the biggest yearly move since May 2020. Even with inflation, consumers were able to spend more freely with the extra cash.
“Even taking into account the December decline, retail sales in recent months have been increasing much faster than prices, so households are purchasing larger volumes of goods and services, not just paying higher prices,” PNC chief economist Gus Faucher told CNBC.
Among other monthly declines include sports, music, and book stores (-3.0%, the highest decline endured by any retailer), health and personal stores (-0.7%), and miscellaneous store retailers (-0.1%). The only retailer that saw a year-over-year decline was electronics with -2.9%.
While clothing retailers had a meager 0.7% rise, they finished third overall in year-over-year change with +21.9%, behind gas and food and restaurants (+27%). The overall rate greatly outperformed economists’ predictions, which expected the final total to fall around a 2% rise. The report covers only a third of overall consumer spending, and doesn’t include services like plane tickets.
Andrew Rhoades is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest based in New York. A Saint Joseph’s University graduate, Rhoades’ reporting includes sports, U.S., and entertainment. You can reach him at email@example.com.


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PRWeb 2016-07-30 September's event to support healthcare leaders in providing quality care Orland Park, Illinois (PRWEB) July 30, 2016... ...http://www.bizwireexpress.com/showstoryPRWeb.php?storyid=535261
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) are pleased to announce that Christopher W. Nolan Sr., managing... ...http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/premier-ag-sector-investment-banker-headline-export-exchange-2016
Kate Currawalla an extraordinary human being, teacher, mother, social worker and the founder of Maharashtra Dyslexia Association (MDA) has devoted... ...http://www.freepressjournal.in/Featured-Blog/dyslexia-has-nothing-to-do-with-intelligence/900190
Banks need to put in place preventive measures such as appropriate controls framework around the systems, reconciliation of transactions in on real... ...http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/time-to-scale-up-cyber-security-preparedness-to-meet-emerging-threats-rbi-116073000433_1.html
Ministry of Tourism annually presents National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. These awards are... ...http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=148048
Apply Disability Grants...


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Japanese automaker Nissan is exploring the launch of its all-electric vehicle Leaf in the country. Money Control, 1 week ago
A rise in the number of hybrid and electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius and Tesla as well as tighter fuel standards in Europe and the United States will contribute to a historic shift in consumption.DNA, 1 month ago
By David Shepardson NEW YORK (Reuters) - Automakers unveiled new sport utility vehicles at the New York auto show on Wednesday, boosted by low fuel prices and increasing demand, but said they were also moving ahead with new U.S. electric and plug-in hybrid ...Sify, 1 week ago
on your WebpageAdd Widget >Get your members hooked!


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News America Marketing, the in-store advertising and grocery coupon agency that's owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., just lost two huge contracts — Rite Aid and Family Dollar— to its arch-rival in the supermarket business, Valassis, according to a source who tipped Business Insider and a Rite Aid spokesperson.
The news doesn't sound dramatic unless you know the context: News and Valassis have been locked in a years long war for domination of the supermarket/grocery business, a battle which has so far cost News $656 million in legal settlements over allegations that it used antitrust tactics to drive competitors out of the market.
Since that settlement, News was sued by Dial Corp, alleging its tactics kept prices higher than they should be for in-store advertising and newspaper coupons. We speculated that suit could — and that's a highly qualified "could" — lead to a full-scale mutiny of News' in-store clients.
We reached out to all four companies. News and Valassis didn't reply; we've yet to hear back from Family Dollar. But Rite Aid confirmed: "To answer your question, effective Jan. 1 of this year, we began using Valassis."
Here's our tipster's info:
News America just lost 11,900 stores combined on Dec. 31 ... They lost the 7,200 Family Dollar chain based out of North Carolina and the 4,600 Rite Aid Drug chain based out of Pennsylvania. The up and coming Valassis instore division landed these two big retailer contracts and the addition of the Rite Aid chain is a big win for their partnership with Insignia. [ Insignia is a smaller in-store agency that works with Valassis.] Valassis is now a 15,000 total store player.
Anyone else with information, please email me or use the comments below.


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Apple may launch a significantly less expensive MacBook Air to undercut sales of next-gen “ultrabook” style laptops due in the second quarter of this year. It’s just another rumor, mind you, but if it happened, the thinking is that it could frustrate Intel’s plans to push budget-priced ultrabooks in the second half of 2012.
According to DigiTimes‘ supply chain sources, the cheaper MacBook Air would launch in the third quarter of 2012 for $799, or $200 less than the current entry-level MacBook Air, an 11.6-inch model that sells for $999 and comes with a dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 2GB memory and 64GB of flash storage. (Note that DT‘s tipsters are sometimes on the money, sometimes wildly off.)
Ultrabooks — Intel’s specification for thinner, lighter laptops — arrived in late 2011, but sales have been underwhelming, in part because of competition from tablets, in part because ultrabooks haven’t distinguished themselves from non-ultrabook alternatives, price-wise. One of the more notable exceptions is Dell’s XPS 13 ultrabook, which went on sale in February 2012 and has sold at “[a] little bit less than 3X the expected demand,” according to Dell. Of course the XPS 13 is strikingly similar to Apple’s 11.6-inch MacBook Air, wrapped in a roughly analogous aluminum shell with the same blade-like form and a lid that tapers, back to front. (Hold the 11.6-inch Air and XPS 13 beside each other with lids closed, as I did recently, and aside from logos and coloring, you’d be hard pressed to tell the two apart.)
In April, Intel said to expect ultrabook prices to fall to $699 when the back-to-school season gets underway, i.e. sometime in August. But that assumes Intel is able to convince ultrabook resellers to deliver at those price levels. And even if it is, if Apple drops its entry-level MacBook Air to $799, it would all but eliminate an ultrabook price advantage. DT‘s sources say such a move would “further postpone the time [until] ultrabooks become standardized.”
A secondary factor affecting ultrabook sales — noted by DT, but also conventional industry wisdom — will be the ramp-up to Windows 8, which isn’t due until late this year (rumor pegs its launch to sometime in October). Sales comparisons until Windows 8 arrives will thus be problematic as customers hold off buying new Windows-based laptops until after Microsoft’s latest operating system debuts.
Market researcher IDC said in April that it projects up to 40 million ultrabooks will be sold worldwide in 2012, but that report banked on ultrabook pricing and Intel’s $699 claim. If Apple introduces a $799 MacBook Air packing similar Ivy Bridge-based hardware — Intel’s new 3D-transistor chipset designed to offer significantly better performance without compromising battery life — all bets are off.


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The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 took home top honors as the winner of the 2016AutoGuide.com Readerís Choice Car of the Year Award.
With Ford keeping a tight grasp on AutoGuide.com
readers, the fifth-generation Mustang also won last yearís
Readerís Choice Car of the Year. This yearís high-performance edition seems to have just as many fans.
Powered by a hand-built, naturally aspirated, flat-plane 5.2-liter V8, the Shelby lives up to its legendary predecessors with 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, and with a redline of 8,250 rpm, it is the highest-revving production V8 in the American automakerís history. Adding to its appeal is surely its starting price of $49,995, including destination, which cements its place as an attainable and very capable sports car.

'America loves the Ford Mustang. For the second year in a row, a Mustang took home our Readerís Choice Car of the Year Award,' says AutoGuide.com
editorial director Colum Wood. 'Last year, it was the new generation that won the hearts of AutoGuide.com
readers. This year, itís the supercar performance of the GT350 with its incredibly powerful and even more incredible sounding 5.2-liter V8 engine.

'Voting continues to gain traction on social media and, as always, the votes poured in for this yearís awards from across the 500+ AutoGuide.com
Read more about the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Wins 2016 AutoGuide.com Readerís Choice Car of the Year Award


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At Bob’s Carpet Mart and Flooring, we have a carpet sale many times during the year and we have often wondered if saving money was the only reason so many people come into the store during these sales. We have noticed that many of our customers are retired individuals who are looking to make changes to their homes once the kids have moved out. A recent story we saw seems to confirm this. It read, in part:
“Raising kids costs a lot of money, so when they finally strike out on their own it stands to reason that parents would have more money to spend, save or invest. How they spend that money can have large consequences for their retirement security.”
Source: Parents aren’t always saving more when their kids leave home by Adam Allington for the Associated Press.
It is no secret that many retired people own their own homes. And, because they do, they often want to make improvements. However, for many homeowners who are retired, money can be an issue. When they decide, for instance, to have new flooring installed, they look for a great carpet sale that offers a large selection to choose from, but also offers low prices. This only makes sense, as no one wants to pay more for new flooring than they have to pay.
With 14 flooring stores, Bob’s Carpet Mart and Flooring has long understood that bringing the best flooring systems to the Tampa Bay area is only a part of our mission. We also wanted to present our community with the best carpet sales in the entire region. These sales bring in people from all over the area, and that includes many retired persons who want new carpeting as they go about remaking the look of their homes when the kids have left. This is not an uncommon activity.
When the kids move out, parents have the opportunity to change their homes to meet their new freer lifestyles. A bedroom that once belonged to a child can now be turned into a study or office, for instance. A playroom can be turned into a family room for times when the children and grandchildren come to visit. The options for change are nearly limitless.
If you would like to see just how much money we can save you on new flooring, come by one of our showrooms and explore the many flooring systems that we offer during our carpet sale today.


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But a New York pizza shop is giving their customers an especially adorable treat to go with their munchies while helping out a community organization at the same time.The Just Pizza & Wing Co. franchise in Amherst, New York, is attaching flyers of adoptable dogs to its boxes.And the yummiest part? Anyone who adopts a dog featured on a pizza box flyer will receive a $50 gift certificate to the pizza shop.The unique idea came after Mary Alloy, who owns the pizza franchise with three of her children, began volunteering with the Niagara Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Alloy worked with Kimberly LaRussa, an SPCA event coordinator, to come up with ways to help more shelter animals find their forever homes. "Kimberly texted me one night and was like, 'Hey, what would you think about putting pictures of the dogs on pizza boxes?' and I just couldn't wait," Alloy said. "We are all animal lovers here, so I got permission from the franchise to do it and immediately got to work."On Friday, customers of the pizza shop began receiving orders with photos of sweet pups who need to be adopted attached to boxes. Alloy said the reaction from customers has been the best part. People are "absolutely loving" it, and after just a single day of putting the flyers on pizza boxes, a 6-month-old puppy named Larry was adopted on Saturday."We've had a tremendous amount of interest and support from the community and beyond since the story went viral on Friday," LaRussa told CNN. "Many people want to order a pizza just to get the shelter dog photo, other pizzerias have offered to put flyers on their pizza boxes, and so many people are tagging their friends and family."The shop is getting a lot more business, according to Alloy. While the restaurant usually uses about 600 to 800 boxes every week, it has already gone through 500 boxes since Friday.
A history of giving back
Alloy's generosity goes beyond her passion for helping animals.She is constantly finding ways to give back to her community, including her involvement with hospice care, non-profit medical organizations, autism centers, children's hospitals, and animal shelters throughout Buffalo. "I try to do whatever I can for other organizations who need help," Alloy said. "We have donation boxes all over the store. Anything I can do to the help the community, I'm going to do it."Alloy said she's always wanted to volunteer for the SPCA, but as a small-business owner, she doesn't have the time do it herself. IRead More – Source


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BEN BALDANZA: It’s the perfect time for low-fare airlines to expand and to launch for a couple of reasons. One is the big carriers are still having to watch their cash really closely, so they can't be quite as aggressive on them.
Second, there's more access in airports right now as more things have opened up with fewer flights. And airplane prices are really good right now because manufacturers and lessors want to put more product out to market. So it's actually not a bad time.
And anyone who's bet against David Neeleman in the past would have lost money. So I don't think we should bet against them this time either.


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Hope for Android’s Bluetooth LE Reliability Problem?
Android has long been known to have problems establishing and maintaining Bluetooth LE connections. In a previous post, I shared data showing that Android has a stunning 20 percent failure rate connecting to a GATT service under real-world conditions, compared to just 3 percent on iOS.
It’s not clear all the factors cause this reliability problem, but one known contributor is Android’s use of a crazy setting for the Bluetooth link supervision timeout. This setting decides how long to wait after losing a contact with a BLE peripheral before Android gives up. For Android 4.3-9.x, this was hard-coded to 20 seconds. This is crazy long period compared with the iOS setting of 750 milliseconds. Because it is hard-coded in Android, you cannot change this setting. As a result, Android apps can’t be notified of a broken BLE connection until 20 seconds have passed. What’s worse, client code can’t even try to reconnect until that 20 seconds is up. For a user staring at a spinner on a screen, 20 seconds is an eternity.
The effect of this setting was noted by Andreas Schweizer in a blog post two years ago, and several folks have reported the problem to Google as a bug.
Not much changed until last month when Google released Android 10. This is the first Android version to include a year-old commit that reduces the supervision timeout from 20 seconds to 5 seconds. It’s still hard-coded, and five seconds is still quite a long time compared with the 750ms on iOS, but it is at least an improvement that offers hope for more reliable Bluetooth LE connections on Android.
Using the same data set I used to calculated the 20 percent GATT connection failure rate on Android, very preliminary results with Android 10 devices offer hope for improvement. The numbers so far are super small – only 7 devices with Android 10 have used the GATT service so far, but every one of those attempts was successful. Cross your fingers that those very early numbers hold that trend.
Don’t get to excited, though. Even if Android 10 does offer significant reliability improvements, it will take years before that update gets to most users. As we all know, Android has a huge problem with OEMs who rarely or never upgrade the operating system on their handsets. If past experience is a guide to the future, it will be five years before 90 percent of Android devices have Android 10. That’s how long it took to reach the 90 percent distribution of Android 5.0 that exists today.
Five years is a long time to cross your fingers. But with luck, by 2024, the worst of our Android Bluetooth connection reliability problems may be behind us.
UPDATE: April 13, 2020: Bad news: several months of data collection has not shown statistically significant improvement in BLE connection reliability on Android 10.


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Samsung was already confused with the naming of its smartphones. Last year, Samsung launched the Galaxy S as well as Galaxy Ace smartphones. The name of these phones created a lot of confusion among the customers. To solve this problem, Samsung recently announced a new naming strategy for its amazing Galaxy range of smartphones.
“As Samsung continues to innovate, our goal is to provide consumers with an experience uniquely tailored to their needs. We have introduced steps to ensure users can simply identify the device designed to deliver the perfect experience for them,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business.
From now onwards, Samsung Galaxy range of phones will bear one of these five letters – S (Super Smart), R (Royal / Refined), W (Wonder), M (Magical) and Y (Young). Samsung has also announced 3 class indicators – Pro, Plus and LTE, which allows a more specific description of the key selling points of a device.
- “S” (Super Smart) Devices at the very pinnacle of Samsung’s mobile portfolio. This class will only be used on flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S, the award-winning smartphone that has already sold 10 million units throughout the world.
- “R” (Royal / Refined) Premium category models, a combination of power, performance and productivity for the individual who wants to be defined by the technology they carry.
- “W” (Wonder) High quality, strategic models, perfect for those seeking a balance between style and performance.
- “M” (Magical) High-performance models at an economic price-point.
- “Y” (Young) These are entry models or strategic models for emerging markets or a younger audience more sensitive to price.
- “Pro” This indicates that the device includes a QWERTY keyboard for speedier email typing and increased productivity for professionals.
- “Plus” This indicates that the device is an upgrade from an existing model.
- “LTE” This indicates that the device is designed to utilize LTE (Long-Term Evolution) connectivity standards, a 4G standard to provide increased mobile network capacity and speed.
To mark the creation of the new naming system, Samsung recently announced four new Galaxy smartphones – the Galaxy W, Galaxy M Pro, Galaxy Y and Galaxy Y Pro. To learn more about Galaxy W and Galaxy M Pro, head over to this page. You can find the complete specs of Galaxy Y and Galaxy Y Pro here.


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Expressing holiday spirit by spending too much money can be a big problem for some, even the wealthy. So it would be wise for advisors to help their clients’ rein in spending by understanding the psychology behind it.
Sure, money means excitement over the prospect of spending a bundle on a big-ticket item for a loved one or happiness when receiving a generous gift.
But money also means love, acceptance, self-esteem and an attempt to express love or buy it outright with the purchase of gifts–whether or not they’re affordable, says Money Harmony psychotherapist Olivia Mellan, who also contributes regularly to Investment Advisor magazine.
“Money is a taboo subject,” says Mellan in a recent phone interview with AdvisorOne about holiday spending. “When people are tired or under stress, and the holidays are definitely a time of stress, they will almost always revert to primitive survival mode, which is irrational.”
“Affluenza,” as Mellan (left) calls it, is an American disease of addictive overspending that takes a lot of courage to avoid. At holiday time, she says, steering clear of affluenza to embrace a healthy psyche instead might actually be more valuable than a gift. Advisors, financial writers and even the Consumer Federation of America back up Mellan’s call for more mindful spending to celebrate the spirit of the season.
Planning ahead is key to a mindful December, notes Kelly L. Trageser, a NAPFA-registered certified financial planner with Sea Clear Financial Planning of Sea Girt, N.J., who includes cash flow advice and debt management among the services she offers clients.
“Although this is the season of giving, it is important to give within your means,” Trageser wrote to AdvisorOne in an email. “The best chance of doing that is to review your budget and decide how much you are comfortable spending this holiday season. Then, create a list of the people that will receive a gift.”
By dividing that list into thirds, shoppers can reduce expenses, according to Trageser. The first group gets a store-bought gift, the second group gets a gift card, and the third group gets a homemade gift such as a tin of cookies. “This is a great way to keep a handle on spending this holiday season and still have a great time,” she says.
Numbers Tell Holiday Spending Story
Research by investor site MillionaireCorner.com shows that 6% of 1,224 people studied, who have at least $50,000 in net worth, plan to make a major purchase this holiday season. While the 6% is consistent for men and women, it varies more by age, with 14% of those 40 and younger planning a big purchase versus just 4% of those 60 and older.
Here’s the breakdown of what the big-ticket spenders plan to buy:
- 47% electronics
- 30% vacation/travel
- 27% jewelry
- 26% automobile
- 1% recreational vehicle
- 16% other
Nevertheless, these more affluent consumers with assets ranging from $100,000 to $1 million or more are keeping a tighter rein on their holiday budgets overall. Fully 86% plan to spend the same or less compared with last year while just 14% say they will spend more.
To be sure, people willing to spend more in 2012 are the ones who feel they are better off financially than they were a year ago.
According to a holiday spending survey conducted via phone by the Consumer Federation of America and the Credit Union National Association, 62% of those who said their situation had improved were planning to spend more than last year while only 11% planned to spend less. But among those who said their situation had worsened, only 5% were planning to spend more while 57% planned to spend less. Overall, the survey of 660 people says more consumers plan to spend more than last year, the fourth year of gradual improvement in holiday spending plans since a sharp decline in 2008.
Set a Budget
These survey results trouble NBC “Today” show financial editor Jean Chatzky in her Nov. 27 “This Week in Your Wallet” column, who warns that avoiding holiday debt is more important than deals and smart shopping strategies. Her answer? Keep a budget.
“I recommend setting a budget, and trying to cap it at 1.5% of your annual take-home pay,” Chatzky writes. “This is a percentage that, if charged to a card, can be easily paid off by February. If you haven’t gotten a raise since last Christmas, this means your 2012 holiday budget should be the same as your 2011 holiday budget.”
Mellan, who describes herself as a “recovering overspender,” counsels knowing what one’s personal stress patterns and circumventing them. At the end of the day, she says, when indulging on the surface by spending, people risk starving their soul.
“You could go shopping with a friend who’s not an overspender and can help you not cheat,” Mellan offers as an example. “You have to choose whether to treat yourself on the surface or nurture your soul–which involves creativity, charitable giving, walking in nature and spirituality.”
Here are just a few of the Consumer Federation of America’s tips on how to spend for the holidays without breaking the bank:
- Map it out. Avoid wasting gas on multiple trips by planning your shopping as efficiently as possible. “If you can park and walk to several shops in the same area, you’ll save money and get exercise as an added benefit,” the CFA says
- Take advantage of shopping by phone and online. Here, it’s wise to comparison shop, and pay attention to shipping costs, which can eat into savings. Look for free shipping, and use promotional codes.
- Give gifts that save people money. “How about a gift certificate for the hairdresser or barber that the person goes to? The grocery store where the person shops? The local gas station? You can’t go wrong with gifts that help defray people’s everyday expenses,” the CFA advises.
- Give gifts that help other people. And finally, for the person who has everything, consider giving a gift in that person’s name to a worthy charity. For example, with so many people still recovering from the damages of Hurricane Sandy, a donation to the Red Cross may be appreciated just as much as a present under the tree.
Read Olivia Mellan’s A House Divided: Help Client Couples Work Together from the November 2012 issue of Investment Advisor magazine at AdvisorOne.


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Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants
The year 2017 will be remembered as the year of disruption and radical policy reforms in the history of Indian real estate.
While RERA and GST might be considered as a disruption by the industry, the government’s sustained efforts towards promoting affordable housing provided some hope to the beleaguered residential sector.
The year 2017 was another watershed year for the residential sector, where neither new launches nor sales could ignite the hope of revival. As 2017 comes to end, developers are hoping that the year 2018 will bring in the much-anticipated revival of the residential sector.
Unfortunately, 2018 is expected to be no different than 2017 because of these notable trends:
1. Weak consumer sentiment will limit the revival
The weak job market, and slow GDP growth rate has negatively impacted consumer sentiment and they might continue with their stance of being extra cautious and conservative while making long-term financial commitments.
2. Developers will be under immense stress
Developers will continue to be under tremendous pressure for completing the projects as the consumer activism will increase and cases delayed possession will be taken up seriously by RERA.


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NEW YORK: Atomic PR confirmed that it is no longer working as AOR for LivingSocial, the online daily deal site.
Julia Konstantinovsky, VP of Atomic PR, said LivingSocial CEO Tim O'Shaughnessy had “started taking on more management responsibilities, so he brought in a marketing team who called in a review.”LivingSocial has not returned repeated calls for comment. Last month, the Washington, DC-based site raised $2.89 million in equity, adding to the $183 million raised at the end of 2010 by investors Amazon and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Atomic PR began working with LivingSocial in July 2008, about a year after the daily deal site was founded by Hungry Machine. The agency initially worked on the launch of its Facebook application Visual Bookshelf, and then supported the brand's rollout into the online daily deal space in 2009, installing itself as a key competitor to Groupon.


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Solar lights for off-grid communities
Over 110 million households in rural Africa rely on kerosene lamps, which emit harmful smoke and can cost up to 20% of a household’s income. A £5 solar light lasts 5 years and is just 2% the cost of kerosene.
SolarAid plans to work with Tanzanian entrepreneurs to create a solar hub for their communities, offering affordable, clean lighting, and providing job opportunities.
Over 3 years, solar lighting will reach 11.2 million people, saving up to £196 million in income and reducing respiratory illness. Ultimately, SolarAid aims to replace kerosene lamps in Africa by 2020.


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While visiting friends and relatives is the top reason given for coming to Idaho, The Idaho Division of Tourism and Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce has realized that once in Idaho, tourists spend much of their time shopping. As a result, the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce has designed a campaign targeting neighboring states that appears to be bringing tourists in increasing numbers.
Results from an online survey conducted by Longwoods International Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2008, announced at the Idaho Conference on Recreation and Tourism earlier this month in Sun Valley, reveal that the primary purpose of leisure travel to the area is to visit friends and relatives, with visiting the outdoors, touring and attending a special event falling next in line.
Further information gathered includes travel trends, day versus overnight trips, travel purpose, business versus leisure trips and family versus individual trips. Research also showed how much the average Idaho tourist spends on lodging, meals, retail purchases, recreation and transportation.
“What came out loud and clear was that outdoor recreation is one of the very top reasons people travel to Idaho,” Zibell-Wolfe said. “Once here, however, their top activity is shopping. Retail benefits as well as restaurants, national parks and historical settings.”
A spike in tourism generally occurs in June, July and August when residents bring relatives and friends to Coeur d’Alene for its natural beauty.
North Idaho is a “drive market destination” said traveler Marlies Kuetgens of Seattle. With increasing gasoline prices prompting tourists to drive fewer miles, she hopes the drive market will “come more and stay more often.”
“We are pleased with the findings by Longwoods International showing a small increase in market share for 2008. It helps us measure our effectiveness and make sure we are targeting the best potential traveler,” said Karen Ballard, administrator for the Division of Tourism. “It helps us measure our effectiveness and make sure we are targeting the best potential traveler. The findings indicate that we are on the right track.”


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Gin and whisky producer Eden Mills has been given the green light for what could be one the world’s first carbon-neutral distilleries have been given the green light. Located in…Read More
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When new Unilever boss Hein Schumacher unveiled its full-year results earlier this year, his words were stark: “Our competit...


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- Editor's note: This post contains an image with nudity that may be considered not safe for work.
- On Monday, Kourtney Kardashian shared a photo of herself lying down in a bubble bath on Instagram to tease a new venture called Poosh.
- A portion of the same image was previously posted on Poosh's Instagram as part of its ongoing promotional campaign, which launched March 4.
- Some people think Kardashian's bathtub photo is so heavily edited that it looks like she's missing a thigh.
- Others also claim that it looks like a "rogue nipple" was digitally added to the star's right wrist in the picture.
- In November 2018, Kardashian appeared to poke fun at photo-editing accusations by posting an intentionally distorted picture of herself and Kim Kardashian West on Twitter.
Kourtney Kardashian has been teasing a new venture called Poosh since earlier this month, but her latest Instagram post is drawing attention for another reason.
On Monday, the reality TV star shared a photo of herself lying down in a bubble bath on her personal Instagram. A portion of the same image was previously posted on Poosh's Instagram as part of its ongoing promotional campaign, which launched March 4.
While it's not yet clear what Poosh is — you can enter your email on its website to be among the "first to know" — some people were more preoccupied with certain details in Kardashian's bathtub photo.
Specifically, many Instagram users claimed that the picture is so heavily edited that Kardashian appears to be missing a thigh. Some also zeroed in on the star's right hand and said it looks like a "rogue nipple" had been digitally added to her wrist.
"GOD I hope this is a joke lol," one person commented. "A plastered-on head, a thighless leg, and a nipple on the wrist."
"Girl ur missin a thigh," another user said. "Jk, there it is, just about where the knee should be."
Others disagreed and said the photo looks normal.
"It's not that bad [though]," one user commented. "[Kardashian's] thigh is just underwater, her face just hits the light more than the rest of her body."
"People need to chill," someone else wrote. "She has a bubble on her wrist and if any of you tried that pose you'd realize the portions are right. The most disgusting part of this picture is watching woman bully other women in the comments."
Kardashian has posted intentionally edited photos before
As "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" fans may know, people frequently accuse Kardashian and her famous sisters of digitally altering images they post on social media.
In November 2018, Kardashian appeared to poke fun at a new round of photo-editing accusations by sharing a picture of her and Kim Kardashian West on Twitter that clearly had been distorted on purpose. In the photo, both sisters' bodies appear comically warped.
The original version of the edited photo was taken a few days earlier, when Kourtney and Kim attended the 2018 LACMA Art and Film gala. After both sisters posted the picture online, some people accused them of editing their bodies to appear slimmer.
—Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) November 7, 2018
Representatives for Kourtney Kardashian didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.


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Lindsay Lohan Says The Prosecutor Is “Out To Get Her”
It looks like Lindsay will be charged with felony theft this week.
Trouble seems to follow Lindsay Lohan where ever she goes. No sooner does she get out rehab, it looks like she might be going to jail. Seen in the above photo, is the necklace that Lindsay allegedly helped herself to at a Venice Beach, CA jewelry store steps from her new home.
The Lohan camp is claiming that the jewelry “loan” was a misunderstanding, while the D.A.’s office says something else. Lindsay has claimed that the prosecutor is “out to get her.”
In an exclusive interview with Radaronline, Danette Meyers, the prosecutor who has been dealing with Lindsay’s newest case told them, “she has been treated fairly and compassionately.”
To read the entire story, click here.
PJ Gach is the Senior Editor: Style + Beauty at BettyConfidential.


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2020 will mark the death of the chatbot as we know it
The resurgence of voice
According to recent research, only 9 percent of customers felt that they would be best served by a chatbot for serious enquiries, whereas the figures for a voice call were in excess of 80 percent. But with 80 percent of contact centers wanting to adopt chatbot technology by 2020, what is does this industry know that we don’t?
Well, they are seeing the bright and not-so-distant future of this technology, and it doesn’t look like a thing like your average chatbot. The resurgence of voice-led interactions, driven by home assistants such as Alexa, and the fact that customers still overwhelmingly prefer to speak to another human for important queries, is ushering in a new Golden Age of Voice. This has led to a growing maturity in the consumer base that sees the chatbot becoming a valuable channel led by the latest, cutting-edge voice technology.
A branch of AI called Natural Language Processing (NLP) is one of the most recent developments that is pushing the chatbot to become more than it once was. With 2020 set to be the year that Natural Language Processing (NLP) goes mainstream in contact centers, the new CUI chatbot will benefit from the rich insights produced by this tool...
Read more here: 2020 will mark the death of the chatbot as we know it.


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Fever-Tree co-founders rake in £103m as they sell off a 2.6% stake in their drinks business
- Charles Rolls, 61, and Tim Warrillow, 43, founded the business in 2004
- They sold a higher stake than planned after significant demand from investors
- The founders sold a total of 3m shares at £34.50 each
Fever-Tree co-founders Charles Rolls (right) and Tim Warrillow (left)
The pair behind Fever-Tree have raked in £103.5million after selling a chunk of shares.
Deputy chairman Charles Rolls, 61, and chief executive Tim Warrillow, 43, who founded the business in 2004, sold a higher stake than planned after significant demand for the drink mixer’s shares from investors.
The founders sold a total of 3million shares – a 2.6per cent stake – at £34.50 each, netting Rolls £69million and Warrillow £34.5million.
Fever-Tree’s shares have soared more than 2,000per cent since it listed on the London Stock Exchange less than four years ago.
Demand for its flavoured mixers, including elderflower tonic water and spiced orange ginger ale, have soared amid a boom for gin in the UK and overseas.
Rolls now holds about 7.1pc of the shares and Warrillow has 4.7pc.
Fever-Tree shares fell 2.8per cent, or 102p, to 3578p yesterday.


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Dell has posted its quarterly earnings report and while its yearly revenue is pretty much flat the company has seen a 72% decline in profits. Dell is also trying to go back to being private company.
...of Windows 10 Mobile, Samsung's latest slip-up and Clippy's machismo
Hands on with Verizon's Lumia 735
Discover all of our Windows 10 PC and Mobile coverage here!
Review: Ulefone Be Touch
Polling app Straw goes global with 2.0 release (and we chat about it with @BenThePCGuy)
Microsoft: Windows Insider program is not a free upgrade path for XP users to Windows 10
Samsung has confirmed that they have acquired Boxee. The company's internet streaming products will, most likely, be integrated into Samsung's strategy for their smart and internet connected TVs.
Yahoo supposedly wants the buy the super popular Tumblr to invigorate its user base and get a foothold in mobile marketing. However, they are scared of competing with Facebook for Tumblr's graces.
For the second time this year, comments from a Lenovo executive have hinted at interest in a possible takeover of BlackBerry, with Lenovo's CEO stating that such a deal "could possibly make sense".
Microsoft told Yahoo today that it is not interested in a takeover of the company, and only interested in making a search engine deal with the company. The decision came from Steve Ballmer, the...