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IndusInd Bank launches new Ad Campaign on innovative ‘Fingerprint Banking’
IndusInd Bank has ‘ launched an integrated advertising campaign to unveil its innovative service ‘Fingerprint Banking’. IndusInd Bank is the first bank in the country to launch this service where customers can do end-to-end banking transactions on its Mobile Banking app ‘IndusMobile’, by using just their fingerprint. The campaign features Farhan Akhtar, brand endorser for IndusInd Bank and multitalented actor Boman Irani.
‘Fingerprint Banking’ service has been launched after studying consumer behavior & insights on remembering complicated & lengthy passwords. It was found that customers tend to forget their passwords and resetting them again was a lot of trouble. With fingerprint banking, consumers can afford to forget passwords forever.
Apart from fingerprint, the mobile banking App also has functionality of ‘Swipe Pattern’ which can be set as a security identifier to conduct mobile banking transactions. This ensures that customers across all smart phone devices can do their banking transactions seamlessly without entering passwords.
Launching the campaign, Mr. Sumant Kathpalia, Head – Consumer Banking, IndusInd Bank said, “This advertising campaign from IndusInd Bank embodies a blend of strong consumer insight and interesting slice of life situations with subtle humor. The launch of this service has further strengthened the core brand philosophy of Responsive Innovation. We are glad that Bollywood’s two seasoned actors have associated with us and have enhanced the effectiveness of this ad campaign”.
Mr. Ankur Suman, Principal Consultant & Creative Head, RK Swamy BBDO commented “As always, IndusInd Bank has come up with yet another unique, differentiated service. So the communication needs to be potent enough to create the right degree of buzz amongst consumers. While we have demonstrated the convenience of Fingerprint Banking clearly, we have retained the zippy energy and humour that have given the brand’s communication a distinguished identity over the years.”
IndusInd Bank has adopted a well synergized multimedia media approach for this campaign. While TV will be the lead medium of the campaign, effective digital media will engage and connect with the digital savvy audience. Other mediums will also be used along with the key mediums in order to create a ‘surround sound’ of the communication. The estimated media spends of the ad campaign is approximately Rs. 15 crores.
In recent past, IndusInd Bank has launched a host of innovative services like Video Branch, My Account My Number, Choice Money ATMs, Check-on-cheque, Cash-on-Mobile, Direct Connect and Quick Redeem Service. All these unique services have been widely publicised and are being well appreciated & used by the Indian consumers.
Brand Awards – recent accolades:
Moved up 6 ranks, to 13th place from 19th place of last year, makes us the Top Riser in the ‘BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands of 2015’ as adjudged by WPP and Millward Brown. Our brand value has increased by 46% to $1.5 billion since last year and we are also the sixth largest gainer in Brand Value. IndusInd Bank has been recently recognised & adjudged as one of the Best BFSI Brands 2016 by the Economic Times, one of the leading publications of the country.


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Glenn Hutchins, co-founder of global technology investment firm Silver Lake, countered the widely held view that bitcoin is mostly used for illicit activity when speaking at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland.
- Bitcoin "leaves a permanent, unalterable record, hence why almost all criminals using it are caught. It is fundamentally wrong to say that bitcoin is mostly used for crime,” he said.
- On the other hand, up to 90% of $100 bills are "used for organized crime and tax evasion" in the U.S., because cash is "untraceable and fungible," Hutchins said.
- Indeed, as CoinDesk reported, blockchain sleuthing firm Chainalysis reported this month that criminal-linked activity made up just 0.34% of cryptocurrency transaction volume in 2020, down from 2.1% the year before.
- Also speaking at Davos on Monday, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey took a more negative tone, arguing that digital innovation in payments is here to stay, but not cryptocurrency as it currently stands.
- We're still waiting for the right design and governance model for a “lasting digital currency,” Bailey said.
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.

domain: news


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Line of production of the Tesla Model S in the factory of the company in the Netherlands.
May not be the statements more optimistic with the start of a new year, but today is today and if such an important office as the CEO of Continental made these comments, we must echo the same. As you may have read the title of the article, the debate becomes to be served. how Will the transition to the electric vehicle, a loss of jobs? it Is clear that things will not be the same. These are times of change and as the saying goes, “adapt or die”.
Elmar Degenhart, CEO of Continental, has declared that the transition for manufacturers and, ultimately, the automotive industry, the electric car will bring the loss of many jobs in the production lines and assembly. Even Degenhart put as example to the company that he manages, ensuring that this transition will cost a relevant number of employees at Continental.
“Due to the low value-added, many of the production jobs will be lost. There is enough time to design the process in such a way that the “hit” of this transition to be as smooth as possible and avoid to the extent possible the loss of jobs. It is still too early to quantify what amount are we talking about, although it will be important to”.
Thus is produced the Tesla Model S in Europe.
Back, putting Continental example, Elmar Degenhart pointed out that between 30,000 and 218,000 jobs in the company are directly related to combustion engines, and if demand starts to decrease in favor of electric vehicles, the German company will be forced to try to restructure its workforce and to minimize this drop.
to prepare For what is coming, Degenhart commented not long ago that Continental will work to increase the number of employees in key departments with respect to the electric mobility and, thus be prepared to face the future of the automotive industry. Although not entered into details, he confirmed that it will launch new research and development projects.
¿How is currently the market of electric vehicle in Europe? we have Already dropped in a previous article, but while we wait for the main organizations publish the figures of enrolments exact, we anticipate that 2016 has been a year of record sales of electric cars in Europe. At the european level have circulated more than half a million electric vehicles, making Europe the world’s second largest market behind only China.


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to strengthen the city road danger goods transportation safety management, regulate the transport of dangerous goods market order, effectively reduce the accident rate, according to the Provincial Transportation Bureau of Qinghai Province issued "on the road of water transport industry carried out the fighting rule violation special action plan notice" requirements and the spirit of the document, in combination with the city actually, Xining yunguanchu inspection team from June 11, 2012 within the city to carry out road danger cargo transportation special rectification work, comprehensive and correct handling of dangerous goods transport violations of laws and regulations. Establish and improve the road safety of dangerous goods transport safety management mechanism, to promote the road dangerous goods transport market safe, stable, sustained and rapid development.
in order to further improve the remediation work, effectively regulate the road danger goods transport market order, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the business operators, Xining yunguanchu inspection team to take effective measures to designated inspection, inspection, inspections and other methods, the Huang River Road, Bayi Road, Delingha Road, South Ring Road, Nanshan Road, mutual aid along the road area, road transport of dangerous goods illegally engaged in the clean-up remediation.
date, Inspection Brigade attendance of 156 passengers, check all kinds of vehicles 453 times, including the transport of dangerous goods vehicles 237 times, seized the illegal transport of dangerous goods vehicles 7 units, transport of dangerous goods vehicle escort officer without escort card 1. Through the recent rectification work to a certain extent, the illegal operation of illegal goods transportation was prevented, and the preliminary results were obtained.


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San Francisco-based PicsArt announced the opening of its newest office in the United Kingdom, joining offices in Yerevan, Armenia, Los Angeles, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, and India. In the past year alone, PicsArt has expanded its employee headcount by 36%, the company said. PicsArt is available in 30 languages for free and as a subscription on iOS, Android and Windows devices. PicsArt is backed by Sequoia Capital, DCM Ventures, Insight Partners, and Siguler Guff & Company.
The announcement follows PicsArt’s recent hiring of its VP of Design, Duncan Riley, who is based in the United Kingdom. In this role, Riley will lead the expansion of the new hub, which will be focused on Product Development and Design. Riley brings more than 18 years of experience growing creative teams and crafting global user experiences for a host of leading brands, including Shazam, Skyscanner, Snapchat, NBCUniversal, Viacom, Absolute Radio, and more.
“At PicsArt we are building the best all-round creator experience possible, allowing anyone and everyone to perfect their everyday moments, express their passions, promote their business, or even create art,” says Riley. “I’m excited to get started with the incredible talent here at PicsArt, and begin growing the UK-based team to support our vision in 2021.”
In addition to hiring for its new U.K. hub, PicsArt is actively hiring in other global regions – including remote-based positions – in design, engineering, product operations, marketing, content, and more. For more information on current open roles, prospective applicants can visit https://picsart.com/jobs.
PicsArt is the world’s #1 creative platform and a top 20 most downloaded app for seven consecutive quarters. Every month, the PicsArt community creates, remixes and shares billions of visual stories using the company’s powerful and easy-to-use editing tools. PicsArt has amassed one of the largest open-source content collections in the world, including free-to-edit photos, stickers, backgrounds, templates and more. PicsArt is available in 30 languages for free and as a subscription on iOS, Android and Windows devices. PicsArt is backed by Sequoia Capital, DCM Ventures, Insight Partners, and Siguler Guff & Company. Download the app or visit picsart.com or picsart.com/brands/ for more information.


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Please check out latest news, expert comments and industry insights from Coinspeaker's contributors.
Alternative payment solution Worldcore launched ICO on October 14, 2017 and has all chances to raise up to $100M.
Worldcore is an EU-regulated payment institution, founded in 2014 by EUPSProvider. This company is licensed by the National Bank of Czech Republic. Founder and chief executive of Worldcore, Alexey Nasonov is included in The 2016 New Europe list, the third annual list of central and eastern Europe’s brightest and best people.
Pre-sale for accredited investors had begun 5 days before the official Initial Coin Offering (ICO) and Worldcore offered 10% bonuses to this early birds. According to the company’s press release, the project has already raised over $5 million through its pre-sale, requiring a minimum of 165 ETH/11 BTC to participate. It seems that Worldcore can easily reach maximum cap of $100m as the ICO progresses.
Since the beginning of the campaign, Worldcore has made significant progress on their roadmap. In a mission to triple their growth rate by the end of the year, the company has extended their marketing budget and launched outdoor marketing campaigns, taking over the streets of Prague and even the PRG Airport. The efforts are paying off, as Worldcore reports a 36% revenue growth in Q3 2017 and over 50% growth in client’s base growth, since the announcement of the ICO.
One of the goals of Worldcore is the transparency of its activities. That is why Worldcore’s team recently published a business and software valuation report by Ernst & Young, confirming that the real value of the company exceeds USD 30 million. They take steps to exclude any sort of claims that they are illegitimate or a scam through their elaborate planning and presentation of the White Paper.
“Fraud has become a major concern for people looking to invest into ICO’s. With so many companies trying to launch ICOs, it’s easy to get caught up in scams”, said Alexey Nasonov.
“Our approach as an established business, has always been to keep our audience informed. We believe that transparency is key to success in this industry”, Alexey added in regards to the latest business evaluation report confirming the estimated value of the company evaluated by Deloitte, one of the largest consulting companies in the world. “This is a truly unique and distinctive approach in the ICO industry, confirming the professionalism, transparency, and determination of the team.”
Report of Deloitte represents Worldcore as convenient financial tool if a client has a lack of time and need the operational account as soon as possible. This account is provided within 6 hours on a weekday and within 12 hours at the weekend. Just a submission of an application including required documents will give an opportunity for customers to use current-account related activities(including payments and credit cards) without the need to own one.
Worldcore has launched BTC wallets for customers on its online platform and is planning to integrate Ethereum and ERC20 token wallets shortly. In addition, the Worldcore mobile app will be available for download in the Apple’s App Store.
“We’re moving fast to take Worldcore to the next level with full Blockchain integration, as we strive to provide new opportunities and better service to all our customers, said Mr. Nasonov. “We have published our demo prototype for Blockchain assets trading https://worldcore.trade that will launch in Q2 2018.”


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The Nintendo 2DS was announced in August of last year as a handheld console for younger children who shouldn’t be exposed to the 3D capabilities of the 3DS. The 2DS’ big brother, the 3DS, has sold over 42 million pieces of hardware since February 2011. Overall, over 154 million DS family units have been sold to consumers.
The information was all revealed during Nintendo’s announcement of its Q3 sales results.
Mike’s Musings: I’ll be the first to admit that I’m surprised about the strong sales of the 2DS. When first announced, I thought the 2DS was going to be a flop of a DS version, but, alas, the DS brand, in all its different shapes and sizes, continues to thrive.
Want to get the latest gaming news wherever you may be? Download the official Fansided App on the App Store or Google Play Market today to stay up-to-date on the latest news and rumors from Gamesided without even being at a computer. You can also sign up for our newsletter below to get daily updates send straight to your e-mail. And don’t forget to connect with us on Twitter @Gamesideddotcom.
Gamesided.com is looking for bloggers to join the Gamesided family. If you are interested in this unpaid position, please contact editor Michael Straw at [email protected]


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The new Sandero Stepway TechRoad offering brings some exciting touches of high-tech to one of Renault’s most popular ranges of SUV.
Electrifying news: The French carmaker has plugged an entire town in to go electric by ‘gifting’ all of its residents with its bestselling new Zoe.
A third stint with Renault awaits Fernando Alonso in 2021.
Renault aims to get its customers dusty again with a full-house SUV offering that has attracted millions of drivers around the world.
For automakers Renault and Nissan, the world is currently a very different place to what it had been just a few short months ago.
Sometimes, small choices can yield big results – and consequences. Here are two choices of South Africa’s most affordable cars. Should they make your list of options?
Is the Renault Duster still the best value-for-money SUV you can buy?
If sports cars and speed are your thing, these are the fastest and most exciting performance cars to look forward to this year.


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Hoeven: Argentine Market Open to U.S. Pork
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today issued the following statement after the administration successfully negotiated access to the Argentine market for exports of U.S. pork:
“Exports contribute significant value to animals raised in the U.S., and increasing access to new markets is important for our agriculture producers,” Hoeven said. “Our nation has robust animal health and safety practices in place, and today’s agreement reflects that. I welcome the new export opportunity for our pork producers and will continue my efforts to open even more markets to high-quality American commodities.”
The restrictions in Argentina, which had been in place since 1992, were based on questionable animal health concerns. The new agreement allows all fresh, chilled and frozen pork and pork products from U.S. animals to be eligible for export to Argentina. Hoeven continues working to expand access to foreign markets and ensure fair treatment for North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers. Among other things, his efforts include:
- Serving as a member of the Senate-House Conference Committee that crafted the final farm bill of 2014, which directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create an undersecretary of trade and foreign agricultural affairs. USDA recently announced plans to create the position to help grow foreign markets for U.S. agriculture.
- Pressing the Administration to reach an agreement with China to open the country to U.S. beef imports. The Commerce Department recently announced it had reached an agreement to export U.S. beef to China.
- Urging Agriculture Secretary Perdue and Commerce Secretary Ross to reach a sugar agreement with Mexico that is fair to American farmers and ensure its strict enforcement.
- Backing the U.S. Trade Representative in bringing a compliance case against China in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Under its WTO obligations, China would have imported as much as $3.5 billion worth of additional U.S. wheat, corn and rice in 2015 alone.
- Ensuring domestic honey producers receive all of the proceeds collected from settlements.
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Well it's that time again -- time to start gearing up for the biggest football game of the year (if you're a sports fan), which also happens to be one of the only televised events where we actually look forward to the commercials. Companies spend the big bucks for a 30-second Super Bowl spot, with one fetching around $4 million this year when the game airs on NBC this February 5th. Of course we're movie nuts here, and everyone knows studios like to use the Super Bowl as a platform to announce their big upcoming blockbusters on a massive scale. Like every year, though, it seems some are in and some are out, so which trailers are we most likely to see come February 5th?
According to the LA Times, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures have all bought air time, while 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. did not. That means you won't be seeing anything for The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider-Man, Men in Black III or Prometheus, but you may see new trailers for The Avengers, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, John Carter, Snow White and the Huntsman and Battleship (with The Lorax, American Reunion and The Five-Year Engagement as outside possibilities). Additionally, Relativity has announced that they'll be airing a trailer spot for Act of Valor, their Navy SEALs movie featuring real-life Navy SEALs. No word yet from folks like Summit or Lionsgate, the latter of which could pop up with a Hunger Games spot.
We'll have more on this year's Super Bowl trailers as they're announced.


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A few years ago, the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found that there had been a sharp decline amongst the number of teens and young adults of both sexes with driver’s licenses. The study found that, between 1995 and 2010, the decline was greater for young men. The number of men between the ages of 25 to 29 years old had fallen 10.6 percent while the amount of women had only declined by 4.7 percent.
Now, a new analysis conducted by California-based consulting firm Frost & Sullivan has found that women are eclipsing men in holding driver licenses.
For the first time ever, female driving license holders have tipped the balance at 51 percent in the US. And this is not just among the younger age groups, but consistently across all ages greater than 25.
Canada and the UK are set to follow by 2016, with the former already very close to having a majority of women with driving licenses. In Canada, the ratio of licenses granted to women is currently 49.95 percent.
In the UK new driving license applications for men are declining whilst those for women have grown by 2.5 percent during last three years. The number of female driving licenses in Britain will reach parity with men within the next two to three years. Women are already making more trips and driving more mileage than men.
“Although it is hard to make predictions on trends related to car ownership, it is clear that 80 percent of car buying decisions are now influenced by women,” explains Frost & Sullivan’s Partner and Global Director Sarwant Singh. “When buying a new car, women are practical, but they also tend to associate the purchase with aspirations of freedom and independence.”
This will mean that all car categories will be more personalized and we will see more customized small city cars. At the same time, there are trends seeing expansion to segments traditionally dominated by men: SUVs and luxury cars.
“Women prefer small and more maneuverable vehicles, but they also give importance to design, spaciousness, safety, quality of materials, color and sustainability,” explains Singh. “They like options like park assist, clear lighting for petrol, easy access, integrated systems for mobile devices and entertainment.”
“We are convinced that in a few years women will favor cars with advanced systems such as autonomous driving, digital assistants and other health, wellness and well-being features,” Singh added.
Women tend to base their purchasing decision on the status of the car itself or associated values such as comfort and color. When it comes to volume brands, women are less likely to associate themselves with a brand, model or car variant (hatchback or sedan, for example).
Luxury brands, however, are a different story with women revealing themselves to be much more susceptible than men to those endorsed by celebrities. There are many interesting factors that are accelerating this trend.
“There are more women in education today than men in both the developed and BRIC countries (with the exception of India),” confirms Singh.
Furthermore “the pay parity between men and women is decreasing. There are more women with jobs, and even in a developing market like India, this is accelerating rapidly. Finally, the number of women millionaires, and their presence in the world’s rich list, is also growing exponentially.”
How the empowerment of women is transforming the future automotive industry will be one of the key trends that will dominate Frost & Sullivan’s annual workshop ‘Urban Mobility 3.0: Future of Mobility and New Mobility Business Models’. A new analysis on women and cars will be launched during the event that will take place on June 25th, 2014 at the Honourable Artillery Company in London.
As has been the case in the past, this one-day workshop will focus on emerging trends that are to shape the auto industry and our lives behind the wheel during the coming years.
Founded in 2012, Form Trends tirelessly covers the automotive design industry in all corners of the globe to bring you exclusive content about cars, design, and the people behind the products.


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For an outsider, it appears to be an irrational transaction. A company with about $500 million yearly sales and around a $6 million dollar yearly profit sold for a staggering 500 million on Monday 7, 2016, in an all cash deal.
Blue Nile reported that their net sales of engagement rings in the U.S. dropped 8.5 percent over the past quarter, compared to the same period a year ago.
So how is it that this company can get such a huge valuation?
When Waze was sold for a billion dollars to Google back in June 2013, the market was startled from shock. Only a few years later did we all understand the wide ranging implications of purchasing such an application. It fits into Google’s sales strategy perfectly. Think about it, if you consider the driverless Google vehicle, it is the basic program for running it.
Bow Street LLC, a New York based hedge fund with $340 million dollars capital, is to small an entity to buy Blue Nile on its own. They partnered in the deal with Bain Capital, a Boston based global alternative investment firm. One of the founders of Bain Capital was Mitt Romney, who was previously working at Bain & Co., the company which acted as a consultant to DeBeers. They were well aware of the diamond market, and offered yearly reports on the state of the diamond industry.
My gut feeling tells me that DeBeers or Anglo American is somehow or another behind the purchase together with some major Indian diamond manufacturers. Anglo American, the owner of DeBeers is just emerging from its deepest crisis ever. The stock dropped 90% last year, and this year it is up already 300%!
Imagine a conglomerate of three major diamond manufacturers in partnership with DeBeers. Consider them buying a retail outlet with a dominant presence on the Internet, a good reputation, and huge client base. It would help them completely avoid all the middle men. The rough dealers would no longer have to compete with diamond manufacturers, diamond dealers, jewelry manufacturers, or retail stores. It would essentially connect the mine directly to the real end customer.
It would add 50% to the bottom line and would take the business from nearly all traders on the floor.
Regardless of which company it really was behind this magnificent purchase, it will surely have an effect on industry. It was an exceptional deal, but the diamond industry will never be the same again.
Leibish Polnauer, President and Founder of LEIBISH Fancy Color Diamonds


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MUMBAI | KOLKATA: Cash may still prove the king in post-demonetisation India. Consumers are increasingly opting for cash payments as liquidity improves in the market, and some big retailers now expect cash transactions to gradually return to pre-November 8 levels in a couple of months.
Retailers including Shoppers Stop
, Future Group
, Lifestyle International, Spencer’s and Max
said 20-30 per cent of their total sales in January were paid for in cash, a significant jump from a meagre 5-8 per cent cash transactions in November-December when delegalisation of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes led to a severe liquid cash crunch in the system.
Some of these retailers now expect cash transactions to return to pre-demonetisation levels of 40-50 per cent after the cap on cash withdrawn is completely removed on March 13, somewhat negating the government’s efforts to push digital payment.
“From the trend that we have seen over the last three months, we expect percentage of cash transactions to continue to rise for the next few months as re-monetisation takes place,” said Shashwat Goenka, sector head (Spencer’s Retail) at RP Sanjiv Goenka Group.
“Over time, we expect it to stabilise at about 50 per cent,” he said.
Cash payments at hypermarket chain Spencer’s have increased from 11 per cent of overall sales in November to 25 per cent in December, and 37 per cent now.
For online fashion retailers Jabong and Myntra, cash transactions, or ‘cash on delivery’, is already back to normal at 60-70 per cent after falling to about 10 per cent in the aftermath of demonetisation.
“At Jabong, we had our best ever sales in January due to return of cash in the hands of consumers and discounts,” said Rahul Taneja, chief business officer at the firm.
“The real pickup of cash transactions started after the third week of January and the average ticket size has gone up by 17-18 per cent,” he said.
But not all retailers are seeing similar trend. Marketers of higher value products such as white goods and smartphones said cash payments now account for less than 10 per cent of their total transactions. While this is expected to increase significantly when consumers have more liquid cash in hand, retailers don’t expect it to rise to old levels.
"We do not expect cash will ever become that big anymore since consumers are now getting accustomed to digital payments,” said Subhasish Mohanty, director at mobile phone retail chain Hotspot.
“However, finance component is growing significantly and will continue to do so,” he said. Cash component in total sales of the Spice Mobility-owned retailer had dipped to 4 per cent in December and January from 40 per cent in pre-demonetisation days, Mohanty said.
Spice runs 200 Hotspot stores, apart from managing 225 stores of UniverCell and Mobiliti World in certain regions. Vinay Bhatia, CEO for loyalty and analytics at the country’s top retailer Future Group, also believes cash transactions will not return to old levels because other payment modes are picking up.
“As consumers are getting more comfortable with cards, we see the cash percentage settling down to around 35-40 per cent,” he said.
Cash transaction during ‘Big Bazaar
Sabse Saste Din’ sale in January had increased up to 40 per cent after falling to 10 per cent in November-December. Pre-demonetisation, as much as 50 per cent of transactions in Big Bazaar outlets were paid in cash.
About 1.2 crore Indians started using digital wallets in the week after withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, according to a report by market researcher Nielsen. Mobile payments surged to its highest ever reach at 70 per cent during that period, it said.
The rush for wallets helped Future Group’s own Future Pay Wallets to cross 1.2 million downloads within four months of its launch. However, as availability of cash gradually improved with new Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes coming into the system, consumers started dealing more and more in cash.
Share of cash transactions in department chains Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle has increased to 22-25 per cent now after falling to 5-7 per cent two months ago.
“While we expect an increased cash transaction once the cap (on withdrawal) is removed, we are still uncertain in terms on whether cash purchase could attract additional tax for some products,” said Govind Shrikhande, MD at Shoppers Stop.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said it will increase weekly cash withdrawal limit from savings accounts to Rs 50,000 from Rs 24,000 now effective February 20, and remove all restrictions on March 13.
Cash transactions at value fashion retailer Max Retail has improved to 20 per cent after falling to 10 per cent in November and December. Vasanth Kumar, executive director at the firm, expects it to grow closer to pre-demonetisation days’ levels of 30 per cent in coming weeks.
At Amazon India, too, cash on delivery mode of transactions has not yet reached the same level as pre-demonetisation days. However, Amazon’s vice president (payments) Sriraman Jagannathan said the effects of demonetisation have stabilised.
The marketplace is also helping the transition to the digital payments by partnering with banks and financial institutions. Amazon has increased by four times the number of card-swiping machines used to provide ‘card on delivery’ service to its customers.


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It was sad to only see Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player on the first tee as they got the 81st Masters underway.
But the spirit of Arnold Palmer was very much present during an emotional ceremony.
As the two legends stepped up to hit their tee shots, I was paying very close attention to what drivers they were using.
Both opted for the Callaway GBB Epic with Nicklaus using the regular, adjustable model and Player letting fly with the Sub Zero model.
But it was Nicklaus who had the edge over his great rival after Rory McIlroy helped him tweak his Epic driver by putting the sliding weight into the toe.
Nicklaus posted the below on Twitter…
Don’t get hot under the collar as Nike take style points
Nike may have pulled out of the hardware game but they are very much alive and kicking when it comes to apparel.
We think they took the style points on day one of the 2017 Masters with the likes of Rory, Jason Day, Paul Casey and Thomas Pieters rocking garments such as the the new Aeroreact collar-less polos, jumpers and zip-ups.
They don’t look like they are wearing traditional golf clothing which is probably why they look so good.
Bubba goes back to Pink
We reported in this column how Bubba Watson was set to use a green Volvik ball in his bid for a third green jacket.
Maybe he didn’t want to tempt fate so went back to the pink ball which we’ve seen him play so far in 2017.
Fred Couples staying casual
Fred Couples changed the face of golf footwear forever by strutting around Augusta in a pair of Ecco Street spikeless back in 2010.
And the 1993 champion kept it casual this year in a pair of Ecco Biom Hybrids.
Spiders taking over the greens
The likes of Dustin Johnson and Jason Day have sparked a bit of an outbreak of the TaylorMade Spider Tour putter.
Converts include Sergio Garcia, John Rahm, Ross Fisher and Vijay Singh.


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A fast-growing, North-East software development
company has received a major cash injection to develop its
Newcastle-based Ridge Media is developing an
artificial intelligence product that promises to have a major impact
on the games development industry.
Prospects are so positive for the product that
Ridge Media has just received a £60,000 boost from NStar, the
region's early-stage technology finance company. This coincides with
an expansion into new premises and a recruitment drive.
The investment, made under NStar's
recently-launched Proof of Concept Fund, will enable Ridge Media to
test out its software product with a view to bringing it to the
gaming market within the next 18 months.
This would also provide proof that the technology
can be commercialised for other sectors such as finance, defence and
Last year, the company was awarded a Smart Award
from the Government's Small Business Service to undertake a
feasibility study into its innovative technology, Generic AI
(artificial intelligence). Ridge Media was introduced to NStar by
Codeworks, the region's digital media Centre of Excellence.
Dr Richard Exley, who manages NStar's pilot Proof
of Concept fund, reports that the Ridge Media proposition hit all
"Our job is to help really good technology-based
propositions with early stage finance," he says. "This is an ideal
opportunity to assist the development of a new and much-needed AI
technology in the region.""
Mike Hendy, managing director at Ridge Media,
says: "This is a crucial investment to take the software forward.
This type of development is high risk and requires massive
investment in time and resource - although the returns could be
enormous for us and the whole games development community."
The Generic AI product will be aimed at games
developers, providing them with the most advanced technology
available on the market. Games developers currently buy in a range
of tools such as graphics and other components - known as middleware
products - to make their ideas and programmes work.
Mike Hendy and his team say that success in this
sector would be used as a springboard for expansion into other
areas. Ridge Media aims to employ a team of 11 designers,
programmers and multi-media developers by the end of 2004.
The emerging product represents a diversification
for the company, which typically develops database-driven websites,
intranets and bespoke software projects for a wide range of
businesses, from Barclays, BP, GlaxoSmithKline, Swiss Re, Tower 42
and Watson Burton Solicitors.


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COPS have quizzed two people in a “fire-resistant” glass fraud probe.
Detectives arrested the pair as part of an inquiry into Glassworks Ireland Ltd.
They have been released on bail pending further inquiries.
Now PSNI officers have urged the public to check any glass bought from the company stamped with the label ‘Pyroguard’.
Glassworks Ireland, based in Randalstown, Co Antrim, didn’t buy Pyroguard from the manufacturer which is a recognised, approved and certified fire-rated glass.
DCI Colin Gillis said in a statement: “There is absolutely no concern regarding Pyroguard products supplied by other companies.
“Our appeal is only to those who have dealt with Glassworks Ireland Ltd.
“It is extremely important that anyone who has had fire-resistant glass supplied by this company takes steps to confirm it is the legitimate product, even if the glass is marked with an ‘official’ stamp and has an accompanying certificate of authenticity implying that it is fire-resistant glass.”


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The partnership between large container carriers concerning their operations and elements such as recommendations of rate levels on the Pacific is now shutting down.
The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement, TSA, forum lost a member in Zim in the fall of 2017 and then lost Maersk Line in December. And now the TSA will be shut down, reports Lloyd's List Thursday.
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Officials say credit-card scammers have targeted customers of another western Nebraska financial institution.
Platte Valley Bank marketing director Mindy Burbach told the Scottsbluff Star-Herald that some customers have been getting text messages telling them that their credit cards have been deactivated.
They are being told to call an 877 number and provide financial information so the cards will be reactivated.
Burbach says the bank doesn't send e-mails or texts about card
The bank's main office is in Scottsbluff.
Some customers of Western Heritage Credit Union, which has offices in Alliance, Gering and Scottsbluff, have reported getting similar messages.
The credit union also advised customers not to respond to the scam.


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Apple wants to win back its pro audience. Whether it’s bringing back the upgradeable cheese grater Mac Pro or the Intel Core i9 processor to the MacBook Pro, the company seems determined to right its wrongs.
That backfired in last year’s implementation of the Core i9. Upon release, it severely throttled the performance of that monster chip — to the point where it was no faster than the Core i7 version.
Read full post here:


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- 8 December 2017
- Transport / Logistics Services
The DHL Innovation Day took place on Thursday. It brought together a number of supply chain professionals, entrepreneurs and startups to “reimagine the future of tech in the industry”.
The logistics and express delivery firm used the Innovation Day to announce the winners of its Innovation Challenges.
US-based Vecna won the Robotics Challenge, while the UK-based parcel start-up Parcelly took home the prize in the Sharing Economy Challenge.
Finalists of the Robotics Challenge from the US< Singapore and Switzerland demonstrated their prototypes live. The robots built by the finalists were designed to navigate aa warehouse autonomously and to collect different boxes of varying size from shelves and to place them in carts. The winner was announced as the Piece Picking Robot from the US based Vecna. The Vecna team won €15,00 as well as a chance to work up a proof of concept design with DHL.
Finalists of the Sharing Economy Challenge also presented their solutions aimed at rethinking the status quo of access and ownership. Out of over 60 submissions from around the globe, Parcelly took first place with its platform that coordinates convenient package drop-offs at local businesses, along with immediate notification and flexible pick-up times.
“We are encouraged by DHL’s openness to logistics strategies that challenge conventional business models,” said Sebastian Steinhauser from Parcelly. “We are absolutely on board with adapting to customers’ changing needs by extending the capabilities at the first and last mile of the DHL network, allowing dynamic on-demand pick up and drop off.”
In a statement, Matthias Heutger, Senior Vice President DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation, commented: “The pivotal forces of digitalization and globalization are reshaping our world, and DHL is committed to facilitating innovation that prepares us for these changes.”
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Celebrity Beauty Brands Are Popping Up Left and Right This Year, So Study Up
- The biggest trend in Hollywood is celebrity-owned beauty brands.
- Stars like Jennifer Lopez, Halsey, and Jonathan Van Ness have all launched beauty products in 2021.
- The trend is only just beginning, with stars like Harry Styles and Cardi B filing trademarks for their own brands.
Celebrity fragrances were once the move, but now, it feels like everybody who’s anybody has their own bona-fide beauty brand. Selena Gomez? Check. Rihanna? Double check. Pharrell Williams? Check, again. In just the last year alone, over 10 new makeup, skincare, and hair-care brands popped up under the names of A-listers, and we didn’t even have to bet our entire makeup stash that the trend continued into 2021.
Just five days into the new year, two celebrities launched their own beauty companies. On Jan. 4, J Lo Beauty, by none other than Jennifer Lopez, hit the market, and that same day, About-Face came completely out of the blue by Halsey.
Additional debut celebrity beauty brands of 2021 include Know Beauty, a joint brand by Vanessa Hudgens and Madison Beer, and Treslúce Beauty by Becky G, just to name a few. Oh, and stars like Cardi B, Harry Styles, Ciara, and Kris Jenner have all filed trademarks for their own beauty brands – they just haven’t announced any additional details.
We’re keeping our ears open and our eyes peeled for hints from our favourite brand-less celebrities. (We’re looking at you, Zendaya.) In the meantime, keep scrolling to study up on the latest celebrity beauty brands of 2021.


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Huge rise in PPI complaints prompts probe
The Financial Ombudsman Service has urged a crack down on loans insurance mis-s
Confusion reigns: millions of customers fail to cancel PPI because they do not know their rights
It has expressed concerns that the financial industry is failing to tackle serious problems with PPI sales and has written to the Financial Services Authority to spark further investigation.
The Ombudsman said complaints had risen tenfold in two years and now accounted for a quarter of the problems brought before it.
The sale of PPI has attracted much controversy since major complaints over the product started to emerge three years ago.
The Competition Commission proposed a clampdown on its sale in June, after it found millions had been sold inappropriate policies or had the cover added on without their consent.
Traditionally sold alongside credit cards, mortgages and loans, the insurance is designed to pay-out in the event the customer is unable to meet their minimum payments.
However experts believe over 2m people have been mis-sold PPI over the past five years and would not be able to claim on policies that can add significantly to the cost of a loan and only pay out in particular circumstances.
The FOS writing to the FSA triggers further investigation. The FSA will consider the written request at a board meeting later this month.
The Ombudsman Service is worried that the £5.5bn-a-year PPI market is getting out of control. Not only is mis-selling of the product widespread, but consumers do not know of their rights regarding the policy: they are unaware they can shop around and do not have to accept the policy offered to them by their lender.
Many also believe it is compulsory, when it is not. Consumer organisation Which? has claimed 1.3m people bought PPI when taking out a credit card under the mistaken belief that it was compulsory.
As a result of this, the Competition Commission proposed a ban on PPI sales at the time a loan or credit card is taken out.
As a result of the FOS's move, the Watchdog could either force change on sale of the product or ask the Treasury to authorize an industry-wide review.
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THREE of Ireland’s best-known business figures are included in the first-ever list of sterling billionaires compiled in Britain and Ireland. The Sunday Times Super Rich List of 108 billionaires, published today in the magazine, includes Denis O’Brien, Dermot Desmond and Martin Naughton.
O’Brien, who made his fortune in telecoms before expanding his interests to include media, hotels, golf courses, oil distribution and utilities, is the highest-ranking Irish entrant, with a fortune calculated at £3.85bn (€4.7bn).
Desmond, whose background is in financial services but who has also made significant investments in technology companies, is valued at £1.46bn.
Naughton, a co-founder of Glen Dimplex, one of the world’s biggest consumer electrical-goods firms, has a fortune calculated at £1.4bn.
O’Brien, who is tax resident in Malta and Desmond,…


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- THE MAGAZINE
- CATEGORY FOCUS
- BEVERAGE R&D
Red Bull USA released cans featuring camouflage graphics for its same-named energy drink varieties for sale in military channels and retailers immediately surrounding U.S. military bases.
According to a June 2012 report on energy drinks and shots in the United States by market research firm Mintel, Chicago, the market grew 124 percent from 2006 to 2011, which suggests a continuing recovery from the recession, it states.
For the first time in its history, The Double Cola Co. launched a line of beverages outside of the carbonated soft drink category.
In July, PacificHealth Laboratories Inc. will launch Body Glove Surge All Natural Energy Shots in conjunction with sports nutrition company Body Glove International.
Xyience Xenergy, the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), launched its nationwide promotion “Do You Have the Power to Win?” this month.
In conjunction with the release of Square Enix’s action-adventure videogame “Tomb Raider,” Kick Energy, produced by Global Brands Ltd. in the U.K. and imported in the United States by Dolce Beverage Group LLC, released a limited-edition “Tomb Raider” can.
Xyience Xenergy, the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), inked a one-year endorsement contract with former UFC light heavyweight champion and UFC Hall of Fame member Chuck Liddell.
Steaz, a subsidiary of The Healthy Beverage Co., revealed rebranded packaging for its entire line.
Popeye Energy commissioned McLean Design to design the packaging for its supplement blend, which contains 70 percent fruit juice, vitamins and a proprietary energy blend that includes natural caffeine, according to the design firm.
Brunswick’s Buffalo Grove and Tavern ‘45 host special guests at its VIP Preview Event on Oct. 14, 2013. The complimentary charity event benefited Clearbrook and the Special Olympics of Illinois. (Photos by Jennifer Haderspeck)
Available On Demand Learn how to reduce costs and energy use by enabling high oil load emulsions, eliminating the need for weighting agents like brominated vegetable oil (BVO).
Are you an Insider? Subscribe to Beverage Industry’s weekly e-newsletter to receive news headlines, new product information and magazine highlights.
This book addresses the principles of cleaning operations, water supply issues and the science of detergents and disinfectants.


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Abbey Logistics Group announced today that it has acquired the complete share capital of Armet Logistics Ltd, one of the leading bulk liquid food logistics and transport companies in the UK. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
This significant development follows an exciting 12 months for Abbey Logistics; the Liverpool based specialist logistics provider, has seen the company complete a management buyout in August 2016 backed by NorthEdge Capital, and the commencement of a number of large new contracts. Abbey has also brought several highly experienced industry professionals into the business, demonstrating its commitment to growth and the services it provides to its customers.
Founded in 2001, Armet Logistics has a large and modern liquid bulk road tanker fleet, together with a state of the art tank wash facility in Liverpool. Armet provide both fully managed logistics solutions and single ‘spot’ product movements to deliver a wide range of food grade liquid products throughout the UK.
Armet has successfully built a strong reputation in the food sector and operate on behalf of some of the UK’s largest food ingredients manufacturers to provide high quality, dependable and cost effective logistics services.
Armet Managing Director Charles Lucy will remain with the business as a Director and the Armet brand will be integrated into the Abbey brand following a period of familiarisation.
Abbey Logistics were advised by Deloitte’s financial services team who provided transaction due diligence. Legal advice was provided by Napthens, and finance was supported by HSBC. Armet Logistics received legal advice from Brown Turner Ross.
Steve Granite, Abbey Logistics Group CEO said: “This acquisition is an ideal fit for Abbey and we are delighted to be welcoming the Armet team into our business. We share a common capability and passion to develop best-in-class, effective logistics solutions, and both companies also share the same positive, can-do spirit that has enabled us to grow and develop strong reputations in our sectors. I know that by bringing Armet into Abbey, this positive can-do culture within the Group will be strengthened even further and enable us to take problems away from our customers.
“By combining our people, fleets, depot networks and services we will create the ability to deliver an unrivalled customer experience that is focused on compliance, flexibility and outstanding customer service. The Armet acquisition is an important milestone in building Europe’s best bulk tanker business and I very much look forward to working with the combined teams to deliver just that.”
The combined businesses will generate an expected turnover in excess of £70m in 2017/18 and employ circa 700 people in the UK with plans to grow to over £100m in revenues by 2021, creating a further 300 jobs.
Armet Managing Director Charles Lucy said: “I have spent the past 16 years building Armet into a key player in the liquid food transport market and I am proud of what has been achieved to date. My relationship with Steve (Granite) goes back over 20 years and the opportunity for us to bring our businesses together and create an outstanding offering for our joint customer base is a very exciting prospect for me.”
“Our businesses bring together an unrivalled amount of experience and like-minded thinking in the liquid food market and this combined business will enable us to further improve our service offering to the customers.”


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Michelle Fields, Ashley Pratte and Igor Volsky on why millennials are abandoning the Democratic Party.
FBN's Dennis Kneale on Liberty Media's $10B bid to buy the rest of its 52%-owned Sirius XM.
Concord River School founder Michael Goodwin on his ‘Rivers & Revolution’ education program.
FBN’s Charlie Gasparino on Ralph Nader ’s support of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
FBN's Charlie Gasparino on Ralph Nader holding a conference to attack plans to end Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Syndicated radio talk show host Dave Ramsey and 'The Graduate's Survival Guide' author Rachel Cruze discuss the best ways to manage your money during the holidays.
According to Pew Research just 31 percent of Americans approve of the President’s handling of the economy
The incredible bendable phoneWatch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.comFBN’s Melissa Francis says completely flexible technology may become the new big thing fo...
Former Third-Party Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader argues an inflation-adjusted minimum wage benefits the economy.
Turbulence for Airline MergerWatch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.comExperts and travelers are worried the US Airways/American Airlines merger could hurt cons...
‘The Seventeen Solutions’ author Ralph Nader on efforts to get Wal-Mart to pay its employees more.
Lt. Col. Ralph Peters on the uprising in Egypt, and how the U.S. should respond.
China hacking. IRS victims tell their tales. Plus - is Holder digging?
‘Unstoppable’ author Ralph Nader on General Motors’ recall delays.
FBN’s Liz MacDonald on the latest in the GM ignition switch recall.
The U.S. congressional investigation into General Motors Co automobile defects will bring aggressive scrutiny to a company with powerful lobbying clout and strong ti...
Former NHTSA senior enforcement attorney Allan Kam on General Motors’ recall news.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader on the General Motors recall, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Senator Sanders for President!
FBN’s Neil Cavuto takes on viewer questions and comments.


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Maggie Jackman Pryor says she gets stressed just thinking about the clutter she used to have in her Ford Expedition. Loose papers and carpet-sample books from the two businesses she runs with her husband sat on the front seat. And shuttling around her three children resulted in empty Gatorade bottles and Doritos bags underfoot, DVDs strewed across the back seats, and sports balls bouncing around the trunk.
After a recent email invitation from a local organizing pro, Ms. Jackman Pryor, of Cobleskill, N.Y., joined more than a dozen other moms in a nearby parking lot. The organizer, Dawn Fiorillo, led the women in a free crash course on how to best de-clutter their vehicles using a collection of car organizational products Ms. Fiorillo was offering for sale.
“I went thinking it was going to be embarrassing,” says Ms. Jackman Pryor, whose businesses include a flooring store and a kitchen-and-bath center. “But everybody was in the same boat.”
Americans average more than an hour a day in their cars, with many using their vehicles as a rolling, multipurpose command center: part kitchen table, part home office and part family entertainment space.
Read more on Driver’s Seat.


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MAXIS Communications Bhd has posted a whopping group pre-tax profit of RM1.28bil for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2002 compare with RM777.6mil in the corresponding period a year earlier.
Group turnover also surged to RM3.8bil from RM3bil previously. Net profit increased by 58% to RM949.7mil against RM600.9mil in the previous corresponding period.
On a quarterly basis, group pre-tax profit rose to RM332.4mil in the 4th quarter on the back of a turnover of RM1.02bil.
According to Maxis chairman Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar, the results shows that the company's fundamentals remain strong “despite a challenging market environment with aggressive price cuts and heavy promotions.”
“Accordingly, Maxis has surpassed its net profit forecast of RM825mil in its listing prospectus by 15%,” he said when announcing the company results in Kuala Lumpur yesterday,.
Maxis chief executive officer Datuk Jamaludin Ibrahim said the company's exceptional financial performance was driven primarily by a robust growth of 35% in its subscriber base and 243% in data revenue.
“The group's focus has always been on profitability and cash rather than purely market share, as proven by a profit after tax amount of RM949.7mil and RM1.8bil cash in hand,” he said.
Maxis said some 800,000 new subscribers last year to 3.09 million, comprising 1.1 million post-paid and 1.99 million prepaid customers.
“Our base in made up of premium customers as shown by Maxis' stable average revenue per user (ARPU), stable churn and low bad debt, all which reflects the company's focus on quality,” Jamaludin said.
Referring to Maxis' strong growth in data revenue, Jamaludin said the SMS usage had increased substantially.
The company's total billable SMS in-creased by 2.5 times to more than RM235mil.
On prospects, he said Maxis was well positioned for future growth with the company's strategy of protecting and growing its mobile customer base and exploiting new growth opportunities.
He said the company would also aggressively roll out more products and services especially those related to mobile data and continue to drive efficiency, reduce cost and increase productivity.
“We are confident with our pros-pects, considering Maxis achieved strong financial results last year despite challenging conditions and we spent months working on our listing and the acquisition of TimeCel Sdn Bhd from TIME Dotcom Bhd,” Jamaludin said. “The TimeCel acquisition is expected to be completed by the first half of this year and the merger integration is expected (to be completed in) a further 12 to 15 months.”
For this year, Maxis plans to invest about RM1bil in capital expenditure, mostly for network quality improvements, capacity upgrades and service platforms.
Also encouraged by its strong growth in mobile data, Maxis will aggressively roll out and promote more new data services including multimedia messaging services, Java games, m-commerce services, more downloads and other SMS-based services to capitalise on the data trend to sustain growth in the coming years.
For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2002, the company directors are recommending an interim tax exempt dividend of 6 sen per share to be paid on April 7 and a final gross dividend of 12.5 sen per share less tax to be paid at a date to be determined later.


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The Federal Court has ordered that STA Travel Pty Ltd (STA Travel) pay $14 million in penalties for making false or misleading claims when advertising its MultiFLEX Pass product.
STA Travel admitted that, between March 2014 and August 2019, it made misleading representations in MultiFLEX Pass advertising that consumers who bought the airfare add-on could change their flights without paying fees or charges.
B.A.R Group Pty Ltd (BAR Group) has paid a penalty of $12,600 after the ACCC issued an infringement notice for allegedly misleading consumers about the running power of a portable generator.
In September 2019, BAR Group advertised on its website that its 123 G8100-HELT portable generator was capable of achieving a running power of 6 kW.
The ACCC alleges that BAR Group’s representation was false or misleading, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.
The ACCC is calling for feedback and information about the digital advertising technology supply chain and advertising agency services in Australia.
Views are sought from all companies who buy digital display advertising, ranging from small businesses to global brands, as well as from advertising and media agencies, social media platforms, website owners, app developers, and ad tech services companies.


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Garmin has announced the launch of its FR60 fitness watch that, in addition to telling the time, is also able to track your track time, heart rate and calories burned.
Under fire voice-to-text business Spinvix has responded to yesterday's BBC article, branding the allegations as both "inaccurate and incorrect"
Telecommunications company Seacom has finished deploying an underwater fibre-optic broadband cable linking countries on the east coast of Africa to the global broadband network.
Apple has updated its Final Cut Studio suite of video editing and post production tools with over 100 new features.
As some commentators talk up the possibilities of voice recognition technology, one voice-to-text company appears to have fallen foul of the problems inherent in making it work.
Yahoo! has launched its new-look homepage across the UK and Europe today, allowing users able to access other Yahoo!-owned domains and popular external sites with fewer clicks.
A leading scientist has claimed that a detailed, functional artificial human brain can be built within the next 10 years.
Plans to restart the Large Hadron Collider – the largest particle collider in the world – have been shelved after further vacuum leaks in the beam path were discovered.
Olympus has added three new 12MP models to its FE range of colourful and easy to use compact digital cameras, along with a 12MP metal-bodied addition to its stylish mju stable.
Canon is set to introduce a new form of image stabiliser that can compensate for both angular (rotational) and shift (linear) camera shake.
Hot on the heels of its W1 3D announcement, Fujifilm has also launched four new digital compacts along with a superzoom bridge camera.
Fujifilm has announced that the world's first compact digital camera able to deliver 3D images and movies will shortly be going on sale.
Denon, Shure and Untrasone have all launched new headphone models ranging from budget in-ear buds to extravagant and costly over-the-ear cans.
Online business directory service Yell.com has struck a deal with video tutorial site VideoJug to provide around 50,000 of its "how to" and "ask the expert" videos.
The US Consumer Electronics Association has warned that overall revenues within the consumer electronics sector are likely to fall by 7.7% to $165 billion by the end of 2009.
Universal Studios is to launch a Blu-ray app for iPhone and iPod Touch that will allow users to access bonus content from the movie they're watching.
Mercedes has revealed an all-wheel-drive electric vehicle the company claims is capable of going from 0-60mph in just four seconds.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory are looking at expanding the ways the humble lamp-post can be used, including traffic management and data services
Parajet Automotive has begun taking pre-orders for its innovative Skycar – a fully road-legal four-wheeled vehicle that can also fly.
iKey Industrial Peripherals, formerly Texas Industrial Peripherals has launched a wrist-mounted keyboard that allows its wearer to input data on the go.
A tiny glass telescope about the size of a garden pea could hold the answer to patients suffering from an otherwise untreatable type of eye disease.


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~Bringing the power of new product innovation & growth~
~Latest investment brings total funding raised to over $4million since 2016~
9th July, 2019 Mumbai: HealthAssure, India’s foremost health-tech primary care services platform, today announced a $2.5 million Series A round led by Blume Ventures, an early stage venture capital fund.
HealthAssure will use the funds to augment its healthtech platform, create sharper products that serve various primary care needs of the Indian market more effectively including insurance OPD products, build better data capabilities leveraging AI & ML and strengthen distribution.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Varun Gera, Founder & CEO of HealthAssure says, “We are proud to be associated with Blume through this round of funding. Blume has established itself as one of the most vibrant start-up ecosystems in India and we look forward to leveraging their strengths in our journey of consumerising healthcare. We will infusing the funds raised in our business to further deepen our technology, build new products, create a more robust distribution network and grow inorganically as well. HealthAssure aims to make quality healthcare easily accessible and affordable for the Indian population and would continue to touch the lives of millions of new customers over next 2 years.”
The company plans to accelerate its business through both organic and inorganic routes to unlock the opportunity for growth across India and Asia Pacific markets. With a presence in the Middle East already established; the company looks forward to mark its presence in other South-East Asian countries as well.
Sajid Fazalbhoy, part of the Investment team at Blume said, “We are delighted to partner with HealthAssure in their next phase of their growth. We see them as a strong aggregator for the healthcare ecosystem. The company is building high quality consumer tech products to leverage their extensive offline network. Consumers who engage with the HealthAssure’s platform can be proactive about their health and not only be healthier but spend less on healthcare. Insurance company partners can hugely benefit from partnering with HealthAssure as their claims ratios will reduce if customers are not reactive about health. We believe the company will achieve non linear growth as the company is systematically organising access to primary care.”
Earlier, the company received pre-series A funding by HR Fund for building more sophisticated products for Indian corporates and their employees while working to address the fractured infrastructure of the Indian primary healthcare market.
The primary care industry is currently estimated at $ 70 bn. The Indian healthcare sector is expected to reach US$ 280 billion by 2020. Rising income level, greater health awareness, increased precedence of lifestyle diseases and improved access to insurance would serve as key contributors to growth for the primary care services industry in India.
HealthAssure currently operates a strong network of 4,000 primary care centres in 1,100 cities offering services including dental, paediatric, ophthalmology and diagnostics across India. The company has extended their services to more than 1.5 million customers and targets to serve millions more in the coming year.
It caters to more than 5 Lakh employees to improve their health every single day. Some of HealthAssure’s customers include most insurers in the market, several large corporates, brokers, banks and retail customers like ICICI Prudential, Deloitte, Cigna, Max Bupa, Yahoo, Aditya Birla and many others. With the latest round of funding, HealthAssure hopes to build on benefits to the end consumer too, a vertical it launched last year.
About HealthAssure: A first of its kind healthtech start-up which has built a comprehensive on ground medical network, set up with the ultimate goal of bringing good health closer to customers. Founded in 2011 by Mr. Varun Gera, the company provides high quality & affordable network of 4,000 primary care centers across 1,100 cities in India. The company currently has serviced 1.5 million customers. HealthAssure has invested more than USD 4 Million into building the brand so far.
For further information please visit: www.healthassure.in
About Blume Ventures: Blume Ventures is a seed and pre-series A venture fund that backs technology start-ups with both funding as well as active mentoring and support. Blume has been the most active venture fund in India since 2011, investing in sectors such as deep tech, financial services, healthcare, and education among others. Its current portfolio includes companies such as Grey Orange Robotics, Unacademy, Servify, Tricog Health, Locus and many more.
For further information please visit: https://blume.vc/


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Bristol-based eatery Oowee says the expansion is part of its mission to "revolutionise the fast food industry"...
Vegan fast food chain Oowee Vegan has secured its seventh restaurant in Brighton – a UK hotspot for plant-based dining.
The plant-based eatery, which was crowned Deliveroo’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ in 2019, will open the new site next month.
Despite the pandemic hitting hospitality hard, Oowee successfully opened two sites in London back in 2020 – continuing its mission to “revolutionise the fast food industry”.
It’s facing stiff competition with Burger King’s vegan options and McDonald’s vegan menu but is still managing to come out on top and take the vegan world by storm.
Oowee ‘leads the way’
In a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living, Oowee Co-Founder Charlie Watson said: “Our mission at Oowee is to lead the way with the future of fast food.
“The quality of vegan food being developed now is mind-blowingly good. We aim to be at the forefront of that, being enjoyed by meat eaters just as much as vegans”.
Watson added: “After a successful pop-up in Brighton last year… We’re super excited to be back with our new design flagship store this summer.
“We have a fantastic position in the heart of the lanes, and can’t wait for the community to try our food.”
The new Oowee restaurant will open its doors on August 27
Vegan offerings at Oowee
Oowee’s plant-based offerings include American favourites such as fried chick’n, burgers, and ‘dirty fries’.
Its iconic Flamin’ Hot Clucker burger is filled with dairy-free cheese, fried jalapeños and house-made hot mayo sauce.
*Oowee’s will open its seventh store on August 27, at 23 Market Street Brighton, BN1 1HH.
In the mood for fast food but don’t want to order in? Cook your own fast food feast at home with our guide to 23 of the best vegan burger recipes


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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Branded lifestyle apparel company V.F. Corp. (VFC), on Thursday reported a profit for the fourth quarter that more than quadrupled from last year. The company's results benefited from the acquisition of Timberland Co. in 2011. Adjusted earnings and revenue for the quarter topped analysts' expectations.
All VF segments achieved higher revenues in the quarter. Outdoor & Action Sports segment recorded the strongest revenue growth of 81 percent, reflecting the addition of Timberland and Smartwool brands. Global Jeanswear revenues increased 3 percent in the quarter, with growth both domestically and internationally.
Looking ahead to fiscal year 2012, VF Corp. has forecast earnings below analysts' estimates, citing a negative impact from foreign currency translation and higher pension expense.
The company's net income for the fourth quarter was $257.32 million or $2.28 per share, up from $54.22 million or $0.49 per share in the year-ago period.
The year-ago quarter results included impairment of goodwill and intangible assets of $201.74 million.
Adjusted earnings per share rose 30 percent to $2.32 from $1.78 in the year-ago period, benefited by a $0.34 accretion from the Timberland acquisition.
On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $2.31 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.
Total revenues for the quarter grew 37 percent to $2.91 billion from $2.13 billion in the prior-year period and topped analysts' consensus estimate of $2.89 billion.
The acquisition of Timberland Co. added $549 million to revenues. On an organic basis, revenues increased 11 percent. The company completed its $2.3 billion acquisition of Timberland in September 2011.
The company also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.72 per share, payable on March 19 to shareholders of record on March 9.
Looking ahead to fiscal year 2012, VF Corp. has forecast adjusted earnings per share of about $9.30 and reported earnings of about $9.10.
The company has forecast full-year revenues to increase by about 15 percent, or 17 percent in constant dollars, with Timberland accounting for about $1 billion of the growth. Excluding Timberland, revenues should rise by approximately 6 percent, or 8 percent in constant dollars.
Analysts expect the company to earn $9.53 per share for the year on revenues of $11.22 billion.
In Thursday's session, VFC is trading at $145.60, up $2.35 or 1.64 percent, on a volume of 0.78 million shares.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX


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In recent years, the US has seen a surge in awareness for sustainable fashion. With the rising awareness of climate change, more and more people are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. Sustainable fashion has become an important part of this effort, as it allows individuals to make conscious choices when it comes to the clothing they buy and wear.
The new wave of sustainable fashion in the US is focused on creating garments that are made from materials that are both ethical and sustainable. This includes materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and hemp. These materials are not only better for the environment, but they also provide a better quality and comfort for the wearer. In addition, many brands are now creating their clothing with a zero-waste design philosophy, meaning that no part of the garment is wasted during production.
Another part of the new wave of sustainable fashion in the US is the use of eco-friendly production processes. This includes the use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and the utilization of water-saving techniques. These production processes help to reduce the carbon footprint of the garments and can even help to reduce the cost of production.
Finally, the new wave of sustainable fashion in the US is focused on creating a more ethical and transparent supply chain. Many brands are now working with fair trade organizations and giving back to their local communities. This helps to ensure that the workers who make the garments are paid fairly and that the materials used are sourced ethically.
The new wave of sustainable fashion in the US is an important step towards creating a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry. By making conscious choices when it comes to the clothing we buy and wear, we can help to reduce our environmental footprint and create a better future for the planet.


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Razer “Prepares for the Metaverse” and Predicts “Balance Between Physical and Virtual Worlds,” CEO Says
Razer is “gearing up for the metaverse,” chief executive Min-Liang Tan says The independent, believing that there will be “a real balance between the physical world and the virtual world”.
The Singaporean tech giant, which sells consumer electronics, gaming hardware and some services like digital currency Razer Gold, has historically focused on hardware.
On his last conference call, Razer CFO Chong Neng Tan said that hardware contributes 90% of the company’s total revenue, âbut in the future, we mentioned that we see in fact huge opportunities in the services segment, and this is where we âare going to reinvest to really develop our Services segmentâ.
This shift from physical to digital is one that, according to Tan, will become a big “dichotomy” in the future, between “the user who believes in the digital world and the metaverse … being as real as the physical world” and those who say that there is no substitute for the real world.
Advocates of the metaverse will argue that the digital world is just as ‘real in quotes’ as the real world, he continues, a view that will be encouraged by an older generation of ‘digital natives’ – young people who have grown older. comfortable with technology than their ancestors, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent increase in digital services.
âMaybe there will be a generation that will say that the virtual world is actually more important than the physical world. The mind is mind-boggling, I think, at the extrapolation of this thought process, but I think that it will happen. âTan says he personally gravitates towards the happy medium.
Tan says he spends more time in the virtual world than anyone else, and Razer has tools and interfaces to access the virtual world – mice, keyboards, laptops – and payment mechanisms to ease the transition. .
âAs a metaverse-type company, we are preparing for the metaverse to a certain extent. We have all aspects of the hardware, the software platform, the services, and that’s where we’re really heading for a real balance between the physical world and the virtual world, âsays Tan.
It is this context that makes Razer’s push towards services understandable, a move similar to Apple’s own transition. The games company has 150 million users on its software platform and Razer Gold can be used to purchase games, subscriptions and more on many platforms including Steam, Tinder, Blizzard games, gaming Tencent, etc. Razer also has a fintech industry, such as a credit card processor. When asked if, in a “gun to the head” situation, Tan would take Razer down a dedicated hardware lane or a software and services lane, the CEO chose the latter option.
âWe could keep pushing the software and services side of things because basically that’s what we’ve been doing since day oneâ¦ even while we were building our hardware,â but added that it’s not about focus on one area but grow, and that “the services came a bit later”.
Unlikely Apple, however, Tan prefers more interoperability to the smartphone giant’s famous walled garden. âI think from a gaming perspective from a gamer perspective, we’ve always liked open ecosystems and, you know, we continue to make a lot of our software open to as many people as possible. people possible, whether it is a computer hardware company. or a software company, âhe said.
It is an attitude closer to that of Mark Zuckerberg, who also tries to make Facebook a “metaverse” so that its “software is everywhere”. With recent virtual work demonstrations, upcoming AR glasses, and the Oculus VR headset, the social media company appears ahead of the rest of the âBig Fiveâ – Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
Tan, however, says it’s all yet to be played. âI think there is enough space for one of these big five to create their own [metaverse]”He says, and while there is an advantage for early entrants, it is” big enough “that” even a new start-up [could] come ‘and disrupt him.
âIt will literally be a universe parallel to the physical universe, and we haven’t even exploited what is possible in the physical universe.
Many tech companies describe the metaverse as a benevolent way to overcome socio-economic barriers in the physical world. âResearchâ¦ shows that the postcode you were born and raised in is strongly correlated with your future mobility and income,â Zuckerberg said. “I think it goes against the feeling we have in this country that people should have equal opportunities.”
Critics, however, point out that the origins of the Metaverse are those of Neal Stephenson in 1992. Snow accident, who describes it as “a poor, desperate nation that is literally ruled by corporate franchises,” writes Brian Merchant of Vice.
“In the world of Snow accident, the metaverse is not considered particularly cool – it is necessary, because the real world has become so unbearable.
Merchant also points out that the development of a new reality could also be a way to guard against criticism for the failures of tech giants in the current one, especially since the wealth of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and Elon Musk have risen massively in a pandemic that has forced more people to go online. It is likely to increase further with the development of metaverse.
The debate between the value of the real world and that of the digital, Tan believes, is unlikely to be resolved. “In the future, guys who think the physical world is more important will tell everyoneâ¦ in the virtual world [has] something is wrong with them, and vice versa.
But as to which side of the aisle Tan, Singapore’s youngest ‘self-made’ billionaire falls, the CEO answers that question with a vague answer that skeptics of the wealth of tech executives might find ironic .
âEverything in moderation,â he says. “Who can say what is right or wrong?” “


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The red norland remains the predominant potato variety coming out of the Red River Valley, with the North Dakota-developed russet norkota being the standard brown-skinned spud, but other varieties are constantly being tested.
“They’re experimenting all the time,” said Steve Tweten, president and chief executive officer of Buxton, N.D.-based NoKota Packers.
Grand Forks, N.D.-based Associated Potato Growers Inc. offers a yukons, along with other yellow-flesh yellows, said Paul Dolan, president.
“As far as the red-yellows, we haven’t had much success with those up to this time, but I know they are being promoted,” he said.
A new variety looms on the horizon, according to Ted Kreis, marketing director with the East Grand Forks, Minn.-based Northern Plains Potato Growers Association.
“There’s one red variety that’s very promising from North Dakota State University. It is still just a numbered variety, but we expect it to be named in the next year or two,” he said.
The new variety features “a bright-red flesh” and eyes that aren’t as deep, which facilitates kitchen preparation, Kreis said.
“Usually, when a new variety comes out, it starts with just a few acres the first year, and that number multiplies rapidly until it goes into commercial production,” Kreis said.
New-variety development comes at a slow pace, said Dave Moquist, a partner in and sales manager of O.C. Schulz & Sons Inc., Crystal, N.D. But, he said, it can be well worth the wait.
“That all pays dividends to all of us as growers,” he said.
Dennis Magnell, a partner in Trail, Minn.-based Peatland Reds Inc., said he has had success with norlands, but also the Dakota Rose variety, which has red skin and white flesh.
“This is the only place you can raise them. The peat soil is good for them,” he said, drawing a contrast between the peat soil with the muck soil found commonly in the Red River Valley.
The Milva variety, a spud with European origins that features yellow flesh and clean yellow skin, is featured at Cogswell, N.D.-based Heimbuch Potatoes, said Chad Heimbuch, president and sales manager.
“The thing with the yellows is everybody wants a perfectly clear skin because the clearer the skin, the more access to East Coast markets,” he said.


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Yahoo Finance Live anchors discuss reports that President Biden is considering the easing of tariffs on Chinese imports to help combat inflation.
- Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He discussed hot button issues in a new chat, including international trade and supply chains, this, as President Joe Biden weighs lifting some Trump era tariffs on Chinese imports to combat inflation. Yahoo Finance Columnist Rick Newman is here with more. Rick, if the president were to lift these tariffs, how would that change the inflation outlook?
RICK NEWMAN: This all comes from a Peterson Institute bit of research earlier this year that found if Biden were to undo those Trump era tariffs, it could save the typical family about $800 a year once the effects rippled throughout the supply chain. It would bring down prices by a bit, and it might reduce the inflation rate by 1% or one percentage point or a little bit more.
This would be kind of camouflaged inside the way companies price their products. So you wouldn't see these automatic price drops. But I think more importantly for Biden, it would give him the opportunity to say, look, I'm actually doing something, because there's just precious little Biden can do.
And he has two problems. The first problem is the fact that inflation itself is too high at 8.6%. But the second problem is, he doesn't appear to be doing anything about it. He seems ineffective on this. And I think Biden is really casting around for something that just makes it look like he's taking action. And that does matter, especially in an election year, like we're in.
- And Rick, what, if anything, do we have to kind of hang our hat on whether or not the Chinese officials will make sure that some of these tariffs actually stay off for an extended period of time? Is this something that is just an intermediate solution? Or is this a longer term solution that both sides are looking for?
RICK NEWMAN: That's for Biden to decide. And this is unilateral. I mean, it's the United States that imposed these tariffs. This was not a negotiation with China. Trump just imposed these tariffs as part of his carrot and stick approach back in 2018 and 2019.
And then there was some negotiation that came after that, which involved China supposedly buying an increased amount of US exports. And they have not met those targets. And it's not clear they ever will meet those targets or they ever knew they would be able to meet those targets.
So Biden has to figure out, is this going to open him up to allegations that he's soft on China? That's important, because both parties now have gotten around to taking a hard line on China. Labor unions here in the United States also favor these tariffs, because they are a form of protectionism that makes products more expensive and then gives a little bit of an edge to homegrown labor. So Biden's got a lot to figure out here.
I guess I could throw in one other thing. If he did undo some of these tariffs, would it be temporary, or would it be permanent? My guess is it would be temporary. And I wouldn't be surprised if he does it. It would say go until the end of the year, because guess what? After that, the midterm elections will be over. Maybe inflation will be down a little bit. And that would be a point at which Biden might say, enough, the tariffs are going back into effect.


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Just as some people choose to avoid alcohol at the start of the new year, a growing number are looking to avoid another sort of hangover.
No Spend January has been gaining steam with consumers on TikTok and other social media platforms. And just like Dry January, the concept is fairly simple: Adjust your habits and resist the urge to buy things you don’t absolutely need.
That means no dinners out. No shopping the holiday clearance sales. No travel. And goodbye to your favorite barista for a while.
Think of it as a Whole30 for your wallet.
The hashtag has racked up nearly 46 million views on Tiktok, as people offer tips and progress reports on their own efforts.
Of course, spending no money in the month isn’t possible, so perhaps better name for the trend is Minimal Spend January. And some people are trying the trend out for shorter periods, such as a week (or even weekend).
Longer time followers of the trend, though, say it has been revolutionary. TikTok user thesavvysagittarius says after two years of closely tracking her spending and taking part in No Spend January, she has paid off $8,000 in debt and established an emergency fund for car repairs. She expects to be debt-free by the end of this year.
The rules for No Spend January vary from person to person. Some drop non-essential bills, like streaming services. Others reduce their grocery budget, while extremists use the month to empty out their pantry (or stockpile in December to avoid the grocery altogether this month). In general, extravagances like meals out, Starbucks runs, new clothes and movie or concert tickers are not allowed – though some allocate a small budget for discretionary spending.
In general, say proponents, it’s a way to step off the spending treadmill, which you sometimes don’t even realize you’re on. That pause can create better habits for the months that follow.
“I’m considering it because I need to break the dopamine habit of buying things that aren’t necessary,” wrote one Reddit user. “I do believe that I can’t have more freedom in my budget if I can break that behavior.”


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With plans already in place to build a larger plant in Italy, Harken Yacht Equipment management is considering expansion options for its local operations.
As a result of all-time-high sales, the manufacturer of sailboat hardware and accessories has reached capacity at the four buildings it occupies along East Wisconsin Avenue in the village of Pewaukee.
Harken's corporate headquarters, engineering, research and development, manufacturing and warehouse are in 80,000 square feet.
The company is committed to keeping its local operations in Waukesha County, or nearby, said Harken vice president Olaf Harken. He co-founded the company with his brother, Peter, nearly 40 years ago. The Harkens are part of a group that owns the Pewaukee property.
Harken has finalized plans to build a factory in Italy for about $10 million, allowing the company to move from a leased plant, said Olaf Harken. Harken has about 75 employees at its winch plant in Lurago Marinone, Italy.
The company doesn't disclose sales and earnings figures. Bill Goggins, Harken's marketing manager, said the company's revenue has climbed to record levels over the past few years, mainly by gaining market share. New products also have boosted business, Harken said.
Harken does business in nearly 50 countries; more than half of its revenue is from overseas sales.
"Harken is at the leading edge of technology," said Harry Melges III, president of Zenda-based Melges Performance Sailboats.
Eye for quality
Melges credits Harken with keeping abreast of product innovations and parts. He believes Harken manufactures "the highest quality fittings in the world."
Many of Harken's innovations result from the company's presence at major boat races and regattas, where its representatives meet with sailors and monitor competitor's products, Melges said.
A key to Harken's success has been the company's ability to produce top-notch products for the performance boat market, said Josh Adams, publisher of Sail, a Boston-based magazine.
"If you can prove quality and strength at the highest level, that trickles down to the mass market," he said.
Harken's focus on Italy and Australia, which both have a solid core of sailors, has been key to the company's international expansion, Adams said.
The majority of Harken's sales stem from contracts with original equipment manufacturers and through the aftermarket. Goggins said Harken has landed additional work with top boat manufacturers, including Alachua, Fla.-based Hunter Marine Corp.; Newport, R.I.-based J/Boats Inc.; Beneteau USA Inc., Marion, S.C.; and Jeanneau America, Annapolis, Md.
Harken engineers collaborate with boat designers to maximize strength-to-weight ratios that make boats lighter and faster, Goggins said.
Harken also manufactures and supplies products for so-called megayachts -- boats in excess of 100 feet in length -- and for racing sailboats. The company is supplying hardware and accessories for all of the sailboats that will compete in the 2007 America's Cup to be held in Valencia, Spain, Goggins said.
Each sailboat competing in the race will be equipped with about $250,000 worth of Harken products, he said.
Started in college
The roots of the business date back to 1968 when the Harkens founded Vanguard Boat Co., which manufactured collegiate dinghies. At the same time, the brothers formed Harken Yacht Equipment. In 1985, the Harkens sold Vanguard to concentrate on expanding their line of sailboat hardware.
Born to a Dutch father and a Swedish mother, Olaf and Peter Harken spent parts of their childhood on the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia, where their father had been assigned for his job at Caterpillar Inc.
The Harken brothers attended college in the United States -- Peter at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Olaf at Georgia Tech. After a stint in the Navy, Olaf joined his brother in Wisconsin and they decided to build boats for the college market.
The Harkens initially operated their businesses out of a garage in Waukesha. Gary Comer, founder of the Dodgeville-based Lands' End clothing-catalogue company, helped distribute the products.
Today, Harken has more than 200 employees worldwide, including about 135 at its headquarters and factory in Pewaukee. Employment has grown 5 to 10 percent over the past year or so.
Harken also has U.S. sales and service offices in Newport, R.I.; Largo, Fla.; San Diego; and San Francisco. The company also has offices in Australia, France, Japan, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Harken sells its products directly and through a network of dealers, both independent and those in which the company has partial ownership.
A side business, Harken Canvas, produces canvas covers for boats and medical equipment, as well as canvas awnings.
The Harken brothers are turning over some of the day-to-day operations to company management, but they have no immediate intention of retiring or selling the business, Olaf Harken said.
"We'll step back a little further, but we still enjoy the business," he said.
Sailing remains a passion for Olaf Harken, 67.
"I have no intention of spending my retirement years on a golf course," he said.
Harken outsources much of its local production to manufacturers in the Milwaukee area. The Pewaukee plant focuses mainly on producing short-run products, prototypes and custom-made products.
Some of Harken's competitors have shifted production to suppliers in Asia in an effort to cut costs, and Harken has its investment castings produced in Taiwan.
"We can't say for sure we won't have to do that," he said.
Harken Yacht Equipment
Address: 1251 E. Wisconsin Ave., Pewaukee
Web site: www.harken.com
President: Peter Harken
Annual sales: Declined to disclose
Employees: 135 in Pewaukee; 230 worldwide
Business: Manufactures and supplies sailboat hardware and accessories


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When you spend the better part of a thousand dollars on a new phone, it’s pretty reasonable to expect that it will actually work. But Google says that a small number of its Pixel phones contain a hardware issue resulting in broken microphones.
A support expert for the company posted on a customer support forum that a “hairline crack in the solder connection on the audio codec” is likely the primary cause for the issues.
“This will affect all three mics and may result in other issues with audio processing,” the rep said. “This problem tends to be transient because of the nature of the crack.”
Depending on factors like temperature and how the phone is being held, the connection may temporarily work.
“We believe this problem is occurring less than 1% of phones and often happens after a few months of use,” the expert notes, adding that the issue could be triggered by dropping the phone, causing damage that may not be externally visible.
We’ve reached out to Google about the issues, and will update this post when we hear back.
What Should Owners Do?
The employee notes on the forum that because the issues are related to actual hardware, a software update will not fix the problem. Instead, the device will need to be replaced completely and owners have two options:
Purchased From Google: A customer who purchased phones directly from the company should contact support and describe the mic failure. Reps have already been trained on the issue and will initiate the return process.
“Google will put a hold your credit card for the replacement and ship you the phone immediately,” the employee states. “Once we receive the defective phone and verify the problem, the hold will be removed.”
Purchased From Outside Retailer: For customers who purchased their Pixel phone from another retailer, the company says the best option is to go back to the store for a replacement.
However, Google says it can also process the return, but they must receive the defective phone before shipping a replacement. This, the company warns, normally takes a couple of weeks.


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Samsung’s Galaxy S10 is already a potential game changer, but now new information reveals the handset will radically change what we expect from a modern smartphone…
Credit for the discovery goes to ever-reliable Samsung specialist site SamMobile. It has learned that not only will Samsung release three Galaxy S10 models, but all three will come to market with in-display fingerprint readers. Yes, even the heavily questioned new budget model.
Digging into the tech, SamMobile does warn the sensors in all three phones won’t identical.
The premium Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ will use ultrasonic display-based sensors while the entry-level model will have an optical sensor. The former is truly cutting-edge technology, using an ultrasonic pulse and its reverbation to build a complex and highly secure 3D map of a user’s fingerprint, while optical sensors just take photos.
That said, the Galaxy S10 is expected to be the first phone with an ultrasonic sensor while optical in-display readers work very well and used successfully by current flagship phones like the Vivo Nex.
Consequently, by including an optical in-display reader into a cheaper version of the Galaxy S10, Samsung is redefining what users can expect from midrange smartphones.
Interestingly, unlike Apple’s hardline facial recognition-only stance with the iPhone X, we also know Samsung will give users a choice. Moreover, the Galaxy S10 will have a true facial mapping sensor like the iPhone X for the first time. A move which perhaps explains why Apple is now looking to U-turn and bring Touch ID back to future iPhones.
Ultimately, no matter how good the Galaxy Note 9 is (and it’s excellent), 2018 was a year of iteration for Samsung. But in 2019 the Galaxy S10 will see Samsung break boundaries again, before the company then introduces something even more radical...
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