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"Bob Weissman wants full-time employees. He is trying to set up a culture of people in the middle of things," said James Dougherty, analyst with Dean Witter Reynolds, New York.
Mr. Okun, 49, who had headed Nielsen for less than two years, never completely relocated to the U.S. from Switzerland.
Robert J. Lievense, 49, named exec VP of D&B and chairman of Nielsen Marketing Research and NCH Promotional Services, assumes some of Mr. Okun's duties. Mr. Lievense had been senior VP and chairman of Reuben H. Donnelley directory.
William G. Jacobi, 50, was named to head IMS International, which provides drugstore sales data, and Nielsen Media Research, the TV station ratings unit. Mr. Jacobi, who becomes exec VP of D&B and chairman of Nielsen Media Research, also manages D&B's Pension Services unit and others.
The changes at Nielsen are part of an ongoing overhaul that has seen the research company leave its secluded north suburban Chicago campus, turn over computer processing to a private company and heighten its attack on rivals, including Information Resources Inc.
IRI last week moved to expand its presence internationally. Randall Smith, who had been president of IRI's international operations, was named president of the Information Services group, adding the duties of overseeing IRI's sales force to his overseas responsibilities.
IRI said the changes resulted from the company's increased European presence, where it recently bought out its joint venture partner. Mr. Smith, who will remain in Chicago, also will continue to oversee IRI's Latin American business.


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Outdoor enthusiasts know that off-road adventures are better in a Jeep®. And, the Jeep® Wrangler has been the go-to adventure-ready vehicle for years. Now, with the available Xtreme Recon package, the Jeep® Wrangler maximizes its already legendary 4×4 capability.
“For the first time ever, the new Jeep® Wrangler Xtreme Recon Package delivers 35-inch tires straight from the factory,” said Jim Morrison, vice president of Jeep® Brand North America. “We have been listening to and watching our customers make this one of the most popular modifications to their Wranglers, and now we will deliver this exciting new package, along with an industry-first 100:1 crawl ratio, off the showroom floor at our Jeep® dealerships.”
In addition to the bold tires, the Xtreme Recon package features 17-inch by 8-inch beadlock capable wheels, a 4.56:1 axle ratio, and 1.5-inch suspension lift with uniquely tuned shocks. These elements combine to deliver an approach angle of 47.4 degrees, a breakover angle of 26.7 degrees, and a departure angle of 40.4 degrees. Steep terrains and water adventures are conquerable thanks to the SUV’s 12.9 inches of ground clearance and water fording of 33.6 inches.
The Wrangler Rubicon 4-door and Wrangler Rubicon 392 models can be customized with the Xtreme Recon package.
Visit us here at Cronic Chrysler Dodge Jeep® Wrangler in Griffin, Georgia, to learn more about the exciting new Jeep® Wrangler Xtreme Recon package.

domain: news


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Quang Ninh, a province along the north-eastern coast of Vietnam is piloting a cashless digital payment model in two cities, Ha Long 1 and Ha Long 2.
Viettel Quang Ninh, the supplier of non-cash payment services, is collaborating with the government to facilitate digital payments through the use of mobile phones, QR codes and digital bank transfers.
Viettel Quang Ninh's deputy director, Le Viet Ha, said that digitisation of payments is one of the solutions being used to achieve the state’s goal of raising the share of electronics payments to 50 percent by 2025.
Ha Long city’s public administration centre has advised citizens to make payments for bills for electricity, water, and environmental sanitation using digital means, Ha said.
The administration also looking to digitally receive tuition fees of educational institutions and schools run by it in Ha Long.
The authorities said they are striving to promote comprehensive digital transformation in administrative reform with the aim to attract more investment.
Vietnam had recently announced plans to develop a foundation for a modern and transparent digital financial ecosystem to apply Industry 4.0 technologies and digitally transform the finance sector.
The Vietnam Finance Ministry recently said it would offer more digital financial services to bolster the digital economy and will play a vital role in creating, connecting, and sharing data, digitising platforms, and optimising the digital information of the government, people, and organisations.
Since June, digitisation and data extraction platforms have been piloted at the provincial public administration service centre and in various sectors including labour, health care and many more.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Software Association's deputy secretary general, An Ngoc Thao, said the country is currently witnessing a "powerful" digital transformation and hence firms must gear up for changes.
Vietnamese businesses have made significant progress in digitisation from state-owned enterprises to privates, large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), he added.
“It may be alarming for firms to see their lower competitiveness in the long-term developments and greater obstacles if they fail to shape digital transformation today,” he said.
“For individuals and organisations that follow the active approach, they will have better preparation for the next stages and quickly gain a competitive edge.”
Technology companies have been active and creative in their contributions to digital transformation through homegrown platforms, technology products and services, he added.
However, he recommended being more specific in programmes to shape digital transformation and to partner consultancies for support.


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The major search engines’s brand new policy will harm businesses pitching high-interest loans, but just just how can it influence borrowers?
Mark Blinch / Reuters
Imagine you are in a little bit of a crisis that is financial lease flow from however your automobile broke straight down 2-3 weeks ago, eating up few hundred bucks. Now you are quick. You understand your friends and relations can not assist, so you type the phrase â€œcan’t make leaseâ€ into the web browser, to see in the event that online has any knowledge to generally share. You begin seeing advertisements for companies that state they are able to assist. A company offers you a $500 loan after quickly typing in your information. Painless! But a weeks that are few, you can’t repay. Spent more income to push back the deadline, and from now on you’re getting solicited by other loan providers too, encouraging you to definitely just just just take another loan out if you should be feeling economically squeezed.
It is a stressfulâ€”but completely plausibleâ€”scenario, and another that Bing is attempting put end to.
On Wednesday, the major search engines announced it would ban advertisements for payday loan providers (and services that are similar beginning on July 13. The company’s director of global product policy wrote in a statement, David Graff
We shall not any longer enable advertisements for loans where payment arrives within 60 times of the date of issue. Into the U.S., we have been additionally banning advertisements for loans with an APR of 36 per cent or maybe more. Whenever reviewing our policies, research has shown why these loans may result in unaffordable re re payment and high standard prices for users therefore we will soon be upgrading our policies globally to mirror that.
Graff included that the new policy â€œis made to protect our users from misleading or harmful financial loans,â€ and can nevertheless keep space for businesses to market mortgages, car and truck loans, student education loans, and bank cards.
A written report from Upturn, a technology-focused consulting company, outlines why the employment of advertisement focusing on with this certain item is very harmful. The report details just exactly exactly how an action since simple as looking the expression â€œneed cash to spend billsâ€ may start a cycle that is dangerous by which information regarding a person’s location, bank reports, earnings, and monetary wellness could be gathered by lead generators after which dispersed through a far more opaque procedure that may result in fraudulence, targeted high-priced loans, and harassment from multiple high-cost loan providers. The report concludes that online lending that is payday ridden with poor privacy policies and abuses of fundamental customer defenses.
Pretty much anybody who has utilized the world wide web in the past many years has received an unpleasant knowledge about targeted adverts. a search that is quick result in constant product product sales pitches for tangentially related items on an array of web sites. These companies that are adsâ€”which at the demographics almost certainly to purchase their services and direct lender title loans in New Mexico productsâ€”are generally simply annoying, and significantly creepy. However in some full instances their usage could be a great deal more dubious. Bing has determined that adverts for payday advances constitute one of these brilliant pernicious uses.
That judgement is understandable since there has been a sentiment that is growing pay day loans are far more harmful than they truly are helpful. The loans have become term that is short and carry interest levels that will skyrocket to more than 100 % if users cannot pay on some time constantly move their loans over (which about 80 per cent do, in line with the CFPB). It is also correct that these rollovers come with extra charges. Currently, the users of payday advances are predominantly low-income, minority households without university levels or considerable education that is financial reason why payday storefronts are disproportionately situated in bad communities of color. They are individuals who usually can not look to buddies or household for $200 to fund food or perhaps a bill if they are just a little brief this month.
But by many people quotes, the harm carried out by online lenders that are payday much worse. Combining these already-treacherous products with nebulous (and quite often unlawful) methods of lead generators makes it possible for lenders to further target a currently susceptible group and cost them more for services. My colleague Rebecca Rosen once explained the danger that is specific of advertisements during these circumstances: â€œConsumers aren’t completely logical, because the industry of behavioral economics has demonstrated over and over repeatedly. This actually leaves them susceptible to persuasion to help make decisions which are counter with their very own self-interest,â€ she wrote. â€œWhen corporations purposely search for a customer’s vulnerabilities and employ them to direct her bucks straight back to them, this is certainly a breach of the man or woman’s autonomy.â€
This really isn’t the very first time that Bing has waged war on advertisers it deems dangerous. Some of which were for high-cost, short-term loans in 2014, the company removed over 500 million ads and banned more than 200,000 advertisers from its search results. But that is usually perhaps maybe not the final end regarding the tale. Maintaining monitoring of such organizations additionally the growing range means they collect information and post adverts is a continuing and process that is exhaustive one which calls for not merely vigilance from organizations like Bing, but additionally from state leadership, lawmakers, and regulators. That produces the job of consumer security a straight harder one. In a few states, payday advances are prohibited outright. Other people are much more permissive, and policing those things of loan providers, lead generators, and their affiliates is daunting.
Ryan Calo, a legislation teacher during the University of Washington, thinks that though it isn’t the effort that is first has built to control exactly what it deems dangerous marketing (also inside the monetary sector) it is a considerable one which may have a result both for customers and payday lenders. â€œIt’s a very important factor to possess a lot of lawmakers simply take a stand. It is quite another to really have the search that is main perhaps perhaps maybe not carry advertisements,â€ Calo says. â€œIt features a function that is signaling. Bing advertises a variety of things, but to state, â€˜No, not this,’ it is really using a stand.â€ Being excluded from Bing’s advertisements will harm these loan providers’ in genuine means. â€œThe reason Bing is such a sizable, effective company that is lucrative because showing advertisements alongside serp’s works,â€ he told me. Nevertheless, he could be cognizant that some fear that Bing is overreaching, and therefore by detatching these advertisements they truly are wading into paternalistic territory. But Calo contends that in this full instance, that fear is not launched. â€œThere’s a difference that is big determining to not ever carry payday financing advertisements and downgrading links in search engine results,â€ he claims.
Google’s go on to a stricter policy follows certainly one of Upturn’s suggested statements on just how to combat predatory online financing techniques: banning pay day loan advertising outright, as Twitter has additionally done. The group furthermore shows that other platforms could strengthen customer defenses by committing more resources towards the task of determining and weeding down products that are dangerous steering clear of the distribution of payday-loan advertisements in accordance with state rules. An alternative choice is for the Federal Trade Commission and CFPB to institute stronger and much more oversight that is direct of lead generators. The company won’t successfully root out predatory financial practices alone while Google’s ban is a powerful statement.


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Over 700,000 of Orange’s 2 million tracks had their DRM turned off recently, with the rest of the tracks in Orange’s music store soon to follow says mocoNews. This is a welcome change for people who hate DRM, and for consumers who will now be able to freely move their music between whatever devices they own that happen to play MP3 files. “Our intention definitely in 2008 is to drop DRM, so we can have a truly interoperable service linked with network access” said Orange’s Music Product Development Director Brenda O’Connell in an interview with mocoNews in January 2008. They’re about 18 months late, but hey, at least it finally happened!
Note: Nokai’s Comes with Music still has DRM
Update: Orange just published their press release detailing the announcement.


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|7:12 am (Photo: Reuters/Jumana ElHeloueh) Devotees attend Easter mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dubai, April 4, 2010. A new anti-hate speech law that aims to combat terrorism and protect over 200 nationalities as well as Christians, was ... Christian Post, 6 days ago
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Ikea Shopper Claims Jesus' Face Appeared to Him in Bathroom Stall; Friends Say it Looks Like 'Tree People from Lord of the Rings'
|2:34 pm (Photo: Reuters/Jumana El Heloueh)Customers walk near the entrance of an IKEA store in this January 22, 2013 file photo. A shopper who recently went to an Ikea furniture store in search of some curtain tiebacks in Glasgow, United ...Christian Post, 1 month ago
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Home News Article J Jul 12 2015 Photo Credit:Reuters/Jumana El-Heloueh Six years after its launch, low-cost carrier flydubai remains on an expansion spree and hopes to reach 100 destinations by 2016. Where is it heading? Dubai earned world ...Zawya.com, 2 weeks ago flydubai: No small ambition Zawya.com, 2 weeks ago
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UPDATE1-Mohammed bin Rashid attends first meeting for UAE Gender Balance Council, approves Gender Balance Index Related Photo Credit:Reuters/Jumana El-Heloueh DUBAI, 6th July 2015 (WAM) --- Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His ...Zawya.com, 3 weeks ago
-TV In This Article Thomson Reuters Related First artificial heart transplant in UAE Egypti's Emaar Misr's IPO heavily subscribed Photo Credit:Reuters/Jumana ElHeloueh DUBAI, June 29 ( Reuters ) - A United Arab Emirates (UAE) court sentenced an ...Zawya.com, 1 month ago
A helicopter from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) hovers over an Iranian patrol ship during a transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Feb. 14, 2012. (photo by REUTERS/Jumana El Heloueh) Author:Abdul Jalil Zayd Marhoon ...AlMonitor, 1 month ago
on your WebpageAdd Widget >Get your members hooked!


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There needs to be a new direction for tourism in Wales says the country's Economic Minister.
In a report out today Edwina Hart says the strategy to attract people to Wales over the next seven years should focus on luxury destinations.
The vision she says is to work with "iconic, high quality, reputation-changing products and events. There will be a focus on more luxury and branded hotels; more well-being facilities such as spas; more heritage hotels that utilise historic and distinctive buildings."
There also needs to be all year round attractions, activities and cultural experiences and more unusual and distinctive products if the target of 10% grow in the tourism industry is realised says the report 'Partnership for Growth'.
Most tourists to Wales come from the UK and the Welsh Government says marketing will be increased in London and South East Midlands and Yorkshire, as well as within Wales itself for the first time.
More top news
Major Natalie Taylor from Chepstow is part of the all-female group who spent 62 days skiing across Antarctica using only muscle power.
A GP leader in Wales has said the progress towards Wales' first transgender clinic is 'unacceptable'.
A man from Newport has been charged with the murder of 57 year old Anthony Bubbins.


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Mountain View, Calif.-based giant Google has launched its latest version of the ChromeOS operating system for Chromebooks, ChromeOS 103. ChromeOS 103 brings many new features like the ability to view your camera roll in Phone Hub and Near Share to share Wi-Fi passwords between devices, and more.
Google’s Phone Hub already lets ChromeOS users view their notifications from their Android phone on their Chromebook, view recent Chrome tabs, view battery life/cellular signal from their Chromebook, and more. With Chrome OS 13, Google has also added your Android phone’s camera roll to the Phone Hub on ChromeOS. The update introduces a new row of four “Recent Photos” including screenshots on the Phone Hub app. Tapping on these images will immediately download the images to your Downloads folder for further editing and uploading. Google has said that this feature will also work offline. To see the latest feature, users will have to keep their smartphone connected to the Chromebook. You can do this by going to Settings > Connected Devices > (You Phone).
Also read: Google announces new features for Chrome OS, Google Meet and Google Classroom: All the details
In addition to photos in your phone hub, ChromeOS 103 also brings the ability to share Wi-Fi passwords from Android to Chromebooks. To do this, users need to open the network details page, tap on Sharing, and then tap Nearby to view ChromeOS devices. Once accepted, the Chromebook will automatically sign in to Wi-Fi. Google has said that sharing is now “10 times faster”, while the onboarding process has been streamlined.
Another feature that hasn’t been widely rolled out yet is the redesigned launcher, which can find and navigate open tabs. In addition, there’s a new Screencast app on ChromeOS that aims to make video lessons more accessible to teachers. The app allows teachers to draw and highlight their screen while recording with the front-facing camera. There is also a transcription feature on the Screencast app.
WATCH VIDEO: Elon Musk Buys Twitter: Here Are 4 Big Changes You Can Expect
Another feature that Google has announced but won’t be rolling out until the summer is Fast Pair, which the company announced earlier this year during the CES 2022 show.
Read all the latest news, breaking news, watch top videos and watch Live TV right here.


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Make no mistake about it: The future of social marketing is in self-service.
-Wendell Lansford, co-founder and CEO of Offerpop
New York, NY (PRWEB) April 17, 2013
Offerpop, the easiest-to-use social marketing platform, today reaffirmed their commitment to enabling marketers to build and launch successful social campaigns from a self-service platform. Responding to the decision by Wildfire, a subsidiary of Google, to discontinue its DIY promotions, Offerpop is providing a 20% discount on annual subscriptions to Wildfire users now in need of a self-service solution.
“While we’ve always respected Wildfire as a competitor, and wish them well in their new direction, we couldn’t disagree more with the strategy,” said Offerpop CEO and co-founder Wendell Lansford, in a post on the Offerpop blog. “Social campaigns bring the power of reach and word-of-mouth to all businesses, regardless of their size. Make no mistake about it: The future of social marketing is in self-service.”
Wildfire customers can redeem the discount by signing up for the platform at Offerpop.com and using the code UNWILD at purchase. The discount is good for new annual subscriptions and expires on May 31, 2013.
Powering more than 5,000 social marketing campaigns every week, Offerpop has customers in more than 100 countries – from “Mom & Pop” businesses to global brands such as Unilever and Viacom.
Marketers can sign up for a free 14-day campaign by visiting http://www.offerpop.com.
Offerpop is a super easy-to-use social marketing platform for Facebook and Twitter. Marketers across the globe use Offerpop to build active fan bases, optimize their social content, and unlock rich, actionable data that converts fans into customers. From small businesses to top brands like Etsy, Pepsi, and MTV, companies use Offerpop to drive success across their key marketing channels – engaging and converting fans like never before. Offerpop is a Facebook® Preferred Marketing Developer, qualified by the PMD program in Apps.
For more information contact: Mairead Ridge, Mairead(at)offerpop(dot)com.


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HTC has been launching its precise smartphones that are running successfully worldwide thus improving the sales of HTC at glance.Recently HTC One series devices have hit the Android smartphone market. The HTC One X is first in the list and is signified to be the best smartphone ever.
Recently the rumors suggested that HTC is planning to launch its 5-inch phablet that was seen in the leaked images by some blogs and websites.
This leaked image has been confirmed by a reliable source of HTC and this device is named as HTC droid incredible X. This device is claimed to come with a smart quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor that empowers 1.5GB RAM and it favors 16GB internal storage.
This device is rumored to have a Super AMOLED touchscreen with a 1080p display resolution for ultimate graphics and performance.
The screen of this device has a 480 PPI pixel density. This device also called Dix, is marketed under DROID moniker. This device is tempted to come soon with all new latest HTC sense UI.
This device has a strong S4 processor that favors smart multi-tasking and graphical performance of this device is empowered by the NVIDIA TEGRA 3 GPU that improves pixilation defects.
This device is also rumored to come with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with a new graphical user interface. This device has also been claimed to profit HTC a lot that will be soon revealed in the new HTC event coming soon.
So just cross your fingers for this new HTC device to come soon! stay tuned for more rumors and leaks…


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Apple Watch hits shipping delays (naturally) and so does the OnePlus Two. But at least we have Klingon on Duolingo to look forward to. This is Bitstream, all the bits of news and rumors you missed yesterday.
The app Duolingo is a modern-day Rosetta stone. Its gameification of language-learning is much, much more helpful than stuffy classrooms and exams, but for the last few years, the app has been somewhat stingy with what languages are offered: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German. That’s it. In 2013, the app launched an incubator program to entice teachers fluent in other languages like Chinese, Japanese, maybe even....Elvish?! to develop lessons for the platform. Yesterday, Duolingo officially announced its call for teachers to bring Klingon, the fictional Star Trek language of the show’s most fearsome race, to its pool of languages. All I can say is ghe’’or HIja’. [Translation: Hell Yes] [TNW]
Mini is developing AR glasses for its cars, and they look really cool and stylish. JK, they look dumb. [Mini]
Movie theaters are adding another dimension (sort of). “4D” theaters are pelting viewers with rain and snow effects. Um....why? [Variety]
IBM is testing AI software that works like the human brain. I don’t see how any of this is a bad idea at all. Nope. [Technology Review]
The Apple Watch is here! (sort of). Bunches and bunches of people are reporting shipping delays until June, and for some, even August. [Business Insider]
8Tracks is a music service for indie music lovers that now allows access to 6.5 million songs, with two-thirds being from independent artists and labels. [Engadget]
Jawbone’s Up3 begins shipping April 20, finally. [Jawbone Blog]
Google may be close to releasing Android Wear for iPhones. Will Apple allow it? I’m going to go with “naaahhh.” [The Verge]
OnePlus Two may be pushed back to the end of 2015. That is one big budget smartphone bummer. [Android Community]
This fall’s Galaxy Note 5 will reportedly ditch its QHD screen for...wait for it, a UHD screen. That’s 3840x2160 resolution for anyone keeping track. [PhoneArena]
Dropbox is working on a Google Docs/Evernote competitor called Project Composer. [Business Insider]
All right. I officially need a 4K laptop now.


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Sherlynn Stewart has joined the sales staff as a media sales consultant for The Billings Gazette. Stewart brings more than 20 years in sales and customer service. She may be reached at 657-1494.
Stewart joins Gazette sales staff
Copyright 2015 The Billings Gazette. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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TORONTO – As part of its new campaign, Contiki has penned a “love letter to Europe” in an effort to encourage young Canadians to book a trip during the peak summer months.
The ‘Europe Everyday’ campaign, which runs until July 31, allows clients to save up to 20% off on a selection of last-minute Summer Europe adventures that depart this summer, as well as up to $365 off select trips to Europe this fall, winter and spring 2019.
“We’re excited to launch this new campaign as an ode to such a beautiful region,” said Sheralyn Berry, President of Contiki Canada. “From the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland to the sheer romanticism of Paris during springtime, we want young Canadians to fall in love with Europe every day of the year.”
According to Contiki, while Europe is still primarily seen as a summer vacation destination, the continent has seen a new trend among young travellers visiting during the off-season. Canadians are now seeing endless possibilities in off-peak months, which typically offer lower prices, fewer crowds and Christmas markets.
Here are samples of last-minute summer deals, available at up to 20% off:
- Greek Island Hopping: Three nights in Mykonos, Ios, Santorini and Athens
- Croatia Island Escape: Island hopping from Hvar, Split, Dubrovnik and other hotspots
- Mediterranean Escape: Starts in Rome, to the Amalfi coast, ends in Athens
Here are autumn itineraries, with savings up to $365 off, departing between October 2018 to March 2019:
- Simply Italy: 12-day journey that visits Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice and more
- Mediterranean Highlights: Highlights include Rome, the French Riviera, Barcelona and Madrid
- Spanish Spree: A two-week journey that includes San Sebastian, Ibiza and more
Winter itineraries include the following, with savings up to $365 off, departing between October 2018 to March 2019:
- Iceland: This four-day adventure includes the Blue Lagoon and a search for the Northern Lights
- Berlin to Budapest: Ideal for the refined traveller, this journey includes everything from a goulash cooking class to Czech craft beer sampling
- European Discovery: On this nine-country trip, highlights include a traditional German beer hall and gelateria in Rome
Spring itineraries include the following:
- Eastern Road: Clients can start in Berlin with the option to loop back around or end in Warsaw
- Spain, Morocco & Portugal: Clients will visit medinas and mosques, cathedrals and kasbahs, and see seven World Heritage Sites
- Western Quest: This one-week itinerary highlights the bustling city of Barcelona, the wine region of Bordeaux and the seaside town of San Sebastian
For more information go to www.contiki.com/ca/en/activity/europe-everyday.


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Tilbury, Essex-based haulage, freight forwarding and logistics firm Arcese UK said it is working to address its business performance after suffering a 90% fall in profit over the past two years. Turnover in the year ending 31 December 2014 fell 4% to £23.02m (2013: £24.07m), while pre-tax profit dropped 85% to just under £37,000 (2013: £258,000). This is the second year running that profit has been hit hard at the Italian-owned firm. Last year’s pre-tax profit was 30% down on […]
2) George Osborne MP Title: Chancellor of the Exchequer To put it simply, the chancellor makes this list as he decides operators’ cost-bases.
MT has teamed up with Logistics Job Shop to launch an improved recruitment service for the UK distribution industry. Founder David Coombes said: “Logistics Job Shop has a clear understanding of its customers, providing a targeted arena for employers and jobseekers. “While traffic and job applications may be lower than generalist jobs sites, the relevance and quality of candidates and positions are stronger, focusing on quality not volume. You won’t be inundated with irrelevant applications or job postings. As an […]
19) Derrick Potter Title: Founder and executive chairman, Potter Logistics Derrick Potter celebrated both the 50th anniversary of the founding of Potter Logistics and his 50th wedding anniversary in 2015, marking the occasion with the title of Motor Transport Haulier of the Year.


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Benioff also touted some of his company's recent client acquisitions including Philips Electronics, luxury retailer Burberry and General Electric. He said whether you're talking about a next-generation consumer electronics company, or a next-generation retailer or manufacturer, everyone is building their customer relationship system on the Salesforce platform.
Executive Decision: Patrick Doyle
For his second "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer checked in with Patrick Doyle, president and CEO of Domino's Pizza (DPZ - Get Report), a stock that's risen 20% since Cramer last spoke with Doyle in October. Domino's just released strong earnings and instituted a new dividend, bringing its yield to 1.6%.
Doyle said that new technology and better recipes have been the winning combination for Domino's, and since his company still only has 10% of all pizza sales in the U.S., there's still a long way to go. He touted Domino's introduction of pan pizza as another bright spot for the company, as pan pizzas have always been one area that they haven't been servicing.
Doyle also noted that for the first time, Domino's is allowing customers to save their profiles online, including credit card information, which will make the company's online ordering system even more streamlined and convenient than before.When asked about the company's newly-instituted dividend, Doyle said that after Domino's refinanced its debt last year, they began looking seriously as a dividend and there's still plenty of cash left over for stock buybacks and other initiatives. Cramer continued his recommendation of Domino's.


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The UAE Pro League and Rasasi Perfumes sign a two-year partnership agreement assigning Rasasi as official partner for the UAEPL’s all competitions, including the ADNOC Pro League, ADIB Cup, and UAE Super Cup.
The signing ceremony of the agreement took place on Thursday, January 19th, at Rixos Premium Dubai JBR hotel in the presence of Waleed Al Hosani, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the UAE Pro League, Mr. Sharique Khan, General Manager of Rasasi Perfumes, and representatives of the two institutions.
This agreement falls in line with the UAE Pro League's 2020-2030 strategic outlook of attracting new sponsors and diversifying revenue streams.
On his part, the UAE Pro League CEO Waleed Al Hosani welcomed the joining of Rasasi Perfumes to the UAEPL's array of esteemed partners. "This is a huge step that we look forward to with great optimism. Rasasi company is one of the most successful brands in the region. The agreement will serve the interest of the UAE football and the professional competitions, hoping that it will achieve the necessary progress for Emirati football," Al Hosani said.
Elaborating on the association Sharique Khan, General Manager, Rasasi Perfumes said, "We are delighted to announce our partnership with UAE Pro League. As an official sponsor, we are proud to share space with some of the biggest brands supporting the game. We see this partnership as a strategic commitment towards the further development of professional football in the UAE."
Rasasi is a leading regional perfume house in the GCC with four decades of legacy in scent artistry, mastery, and commitment to the finest traditions of perfumery and quality.
Founded in 1979, Rasasi Perfumes is amongst the leading fragrance companies in the region, crafting a range of exclusive sprays, incense, and concentrated perfumes. A pioneer in the field of perfume manufacturing, retail and export, Rasasi has contributed to the evolution of the modern perfume industry in the Middle East, gaining a well-deserved reputation for quality, luxury, and elegance.
Rasasi operates over 165 elegantly designed stores in the leading malls and prime market locations across the GCC and exports its products to more than 60 countries across the globe.


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real-time news and commentary for investors
Friday, Jun 28
Arris (ARRS) -1.4% AH after filing to sell ~21.3M shares (current value of $306M) on behalf of...
Arris (ARRS) -1.4% AH after filing to sell ~21.3M shares (current value of $306M) on behalf of Google (GOOG) and Comcast (CMCSA). Arris issued 10.6M shares to Google as part of the Motorola Home acquisition, and sold a similar number of shares to Comcast to help pay for the deal's cash portion. Earlier today, Arris confirmed it has laid off 500 employees (7% of its workforce) this week, as the company attempts to streamline post-acquisition. The cuts come a month after CEO Bob Stanzione said the set-top/cable infrastructure vendor is looking to cut opex by $100M-$125M this year. (S-3)


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NEW - Elmasteam 4.5!
Environment-friendly steam jet cleaning with 4.5 bar.
Discover the new generation of steam jet cleaners made by Elma!Read more
Elma goes Swiss
The new subsidiary Elma Schmidbauer Suisse AG started on 1st January, 2015 in Mägenwil / SwitzerlandRead more
Ultrasonic cleaning is one of the most modern processes today that particularly effectively and efficiently removes dirt and other contamination in the shortest time and without damage from many different products to be cleaned.
In addition to ultrasonic cleaning technology, steam jet technology is another core competence of Elma. With a lot of know-how, our experts have developed the new steam cleaning machines Elmasteam 4.5!
We have developed a variety of cleaning concentrates and ready-to-use detergents for our different target markets.


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A global diet that increasingly includes ultra-processed foods is having a negative impact on the diversity of plant species available for human consumption while damaging human and planetary health, according to a commentary published in the journal BMJ Global Health.
Experts are warning that an increasingly unhealthy diet is not only bad for human health directly but is causing environmental damage to the planet.
Ultra-processed foods such as sweetened or salty snacks, soft drinks, instant noodles, reconstituted meat products, pre-prepared pizza and pasta dishes, biscuits and confectionery, are made by assembling food substances, mostly commodity ingredients, and ‘cosmetic’ additives (notably flavours, colours and emulsifiers) through a series of industrial processes.
These products are the basis of a ‘globalised diet’ and are becoming dominant in the global food supply, with sales and consumption growing in all regions and almost all countries. Currently, their consumption is growing fastest in upper-middle-income and lower-middle income countries.
Consequently, dietary patterns worldwide are becoming increasingly more processed and less diverse, having an impact on agrobiodiversity – the variety and variability of animals, plants and microorganisms used directly or indirectly for food and agriculture.
Nutrition experts from Brazil, the US and Australia have written a commentary after investigating the issue.
They said the bad effects of ultra-processed foods on human health were well documented, but there was still low awareness of their damaging impact on planetary health, and ultra-processed foods were missing from international development agendas.
They warned that global agrobiodiversity was declining, especially the genetic diversity of plants used for human consumption.
More than 7,000 edible plant species are used for human food, but fewer than 200 species had significant production in 2014, and just nine crops accounted for more than 66% by weight of all crop production.
As much as 90% of humanity’s energy intake comes from just 15 crop plants, and more than four billion people rely on just three of them – rice, wheat and maize.
The authors warned that such a decline in biological diversity in food systems was disrupting and damaging biospheric processes and ecosystems that supported reliable and sustainable food production, reduced diet diversity and created a barrier to healthy, resilient and sustainable food systems.
They pointed to an ongoing study of 7,020 ultra-processed foods sold in the main Brazilian supermarket chains which had found that their five main ingredients included food substances derived from sugar cane (52.4%), milk (29.2%), wheat (27.7%), corn (10.7%) and soy (8.3%).
As a result, peoples’ diets were less diverse, with ultra-processed foods replacing the variety of wholefoods necessary for a balanced and healthy diet.
Production of ultra-processed foods involved greater use of ingredients extracted from a handful of high-yielding plant species (such as maize, wheat, soy and oil seed crops) which meant that animal-sourced ingredients used in many ultra-processed foods were often derived from confined animals fed on the same crops.
Another issue of concern was that ultra-processed food production used large quantities of land, water, energy, herbicides and fertilisers, causing environmental degradation from greenhouse gas emissions and accumulation of packaging waste.
The authors concluded: “The very rapid rise of ultra-processed foods in human diets will continue to place pressure on the diversity of plant species available for human consumption.
“Future global food systems fora, biodiversity conventions and climate change conferences need to highlight the destruction of agrobiodiversity caused by ultra-processed foods, and to agree on policies and actions designed to slow and reverse this disaster.
“Relevant policy makers at all levels, researchers, professional and civil society organisations, and citizen action groups, need to be part of this process.”
- Link to research (DOI): 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-008269


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Samsung reveals Galaxy Z Flip in surprise Oscars 2020 ad
There is a resurgence of flip phones at the moment, but rather than old-school clamshells, we're talking about devices with foldable displays. Samsung has already launched the disastrous Galaxy Fold, but at last night's Oscars there was a surprise ad for the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip.
The handset is due to be officially announced at tomorrow's Galaxy Unpacked event, but now we've been given a sneaky glimpse of what's to come. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will compete with the likes of the Motorola razr and Microsoft's Surface Duo.
- Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Fold is 'the world's first foldable PC' with a hefty price tag
- Samsung to reveal new devices on February 11 -- Galaxy Fold 2 and Galaxy S11?
- Samsung announces Galaxy S10 Lite and Note10 Lite
The ad invites us to "change the shape of the future" and shows the Galaxy Z Flip in action. We learn that the phone will be available in at least black and purple options, and Samsung uses the commercial to show how the handset can be opened to 90 degrees to facilitate hands-free video calls on a table.
The Verge's Nilay Patel shared the ad on Twitter:
Samsung just showed off the entire Z Flip during its Oscars ad. Small print says screen crease is normal, heh pic.twitter.com/uBesJ0FonT
— nilay patel (@reckless) February 10, 2020
A disclaimer appears at the bottom of the ad warning that "you may notice a crease at the center of the main screen" but Samsung says that "this is a natural characteristic of the screen".
We'll know more about the device after tomorrow's event, where we should get more details about specs and the all-important price.


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The floodgates are about to open and we’re set for an onslaught of new electric cars in the months ahead.
The major manufacturers are readying their zero emission warriors for battle and the likes of Mercedes, Volkswagen and Jaguar will try to position themselves at the head of the pack with new electric cars.
Of course, the big guns are behind the times. Tesla has established its position as the absolute benchmark, the yardstick by which the others will be measured.
While you can order a Tesla right now, too, some of the new electric cars aren’t even close to signed off. So, we don’t actually know the final details of some of the best upcoming cars and we’ll have to wait for full disclosure.
Here, though, is our selection of the best new electric cars that you’ll see in the year ahead.
Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ
The flagship model of the new Mercedes sub-brand is a breath of fresh air and Mercedes promises that the concept car that blew the crowds away at last year’s Paris Motor Show is 90% of the finished version.
This SUV carries the weight of Mercedes’ electric efforts on its shoulders and is the first of a wave of cars to come from the Stuttgart marque. It’s a landmark moment for the company, which has set to work on its own Gigafactory in Germany, so it has to be a great car.
Mercedes claims a range of up to 310 miles, although that’s on the European cycle and we can probably expect to see around 250 miles according to the EPA figures.
The battery pack can be scaled up to 70 kWh and an impressive power output of 300 kW, the SUV is set to be a beast that can take the fight to the mid-range Teslas.
Expect a 0-60 mph time of less than five seconds, but it’s the interior that excites us the most. Mercedes is already ahead of the pack and there are more groundbreaking cars in the offing.
But this is a slick set-up, with a 24-inch TFT screen as an instrument cluster, a second touchscreen on the center console that is totally free from mechanical controls. Even the wing mirrors are gone, replaced with cameras that show an image on the interior door panels. It’s a light, airy and inviting cabin. Outside the lights that replace the vents are clever and stylish.
The EQ may well get usurped in the tidal wave of electric cars that are on the way. But, right now, it’s the one new EV we’re really looking forward to driving.
Porsche Mission E
German sportscar legend Porsche will deliver the Mission E in 2020, but it is already building up to the big fight with Tesla and its other main rivals. The motoring press is salivating like Pavlov’s dog and it’s easy to see why.
It’s a four-wheel-drive, (447 kW) 600 bhp supercar with four-wheel-drive thanks to a brace of motors. Porsche reckons it can charge up to 80% battery life in just 15 minutes, thanks to a new 800 V charging system, and the car can cover 310 miles on a single charge.
As you’d expect from an iconic sportscar manufacturer, the Mission E will also be seriously quick. It won’t, however, get anywhere near the Tesla Model S P100D in terms of pure acceleration. Porsche is claiming a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 s, which is fast and yet well behind the Tesla flagship.
Design wise, the Mission E is a work of art, with suicide doors and a shape that fits somewhere between the Porsche 911 and Panamera. It’s angular at the front end, and yet overall, it’s one of the sexiest cars we have for you here.
Porsche has bet big on the Mission E, so even though it won’t be on sale for years then you can expect to see it on the road and in the press before too long.
Audi E-Tron Sportback
The German manufacturer teased us with the electric R8 for years, but then they showed us the E-Tron Sportback and all was forgiven. This monster crossover SUV will hit the actual market in 2019, but rest assured that it will be on the road in 2018 and we simply can’t wait to see this one.
It’s a beauty and a beast and a complete and radical design departure for the notoriously conservative Stuttgart marque. Just look at it. We really don’t need to sell this angular design and snub nose front that is mated to a body that reminds us, a little, of the BMW X6.
Traditional lights will give way to digital projectors and the Audi will have an illuminated badge, too. Sexy!
Don’t miss: The electric cars you shouldn’t buy right now
It comes with 320 kW of power, although Audi has promised an intriguing boost function that will deliver up to 370 kW. That’s the electrical equivalent of 496 bhp and that’s good enough for a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 s. If anything, that number seems a little conservative. The Audi will have a 95-kWh battery pack that should easily top the 310 miles that Audi has promised us a bare minimum by the time the car hits the road.
Essentially an electrified version of the F-Type, albeit heavily revised, this car will hit the market in 2018 and it’s aimed squarely at the Tesla Model X.
It isn’t the most radical electric car in terms of design and it even comes with traditional grilles on the front that really don’t have any intrinsic cooling purpose. But it’s an elegant car nonetheless and the cab forward design, glass roof and raked windscreen should make it a great driving experience.
With a 90-kWh battery pack and a 220-mile range, this is one of the most exciting electric cars that we can’t drive yet. The 295 kW (394 bhp) motor isn’t a match for some of the machines on this list, but with 516 lb/ft of torque then nobody should complain that the Jaguar isn’t fast enough. That’s because Jaguar claims that it will hit 60 mph in less than four seconds, which is seriously quick for a car with that kind of power.
The interior is an elegant blend of a Tesla-style center console touch screen, a TFT instrument panel and typical Jaguar luxury.
The British marque kept its electric plans relatively quiet, but it has exploded on to the scene with the I-PACE. It has joined the Formula E field to perfect its technology and it already claims to have a battery pack that can charge up to 80% in 90 minutes. For all of these reasons, the I-PACE makes our list of best new electric cars to keep an eye on!
We don’t even have a name for the new Volvo model, but we do know it will be on the road by 2019. It’s another crossover SUV and it looks the part on the early renders, although it’s absolutely recognizable as a Volvo.
We do know that the new car will come with a 100-kWh battery pack, so it should offer pretty serious performance or a vast range. Volvo has clearly stated it’s aiming at a 250-mile range, though, and we can’t see the company trying to challenge Tesla’s iconic P100D when it comes to performance.
So, does it need that vast battery pack? Maybe not, but then Volvo clearly has something in mind. It also intends to market the car for around $40,000, which sounds like a bargain, and it will be based on the 40 Series platform.
Volvo intends to bring another, more luxurious new electric car to market in 2019. That will be based loosely on the XC90 and will come with a larger price tag. But this is the car that has the potential to make a real impact.
Rimac Concept S
Mate Rimac was distracted for a while, rebuilding the Concept One prototype that Richard Hammond spectacularly crashed on a Swiss hill climb for The Grand Tour. So, the Concept S might suffer a slight delay.
It’s around the corner, though, and when this 1032 kW (1350 bhp) monster touches down, then it could well produce a clean sweep of electric car lap records and assert the Croatian firm’s dominance in the electric hypercar sector.
This is the tougher, stronger version of the Concept One that still blows us away. It comes with racing aerodynamics, including a massive rear wing and diffuser, and it looks pretty much like a track-only car. It isn’t, but it gives the impression that it could be hard work on the road. It is going to be brutally fast when it arrives. Expect a 227 mph machine that can burst through 60 mph in less than 2.5 s.
Read: The EV buyer’s guide
It comes with in-wheel motors, which allows for supremely advanced four-wheel-drive and torque vectoring. That also means you can tune the car to your liking, from safe and steady understeer to wild and lairy powerslides.
We have fallen in love with the look of the Concept One and while the Concept S is a little less cohesive thanks to the aero appendages, it’s still a thing of wonder.
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model 3 is stealing all the headlines right now and rightfully so, but within the next year we should have the final model in the slightly bizarre S-3-X-Y line-up.
Now, we won’t actually have the finished production car. That will come in 2019, but we should at least have a complete prototype and a much clearer vision of what it will look like.
This compact SUV will help Tesla expand exponentially, because it’s another affordable car that shouldn’t cost much more than the Model 3. How much more? We’re really not sure right now. We’ve got teaser images to go on and the most basic information.
For a start, the Model Y will be built on a totally new platform, now that Tesla has given up on the concept of using the Model 3 architecture. What else do we know? Well Elon Musk has promised a revolutionary wiring system, the end of the 12V lead-acid battery and a revolutionary production line. That’s not much help when it comes to the finished car, though.
Logic dictates that the Model Y will come with a largely-similar powertrain to the Model 3. That means a maximum size of 75 kWh, with a series of smaller and cheaper options, too. Expect a minimum range of 215 miles, but the caveat is that there are two solid years of development left to come and battery range could go through the roof between now and then.
It’s going to be an epic car that Tesla thinks could be even bigger news than the Model 3. Only time will tell.
Ford got left so far behind in the electric car race that the CEO and a number of senior managers were shown the door. Now the Blue Oval is playing catch up and Bill Ford has promised us an all-new CUV by 2020. It’s a long way away, but Ford has argued that it wants to make a 300-mile car that it can sell at an affordable price.
We’re basically guessing at the spec at this point, as Ford has revealed so little about the car. We do know that Ford has worked tirelessly on its self-driving system and that should be a highlight on this car.
Ford has to get back in the game, in a hurry. So we’re expecting to see a wave of publicity on this new car before too long. You can’t buy it for a while, but we’re sure we’re going to get information by the bucketload as the Blue Oval reasserts itself in the zero emissions sector with a bunch of new electric cars.
The Japanese manufacturer was a market leader in the hybrid world, but it has lost its way as of late and the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Clarity, with its 80-mile range, has simply baffled the world. But Honda will follow up in 2018 with two lithium-ion-powered electric cars. One is just for the Chinese market, but the other will be a global car that could restore the marque’s reputation.
How? We’re not entirely sure. We really don’t have any details to go on.
All we know is that Honda is promising a revolution in the way power is fed to and from the car, which suggests that it could feed excess power back into a home battery. The company also believes it can create 150 miles of range with a 15-minute charge, which the Clarity couldn’t achieve with a “full tank”.
Honda has finally grabbed the bull by the horns as far as electric cars go, and the next generation NSX is almost certainly going to be an electric hypercar. We will have to wait and see what comes first, though, and a simple, mid-range machine with solid mileage would be a massive improvement on what we have right now.
Honda is simply too good to go down without a fight and we’re sure they’re going to launch some solid new electric cars next year. We can’t wait to see them.
Read next: The best electric motorcycles of 2017
That’s it for our overview of the coolest new electric cars coming soon on the market. Which one’s your favorite?


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ICangles Communications Post…
Today, when I was doing a little web surfing on the latest sports news I couldn’t help but read about an ESPN article on basketball star LeBron James. I couldn’t help but come across it because LeBron’s PR team had gotten ESPN to kill the story after it was posted. As a result instead of one forgettable ESPN online article that I amongst others would never have paid any attention to, there are now a multitude of articles about the pulled article. Also, because of the age of the Internet that pulled article still lives on other websites.
Although the intention was to bury it, the exact opposite was accomplished. Not only was more attention brought to the article, but so also was the added negativity of LeBron using his leverage and relationship with ESPN to kill bad press. Ironically, the story wasn’t actually all that negative, but that sure isn’t the impression now conveyed, i.e. if LeBron wanted to kill it the article must be bad.
LeBron is more than just a basketball player, he is a superstar and a sports brand onto himself. In a branding sense he is more a corporation than a person. That means all this controversy won’t just blow over. It impacts brand LeBron—not in a major way, but negatively and lasting. It detracts from the overall brand image and adds to an already running narrative of arrogance. This incident is a great example of when a PR team should do nothing (in fairness to whoever was giving PR advice to team LeBron he or she may very well have advised doing nothing). On the subject of doing nothing from a PR standpoint team LeBron served up another great example on that subject with The Decision. The media event on ESPN where LeBron publicly unveiled which new team he would be playing for was an event better off never held from a PR and branding perspective.
True The Decision did have many elements corporations crave–a major broadcast opportunity, domination of the headlines, not having to share the spotlight (in LeBron’s case with any of his new free agent teammates/partner corporations) and not least of all editorial control. But there was one little fact that team LeBron overlooked in orchestrating this event that made it the beginning of a negative narrative of arrogance, rather than the start of a successful rebranding of the Miami Heat Lebron James.
That little fact was there were a lot more losers than winners. On the media side there were a lot of sports reporters who were denied the access they wanted to LeBron partly because a news conference format wouldn’t have allowed team LeBron to control them and they immediately went after ESPN for selling out–a point ESPN’s own ombudsman largely acceded. Yet the real damning factor came in the form of basketball fans, as every one of them other than Miami Heat fans were losers. The Decision was a decision to reject every other city’s team and to directly reject the teams of New York, New Jersey, Chicago and of course the hometown that loved him Cincinnati. Creating an event that manages the feat of both upsetting a majority of your media and global customer base is one better off not done.
Of course not all situations are alike. And when a negative news storing is coming out it is often tempting to say or do something. Sometimes taking action is the right step. But trying to get a factually accurate published article pulled or holding an event that puts the corporation above its customers is almost never the right step. On occasion even inaccuracies aren’t worth addressing if doing so just draws unwanted attention to a negative. Things get a bit murkier when a journalist wants a comment on a potentially negative article–a far more typical example. That brings me to my own personal example.
Some years back I got a call from a client that a reporter with a major news organization was asking for comment on a story they were writing involving accounting issues. The corporate PR person wanted to know whether a company spokesperson should participate. I didn’t have much more to go on than that. My advice was simple. If you don’t have anything to hide go ahead and speak with them and set the record straight, rather than trying to correct a misperception afterwards. But if potentially there is something substantively negative take a pass and don’t talk. They ended up not talking, which was a wise move as it turned out that reporter had a lot of information that would’ve resulted in an ambush interview of the worst kind and just made worse what turned out to be a pretty damaging article.
On the topic of not doing something I’ve also urged startup clients to cancel planned media launches of their companies until they had a viable product or similarly the push out of a product launch until specifications were at least finalized and ideally even an early customer could be leveraged. In one instance a client wanted a separate company launch, product launch and first customer announcement. They hoped for more media attention by spreading out their news. But the result would have been the impact dilution of each announcement. It’s just one more instance when not doing something (in this instance multiple launches when there is only fodder for one) is the right move. Often you only get one bite at the media apple and it doesn’t pay to nibble.
All of this isn’t to say that doing nothing is usually the right move. Typically you want to engage with the media, and usually sooner is better than later. Not talking often means letting your rivals control the debate and shape your brand image. Sometimes you can even break the rules and get away with it. I’ve worked on positioning for a vaporware launch where with the help of a high profile customer and development partner impressive media coverage was garnered around the globe. However, every once in a while doing nothing is the right call.


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Businesses in the UK are poised to receive part of a £125m cash injection to bring their ideas products to market.
£100m will be available as part of the government’s ‘Smart’ grant programme, helping businesses take initial ideas from concept stage to full commercialisation.
A further £25m is available through Innovate UK for late-stage research and development projects.
The new funding is being made available in an effort to keep the UK at the forefront of new technologies, said UK Research and Innovation, a key aim of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.
Ideas can be submitted from businesses, for independent expert assessment, with the aim of securing investment to propel them to international success and bringing the UK economy with it.
Previous success stories include machine learning company Magic Pony Technology.
Its tech, which uses machine learning to increase imagery, was sold to Twitter for $150m.
3D printing company Photocentric has also received government financial support, and expects to sell over £8m of its photopolymers and liquids products by 2020.
Business Secretary Greg Clark said he was proud of the UK’s reputation for entrepreneurship, which see a new businesses started every 80 seconds in 2018.
“Through our modern Industrial Strategy we are backing our homegrown businesses to boost productivity and create jobs, growth and opportunity in every part of the UK,” he said.
Those that win the latest competition will also receive one-to-one mentoring from successful businesses, as well as access to peer improvement networks.
Describing Innovate UK’s support for Magic Pony Technology, Rob Bishop, now Director of Product Infrastructure at Twitter, said:
“We were fortunate to gain a development of prototype grant from Innovate UK’s Smart grant scheme in 2015, which provided us with essential funding to help turn our research ideas into a functioning product – ultimately leading to Magic Pony Technology being acquired by Twitter in 2016.”
There will be a rolling schedule of competitions throughout the year, with the latest round now open for applications until 24 July.


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MakeFashion brings fashionable wearable tech to the runway
Designs combine fashion and function, all about 'augmenting the human experience,' says co-founder
Designers and engineers from around the world will showcase some of their most cutting-edge wearable technology this weekend in Calgary, bringing to the runway clothes that combine the best of function and fashion.
The runway show features awe-inspiring responsive runway dresses and scientific wearables with practical applications — from clothes that can alter their shape and colour depending on your mood, to pieces that are able to measure your brainwaves and reflect how focused you are.
"You end up with a piece that looks amazing, looks beautiful, but has the technology that you would expect to see in wearable technology," said co-founder Shannon Hoover.
Hoover said the designs on display are focused on "augmenting the human experience," and allowing people to interact with each other in more meaningful ways.
"Your FitBit, it tracks your motion and your activity, but it doesn't do a lot about telling human stories," he said.
"That's what's amazing about the pieces we see on the runway, is they do a very good job of expressing an experience, or expressing a story that people are telling through the clothes they wear."
From humble beginnings to international fame
MakeFashion began as a side project between friends, but has since garnered so much international attention that those involved are now "trying to figure out how to turn this thing that began as a hobby into a proper business," Hoover said.
Over the past four years, the show has produced dozens of wearable tech garments and showcased at over 20 international events in fashion capitals such as New York, Rome and Shenzhen.
The show has also been generating buzz in the Bay Area of San Francisco and will head to Paris in the coming weeks.
"It's interesting because most of us have full-time jobs as well," Hoover laughed.
Hoover believes this is a critical time for Calgary to make its mark on the wearable tech industry.
"There's a lot of talent in Calgary that you kinda see overshadowed by the oil industry," Hoover said.
"I think we're entering into a time now where people recognize the importance of diversification. We're starting to get people to be really creative and look at expanding what types of products are developed in our city."
With files from The Homestretch


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Video has been leaked of Sony Ericsson's much-rumoured PlayStation phone.
The one-minute-42-second video appears to show that the device will have a slide-out controller panel with the familiar PS control pads as well as a touch panel.
The video, which was apparently shot on December 2nd, shows the model number as Zeus which everyone and their pet monkey is taking to be the eventual launch name. We suspect that naming your new internet-connected device after one of the most damaging pieces of malware of the past couple of years might be a bit of a mistake.
The video also confirms that the device is currently running Google's Android operating system version 2.3, otherwise known as Gingerbread.
Speculation is rife as to whether the device will be able to run PlayStation or PSP game titles, but a PlayStation App spotted within the GUI gives some credence to rumours that the latter will be the case.
A second, much shorter video shows the mole running the PlayStation App which brings up a very PSP-like GUI and the disappointing message, "There are no current items."
Beyond that, the video gives few clues as to what the device will be capable of, but does reveal that the main user interface is a bit sloppy when it comes to touch-screen gestures, and the whole thing is a bit on the portly side, looking like it's nigh-on an inch thick at its fattest.
Sony is obviously a bit miffed that Apple has stolen much of the Japanese electronics giant's hand-held gaming thunder with the iPhone and iPod Touch, but aiming a mainstream product so firmly at a teen market is a dangerous path to tread, as anyone involved in Microsoft's disastrous Kin project will attest.
Banging out a quick game of Angry Birds on your iPhone between conference calls is one thing, but persuading your accounts department to approve the purchase of a PlayStation phone might just be pushing things a little too far.
It's not clear who leaked the carefully edited videos but, as you might expect, there has been no official announcement from Sony on launch dates, availability or cost.


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NAB senior leaders discuss the economy and why there’s good news ahead for business.
When Peter Alexander started his business, he always had a Plan B. Alexander says planning for the worst allowed him to focus on the future of his business, which now turns over $150 million a year, has close to 100 retail outlets and is planning to expand overseas.
When Peter Alexander started his business, he always had a Plan B, as he said at the ‘Business Events Program supported by NAB’.
Alexander says planning for the worst allowed him to focus on the future of his business, which now turns over $150 million a year, has close to 100 retail outlets and is planning to expand overseas.
“When you start a business it is not always easy, there are always ups and downs,” he told the audience at a Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival Business Breakfast on Monday.
“If you plan your exit and always plan the worst case scenario it’s a good place for your mind to be, to say I’m comfortable with the risk, I can put that at the back of my mind and concentrate on going forward rather than panicking about what will happen.”
For instance, when he imported in his first container loan of pyjamas, they cost $20 to $30 each and if they didn’t sell, Alexander’s mother would have been forced to sell her house. So he got an outlet store to agree to buy them at $10 each, which would have meant a loss but allowed his mother to keep her house.
As it happened, selling enough product was never Alexander’s problem.
He started the company as a mail order business with his mother three decades ago at her dining room table, a few years after he spent $80 on a pair of pyjamas in Hong Kong because they reminded him of innocent childhood times.
“There was something about these traditional pyjamas that made me smile and I realised that if that emotional connection can sucker me to spend eighty bucks, then perhaps I can sucker all of you to spend eighty bucks,” he jokes.
Alexander realised that a lot of his female friends were actually wearing men’s flannelette pyjamas, and so his idea of doing patterns on pyjamas for women was born. “It was so new on the market that it took off,” he says. “I thought this might last me six months and 29 years later I’m still in the pyjama game.”
The business took off, but financial rewards were slower to come. It was five years before he or his mother took a pay check while he invested the cash back into the business. Alexander supplemented his income as “Melbourne’s top hand model”.
“I got $150 per hour for these suckers,” he says, holding his hands up. “That was always my Plan B.”
Alexander struggled with the demands of a growing business.
A turning point came when the company posted mail order catalogues around NSW as the first step in a national campaign. Customers in NSW bought 95 per cent of the stock, leaving Victorian customers disappointing and angry with the company. “I thought, ‘my God, I’m damaging my own brand’,” recalls Alexander. “I’ve grown the child into a terrible teenager who wants to leave the roost and be even bigger than I wanted him to be.”
This was behind his decision to sell the business to the Just Group in 2000, so he could remain with the company and concentrate on doing what he does best. “One of the reasons I’ve been successful is that I know what I’m good at and what I’d bad at, and what I’m bad at is managing a business and handling the stress of doing that and then having to be creative on top of that,” he says.
Just Group started opening Peter Alexander stores, which created some initial challenges. Selling pyjamas in a catalogue is easier because you can take the customer to a fantasy destination, using attractive models and exotic locations such as Tahiti.
In the store, however, pyjamas hang baggily on the rack. The solution was to concentrate on creating the “brand essence” in a retail environment. “If you walk into a Peter Alexander store you can smell it, you can touch it, you can have a laugh – we’re not just selling a product, we’re selling a brand.”
“People quite frankly don’t need to spend $100 on a pair of pyjamas – they want to, so what you’ve got to do is make sure the minute they walk into your store it’s a great experience and they’re feeling like they’re spoilt themselves.”
© National Australia Bank Limited. ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686.


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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mace Innovations announced today that it has brought in Chris Giles as Director of Business Development. After years of working with a small group of curated clients, Mace Innovations has decided to expand operations and start working with companies across the entire mortgage industry. The firm's objective is to save companies money by introducing automation tools and seamless integration between critical systems.
Mace Innovations' suite of automation products allows companies to streamline time consuming tasks like data input and document delivery, freeing up employees to get more done.
"Giles has a very impressive sales background and bringing him on board was an easy decision," said Founder and CEO Chris Mace. "His sales experience makes him an invaluable employee and hiring him is the first among many steps towards growing in our industry."
Giles comes to Mace Innovations after spending nearly three years with Tesla in Salt Lake City. Giles launched the local sales operations for Tesla in Utah. Under his leadership, Salt Lake City ranked number one in the nation for one quarter and was consistently ranked among the top Tesla stores nationwide. On behalf of Tesla, Giles also worked with Salt Lake City and Utah lawmakers to change legislations surrounding car dealerships.
About Mace Innovations:
Mace Innovations is changing the landscape of the mortgage industry by helping lenders to work smarter, not harder since 2014. Mace Innovations automation tools work directly and efficiently with Encompass to allow lenders to automate tasks and improve workflow.
To learn more, visit https://maceinnovations.com.
Mace Innovations announced today that it has brought in Chris Giles as Director of Business Development. Mace Innovations' suite of automation products allows companies to streamline time consuming tasks like data input and document delivery, freeing up employees to get more done.
Related link: https://maceinnovations.com/
This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of and © the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.


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The city that gaming constructed is open for company. Here's the best ways to balance the threats.
Las Vegas presents an odd obstacle for the Nevada Development Authority, a not-for-profit agency that motivates economic advancement the southern part of the state. The trouble is that Sin City's enjoyable reputation typically outshines its entrepreneurial cred.
' You have actually probably been here and had a heck of a time,' states Somer Hollingsworth, the agency's president and CEO. 'Our difficulty is to show that there's a service side to this neighborhood.'
Vegas sweetens the deal for brand-new business with more benefits than a penthouse suite. The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council's most recent Small Organisation Survival Index, which ranked each state by their policy climates for little organisations and entrepreneurs, put Nevada at the leading right behind South Dakota.
Five years ago Pamela Jenkins opened a cupcake shop in Las Vegas called The Cupcakery. She had actually cut her teeth in the corporate world and leapt at the chance to start her own business. Noticing that there weren't that numerous mom-and-pop operations in town at the time, she made the most of a large open marketplace.
' I felt that there was a requirement to construct something with some heart and soul, and actually good products,' she states. Her cupcake shop has actually given that expanded to numerous locations. 'Now we have this crazy cult following out here in Vegas.'
Vegas can be the perfect place to hang a shingle, but it can likewise be the recipe for a hot mess. Before starting a business there, weigh the options.
Starting an Organisation in Las Vegas: Get to Know the Financial Incentives
Although Nevada has actually been dealing with a budget space, the significant lack of taxes makes it a welcoming location for starting a service or opening a branch. There is no corporate income tax, no individual earnings tax, no franchise tax on income, no estate tax, no present tax, no unitary tax, and no estate tax. Instead, the state depends on a video gaming tax.
Kevin Lustig is the director of tax services in Las Vegas for the organisation consulting firm RSM McGladrey. 'I'm looking at something I put together for services that are thinking about moving here versus other states,' he says. Sales and residential or commercial property taxes are competitive with other states.
The outcome is that organisations relocate here. Tony Hsieh originally began Zappos.com in San Francisco, for instance, but moved the operations to Las Vegas since the swimming pool of employees was currently oriented around client service, and the city was a lot more budget friendly.
Diversifying the business community in Las Vegas is such a leading concern for economic development that a nongaming operation will likely get approved for an array of low-cost or totally free services. The Nevada Small Company Development Center, a company support program found at the University of Nevada, offers totally free services that consist of aid developing a service strategy, getting licensed, and integrated. Hollingsworth states the Nevada Advancement Authority can set up roundtables to help brand-new organisations get oriented. 'An incredible company with tasks and high incomes -; if necessary we can get the governor to reveal up.'
Beginning a Business in Las Vegas: Prove Legitimacy With a License
Nevada is where video gaming matured. Las Vegas's vibrant history has left a lasting imprint on the licensing process. Services thought about 'privileged' go well beyond ones that sell alcohol to consist of pawn stores, secondhand dealers, and adult services.
' Some 40 years ago the state decided that no the mob would be associated with gambling and liquor and after that authorities extended that plan to other organisations,' says Mary Drury, an attorney with the full-service law firm Marquis and Aurbach, which is based in Las Vegas. Drury is chair of the transactional group, which deals with the development of business. 'It's not to keep people out, but just to make sure that the people running those services do not have felony backgrounds and are economically suitable, that they're not a front.'
Even 'gold parties' -; sort of like Tupperware parties -; are heavily controlled, Drury states, due to the fact that they almost fall into the secondhand dealer category. Be prepared to show that a tidy record is in fact tidy.
Beginning a Business in Las Vegas: Benefit From the Buyer's Market
The economic crisis has actually swept through Vegas, developing significant offers on commercial real estate. Now, securing several months of totally free rent on a five-year lease has ended up being a possibility.
' When it was boom times, the square foot expense was $4 to $6 per square foot,' states Larry Vierra, director of the Nevada Small Company Advancement Center in Las Vegas. 'That very same home now you can get for $1, $2 a foot.'
Laura Herlovich owns the Las Vegas public relations firm PR Plus, whose customers include the pawnshop owners on the History Channel show Pawn Stars, the Grammies, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and the Cupcakery. When Herlovich started the firm in 1991, it was the first one in Vegas that wasn't being operated out of a spare bedroom, she says. One of her early offices was located in a garage.
Not long ago PR Plus upgraded to an office complex near to the Strip and highway 215, a circular path around the city. 'We're paying less for our area each month than we remained in the garage,' Herlovich states. The cost is 99 cents a square foot.
Formerly, occupants would need to pay of their own pocket to put branding on a structure outside. Now proprietors are accepting spend for the buildout on a 'gray shell' space that's essentially a blank slate with cement floors, bare walls, and an empty building façade. Find out how far property owners are prepared to go to make you a satisfied renter if you can secure financing from a bank.
Starting a Company in Las Vegas: Pick the Right Location
When Herlovich started her firm, she knew she had to leave your home. 'I need an office to go to, people to inspire me,' she states. For $100 a month, a regional company rented her a desk in the storage facility that was used to store Elvis's clothing. Ultimately, having individuals around packages of the King's clothes made the company too nervous, so she set out to find a brand-new area.
The city is so diverse that in order to discover an ideal place, it's key to look closely at every neighborhood to discover the best fit. Howard Hughes planned the 22,500-acre Summerlin community 20 years earlier and now the location has plenty of upper middle class citizens. It ranks as one of the very best places to live in the nation.
' Clearly you desire a remarkable place,' Jenkins says. 'There are certainly locations in Vegas where you 'd put among our stores and it wouldn't work.' To identify which areas would, she did her research study and picked places with higher income demographics and strong retail anchors that could generate clients ready to pay several dollars for cupcakes. The Cupcakery has a shop to the east in Henderson and one in Summerlin.
Herlovich decided on workplace two blocks from among her customers, the Hard Rock check over here Hotel and Casino. When John Entwistle, the bass guitarist for The Who, passed away at the hotel of a cocaine-induced cardiac arrest in 2002, Herlovich could get there rapidly. 'Time was of the essence in keeping that story under control.'
Picking the best spot in Vegas can also equate into important exposure. The Nevada Development Authority has an irreversible cubicle at local exhibition. 'This year we'll have a million and a half individuals stroll by that booth,' Hollingsworth says.
Starting a Business in Las Vegas: Recognize and Maintain Competent Employees
This summer season the joblessness rate in the metro Las Vegas area skyrocketed to 14.5 percent, exceeding the national rate. Such a devastating figure indicates the area has a large skill swimming pool, including graduates from regional institution of higher learnings.
' That's cost helpful for employers,' Drury states. 'They have actually got a labor force of individuals who are prepared, willing, and able to work for them.' The absence of a state income tax makes that pay go further, suggesting new organisations can find high quality people for less than exactly what it would cost in another state. Many of the population is incredibly computer literate, too. Even the housemaid carts in hotels are electronic.
Still, Vegas is a short-term town. Vegas tends to draw opportunists who come to make cash and get out quickly.
Beginning a Company in Las Vegas: Protect the Workplace with Strong Facilities
Vegas is in the desert, so anybody relocating there definitely has to have air conditioning that works -; inside and, depending on the organisation strategy, outside.
Jenkins says her cars and truck just signed up 112 degrees on the interior. To keep her company from melting away, she set up blackout shades and utilizes cooled vans.
It gets so hot you literally cannot have people working in the workplace. Since Vegas is such a relatively brand-new city, however, even the 'old' structures usually have trustworthy amenities. The city has dark fiber in spades.
Sin City draws all sort of characters. Keeping offices safe has actually been a priority for Herlovich since thieves got into her old office 3 years ago, stealing important memorabilia. The alarm on the door was expected to automatically make an emergency situation call, but it stopped working.
'It could have been the best location and you move in, and some insane crack addict breaks through your door,' Herlovich states. To find a safe place she recommends taking a look at the crime stats for that location, as well as the demographics. Picking a reliable alarm business to protect the workplace is likewise essential.
Fifteen years earlier, a major roadway called Rainbow still had unpaved sections that were essentially dirt, Drury mentions. Ever since, those stretches have actually been brought into the 21st Century at a rapid speed. 'Vegas has truly been an advantage,' she says.
The city locations in the top 10 fastest growing urban locations in the country. New residents moving in on an everyday basis are trying to find everything from cleaning up supplies and clothing to health care services and haircuts. And just believe: your business might be there to invite them.


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The patent shows a OnePlus folding phone with three folding portions divided by two hinges instead of one. The thickest part revolves around the bigger hinge, possibly housing the battery and other vital internals. The phone may be used as a standard glass sandwich after the main piece is stowed away. Two thinned hinges are supported by the second hinge.
OnePlus may be the newest major player to enter the foldable phone market. According to a patent discovered by LetsGoDigital, the business is planning a one-of-a-kind smartphone that stands out from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Huawei Mate X2.
OnePlus’ design also has some practical benefits too. The phone can prop itself up by folding its screens to form a triangle. To prevent the hinges from slumping in their various configs, OnePlus employs magnets activated by a mechanical slider.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen a dual-hinged foldable. TCL unveiled a concept back in 2019 which folded and unfolded in the shape of a Z. Samsung Display unveiled its idea for a multiple folding screen earlier this year. While the form factor seemingly allows manufacturers to cram even bigger displays onto pocket-sized foldable phones, the additional hinge introduces another point of failure. The complexity of triple-folding phones may result in even higher list prices at a time when traditional foldables are already considered too expensive.
Of course, this is merely a patent filed by OnePlus and patents don’t necessarily guarantee consumer products. This may simply be OnePlus’ bid to reserve its portion of this niche. But don’t rule out the company’s foldable plans just yet, especially as rumors of its BBK siblings’ foldable projects gain steam.
The News Highlights
- A patent filed by OnePlus reveals the company’s plans for a foldable phone
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Gov. Ted Kulongoski is certainly enthusiastic about the potential for electric cars in Oregon, and in D.C. there's much talk that any bailout of the automotive industry ought to go toward greening the car companies.
Sounds great, but this cautionary tale from The Washington Post reminded me of how hard it is to bring fundamental change to the automobile. Hybrid and electric cars have a long way to go before they can be profitable for the industry. As The Post notes:
That's because car manufacturers still haven't figured out how to produce hybrid and plug-in vehicles cheaply enough to make money on them. After a decade of relative success with its hybrid Prius, Toyota has sold about a million of the cars and is still widely believed by analysts to be losing money on each one sold. General Motors has touted plans for a plug-in hybrid vehicle called the Volt, but the costly battery will prevent it from turning a profit on the vehicle for several years, at least.


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Councillor Mike Layton and the Toronto Cyclists Union have started a petition for expanding Bixi Toronto. People have been calling Layton every day since Bixi launched almost two months ago, according to a NOW article. The call is to expand Bixi to the original 3000 bikes planned when the program was originally proposed.
I've heard that things are looking so good that Bixi may beat expectations by reaching close to 1 million trips by the end of the year.
Some of you may have heard about the auditor general's somewhat negative report on Bixi in Montreal. Such troubles don't affect Bixi Toronto since it is incorporated separately and has a business model that doesn't rely on subsidies from Montreal.


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Toyota has announced a voluntary recall of a little more than one million vehicles. The recall covers two separate issues: one for malfunctioning air bags in the 2003 and 2004 Toyota Corolla and Matrix and the other for a problem with the windshield wipers on the 2006 through 2012 Lexus IS.
The recall impacts 752,000 Corolla and Matrix models from the 2003 and 2004 model years, as well as the Pontiac Vibe, a mechanic twin of the Matrix. General Motors is handling the Matrix in a separate recall.
In a press release, Toyota explains, "The airbag control module for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) in the Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles could have been manufactured with application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that are susceptible to internal shorting. These ASICs could experience an internal short that creates abnormal current flow and increased heat. If this occurs, there is a possibility that the ASIC could become damaged." Toyota says that damage could result in the air bags or seat belt pretensioners deploying accidentally in some cases.
Reuters writes that together, the two recall actions are "the third Toyota recall since October to involve more than a million cars, and it comes as the company tries to recover from a damaged reputation following a series of recalls between 2009 and 2011 that were related to unintended acceleration problems."
The second recall is on 270,000 Lexus IS models from the 2006 to 2012 model years, and includes the IS 250, 350, IS convertible and IS-F models. According to Toyota, part of the wiper arm may not be fastened tight enough, so the wiper can stop moving if it encounters resistance.
The recalls are not the result of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The New York Times explains, "Toyota describes its actions as voluntary, but once an automaker is aware of a safety problem it must – within five business days – inform the agency of its plan for a recall or face a civil fine."
Toyota will be contacting owners of the affected vehicles by mail soon. Until then, if you have questions, you can call Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
In the market for a new car? Check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars. Then, look for a great deal on a new car by checking out this month’s best car deals. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.


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Top Public Companies
Molson Coors brand mix propels income growth
No. 9 fastest-growing public company
- Bruce Goldberg
It’s been a tumultuous few years for Molson Coors Brewing Co.
First, the original Coors joined up with Canadian giant Molson. Then in 2008, that new company created a joint venture in which it owns 42 percent, called MillerCoors, with SAB/Miller.
A heavy focus on creating brands, expanding sales into other countries and cutting costs enabled Molson Coors to jump its net income 46.4 percent between 2007 and 2009 — and to boldly proclaim it wants to become one of the top four beer sellers in the world.
“The last couple of years have been really exciting times at Molson Coors,” CFO Stewart Glendinning said. “Three things have been the focus and drivers.”
• “Cost: This is a business that’s very competitive,” Glendinning said. “It’s important for us to focus on being as efficient as possible in the making and selling of beer. We have realized substantial savings broadly across our organization in how we manufacture beer, how we sell it, how we account for it. This has not been [about] cutting heads; it’s been about how to squeeze waste out of the organization.”
An example: The joint venture increased Coors’ reach from two beer-making facilities to eight, which led to huge savings in shipping costs, Glendinning said. That also reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
The joint venture expects eventually to save $700 million in costs.
“Putting the two companies together has allowed a huge amount of savings,” Glendinning said.
• Adding innovations, such as the temperature-sensitive cans that indicate when a beer is cold and ready for consumption, and new brands, such as Colorado Native — “We can’t make enough of it,” said Glendinning, who has been with the company for five years. Previously, he worked for KPMG.
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Mobile bill pay brings daily lifestyle convenience for younger generations and is prompting older generations to change lifelong habits
Mobile has emerged as the catalyst for continual change, with consumers across generations rapidly switching and using this channel to pay bills, according to the bi-annual (1H) 2022 ACI Speedpay Pulse consumer survey. ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW) is the leading global provider of real-time electronic payment and banking solutions and the ACI Speedpay solution serves thousands of billers across multiple verticals in the U.S.
Increased familiarity with — and trust in — the mobile channel has prompted a sharp increase in mobile wallet usage, with 58 percent of users reporting using it to make a payment at least once a week in 1H 2022, compared to 46 percent in 1H 2021. When paying bills, 49 percent of consumers would consider using a mobile wallet, compared to 36 percent in 2021 (and 28% in 2018).
“New habits and attitudes are still emerging, but the ones we see so far signal a huge opportunity for companies to double down on transforming and modernizing their billing experiences. Diversifying with new channels and the payment methods consumers want is important. However, remaining agile to more quickly respond to future changes in their preferences is equally critical. This may soon emerge as a crucial long-term competitive advantage,” said Sanjay Gupta, Head of Billers, ACI Worldwide.
Evidence of consumers’ growing pursuit of greater convenience, and payment experiences that better fit their daily lives, can be seen in how and what they use mobile devices for:
ACI SPEEDPAY PULSE KEY FINDINGS 1H 2022:
Growing appreciation of the utility of mobile
- Increased tendency to use mobile wallets to store non-payment items, such as digital tickets, identification, loyalty cards and billing statements. Today, 39.2% of consumers report this kind of activity compared to 25.2% in 2021.
- Preference for text bill pay reminders are gaining ground against email and paper mail. They jumped to 20.2% in 2022 from 15.1% in 2021, while email went down to 38.1% from 44% and paper/mail to 27.7% from 30.4%.
As consumers feel safer and more familiar with mobile channels, they increasingly value their convenience and efficiency, resulting in increased regular usage.
Faster bill pay experiences and rise of urgent payments
- 38.4% are more willing to adopt new channels and methods for faster payment processing than in 2021 (30.9%). This uptick might be driven byfrustration with bill payments processing times (29.6% in 2022 vs. 26% in 2021).
- One in three consumers say that they have had to make an urgent or same-day payment in this past year, which is significantly higher than in 2021 (one in five). Part of this can be attributed to an increase in total bills, most marked among younger bill payers, which has made keeping track of them more difficult.
With urgent payments rising, digital channels are a crucial enabler for making them more easily, also playing a key role in mitigating the risk of last-minute payments being late or missed.
Billers’ apps challenge web’s dominance
- Billers’ websites remain the most popular bill payments channel across all generations. However, preference is declining: 31.7% prefer it in 2022, comparedto38.8%in2021.Meanwhile,preferenceforbillers’mobileapps rose to 15.4% from 10.1%.
- In 2022, consumers are significantly more likely to use a mobile app to make urgent or same-day payments than in 2021: 24.2% vs. 19.6%.
- Older consumers continue to prefer websites, while younger consumers are driving preference for mobile and smart devices, channels that are native to them.
As Gen Z takes more responsibility for their bills, billers’ digital experiences will need to match their expectations. This would help to attract and retain younger bill payers, while also educating older audiences to convert them to more cost-effective and data-rich channels.
Other key findings:
- Checking account deductions to pay monthly bills still dominate, with three in five consumers using them in 2022. Meanwhile, debit card use is up 8.6% in 2022, pushing past the 50% mark (51.1%) for the first time since our survey began in 2018. Overall, the paper check is down to 18.5% in 2022 from 25.3% a year earlier — a fall of 6.8%.
- Alternative payment methods (APMs) such as Venmo, Apple Pay and PayPal are increasingly catching on, recording a near 5% increase in consumers’ preference to use them to pay bills.
- Real-time payments functionality is also growing, with 41.2% saying they would be interested in Request to Pay (RtP). The top three most important benefits of real-time payments include: avoiding late charges (32%), immediate confirmation that payment was received (24.9%) and immediate payment posting/transfer of funds (20.8%).
- Despite the high publicity, crypto has yet to impact consumer preferences for paying bills. Younger generations show the most signs of potential future adoption. Specifically, Millennials are significantly more likely to believe cryptocurrency payments are secure (42.7%), followed by Gen Z (35.3%), Gen X (28.3%) and Boomers (just 5.7%).