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CUPERTINO, Calif.—Apple Inc. on Wednesday unveiled its biggest and most expensive iPhone lineup ever, making a bet that larger screens can persuade millions of iPhone owners to not only upgrade to a new device but also fork over more money than they spent in past years.
A year removed from the 10th anniversary of a product that turned it into the world’s most valuable company, Apple sought to enliven its flagship device with standard improvements like speedier processors and longer-lasting batteries while also touting innovative...
CUPERTINO, Calif.— Apple Inc. on Wednesday unveiled its biggest and most expensive iPhone lineup ever, making a bet that larger screens can persuade millions of iPhone owners to not only upgrade to a new device but also fork over more money than they spent in past years.
A year removed from the 10th anniversary of a product that turned it into the world’s most valuable company, Apple sought to enliven its flagship device with standard improvements like speedier processors and longer-lasting batteries while also touting innovative features like photo-editing tools and new haptic-touch technology.
Apple's got not one but three new iPhones—all with different sizes, specs and prices. WSJ's Joanna Stern explains how they measure up to each other, and to last year's breakthrough iPhone X. Photo/Video: Adam Falk/The Wall Street Journal
Apple bumped up the price of its highest end phone by $100 with the introduction of the $1,099 iPhone XS Max, a plus-size, 6.5-inch version of last year’s anniversary model. The new iPhone XS, priced at $999, costs the same as last year’s iPhone X and features the same 5.8-inch OLED display. And the iPhone XR is a 6.1-inch device with an edge-to-edge LCD display priced at $749, splitting the difference between last year’s iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus prices.
The new models are critical to maintaining sales in a contracting smartphone market where people hold on to devices longer, and growth of high-price handsets has stagnated. The iPhone is Apple’s most important product, accounting for about two-thirds of Apple’s revenue, which totaled $53.3 billion last quarter.
Though it became the first U.S. company to be valued at more than $1 trillion last month, tech rival Amazon.com Inc. more recently hit that milestone and is threatening to unseat the iPhone maker as the world’s most valuable company.
To maintain its corporate perch, Apple must squeeze more money out of its existing customers. The latest models have an average selling price of $949, 15% higher than the three phones launched a year ago.
An estimated 254 million consumers use iPhones that are more than three years old and 486 million use iPhones that are more than two years old, according to Piper Jaffray, an asset-management firm.
Apple is betting it can persuade enough customers to buy a new device to improve on the 17% increase in iPhone revenue that analysts predict it will deliver in the fiscal year ending in September, as the iPhone X’s nearly $1,000 price tag offset flat unit sales.
“Apple is having to run harder just to stand still,” said Neil Mawston of Strategy Analytics. “It’s the classic sign of maturity.”
Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of world-wide marketing, talks Wednesday about the new iPhones.Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
The iPhone remained the star at Wednesday’s annual product showcase, which took place in the new Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s $5 billion campus. CEO Tim Cook and other executives focused solely on the iPhone and a new smartwatch, rather than introducing new versions of Mac computers, iPads or AirPod wireless headphones.
Continuing the bigger-screen trend, Apple’s new smartwatch has a 30% larger display than previous models. But the highlight of the Series 4 watch, starting at $399, is a new electrical sensor that gives the device electrocardiogram, or ECG, capabilities to measure a heart’s electrical current in 30 seconds. It is the first of the company’s smartwatches to win Food and Drug Administration clearance, showing the notoriously secretive company is willing to work with regulators as it pushes into the health industry.
The new feature could help Apple elbow into the cardiac-monitoring market, valued at $1.4 billion, according to iRhythm Technologies Inc., which has an ECG product. Apple could reach a small percentage of that market while also bringing in some of the 15 million adults over 65 who have irregular heartbeats and don’t know it.
“I don’t see this as a game changer for them,” said Gene Mannheimer, an analyst at Dougherty & Co. who focuses on digital health.
Apple is aiming to offset stagnant unit sales of iPhones with not only new products like the smartwatch but also from a fast-growing services business that includes app-store sales, streaming-music subscriptions and mobile payments. The services business jumped 26% to $27.2 billion over Apple’s first three fiscal quarters through June.
The bigger screens are expected to help that business line, as smartphone users with 6-inch screens or larger typically use twice as many apps as those with 5.5-inch screens and are twice as likely to watch video daily, according to Kantar Worldpanel.
When Apple last introduced a major increase in display size with the iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, annual sales of the device the subsequent fiscal year soared 52% to $155.04 billion and shipments rose 37% to 231 million units. Few expect it to repeat that feat this year.
The company this fiscal year will ship an estimated 151 million units of its three flagship models, flat with the two flagship models it shipped in fiscal 2015, according to estimates by Strategy Analytics, a technology research firm. Meanwhile, the complexity of making three models has reduced its iPhone operating margins to 30% this year from about 35% in 2015, the firm said.
Write to Tripp Mickle at Tripp.Mickle@wsj.com


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On the group’s website and in its latest tweet, it said: “We can confirm that Maersk has been hit as part of a global cyber attack named Petya on the 27 June 2017. IT systems are down across multiple sites and select business units.
“We have contained the issue and are working on a technical recovery plan with key IT-partners and global cyber security agencies.”
The company continued: “We have shut down a number of systems to help contain the issue. At this point our entities Maersk Oil, Maersk Drilling, Maersk Supply Services, Maersk Tankers, Maersk Training, Svitzer and MCI are not operationally affected. Precautionary measures have been taken to ensure continued operations.”
“Maersk Line vessels are maneuverable, able to communicate and crews are safe. APM Terminals is impacted in a number of ports. Damco has limited access to certain systems,” the statement added.
“We continue to assess and manage the situation to minimize the impact on our operations, customers and partners from the current situation.
“Business continuity plans are being implemented and prioritized. The aggregate impact on our business is being assessed.”
Meanwhile, on Maersk Line’s website, the shipping unit apologizes that “maerskline.com is temporarily unavailable.”
“We confirm that some of Maersk IT systems are down. We are assessing the situation. The safety of your business and our people is our top priority,” the Danish carrier said.
Media outlets were reporting a global ransomware attack, similar to last month’s Wannacry Attack, causing chaos to companies worldwide.

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- Business of Brands
- 4 min read
Companies scramble for imported paper straws, ask govt to extend plastic ban deadline
The manufacturers want the government to extend the implementation date of the ban till proper infrastructure for producing paper straws locally is developed, saying importing such straws is not economically viable...
Manufacturers of small packaged fruit juices and dairy products such as Parle Agro, Dabur and Mother Dairy are resorting to imported paper straws despite higher costs to continue selling their products as the deadline for implementing the ban on plastic straws from July 1 draws closer. The manufacturers, however, want the government to extend the implementation date of the ban till proper infrastructure for producing paper straws locally is developed, saying importing such straws is not economically viable.
"There is no infrastructure at present in India to be able to produce the quantum of straws required for the industry. We have started importing paper straws to ensure the new rules are met by its deadline. However, importing is not a sustainable option," Parle Agro CEO Schauna Chauhan said.
She further said, "The percentage increase in the cost for importing polylactic acid (PLA) and paper straws goes up by 259 per cent and 278 per cent respectively. The economics just does not match up for a Rs 10 product."
The company sells popular fruit juices like Frooti and Appy and dairy beverage Smoodh in small packs that use plastic straws.
Seeking a six-month extension to help straw manufacturers in India build adequate capacity to manufacture and supply biodegradable straws to beverage companies, Chauhan said, "We have already begun work on developing many local MSMEs to be able to cater to our volume of biodegradable straws."
"This will also help the beverage industry make the transition effectively without facing the negative impact of heavy import cost, heavy logistics cost and supply chain disruptions," she added.
Expressing similar sentiments, Dabur India Ltd Executive Director-Operations Shahrukh Khan said, "While some state regulators have permitted use of biodegradable plastic straws and paper straws, the infrastructure for producing these straws at scale is non-existent in India today. So, we would urge the government to extend the implementation date of the ban till proper infrastructure for producing paper straws locally is developed."
He said Dabur India has also imported paper straws in order to comply with the new regulations.
"As of now, we would be able to cover only 10-15 per cent of our requirement with the imported paper straws as there is a huge global demand-supply gap. We are also alongside working on finding local solutions and alternates to replace the existing plastic straws," Khan said.
However, he said these developments are still work in progress, and it would take around 18 months for adequate capacity to be set up in the country.
He argued that the integrated plastic straws that come as part of juice and milk-based drink packs do not contribute much to plastic pollution as they are part of the recycling and processing chain already put in place by brand owners and companies.
"In fact, independent surveys have pointed out that plastic straws account for less than 0.1 per cent of total plastic consumption," Khan added.
Agreeing with him, Chauhan said the industry recycles 80 per cent of the integrated straws.
Commenting on the company's preparations, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt Ltd Managing Director Manish Bandlish said, "We would be importing these paper straws. These are four times more expensive vis-a-vis the existing plastic straws. However, as of now, we would be absorbing the increased cost and are not planning to increase the MRP of our associated products."
Stressing that Mother Dairy has been working on limiting plastic usage for quite some time, he said, "For instance, there are no plastic spoons and loose straws in our system for the past 3 years. Likewise, we will soon be replacing the currently available straws in our carton packs with paper straws, which is currently under the implementation phase."
In view of the ban on plastic straws, packaging major UFlex is gearing up to locally produce U-shaped paper straws at its packaging plant at Sanand in Gujarat.
"The manufacturing facility will begin operations in a phase wise manner to take on the huge demand by the beverage industry. Our investment in the first phase is about Rs 100 crore and the total capacity of the facility, which should be up and running by year end (December 2022 hopefully) is 6 billion straws, which can cater to majority of domestic market's requirement," UFlex President and CEO of Aseptic Liquid Packaging Business Ashwani Sharma said.
The company's aim is to start the production and manufacture about 1.2 billion straws a month by August-September 2022.
The straws will be food grade, moisture-resistant and made from environmentally sustainably sourced papers, which are 100 per cent recyclable, he added.
The U-shaped paper straws will be available in 145 mm and 165 mm sizes and be attached to and utilised for portion packs for juices and other beverages, Sharma said, adding "in the wake of impending ban on single use plastic, we are ready to change the dynamics of the industry."
Leading dairy cooperative Amul has already written to the environment ministry earlier this month seeking postponement of the ban on plastic straws by one year due to lack of adequate availability of paper straws in the domestic as well as international markets.
The government's ban on single-use plastics, including plastic straw, is going to be effective from July 1, 2022.
Earlier, Parle Agro too had urged the government to extend the deadline to implement the ban on plastic straws by six months.


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Thermal insulation specialist Seymour Manufacturing International (SMI) has continued its expansion by welcoming a familiar face back to the team.
Adrian Fisher has rejoined the Shropshire-based company as a warehouse fitter and engineer – picking up where he left off back in 2009.
“I spent two happy years with the business from 2007 before leaving to continue my work in the warehousing and logistics business elsewhere, but I’m delighted to be back,” said Adrian, 53, from Ketley in Telford.
“The company is ahead of the game in terms of the products it creates – it always has been. And they make their workers feel genuinely valued, as if they are part of the family.
“Even while I’ve been away from the business, I’ve been spreading the word about the value of SMI products, and sharing their stories on social media.
“SMI’s products don’t just save companies money on their energy bills, but they are helping to protect the environment at the same time. I’m absolutely thrilled to be back.”
SMI, based at Sutton Maddock, is a world leader in thermal insulation for protection of food, chemicals, agricultural and home delivery products, serving a diverse range of sectors from supermarkets and pharmaceutical companies to blood banks, and the Ministry of Defence.
The amazing thermal properties of its trademarked lightweight Tempro product have been validated by the BRI Research Association and the Building Research Establishment.
Brian Seymour, SMI’s founder and managing director, said: “We are delighted to welcome Adrian back into the fold. He is a great advocate of our products, which have been scientifically proven to cut energy loss by 25% in chillers and an amazing 33.3% in freezers.”
Customers using SMI’s new Back-Stop family of insulated flexible barriers for chilled or frozen vehicles, say they reduce the loss of temperature from the back of vehicles by as much as 60%.
The Back-Stop family has the ability to revolutionise the food haulage industry, according to Ruskim Seafoods, one of the companies involved in the testing process.
Adrian’s appointment is just one part of a major restructure of sales operations at SMI, which is currently looking to further expand its network of overseas distributors in the manufacturing, and refrigerated services industries – particularly in mainland Europe.


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A household name in the UK, the Grosvenor family can trace its ancestry back to William the Conqueror’s cousin and today Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster, is godfather to Prince George. No big deal then. But what's the link to foodtech?
Regenerative agriculture is having a moment. For long-time regen ag practitioners and proponents, this is probably jarring. But having written about regenerative agriculture for five years now, I've never seen such engagement or our stories about this ultra-sustainable method of farming perform so well.
Twice annually we open up a special Co-Investment Fund to give investors the opportunity to co-invest with AgFunder on identical terms to us. We’re assembling one of the most exciting agrifood tech portfolios anywhere and five of the companies we invested in last eighteen months have already raised new rounds at 1.4x – 3.75x our original investment.
Europe's agrifood tech ecosystem raised just 9% of the funding that went to foodtech and agtech startups globally in 2018. But deal activity increased 23% as agrifood tech startups in the region closed a similar number of deals as in the US.
Asset management firm PeakBridge Partners has hired food investment veteran Peter Kruger to manage the EIT FoodSparks seed fund in collaboration with EIT Food. The fund will invest in early stage agrifood tech startups in Europe.
Cultivian Sandbox Ventures, the most established agrifood tech venture capital firm, has raised $135 million in its third fund. Founded in 2008, the firm was the first to focus entirely on technology startups operating across the food and agriculture value chain.
Last month, Manuel Gonzalez announced plans to raise a new foodtech fund called Global RIFF (Revolution in Food Fund). We caught up with him to find out more about the investment model and the food tech categories he's most excited about.
Avrio Capital, one of the first investment firms to focus specifically on food and agriculture, has re-branded into a new investment firm called Rio Investment Partners, raising $77.5 million in the first close of a $150 million fund.
You may have seen The Production Board crop up on a few agrifood tech investments, but there's little publicly-available information about the investment holding company founded by David Friedberg. Until now.
On our mission to democratize venture capital and increase investment in the food and agriculture industry, our fund is open to accredited investors as well as institutional investors, and we already have commitments from both.
The first wave of European food tech companies has mostly focused on building technology and logistics platforms to deliver food to consumers. And while the plethora of new food e-commerce options across the globe has caused investor fatigue and failures, the five leading food delivery companies in Europe are now worth seven times more than their combined investment, an awesome feat, according to Niccolo Manzoni, partner of agrifood tech investment firm Five Seasons Ventures.


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This could mean commuters paying 2% less for annual season tickets from next January.
Annual rises of regulated fares, which make up around 60% of all train fares, are linked to a formula of retail price index (RPI) inflation plus 1%.
Aware that RPI is likely to head into negative territory this year, train companies wanted the Government to scrap the formula, which is based on each July's RPI figure.
But Transport Minister Lord Adonis has announced that the formula will remain in place and that if RPI is significantly negative in July 2009 "it is the Government's intention to allow regulated fares to fall".
Addressing the House of Commons Transport Committee, Lord Adonis went on: "Reports suggesting that we might merely freeze fares in such an eventuality are not correct. In the Government's view, this would be unfair to passengers, particularly in this period of economic stress."
High inflation last summer meant that regulated fares rose by an average of 6% last month.
But with RPI possibly being as low as minus 3% in July, regulated fares could, under the RPI plus 1% formula, dip by 2% next January.Reuse content


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As the midweek trading action comes into play, investors are going to be looking into those companies that may have come into focus at different times of the week so far. One such company could well be LeapCharger Corporation (OTC:LCCN), an electric vehicle (EV) charging firm that offers innovative and disruptive technologies for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions.
Earlier this week, the company had come into the news cycle after it announced that, as of November 13, 2023, its APP had been made available for download on the Google Play Store. It was a significant new announcement from LeapCharger Corporation and one that could bring the stock into focus among investors today. The company launched its app after having conducted a number of beta tests in a number of important target markets so as to make sure there was adequate mobile connectivity. Some of the markets in which the app was tested were India, Dubai, Canada, and the United States.
As per the news release from the company, the app would function as a conduit for users of LeapCharger Corporation’s EV charging stations for the purpose of maximizing the charging experience as a whole. In this context, it may be a good idea to take a closer look at some of the features of the app. Users would get information on real-time station status, a user-friendly interface, payment integration, location-based service access, and smart charging. The Chief Executive Officer of LeapCharger Corporation, Praveenkumar Vijaykumar, spoke about the development as well.
He noted that the company’s commitment to the promotion of sustainable mobility solutions remained strong. He added that the launch of the Android app was a major step toward its target of making electric-based transportation efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly. He stated that the next step for the company was to work on imminently deploying its EV charging stations. Vijaykumar also stated that the launch of the app was a source of excitement for everyone at the company and a demonstration of the sort of dedication the company had to promoting sustainable solutions in the electric transportation space.
The company had come into the news cycle on November 3 when it announced that it had completed the submission of a number of proposals for the deployment of its EV charging stations across the city of Dubai. In the news release, LeapCharger Corporation described the city as one that was synonymous with progress and innovation. Importantly, the powers that be of Dubai were also taking major steps towards ushering in a more sustainable and greener future, which would involve a significant expansion in EV charging stations across the Emirate.
It would be part of the Emirate’s Green Mobility Strategy 2030, a program that would support the use of hybrid and electric cars in Dubai for the purpose of reducing carbon footprints. In order to deliver in Dubai, LeapCharger Corporation sought to partner with established and well-known businesses there. The company seeks to become the leader in the EV charging station space in the region.


text: What is the business? Why would it preliminary its IPO in New York? Allow me tell you. In 2009, Fiat HEALTH CLUB took control of Detroit’s Chrysler Group from insolvency and also has progressively enhanced its ownership risk and also ultimately completed its buyout earlier this year. Currently it is the seventh-largest car manufacturer, established as a Netherlands-based holding team with global head office in London. Really, it is just moving its primary listing from Milan to New York by taking stock previously traded under Fiat HEALTH SPA and re-listing it in the UNITED STATE under FCA. Marchionne, the head of state of FCA, focuses on obtaining a much deeper swimming pool of investors. Will FCA be a good option of investment?According to FCA, its target is a 60 percent increase in sales to seven million vehicles as well as a fivefold increase in internet earnings to as much as 5. Marchionne need to be at his persuasive ideal. Besides, experts assume the U. Fiat Chrysler marketed a total of 4. 4 million vehicles as well as trucks in 2013 and in 2014 sales of all Fiat Chrysler brands have seen a sales surge of some 15% year-to-date. According to Marchionne, auto supplies are under valued. Nevertheless, the industry has entered the shift period as well as as soon as coming out, it will see a skyrocket in sales and also naturally in stock price. As well as the bright side is that information from FactSet on rate about approximated profits in both 2015 and 2016, Fiat Chrysler supply is amongst the most affordable of all stocks in the car sector. Well, if you want even more information regarding vehicle sector, you can speak to Maxspeedingrods for aid.


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Information for our customers regarding recent blackmail attempt targeting DHL
You have likely heard the news reports about the suspicious package that was dropped off on December 1, 2017, at a Potsdam pharmacy located directly adjacent to Potsdam's Christmas market. Authorities now believe that this was a blackmail attempt targeting our company. The police have already assigned a special commission to investigate the case and we are cooperating fully, providing whatever information is necessary to resolve the issue quickly.
The police have emphasized that packages can only pose a threat if actively opened. We therefore recommend that customers accept packages only from senders that they know or recognize, or packages with items that they themselves have ordered. At this time, investigative authorities have not indicated an elevated threat level in connection with posted packages, but do believe it is possible that the perpetrators could send more explosive devices.
Signs of a suspicious package:
- Missing or incomplete sender address/information
- Conspicuous spelling errors
- Smudges, stains or other discoloration of the parcel
- Protruding wires or other unusual features
Usage of the illustration by kind permission of Brandenburg police.
Recommended way to handle suspicious packages:
- Keep calm
- Do NOT open, touch, pat, shake, bend, or fold
- Avoid extreme cold or heat
- Notify the police
We want to emphasize that DHL packages are just as safe as packages sent with other large parcel providers. We transport more than four million parcels a day on average, and more than seven million parcels on some days during the holiday season. Strict postal privacy laws continue to apply, which forbid us from inspecting the contents of any packages or mail items posted for shipment with Deutsche Post or DHL.


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Coffee lovers are being given the chance to cash in on a month of free coffees through a new offer from Pret a Manger.
The coffee chain has a new subscription deal that lets you get five drinks a day for £20 a month, but under its terms you can bag yourself a free deal.
As part of the subscription Pret a Manger is giving new customers their first month for free when they sign up, reports The Mirror.
To get the free drinks, all you have to do is sign up to the Pret Coffee subscription service and agree to the £20-a-month sign-up fee, at least at first.
But according to Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert website, you can cancel the subscription after the free month and not have to pay a penny.
Pret does charge your account a £1 fee - used to check your account is real - but this is refunded after three days.
The coffee chain then emails you a QR code that you can show cashiers on your smartphone to receive your free drinks.
Almost every branch of Pret A Manager is part of the scheme, with the exception of:
- Rugby service stations
- Southgate service station
- South Mimms service station
- The University of Warwick
The deal includes all hot and cold drinks made by staff but not anything in a bottle or a can. It also excludes some smoothies, such as the cocoa, almond butter and banana, raspberry, mango and ginger and avocado, mango and ginger flavours.
However, you get to design your coffee anyway you like as all milk alternatives, syrups and extra shots are included.
It means coffee loves can cash in on 155 drinks a month for free.
But even if you use the subscription after the free month it can still save you money. A Pret latte costs £2.75, so if you buy two a week it will cost you £22 a month. Having a subscription would save you £2 a month, or £13 a month if you buy three a week.
Pret launched its subscription service last year to make up for people not going into its shops during lockdown.
It also started selling frozen croissants and granolas in Tesco stores as part of a “bake-at-home” range.


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It looks like Susan Thomases, the Clinton family friend enmeshed in the Whitewater scandal, is lowering her profile in the president's re-election campaign. Last fall, she was tapped to be co-chair of the New York state campaign along with Victor Kovner, a New York City lawyer and longtime friend of Deputy White House Chief of Staff Harold Ickes. But now there are rumblings that the Whitewater committee, headed by Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, may pursue perjury charges against her, and the campaign no longer considers her the local co-chair. "She's active on the committee, but I'm the only co-chair right now," Mr. Kovner says."And there will be others."
Coming off their most profitable year in two decades, New York City hotels are trying to keep the cash flowing. In a bid to boost room rates without raising the ire of regular customers, many hotels are sugarcoating the increases with improved amenities. Several hotels that cater to business travelers are installing fax machines in each room and providing facilities for laptop computers. Only if room rates continue to rise will banks start lending again for new hotel construction.
Three Republicans are asking the City Council to take a second look at the city's tough new antismoking law, but don't look for it to happen anytime soon. Councilman Enoch Williams, D-Brooklyn, chairman of the health committee, says it's too early to re-examine the law, which took effect last April. "In order to do any kind of evaluation as to the effect of the bill, it has to have a longer test period than this," says Mr. Williams. GOP*Minority Leader Thomas Ognibene, R-Queens, one of the councilmen requesting hearings, says the new law is "causing havoc" with small restaurants in the city. The measure bans smoking in restaurants that seat more than 35 and is one of the most stringent antismoking laws in the country.
AT A GLANCE
LABOR: A second local has rejected the proposed contract that promises city workers job security, but includes no raises for two years. Local 1180, which represents middle managers, voted against the pact by a 6-to-1 margin. Local 420, which represents hospital aides, also rejected the contract, while Local 372, which represents school crossing guards, approved it.
Vendor bill would move panel to DOT
A move is afoot in the City Council to reopen the vendor controversy. Councilman Anthony Weiner, D-Brooklyn, a critic of last year's vendor reform bill, has introduced a measure to eliminate the Street Vendor Review Panel - now located in the Department of business Services - and move its responsibilities to the Department of Transportation. The panel decides where vendors can operate, although last September, a state judge struck down the panel's rulings as arbitrary.
The Weiner bill is supported by vendors, who oppose both the reform bill - which limited vendors to one permit apice - and Mayor giuliana's crackdown on vendors in midtown Manhattan. The vendors evidently feel they can get better treatment at DOT than they can before the vendor panel, possibly letting them back into midtown.
But the bill is opposed by business improvement districts and the New Your City Partnership and Chamber of commerce. They say DOT, in deciding where vendors can work, would consider only transportation issues, not the economic and esthetis impact of vendors on local businesses. They fear DOT would let more vendors into midtown. The Giuliani administration, not surprisingly, also opposes the measure. The bill had been scheduled for a vote in the transportation committee late last year, but opposition from business forced a postponement, and another hearing has not been scheduled.


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Kenyan market leader Safaricom booked an 18 per cent year-on-year rise in revenue from its m-Pesa mobile money service during the first half of its fiscal year, with 21 million active users on the platform.
The company reported revenue of KES35.5 billion ($350 million) for m-Pesa in the six month period to the end of September, with 30-day active user numbers up almost 9 per cent on the same period of 2017.
Safaricom said the growth in m-Pesa was partly driven by an increase in users making peer-to-peer payments and a rise in new business customers.
Its agent footprint increased 10 per cent on its previous fiscal H1 to 162,000, more than six-times higher than its nearest mobile money competitor, Communications Authority of Kenya figures showed.
Outside of gains in its mobile money division, the operator reported an 11 per cent rise in mobile data revenue to KES19 billion. Group revenue of KES118 billion was up almost 8 per cent, with net profit of KES31.5 billion 20 per cent higher.
Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore (pictured) said: “We achieved solid results driven by strong m-Pesa gains [and] further diversification of our revenue mix to tap into new growth areas and investment in new revenue streams.”
He added moving forward the company would continue to invest in perceived growth areas including its agriculture management and mobile health platforms, alongside reiterating his aim to export its m-Pesa model to other markets, a strategy first outlined alongside major shareholder Vodacom in 2017.Subscribe to our daily newsletter Back


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Sephora North America has nominated eight BIPOC brand founders to its 2024 Accelerate program, a long-running brand incubator that helps growing beauty firms.
Sephora’s Accelerate program continues to provide a path to success for numerous BIPOC-founded and -owned firms, with this year’s cohort encompassing the haircare, makeup, skincare, and fragrance categories.
The eight names include Roz Samimi of Banuskin, Hannah Diop of Sienna Naturals, Yasmin Zeinab of Abi Ame, Diipa Buller-Khosla of Inde Wild, Katini Yamaoka of Katini Skin, Teri Johnson of Harlem Perfume, Denise Vasi of Maed Beauty, and Quani Burnett of Soft Rows.
The program includes a 360-degree, six-month curriculum for all participants, as well as mentorship, merchandising help, funding, and investor connections, with the option to launch at Sephora North America upon completion.
“This year, we received more than 800 applications – a record-setting number of applications in Accelerate program history – which we believe is a testament to the unique and differentiated curriculum we’re able to offer, plus the strength of our community,” said Kristin Odegaard, senior director of merchandising strategy and business development at Sephora.
The 2024 Accelerate class will also have access to 1:1 personalized consultation with Front Row and Clarity Media, as well as a dedicated advisory team, made up of beauty industry partners, Sephora portfolio founders, and financial professionals.


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The vaping industry has been under increased scrutiny, with a recent wave of warning letters issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) targeting novelty vape sellers. These letters emphasize the importance of compliance with regulations and highlight the potential risks associated with certain products. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the details of this ongoing issue.
Heightened FDA Oversight
Novelty Vape Products in Focus
As the vaping market continues to evolve, novelty vape products have gained attention for their unique designs and flavors. However, the FDA has expressed concern about these products, particularly those that may appeal to minors or pose potential health risks.
The FDA’s warning letters serve as a reminder that all vape products, including novelty items, are subject to strict regulations. These regulations are designed to protect public health, ensure product safety, and prevent the marketing of tobacco and nicotine products to underage individuals.
Addressing Potential Risks
Health and Safety Concerns
The FDA’s recent actions underscore the agency’s commitment to addressing health and safety concerns related to vaping. Certain novelty vape products may contain harmful ingredients or have inadequate labeling, which can put consumers at risk.
Protecting Vulnerable Populations
With an emphasis on protecting vulnerable populations, including young people, from the potential dangers of vaping, the FDA is taking a proactive stance against products that may contribute to the youth vaping epidemic.
Industry Response and Compliance
Educating Vape Retailers
The FDA’s warning letters also serve as an opportunity for the vaping industry to educate retailers about compliance with regulations. Vape sellers are encouraged to review their inventory and marketing strategies to ensure that they are in line with FDA guidelines.
As the FDA continues to address issues related to novel vape products, the industry may experience shifts in product offerings and marketing practices. Vape manufacturers and retailers are urged to prioritize safety and responsible marketing to avoid regulatory actions.
The recent FDA warning letters directed at novelty vape sellers signal a critical step in safeguarding public health and ensuring regulatory compliance within the vaping industry. As the landscape continues to evolve, industry stakeholders must prioritize transparency, responsible marketing, and consumer safety to align with the FDA’s objectives.
Stay informed about the latest developments in the vaping industry and regulatory actions by following reputable sources and official FDA announcements.


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Apple is planning to start production of the forthcoming iPhone 8 smartphone early in a bid to avoid the kinds of shortages that typically greet the early rush for new Apple products. That's according...
Automation has been a game-changer for Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
As well as the 250Tbps Dunant cable, work is ongoing on the Equiano and Grace Hopper cables, connecting New York and South Africa to Europe
'Things that think want to link, and things that link want to think'
The new material can physically reconfigure itself as it processes and stores new information


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Consumers in the United States could be forgiven for feeling as if they are stuck in an unpleasant time warp, with latest government figures showing that inflation last month surged at its fastest annual rate in 40 years.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures price changes in a basket of goods and services, increased 7 percent in December compared with the same period a year ago, the US Department of Labor said on Wednesday. That is the sharpest 12-month spike since June 1982.
Keep readinglist of 4 items
On a monthly basis, the CPI rose 0.5 percent in December after surging 0.8 percent in November.
Soaring inflation has become a hallmark of the US economic recovery, as supply chain snarls and shortages of materials and workers boost costs for businesses. Firms in turn then pass on at least a portion of those higher input costs onto consumers.
Inflation is especially tough on low-income households, which are seeing a larger share of their incomes consumed by rising prices, especially for essentials like food, fuel, and shelter.
A very concerning pressure point is soaring rent, which along with prices for used cars and trucks were the biggest contributors to December’s CPI surge.
On a brighter note, while food prices increased 0.5 percent last month, they rose less sharply than in previous months. And prices for natural gas – which nearly half of US households rely on as their primary heating source – fell, along with prices for petrol, ending a long run of increases.
Strip out food and energy, which tend to be CPI’s most volatile components, and the so-called core index rose 0.6 percent in December, after increasing 0.5 percent in November.
Over the last year, core CPI increased 5.5 percent last month – the sharpest annual rise since 1991.
Inflation and interest rates
Inflation is running so hot that late last year, the US Federal Reserve pivoted away from keeping borrowing costs low to get Americans back to work and towards reining in soaring price pressures.
During its last policy-setting meeting, the Fed said it was accelerating its tapering of bond purchases – which promote job growth but fuel inflation by keeping long-term borrowing costs low – and pencilling in at least three inflation-cooling interest rate hikes this year.
A little bit of inflation is a good thing because it keeps the economy humming along by enticing consumers to not put off purchases. That is hugely important because consumer spending drives some two-thirds of US economic growth.
But too much inflation is decidedly bad, because if prices spiral upwards, and crucially – consumers expect them to keep soaring – it could lead the Fed to hike rates more aggressively than anticipated and deliver a gut punch to the economic recovery.
During his confirmation hearing on Tuesday for a second term as Fed chairman, Jerome Powell said he and his fellow policymakers do see inflation abating by the middle of this year. But he also reassured senators that if the Fed sees “inflation persisting at high levels longer than expected”, it will take action.
“If we have to raise interest rates more over time, we will,” he said, adding that “high inflation is a severe threat to the achievement of maximum employment and to achieving a long expansion that can give us that.”
Meanwhile, the US jobs market recovery is staying on track. While the economy added a disappointing 199,000 jobs in December, the nation’s unemployment rate edged down to 3.9 percent as it closes in on its pre-pandemic level of 3.5 percent.
A near-record number of job openings has led businesses to sweeten pay and benefits packages to court scare job seekers. In a measure of how confident workers feel about their employment prospects, they are quitting their jobs in record numbers – often to take higher-paying positions.
That has reflected in average hourly earnings for all workers, which increased 4.7 percent in December from the same period a year ago.


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Ride-share app Uber has continued its push towards autonomous driving by announcing a partnership with Germany’s Daimler, the maker of the luxury Mercedes-Benz cars and trucks. In the coming years, Daimler plans to incorporate its own self-driving Mercedes-Benz into Uber’s growing fleet of autonomous vehicles.
The move is in line with the company’s goal to eventually eliminate the human element from their service. Relying on autonomous vehicles instead of employing drivers will also reduce their biggest expense: wages.
It also suggests Uber has realized buying or building its own self-driving cars may not be the best long term business approach. But by adding an automaker their platform they eliminate production and purchasing costs.
But that option is not completely off the table for ride-share giant.
“Auto manufacturers like Daimler are crucial to our strategy because Uber has no experience making cars — and in fact, making cars is really hard,” Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick said in a blog post.
They also have a $300M deal with Volvo in place to develop custom vehicles for the service based on the Swedish brand’s platform architecture.


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Apple is reportedly working on a Siri-powered smart speaker, and the latest rumor regarding the device claims that it may be unveiled as soon as the upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference.
Apple will hold WWDC 2017 from June 5 to June 9. The annual event has been held in San Francisco for the past 13 years, but for this year, it will be in San Jose, which is the original site of the WWDC.
Apple Siri Smart Speaker In The Works
According to Australian leaker Sonny Dickson, Apple is currently finalizing the design of its smart speaker, which will be powered by digital assistant Siri and will support AirPlay.
Dickson added that the device will integrate some form of technology from Beats, likely related to the Apple unit's audio hardware expertise. The smart speaker is also said to be running a variant of Apple's mobile operating system iOS, which may be similar to watchOS for the Apple Watch and tvOS for the Apple TV. A custom iOS for the Siri speaker would mean that third-party developers will be able to create apps for the device.
The Siri smart speaker, internally codenamed B238, will have a concave top that resembles that of the Mac Pro, along with built-in controls. An Apple employee allegedly told Dickson that the device is a "fat" one like the Google Home, and will have most of its exterior covered in speaker mesh.
Lastly, the Apple employee told Dickson that Apple is planning to unveil the smart speaker at this year's WWDC. However, there is still the possibility that the company will change the plan and unveil the device at a later date.
The rumors contradict a previous report that claims that Apple is not focusing on creating a smart speaker to challenge the Amazon Echo and Google Home, and will instead showcase Siri through the company's current range of products.
Will The Apple Speaker Be A Worthy Challenger To Amazon Echo, Google Home?
With Apple's continued development of Siri to rival Amazon's Alexa and Google's Assistant, the development of its own speaker to challenge the Amazon Echo and Google Home is a logical next step for the company.
The question, however, is whether the Apple speaker will prove to be a worthy challenger to the Amazon Echo and Google Home once it is released.
With not much known yet regarding the device, it is difficult to say how well it will look alongside its future smart speaker rivals. However, if it will indeed feature a custom OS, the Apple speaker will be better positioned to take on the Amazon Echo and the Alexa skills that third-party developers create for the device.
In that case, the announcement of the Siri smart speaker at the WWDC will make sense, as it will be in front of developers who will build up the ecosystem of functions that will power the device. If Apple pushes through with its plan of unveiling the speaker at the event, users should expect to learn about the device's price, release date, and other important details.


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A recovery built on....raiding our savings: Households dip in rather than borrowing or earning more
Households are dipping into their savings to fuel the economic recovery, according to the latest figures.
The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product rose 0.7 per cent in the final three months of 2013 – making the UK the fastest growing major economy in the developed world.
But the household saving ratio – the share of income put aside – fell to 5 per cent having been over 8 per cent in early 2012.
Analysts said households raiding nest eggs, rather than borrowing or earning more, was behind the 0.4 per cent rise in consumer spending.
Disposable incomes fell 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year while household debt was worth 140 per cent of income – the lowest level since early 2004 and down from a peak of around 170 per cent.
Treasury sources said the figures showed fears of a ‘debt-fuelled recovery’ were misplaced.
But Stewart Cowley, portfolio manager of Old Mutual Global Strategic Bond Fund, said: ‘If the last economic cycle was frivolous consumerism based on debt these figures show that the new economy is based on frivolous consumerism paid for using savings – if you are lucky enough to have them.’
George Osborne announced a savings industry shake-up in last week’s Budget in a bid to encourage prudence. He also pledged to support manufacturers.
It is hoped a pick-up in business investment, trade and wages will drive the recovery. The ONS said business investment rose 2.4 per cent in between October and December and was 8.7 per cent higher than a year earlier. Exports were also up 2.8 per cent in the fourth quarter.
But the current account deficit – which measures trade and investments with the rest of the world – was much bigger than expected at £22.4bn or 5.4 per cent of GDP.
The only time Britain’s ability to pay its way has been lower was in the previous quarter when the deficit was £22.8bn or 5.6 per cent.
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In a major push to body Positivity and to give body shamers a strong message, an apparel brand has designed dresses using a material that can be stretched to 100 times without getting torn.
“We did this to make those people happy who feel sad about obesity but not enough sad to take any action. The social media has made us realised that even round is a shape and people are happily accepting the obesity. We expect our sale increase to ten times by this initiative” said the brand CEO.
Sources suggest that the brand has put an advertisement for recruiting ambassadors for the brand and the only criteria for the selection process is to have acceptance for all body types and body weight atleast 150 Kgs.
Reportedly, Gym owners and nutritionists have filed a case against the brand for promoting unhealthy lifestyle. However, the brand has replied that even unhealthy lifestyle is also a style.


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SINGAPORE - Singapore’s manufacturing sector suffered a surprise contraction in January with production falling 2.7 per cent year on year, according to data released by the Economic Development Board on Friday.
Analysts polled by Bloomberg had forecast a return to growth of 0.8 per cent, after three straight months of contraction.
Excluding biomedical manufacturing, January output fell 6.3 per cent.
Maybank economists Chua Hak Bin and Lee Ju Ye believe the decline was partly contributed by Chinese New Year falling in January this year, compared with early February in 2022.
The drop, however, was less than expected as pharmaceuticals production jumped to the highest level in 13 months.
“January and February numbers combined would provide a more meaningful assessment of global demand and the impact from China’s reopening,” they said.
The key electronics sector reversed December’s 4.2 per cent growth, shrinking 2.9 per cent in January. Electronics accounts for 40 per cent of Singapore’s export-driven manufacturing sector and thus is key to economic growth.
For electronics, while the computer peripherals and data storage segment grew 2.5 per cent, softening demand hit the other segments. Output for infocomms and consumer electronics plunged 27.5 per cent, while the other electronic modules and components segment tumbled 25 per cent on the back of softening demand.
Semiconductor production continued to shrink with a 1.5 per cent drop in January.
Biomedical manufacturing saw the most growth among all the sectors, with output growing by 23.2 per cent on a year-on-year basis.
Output of the pharmaceuticals segment increased by 37.5 per cent, on account of a different mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients being produced compared with a year ago. The medical technology segment grew 3.8 per cent with higher export demand from the United States and Europe, the report showed.
Another sector that saw growth was transport engineering, with output increasing 4.7 per cent year on year in January.
The marine and offshore engineering segment expanded 29.2 per cent, supported by a higher level of activities in the shipyard as well as increased production of oil and gas field equipment. But the aerospace and land segments contracted 2.8 per cent and 20.8 per cent respectively, with the latter recording lower export demand for vehicle parts and accessories.
General manufacturing saw the steepest decline, with output falling 18.3 per cent in January year on year, due in part to the Chinese New Year holidays.
Precision engineering saw output decline 11.1 per cent, while chemicals decreased 13 per cent.
The Maybank economists expect the manufacturing recession to persist in the first half of 2023, but said the downturn may be shallow as China’s reopening will cushion and partly offset the slowdown in the US and Europe. China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index swung back to growth for the first time in four months in January.
The economists also maintained their forecast for Singapore’s economy to grow at 1.7 per cent in 2023.
“Growth will be uneven with manufacturing and trade-related services in recession, while the hospitality, aviation and consumer-facing sectors will continue to recover and support growth,” they said.
OCBC Bank’s chief economist Selena Ling said Singapore must prepare for a bumpy road in the first half of 2023. She expects manufacturing to contract 4.8 per cent in the first quarter of the year, before stabilising in the second half of 2023 to bring full-year manufacturing growth to minus 1.6 per cent.
Ms Ling said: “In turn, Singapore’s first-quarter growth is likely to be very muted at minus 0.6 per cent year on year before recovering in subsequent quarters to bring full-year 2023 growth to around 1.8 per cent.”
As for the semiconductor industry, which saw chip prices slumping in the second half of 2022 and big players like Micron Technology and SK Hynix planning to cut output and capital spending, not all is doom and gloom.
Ms Ling said chipmaker Nvidia saw its recent sales forecast topping market estimates amid an artificial intelligence computing push that helped to offset sluggish PC chip demand, while Samsung is betting on long-term memory chip demand.
She added: “Outside of electronics, the transport engineering industry, particularly the aerospace segment, should continue to benefit from China’s reopening, which should drive international travel. In the near term, the biomedical cluster should also act as a buffer.”


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Mojang, the company behind indie gaming mega-hit MineCraft
, has announced plans to hold a convention dubbed "MineCon" November 18 to 19 in Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay hotel and casino.
The event will coincide with the planned full-version launch of the game, which has already attracted nearly 3 million paid purchases and well over $33 million in revenue
since the alpha version launched last year.
"For me, MineCon is about celebrating the full release of Minecraft
," Mojang founder Markus "Notch" Persson told PC Gamer via e-mail
. "I'm really looking forward to getting up on stage and pushing the button to upload the final build."
Mojang founder Markus "Notch" Persson first publicly floated the idea of such a conference
back in May, asking visitors to his blog if they would pay "about $90 per person," plus travel and accommodations, to attend a conference including in-game and real world contests, Q&A sessions and parties.
Nearly 43,000 respondents said they would "definitely" attend such a conference, with another 65,000 putting themselves down as "maybe"s. For context, roughly 28,000 people paid $150 each to attend last year's largest-ever Blizzcon event.
Registration for the conference will open next week, according to Persson, with full details to be announced via his Twitter account


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BEIJING (Reuters) - Peugeot automaker PSA Group PEUP.PA and its Chinese partner Dongfeng Group 0489.HK have hammered out a plan to restructure their joint venture operations, slashing costs in the short term and aiming to boost annual sales to 400,000 vehicles by 2025, PSA said on Thursday.
Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobiles (DPCA), the joint venture based in Wuhan, central China, plans to reduce the break-even point to below 180,000 vehicles in 2019 and further reduce to below 150,000 vehicles between 2020 and 2021, according to a post on PSA’s social media account in China.
The 27-year-old venture will start to consolidate manufacturing resources, dispose of idle assets, improve system efficiency and launch more models in China, according to the post. The goal is to revive annual sales to around 250,000 units between 2020 and 2021, and 400,000 units by 2025, it said.
Dongfeng Peugeot sold around 250,000 vehicles in China last year.
PSA is attempting a reboot under tough conditions in the world’s largest vehicle market, once an auto industry cash cow. The Chinese market contracted last year for the first time since the 1990s and is expected to decline another 5% in 2019, squeezed by a trade tension between China and United States.
Peugeot is one of several global automakers, including Ford Motor CoF.N, that have been forced to retrench as sales in China have tumbled.
Dongfeng Peugeot plans to launch 14 new models in China over the next three years. After 2020, every new model will have an electrified version that qualifies as a “new energy vehicle” under Chinese regulations, the post said.
A document seen by Reuters in July showed the joint venture plans to halve workforce and drop two of four shared assembly plants in China.
Reporting by Yilei Sun and Norihiko Shirouzu in Beijing; Editing by David Gregorio
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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December 19, 2010 — The Kroger Company has announced a voluntary dog food recall of certain packages of pet foods sold in some of its retail stores due to the possibility of contamination with aflatoxin.
Aflatoxin poses a dangerous and significant health risk to pets.
Complete details regarding this recall are available in this FDA Press Release dated 12/18/2010.
Aflatoxin is a dangerous chemical toxin produced as a by-product of the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus on contaminated cereal grains.
Signs and symptoms of aflatoxicosis include…
- Reluctance to eat
- Severe or bloody diarrhea
- Sluggishness and lethargy
- Yellow-tinted eyes or gums
Dog food recalls involving aflatoxin poisoning can be potentially serious matters for both humans and pets. In suspected cases, consult a veterinarian immediately.
So, take precautions… and be sure to tell everyone you know.
You can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.


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Traditionally, media buying has been about personal relationships. But the ‘Mad Men’ days of wining and dining prospective clients in order to close major deals are long gone.
Last week (17th July) marked the 19th anniversary of the creation of the first ever ad server. The advent of digital kick-started a dramatic transformation in the advertising industry, one that continues today with the introduction of more and more technologies and tools for automating the buying and selling process.
Advertising tech has now reached a point where platforms are able to predict what ads to serve us, and when and how to serve them, even before we realise we need or want that product. Over the past 19 years there have been several significant developments in advertising technology.
We have seen the introduction and rise of real time bidding (RTB), which allows ads to be bought and sold on a per-impression basis via programmatic auction. RTB makes the advertising process faster, less labour intensive, less error prone and, therefore, less costly.
The mobile boom and moreover, its impact on consumer behaviour, has also fundamentally changed the face of advertising and the role of technology within it.
We are a generation that thrives on multi-tasking, consuming media from different devices simultaneously or within seconds of each other. We watch TV, see a brand’s commercial, and immediately visit that brand’s site on our mobile device.
Brands that can target users' cross-platform will impact mobile advertising in a big way. Currently, according to an eConsultancy study, 68 per cent brands encourage multi-screening by including a URL or social network mention within the TV ad.
As such, mobile advertising can reach an audience publishers have previously only dreamt of and technology is now critical to making advertising more effective with an always-on consumer.
The past 19 years have seen a greater opportunity to maximise returns for publishers, value for advertisers, and relevance for consumers.
So what next? The next 19 years will no doubt see more drastic changes in the ad tech industry as it strives to adapt and embrace the ad server 2.0 – where new models such as programmatic direct allow premium, direct sales to be traded using RTB, giving publishers the benefits of RTB while maintaining control and high margins.
It is this kind of model, where automation is combined with retained planning certainty, that will form the future of advertising technology.
The growth of new models in programmatic advertising such as programmatic direct allows publishers to work on strategic client development, re-introducing creativity and the personal touch back into automated advertising.
It is intelligent advertising at its most advanced, taking us a step closer to the world where we never see an unwanted ad.


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The long rumored smaller dock connector is present, the earphone jack has been moved to the bottom corner of the device (the first time Apple has done this on one of their smartphones), the speaker grills have been redesigned, and there is a new opening between the camera lens and the LED flash. We're not sure what this opening is, but it is possible that Apple is moving the second microphone (Apple started shipping two microphones with the iPhone 4) to the back for improved video recording.
According to the supplier that obtained these parts, the new device will be the same width but slightly longer. A front glass part obtained by the supplier has room for a taller display that keeps the same width. The glass also shows that the FaceTime camera has moved to above the earpiece.
Check out the images below...


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Firm suing Carquest so it can hire
An Eagan-based auto parts distributor is adding jobs around the country, but its hiring efforts have taken a detour into court.
The company, Factory Motor Parts Co., is suing the owner of competitor Carquest, an auto parts seller that’s shedding jobs while threatening legal action against its former employees and companies that try to hire them.
In a new federal lawsuit, Factory Motor Parts (FMP) accuses Carquest owner General Parts International Inc. of unfair competition and asks a judge to keep Carquest’s lawyers at bay when FMP hires the auto parts retailer’s employees.
Carquest and FMP declined to discuss the dispute.
FMP’s website says it is the largest aftermarket distributor for Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., with more than 97 warehouses supplying auto parts to dealers, fleet owners and drivers, who are spending more to keep their cars on the road longer.
The average age of cars and light trucks on the road hit a record high of 10.8 years in 2011, according to an analysis of national vehicle registration data by R. L. Polk & Co. That figure was 8.4 years in 1995, and stayed under 10 years until 2008, the Southfield, Mich.-based automotive research firm reported.
Drivers are holding onto their cars longer partly due to the down economy, but also because modern cars are more reliable and durable than in previous decades, said Marty Van Reese, president of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Automobile Dealers Parts Association.
Now, owners are willing to spend more on parts and repairs to get the most miles out of their vehicles, which is good for the auto parts business.
Jim Hammerand reports on Twin Cities breaking business news for MSPBJ.com and manages online features and social media.
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Yahoo! No, really -- there's reason to exclaim. Yahoo's Jacqueline Reses has put her stunning Woodside, CA, estate on the market. Fellow Silicon Valley moguls will surely be eyeing the woodsy retreat with the $7.2 million price tag.
This luxury listing includes 3 gated acres, a pool, a tennis court, an orchard, and a rose garden.
The 4,300-square-foot, four-bedroom hilltop home features a living room with dramatic views, high ceilings, a family room, and a garden landscape visible in every window.
The serene spot likely offered Reses a respite from the challenges of managing the mergers and acquisitions department of the Internet giant, which she joined in 2012 as chief development officer.
While she's on the sales side of this particular transaction, the tech exec "buys a lot of companies," according to Business Insider.
Her Twitter bio says she "loves to do deals and be disruptive." As evidence, she and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer have spent $2.1 billion to acquire more than 52 startups, including Tumblr, BrightRoll, and Flurry.


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- THE MAGAZINE
PierPass Inc. announced Traffic Mitigation Fees will increase to $61.50 per twenty-foot-equivalent (TEU) unit and $123 per forty-foot-equivalent unit (FEU), effective Aug. 1, 2012.
Traffic Mitigation Fees (TMF) at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will increase to $61.50 per TEU, or $123 for a FEU container. The increase in TMF takes effect Aug. 1, 2012 and will be used to address labor cost increases scheduled to take effect July 1, 2012, according to PierPass Inc.
The Traffic Mitigation Fee helps pay for the night and Saturday marine terminal shifts created by the PierPass OffPeak program http://pierpass.org/offpeak-information/ to relieve daytime congestion in and around the ports. It also provides a financial incentive to move cargo during less congested times. The TMF is charged for non-exempt containers moving during peak hours (Monday through Friday, 3 a.m. to 6 p.m.), according to PierPass.
The terminals have operated the OffPeak gates at a loss since the program’s start in 2005, when they doubled the number of shifts per week, essentially spreading the same number of containers over twice the working hours, PierPass said in a statement. Cargo volume since 2005 has been essentially flat. The shortfall between TMF revenues and OffPeak gate costs was $55 million in 2011 and $52.3 million in 2010.
Before PierPass was created in 2005, the ports and nearby roads were gridlocked, ships were backed up in the harbor unable to unload, and cargo owners suffered long delays in receiving and shipping vital goods.
“The OffPeak program greatly increases the capacity of America’s largest port complex without requiring additional infrastructure,” said Bruce Wargo, president of PierPass, the not-for-profit company that runs the OffPeak program. “The program increases the already tremendous competitive advantage held by the Los Angeles / Long Beach port complex, which has the most concentrated set of port assets of any port in North America,” he added.
Visit www.pierpass-tmf.org for more information.


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Vinyl Can Go Green, But Records Will Cost More
A pioneer of environmentally friendly vinyl records says his new pressing machines are less dangerous to the planet than traditional ones – but they’ll likely lead to a price increase.
The resurgence of vinyl in recent years followed the closure of many legacy pressing plants due to lack of business. That's meant long lines for those who want their music to be available in the format. Even the world's most famous acts are being told to wait up to a year for vinyl editions.
The traditional method uses polyvinyl chloride, which the BBC says was identified in a new report as “the most environmentally damaging of plastics.” The updated version of this technology is constructed of polyethylene terephthalate, a less harmful and easily recyclable material.
“This machine can do almost 40 percent more capacity than the traditional plants,” Green Vinyl Records owner Harm Theunisse said from his factory in the Netherlands, calling the development a “new standard” and adding that it uses just 10 percent of the energy required by older systems. “The pressing here is both faster and better for our planet,” he told the BBC. “It's for the kids. Our world is heating up.”
But questions remain over the new discs’ quality: PVC has remained in use despite its dangers because of its durability but also its ability to replicate music at a high standard.
“I’ve had calls saying, ‘Hey, can you press records from the plastic from the ocean?’” said Ton Vermeulen, owner of the Netherlands' Record Industry plant and an early collaborator on Theunisse’s project. “We could give it a try and it might look like a record – but if it needs to sound like a normal record, there’s where we have a problem. When you want to keep the quality of the product as it is now, then that's impossible.”
Listing his issues with the new development, Vermeulen said: “I think it’s the unknown aspects, and the costs involved to put high investment in – because these machines are massively more expensive than the presses we use over here. I’m not saying there is no space for such a new technique, but I have doubts if [record] companies are going for it.”
Sustainability expert Sharon George says Theunisse’s technology is a “step in the right direction,” arguing that consumers should consider environmental issues when buying music. “We need to stop thinking about the cost at the till and think about that cost to the planet and to our health," she told the BBC.
Theunisse says he'll continue developing his system, and reports that one major label has already become a customer. “You’ve got to buy one and then listen to it yourself,” he added.
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The Dutch government is going to cut the number of points of sale for cigarettes. From 2032, they may only be sold in specialist shops. From 2024, its sale will already be banned in supermarkets. That writes De Telegraaf. In our country, it was decided on Thursday to ban cigarette vending machines everywhere, except in supermarkets.
For example, for petrol stations, a ban on the sale of cigarettes is on the table for 2030. In addition, the Dutch State Secretary for Prevention Maarten van Ooijen (ChristenUnie) wants to expand the smoking ban. Smoking is currently prohibited in the Netherlands in catering establishments, public buildings and schoolyards. The government would also like to see this banned from 2025 in places where many children come, such as playgrounds.
The scenario of making cigarettes considerably more expensive – with an increase of 30 to 47 euros per pack – is a bridge too far for several Dutch politicians. However, there will be a study into whether a substantial price increase after 2024 can be used to get smokers to stop. An annual increase of 10 percent for smoking products is on the table, but an annual increase of one euro is also an option.
The Dutch cabinet would also like the number of places to sell e-cigarettes or vapers to go down. They are especially popular with young people.
Meanwhile in Belgium
In our country, the plenary meeting approved a bill from Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) on Thursday to ban cigarette vending machines everywhere, except in supermarkets. This means that they will soon disappear from the catering industry.
This rule should make tobacco products less readily available and also make it easier to enforce the ban on selling tobacco to minors. In principle, there are ‘age coins’ that should prevent minors under the age of eighteen from buying cigarettes from a vending machine, but minors appear to be able to obtain them easily.
The ban will come into effect 12 months after publication in the Staatsblad, presumably sometime in 2024. The sector will therefore have some time to remove the devices.


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Pune-based Wishpoint Tech Pvt Ltd that runs a price comparison portal in India called ShoppingWish.in has disclosed that it raised angel funding from Sandeep Johri and others. Sushil Choudhari, co-founder, ShoppingWish confirmed the development but refused to disclose the amount or other investors' names. He said a group of angel investors has participated in the round.
Founded in June last year, ShoppingWish caters to categories such as mobile phones, electronics, books and cameras. Talking to Techcircle, Choudhari said the capital was raised earlier this year and is used for product enhancement and gaining user traction. "We have seen immense traction in the past few months. Our user-base has grown more than 50 per cent since December last year and the time spent on the site per user is around five minutes," he said.
ShoppingWish was started by Choudhari, a former member of the founding team of the social music streaming site Dhingana and Madhur Khandelwal, who was formerly worked as software design engineer with Microsoft. Khandelwal was also a part of the founding team at TheFind.com, a US-based shopping search engine. Johri, one of the angel investors, is also a founding board member of Dhingana and a former founding member of Shopzilla, a US-based price comparison site. Johri is also a serial entrepreneur and venture advisor at Mayfield Fund.
When we spoke to the startup last year, it had listed products from about 150 retailers on the site. Choudhari stated that the number has now gone up to 175 and the total catalogue of product offerings is more than 3.5 million. "We have improved our user experience and launched newer features on the site. Our mobile app will also be launched in the next quarter," he said.
The new features on the site include reviews on the products, price analysis that helps buyers see price trends across different online stores compared with the lowest online price, integrated coupon experience that shows the price of the product after applying the best coupon available so that users don't have to go to coupon sites and then calculate the discount, and more. Choudhari said these new features differentiate the site from the existing players.
ShoppingWish competes with many players, including Amazon's Junglee, PriceDekho.com and Accel-backed MySmartPrice besides vertical-specific price comparison sites like ThisYaThat. But unlike others in the business, ShoppingWish doesn't do transactions itself and redirects the customer to the merchant's site when he/she chooses a product and seller. It gets a cut on each transaction that is generated from the portal.
Choudhari said in the coming months the firm would like to venture into more categories such as fashion and lifestyle. This would put it in the league of Junglee which operates in all possible categories. Though many players have come in the price comparison market lately Amazon's Junglee remains to dominate it. Will this native player be able to displace Junglee's popularity with the help of its add-on features?
Share your views with us.


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6 Reasons Your Personalization Efforts Will Fail
“Personalize” continues to be a hot buzzword in the digital scene. But if it’s so popular, why are brands giving up on it? — Recently, Gartner came out with a somewhat surprising prediction that marketers are finding personalization isn’t producing the results they expect even though customers love personalized marketing. Gartner believes that by 2025, a lack of ROI will cause 80% of marketers to abandon personalization efforts.


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MAHLE Service Solutions has announced that it will be working with auto repair experts Eric “TheCarGuy” Cook and Charles Sanville, better known as “The Humble Mechanic” to serve as new brand ambassadors for the division.
Purchased in 1968, the 200,000 sq. ft. (18,600 meters) facility rests on a 17-acre plot of land about 15 miles northeast of Madison, Wis., the state capital. The plant produced its first hydraulic brake hose in September of 1968.
AAPEX is expanding several programs at this year’s event in a continued effort to spotlight the impact of technology on the automotive aftermarket and prepare attendees for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
To help professional technicians navigate the features and functionality of the new APOLLO D8 full-function scan tool with exclusive Intelligent Diagnostics software, Snap-on® has added 11 Training Solutions videos to its webs
These new diagrams, as with an array of additional user-friendly graphical resources added to the eCatalog over the past year, are designed to help PartExpert users more quickly identify all of the right parts for a repair, leading to increased sales
BASF Refinish Automotive Coatings will conduct two educational sessions as part of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show.
PTEN magazine recently announced that ALLDATA, an AutoZone company, had won two 2018 PTEN Innovation Awards; one for ALLDATA Diagnostics in the Scan Tools category, and one for ALLDATA Collision Advantage in the Computers and Software category.
The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) is excited to announce that they will host a 30-minute informational webinar called “Developing a WINner’s Mindset – Pun Intended!” on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. EST.
The Alliance of the Automotive Services Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) brought together close to 100 members of the automotive industry for its 14th Annual Lou Scoras Memorial Golf Outing on Monday, September 17.
The 11th Annual auction will be held September 27-29, 2018, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Evans, Speer and the rest of the team at Count’s Kustoms are proud users of Matrix Automotive Finishes.
The Automotive Distribution Network recently partnered with Safety-Kleen to launch a new environmental-waste green initiative designed to helps its members and their customers manage, collect, recycle and responsibly dispose of automotive-waste bypro
The Automotive Parts Services Group (The Group) has made a donation to the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation to help fellow auto care industry members impacted by Hurricane Florence and the devastating floods that followed in North and Sou
With decidedly mixed emotions, the Board of Directors of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) has accepted Steve Handschuh’s decision to retire as the association’s president and chief executive officer, effective on
Chelsea Sexton, an electric vehicle advocate and advisor, based in California, served as keynote speaker for the 2018 Battery Show, taking place this week at the Suburban Collection Showplacein Novi, Mich.
Brake & Equipment Warehouse, a leading automotive parts distributor based in Minneapolis, Minn., will upgrade from Epicor Ultimate business management software to the Epicor Vision distribution management system.


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What US Consumer Sentiment Indicates for the Economy
US consumer sentiment
The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, released on May 12, 2017, rose to 97.7 from 97.0 in April 2017. The May reading beat the preliminary market expectation of 97.0.
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The Consumer Sentiment Index focuses on the following three areas:
- consumers’ views of their own financial situations
- how consumers view the general economy over the short term
- how consumers view prospects for the economy over the long term
Impact on the economy
Improvement in consumer sentiment is a positive sign for the economy. In the previous part of this series, we saw that US retail sales didn’t meet market expectations in April 2017, which is affecting consumer confidence. Consumers’ views on long-term economic prospects are strong. They’re expecting policy reforms, tax reforms, and a higher fiscal stimulus in the long term. However, in the short term, confidence is lower.
The rise in per-capita income was a welcome sign for the US economy (SPXL) (IWM). The labor market has also shown improvement in the past few months. Improvements in the labor market could speed up consumer spending (VFINX) (VOO) (SPY) in the near future. But in March 2017, the performance of the labor market fell. An overall falling sentiment in March also impacted the market rally that month.
In the next part of this series, we’ll see which indicators investors should look at.


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Wal-Mart plans to construct six stores in the D.C. area in the next year.
The stores will be built at the following locations:
· Ward 4: Georgia and Missouri Avenue NW
· Ward 4: Riggs Road NE and South Dakota Avenue NE
· Ward 5: New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road NE
· Ward 6: 801 New Jersey Avenue NW
· Ward 7: Capitol Heights (East Capitol Street and 58th Street)
· Ward 7: Good Hope Road and Alabama Avenue SE
Some District residents expressed concern over the chain’s possible effect on local small businesses.
Local group Respect D.C. is particularly upset about Wal-Mart’s planned arrival. Group members want each neighborhood to be allowed to decide if the store is acceptable for its area, according to its website. The group is also worried about the chain’s local effect on the D.C. economy.
Respect D.C. takes issue with Wal-Mart’s wage rates, its effects on local businesses and its legal disputes over gender bias in hiring, according to its website.
“Their track record is one where these businesses around them are forced to close, that they don’t always hire people from the communities that they locate [in] and that they don’t provide good jobs, and that’s not what we felt D.C. needs right now,” an organizer for Respect D.C and Wal-Mart Senior Director of Community Affairs Steve Restivo said Wal-Mart stores would not only provide greater grocery access to community members but also create jobs.
“We know Washingtonians want to shop and work in our stores, and we want to make access more convenient,” Restivo said in an email.
Restivo also said certain types of small businesses still flourish around Wal-Mart’s stores since they don’t compete with the chain.
“From restaurants, salons, banks and florists to bookstores, specialty grocers and wine & spirits shops, there are dozens of small business categories that typically surround our stores,” he said.
Respect D.C. has proposed a Community Benefits Agreement to solve its disagreements with the chain.
A CBA is a written contract between a developers and local groups that offer local support for construction projects in exchange for community benefits, according to a document from Tulane University Law School’s website.
The community is particularly focused on the wage rates for workers and hope to see established standards for workers’ pay from such a contract, according to its website.
Restivo said Wal-Mart previously signed an agreement in November that emphasized the chain’s desire to be a good “neighbor” to the city.
“We expect to be held accountable for every syllable in this public document and we intend to follow through on every single item in the agreement,” he said.
Virginia Cross, a sophomore in the College of Arts of Sciences, was concerned about Wal-Mart’s planned arrival.
“I think it [the stores] would take away from small businesses and I would be much more willing to spend more money on a local business than to feed into Wal-Mart,” she said.


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Earnings Watch: Intel and Citrix may benefit from coronavirus, but face same fate as Netflix
Earnings Watch: After Netflix stock sank despite huge quarterly results, Intel and Citrix are expected to disclose similarly positive reactions to stay-at-home orders
Does Intel Corp. have anything in common with Netflix Inc.? Investors are about to find out.
As coronavirus-related lockdowns swept the globe, many companies rushed to equip employees with remote-working tools and leaned on cloud services that let workers connect from afar. This may have given Intel’s
PC and server-chip businesses a nice boost, but there are big questions about what the future holds once those initial purchases die down, especially as businesses try to navigate an uncertain economy.
earnings were any indication, Wall Street may be not be that impressed with short-term coronavirus-induced spikes when the rest of the year is cloudy. Netflix proved it is a stay-home beneficiary Tuesday afternoon, posting its biggest subscriber gains on record, but shares were punished Wednesday on fears that future momentum will be more muted.
A strong quarter for Intel, and even a strong outlook for the June period, would likely be met with questions about whether demand has been “pulled forward” to the beginning of the year, creating greater possibility of a weaker second half.
While other companies benefiting from work-from-home trends could see a similar dynamic, the trend could be “even more exaggerated” for Intel, according to Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon, as the company modeled an “already odd” trajectory even before the outbreak hit, with projections for over-shipment in the first half of the year.
Intel’s Thursday afternoon report will help paint a fuller picture of how the chip industry is faring during the pandemic, building on what Texas Instruments Inc.
shared earlier in the week. Those results indicated that PC and server businesses remain resilient while the automotive and industrial categories face more challenges. Because Intel has a bigger and more varied business, its commentary could be even more illuminating for the semiconductor sector as a whole.
What else to watch for Thursday
• Citrix Systems Inc.
could have a similar story to Intel when it reports Thursday afternoon. Its shares have shot up 37% so far this year on the expectation of growing demand for its software, which lets workers access applications and other tools remotely. Jefferies analyst Brent Thill thinks the company could also be staring down a tougher second half and worries that even March-quarter estimates may “have gone beyond current fundamentals.” While analysts surveyed by FactSet are calling for $1.17 a share in adjusted earnings on $734 million in revenue, he said the buy-side seems to be looking for a beat-and-raise quarter.
• Domino’s Pizza Inc.
has actually been hiring workers during the pandemic as the company still manages to grow sales. It indicated a 4.4% rise in same-store sales in a preliminary first-quarter update. Of interest during Domino’s morning call will be the performance of its overseas business: Wedbush analyst Nick Setyan wrote that about 13% of the company’s international locations were subject to temporary closures.
• World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.
faces risk across the board from the coronavirus outbreak, wrote Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall. He worries that the crisis “could reduce viewing of shows in empty arenas” and expects that WWE’s events business won’t resume until late in the third quarter. Cahall will be looking for more details on the afternoon call.
• Eli Lilly & Co.’s
business may be “more resilient to COVID-19 pressures,” according to Mizuho analyst Vamil Divan, but he’ll still be listening Thursday morning for the pharmaceutical company’s breakdown of how the outbreak has impacted its various products based on how long they’ve been on the market, how they’re administered, and where they’re typically used.


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The week is coming to a close which means it’s time to bring you the news we couldn’t cover with a look at what what going on in the world of APIs. In time for the tenth anniversary of reCAPTCHA Google announced that they are bringing the spam protection service to Android.
There are three standard ways to manage API authentication these days: API keys, OAuth tokens and JSON Web tokens (JWT). Adam Duvander over at the Zapier engineering blog explains how and when to use them. The humble API key is the common and earliest form of API authentication.
A new company, Secful, aims to help companies identify attacks against their APIs and respond in an automated fashion with a "custom-tailored" security-layer. According to the company, existing security solutions don't sufficiently protect APIs and often fail to detect attacks before it's too late.


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Find out the latest food news, updates and events happening in the East Bay.
SF Beer Week starts Friday Feb. 10, and with it come countless parties, tap takeovers and other over-the-top events. Here’s what we think is the best of what’s on tap.
Elmwood’s location of La PanotiQ and the downtown Berkeley McDonald’s are both getting close to their opening days. These details, and much more East Bay food news, in this week’s Bites.
Catch up on all of this week’s food news, like Hoi Polloi’s expansion and Genova Delicatessen’s uncertain future, in this week’s Bites. Plus, get the deets on Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day specials!
Salsipuedes is finally up and running in North Oakland’s Longfellow neighborhood. Come along with NOSH as we take a first look at the menu.
This week in Bites, we have lots of beer and bar news, plus new brunch in Fruitvale and an abundance of Father’s Day events in the East Bay.
Berkeley is getting a new brewery. Anvil Brewing plans on opening at 912 Gilman St. this spring. We bring you this news and much more in this week’s Bites.
The effects of new minimum wages are causing a ripple effect of changes across the East Bay restaurant scene.
Refreshing ceviche, delicious fried bites, an excellent burger and great beers to pair the food with: Fruitvale should be happy to welcome The Half Orange.
Another week packed with exciting East Bay food news, including a new sushi restaurant from the Bowl’d crew, and a new Berkeley bakery.
Offal spot Marrow has closed, while Oakland has two new offerings: Shakewell in Lakeshore, and The Half Orange in Fruitvale.
The husband-and-wife team behind Salsipuedes has signed a lease to open another restaurant in a different part of Oakland first.


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One of the oldest manufacturers of guns in the United States, Remington, recently determined that it needed to take aggressive action in light of its financial situation. The company thus chose to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Companies in Massachusetts that are facing financial struggles may also benefit from this type of bankruptcy filing.
Remington decided to file for bankruptcy due to its heavy debt and falling sales. In addition, the company anticipated having to deal with negative court rulings related to the Sandy Hook school massacre that took place in 2012. As part of its bankruptcy filing, the company outlined a restructuring plan that detailed how it would maintain its operations and keep paying salaries and benefits to employees. The company ultimately plans to relinquish control to its creditors.
This agreement would bring to an end Cerberus Capital Management’s controlling financial interest in the company. This private equity firm acquired Remington in 2007 for nearly $120 million. Cerberus decided to file for bankruptcy after making a failed attempt to sell Remington. Remington, which has been manufacturing handguns, shotguns and rifles since 1816, stated in its filing that both its liabilities and its assets totaled anywhere from $100 million to $500 million.
Businesses in Massachusetts and elsewhere sometimes find themselves in tricky financial situations due to factors that are beyond their control. For instance, perhaps customer demand for their products or services has plummeted due to changed in the economic or political landscape. Fortunately, these companies do not have to remain in dire financial straits. An attorney can help them to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and finally receive the financial relief they so desperately need.
Source: usatoday.com, “Remington: America’s oldest gun maker files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy“, Kim Hjelmgaard and Kevin McCoy, March 26, 2018


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Jun 28, 2018
2018 Q1: Economy Grew At A 2 Percent Rate; Business Investment Growth Largest Since 2014
Post by Freedom Partners
This morning, the U.S. Department of Commerce released its third and final estimate of gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of 2018, and announced that the U.S. economy expanded at an annualized rate of 2 percent, driven by the strongest business investment in nearly 4 years. While consumer spending was one of the slowest rates observed in recent years, analysts expect stronger readings next quarter as consumers enjoy higher take home pay, a stronger labor market, and an increase in wages. Additionally, real disposable personal income increased at the fastest rate since mid-2015.
Today’s release provides another look at how the economy has changed during the first five quarters of the Trump administration. Overall, annualized quarterly growth averaged 2.5 percent, and real after-tax income per person increased by $732. Further, the economy recorded its 16th quarter of consecutive growth.
However, recently-imposed tariffs have already burdened American businesses, workers, and consumers with higher costs, and have undermined the benefits of the current administration’s economic growth agenda, including tax and regulatory reforms.
Below is an examination of today’s report, detailing what the findings indicate about the U.S. economy during President Trump’s first five quarters.


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An all-new The Legend of Zelda game set in the world of 1991’s The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is scheduled to launch for the 3DS this holiday season. Also on the way are new entries in the Yoshi’s Island and Mario Party series, as well as the U.S. arrival of the cult-classic Earthbound, the company announced in a direct broadcast to fans.
Have we got the rings for you!
Well, at least in Mike Hoye’s house.
Earlier this week, Curtin launched an eBay auction for an exceptionally hard-to-find The Legend of Zelda prototype cartridge. The price? A whopping $150,000. That proved too steep, but a buyer quickly stepped forward and offered $55,000 — and just like that, there was a new record for the most expensive video game in the world.
An exceedingly rare prototype cartridge of the NES classic The Legend of Zelda has popped up on eBay, along with a sealed copy of the original game. The asking price for this pair? $150,000. That’s in U.S. dollars, not rupees.
Yup, it was this day in 1981 when the coin-op classic first leapt into gamers’ lives, inspiring plenty of clones and a legacy of sequels that’s still going strong today.