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China-based Aliyun, a cloud computing vendor that is a subsidiary of e-commerce giant Alibaba, has announced the opening of a data center in Silicon Valley. This is the company’s first data center in the U.S. and its first outside China. Its other data centers are in Hangzhou, Qingdao, Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
For now, the company plans to target Chinese companies with operations in the U.S. However, it’s likely that the large American cloud computing vendors are watching this development with interest. The new data center is also interesting in light of the high tensions between China and the U.S. with each country accusing the other of cyberespionage.


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- As retailers inch closer to the holiday shopping season and the competition for labor gets tighter, Sam's Club announced it is raising its starting wage to $15 per hour effective Sept. 25, according to a company memo emailed to Retail Dive.
- The minimum wage for select roles was $11 an hour before the announcement, a spokesperson for Sam's Club said. In certain locations and roles, some Sam's Club workers can make up to $34 per hour.
- Sam's Club CEO Kath McLay said in a memo that 95% of workers are making at least $15 hourly. Sam's Club will have an average hourly rate of over $17, slightly more than parent company Walmart's $16.40 average.
With the recent announcement, Sam's Club's minimum wage will be notably higher than Walmart's, which recently bumped up its minimum wage from the $11 an hour rate it previously set.
Amid a competitive labor market that may extend through the holidays, Sam's Club joins several other retailers in hiking wages in an attempt to lure potential workers and keep their existing ones.
"We're working to create an environment where you feel challenged and fulfilled in any number of interesting roles," McLay said in the memo. "We want you to stay with us, grow with us, and enjoy the advantages of being a Sam's Club associate."
Fellow membership-based retailer Costco raised its starting wage to $16 an hour earlier this year. Walgreens Boots Alliance and CVS said they plan to increase the minimum hourly wage to $15 for all team members. In a hiring announcement Tuesday, Amazon said it is paying fulfillment and transportation employees a starting wage of $18 hourly.
The federal minimum wage at the moment is $7.25 per hour, but as the labor shortage threatens to impact operations during the hectic holiday shopping season, retailers are going to new lengths to attract workers. Some retailers like Walmart, Sam's Club and Target are offering benefits like tuition assistance, while others like Amazon are offering sign-on bonuses up to $3,000 and health care benefits.
Along with the wage increase, Sam's Club also announced it is investing in roles geared toward allowing workers to "climb the ladder" and develop long-term careers, such as team leads.

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Last week, three more small businesses closed in Hayes Valley, joining a long list of already announced closures since March.
So far, the fallout from the pandemic has shuttered six boutiques — Nancy Boy, Ver Unica, Dish, Hill City, Gazette and Ernest Alexander — and five eateries: Urban Remedy, The Grove, Stacks, The Riddler and Dobbs Ferry.
Following last week's story, readers reached out to let us know about two more small businesses on their way out. But there's also some good news: a new boutique took over a vacant space on Hayes Street last week.
Credo (552 Hayes St.)
Centered on sustainable, "clean" ingredients, the company sells skincare, makeup, hair, fragrance and wellness products from a wide variety of brands. Popular lines include Weleda, Mara, Ilia and Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop Beauty.
Credo has stores in Boston, Los Angeles, San Diego and New York, and opened its first Chicago store last week as well. But with fewer than 11 total locations worldwide (the Hayes Valley store is the 11th), it is not yet considered formula retail, which is typically barred from Hayes Valley.
Credo is now the latest national ecommerce company to open a brick-and-mortar store in the neighborhood, a group that also includes Allbirds, Interior Define, Madison Reed Color Bar and Outdoor Voices. Its predecessor, Gant, sparked controversy among local merchants, who spoke up in opposition of the internationally operated company.
Given the pandemic, the shop has limited walk-in hours: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Customers can also schedule a private appointment by calling (415) 801-5110.
Aiken (556 Hayes St.)
Unfortunately, the new beauty store is losing its next-door neighbor. Tipster Sebastian L. alerted us to the end-of-month closure of men's clothing and accessories store Aiken, formerly known as Convert.
A representative didn't return a request for comment, but Aiken's website says it reopened the Hayes Valley store on June 15, three months after the shelter-in-place order began.
Until the end of the month, shoppers can get 50% off the store's entire inventory, with an extra 20% off products that are already on sale.
Sean (575 Hayes St.)
Across the street, another men's boutique is closing as well. Tipster Keith R. alerted us to the planned August 31 departure of Sean, a retailer for French menswear line Lafaurie.
"I'm super sad about this loss," Keith wrote.
A representative for Sean said that the mandatory shelter-in-place closure had a strong negative impact on the business, on top of the steady decline for brick-and-mortar retailers in general.
Thanks to tipsters Keith R. and Sebastian L.! See something interesting while you’re out and about? Text Hoodline and we’ll try to find out what’s going on: (415) 200-3233.


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Shakeup at Thetford Corporation, as president leaves and new CEO Stephane Cordeille steps in
Thetford Corp. of America has announced that effective February 13, CEO Stephane Cordeille will also assume direct general management responsibility for the Americas.
Cordeille will assume all day-to-day responsibilities previously held by Thetford President Kevin Phillips, who has left the organization to pursue other opportunities.
“We thank Kevin for 12 years of dedicated service and sincerely wish him the best in his future endeavors,” Cordeille said. “I’m excited for Thetford’s future and, as we move forward, our number-one priority remains delivering quality products to our global customers.”
Thetford is a privately-held company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., with seven manufacturing facilities in four nations.
Thetford subsidiaries include Norcold, a leading manufacturer of gas-absorption and AC/DC refrigerator/freezers for the RV, marine and truck markets; Tecma, an Italy-based maker of fine-china toilets and powerful waste-transfer systems; and Thetford Ltd., which manufactures Spinflo brand high-quality cooking and heating appliances, as well as accessories.
Here is additional information on new Thetford CEO Stephane Cordeille:
Effective immediately, Stephane Cordeille has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Thetford Corporation.
“Thetford is a global company with very similar operations in the US and Europe,” said Cordeille. “Because of this, nothing changes for our customers and we will continue to make the best use of our global resources to the benefit of all our customers.”
Cordeille has a long history with Thetford and is already known by many of Thetford’s customers. He joined Thetford in 1988 as sales manager of its French subsidiary. He has served as director of sales & marketing and director of European operations before being named managing director of Thetford’s RV Europe operations in 2004.
Prior to joining Thetford, Cordeille headed up the merchandising team for Gloria-Friskies, a unit of Nestle Corp. He has a degree in economics and attended the Business School of Exeter for commerce and management.
It was also announced that Peter Struijs was promoted to Chief Financial Officer, worldwide. Struijs, who joined Thetford in 1999, has been the European director of finance and IT since 2006. Before that, he was the company’s manager of finance. He holds a BA in business economics.
“These promotions indicate the strength of personnel at Thetford and the commitment of ownership to reward long-term performance and contribution to the company,” said Michael J. Harris, president and COO of DKM (Thetford’s parent company), referring to the promotions.


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Facebook Update: Facebook is making changes to the Settings tab of its mobile application. The new structure will make it easier for individuals to discover the tools they frequently require in a shorter amount of time.
These include things like controlling which advertisements users see, altering sharing options, and cultivating an audience for the content.
The new look has been rolling out to compatible devices since August 4, and if it hasn’t already, it should be available through an update soon.
Here is a list of the changes made to the new settings page,
Facebook Update: Easy Category section
As a result, the new narrative has fewer broad categories than it did previously.
According to Facebook, the move is intended to avoid users from having to think too hard about where to begin.
As a result, Settings will now be divided into six main categories: Account, Preferences, Audience and Visibility, Permissions, Your Information, Community Standards, and Legal Policies, and Community Standards and Legal Policies (where applicable).
Facebook Update: Menu elements have been relocated, and a new Privacy shortcut has been added.
Some elements on the new Options page will also be repositioned so that they can now be accessed alongside other relevant settings on the new page.
Examples include the News Feed option, which was formerly located in its own tiny category but will now be available within the Preferences category.
On the same day, Facebook announced improvements to the Settings Search functionality, making it “easier to find the settings you need if don’t know the exact name or location of setting you’re looking for.”
Facebook also announced that it will be improving the Search functionality of the Settings page, making it “easier to find the settings you need if don’t know exactly what setting you’re looking for.”
Facebook has also introduced a new Privacy Shortcut to the top of the Settings page, making it simpler for users to make changes to critical privacy and security settings.
Facebook has also updated the Privacy Shortcut to make it easier for users to alter important privacy and security settings.
Which devices will be able to access the new Facebook configurations?
The revamp of Facebook Settings will be available for Android devices, such as smartphones and tablets, as well as iOS devices, such as iPhones and the iPad line.
For individuals who do not wish to utilize the Facebook application, the new rollout will also be available through mobile web browsers.
Finally, it will be included in Facebook Lite, which is a lighter version of the Facebook program that is accessible on select mobile devices.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - A profit decline at Honda and another big day for China Finance Online made for mixed trading in U.S.-listed shares of Asian companies on Friday.
The Bank of New York Asian ADR Index moved nominally lower to finish the week at 109 while the Nikkei Average ended Friday trading down 20.73 points at 11,320.58. See full story.
Elsewhere, shares of LG.Philips LCD LPL, -4.01% bounced back after a rough week, finishing up $1.47, or 7.5 percent, at $21.13. Earlier in the week, the company said its fourth-quarter net income fell from a year earlier, hurt by sharp price declines of its liquid crystal display panels. See full story.
Flat panel computer display maker AU Optronics AUO advanced 40 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $14.34.
Taiwan Semiconductor TSM, -3.16% was the only issue beating out AU Optronics in terms of volume, closing up 4 cents at $8.21.
Rival chip foundry United Microelectronics UMC, -2.73% slipped 7 cents, or 2.1 percent, to end the week at $3.28.
One of the day's best performers, China Finance Online JRJC, -0.71% maintained its post-earnings share rally, closing up 88 cents, or 9.4 percent, at $10.28. On Thursday, the online financial data firm said its fourth-quarter revenue more than tripled on strong subscription growth.
And Kyocera KYO rebounded from the prior day's decline to finish up 90 cents at $71.20. The company lowered its full-year outlook as low demand in mobile phones and digital electronics product hurt its electronics components business.


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The Yandex smart car, tested in Skolkovo District of Moscow, Russia. . (photo credit: YOUTUBE) X Dear Reader, As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and ...
Alphabet is the Rodney Dangerfield of tech companies. It gets no respect. Waymo, its self-driving car subsidiary, announced recently it will launch a fully autonomous taxi service in Phoenix in 2018 — years ahead of schedule. August 19, 2018 Mountain View / CA / USA - Waymo self driving car performing tests on a street near Google's headquarters, Silicon ValleyGetty Self-driving cars are real. And make no mistake, they are about to make investors rich. There are plenty of autonomous vehicle skeptics. Thumb through any car enthusiast magazine, and you are likely to find a story about the limited scope of sensors and software. Dig further and you’ll probably find some anecdote about lack of use cases. There is a vocal subset of people who love driving their
In another version jump, the latest Google app beta is rolling out this afternoon. Google app 8.49 details work on linking compatible cars with Google Assistant and the ability to share Collections. Other features in-development include auto-downloading in Google Podcasts and a Google Lens history. About APK Insight: In this ‘APK Insight’ post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, how
Online search provider Baidu — referred to as the Google of China — has been expanding aggressively into cutting edge technology such as artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. The Chinese tech titan is one of the largest internet companies in the world with a strong user base, thanks in no small part to China's massive population of 1.4 billion people. About 70 percent of China's internet searches go through Baidu. The Chinese-language search platform is one of the most visited websites in the world, with its traffic surpassed only by Google, YouTube and Facebook, according to Alexa Internet, which measures web d
If you believe the CEOs, a fully autonomous car could be only months away. In 2015, Elon Musk predicted a fully autonomous Tesla by 2018; so did Google. Delphi and MobileEye’s Level 4 system is currently slated for 2019, the same year Nutonomy plans to deploy thousands of driverless taxis on the streets of Singapore. GM will put a fully autonomous car into production in 2019, with no steering wheel or ability for drivers to intervene. There’s real money behind these predictions, bets made on the assumption that the software will be able to catch up to the hype. On its face, full autonomy seems closer than ever. Waymo is already testing cars on limited-but-public roads in Arizona. Tesla and a host of other imitators already sell a limited form of autopilot, counting on drivers to inte


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Gasoline not the only rising cost for beleaguered drivers
Repairs, rentals, parking getting more expensive
Published 10:00 pm, Sunday, May 25, 2008
WASHINGTON -- Does filling the gas tank leave your wallet empty and spirit sputtering? Get used to both, because almost everything car-related is costing more.
From oil changes to parking lot fees, sticker shock will make this summer even stickier.
Amber's frustration is common among consumers facing $4 a gallon for gasoline, $45 a day for car rentals that cost $31 last year and bigger bills from mechanics, tire shops and parking garages. Cost-fighting tactics are schizophrenic: vigilant tuneups to stave off new car purchases or bare-minimum crucial fixes combined with a hope-for-the-best mentality.
Fuel remains the single biggest expense for car owners over the lifetime of a vehicle at about 30 percent of costs, followed closely by depreciation and insurance. But the prices for maintenance and repairs, which combined account for less than 10 percent of an automobile's costs, are creeping up.
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"Purchases I'm making for our cars now are all driven by a preventative mentality," said Tony Farrell, a freelance writer in Richmond, Va., who has a 2001 minivan and a 20-year- old Honda. "A year ago, I would have let it run ragged. Now I want that car in good working order because I want it to last."
Mirwais Niaz, manager of a Midas franchise in Arlington, Va., said many customers are choosing the most basic repairs, trying to buy time and save for more expensive work.
The dollar's decreased value, which makes imports more expensive, is an important factor driving up prices for oil, steel and other raw materials used in auto parts, said Harry Veryser, an economist at the University of Detroit Mercy and former chairman of an automotive parts supplier.
One spot of relief is auto insurance. Rates have remained steady or fallen in many states because insurers are losing less money on claims and face competitive and regulatory pressures to avoid rate increases, said Donald Light, senior analyst for Celent in San Francisco. If high gasoline prices prompt less driving, accidents -- and insurance rates -- should drop further, Light said.
In big cities, it is more expensive to park. A survey by real estate services provider Collier's International found that daily parking rates rose in 2007 for the fourth consecutive year, a trend the company expects to continue in 2008.
But Benjamin Sann, founder of bestparking.com, a Web site that tracks rates in Boston, Manhattan, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., said more companies have dropped prices recently as they struggle to attract and keep business.


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A 2020 Makeover for The Luxury Fashion Industry
The luxury fashion industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 outbreak. Flagship stores and warehouses across the globe have been forced to temporarily close, while several landmark events in the fashion calendar are cancelled.
And with approximately half the world’s population under some form of lockdown, combined with widespread job cuts, designer clothing may not be many people’s priority for some time. Will the market be able to keep up its appearance?
How have luxury fashion brands responded so far?
Fashion houses around the world are responding to the pandemic in different ways – and it may not all be bad news.
The likes of Gucci and Saint Laurent have announced plans to abandon the fashion calendar’s traditional four seasons of production and shift towards creating fewer, more considered collections. As well as giving designers more room to breathe, it’s hoped that doing so will help slow the current pace of fashion consumption.
In Paris meanwhile, the tentative reopening of various high-profile stores suggests the luxury shopper experience could be reinvented.
Customers are now making online appointments for private, socially distanced tours delivered by the designers themselves.
A market reliant on China recovery
Despite some causes for optimism, the market’s Q1 losses cannot be ignored. Luxury conglomerates responsible for brands including
Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton have reported significant drops in revenue – which many analysts are attributing to lockdown in China. Chinese consumers account for a higher percentage of luxury purchases than any other nationality. Yet stores have been closed across the country and advertising pulled for much of 2020 so far.
A shrunken Chinese economy and reduced Chinese tourist travel to global fashion hotspots is bound to result in reduced spending in the short-term. While China’s economic recovery is expected sooner than most, luxury brands may need to look elsewhere to re-establish their financial position.
Why Taiwan shouldn’t be overlooked
Investors monitoring global markets with online brokers such as Tickmill may already have an eye on Taiwan’s increasingly high-performing economy.
Separated from China by a short distance over sea, the island nation has a thriving textiles industry and is home to the manufacturing operations of many international fashion brands. Its economy is growing at a faster rate than many of its Asian counterparts. Yet its super-rich consumers remain underestimated – despite already spending more on luxury goods than those in higher profile states such as Qatar.
The luxury fashion market would do well to turn its attentions to Taiwan in an effort to recover post-pandemic.


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H&E North examines why a luxury offering could be key to helping venues bounce back from the brink.
As the pandemic continues to rock the industry, luxury venues are one of the hospitality sectors that have been among the hardest hit. Over the peak summer season, some of the UK’s most prestigious hotels registered occupancy rates as low as 10.3%. However, in many respects, luxury venues are uniquely placed to weather the storm. Whether that is through better equipped facilities, a reputation for higher standards, or enhanced capacity to adapt, they may just have what it takes to coax reticent visitors through their doors. As the old adage goes, the cream may well rise to the top.
Scott Brown, Director of Sales in the north for INNSiDE by Melia – Meliá Hotels International’s “superior” segment of its global portfolio – feels the luxury hotel sector is uniquely challenged given the segmentation of its customers: “Generally group bookings make up a significant portion of their occupancy and if no groups over 30 can travel this rules out the majority of MICE business. In terms of the transient travel, corporates are either unable to travel or strongly advised not to and while leisure travellers can book, with limited cultural, sporting or dining options available then this is also stripped back considerably. The remaining travellers are those that need to travel and when travel is stripped back to its absolute necessity, then a luxury option is often not preferred.”
Maria Pajares is Managing Director of Mason Rose, a PR agency with 25 years’ experience working with luxury hotel and travel brands across globe. As venues across England strap-in for a nationwide lockdown for the month of November, she speculates what this could mean for an already challenged sector: “The trials and tribulations of a travel and hospitality sector in lockdown are sadly more than familiar to us all – limited or zero business, changing regulations, cashflow, staffing and jobs, not to mention the impact on morale and mental health.”
However, she believes luxury venues have used their amplified resources to respond with more speed and creativity to the crisis compared to their budget competitors: “Luxury hotels and venues already had high levels of cleanliness and have therefore been considered a ‘safe’ option for both leisure and corporate gatherings or escapes. While there was already an appreciation of this high level of hygiene among both corporate and leisure customers, many of these venues have uploaded detailed reinforced hygiene reports on their website which offers great comfort and security to users.”
Among the aspects unique to a luxury offering which have helped the industry pull through is the sheer space and abundance of private facilities. Where many hotels in the budget sector have been forced to close their communal spaces, such as indoor pools and spa areas, luxury hotels with private en-suite facilities have been able to maintain their luxury offering and uphold distancing where others simply can’t: “Hotels with separate accommodation have been able to offer the space and privacy that many have been looking for. Prior to the pandemic, we were witnessing an increase in desire for privacy and more and more hotels building standalone villas on their grounds – the current situation has only enhanced this further and we see this trend continuing into the future.”
Melia’s INNSiDE hotels are just one of the luxury brands which have adapted to the changing demands of the market. “We have certainly worked on our pivot!” says Scott. “We now offer ‘Workation’ packages for those who need a safe, isolated space to work. The current English lockdown notwithstanding, large outdoor heated spaces such as our new terrace at the INNSiDE Manchester lounge and grill certainly helps those who want to enjoy a cocktail or bite to eat, alone or as part of a business meeting do so safely and within regulations.”
Many venues are similarly welcoming a new type of customer, as with one of Maria’s overseas clients, Adriatic Luxury Hotels in Dubrovnik. This new target market is the international business person seeking to book an extended stay: “Croatia has become one of the first countries in the world to put in place a digital nomad visa for exactly this purpose. We have heard from various hotels in different parts of Europe that they have been welcoming corporate guests for extended stays, combining an escape with the potential to work, given the ease with which business can be conducted from a luxury hotel with high speed Wi-Fi and all the latest technology that may be required.”
As many of us seek something to look forward to in order to get us through these dark times, Scott considers luxury venues to be far better placed to capitalise on the resurgence of bookings once the end of the pandemic is in sight: “I think that ultimately the desire for a luxury experience, somewhere to escape, to relax, to dine, to enjoy will be even more needed following the challenges we have all faced. I really do see a pent-up demand for people to get back to enjoying fulfilled experiences and hotels in the luxury category certainly offer that.”
Maria sees many venues using this opportunity to rethink how their businesses can come out of this even stronger: “The whole community has looked to the future, focusing on issues such as reconfiguring spaces and experiences, rethinking brand messaging and tackling sustainability. While there is no doubt the next six months will continue to be extremely challenging for so many of us working in the industry, we believe that we have come together as a community like never before. We believe that the luxury travel market will bounce back, and perhaps as a more refined, considered version of its previous self.”


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In a recent announcement, Apple CEO Steve Jobs indicated that iTunes is now the leading retailer of music, jumping ahead of Amazon.com, Walmart and Target. Previously, Best Buy and Napster were both competitors and both competing for the top spot along with iTunes. But now, both companies agree that there’s a better chance to beat Apple if the two combined into one service.
According to Napster’s CEO Chris Gorog, the company is more than excited to combine with Best Buy.
"This is a very natural and appropriate time for Napster to lever up our position in the industry with a strategic bear hug from such a powerful partner," said Gorog, referring to Best Buy.
While the Napster brand is no longer deeply associated with music sharing as it use to be back in the late 90’s, the brand still has a strong loyal following, especially for legally downloaded music. Napster indicated that it has roughly 700,000 paying subscribers, but it’s stock price eroded recently from threats of hostile takeovers from outside firms.
With the Best Buy acquisition, most of Napster’s employees will remain. Gorog and other key members of Napster’s staff have already signed employment agreements with Best Buy.


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The mobile network provider has released a campaign claiming to offer the fastest data service, as it launches 4G service across the country.
Bharti Airtel became the talk of the town as it announced the nationwide roll-out of 4G services on August 6, becoming the first network provider in the country to do so. An ad for the service was released on the same day too. 'The Airtel Challenge', as the name suggests, projects Airtel 4G as being the fastest network and throws open a challenge to existing data service providers. The ad has been created by Taproot Dentsu.
Designed as a face-off battle, the ad places two competitors (women) on a building's rooftop amidst an excited crowd, where they perform various mobile data related tasks like web searches and downloads. One contender is significantly quicker than the other because she uses the Airtel 4G network, as discovered later in the ad. It ends with a challenge for the viewers, proposing that if they find a swifter network, their mobile bills will be paid for, life-long.
On being asked why the ad only highlights speed and not pricing, he says, "We had to choose one and, over several rounds of discussions, it was felt that speed would be the key differentiator for the launch phase."
While the print leg of the campaign is ongoing, through advertisements in daily newspapers, the main video is available in three cuts, a 100-seconder for the digital medium and two 65-second spots for TV. Besides, the campaign is also being executed through radio and point-of-sale advertising. The creatives have been executed by Equinox Films.
While the ad gives a tier II town feel with connected rooftops and other visual aspects, it is actually shot in Old Delhi, near Jama Masjid. Manoj Shroff, producer, Equinox Films, says, "We wanted to give it a modern setting, in a quaint sort of place. In fact, the idea was to make it look like a Brazilian town."
The service will be available in 14 circles and 296 towns. The company has also tied up with online marketplace Flipkart to provide an Airtel 4G sim with a 4G phone purchase and with mobile giant Samsung.
Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO, Bharti Airtel, India & South Asia, said on the launch of the service, "At Airtel, the customer is at the heart of everything we do and, therefore, we first opened our 4G network to some of them for their valuable feedback. With the help of the feedback received from the beta launches, we have now built India's first commercial 4G network that will make high-speed mobile broadband a reality."
Vodafone, another major player in the telecom sector, has, meanwhile, halved the rates for its 3G service, post Airtel's 4G announcement. The brand has also released a commercial for the scheme.
Mahuya Chaturvedi, managing partner, Cogito Consulting, FCB Ulka, feels that the brand fails to provide enough incentive to consumers to switch to 4G. "The ad is unidirectional; focussing on the speed and the challenge, and does not talk about how 4G technology can be transformational to lives. As a consumer, I do not feel that I am missing out on a lot by not using 4G," she comments.
She adds that a brand that can show the difference this already hyped technology will make, will lead the category.


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Related Group secured a $91.3 million construction loan for Solemar, an oceanfront condo project it broke ground on in May.
Records show an affiliate of the Coconut Grove-based developer secured the financing for the Pompano Beach development from Toronto-based CIBC Bank.
Related launched sales of the 105-unit, 20-story project at 1116 North Ocean Boulevard a year ago. It is now 95 percent presold, according to a spokesperson. Nick Pérez, a vice president at his father’s firm, is leading the project alongside his brother, Jon Paul Pérez, who is president of Related. Solemar marked the first project that Related launched sales of since 2016 and it will be the second new development to be built on the beach in Pompano since Sabbia Beach was delivered in 2018.
Units are averaging about $800 per square foot. Related Realty is handling sales, with prices that started at $1.3 million for two-bedroom units on the lower floors of the building. Units range from 2,000 square feet to 2,600 square feet, and the three penthouses will span 4,600 square feet.
Fortune International Group and GT Homes USA are among the developers with oceanfront projects in the pipeline. A year ago, Fortune paid $27.5 million for a large site where it’s planning two luxury condo towers. On a smaller scale, GT Homes is working on completing a boutique townhouse development.
Related was one of the first developers to begin selling condo projects during the pandemic. The market has bounced back, in part due to a very limited supply of high-end homes.


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People have been warned to be on their guard for fraudsters posing as someone from their bank or building society's fraud investigation team.
The warning comes from Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA), whose recent research has highlighted the rise in telephone scammers trying to deceive people into revealing confidential personal and financial information.
The fraud watchdog estimates this type of fraud has cost victims a whopping £7 million over the last year.
The scam, known as vishing, involves a fraudster making a phone call to an unsuspecting victim, posing as someone from a bank or building society, the police or another legitimate organisation such as a telephone or internet provider.
Usually an automated telephone system will call the victim, and once they pick up the fraudster typically claims that the victim's credit or debit card has been cloned and they need to take urgent action by handing over their card details.
In some cases, scammers have then gone on to empty victims' bank accounts within hours.
Findings from the FFA study reveal one in ten people (39%) admitted they found it challenging to tell the difference between a genuine and fraudulent call.
Fraudsters are increasingly coming up with more devious ways to steal your money.
Remember, a bank or building society will never request your four digit card PIN or come to your home to collect cash, a payment card or cheque book.
So follow these tips to prevent fraudsters from stealing your financial information:
If you think you have been a victim of fraud contact your bank or building society immediately.
How to complain to a financial services provider
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Nike has redesigned the women's part of its flagship shop in London, showing plus-size mannequins.
Nike, one of the largest manufacturers of sportswear, has pleased many consumers by presenting a plus-size mannequin in its flagship store on Oxford Street in London. Now, in the women's department of the outlet, visitors can see a female mannequin of large shapes, dressed in a black sports bra and leggings, with arms raised above her head.
The dummy appeared two years after the company introduced a collection of large sizes. And today, Nike - perhaps the first major brand to present such mannequins. However, the manufacturer is not alone in such matters. So, earlier this year, big mannequins appeared in retail outlets Old Navy and Nordstrom. Also, more and more manufacturers of very different clothes are striving to include models of large sizes in new collections.
The problem of non-standard sizes is much more acute than it seems at first glance. Thus, according to research firm Plunkett Research, more than half of adult American women (67%) wear large-sized clothes. So, without paying any attention to this market, ignoring sizes that do not correspond to the standard canons of fashion, manufacturers lose consumers and additional revenues.
Custom size rulers have already been introduced by brands such as Target, Forever 21, Aerie, and Reformation. For example, last year, Target received a lot of praise for collaborating with Victoria Beckham in creating her large-size Ava & Viv clothing line. A company Reformation, releasing a collection of Reformation x Ali Tate Cutler, said customers: "Sorry, that we take so long." Walmart is also not lagging - last year, the network announced the purchase of Eloquii, a brand engaged in fashionable clothing of large sizes for women.


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Japan's NKK Buys More of National Steel
By JONATHAN P. HICKS
Published: April 26, 1990
National Intergroup Inc., which owns 50 percent of the National Steel Corporation, said yesterday that it had agreed to sell all but 10 percent of the steel company to the NKK Corporation of Japan.
NKK, based in Tokyo, already owns the other half of National Steel. If the deal is completed, the Japanese steel giant would own 90 percent of the nation's sixth-largest steel producer. National Intergroup, based in Pittsburgh, has for years indicated its desire to get out of the metals business and has been looking for a buyer for the remainder of the steel company.
Leading Drug Distributor
Apart from the 10 percent stake in National Steel, which National Intergroup said it would keep, the move will leave the company as a leading pharmaceuticals distributor. National Intergroup owns the Foxmeyer Drug Company, the nation's third-largest drug wholesaler, and Ben Franklin Stores Inc., a supplier of general merchandise to more than 1,100 franchised variety and craft stores and drugstores.
The company last month disposed of its remaining interest in the National Aluminum Corporation when its sold its half ownership in an aluminum smelter operation in Kentucky.
Under the two-step transaction with NKK, National Intergroup will sell 20 percent of National Steel to the Japanese steel producer for about $147 million. National Intergroup will then exchange 20 percent of National Steel's common stock for a new issue of preferred stock. The company said that half the preferred shares would be redeemed five years from the date on which they were issued and that the balance would be redeemable 10 years later.
In a telephone interview, Howard M. Love, National Intergroup's chairman, said the NKK agreement represented the company's long-term strategy of focusing on the drug-distribution business and away from the more cyclical metals business.
''This is a definite step forward for the company,'' he said. ''It's not an immediate exit from steel, but it's a good exit. It gets us out of metals and puts some cash into the steel operation.''
Denies Centaur Link
Mr. Love denied that the timing of the agreement had to do with a proxy battle involving National Intergroup and Centaur Partners L.P., a group of dissident shareholders who control 16.5 percent of National Intergroup. The group has asserted that the company's stock has been substantially undervalued. The group has estimated that liquidating National Intergroup would yield $29.34 a share.
The Centaur group is led by Abbey J. Butler, a New York money manager, and two Washington financiers, Melvyn J. Estrin and Charles P. Abod. The group is seeking to get its slate of directors elected at the company's annual meeting in July.
Steven J. Matthews, a Centaur spokesman, said that the action was not unexpected and that it was ''consistent with Centaur's evaluation of the company, and it does not change their plans for the company at all.''
On the New York Stock Exchange, National Intergroup was up 25 cents yesterday, closing at $15.375.
National Intergroup said the transaction was expected to result in a $13 million charge in its first quarter, which ends on June 30, to reflect the market value of the preferred shares and the expenses related to the transaction.


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On May 12, FRONTLINE aired “The Trouble with Chicken,” an investigation into an outbreak of salmonella Heidelberg at one of the nation’s largest poultry processors. With chicken consumption at an all-time high and more severe illnesses stemming from this product than any other meat, the hour-long PBS documentary questioned why our food safety system is not doing more to prevent these dangerous infections.
The most effective way out of this vicious cycle is to go to the source of the problem: sickening environments and sick animals. In a HuffPost Live conversation with Frontline Correspondent David Hoffman, the ASPCA’s Senior Manager of Farm Animal Welfare, Daisy Freund, stated, “when you’re talking about food safety, we have to go back to the farms and talk about how these animals are living.”
Chickens today are raised in crowded, barren, windowless sheds where disease can run rampant, and are bred to grow four times faster than they did sixty years ago. As long as chickens are raised in such unhealthy factory farm environments, they will continue to suffer and pose serious risks to consumers from foodborne illnesses.
The FRONTLINE documentary shows that federal agencies tasked with protecting the public are hampered by a culture that defers to industry and takes a reactive approach to addressing these issues. That is why the ASPCA is calling on advocates who care about animal welfare and consumer safety to demand better from the chicken industry through our Truth About Chicken campaign.
Last Tuesday the ASPCA’s farm animal welfare campaign testified to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), the committee that advises the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on its Organic rules.
The ASPCA asked the Board to examine the problem of fast, unhealthy growth among USDA Organic birds raised for meat (“broiler” chickens and turkeys). Like conventionally raised birds, most organic birds are bred for unsustainable growth that causes massive suffering (including difficulty standing and walking). You can read more on our Truth About Chicken website, which shines a spotlight on these horrendous and largely hidden problems.
The USDA looks to the NOSB for suggestions on how to improve to its rules, so it is critical that the NOSB encourages the USDA to restrict the use of fast-growing, unhealthy birds.
In the coming months, we will need your help in urging the NOSB to act. If you join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, we will let you know as soon as those opportunities arise. In the meantime, please spread the word about the need for better standards for USDA Organic animals!
Yesterday Tyson Foods, Inc. announced that it will phase out the practice of feeding antibiotics to the broiler chickens it produces when those antibiotics are also used for human medicine. Tyson joins other companies including Perdue, McDonald's, and Chick-fil-A that have recently made similar statements.
While it is great that companies are responding to consumer concerns about the very real public health issue of drug resistance, removing antibiotics without improving living conditions on farms is like taking off a bandage and leaving an open wound exposed.
Chicken companies have relied on antibiotics to counteract the disease that runs rampant in today’s crowded, filthy industrial farms. Bred to grow four times as fast as chickens grew 60 years ago, today’s chickens have weak immune systems, suffer from high rates of lameness and often spend most of their lives lying in their own waste. Removing antibiotics without addressing these animal welfare issues leaves animals vulnerable to disease and could increase consumers’ exposure to foodborne bacteria.
That is why the ASPCA has joined the Center for Food Safety to call on the chicken industry to fulfill its responsibility to consumers and animals by providing more space, better sanitation and lower stress for birds in tandem with this reduction of antibiotics. Consumers are demanding not just safer products but higher animal welfare on industrial farms, and the two are inextricably linked. If you want to demand more humanely raised chicken where you shop, fill out our supermarket request card today!
As Big Ag continues its efforts to conceal the truth about how animals suffer on factory farms, the ASPCA and advocates continue our counterattack to protect the public’s right to know what goes on there.
"Ag-gag" bills, conceived and pushed by the agricultural industry to criminalize undercover investigations on factory farms, have been introduced in nearly half of all U.S. states. These measures are intended to silence factory farm whistleblowers—removing protection from vulnerable animals who need it and giving it to powerful corporations who hide behind it.
Last week, we launched #OpenTheBarns, a rallying cry of advocates representing interests as diverse as animal welfare, food safety, workers’ rights, environmental protection, and civil liberties.
On Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media avenues, groups like Food and Water Watch, the Government Accountability Project, the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project, and the National Consumers League are sharing their reasons to #OpenTheBarns.
Because food workers fill our plates, and they deserve a voice #OpenTheBarns
Even some farmers are part of the movement, because those who have nothing to fear have nothing to hide. They include Maryland’s Carole Morison, the whistle-blowing chicken farmer who was featured in the documentary Food Inc.; Georgia farmer and American Grassfed Alliance vice president Will Harris; and Oregon farmer and Socially Responsible Agriculture CEO Kendra Kimbiraskas.
Average Americans are also speaking their minds, because these issues matter to them. In a 2012 poll, 94 percent of the American public agreed that "from every step of their lives on a farm, farm animals should be treated in a way that inflicts the least amount of pain and suffering possible." In the same poll, 71 percent of American adults said they support undercover investigative efforts to expose farm animal abuse on industrial farms, and 64 percent opposed making such investigations illegal.
In a 2014 poll, 81 percent of consumers said that chickens—the farm animals most often raised for food—should be humanely raised. That alone covers 9 billion animals.
Celebrities and Members of Congress are also adding their voices to the dialogue, including Portia de Rossi, Martha Stewart, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).
One reason this alliance is so large is that animal abuse isn’t the only unethical activity Big Ag is trying to keep secret. Documented investigations of factory farms have revealed unsafe conditions that endanger workers, shoddy food safety practices that put consumers at risk, and practices that ravage our environment. Ag-gag legislation can even shield puppy mills, which can fall under the category of “agricultural activity” in some states.
Whistleblower revelations play an important part in reforming corrupt institutions. Decades of undercover investigations—the very kind these ag-gag laws are trying to suppress—have led directly to critical milestones including the passage of the federal Meat Inspection Act, the Pure Food and Drug Act, and the eventual establishment of the federal Food and Drug Administration. They have also led to reform in corporate practices and criminal liability.
A broad coalition of advocates, including the ASPCA, has helped defeat more than two dozen ag-gag bills to date. Despite this, Big Ag is showing no signs of letting up. There’s just too much money to be made.
In the first few months of the 2015 legislative session, ag-gag laws have been introduced in nine states, most recently North Carolina, where ag-gag proponents are making their third try in three years.
We have to keep fighting these laws and exposing their motives, for the welfare of the animals, but also for our right to know the ultimate price truly being paid for the food on our plates.
So please add your own voice to the #OpenTheBarns campaign, and tell the agricultural industry that animal cruelty—anywhere, for any reason—demands sunlight, not secrecy.
Chicken Scratch is an ASPCA Blog feature that highlights interesting news about farm animals and farm animal welfare.
A new investigative piece by online media company Fusion brings us behind the normally closed doors of America’s chicken industry, thanks to one fed-up farmer. The six-part series, which can be viewed here, reveals the inhumane, unhealthy conditions that define modern poultry factory farming deeply affect farmers as well as birds. “Producers” like Craig Watts disagree with the way they are forced to raise chickens, but fear of retribution by the big poultry companies has kept them silent—until now.
When Fusion investigative correspondent Mariana Van Zeller enters one of Watts’ poultry sheds for the first time, she is struck by its size and the stench of ammonia. As Watts says, the math is easy enough: 30,000 birds in a 20,000-square-foot shed means each bird has less than one square foot of floor space. With nowhere to move and fast-growth genetics that leave them struggling to carry their own weight, many birds develop raw, open sores on their undersides from languishing in their own waste.
These conditions are designed for maximum profit for the poultry companies, but they have profound consequences on the well-being of animals and the farmers. The poultry industry estimates a 3-5% mortality rate in broiler chickens on farms. That means more than 260 million birds die before they go to slaughter each year.
Although large poultry companies set the birds’ living conditions and have created crippling breed traits, it’s the farmers who are responsible for culling the sick and deformed animals. When Van Zeller asks Watts how he feels having to euthanize so many birds every day, he responds that it is “disheartening on two levels. One, having to do this to a live animal. And two, that I know it’s going to hurt me financially.”
The ASPCA is committed to improving the lives of chickens raised on farms across this country. If you are concerned about this issue and want to request that products from healthier, more humanely raised animals be sold in your local stores, take action at TruthAboutChicken.org today.


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Nasser Abdel Aal, the former minister of tourism’s consultant on Asia, has said that Egypt's tourism sector is aiming to achieve a target of 1 million Chinese tourists per year within the next five years.
The number of Chinese tourists visiting Egypt each year has grown at an unprecedented rate, Abdel Aal told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
A typical growth rate for tourists of a certain nationality to any country is about 3-4 percent annually, he said. But Egypt witnessed a 20-30 percent increase in Chinese visitors last year, suggesting a boom is in progress.
Abdel Aal revealed that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Egypt so far in 2016 is around 170,000, which is 80-85 percent more than for the same period in 2015.
He predicted that by the start of 2017, that number will have increased to around 200,000.
However, so far, it is not clear whether the stated five-year target of 1 million Chinese visitors is an official government target, or merely a number favoured by industry figures.
Egypt and China have been enjoying a smooth political relationship of late, including improved social relations, Abdel Aal said. He explained that China is an economic superpower with a great vision where economic growth is concerned, and that so far, the Chinese government has displayed a great willingness to work with Egypt.
Chinese tourists spend an average of US$92 per day while in Egypt, said the consultant, and they are more interested in historic and cultural destinations, such as monuments and historic quarters in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Alexandria, cities that have seen reduced tourist numbers since 2009.
Chinese tourists are also likely to boost business in the Red Sea region and Hurghada, with many interested in leisure pursuits, such as water sports and desert safaris. The average age of Chinese visitors is 35-40, meaning many are still seeking physically demanding holiday activities.
At present, charter flights connect Egypt with four different Chinese cities, making the trip between the two countries relatively simple.


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As the frontier of industrial development continues to drive the demand for developable land in Florida, Colliers negotiated the sale of the Borden Dairy Co./Velda Farms dairy processing facility at 501 NE 181st St in Miami for $21.75 million.
Colliers South Florida’s Executive Managing Director Steven Wasserman and Managing Director Erin Byers represented the buyer, CP Logistics Miami 95 LLC., in the transaction. Harold Ginsberg from Southern Asset Service Corporation represented the seller, New Dairy Florida, LLC., in the transaction. In this highly competitive industrial real estate sales market, the buyer signed the purchase and sales agreement and closed the same day.
“This transaction showcases how developers are getting more creative with purchasing sites, often looking for properties that can be demolished or rebuilt,” said Wasserman. “This site provided a strategic location with I-95 frontage that was optimal for redevelopment.”
The buyer, CP Logistics Miami 95, LLC., also known as Panattoni Development, has plans to redevelop the site into a 126,000-square-foot Class A warehouse by late 2023. The current tenant for the past 50 years, Borden Dairy, will vacate the site for redevelopment.
“This purchase reflects the strength of Florida’s industrial sector and the tremendous demand from developers and tenants for more space,” said Byers. “The market continues to thrive from robust interest from developers looking to build.”
Panattoni Development is a privately held commercial real estate development company specializing in industrial, office and build-to-suit projects. Panattoni has successfully developed more than 544 million square feet of industrial, office and retail space in more than 310 cities.
Favorable market fundamentals driven by population growth and a relentless demand for industrial space has heightened investor attention in Miami-Dade County reflected by record-breaking industrial sales activity in 2021. With high absorption rates expected to continue, coupled with land scarcity and a current vacancy rate of 2.7 percent, investors and developers are looking for new opportunities within existing warehouse sites that are prime for redevelopment.
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Australia’s Covid-19 restrictions will be relaxed under a three-step framework which is intended to reopen the country by July.
Prime Minister Scott Morisson and his chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy presented the plan today during a press conference.
“Success is not being able to stand up every day and say there’s three cases or 12 cases or 18 cases,” Morrison said, “Not when you’ve got a million people out of work.”
How the plan would be implemented has been left to the country’s eight state and territory governments as deemed appropriate to the local outbreak.
Restrictions imposed six weeks ago have crippled the Australian economy, caused unemployment to skyrocket to 10 percent, and the gross domestic product (GDP) which is expected to contract 6 percent by the end of the year.
The plan involves re-opening the economy in three stages, which will largely be focused on the number of people involved.
Covers all businesses, activities and social gatherings with a 10-person limit. Retail stores, cafes and restaurants will be able to reopen.
It allows for:
- Up to 5 visitors to private homes
- Up to 10 people gathering in public for non-work purposes
- Up to 10 guests at a wedding, in addition to the couple
- Up to 10 attendees for religious gatherings
- Up to 20 mourners to an indoor funeral, and 30 if outdoors
Employees would continue to work from home if suitable. Food courts would remain closed.
At this stage, there is a 20-person limit with similar measures to step one. Cinemas, galleries, and zoos will be allowed to have up to 20 patrons. Gyms, beauty parlours and amusement parks will be permitted to reopen.
Though a 100 person limit is imposed, this stage is closer to what is considered “normalcy”. Most workers will be back in their workplaces.
Restaurants, cafes, food courts, cinemas and other entertainment facilities, weddings and funerals will be allowed to host up to 100 people. Clubs, pubs and gaming venues will be permitted to reopen.
Restrictions on interstate travel will be lifted and movement between Australia and New Zealand, and some Pacific Island countries will be permitted. However, international travel restrictions are expected to remain in place.
The plan can be downloaded here.
Australia has reduced the growth rate of new daily infections from around 20 percent last month to less than 0.5 percent. Overall, there have been 6,896 cases in the country. There have been 97 fatalities.
The country’s population of 25.7 million has been placed on home lock down with movement restricted to essential shopping for food supplies, medical needs, school or work. Groups were limited to two people.


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A Medical Device Daily
Baxter Healthcare (Deerfield, Illinois) said it has acknowledged a recall classification by the FDA for drug infusion pumps to comply with the regulatory process to eventually get the devices back on the market.
Last Thursday, Baxter said the FDA classified a letter it sent to customers in December 2005 as a Class I recall – the FDA's most serious recall, which is issued when a product poses the potential for serious injury or death.
The company sent that letter to update information on problems experienced with its Colleague volumetric infusion pump.
The letter cited problems of battery undercharging, false alarms, gearbox wear, underinfusion of drugs, and instances where clogs in the device were not detected.
Baxter said the FDA recall does not require the return of devices on the market. The company said it received a report of one death possibly from an undercharged battery, and one death that may be from interrupted therapy due to a false alarm.
Baxter said it has filed a 510(k) marketing clearance application with the FDA that addresses the problems in the December letter, with the hope of reintroducing the pumps back onto the market.
Problems with the pumps began to surface last year when the company alerted customers that battery problems with the pumps may have caused four deaths and 10 serious injuries, and stopped shipments of the pumps. The company started to correct difficulties with the pump, and issued another product alert in March after reports of software glitches that may have contributed to three deaths and six serious injuries. The FDA responded by classifying the actions as Class I recalls in September and July, respectively.
Then, in October, the FDA seized nearly 7,000 infusion pumps from Baxter's inventory after the agency had determined the company had not dealt properly with product recalls.
In all the recall classifications, returning devices to Baxter has not been required.
The company said there are about 250,000 Colleague infusion pumps currently in use, including 206,000 distributed in the U.S.
In 2005, the company established a reserve for remediation costs associated with the Colleague pump, including those identified in the Dec. 13 customer notification.


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New Delhi: India and United States have signed a joint Declaration of Intent for cooperation in the field of Information & Communications Technology and Electronics (ICTE). The Joint Declaration was signed by the Secretary, Department of Electronics & IT, RS Sharma, and the US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, in New Delhi on January 23.
Speaking to media, the Secretary, Department of Electronics & IT said that this is likely increase partnership for the ‘Digital India’ programme, electronic manufacturing, cyber security and several other such related fields between two countries. He added that at the Indo US Joint working Group meeting on ICT held at Washington last week, several US companies has expressed interest for their participation in India.
The US Ambassador expressing happiness hoped that this declaration would further strengthen cooperation between industries of both the countries in the sector.
This Joint Declaration of intent made for a period of next five years would help in strengthening industrial, technological, research & innovation and economic cooperation between India and US in the ICTE sector. It would also lead to US companies exploring opportunities for collaboration in India’s ambitious Digital India programme, Electronics manufacturing and Human Resource Development, through cooperation among private and public entities in a focused manner under the umbrella of the ongoing India-US ICT Dialogue.
On this occasion, reference was made to the deliberations at India US ICT Working Group meeting held in Washington, DC, during January 14-15, 2015. It was agreed at this meeting to continue to explore the opportunities for collaboration on implementing India’s ambitious Digital India initiative, with the goal of enhancing digital infrastructure, deploying e-governance and e-services, and expanding the diffusion and use of ICT as a tool to expand economic opportunities, boost productivity, create jobs, and empower citizens.
Besides, broad agreement was also reached on the importance of policies that promote innovation in the ICT sector, facilitate the flow of data across borders, and foster the global and open nature of the Internet as a platform for economic growth.
Sharma also said that Visa issue relating to Indian IT professionals should be treated as an issue relating to trade in services and not as an immigration issue.
Kerala IT News


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Promo Affiliates Lead The Way With Promotional Codes
Promo Affiliates has been taking the internet by storm as a promotional affiliate marketing company! In the most recent news they appeared on TechCrunch as one of the #1 ways to help you get your startup’s name, promotional materials and information out there.
While we’ve all heard stories of that one person racking up thousands of dollars in referral credits for startups like Uber and Lyft, there haven’t been many businesses focused on generating revenue solely by sharing other startup’s promo codes. In addition, the team has reportedly been able to quit there day jobs and focus on getting those promo codes out there . How exactly are they doing it though?
As discussed in the article by TechCrunch Promo Affiliates uses in-person and online marketing campaigns for platform giants like; Lyft, Uber, Drizly, Postmates and more. There campaigns consist of finding brand ambassadors, search engine optimization, and face to face contact
Lead by C.E.O Aaron Leupp, Promo Affiliates has become a centerpiece in the affiliate marketing industry. Setting the bar high for everyone was no accident Aaron reports. We love being the first line of contact for startups everywhere!
Interested in working for Promo Affiliates? You can now apply here!


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REA Group has just announced the appointment of Arthur Charlaftis as general manager of sales and operations, effective 8 August.
The company says Charlaftis has extensive experience in sales and relationship management with major accounts and SME retail, medical and pharmaceutical companies. His previous role was vice president of primary care and stiefel at GlaxoSmithKline, where he was responsible for the commercial sales and marketing team of 250 people across a portfolio in excess of $400 million.
"I am pleased to welcome Arthur as part of my leadership team," says Greg Ellis, REA Group's CEO and managing director. "He joins a successful sales team where he will use his proven sales leadership experience to build greater relationships with our customers and deliver greater value to the real estate industry.”
This is the fifth new hire at REA Group this year, following on from Adam Joseph, Paul Simos as general manager of strategy, Simone Carroll as general manager of human resources, and Jennifer Macdonald as CFO. These hires come after a string of staff changes at REA Group over the past two years, which has included the departures of the company's Australian CEO, general manager of international business, CFO, and international sales operations manager.


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Taiwanese company to export bananas and pineapples to Japan
Taiwanís Mitagri Co on Friday signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Japanís Farmind Corp, with the aim of exporting Taiwanese bananas, pineapples and other agricultural products to Japan.
Mitagriís chariman Chen Yu-jan signed the LOI with Farmindís representative in Tokyo, while the Council of Agriculture (COA) Deputy Minister Chen Chi-chung also attended the ceremony as a witness.
Japan exports about 40,000 tonnes of fruit per year, 65 percent of which is exported to Taiwan, Chen said, adding that the two nations could become complementary trade partners given that they produce varied fruits in different seasons.
The two companies agreed to purchase up to US$89.43 million of each otherís produce over five years, COA Department of International Affairs Deputy Director-General Lin Chia-jung said.
Meanwhile, the council on Thursday announced that the nation is to halt the imports of apples from South Africa, as a highly procreative pest, the codling moth, was found in an imported apple.
A total of 1,176 boxes of apples, about 21,462kg, are to be returned to South Africa or destroyed, depending on the exporterís decision, Feng said.
Publication date: 10/16/2017
© 2018 FreshPlaza. All rights reserved.


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All Dozers Articles
Company unveils new products and targets ‘highly competitive’ North American market
UK equipment rental company upgrades fleet with 130 new machines
New D6 promises new levels of performance and up to 35% better fuel efficiency
Chinese company Shantui has unveiled its full range of hydrostatic bulldozers
Power, productivity, uptime – finding earthmoving equipment that maximises all three is never going to be an easy task. Mike Hayes reports
Shantui has used the BICES exhibition in Beijing, China to unveil its first ever GPS machine controlled dozer, the DH17R.
Dressta is taking aim at the US and Canadian markets with a new range of small hydrostatic dozers which will come out later this year
TD9 compact dozer range to be launched after extensive North American trials, with customer feedback influencing the final design
New product will deliver high performance and reduced fuel costs, says company
Version of the SD16 will be presented with a view to sales in Europe, while fully hydrostatic machines will also be on display
Liebherr’s plant in Telfs, Austria, is busy renewing its offering, with more Stage IV-compliant dozers and an expanded range of telescopic handlers
PR 754 Litronic 40 tonne class machines to be used for dam and flood defence construction by Turkey’s Ministry for Water Resources.
Manufacturer to showcase 24 machines at ConExpo-Con/AGG 2014, including line of intelligent machine control-equipped dozers and new Tier 4 Final equipment
Construction equipment manufacturer showcases 21 tonne class SYT70, with load-sensing hydraulics
New bulldozer and wheeled loader to be unveiled at BICES exhibition in China
Two heavily modified D6Ns will help Sir Ranulph Fiennes cross Antarctica in winter. Two engineers from Finning will join the six-strong expedition party.


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Bulgaria's economy is expected to continue its recovery on a quarterly comparison basis in the last quarter of 2020 and in the first quarter of 2021 provided that anti-coronavirus restrictions do not tighten further, the central bank said.
"If the assumptions of no rise in the number of people infected with COVID-19 and no subsequent tightening of anti-epidemic measures realise, which otherwise will encourage households and companies to increase savings, in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 the trend toward a recovery in the quarter-on-quarter economic activity is expected to be sustained," the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) said in a quarterly economic review published on Tuesday.
The country's real gross domestic product (GDP), however, is expected to remain below its pre-pandemic level in the review period, the central bank noted.
Bulgaria's GDP fell by an annual 5.2% in the third quarter of this year, following an 8.6% decrease in the second quarter and rose 4.3% quarter-on-quarter, after a 10.1% drop in the previous quarter, according to the most recent data published by the National Statistical Institute (NSI).
In the previous edition of its quarterly study, the central bank said that it expects the country's economy to contract by an annual 5.5% in 2020, before expanding by 4% next year.
At the end of last month, the government approved an extension of the state of epidemic emergency introduced over the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic until the end of January 2021. Starting November 27, all restaurants, gyms, shopping malls and casinos have shut down while attendance at universities, schools, kindergartens, and nurseries is suspended. The measures are expected to be eased as of December 21.
Inflation is expected to decelerate further In the fourth quarter of 2020, compared with August, before accelerating in the first quarter of next year, the central bank said.
"In the context of decreasing oil prices on an annual basis, energy products are expected to have the largest negative contribution to the overall inflation," the BNB noted.
According to the financial institution, core inflation is expected to increase gradually in the beginning of 2021, reflecting the continued recovery of private consumption.
In line with the indications from the international environment of recovery of global economic activity, the annual rate of decline in the external demand for Bulgarian goods and services is expected to moderate by the end of 2020 and in the beginning of 2021, the central bank also said.
The external demand forecast is based on the assumption of addressing a potential increase in new coronavirus cases globally and in Bulgaria in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 through containment measures that would not have such a negative effect as the measures launched in the first half of 2020, the BNB explained.
"Over the last quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 we expect the generation of precautionary savings by economic agents to continue to boost relatively high growth rate of banking system deposits, while the annual growth of loans to the non-government sector is expected to moderate further," the BNB also said.


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At least 100 exhibitors and over 1,000 hospitality professionals are set to gather at the SMX Convention Center from 2 to 5 August for the much anticipated The Hotel Show Philippines.
The Hotel Show Philippines, newly introduced and cloned from the highly regarded The Hotel Show Dubai will gather international exhibitors and hospitality professionals looking to meet new suppliers and source alternative products and services for the hotel, restaurant, leisure and food service industry.
“With accelerating hospitality tourism, construction and leisure industries in the Philippines, The Hotel Show Manila offers a diverse and pioneering experience for both exhibitors and visitors wanting to connect, network and do business,” organizers said.
Baby de Luna Landan, corporate planning and business development officer of the Tourism Promotions Board, was quoted by organizers as saying that the event is being brought to Manila at an opportune time as the country maintains its economic momentum.
“The continuous growth of tourism arrivals has helped propel the projected growth of Metro Manila hotels in the next three years,” Landan said.
Joey Bondoc, research manager at Colliers International, was also quoted as saying that The Hotel Show Philippines “is a fitting opportunity to highlight the growing hotel and leisure opportunities in the Philippines.
The Hotel Show Philippines will be co-located with the World Food Expo (WOFEX) organised by PEPTarsus, the largest food show in the Philippines which will turn 17 next year. Together, they will provide the biggest food and hospitality platform in the country’s history, occupying its two largest venues, namely the World Trade Center Metro Manila and SMX Convention Center.
“Tailored for the Philippine market, The Hotel Show Philippines will be based on dmg events’ successful The Hotel Show Dubai. The Hotel Show Dubai yearly gathers international exhibitors to showcase their hospitality products for restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels, to cite a few. Bringing the Dubai show’s undisputed legacy and giving it a local flavor, we are confident that the Philippine version of our highly popular brand will attract the same level of local and global interest and attention,” said Andy Stuart, Vice President, dmg events MEAA.
The upcoming opening the geo-cloned hospitality event in the Southeast Asian nation forms part of dmg events’ expansion strategy aimed at widening the scope and establishing its presence in key international markets. – BusinessNewsAsia.com


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'Direct messages now sync across all your devices,' says Twitter
Twitter has announced a handful of new updates to its social platform today, including synchronization for direct messages and new features in search. Twitter says the new features will roll out "gradually" and that you'll need the latest version of the app — which is just now being pushed to Google Play — in order to take advantage of them.
In addition to giving you access to all your DMs across all your devices, Twitter user search has been updated to include full biographies and related user accounts. Accounts in searches now appear as large blocks with additional info, and you can swipe to the left to view similar users.
The new features are live in Twitter version 4.1.2 for Android, which is now available on the Google Play Store. You can grab it from the link above.
Source: Official Twitter blog
Samsung's foldable Galaxy Z Flip fully revealed in high-quality renders
Samsung's second folding phone — the Galaxy Z Flip — has been showcased in a bunch of new renders. We now have a clear vision of what the gadget looks like, and what features it'll bring to the table.
Everything you need to know about the upcoming Moto G8 family
Motorola's budget smartphone offerings for 2020 are shaping up to be quite impressive. Here's everything you need to know about the already-released Moto G8 Plus and G8 Play, along with what we know so far about the upcoming G8 and G8 Power.
Off-Facebook Activity rolling out to all users in the coming months
Facebook has announced that its new "Off-Facebook Activity" feature is now rolling out to all users.
12 must have apps for college students
College is tough and there's nothing wrong with leaning on these apps for some help.


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Intel has announced it is expanding its X25-M 2.5-inch and X18-M 1.8-inch SATA solid-state drive (SSD) family with a 160GB drive in a 2.5-inch form factor.
Australian system builder partners say they are feeling the pinch of a global shortage of server chassis and components from Intel.
Systems integrator, Leading Solutions, has taken the wrappers off three technology centres showcasing Intel’s vPro remote management technology to customers.
The European Commission has set up an advisory panel including executives from Google and Intel to help it revise European Union laws on data protection.
A federal court in the U.S. has temporarily lifted an injunction that banned Buffalo Technology (USA) from selling its IEEE 802.11a and 802.11g Wi-Fi products due to a patent claim by an Australian scientific agency.
Global semiconductor revenue is expected to fall this year as demand for PCs and consumer electronics slows down, with the trend continuing to affect chip makers next year, analyst firm iSuppli said on Monday.
Intel celebrated the launch of the Core i7 at a party in Sydney's Cruise bar. Intel boasted about releasing the fastest CPU on the planet, and provided some real-time demonstrations of video encoding and physics processing, with the Core i7 leaving t...
PC makers on Monday launched desktops that incorporate the latest technologies to work alongside Intel's new Core i7 chips, which have received praise for their speedy performance.
Intel on Wednesday cut its revenue forecast for the fourth quarter, the latest sign that the global financial crisis is leading to a sharp slowdown in IT spending.
Evidence suggests that the shortage of low-cost Atom processors that system makers faced earlier this year is over.
An ex-Intel employee accused of stealing US$1 billion worth of trade secrets and using them to help rival AMD was indicted in Massachusetts Wednesday, according to news reports.
Intel will launch the next-generation Nehalem processor on Nov. 17, the company revealed Wednesday.
Intel's new Atom processor helped drive the worldwide microprocessor market to a new shipment record in the third quarter, Nonetheless, analysts say darker times loom ahead.
Intel's Nehalem chips, slated to ship later this month, Tuesday were called "blindingly fast" by an analyst who is using an early machine running the processor.
Intel added warnings in its quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about how the deteriorating economic conditions worldwide may negatively affect its business.
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How far will Facebook fall?
And what will they take with them?
For most of the last decade, logging in to a new web site often meant, for many people, clicking on a button to “log in with Facebook.” Now even that is changing. Numerous companies are ditching the option to use Facebook credentials to log in—for reasons including privacy concerns, competition from Google, and declining popularity for Facebook.
Having faced a boycott from companies like Patagonia and Ben and Jerry’s since 2020, this new round of corporate turnarounds seems to have more to do with waning interest in and trust of Facebook’s products and less with principle. But it has all fed back into the same issue—since the Frances Haugen whistleblower revelations, Facebook has been adrift in terms of leadership, product, and share price.
Now that the much-hyped but ultimately disappointing Sheryl Sandberg has departed Facebook, the media obsession with personality will inevitably focus on Mark Zuckerberg, as seen in this recent article which says that Zuckerberg has “lost his way” and goes on to outline the numerous ways in which he is a bad, arrogant leader. However unfortunate it is, Facebook was never on course to be a productive and useful corporate entity. Facebook was always designed as a tool of manipulative mediation, finding ways to match speaker and audience in a way to maximize anger and hopelessness (and thusly, ‘engagement’) and thus offer highly directed ad campaigns around it all while tracking users across the web.
Having lost the ability to track user activity all around iOS has translated directly into large losses for Facebook. This reveals a simple equation for everyone to see: the less privacy for users, the more profit for Facebook. This has always been their business model. Now a wave of scandals, inevitable in hindsight, have cast a harsh light on the company and although it took quite a while, the online and investing worlds have started to turn on them as their cynical methods became unsustainable.
I have previously considered what could happen to the React framework if Facebook/Meta continues to go downhill, but what could happen to social media—and the overall Internet landscape? Not a lot of serious consideration has been given to the possibility that Facebook and its products could quickly slide into MySpace territory, but it seems to be happening right in front of us anyway.
People will still use social media. Tik-Tok is obviously pretty popular right now and is already taking advantage of Facebook’s waning popularity—even while Facebook products continue to try to imitate Tik-Tok, for example recently when Facebook’s Instagram was updated along those lines and a backlash occurred. It’s easy to imagine this dynamic continuing for a while, but ultimately most users know that Instagram has become the imitator.
The desire by Facebook to curb new entrants actually led to the FTC finding cause to file a federal anti-trust case—they are accused of manipulating the market by illegally acquiring companies because they were unable to compete on mobile. So aside from taking up space that could be used more productively, Facebook tried to destroy any competition that might provide users better experiences.
Facebook’s decline has not been good for the image of the Silicon Valley establishment (this is a company that includes Marc L. Andreessen on its board) and it is probably not good for the Republican Party. Zuckerberg was known to be friendly with Trump, and initially tried to lie his way through the story about Russian manipulation. During the confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh, Facebook executive Joel Kaplan sat directly behind the nominee in support.
Other social media apps could eventually see gains as the Facebook product mix gets staler. Snap (SNAP) has slid down massively in the last year, but they had only seen the big run up in their shares fairly recently and may be more able to weather this downturn. Twitter (TWTR) may also be seen as a rival that could benefit, however they have their own lane in terms of audience and their own problems in terms of takeover lawsuits so they are unlikely to benefit much from this in the short term.
One other area that could benefit could be providers of group sites for small business. Facebook for a long time had a strong market share of small businesses making small sort-of-websites and groups of people sharing information for clubs and social organizations. Maybe more users will move off Facebook and build their own sites using tools like SquareSpace (SQSP). Maybe more people will stop doing business over Instagram and start a Shopify (SHOP) store or use PayPal (PYPL).
But whatever happens Facebook is shrinking, and there are a lot of possibilities now for companies and startups. Maybe in the future more direct communication will start happening, with fewer cynical mediators misdirecting attention for their benefit and against the public interest.
Disclosure: Through personal holdings that I control and through investment LLCs in which I am a partner, I buy, hold, and sell stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies, not limited to but including some of those discussed in this newsletter.
😍 MySpace before our eyes 👀 indeed


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The International Roofing Expo®, with the full support of NRCA, has rescheduled its in-person event, which was going to be held in April 2021, to Aug. 10-12, 2021, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. It also will be launching a virtual conference and expo, which will be held March 2-4, 2021.
“We are thrilled about the addition of a complementary virtual event and being able to provide the industry with more of the education and content they look forward to every year,” said Ray Giovine, group director for the International Roofing Expo/Informa Markets. “By transitioning our live event to August and launching our virtual event in March, we’re able to create an opportunity to connect our audiences across multiple channels throughout the year.”
The IRE 2021 Virtual Conference and Expo will feature live and on-demand educational sessions, a virtual exhibit directory, a product showcase and a networking platform where attendees and exhibitors can engage with each other via chat, video call and more.
The in-person event will continue to include a large exhibition hall featuring the industry’s top manufacturers and suppliers, robust conference program and unparalleled networking events for attendees and exhibitors.
The International Roofing Expo will adapt Informa AllSecure, which is Informa’s approach to ensuring the highest standards of safety, hygiene, cleanliness, and quality for operating events. In addition to AllSecure, the show will follow all local government guidelines, as well as the Mandalay Bay Convention Center guidelines.
For more information, visit theroofingexpo.com.


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Bitcoin license moves step closer with N.Y. bank draft
By: lmandaro July 17, 2014 3:49 pm
The New York Department of Financial Services moved a step toward creating a bitcoin license that’s seen as helping move the digital currency into mainstream use. And it went right to core users of bitcoin, posting a copy of the regulation on the website Reddit.
The bank regulator issued a draft of its “BitLicense” regulatory framework for New York virtual currency businesses. There will be a 45-day public comment period.
“We have sought to strike an appropriate balance that helps protect consumers and root out illegal activity – without stifling beneficial innovation,” said Benjamin Lawsky, superintendent of financial services, in a statement.
As the hub of U.S. financial activity, New York has been one of the most aggressive states in developing a legal framework for using bitcoin, the digital currency that’s drawn intense interest and speculation — in part because it exists largely outside the traditional financial system and its regulatory controls.
The ability to exchange cash for bitcoin, and keep those transactions anonymous, has made the currency attractive to criminals. The online illegal-drug retailer Silk Road, which was shut down by federal authorities last year, had a huge stash of bitcoin. The government also shut down the online money transfer business Liberty Reserve, charging it with money-laundering and other activities.
But there’s a coterie of business leaders, particularly hailing from technology, who view bitcoin as an early game-changing technology that will become as widely used as the Internet. Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen has pointed out that skeptics of the early Internet also knocked the early Web for its association with crime and porn.
That’s where a license from a banking regulator comes in. To leapfrog from a niche product to mainstream — say one known by the Web denizens that populate Reddit to one used by folks that never heard of Reddit — entrepreneurs say there needs to be a clear legal and technological infrastructure.
The banking regulator is laying out just that. The rules.
Among them: Each licensee must maintain a bond or trust account in U.S. dollars for the benefit of its customers.
A licensee will have to have policies and procedures to handle consumer complaints — a requirement that seems squarely aimed at preventing the situation customers of bankrupt bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox found themselves in.
For every exchange, each firm must record and keep the identity and physical addresses of the parties involved.
In the grown-up version of bitcoin, users won’t really be able to exist in the shadows.
– Laura Mandaro
Follow Laura at @lauramandaro


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For Week Ending August 22, 2015
In numerous metropolitan markets across the country, the S&P/Case–Shiller Home Price Index has indicated that home prices have risen during summer, confirming the trends evident by examining MLS data. That’s no surprise from month to month, but it’s also true in year-over-year comparisons. As ideal summer weather diverges toward autumn, we will begin to see some seasonal relaxation, but the market should still look positive when compared to last year. It’s been another good year for residential real estate, and that is expected to continue.
In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending August 22:
- New Listings decreased 3.1% to 1,490
- Pending Sales increased 5.8% to 1,235
- Inventory decreased 12.4% to 16,992
For the month of July:
- Median Sales Price increased 4.7% to $225,000
- Days on Market decreased 7.4% to 63
- Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.8% to 97.6%
- Months Supply of Inventory decreased 19.6% to 3.7
All comparisons are to 2014
Click here for the full Weekly Market Activity Report. From The Skinny Blog.


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IBM spending $360 million on the cloud
We're big fans of cloud computing here at WM Experts, be it Google and the myriad ways to sync to it, Microsoft and its new Live Mesh (opens in new tab), Dashwire, Yahoo Go (opens in new tab), Apple's Mobile Me or any of a number of other ways to keep your data stored safely off your device and in the ether.
Friday's New York Times (opens in new tab) brings word that IBM (you've heard of them, right?), is spending $360 million for one data center in North Carolina and another in Tokyo to offer cloud services to corporate types.
Writes Steve Lohr:
The future. It's coming. Eventually.
Read "Commercializing the Cloud" (opens in new tab)
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Kanye West claims he invented the leather jogging pants six years ago before they became a trend which we now see on the red carpet.
Kanye West is taking credit for inventing ''leather jogging pants''.
The 'Black Skinhead' hitmaker thinks he is ahead of time when it comes to fashion, claiming he originally invented the design and brought it to luxury fashion house Fendi years before it became a popular trend.
He said: ''Whether I'm at a dinner with Anna Wintour, [editor-in-chief of US Vogue magazine] or a listening party with Pusha-T or in Rome with Virgil [Abloh, West's creative director], giving Fendi our designs and getting them knocked down ... [We] brought the leather jogging pants six years ago to Fendi, and they said no.
''How many motherf***ers you done seen with a leather jogging pant?''
Kanye also thinks Saint Laurent's creative director Hedi Slimane has some ''nice s**t'', but can't compare to the trend-setting power of rappers, who are the ''biggests rock stars.''
The budding fashion designer told BBC Radio 1: ''So when I see Hedi Slimane, and it's like, 'OK, this is my take on the world,' yeah, he's got some nice $5,000 jeans in there, it's some nice ones here and there, some good shit here and there, but we are culture.
''Rap is the new rock and roll. We are culture. Rap is the new rock and roll. We are the rock stars. It's been like that for a minute, Hedi Slimane. It's been like that for a minute. We the biggest rock stars, and I'm the biggest of all of them.''
The Rolling Stones are set to celebrate their long career as a band next year (2016) with their first exhibition at London's Saatchi Gallery.
The star makes his superhero debut in the upcoming movie.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ actress has given some hope to Jon Snow’s legions of fans.
The video for Kendrick Lamar's latest single 'Alright' was shot in San Francisco, California.
'Secret In Their Eyes' is the upcoming re-boot of the 2009 Argentine Academy Award winning movie of the same name.
Disclosure go sci-fi thriller on us in the new video for their single 'Holding On', featuring the vocals of Gregory Porter.
The new movie mixes old and new territory.
The male stripper sequel hit US theatres today (July 1st) and stars Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, and Joe Manganiello.


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Ubisoft expects Rainbow Six Siege to be around for a very long time.
The studio recently revealed that Siege boasts an astonishing 27 million player userbase. Those numbers are likely inflated by things like free weekends and inactive accounts, but it’s still a figure that represents what a remarkable success the game has been thus far. That being the case, Ubisoft sees no reason to abandon the title in the near future.
“We’ve communicated already a couple of times that our vision for the game is to bring it to 100 operators,” said Rainbow Six Siege brand director Alexandre Remy during the game’s recent invitational tournament. “Today we have 36 operators. Year 3 will bring eight [more]. That 100 is a symbol of the longevity we want to have for the game.”
Remy expanded upon that idea by doing the match and confirming that he intends for Siege to “be here for the next 10 years.”
That’s quite a ways off, but Ubisoft already has plans on how to fill the time. The game’s “Year 3” updates will include four seasons of content updates. The first – which we’ve previously covered – is called Operation Chimera. It will add two new operators and a limited event called “Outbreak” which requires teams to battle alien creatures. Subsequent events will add new operators, new maps, reworked maps, and new mechanics designed to keep the current modes fresh. Said mechanics include a new ban system and regular alterations to existing maps. The developers have even promised that some maps will be completely overhauled.
This is all a bit shocking to hear when you consider that Siege was considered to be something of a disappointment upon its release. The base game wasn’t bad, but its content was regularly criticized for being undercooked and a bit thin. Since then, Ubisoft has released a series of content updates and tweaks that have helped Siege become one of the most popular online shooters in recent memory.


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Samsung Galaxy has released this amusing teaser the other day.
The video features Jeremy – a secret Galaxy messenger. The little boy receives a box with the first Samsung Galaxy S4 phone. The gadget has already caused a fuss on the internet: what new features will it have now? According to the reviewers it will barely differ from SIII. Well, stay tuned and we will see.
Watch the video and share your opinion about it.


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Group CEO, Michael Cameron
, has said that a “wave of activity” from disruptors and FinTech companies is heading towards the insurance industry which could “undermine the advantage,” established insurance players have in the market.
Speaking at Suncorp
’s investor day yesterday, Cameron noted that insurance businesses continue to face pressure from market conditions as well as outside competition.
“Market conditions continue to be very competitive, as you know, there is regulatory and political uncertainty both domestically and essentially all around the world at the moment and we are, of course seeing a low growth, low return environment,” Cameron said.
“We are also seeing new competition start to enter the market and we talk about FinTech, I talk about InsureTech, but there is a wave of activity approaching that has the potential to undermine the advantage that companies like Suncorp
“We also see intense price competition from our normal competitors.”
Cameron noted that these factors present businesses like Suncorp
with “a huge opportunity,” to create value for customers.
“In relation to the evolution, to address this opportunity, we are driving our existing business to creating value for our customers and the concept of non-price value is critical.
“We have moved from focusing on products to focusing on customer outcomes and getting more connected customers and this is where the basis of the platform or the marketplace that we have been working on is so critical.
“To make it easier to access and to navigate around Suncorp
is critical, to give access to a wide range of products and services and other value tools, not only the things that we manufacture but things that other, third party companies manufacture.”
Mark Reinke, chief customer experience officer at Suncorp
Group, also announced that the business would launch its “world-first” for the insurance industry this week following a US$5 million stake in tech company Trōv.
“This week, we will launch a world-first insurance platform with our partner Trōv,” Reinke said.
“A single item insurance platform that allows you to cover the individual possessions and things that you really care about. You can do that from your iPhone, you can turn it on, you can turn it off, you can change the duration.”
was the first worldwide to partner with Trōv in 2014 to help install Australia as a test market for the Trōv app which has been designed to offer customers, particular millennials, instant access to insurance for single items that are dear to them such as cameras, tablets and laptops.