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Sports media outlet ESPN has announced that it will be launching a new digital platform, ESPN+. The new platform will feature exclusive content and live events that can only be accessed by subscribers.
Checkout this video:
The sports media outlet’s decision to launch
Last week, the sports media outlet announced it has decided to launch. The outlet will be a comprehensive, go-to destination for sports fans across the globe. The sports media outlet will offer the latest news, highlights, analysis, and more.
Why the outlet decided to launch
The sports media outlet decided to launch in order to fill a void in the sports media landscape. The outlet will provide comprehensive coverage of all things sports, from the game itself to the business side of things. In addition, the outlet will be a go-to source for opinion and analysis, as well as for breaking news.
What the outlet plans to offer
The new sports media outlet will feature a mix of long- and short-form content, including investigative pieces, profiles, op-eds, and more. The outlet will also offer a podcast, which will feature interviews with athletes, coaches, journalists, and others involved in the sports world.
The outlet’s target audience
Sports media outlet XX (name) announced late last week it has decided to launch a new player-focused vertical. The outlet’s target audience is the millions of sports fans who consume content across digital platforms.
Who the outlet is targeting
The new sports media outlet is targeting a younger demographic than its competitors, with more gender-balanced coverage and a focus on digital content. The outlet’s founders say they want to create a more inclusive sports media landscape.
“There’s a big opportunity to serve sports fans who are underserved by the current landscape,” said one of the outlet’s founders. “We want to provide more female-focused and -friendly coverage, as well as more in-depth analysis.”
The outlet plans to launch with a website and social media presence, and will eventually expand to other platforms. It will also produce original content, including video, podcasts, and long-form articles.
Why the outlet believes its target audience will be interested in its content
The outlet, which caters to a niche audience of sports fans, announced late last week that it has decided to launch a new content feature on its website. The move comes as the outlet looks to capitalize on the growing interest in its content among its target audience.
The outlet believes that its target audience will be interested in its new content feature because it will offer a unique perspective on the sporting world. In addition, the outlet believes that its target audience will appreciate the fact that the new content feature will be updated on a regular basis.
The outlet’s content strategy
Sports Illustrated announced late last week that it has decided to launch a new direct-to-consumer streaming service. The service, which will be called SI TV, will feature a mix of live programming and on-demand content. It will be available to subscribers for $4.99 per month.
What kind of content the outlet plans to produce
On Monday morning, The Athletic, a subscription-based sports media outlet announced that it has decided to launch a content studio. The studio will produce original video, audio, and written stories, as well as live events, in order to give subscribers even more value for their money.
The Athletic’s content studio will be led by journalists and editors who have a wealth of experience in the sports media industry. They will work closely with the outlet’s team of reporters and editors to create high-quality content that is both informative and entertaining.
The studio will produce a wide range of content, including long-form features, analysis pieces, insider stories, podcast episodes, and video highlights. The goal is to provide subscribers with an all-access pass to the world of sports, giving them an inside look at the stories and people that make the games we love so much.
The Athletic’s content studio is just one part of the outlet’s larger plan to become the go-to destination for sports fans. In addition to its new studio, the outlet plans to launch a subscription service that will give users access to exclusive content and benefits.
The Athletic has already proven itself to be a valuable resource for sports fans, and with its new content studio, it is poised to become even more essential.
How the outlet plans to promote its content
The outlet plans to use a variety of content promotion tactics, including search engine optimization (SEO), social media outreach, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. It will also work with influencers in its niche to promote its content.
The outlet’s competitive landscape
ESPN has been the undisputed leader in sports media for years, but that may be changing. Late last week, Fox Sports announced that it would be launching a new sports media outlet, Fox Sports 1. This new outlet will compete directly with ESPN, and it has the potential to change the landscape of sports media.
Who the outlet’s main competitors are
The company’s main competitors are ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports.
What the outlet plans to do to differentiate itself from its competitors
The outlet plans to provide more in-depth, behind-the-scenes analysis and stories than its competitors. It will also have a heavier focus on socio-cultural issues and how they relate to sports.
The outlet’s business model
Sports media outlet ESPN has announced that it will be launching a new, direct-to-consumer streaming service, ESPN+. The service will launch in early 2018 and will offer a lineup of live sports, on-demand content, and original programming. ESPN+ will be an add-on to the existing ESPN app, which will continue to offer live sports and on-demand content.
How the outlet plans to generate revenue
The outlet plans to generate revenue through a mix of advertising, sponsorship, and affiliate marketing relationships. Advertising will appear on the website and in the form of branded content. Sponsorship opportunities will be available for companies interested in aligning themselves with the outlet’s mission. Affiliate marketing relationships will allow the outlet to earn a commission on sales generated by clicks on links to products featured on the site.
The outlet’s plans for long-term sustainability
The plan for long-term sustainability includes a focus on subscriptions and digital advertising revenue, rather than on traditional advertising models, which have been in decline for years. The new model will also allow the outlet to better serve its large and passionate following of sports fans by producing more in-depth content and increasing its investment in investigative and enterprise journalism.


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You read that correctly, folks! Those of us in North America are finally getting Club Nintendo, as it's been revealed during the fall press conference that Nintendo will be bringing the service to us. "We know that there have been lots of people in the US that have been lusting after these products for a long time," said Cammie.
Debuting at the end of this year, the service will allow customers to gather points and trade them in for Nintendo goodies. Let's just hope we get sweet stuff, like the Game & Watch collection and not just a bunch of junk.

domain: news


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The search engine giant hopes advertisers will pay £32,000 a day for a click-to-play expandable homepage video ad, with other homepage options including masthead and 30-second auto-roll ads.
Cadbury, Barclaycard and Apple have already trialled ads on the site. 'These are high-impact, glossy ads, which will have 6.5m views a day - audiences comparable with TV,' said Google's head of agencies, Bruce Daisley.
Dan Clays, managing director at BLM Quantum, said buyers would push the pricing down, but that the ad formats would create 'traction in the market'. Google hopes advertisers will sign up to 24-hour YouTube homepage takeovers.
Some agency heads have cast doubt on the strategy.
'Advertisers would rather spend on a targeted audience,' said Rhys Williams, founder of Agenda 21. 'Homepage take-overs used to be all the rage, but advertisers, particularly FMCG and car advertisers, which have cut on spend, have moved to really specific audiences.'
Iris Digital managing director George Nimeh added: 'Ads are watched on YouTube anyway. There are better means of engaging consumers.'


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Any disruption in the supply chain could affect a company’s bottom line, and ultimately their customers. As the transportation market evolves, shippers need to find ways to mitigate risk. One transportation solution that could help make operations more resilient is a dedicated fleet. Working with a third party logistics provider (3PL) can help companies be proactive and reduce the risk of disruption to their supply chain.
Maximize Capacity With Dedicated Assets
Utilizing a dedicated fleet can help shippers avoid the risk of elevated spot rates when capacity tightens while providing consistent capacity for the operation. Capacity in the transportation market is constantly changing, and it’s expected that capacity may continue to shrink into the next year as a result of the ELD Mandate4. A 3PL can work with the shipper to ensure that adequate resources are available for surges and seasonal changes. A logistics partner can also identify backhaul opportunities that can allow shippers to maximize asset utilization and potentially minimize costs. In addition, a 3PL with brokerage capabilities can also provide additional resources and solutions.
Leverage Partnerships for Labor Retention and Talent
A recent survey from the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) states that the loss of talent is one of the top supply chain risks among industry professionals1, but outsourcing to a third party logistics company can help alleviate this potential risk. An experienced 3PL could be an extension of the shipper’s in-house transportation operations, giving them the ability to leverage the talent and expertise of their 3PL.
A lack of supply chain talent is not the only potential disruptor that shippers have to consider. There has been a driver shortage across North America for quite some time. The American Transportation Research Institute recently stated that the driver shortage could reach 50,000 positions by the end of this year and if current trends continue, there could be a shortage of 174,000 drivers by 20262. When leveraging a dedicated fleet, carriers bring expertise in hiring and retaining drivers. Carriers also have the resources and experts to fulfill driver openings allowing shippers to focus on their core business.
Keep Compliant to Keep Running
One factor for the driver shortage and tightening capacity is regulation change. In turn, carriers, drivers, and owner operators are expected to stay informed and make the appropriate adjustments to remain operational, which at times could be expensive. For instance, the recent Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate, which requires electronic logging devices to be installed in trucks to automate processes by recording data, was considered one of the biggest trucking concerns3. When utilizing a dedicated fleet, carriers ensure that drivers, equipment, and freight are always compliant with laws and regulations and that correct measures are taken to avoid fines or fees for noncompliance, enabling freight to continuously move.
Improve Service with Equipment and Expertise
Any delay can affect the rest of the supply chain process. Delays can be caused by various circumstances, some of which cannot be controlled such as natural disasters. Fortunately, potential issues such as breakdowns and poor scheduling can be prevented. Delays can lead to unexpected expenses and poor service that, at times, can directly impact customers. Dedicated fleet providers employ consistent and preventative maintenance programs that can help shippers reduce delays. Carriers today also have the technology to predict malfunctions before breakdowns occur. Aside from predictive technology, a carrier ensures that equipment undergoes regular maintenance to ensure that equipment always runs at optimal levels.
A dedicated fleet can also prevent delays by having a team of transportation professionals equipped with the knowledge and technology to determine the best routing and improve real-time visibility. A skilled driver will also be working dedicated routes, which allows drivers to become more familiar with routes and the opportunity to establish relationships with facilities or stores. The addition of this team can improve communication between the carriers, shippers, and customers.
Utilizing dedicated fleets with a knowledgeable 3PL can improve communication and help shippers become more resilient to risk by maximizing capacity, investing in labor, improving compliance, and avoiding delays. Partnering with a 3PL can further support risk mitigation by adding additional resources to better prepare and safely execute a successful supply chain.


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DURBAN - The Shoprite Group’s positive impact in the countries and communities in which it operates have seen it subsidise staple products to the value of R141 million, donate surplus food and goods to the value of R60.4 million and serve more than 20 million meals to communities in need in the 2019 financial year.
These are the results of just a few of the numerous initiatives outlined in the Group’s 2019 Sustainability Report, which documents the continued alignment of its sustainability work with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
As the largest retailer in Africa, the group recognises the important role it plays in the countries and communities in which it operates.
The company said, "This role extends beyond living our purpose of being Africa’s most accessible and affordable retailer to include developing and supporting its employees, customers and their communities".
The group harnesses its size, expertise and technology and distribution infrastructure to bring about meaningful change for its people, customers, communities and suppliers while making every effort to reduce its environmental footprint.


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Around the U.S., eight states, including California, Massachusetts and New York, are teaming up with the goal of making it easier to own an electric car. Options such as adding more charging stations and improving building codes is where the states plan to start, reported The New York Times. Other incentives could include reduced tolls, preferential parking and high-occupancy lane access.
"There's much that a state can do, and perhaps even more that local governments can do," Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, told The New York Times.
Electric car sales are still very low, even though, according to U.S. Department of Energy, they require less vehicle maintenance and auto tune up than traditional cars. In light of sagging electric and hybrid vehicle purchases, auto manufacturers have been scrambling to reach sales mandates. General Motors recently announced they were dropping the price of their Chevrolet Volt by $5,000, with no reduction to the car's features. The group of states participating in this initiative - California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont - said the goal was to reach 3.3 million sales of cars with no vehicular emissions by 2025.


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Cellular PVC trim extruder Versatex Trimboards, founded in 2003, is growing up.
The company moved into a new 60,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Aliquippa, Pa., the company announced Sept. 5.
The new building sits on a 10-acre site and is equipped to handle capacity increases. Plans also are in place for an additional 60,000-square-foot building as demand grows. Versatex employs about 50.
Sales have doubled every 18 months since the company's launch, President John Pace said in a Sept. 5 telephone interview.
Pace said it has been a difficult year given the economic climate in the construction industry, but the company and product category are doing well despite it.
Using free-foam technology, similar to that of market leader Azek Building Products Inc. of Moosic, Pa., Versatex makes trim, sheet and millwork designed to replace wood and wood composites in exterior applications. Free foam has a fine cell structure and produces a matte surface.
Some other cellular PVC extruders make foam profiles using a Celuka process, which involves cooling the surface of the profile to form a solid skin. The part is structurally stronger, but tends to have a glossy appearance and can fracture when hit with a hammer.
The overall market trend toward low-maintenance building products and wood replacement is not going away, and Versatex is capitalizing on it.
Officials at Versatex, which is owned by Aliquippa-based Wolfpac Technologies Inc., come from the vinyl siding industry, Pace said. Thorough knowledge of the exterior cladding market has given Versatex an advantage. Through slight alternations to the profiles, and the ability to cut boards to length without charging a premium for it, Versatex has made life easier for home builders, Pace said.
``We have builder forums,'' he said. ``We get to understand what they're doing. Most of these ideas come from contractors and builders in the market.''
Cellular PVC, in many cases, has become the material du jour in exterior plastic building products. Azek and several others, including KÃ¶mmerling USA Inc., Gossen Corp., Versatex and Fypon Ltd. which typically foams urethane to make its products have turned cellular PVC into a significant and fast-growing industry.
The surging popularity of the product helped it work its way into the wood-plastic composite decking industry in 2007 and this year, as several composite decking extruders turned to cellular PVC for use in their most-expensive offerings.
Pace is bullish for the future.
``We think we'll continue to grow,'' he said. ``We grew significantly last year, and we're having another very good year this year in a down market.''


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4 February 2016
BVRLA forecasts vehicle leasing growth in 2016
Demand for vehicle leasing is predicted to increase further in 2016 following significant growth last year, according to a New Year forecast by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA).
Four years of new car registration growth culminated last year in a record 2.63 million units being registered. Commenting on the record sales, which also saw fleet demand at an all-time high – 1,317,570 units registered (2014: 1,178,416) and beating the previous fleet sales record of 1,194,811 set in 2007 – BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: ‘2015 was another good year for the retail and fleet motor industry.
‘While the figures reveal impressive growth in new fleet registrations of 11%, the BVRLA also saw consistent growth in the fleet leasing sector, with member fleet sizes up around 11% on 2014.
‘This year we expect to see further growth, with a single digit percentage increase in the traditional fleet leasing market. This growth will be led by innovation in product design, flexibility and delivery.
‘The SME and consumer market will continue to drive most of the organic growth in the leasing market, and we expect to see significant double-digit growth from BVRLA members in the personal contract hire market.’
Reflecting on the traditional corporate sector and the trend over the last 20 years away from the outright purchase of company cars and vans and to contract hire and other forms of leasing, Mr Keaney said: ‘As fleets seek lower running costs, demand for more efficient cars has grown, and the BVRLA expects that the lease fleet will continue to reduce its average CO2 emissions and outpace the wider new car market.’
12 months ago, the BVRLA predicted that the average CO2 emissions for the lease fleet would fall below 120 g/km for the first time in 2015. This year it is predicting that average leasing fleet emissions will drop to around 115 g/km of CO2 this year.
At the beginning of 2015 the BVRLA also forecast a continued trickle away from diesel cars into smaller-engined petrol or hybrid vehicles.
Mr Keaney says that in 2016: ‘We feel confident in predicting that the gradual shift from diesel to petrol and electric powertrains will gather pace, with diesel’s share of the new lease car market falling below 70%.
‘Rental and leasing companies will continue to add hybrids and electric vehicles to their fleets, offering millions of motorists an affordable way to get behind the wheel of the latest, most fuel-efficient vehicles.’
BVRLA members, which include Activa Contracts, collectively currently operate some 4.5 million vehicles – a record number and up 16% compared with the start of January 2015. They are now responsible for one in every nine cars, one in every five vans and one in every five trucks on the road.


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wrdos wrote:- it is rare earth, not rare metal
- A large sector of Japanese industry depends on rare earth as an essential input
It is this kind of obfuscation that prevents you from seeing this episode between China and Japan as nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. China has lost a lot of goodwill and trust in the world.
- Rare earth export consists only a tiny fraction of Chinese economy, in fact negligible and the Chinese government has planned to stop its export.
- China and Japan were shouting at each other at that time, rare earth was used as a signal to Japan by then
- Even Sino-Japanese relationship had no trouble at that time, the Chinese government will stop rare earth sooner or later; it was a decided policy.
Keep pumping the lie that this was just policy as usual and that the conflict with Japan had nothing to do with the decision to restrict the supply. The world sees it otherwise and will react accordingly, as Japan is doing. They have already signed an agreement with Vietnam for rare earth minerals.
This episode will make it easier for countries like US, EU, etc (free marketers) to consider and slap trade restrictions on China. It makes US decision not to sell Unocal to China as prescient, whereas it was held up as an example of American hypocrisy.


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By Julian Clover
David Kerr has been named as managing director of Eurosport UK in a restructuring of the broadcaster’s UK operations.
Kerr, who joined Eurosport from Channel 4 in September 2005, was previously director of British Eurosport, the localised version of Eurosport 2, and the Eurosport section of the Yahoo UK website. He will now take responsibility for all the UK-based Eurosport activities.
Joining Eurosport in a new role in the UK will be Guillaume Canard-Duchene who becomes UK head of sales overseeing both the pan-European and local media sales teams based in London.
Canard-Duchene has worked at Eurosport for 15 years and previously established successful pan-regional advertising sales operations for the company in the United States and Asia.
ضع تعليق باستخدام حساب الفيس بوك
|مواضيع ذات صلة مع Kerr tackles Eurosport UK operations|
|بتاريخ اليوم 05/2012 شفرة باقة Eurosport CCWs keys 1°W 05/11/2012 - Eurosport|
|جديد القمر Eutelsat 9A @ 9° East - قناة Eurosport-قناة Eurosport 2- قناة Eurosport News-قناة Eurosport Germany- قناة Maean TV - مجانا|
|FaustoDiabloKeyCAIDs 1-15pm British Eurosport [Eurosport UK] 28E CCW 23-01-2011|
|MTV2 Tackles Rights To H.S. Football Docu Series|
|ESPN's Giants-Cowboys Telecast Tackles Nearly 18 Million Viewers|


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Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 at 4:11 pm
The maker of the BlackBerry phone said today that a modern smartphone with a physical keyboard will be available in Canada in the coming weeks as major wireless companies started taking advance orders.
Details on when the BlackBerry Q10 will go on sale elsewhere will be announced soon, Research In Motion said. Advance orders are already being accepted in Britain.
The BlackBerry, pioneered in 1999, had been the dominant smartphone for on-the-go business people and other consumers before the iPhone debuted in 2007 and showed that phones can handle much more than email and phone calls. RIM faced numerous delays modernizing its operating system with the BlackBerry 10. During that time, it had to cut more than 5000 jobs and saw shareholder wealth decline by more than US$70 billion.Read more
Courtesy : www.nzherald.co.nz
Saturday, November 3rd, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Sprint today announced the availability of the LG Mach, which officially ships on November 11th with preorders starting today. It’s far from the most flashy of Android devices, but a svelte build with a QWERTY keyboard makes it a practical buy, especially at $99.99 on contract.
Powering this 4-inch WVGA handset is a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor. Assisting is 1GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel camera capable of capturing full HD video, and a 1,700mAh battery. Despite boasting a slide out QWERTY keyboard the Mach measures just 12.1mm thick, making it one of the thinnest of its ilk. Tipping the scales at 168g doesn’t hurt either, and nor does the 8GB of storage expandable by way of a microSD card slot. Other features include Android 4.0 and Bluetooth 4.0.Read more
Friday, November 2nd, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Today we announce the Nokia 109, the latest step forward in our strategy to connect the next billion and beyond to the Internet.
It’s designed for people who want an easy-to-use and affordable Internet-capable phone with the familiarity of a traditional keyboard.
Happily, armed with the Nokia Xpress Browser, they’ll find it easy-going. This cloud-accelerated browser reduces the data consumption of web pages by up to 90 per cent to deliver an easy and inexpensive web experience.Read more
Courtesy : conversations.nokia.com
Friday, October 26th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
At this point, we already know just about everything about the LG Nexus 4 when it comes to hardware specifications, but the latest leak hints at some upcoming Android 4.2 features that we’ve yet to see before. The picture you see above comes to us from Carphone Warehouse’s very own pre-order page for the device that has unsurprisingly been taken down. Also found is a picture of the online retailer’s inventory system that shows off two color options for the device.
While Android 4.2 will still remain under the Jelly Bean branch, there seems to be some interesting features that are sure to impress. One said feature could be a “360° Camera”, which will be interesting to see in action. Then again, it may be as something as simple as a 360° panorama photo. We could also seem a new Swype-like, gesture keyboard feature in the upcoming version of the OS.
Expected to land just a day after the official October 29th announcement, the Nexus 4 looks like it will be offered in both black and white, much like the LG Optimus G. According to the leaked inventory shot, you can also expect the device to to run you £389.95 (around $630).Read more
Courtesy : www.intomobile.com
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Best Buy is selling the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G for $99.99. This will tie users to a two-year contract with T-Mobile. By comparison, the device was priced $150, again with a two-year contract from T-Mobile when it was launched last September 19. Meanwhile, those who want a contract-free device will have to shell out $549.99 for the handset.
The Galaxy S Relay 4G’s main feature is its full 5-row QWERTY keyboard which can be slid out of its side. This feature is useful for those who prefer a physical keyboard instead of an onscreen one for sending messages or browsing the Internet.
It also comes with a 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and 233 pixels per inch.
Courtesy : thedroidguy.com
Sunday, September 16th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
In all fairness, if you prefer a physical keyboard on your smartphones you don’t really have too many choices, unless you have no problem rocking a one-year old device. In the more-recently-launched category there’s the Motorola Photon Q at Sprint, but if that one isn’t your cup of tea then you might be happy to learn that at least one more QWERTY-ed device is set to join the market this year.
We’re talking about the Samsung Galaxy S Relay at T-Mobile (previously known as the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q). After T-Mobile officially announced the device at the beginning of September, the carrier has now spilled the beans regarding an exact launch date and price tag as well. Interested in finding out the details? Join us after the break.Read more
Courtesy : www.gforgames.com
Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 at 11:14 am
Samsung and T-Mobile have partnered yet again to release another budget friendly handset to the market. Previously known as the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q, the new and upcoming Galaxy S Relay 4G (gasps for air) is the official name and we have a full 360 degrees view of the phone now. Head down past the break for more info.
This little slide-out QWERTY keyboard rocking dual-core phone is set to arrive on T-Mobile soon, although we don’t have all the details quite yet. Paired with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and decent hardware similar to a mini Galaxy S III with a keyboard this should be a nice phone.
The Galaxy S Relay 4G comes with a 4-inch display (not 720p HD) and the same 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor as the Galaxy S III and many other smartphones as of late. This ‘faux’ 4G device from T-Mobile was originally rumored to launch around the 15th of this month, but sadly that date has passed by without a peep from either side.Read more
Wednesday, August 15th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
A leaked press shot for the new Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q may have revealed that the new smartphone will land at T-Mobile later this week.
The excessively named handset adds a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard to last March’s Galaxy S Blaze 4G.
The press shot, which was spotted by TmoNews, shows the smartphone with the date August 15 on its home screen, a not-so-subtle hint at the device’s launch date.
The date in the press shot confirms a leak last month where internal T-Mobile store documents offered the same date when discussing how to set up in-store displays for the Galaxy S Blaze Q.Read more
Monday, August 13th, 2012 at 6:11 pm
An unlocked and SIM-free version of the Nokia Asha 300 feature phone has finally arrived in the United Kingdom via Unlocked Mobiles after having been announced as early as October last year. The device was first made available in India last December since the phone is targeted mainly at emerging economies. UK fans now, however, can already get their hands on the device for £84.98 including tax. The price covers a 24-month warranty.
A touch-and-type phone, the Nokia Asha 300 features an alphanumeric keypad instead of a QWERTY keyboard along with a touchscreen. It has a monoblock form factor and dedicated hardware keys including Volume, Message, Lock, Call, and End. The display measures 2.4 inches and uses a portrait orientation. For its display, the phone has a 2.4-inch touchscreen of the resistive kind with a resolution of 240 × 320 pixels. The Asha 300 has an internal memory of 140MB that is expandable up to 32GB. It is powered by a 1110.0 mAh replaceable BL-4U battery. Read more
Friday, August 10th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Japan’s Elecom said Tuesday it will launch the world’s first smartphone keyboard that uses NFC touch-card technology to link with Android handsets.
The keyboard is designed with a large gap down its middle in which a phone is placed between the keys controlled by each hand. Because it uses NFC (near field communication) technology, the keyboard requires no plugs or pairing as with Bluetooth connections, although an initial setup is required via a special Android app.
NFC is limited to a range of several centimeters, and currently is used mainly for touch-card applications, such as train passes and e-payment platforms. It is standard on most Japanese phones, and is increasingly built into global models such as Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S3.


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The Nation's Capital
Never underestimate the buying power of women
- Jonathan Silver
A surprisingly large number of companies continue to ignore female consumers. You do so at your own peril. Last year, women earned more than $1 trillion dollars, and 64 percent of all working women now earn more than half their family's income.
Tom Peters, the author of "In Search of Excellence," and a well-known business strategist, says successfully targeting female consumers is the premiere business opportunity for the next decade.
The reasons are compelling. Women are better-informed consumers, have more of their own income and make, or influence, more of the purchasing decisions than ever before.
These are consumers with substantial discretionary income. Last year, women spent $3.5 trillion on retail products and services. Commercially, close to 8 million women now own businesses and those companies collectively employ some 18.5 million people.
These numbers will increase. About Women Inc. reports that more than 60 percent of all women now work outside the home and the Labor Department predicts that women will account for 62 percent of all workers by 2005. The number of women-owned businesses is growing almost twice as fast as the number of firms overall.
Female consumers are everywhere and in increasing numbers. In 1970, women accounted for about 1 percent of all business travelers. In 1997, women took almost 50 percent of all business trips. Since 1991, women have outspent men on sports shoes and sports apparel, and women now account for nearly half of the $3 billion market for NBA merchandise. J.D. Power and Associates reports that women now purchase more than half of all cars sold in the United States and "significantly influence" 80 percent of all auto purchases.
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Introducing the future of manufacturing! Prusa PRO AFS is an automated 3D print farm featuring new CoreXY Original Prusa 3D printers. It's our next-generation solution for rapid prototyping and small-batch production with smart task scheduling, Prusa Connect farm management software, automatic print collection & delivery mechanisms, hot-swapping capabilities and simple maintenance. Prusa PRO AFS live demonstration is currently on display at EXPO 2020 Dubai (until March 31st, 2022).
Learn more about Prusa PRO AFS at https://expo.prusa3d.com/
Read the announcement article: https://blog.prusaprinters.org/the-future-of-manufacturing-by-prusa-research_55993/


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Whittier Trust Co. Raises Stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)
Whittier Trust Co. boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) by 1.2% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 405,741 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock after buying an additional 4,693 shares during the period. Whittier Trust Co.’s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $19,723,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 37.9% in the first quarter. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY now owns 2,531 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $112,000 after buying an additional 696 shares during the period. Feltz Wealth PLAN Inc. bought a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the first quarter valued at approximately $112,000. First Command Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 10.2% in the first quarter. First Command Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,787 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $124,000 after buying an additional 257 shares during the period. V Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the second quarter valued at approximately $127,000. Finally, Atwood & Palmer Inc. increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 157.5% in the first quarter. Atwood & Palmer Inc. now owns 3,270 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $145,000 after buying an additional 2,000 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.86% of the company’s stock.
Shares of Abbott Laboratories (ABT) traded up 0.84% on Monday, reaching $48.95. The company had a trading volume of 1,158,117 shares. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $37.38 and a 52-week high of $51.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $85.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 68.56 and a beta of 1.07. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $49.09 and its 200-day moving average price is $45.65.
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The healthcare product maker reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $6.64 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.63 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 14.43% and a net margin of 4.96%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 24.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.55 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post $2.49 earnings per share for the current year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Investors of record on Friday, July 14th will be paid a $0.265 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 12th. This represents a $1.06 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.18%. Abbott Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 149.30%.
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ABT has been the topic of several analyst reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Abbott Laboratories from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $49.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 16th. TheStreet downgraded Abbott Laboratories from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a report on Thursday, May 18th. Barclays PLC increased their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $42.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. Finally, Cowen and Company reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $48.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Saturday, April 22nd. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Abbott Laboratories currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $52.08.
In related news, insider Stephen R. Fussell sold 196,550 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.00, for a total value of $9,041,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 221,488 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,188,448. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Jared Watkin sold 552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.97, for a total value of $26,479.44. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 47,090 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,258,907.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 218,702 shares of company stock valued at $10,149,733 over the last 90 days. 0.76% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
About Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories is engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of a range of healthcare products. The Company operates through four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products and Vascular Products. Its Established Pharmaceutical Products include a range of branded generic pharmaceuticals manufactured around the world and marketed and sold outside the United States.
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT).
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But it still means that one-third of online daters have not yet met up in real life with someone they initially found on an online dating site.
One-in-five online daters have asked someone else to help them with their profile.
One-third of people who have used online dating have never actually gone on a date with someone they met on these sites.
To be sure, many people remain puzzled that someone would want to find a romantic partner online – 23% of Americans agree with the statement that “people who use online dating sites are desperate” – but in general it is much more culturally acceptable than it was a decade ago.
It’s all very well looking great, but it’s important that you feel as good as you look too.
If you’re tugging your dress down or irritated by your shirt collar, you’re not going to be relaxed and 100 per cent focused on having fun on your date. Wear something you know you’ll be comfortable in and your confidence and personality will shine through.
Online dating use among 55- to 64-year-olds has also risen substantially since the last Pew Research Center survey on the topic.
Today, 12% of 55- to 64-year-olds report ever using an online dating site or mobile dating app versus only 6% in 2013.Here are five facts about online dating: Online dating has lost much of its stigma, and a majority of Americans now say online dating is a good way to meet people.


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WJA Now Accepting Grant Applications
This includes a new Responsible Business Education Grant.
WJA shifted its application schedule to the fall this year to help individuals budget and better plan for the upcoming year, the organization said.
Applications are now open for the Responsible Business Education Grant, the WJA Carelle Grant, the Jewelers Mutual Insurance Female Veteran Grant, and WJA member grants.
The Responsible Business Education Grant, sponsored by Platinum Guild International USA, will give two individuals the opportunity to enroll in a three-month sustainability course at New York University’s Stern School of Business Executive Education online program.
Eligible candidates must be WJA members for at least one year prior to applying.
The Carelle Grant was created 10 years ago in honor of Brooke Tivol McGrath, a leader in the jewelry industry and a driving force behind the successful launch of the Carelle brand.
To celebrate the grant’s 10-year anniversary, the brand has increased this year’s grant amount to $7,500 and shifted its focus to reflect Brooke’s legacy to support an established jewelry professional who has been in the business for five to 10 years by innovating their business through technological advancements, including investments in e-commerce, digital education, and support.
Eligible candidates must be current members of WJA for at least a year.
The $5,000 Female Veteran Grant was created in partnership with Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group to be awarded to a female U.S. Military Veteran for professional development within the jewelry or watch industry.
Applications are open to members and non-members of WJA.
There are also member grants, awarded every year to professional-level female WJA members. Funds are provided by the national organization and WJA chapters around the United States.
A portion of proceeds from the WJA Conversations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion series this year will fund additional member grants specifically designated for BIPOC and LGBTQ applicants.
WJA members that identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQ from any WJA chapter are encouraged to apply and are eligible to be selected for all member grant opportunities.
Recipients must be professional-level members in good standing.
Applications for all the grants mentioned are due by Oct. 31.
To learn more or apply, visit WomensJewelryAssocation.com.
He first took a job at then Philadelphia-based Jewelers’ Circular-Keystone in 1963 and retired in 1996.
It cited two recent cases in California, plus incidents in Florida, Kansas, and Illinois.
Rare & Forever is helping to create an enjoyable diamond buying experience for the millions of newly-engaged couples.
The 10,000-square-foot location allows for expanded collections from design partners while continuing custom design and other services.
Svetlana Lazar’s “Wishing Well” collection utilizes an innovative component to mimic the movement of water beneath them.
Sponsored by AGTA
Experience all the Italian Jewelry market has to offer in Las Vegas.
All proceeds up to $25,000 will benefit the It Gets Better Project, a nonprofit that supports LGBTQ+ youth.
It’s a reminder that life is best lived with discretion.
The end-to-end software allows for real-time control over all sales, inventory, repairs, customer communications, and marketing.
Associate Editor Lenore Fedow shares her impressions of the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show and a few of her favorite finds.
The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences aims to set a color standard for the trade name.
Kate Della Monica, a senior specialist in the Jewelry and Watches department, will relocate to the Sunshine State.
LVMH’s investment arm has taken a stake in Lusix, a lab-grown diamond company based in Israel.
Sotheby’s New York put a colorless diamond and a fancy deep orange-brown diamond up for sale last week, with mixed results.
Profits will help them recoup financial losses.
The organization also extended the terms of Vice President Feriel Zerouki and Treasurer Ronnie VanderLinden.
After suffering a professional setback, columnist Peter Smith reflects on our ability to bounce back even when the hits keep on coming.
Glatz owned and operated Glatz Jewelers in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania for more than 40 years.
The New York jeweler also made the pop star’s wedding bands.
It’s predicted to sell for up to $484,000 during the Bonhams Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite auction on June 22.


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ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) – Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to announce a relief package for textile industry on Saturday during a meeting with the delegation of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) in Islamabad.
The minister had announced that a relief package will be approved for textile industry with in two days after APTMA boycotted a meeting on Thursday.
Chairman APTMA Punjab Amir Fayyaz said that he hopes this time the government would come up with an attractive package to rescue the rapidly declining exports of textile industry. He said the spinners particularly want Pakistan to match import duty on yarn as is levied by India on Pakistani yarn up to 28 percent.
To a question, APTMA chairman suggested the government to facilitate value-added sector through DTRE Scheme.
The complications in DTRE Scheme should be removed so that value-added sector can avail this facility easily.
APTMA has been demanding for the withdrawal of electricity surcharge; removal of gas infrastructure development cess (GIDC); zero rating of local taxes on textile exports; adding of spinning industry in the long-term finance facility (LTFF); three per cent tax on unregistered buyers instead of two percent; rebate on focus market exports; strengthening of domestic market and clearance of all pending claims by the FBR.


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There is life after controversy — especially on Wall Street.
PepsiCo (PEP) saw strong interest Wednesday after an analyst upgrade that also speculated the company could be sold.
The stock ended up 1.7% at the close of trading and any damage done by the tone-deaf Kendall Jenner ad looks fleeting.
Pepsi Can Get Buyers, Even With Kendall Jenner
Susquehanna upgraded Pepsi to Positive from Neutral this morning. The thesis is that the potential for Pepsi to be acquired offsets the weaknesses the company currently has. Analyst Pablo Zuanic also raised its price target to $132 from $118.
Those weaknesses — in addition to the Kendall Jenner ad — include underperforming in its U.S. non-carbonated soft drink segment and indecision in the overall business, such as whether or not to ban aspartame, TheFly reported.
But those weaknesses could put the company in play for a suitor.
Kraft Heinz (KHC) failed to tie up with Unilever (UN), but could see Pepsi as attractive, especially Pepsi’s coveted snack business, Zuanic wrote. That could possibly mean a split if Coca-Cola (KO) or another company wanted to pick up the beverage business. (Coke and Pepsi? Dogs and cats living together?)
The deal could be more expensive the longer Kraft, or anyone else, waits. The stock has beaten the S&P 500 year to date, but is lagging sharply over the last 52 weeks and is trading at a discount to Coke. It still has $20 to go before reaching Zuanic’s price target.
Scandal Isn’t a Stock Strategy
The stock movement of Pepsi and the upgrade should remind everyone that there is a big difference between the perception of a company and the perception of a company’s stock.
It makes a good narrative to say that a company screws up and that investors punish the shares. It often feels like instant justice, especially when those mistakes come from way up high in the chain of command. These people love money, so hit them where it hurts.
Pepsi’s commercial comes out, the story goes viral and the crowd wants some kind of closure. A headline like “United Airlines Loses $800 Billion” in market cap will draw attention, but it ignores the fact that stocks move for all sorts of reasons.
Yes, Pepsi’s ad was really flawed and the company realized that (too late) and pulled it. But how much does that actually mean to Vanguard, which owns more than 100 million shares of PEP? Will it change their investing thesis, their idea of the sales forecasts for salty snacks? Or will they use any weakness to lower their cost basis and pick up more shares?
Even the larger controversy that United faced didn’t materially change Wall Street’s view of the stock. Over the past six months, United is still jumping much more than chief rival Delta (DAL).
And if United and Pepsi proved anything, it’s that these also something else around the corner for people to be outraged about.


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Former biotech company Riot Blockchain has announced that it may launch a cryptocurrency exchange and futures brokerage platform.
In a public filing dated March 27, the former biotech firm said that it “intends to investigate launching a digital currency exchange and a futures brokerage operation” in the US.
Toward this end, Riot Blockchain acquired Logical Brokerage Corp., a Miami-based futures broker that is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and a member of the National Futures Association (NFA), an industry trade group.
Known as Bioptix Inc. until last October, Riot Blockchain was among the first of a litany of little-known firms to gain widespread notoriety by making unexpected — and often dubious — pivots into the burgeoning cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem during last year’s dramatic fourth-quarter rally.
Riot Blockchain shares soared after the re-brand, peaking at a high of $38.60 on Dec. 19 after trading below $4.50 prior to its blockchain pivot. However, the firm’s share price has subsequently crashed — though not quite back to its pre-pivot level — and as of the time of writing it was priced at just $6.10.
Presumably, Riot Blockchain’s proposed platform would facilitate trades of Bitcoin futures, which launched on two regulated US exchanges in December but have been met with hostility at some brokerage firms.
However, it’s important to stress that the firm’s cryptocurrency exchange plans are preliminary at best, and it would not be surprising to see them shelved in the future — particularly if cryptocurrency prices remain in bear territory.
Long Blockchain — an iced tea maker who made its own curious foray into cryptocurrency investing shortly after Riot Blockchain — recently canceled much-hyped plans to purchase 1,000 Bitcoin mining rigs and set up a mining operation in Iceland.
That said, Riot Blockchain has made tangible moves into the cryptocurrency space. It has already established a cryptocurrency mining operation, though it is unclear how much revenue it is generating. Additionally, the firm purchased 500 BTC in a January auction held by the US Marshals Service, and CEO John O’Rourke has said that he expects the Bitcoin price to clip $50,000 by 2019.
Featured image from Shutterstock.


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Beleaguered Small Businesses Set For Big Rebound Under Trump
Small businesses and entrepreneurs have had a rough time of it for these past eight years. New startups and entrepreneurial activity have pretty much been stagnant, weighed down by heavy regulation, high taxes and an economy that's just been stumbling along.
But in recent weeks, there are signs of renewal that could mark a turnaround in the fortunes of small business.
Read Full Story: http://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/belea...


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A strategic collaboration to facilitate cryptocurrency payments in France has been announced by the crypto exchange Binance and the French payment giant Ingenico.
Binance Partners with Payment Giant Ingenico
On February 22, Binance announced a partnership with Ingenico, a provider of worldwide payment solutions, to make it simple for users to make payments using Binance Pay. It views the agreement as a further step toward the widespread use of cryptocurrencies.
The collaboration facilitated crypto payments in France. This provides a method for accepting cryptocurrency payments in-person at locations having Ingenico’s AXIUM payment terminals. In light of the MiCA regulation, France is a crucial European nation for Binance, where it also has its headquarters.
Consumers will be able to pay with cryptocurrencies at physical points of sale thanks to this collaboration, which also makes it simple for businesses to accept more than 50 cryptocurrencies through Ingenico payment terminals. The biggest payment terminals in the entire globe are situated there.
Additionally, it will have a retailer (Miss Opéra) and a caterer (La Carlie), making it the first crypto payment acceptance solution in France. Several European nations will soon use Binance Pay‘s integration into Ingenico payment terminals.
“As a leading payments ecosystem accelerator, we are excited to partner with up-and-coming brands like Binance to bring cryptocurrency payments to retail for consumers around the world.”Michel Léger, executive vice president at Ingenico


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Lexington, KY – Imagine splitting your business brain in two: one part focusing on wholesale to retailers and the other on selling retail products to individuals. Artisan entrepreneurs do this all the time, especially during events such as Kentucky Crafted: The Market.
The four-day event at Lexington Center, sponsored by the Kentucky Arts Council, is actually two separate events. March 1-2 are “trade-only” days for retail businesses to place orders with the artists, and March 3-4 are open to the public. The market features about 250 artist businesses, 185 of whom are visual and craft artists. Artists’ sales at the market were right under a million dollars last year.
In 1982, Kentucky Crafted: The Market was the first state-sponsored wholesale and retail marketplace in the nation. It was held at the Kentucky Horse Park. After a long run in Louisville, the market has returned to the Bluegrass for its 30th anniversary at Lexington Center.
“It was really quite a coup to accomplish a move from their previous home base at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville,” said Becky Trimble, Lexington Center’s senior convention sales manager. “It is one of the biggest public shows we will have this year at Lexington Center, and we would be honored to host it for several years to come.”
The event will utilize around 86,000 square feet of space at Lexington Center, requiring the efforts of 115 full-time and 20 or more part-time employees two days before the show starts. The sales and marketing departments at Lexington Center have been working on operational aspects of the project since 2010.
On Thursday and Friday of the market, at least 500 retail business owners from Kentucky and a dozen other states come in to place orders with the artisans.
“They’re not buying off the floor, but placing orders for delivery throughout the year,” said Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council. “A lot of these artists may take wholesale orders at the market that will be their orders for the entire year.”
The two public days of the market are an opportunity for artists to test new products before heading off to summer craft fairs to sell their jewelry, pottery, stained glass, furniture and other types of art.
For Rachel Savané, owner of Savané Silver, the trade-only days got her business off the ground.
“A designated quantity of work to do with the promise of being paid at completion is a wonderful prospect for any entrepreneur,” she said. Savané quickly learned how to calculate prices based on materials, labor and wholesale selling.


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|By Business Wire||
|January 15, 2014 01:07 PM EST||
Leading search and digital marketing agency, RKG, today released its Digital Marketing Report for the fourth quarter of 2013 (rkg.co/dmrq42013) – showing digital trends for paid search, SEO, social media, product listing ads (PLAs), display advertising, comparison shopping engine management, mobile and a special section on holiday performance. Across its client base, which includes over 40 of the IR Top 500 retailers, RKG found that search spending growth on Google increased slightly to 19% year-over-year. This growth was driven primarily by traffic increases as average cost-per-click (CPC) was up just 3% year over year in Q4.
Google PLAs played a key role in holiday performance, accounting for 23% of all Google traffic and 42% of competitive Google traffic, which excludes clicks on keywords that include a site's own brand name. By comparison, the newly minted Bing Product Ads format, which launched in Q3 as a closed beta, accounted for 7% of Bing competitive ad spend. Based on PLA success on Google, that figure is likely to rise quickly.
Compared to another similar ad format in Amazon Product Ads, Google PLAs sales volume was nine times larger among advertisers running on both platforms.
On the whole, PLA spend increased 72% year-over-year as Q4 CPC for the format surpassed those of competitive text ads for the first time, coming in 13% higher. Competition in the PLA space will likely continue to drive up CPCs as return on investment for PLAs outpaced comparable Google text ads by 18%.
Continued Growth of Mobile
The volume of smartphone and tablet searches continued to grow through the holidays, and traffic on these devices accounted for over 25% of paid search spend in Q4. Thanksgiving and Christmas Day were the largest mobile days by share of traffic in Q4 at 43% and 45% respectively, as those traveling during these holidays were probably more likely to pack only mobile devices. Eagerness for Black Friday deals may have also played a role on Thanksgiving, while searches on new mobile devices likely contributed to the increase in mobile share on Christmas.
While Q4 smartphone click traffic more than doubled year-over-year, CPC was down 8% – continuing the trend from Q3 due to the transition to the Enhanced Campaign model. Enhanced Campaigns' mobile modifiers gave advertisers greater control to hit more demanding efficiency goals on mobile devices, which have historically returned much lower revenue-per-click than desktop and tablet computers.
Mobile now accounts for a greater share of PLA traffic than Google text ad traffic, indicating that advertisers and consumers are already largely taking advantage of the product ad format on mobile devices.
The full RKG Digital Marketing Report offers over 40 charts with additional insights and analysis on paid search, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, comparison shopping engines, attribution and more.
Some highlights from the fourth quarter findings include:
- Google paid search spending grew 19% Y/Y in Q4. Traffic growth drove those gains with paid clicks up 15% and CPCs up just 3%. Google Ad Rank changes in early Q4 may have suppressed Y/Y CPC growth.
- Spending on Bing Ads, which includes Yahoo, grew 43% Y/Y in Q4. The platform continues to better monetize its traffic through more expansive ad matching logic. Bing’s new Product Ads format showed potential in Q4, generating 7% of non-brand ad spend for participating retailers.
- Retailers running both Google Product Listing Ads and text ads generated 23% of their overall traffic from the PLA format, but an impressive 42% of their non-brand traffic. The average retailer found PLA CPCs outpacing non-brand text CPCs for the first time in Q4.
- Smartphones and tablets generated a combined 32% of paid search clicks and accounted for 25% of paid search ad spend. Smartphone CPCs remained 60% lower than desktop and tablet CPCs.
- Not Provided query share has plateaued at an average of 84% of Google search visits. Query data that remains available to site owners is skewed towards Android devices and desktop Safari users.
- Following the release of iOS 7, site owners are no longer seeing Google organic searches being misattributed as direct site visits due to iOS not passing referrer information. In Q2 2013, 16% of Google searches were incorrectly classified by web analytics packages due to this issue.
- For social media sites, 31% of referral traffic produced occurred on mobile devices. Compared to organic search, social media users showed a relative preference for smartphones over tablets.
- Facebook generated 57% of social media referrals in Q4 2013, up from 55% a year earlier. Pinterest generated 14% of social media referrals, up from 9%.
- Amazon Products Ads’ share of total CSE spending increased to 26% in Q4 2013, up from 18% a year earlier. Nextag has seen its share fall precipitously in the past year.
- Among advertisers running both Amazon Product Ads and Google PLAs, RKG finds PLA CPCs running 22% higher than Amazon’s. For those same advertisers, Amazon Product Ads volume is 11% that of PLAs.
To download the full report, visit: rkg.co/dmrq42013
RKG is a search and digital marketing agency that combines superior marketing talent with leading-edge technology to create the industry’s most effective data-driven digital marketing solutions. RKG drives business to clients by maximizing a full range of opportunities including paid search, SEO, product listing ads, social media, display advertising and comparison shopping engine management services. Founded in 2003, RKG partners with clients such as CareerBuilder, Drugstore.com, Express, Herman Miller, Jones Group and Urban Outfitters. In 2013, Advertising Age ranked RKG the fastest growing search agency. A privately held company, RKG is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA with offices in San Francisco, CA, Bend, OR and Boston, MA. For more information visit www.rimmkaufman.com or follow the company on Twitter @rimmkaufman.
How is unified communications transforming the way businesses operate? In his session at WebRTC Summit, Arvind Rangarajan, Director of Product Marketing at BroadSoft, will discuss how to extend unified communications experience outside the enterprise through WebRTC. He will also review use cases across different industry verticals. Arvind Rangarajan is Director, Product Marketing at BroadSoft. He has over 19 years of experience in the telecommunications industry in various roles such as Softw...
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SYS-CON Events announced today that Litmus Automation will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Litmus Automation’s vision is to provide a solution for companies that are in a rush to embrace the disruptive Internet of Things technology and leverage it for real business challenges. Litmus Automation simplifies the complexity of connected devices applications with Loop, a secure and scalable clou...
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There are lots of challenges in IoT around secure, scalable and business friendly infrastructure for enterprises. For large corporations, IoT implementations are one of the top priorities of the decade. All industries are seeing a competitive need to sustain by investing in IoT initiatives. The value addition comes from improved customer service, innovative product and additional revenue streams. The data from these IP-connected devices can be leveraged for a variety of business applica...
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As Marc Andreessen says software is eating the world. Everything is rapidly moving toward being software-defined – from our phones and cars through our washing machines to the datacenter. However, there are larger challenges when implementing software defined on a larger scale - when building software defined infrastructure. In his session at 16th Cloud Expo, Boyan Ivanov, CEO of StorPool, will provide some practical insights on what, how and why when implementing "software-defined" in the dat...
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Chuck Piluso will present a study of cloud adoption trends and the power and flexibility of IBM Power and Pureflex cloud solutions. Speaker Bio: Prior to Data Storage Corporation (DSC), Mr. Piluso founded North American Telecommunication Corporation, a facilities-based Competitive Local Exchange Carrier licensed by the Public Service Commission in 10 states, serving as the company's chairman and president from 1997 to 2000. Between 1990 and 1997, Mr. Piluso served as chairman & founder of ...
Apr. 27, 2015 11:00 AM EDT
SYS-CON Events announced today that MangoApps will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY., and the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. MangoApps provides private all-in-one social intranets allowing workers to securely collaborate from anywhere in the world and from any device. Social, mobile, and eas...
Apr. 27, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,591
Wearable technology was dominant at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) , and MWC was no exception to this trend. New versions of favorites, such as the Samsung Gear (three new products were released: the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit), shared the limelight with new wearables like Pebble Time Steel (the new premium version of the company’s previously released smartwatch) and the LG Watch Urbane. The most dramatic difference at MWC was an emphasis on presenting we...
Apr. 27, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,117
So I guess we’ve officially entered a new era of lean and mean. I say this with the announcement of Ubuntu Snappy Core, “designed for lightweight cloud container hosts running Docker and for smart devices,” according to Canonical. “Snappy Ubuntu Core is the smallest Ubuntu available, designed for security and efficiency in devices or on the cloud.” This first version of Snappy Ubuntu Core features secure app containment and Docker 1.6 (1.5 in main release), is available on public clouds, ...
Apr. 27, 2015 10:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,434


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When clothes are no longer in style, they usually find their way to the back of the closet or the bottom of the drawer, but now with Aniela Hoitink’s new dress made of mushroom mycelium, the dress can be composted instead of collecting dust.
Aniela Hoitink aims to change the use of textiles by altering or adding properties to investigate their future use, reported dezeen.com.
“Hoitink’s latest invention is a dress created from disc-shaped pieces of mushroom mycelium, the threadlike vegetative part of fungi that absorbs nutrients… The dress is sleek, stylish, and fully compostable. You know, for when it falls out of fashion,” stated mnn.com.
Soft bodied species that grow by replicating themselves motivated Hoitink to build textiles out of modules that make it easy to repair the dress and does not interfere with the look of the fabric, as stated in designboom.com.
“Another benefit of the material is that it can be easily repaired, and cheaply. That makes it reusable as well as recyclable. Since 40 percent of all textiles produced are not sold and end up in landfills, the dress ensures a reduction of this waste,” mnn.com stated.
Since the dress can be made three-dimensionally and be shaped while being made, it eliminates potential leftovers or waste while it is being made, as stated in designboom.com.
“The world is dynamic, however our textiles are not,” Hoitink said, according to dezeen.com. “They have been with us all our lifetime, but they do not seem to have changed much.”
The mushroom mycelium dress is displayed at the Fungal Futures exhibit in Utrecht, Netherlands, according to mnn.com.


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Avalon Waterways has announced Vienna will be the host location for the christening of its newest luxury ship, Avalon Illumination.
Taking place in June next year on the banks of the Danube and being christened by Australian television personality Deborah Hutton, the cruise line said Vienna was chosen for the launch because it is one of the highlights of Avalon’s most popular itinerary among Australian travellers.
The Avalon Illumination will be the cruise line’s eighth Suite Ship to join the fleet since that style of ship was introduced in 2011 and will feature two decks of all-suite accommodation and 30 percent more cabin space than the industry average.
The event will also mark the cruise line’s tenth year of cruising.
Settle in for a luxury voyage as you sail from Sydney to Singapore on board Cunard’s elegant Queen Elizabeth.
Free flight and hotel stay
In Sydney, you’ll embark the exquisite Queen Elizabeth. Stunning accommodation and the most exceptional fine dining you’ll ever experience at sea are just some of this ship’s glamorous delights. Settle into your luxury surroundings as you set sail for Singapore, discovering a wealth of captivating destinations along the way.


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Offthetopofmyhead Creates New Identity for OxfordSM
Management consultancy OxfordSM has revealed a new identity designed by Offthetopofmyhead. The project initially started off as a website redesign but ended up as a total rebrand.
Based in both the UK and US, OxfordSM works with large organisations like Unilever, Vodafone and Bayer, and claims to improve commercial results through behaviour change. The business currently operates purely on the virtual level, not being office-based, which they say helps them recruit the best people wherever they might be.
Offthetopofmyhead worked on the project with a team of associates. Ben Afia defined the brand personality and created a tone of voice that aims to make the business sound “more human”, while Slater King was responsible for the photography.
OxfordSM says it needed a website that would get potential clients sufficiently interested in them to start a conversation.
Offthetopofmyhead founder and creative director, John Spencer, says, “The website’s paired back look and feel fell straight out of the brand personality and tone of voice work, helped by the guiding principles of human and personal, beautifully simple and real”.
The fully-responsive website was subsequently built by Henrik Hilker.
“The more we worked on the website redesign the more it became obvious that OxfordSM’s logo and graphic identity were in need of an overhaul. They needed something with warmth, personality and humanity,” adds John, who collaborated on the logo design with typographer Alan Meeks.
“The idea for their handwritten logo and conspicuous colour palette was sparked off by a wall of Post-It notes in an OxfordSM workshop. Their new logo’s style mimics a black magic marker. It’s got bags of energy, especially when it’s animated”.
Identity guidelines have also been created to make sure OxfordSM’s design and language principles are stuck to over time.
The new look is being being rolled out from this week across OxfordSM’s website, PowerPoint presentation decks, which have been developed by Eileen Breen, an array of printed collateral including stationery and notebooks, display materials, and promotional items like data sticks, pens and polo shirts developed by Tricia Lambert.


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Sales for the Jakarta Great Sale Festival 2011 have exceeded expectations, the chairman of the festival announced.
The sales festival, which ran concurrently with the monthlong commemoration of Jakartaâ€™s 484th anniversary, started on June 17 and concluded on Sunday. Over 65 malls in the Jakarta area participated in the promotion.
Total sales during the 31-day promotion reached Rp 8.7 trillion ($1.01 billion), according to Handaka Santosa, the festival chairman. The amount represents a 21 percent increase from last yearâ€™s festival when Rp 7.2 trillion in sales were generated. Additionally, it is a 20 percent increase from the organizationâ€™s own projections for this year.
â€œOur economy is supported by strong domestic consumption, so itâ€™s no wonder that the Great Sale Festival was a success,â€ Handaka said on Monday.
A survey released by Bank Indonesia last week showed that consumer confidence climbed to a two-year high on optimism that domestic economic conditions will improve. The government forecast a 6.5 percent growth rate for the economy this year. In 2010, the economy grew 6.1 percent. Household consumption accounts for approximately 60 percent of Indonesiaâ€™s economy.


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Bedbugs have not gone away, they've just found new places to hide. But the answer to the bedbug apocalypse might be right in your closet, or under your bed.
The latest weapon in the battle against the pesky critters? Luggage.
"The Achilles' heel of a bedbug is heat. They die if it gets to 140 degrees," said James Bell, CEO of a company that makes luggage that reaches temperatures hot enough to kill bedbugs and their eggs.
Read MoreBedbugs Bad for Business? Depends on the Business
Like something out of a James Bond movie, ThermalStrike suitcases—which come in two sizes and sell for $249 and $199—are billed as something that can nuke bedbugs into oblivion. The luggage plugs into a 110-volt socket and heats up its interior infrared panels to 140 degrees. The company recommends setting the timer to eight hours for full effect.
It's been a few years since the media hysteria peaked—along with cases of itchy people desperately dousing themselves or furniture with flammable liquids. Still, the problem is as bad as ever, according to industry officials. In the last few weeks, the pests have been found practically everywhere, from New York City subways to Naval Academy dorm rooms.
And a survey last week by pest-management company Orkin finds renters fear bedbugs over anything else. They're not the only ones.
"Bedbugs have increased dramatically as a public health pest throughout the country," the Environmental Protection Agency reports. Not surprisingly, the number of bedbug-fighting products has grown as well. More than 300 different products are now registered by the EPA for use against them (though that doesn't indicate an endorsement).
Read MoreCould Ebola fears hurt tourism?
Experts suggest a number of ways to reduce bedbug infestations when traveling, such as keeping your suitcase off the floor, closing it when not in use, inspecting the hotel's bed, sheets and headboard upon arrival and putting your clothes in a hot dryer when returning home. Advice on bedbug control can be found on the EPA website.
While the self-heating luggage and other bedbug-killing treatments are not certified by any government agency, the Federal Trade Commission offers consumers some advice: "The tough truth is, bedbug infestations are difficult to control, and no one treatment or technique has been found to be effective in all cases. Be wary of any brand that claims to be a silver bullet."
Read MoreBedbugs spotted 21 times on NYC subways: Report
Hotels have gotten better about eradicating bedbugs in recent years. A 2013 University of Kentucky survey of 251 pest management companies across the United States found that only 75 percent of the companies had responded to a bedbug case in a hotel or motel that year, down slightly from 80 percent in 2011.
"Hotels are very focused in bedbugs these days," said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association. Not only do they monitor and inspect more closely, most have aggressive response plans that call for clearing not just the room where the bugs are fund, but rooms on both sides as well as above and below since the infestation can spread through electrical sockets.
Still, Michael Potter, an entomology professor who co-authored the Kentucky survey, said travelers should remain wary. "Some hotels are being more pro-active while others are still way behind in the learning curve," he told CNBC.
Follow Road Warrior on Twitter at @CNBCtravel.


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UPS Gets Approval to Become a Drone Airline
By DAVID KOENIG AP Business Writer
DALLAS (AP) — UPS says it has won government approval to run a drone airline, a first for a U.S. company, and it plans to expand deliveries on hospital campuses and eventually other industries.
United Parcel Service Inc. said Tuesday that its drone subsidiary was awarded an airline certificate last week by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Even before getting the airline designation, UPS Flight Forward, as the subsidiary is called, has operated more than 1,000 flights at Wake Forest University's medical center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The designation removes limits on the size of the company's potential drone operation. Flight Forward can fly an unlimited number of drones, a key step toward expanding the operation. It can also fly drones at night — the company plans to do that after installing the necessary colored warning lights on each drone.
However, UPS still faces severe restrictions before it can run a large commercial operation with drones.
For example, drones won't be allowed to fly beyond the sight of the operator without an FAA exemption for each route. Also, each flight will need a separate operator. Scott Price, the company's chief strategy officer, said UPS will eventually apply for FAA permission to have a single operator fly multiple drones at the same time.
The airline certificate lets UPS fly drones carrying more than 55 pounds, "but we're not comfortable we have the hardware for that yet," Price said in an interview.
Operations will be limited to campus-like settings because FAA has not yet written regulations to allow commercial drone flights over populated areas. Price said UPS is eyeing "hundreds" of such sites in the U.S., including hospitals, colleges and office buildings.
Price said the Wake Forest experiment has been successful, with only "a few" drone flights canceled for mechanical problems or because of bad weather. He said none have crashed. With a special FAA exemption, the company operated a drone flight there on Friday beyond the sight of the operator, which Price said was a first for a revenue-generating delivery.
UPS believes the earliest commercially viable uses of drones will be for same-day deliveries, for augmenting truck-borne deliveries in rural areas, and for larger drones that could carry cargo of up to a ton from one rural area to another. Price said the latter idea is still years away.
In a press release issued by the company, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said the airline designation, called a Part 135 certificate in FAA terminology, is a step forward in integrating drones into the U.S. airspace.


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Nearly everyone knows how difficult it can be to get your hands on a Ferrari. The luxury automaker is notorious for long waiting lists and true aficionados who own multiple Ferraris sometimes just cannot get their hands on the latest limited edition model because they sell to fast. Ferrari seems to have come up with a solution to that problem.
Ferrari is considering establishing a new, ultra-exclusive owners’ club that would allow its members to have the first right of refusal on any new limited edition models that the automaker launches. If established, those who are fortunate enough to be allowed entry into the club would be offered the chance to purchase the limited edition cars before anyone else.
Ferrari CEO Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said, “I do not want our faithful collectors to miss the opportunity to buy one of our special series.”
While the club has not been created yet, there are still some details the company would need to work out – such as what criteria Ferrari will choose for entry into its special club. One option would be to limit entry to only those individuals who own at least five Ferraris already (this trait actually describes only about 300 people worldwide).
Source: Motor Authority


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Some sources, like the previous AHN link, say it's the crappy quality, but over at Variety, there's a little different news about the who and what of the switch. Disney has sacked Sharon Morrill, who has been head of DisneyToons direct-to-DVD work for a while now. She's not completely gone, however, as a Disney rep says that she's being moved to some sort of "special projects" work, whatever that means. The reasoning behind her dismissal, according to V -- the costs for the upcoming Tinker Bell adaptation have skyrocketed to the not-so-costly $50 million (AHN says it's $30 million). Apparently the movie has had around two dozen script versions and a ton of different directors attached. To top that off, sources say that she's not getting along so well with Pixar heads, since Disney bought the company last year.
What the exact story is, remains to be seen. I would imagine that if this was all about Morrill, then Disney wouldn't be bringing their DVD sequels to an end, they'd just find someone to replace her. Whatever the exact numbers and rationale are, I can't help but be a little relieved that it's coming to an end, and relieved that Disney CCO John Lasseter acknowledged that not only are the sequels inferior, but they "erode" the brand. Quality over money...wonders never cease!


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Russian energy exports to India up several dozen times - ambassador
MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax) - Russian energy exports to India have grown dozens of times, with Indian companies buying oil and gas from Russia at prices lower than those on the global markets, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said.
"An increase by 50 times has been mentioned, as have other figures. I won't give you absolute figures, because this is a subject of nonpublic foreign trade contracts, but cooperation has grown multiple times, even dozens of times," Alipov said on the Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) television channel.
What is important is that the Indian government has allowed its companies to buy oil and gas from Russia at prices that are lower than global averages, "without passing the premium for growing energy prices to end consumers," he said.
He described prospects of Russian energy supplies to India as "good."
Russia and India are successfully settling issues related to mutual settlements and logistics in bilateral trade, "and options for settlements in national currencies and in hard currencies have been considered," he said.


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Falcon doors made a whole lot of problems for Tesla Motors. The company was late ...
Falcon doors made a whole lot of problems for Tesla Motors. The company was late to release the car because of them and soon after the first cars hit the streets, it was found that the doors are not working as they should. Now, the Tesla Motors may be on the verge of making them better than ever. At least for the newest models produced. As for the ones from before, they did a few software mods that made the doors far more usable.
Here is the latest over-the-air software update which made the Falcon doors even more likable. Now, they open and close faster and the video you are seeing here shows that in great detail. Software update v8.0 reduced the opening and closing time by 22 and 26 percent consecutively .
Interestingly enough, this video comes from Norway where Tesla cars are best sellers. We are not even joking. Last month, the Tesla Model X sales surpassed the sales of the Tesla Model S which is quite astonishing considering that the Model X is quite pricey.
V8.0 update also brings Autopilot updates. The system uses front radar and camera a lot more than before thus increasing safety and precision of the system.
Legendary Speed is dedicated to bringing you the very best Videos about Automobiles and Cool stuff.


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We are moving toward an ever-more-digital future, and the PlayStation 4 is certainly part of that movement, with the continuing growth of the PlayStation Store and the addition of streaming games to PlayStation functionality. But digital isn’t everything just yet, says Shuhei Yoshida, president of SCE Worldwide.
“We believe retail will still play a key role to get games in front of people,” Yoshida told GamesIndustry at a roundtable this morning, noting that there are a lot of folks who go to game stores to get information on new releases, and also that retailers like GameStop sell digital content in the physical stores. And, yes, there are those among us who like to have a reason to leave the house every once in a while.
Even so, Yoshida also told GI, “digital is the fastest growing business for us and for industry as well.” What the distant future holds for us in the realm of this discussion is unknown. In the near future, though, things will look similar to the way they do now. It’s a slow evolution.
For more on the PS4, check out our recap of last night’s reveal.


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Small Business Boom: ‘Pandemic Founders’ Will Determine the Next Beloved Tech Brands
Call it a silver lining of the pandemic: Entrepreneurship is booming in the U.S, with applications for new businesses rising at the fastest rate since 2007.
The pandemic itself is the likely accelerating factor, given that unemployment rates are still near 8%. Many of these folks are forgoing the job search in favor of striking out on their own and pursuing their passions, with 27% of “pandemic founders” indicating that they were previously laid off from their full-time jobs, according to a recent survey by JustBusiness.
More than half of this new crop are first-time founders, with 1 in 5 (20%) saying that they did not have plans to start a business at the beginning of the year. In that sense, you could say that the pandemic has been a direct catalyst for their current ambitions – a spark plug that has motivated folks to seize the moment.
Even among the experienced founders, 70% said the pandemic altered their business plans or forced them to make changes that may impact their success. Whether that means shutting down just months (or weeks) after opening or postponing a launch altogether, it hasn’t been easy. There’s no denying that we’ve all been through a trauma – something the small business ecosystem will likely feel in various ways for years to come.
As a result, today’s founders are stepping into entrepreneurship with fresh eyes and heightened expectations of all vendors, mirroring how today’s young consumers have higher expectations in terms of mobility, user experience and general internet savvy from the brands that serve them. 2020’s founders’ preferences will reflect the on-demand nature of our current culture, favoring instant gratification, flexibility, scalability and ease of use from any company that hopes to be included in their tech stack.
This shift is creating a massive opportunity for the tech companies that serve and support the small business ecosystem. As business owners, our preferences and tendencies will directly influence which tech companies emerge as winners, securing a spot in our startup toolboxes, while pushing out legacy partners who have failed to adapt.
While the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in our lifetimes, the economic recovery situation and corresponding land-grab for small business attention is not. We need only look back at history for some semblance of what we can expect over the next few months.
The new barometer for risk
In 2008, I was 28 years old, living and working in London on my first startup, eCourier. It was a simple idea: a courier network, empowered by mobile, that could field orders programmatically. We raised money and had a thriving business that was all about growth. Needless to say, when the recession hit, it all came crashing down. Today, I’m on my third startup, and I still think about how that chaotic period carved out many of my entrepreneurial tendencies that I maintain today.
Today’s founders will undoubtedly have a similar experience, with various effects of the pandemic lingering for years to come. These are folks who just saw their friends and neighbors go out of business, who perhaps recently lost their own jobs, or who put their plans and dreams on indefinite hold because of COVID-19 before admirably deciding to power through.
As a result, their barometer for risk has been completely reset. Over the past few months, I’ve talked to many business owners who are trying to save more money, creating a bigger cushion for themselves in the event of a second wave and additional shutdowns. It’s not an easy thing to do, and it does require sacrifice and perhaps less focus on growth – but this could be what keeps you afloat in the coming months.
Accordingly, these owners are a bit more hesitant to hire aggressively right now. Growth is always a crab walk, especially when margins are slim. While entrepreneurship is booming right now, I expect the hiring curve might take a bit longer to catch up. In the meantime, there should be plentiful opportunities for freelancers, contract workers and the gig economy in lieu of full-time jobs.
Along those same lines, folks will take a harder line on physical office space, only investing in one if it’s absolutely necessary for their business type. This tells me two things: Firstly, flexible leases are the future. Why commit to a year when you’re not sure you’ll be open in a few months? Secondly, on-demand meeting space could be in line for major growth, thanks to shifting business demands and how meetings might take place in 2021.
I’ve also learned that small businesses are less likely to spend money to “test and learn” with technology right now. The impact here could be more “freemium” models from tech providers, encouraging small business owners to get set up with a product and understand its value before opening up their checkbooks. From there, it will be more about flexible subscriptions than annual contracts, putting the power back into business owners’ hands.
The modern startup toolbox
A similar evolution happened for us founders back in 2008. We had to reset and reassess. Along the way, clear winners emerged. Square is a fantastic example: born of the Great Recession, designed to help nascent businesses get over the unnecessarily complicated hurdle of accepting credit cards. As with office rent, why would you lock yourself into a long-term contract with a point-of-sale system provider when you’re not sure if you’ll be in business in six months? Why not work with something much simpler, easier to use and more flexible in its contract?
Going back a bit further to the dot-com burst, Mailchimp was founded in 2001 and emerged as a clear winner with small businesses. Like Square, Mailchimp was an excellent alternative to expensive, complex competitors that ruled email marketing at the time, with a laser focus on simplifying processes and empowering small businesses.
The same thing will happen in the wake of the pandemic. Beloved brands will emerge because they help businesses clear ridiculous hurdles. The hurdles themselves aren’t new, but the consequences of not clearing them are much more profound. This is 2020, and there isn’t a safety net. More than ever, business owners are looking for solutions that simplify their hectic lives, offer flexible payment structures and don’t create too much additional overhead.
On the flip side, we’re going to see a mass migration away from outdated legacy products. If it’s slow and clunky, it’s on the way out. For example, in the world of insurance, small businesses are battling their insurers in court over unpaid claims relating to pandemic interruption. In the commercial real estate sector, major brands are destroying their reputations with their inflexibility. These brands are losing any goodwill they may have had with small business owners, creating space for innovators to come in and win market share.
As business owners, we have the power to define what that modern startup toolkit looks like. We are the judges and decision-makers on the beloved tech platforms of 2021 and beyond. The B2B winners will combine flexibility, scalability and subscription models that reflect B2C preferences, helping businesses to clear useless hurdles while simplifying processes along the way. [Looking for more tips on weathering the pandemic? Check out our resources and insights on running a business during COVID-19.]
Original Source: business.com
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