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US firm eyes MyTravel cruises
AMERICAN leisure group Carlson Wagonlit has emerged as a front-runner to buy the bulk of the US businesses put up for sale by troubled UK tour operator MyTravel.
MyTravel, formerly known as Airtours, hopes to raise £200m from the sale of its American arm, TSI.
It is selling the US operations piecemeal rather than as a whole. Carlson Wagonlit, which specialises in travel agencies, is believed to be particularly interested in TSI's cruise ship division.
MyTravel reached agreement last week with creditor banks, which it owes £1.3bn, to use any proceeds from asset sales to fund the ongoing business rather than to pay off mountainous debt.
In return, the banks will receive 13.5% of any increase in MyTravel's market capitalisation above £50m by May 2006, when the debt is due to be repaid.
MyTravel was once worth more than £2bn, but a series of accounting scandals, profits warnings and boardroom departures has seen its value collapse to less than £100m.
MyTravel's American operation, which used to be run by current chief executive Peter McHugh, has struggled and analysts reckon it may have to write off £300m on the foray.
Last week, it made an ignominious retreat from Germany, selling tour operator FTi back to its founder and taking an £85m loss on the deal.
MyTravel has hired Banc of America and its own financial adviser, Deutsche Bank, to handle the US sale.
Neither MyTravel nor Carlson would comment.
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Flipkart and Tiger Global-backed Ather Energy raises Rs 180cr funding from Hero MotoCorp
Electric vehicle startup Ather Energy today raised Rs 180 crore in a fresh round of funding from Hero MotoCorp for 26-30 percent stake.
The Board of Directors of Hero MotoCorp, in a meeting held yesterday, approved an investment of up to Rs 205 crore, of which the first tranche is of Rs 180 crore.
This fresh round of funding will be used for the building of a future-ready product platform, acceleration of the charging infrastructure, ecosystem development, and commercialisation of the vehicle.
This funding marks the third round of investment in Ather Energy. Last year in May, the startup raised $12 million in funding (Rs 75.33 crore) from Tiger Global for the development, testing, production and launch of Ather’s first smart electric two-wheeler – the Ather S340. And earlier, in 2014, Flipkart founders Sachin and Binny Bansal had extended a funding of $1 million to the startup.
Speaking on the investment, Tarun Mehta, CEO and Co-founder of Ather Energy, said,
"The funding is a strong validation of our product roadmap and technology capability, endorsed by one of the biggest global automotive players. We believe smart connected electric vehicles are the future, and India will be an important global player in it. Our vision is to fast forward to that future, and this investment will help us leapfrog several years of automotive experience."
Founded in the year 2013 by IIT Madras graduates Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, Ather Energy is developing an electric two-wheeler, which they claim will be completely designed and made in India. The startup has a team of 150 employees and is presently in the stage of product testing and vendor finalisation for their first product, the S340.
Unveiling of Ather S340
Ather unveiled the S340 in February this year and is expected to officially launch it in the next few months. The Ather S340 is a connected vehicle powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, and features a digital touchscreen dashboard and a light-weight aluminum chassis, and can reach speeds of 75 kmph. The smart dashboard in the vehicle will enable users to create personalised profiles, choose riding modes and set other ride preferences.
The vehicle charges up to 90 percent in less than an hour. Its touchscreen dashboard contains a Vehicle Control Unit (diagnostic system) that constantly monitors the rider’s behaviour, a GPS, and an indicator showing how much distance can be travelled on the remaining charge. The personalised profile feature will allow users to create their own profile, comprising all the basic information. Ather also aims at setting up a ubiquitous charging infrastructure in every city it will operate in, partnering with both the government and private enterprises.
Commenting on this investment, Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp, said,
As the market leader and a global automotive major, Hero takes the lead in many areas that benefit the environment, customer and industry. Hero MotoCorp intends to enhance its participation in the EV space by pursuing its internal EV programme in addition to partnering with Ather. We see this as an important step in building the necessary ecosystem needed to support the commercialisation of EVs in the country.”
A sneak peek at the electric vehicles market
India, over the years, has witnessed a positive trend in developing electric vehicles, with the likes of Mahindra E20, India’s first electric vehicle, priced at Rs 4.79 lakh. The Gujarat-based Yo Bykes has pioneered the electric scooter in India. Other entrants in the space include Hero RNT Diesel Hybrid Scooter, Hero Splendor iSmart, Hero Leap, Mahindra GenZe, TVS Qube and Hyosung ST-E3 EVA.
Coimbatore-based electric vehicle startup Ampere Electric has developed electric cycles, electric two-wheelers, and e-scooters. The company also claims to be the first one to make their own chargers (36V and 48V) for e-vehicles.
Ather Energy claims that, unlike other players, its S340 offers a connected ride experience, features on-board navigation, personalised profiles, a top speed of 72 kmph and sub-one hour charging.
Website: Ather Energy

domain: news


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China Auto Rental Holdings Inc. unveiled estimated terms for its initial public offering, saying it expects to offer 11 million American depositary shares at a price of $10.50 to $12.50 each.
The company filed IPO plans in January to raise funds to acquire more vehicles to expand its fleet.
China Auto Rental is the largest car-rental company in China and has a fleet of approximately 26,000 vehicles. It derives revenue primarily from short-term rentals.
For the year ended Dec. 31, China Auto Rental reported its net loss widened to CNY151.4 million, or $24.1 million, as higher expenses offset an increase in revenue. It recorded revenue of CNY775.8 million, or $123.3 million.
The company said it also plans to use proceeds of the offering to repay certain borrowings as well as for working capital and other general corporate purposes.
China Auto Rental has applied to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CARH.


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The Toughpad is an Android tablet with a 10.1-inch screen that’s designed to be even more rugged than your average device.
This is thanks to a rigid body that can handle 1.2m drops and is sealed against water and dust.
The FZ-A1 also has a heat-treated glass display which can withstand high impacts.
And because the device is meant to be used outside it has a screen that is easy to read in bright sunlight.
Toughpad also ships with a stylus to allow users to accurately capture information like drawings or signatures.
Also onboard is satellite based GPS along with 3G connectivity so it can connect virtually anywhere.
Panasonic’s Toughpad has all the functionality of a regular Android tablet but with enhanced protection from not only physical dangers but also from thieves and hackers.
Onboard the Toughpad is a security processor so protection is embedded at the hardware level and protects the device against hackers and the loss of sensitive information.
“The Toughpad delivers all of the flexibility of a tablet coupled with the quality and operational confidence that companies have come to expect from Panasonic,” Deane Hornsby, Toughbook Group Manager, Panasonic Australia said.
“Many other tablets used in the workplace are prone to operational failure, which can cause thousands of dollars in downtime and repair.
“Panasonic has taken the approach of creating a device that lasts the distance, minimizing downtime, support and reducing inefficiency costs.”
The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1 is perfect for the outdoor workers in areas like construction, emergency services, field sales or for anyone who is exposed to extreme environments and tough conditions.
“Combined with mobile 3G broadband connectivity, the Android-based Toughbook tablet will offer quick access to applications and data that could significantly improve a field worker’s ability to make critical decisions that enhance customer service, improve response times and deliver results,” Hornsby said.
The Panasonic Toughpad is available now and is priced at $1,499.


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Tech: TALi Digital gets some more momentum with new Google Education partnership
Link copied to
Ed-tech platform TALi Digital (ASX:TD1) has scored certification from Google for its early-learning technology.
The company said the deal will act as an important catalyst for its pushes into the US market with its TALi Detect and TALi Train products, which are used in the treatment of attention deficit disorder in children.
The partnership will give TALi access to extended Google distribution channels, including G Suite for Education and Google Chromebooks which are used by more than 50 per cent of US schools.
TALi said that in order to get certification with Google, products needed to pass a “structured assessment and verification process”. The company will also be assigned a dedication partner manager.
As is often the case when ASX small caps sign partnership deals with global tech behemoths, shares in TALi got a boost this morning, with the stock rising by 20 per cent in morning trade.
The company — which used to be called Novita Healthcare but rebranded just before Christmas — had a big finish to 2019, rocketing from below 2c to a high of more than 10c.
It followed news in October that the TALi Detect program had been approved for reimbursement under the relevant CPT codes administered by the American Medical Association.
TALi managing director Glenn Smith said that along with increased distribution and marketing opportunities, TALi would also have full integration with Google Single Sign In and Google Classroom.
“These integrations help streamline the user experience by allowing the input of teacher, class and student data directly into our platform, making the onboarding process as seamless as possible,” Smith said.


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Former Resident Evil executive producer making zombie game Yaiba
Another zombie game is in development, but you might want to pay attention to this one.
Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune, who also worked as a producer on the Dead Rising series and executive producer on several Resident Evil games, has announced that he's making a zombie game tentatively titled Yaiba.
No platforms or a release date have been revealed.
Founder of the studio Comcept/Intercept, Inafune is also overseeing the game Soul Sacrifice, confirmed for PlayStation Vita.
Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.


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Wirex has reportedly launched 26 new stable coins on Stellar’s Blockchain. The price target for the new coins by year end is $1. Hopefully, Stellar has the capacity to integrate these new coins. Will this development affect Stellar Lumens price prediction positively? Is Stellar the best cryptocurrency to invest in 2019?
Stellar is one of the Blockchain’s that have been constantly making massive developments. The protocol has successfully tied-up collaborations. It has fully embarked on a model to grow the price of Stellar Lumens. Now, XLM news today reveals that payment platform, Wirex has decided to launch 26 stable coins on Stellar’s blockchain network. Wirex is a U.K based payment platform. The U.K headquartered payment network has officially declared that on its platform, fiat will support stable coins.
Stellar Lumens Price Prediction: Stellar Lumens Was Added to Coinsquare and CoinDeal
The stable coins will be traded with fiat like the USD, the euro, the Hong Kong dollar, the British pound, and the Singapore dollar. Apart from these options initiated by Wirex, Stellar’s native token, Stellar Lumens has been made available on two new exchanges. The exchanges include CoinDeal and Coinsquare.
The decision to add Stellar to new exchanges will likely have a positive effect on the price of Stellar Lumens. Which is why the coin’s price has been predicted to reach $1 USD by year end. Let us analyze the current price action and data for Stellar Lumens to get a clearer understanding of the picture.
Stellar Lumens Price Prediction: Comparing the Price of Stellar Lumens From February 2019 to Current Levels
Stellar is ranked by coin market cap as the number 9 largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. The Return on Investment for Stellar stands at 4395.51%. The circulating supply of Stellar Lumens is 19,267,054,195 XLM as of press time. With a market cap of $2,576,831,157. The price of Stellar Lumens stood at $0.14 with a 24 hour trade volume of $ 410,035,761.
The price of Stellar Lumens had started this year at $0.11. However, it has since gone through many crucial price variations in the past four months. The lowest point for the price of Stellar Lumens was attained on February 8 when it traded at $0.074. The highest point for the price of Stellar Lumens on the other hand, was reached on May 16 when the coin reached $0.14. The total market capitalization of Stellar Lumens as of April 22 was $2,191,918,966. The price of Stellar Lumens was at $0.113198 on the said date. Now, the current market capitalization and the price of Stellar Lumens are 17.56% and 23.67%. This means that the current figures are more than what was attained last month.
Stellar Lumens Price Prediction: The Price of Stellar Lumens is Bullish Now
As mentioned earlier, Stellar is now in a bullish period. The next important resistance position will be at $0.25, $0.30, and $0.35. By this year end, the price of Stellar Lumens will reach the highly anticipated $1 mark. The next high point in the further will come at the end of 2020. The price of Stellar Lumens will reach $5 on the said date.
Going by the above analysis it is much better to expect new entrants to into Stellar. The long-term bullish outlook will give investors a profit of 3x their investment value. Is Stellar the best cryptocurrency to invest in 2019?
Brian Lubin is a Crypto News Reporter for Smartereum. He's well-known for his reports on the crypto markets.


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If you’re rubbish at parking your car like the vast majority of the British public, then you might be interested in this latest development from Kia.
The South Korean car makers claim that automatic valet parking will be available on all their new models from 2021 as they work towards their target of a fully autonomous car by 2030.
They are currently testing the auto-parking technology on the Kia Soul EV. After being activated via the smart key or even a smartphone, a series of RADAR and LiDAR cameras will navigate to a nearby parking garage before finding an empty space to settle in.
This technology means you can rock up at your office two minutes before you start, jump out your car and send it off to park itself before collecting it at the end of the day. Not only does it remove the stress of trying to find a space, but also means you can have an extra ten minutes in bed and that’s clearly the most important thing!
Currently one of the biggest restrictions on this technology is that all the car parks have to be electronically mapped for the car to find a space. This will probably mean that it will be limited to office car parks and larger public car parks at first.
The Soul EV is one of 20 Kia models currently testing around the world under its Drive Wise sub-brand, which has invested billions into the development of sensors and radars as well as vehicle-to-infrastructure technology as it seeks to become a “global leader” in autonomous driving.
So keep your eyes peeled over the next few years and you might be selling your car
to buy one of these fancy self-parking models. Anything for a lie in, eh!


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Did you know that a NEW place to eat is coming to Disney World?
Yep! A brand new food truck is coming to Disney Springs this month called Local Green Atlanta! It will join the 3 other food trucks in Disney Springs: 4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa, Mac & Cheese, and Hot Diggity Dogs. While the new joint isn’t open yet, the actual food truck HAS arrived in Disney World — let’s check it out!


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It could be time to get a head start on holiday shopping plans.
Several mail carriers across the country have announced new price increases which will roll out in the coming months, reported Good Morning America.
FedEx, UPS and the United States Postal Service have all announced temporary peak surcharges with fees coming later in the fall.
FedEx announced a $1.50 per piece price hike for Ground Economy packages. The USPS announced a .25 cent to $5.00 increase depending on the type of product and its weight. Both surcharges will take effect between October and January 2022, reported GMA.
Hitha Herzog, chief research officer for H Squared Research, told GMA that the issue facing retailers is getting products to stores.
“The real challenge comes from how the products are getting to the stores,” she said. “While the CEO of Target can say they have $2 billion worth of inventory coming to the stores, no one is addressing how that product is getting to the stores. There aren’t enough truck drivers — there’s not enough cargo trains … so it becomes a logistics issue.”
Retailers across the country will have to decide whether to absorb the price hikes or pass them on to consumers.
The best way to be sure to beat the shipping trouble this holiday season is to buy early and plan ahead, Herzog said.
“I’m telling anyone who is going out and shopping to go out there as soon as they possibly can,” Herzog suggested. “As you get closer to the holiday season, you’re really taking your chances of what’s going to be on those aisles.”


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Flowers of Evil's Shūzō Oshimi Publishes 1-Shot in Feel Young Jōsei Magazine
posted on by Karen Ressler
Oshimi launched the Flowers of Evil manga in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in 2009 and ended the series in the June 2014 issue. Vertical published the manga in North America, and Crunchyroll streamed the anime adaptation as it aired in Japan in 2013. Sentai Filmworks released the anime on home video in 2014.
Oshimi's Inside Mari manga ran in Futabasha's Manga Action magazine from 2012 to September 2016. Crunchyroll began publishing the manga series online in December 2013. Oshimi launched the ongoing manga Happiness in 2015, and Kodansha Comics is publishing the manga in English.
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history


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Lexus Looks for Hybrid Market Share, Steps Up Marketing
As Toyota’s Lexus brand steps up production of hybrid cars such as the LS 600h L, it will launch a broadband video channel this summer featuring topics such as art, architecture, fashion, technology, and eco-friendly living, as well as info on the cars, of course, MarketingVOX reports.
Other efforts include a multi-city art exhibit in progress since the fall launch of the LS 460 sedan, and two environmentally minded efforts: Project Greenhouse, now under way at the Sundance Film Festival, and sponsorship of the Sundance Channel’s “Green” programming block set to debut in April.
Lexus isn’t the only automaker creating interactive and outdoor campaigns. Toyota (for its other brands) and GM have launched experiential campaigns to put potential buyers behind the wheels of their hybrid vehicles.
GE recently launched a series of online videos too. The goal is to tell the world that GE’s Ecomagination is serious about the environment since launching the branded products and marketing initiative a year and a half ago.
Stay Up-to-Date On Environmental Management, Energy & Sustainability News with EL's Free Daily Newsletter
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Many U.S. outlets are reporting that Nintendo's so-called Wii 2 will sport a touchscreen controller with a rechargeable battery. The original source for the latest Wii 2 rumor comes from the Japanese publication Nikkei.
The incorporation of the touchscreen certainly makes sense in terms of Nintendo's expertise in providing touchscreen interaction into game play, as it has with its DS and 3DS standout portable gaming systems.
Rock-solid details on the Nintendo Wii 2 are set to be revealed this week at the annual E3 electronics show. Nintendo's press conference regarding its Wii 2 announcement has been set for Tuesday, June 7, 9 a.m. PDT at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
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MORE POWER TO YOU
Engineers from the University of Utah and the University of Minnesota have discovered that interfacing two particular oxide-based materials makes them highly conductive, a boon for future electronics that could result in much more power-efficient laptops, electric cars and home appliances that also don’t need cumbersome power supplies.
Their findings were published this month in the scientific journal, APL Materials, from the American Institute of Physics.
The team led by University of Utah electrical and computer engineering assistant professor Berardi Sensale-Rodriguez and University of Minnesota chemical engineering and materials science assistant professor Bharat Jalan revealed that when two oxide compounds — strontium titanate (STO) and neodymium titanate (NTO) — interact with each other, the bonds between the atoms are arranged in a way that produces many free electrons, the particles that can carry electrical current. STO and NTO are by themselves known as insulators — materials like glass — that are not conductive at all.
But when they interface, the amount of electrons produced is a hundred times larger than what is possible in semiconductors. “It is also about five times more conductive than silicon [the material most used in electronics],” Sensale-Rodriguez says.
This innovation could greatly improve power transistors — devices in electronics that regulate the electrical current —by making power supplies much more efficient for items ranging from televisions and refrigerators to handheld devices, Sensale-Rodriguez says. Today, electronics manufacturers use a material called gallium nitride for transistors in power supplies and other electronics that carry large electrical currents. But that material has been explored and optimized for many years and likely cannot be made more efficient. In this discovery made by the Utah and Minnesota team, the interface between STO and NTO can be at the very least as conductive as gallium nitride and likely will be much more in the future.
“When I look at the future, I see that we can perhaps improve conductivity by an order of magnitude through optimizing of the materials growth,” Jalan says. “We are bringing the possibility of high power, low energy oxide electronics closer to reality.”
Power transistors that use this combination of materials could lead to smaller devices and appliances because their power supplies would be more energy efficient. Laptop computers, for example, could ditch the bulky external power supplies — the big black boxes attached to the power cords — in favor of smaller supplies that are instead built inside the computer. Large appliances that consume a lot of electricity such as air conditioners could be more power efficient. And because there is less power wasted (wasted electricity usually dissipates into heat), these devices will not run as hot as before, says Sensale-Rodriguez. He also believes that if more electronics use these materials for transistors, collectively it could save significant amounts of electricity for the country.
“It’s fundamentally a different road toward power electronics, and the results are very exciting” he says. “But we still need to do more research.”
Co-authors on the paper also include: University of Utah electrical and computer engineering professor Ajay Nahata; U graduate students Sara Arezoomandan, Hugo Condori Quispe, Ashish Chanana; and Minnesota graduate student Peng Xu. The work at University of Minnesota is funded by the Air Force Young Investigator Research Program, and the work in Utah is primarily supported by the National Science Foundation’s Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at the University of Utah.
A copy of the paper can be viewed at: http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/aplmater/4/7/10.1063/1.4959284
Learn more: MORE POWER TO YOU
The Latest on: Power electronics
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The Latest on: Power electronics
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ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.
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- Power electronics designs trending smaller and more efficienton July 30, 2019 at 5:00 pm
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via Bing News


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Acura is under fire for casting of Super Bowl commercial starring Jerry Seinfeld.
American Airlines parent AMR outlines non-union cutbacks.
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Dick Clark‘s career celebrated as entertainment legend dies at 82.
eBay continues comeback, citing PayPal.[more]
Google seeks billions by boosting mobile-internet speeds to facilitate ads.
LVMH sees more Chinese shopping for luxury goods in Europe where prices are lower.
Microsoft seeks to maintain computing relevance with Windows 8.
Nestle bottled water business suffers as more consumers embrace tap water.
Reebok releases new campaign starring Miranda Kerr.
Starbucks aims to figure out how to get China customers not to linger.
Tesco scales back U.S. plans.
TIME releases annual list of most influential people.
Vivendi faces calls for overhaul as stock slumps.
Yahoo stops bleeding but faces challenges.
& Generic pharmaceuticals and hot sauce production among America’s fastest growing industries.


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Kroger is getting a new look with a fresh logo and a universal slogan it plans to use across all of its brands.
The grocery chain, which also owns Ralphs, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, and more than a dozen other banners that sell food and home goods, announced Wednesday that its new tagline is “Fresh for Everyone.” Previously, it didn’t have one.
It says it will launch a mass media campaign, including in stores, on TV, radio, social media, podcasts and billboards, using its new branding. It also says, to celebrate the launch, it will offer shoppers free grocery pickup through Jan. 1. Normally, there is a $4.95 fee.
“We found fresh is a real point of difference for us,” Kroger’s vice president of marketing, Mandy Rassi, told CNBC in an interview. She said the changes have been in the works for more than a year.
“We are not changing the names on the [individual] banners,” Rassi said. “That said, there is a benefit that comes with scale ... with a broader narrative.”
The company declined to say how much it will spend on the rollout and advertising blitz but said Kroger has always had a “fairly significant marketing and media budget".
The announcement comes one day after the grocery company held an investor meeting in New York, giving 2020 profit and comparable sales expectations ahead of analysts’ estimates. Its shares on Tuesday shot up more than 11% on the news. Kroger’s stock, which has a market value of $22.3 billion, has climbed about 1.3% since the start of the year. The shares have been under pressure since Amazon said in June 2017 that it would acquire Whole Foods.
During the meeting, Kroger said it has benefited from making modern upgrades in stores, adding more delivery options and investing in price cuts.


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Sears Holdings released an ugly Christmas surprise this week, as it disclosed a dropoff in holiday sales and announced plans to shutter 100 to 120 stores. The company did not say which stores were closing, until now.
Here is the list from the company releasing locations for 79 of the planned store closures, which are a mix of Sears outlets and Kmarts. Sears said it will post updates as they become available. The company’s document doesn’t say when the stores will close for good.
Florida seems to be hardest-hit in this round of store closures, with 11 Sears and Kmart outlets to be shuttered. Michigan, Georgia and Ohio have six scheduled closures each. As one of our readers pointed out, none of the stores on the list are in Illinois, home to Sears corporate headquarters.
Click on the image below to launch an interactive list of the store closings, sortable by state.


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Now Near Next – The Latest View from OOH
James Byrne, marketing manager, PML Group, looks at the latest developments in the OOH industry.
Q2 Activity Brings Disney and Lidl into OOH Top 10
Next week we will be publishing our Posterwatch OOH Market Review for H1 in full. Without doubt, Q2 was a most challenging period for the medium. However, some of the country’s biggest brands continued to strategically invest in OOH during that time. Sectors such as entertainment, retail and banking were most active and, as a result, feature prominently among the top spending advertisers for the first six months of the year.
Disney’s launch of its streaming service, along with a variety of films advertised in Q1 brought the entertainment giant into the top 10 OOH advertisers. Lidl have been the most active among a competitive retail sector while traditionally strong OOH advertisers such as Diageo, Coca Cola, Mondelez and the pillar banks continue to feature.
We will be publishing more on H1 next week but please read on for the this week’s latest mobility trends and pieces of interest round our other Now Near Next themes of Retail, Travel & Leisure and Sentiment/Insight.
Latest TII Data
TII’s latest traffic trend information, derived from a sample of ten traffic counters located on the national road network, finds that as of Tuesday 4th August, car traffic volumes stand at 84% of the equivalent day in 2019.
Apple Mobility Index
Apple’s routing requests mobility data to Tuesday 4th August shows driving in Ireland is now +54% above January’s baseline for rolling seven-day average. Dublin auto mobility has recovered to 90% of baseline. Figures indicate public transport as of Tuesday is now 65% of pre-Covid levels which is 9% up on same day previous week. Elsewhere driving in Northern Ireland is now +43% above baseline across seven days, while the UK is now +27%.
New Bigger Luas 55m Tram Now in Service
At Luas Broombridge Depot yesterday, Eamon Ryan T.D., Minister for Climate Action, Communications Networks and Transport welcomed the first of eight new Luas 55m trams into service. These larger trams will increase Luas capacity on some of the busiest sections of the network.
The first of eight brand-new Luas 55m trams have just been delivered and is going into passenger service now. Seven more 55m trams will be delivered in the coming months and all will be in passenger service by early 2021. Each of these new trams will carry approximately 100 more passengers than the existing 44m trams.
Further Detail on our Shopper Research
Last week, we published our own research showing that despite record levels of online grocery shopping in recent months, it appears that Dubliners of all age groups and are keen to do the bulk of their grocery shopping in-store. This week we publish the gender breakdown of that study, revealing the differences between males and females and how they intend to grocery shop in the coming six months. (Source: PML Group/Ipsos MRBI)
Nielsen & OAAA – DOOH Engages Consumers and Drives Activations
The Outdoor Association of America’s latest Nielsen studies find digital OOH produces high levels of engagement, consumer awareness and prompts consumer action. In fact, the research found consumers who notice directions from a DOOH are highly likely to visit a business and over 80% will make a purchase.
The two new Nielsen DOOH studies examined travelers in top markets across the U.S. and their exposure to digital out of home (DOOH) advertising formats including billboards, street furniture, airports and place-based (top 30 markets surveyed); and rail/subway/train/taxi transit (top six transit markets surveyed).
The results confirmed nearly two-thirds of DOOH viewers have engaged in at least one measured action after seeing a digital billboard. These actions included visiting an advertiser’s website, searching for them online, visiting a store or restaurant, visiting or posting to a social media site or blog, and more. The research also found DOOH prompts over half of consumers to take actions on their mobile devices.
The Nielsen study reiterates the power of DOOH to drive measurable and meaningful brand value for advertisers.
Key highlights of the studies include:
Among consumers noticing digital billboards
- 52% noticed digital billboards that gave directions to a store, business, or restaurant
- 57% of them immediately visited the business after viewing the ad
- 93% of those visiting the business made a purchase
- 52% of viewers with smartphones have engaged in actions on their mobile device after seeing a digital billboard in the past year
Among consumers noticing digital street furniture
- 51% noticed digital street furniture ads that gave directions to a store, business, or restaurant
- 65% of them immediately visited the business after viewing the ad
- 92% of those visiting the business made a purchase
- 62% of viewers with smartphones have engaged in actions on their mobile device after seeing a digital street furniture ad in the past year
Among consumers noticing digital rail/subway/train transit
- Over 50% noticed digital transit ads that gave directions to a store, business, or restaurant
- 48% of them immediately visited the business after viewing the ad
- Over 80% of those visiting the business made a purchase
- Approximately 60% of viewers with smartphones have engaged in actions on their mobile device after seeing a digital transit ad in the past year
The full report can be accessed here: https://oaaa.org/ProofOOHWorks/MarketingResearch.aspx
The number of people seeing OOH advertising remains robust, according to the latest WorkShopPlay survey, carried out by Exterion Media. The study finds that despite the current circumstances, OOH advertising is delivering high levels of audiences, with 83% of those surveyed ‘seeing an Out of Home ad in the past week’.
While some restrictions remain in place OOH audiences have been active across a number of areas in the past week including grocery shopping (87%), dining out (38% in a restaurant, 20% in a pub), shopping for clothes (33%) and doing DIY around the house (38%).
Leisure Travel Pans – Deloitte
Deloitte’s latest State of the Consumer Tracker shows that travel safety concerns remain elevated, but there are early signs of easing. Travel providers remain mindful of travellers’ long-term financial uncertainty, but in the short term, travel safety will likely continue to be the more powerful driver of holiday decisions.
37% of Irish adults are planning to stay in a hotel for leisure during the next three months with a further 27% planning to stay in private accommodation. These figures are up 61% and 29% respectively compared to the end of May. 18-34s, a bullseye audience for OOH, is the group most inclined to plan for leisure travel whether it be at home or abroad with 24% actively searching for travel deals at the moment.
Nine in ten planning a Staycation
New Circle K research reveals the nation’s holidaymaking plans for the coming months. According to the Circle K research study of 1,302 adults, 54% have chosen to holiday in Ireland due to COVID-19 related safety concerns regarding overseas travel while a further 16% are staying closer to home to support the local economy. Despite 59% admitting that they were not planning to stay in Ireland this year for their holiday, almost all polled (94%) are now looking forward to exploring more of the country they live in.
Over half (54%) plan to take a holiday within Ireland as they feel safer staying closer to home. 16% of those who are planning to staycation are doing so to support the local economy. Kerry is this year’s most popular (19%) staycation destination for Irish holidaymakers followed closely by Galway (14%), Cork (13%) and Wexford (8%).
The state of the restaurant industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced restaurants to limit and change operations. Even as cities and states begin to reopen, restaurants continue to face unprecedented challenges. OpenTable has summarised data from its community of 60,000 restaurants globally. A comparison of year-over-year seated covers demonstrates where we are seeing recovery start to take shape. This chart shows year-over-year seated covers, averaged by month, across all channels at only the restaurants that have chosen to reopen in a given market. For this chart, only the seven markets with 500+ restaurants on OpenTable of which 10%+ are accepting online reservations are included.
The sharp recovery after lockdown in Ireland across July and August is evident, with yearly comparison volumes leading other markets by a substantial and increasing margin. Business has also recovered in the UK, albeit to a lesser degree.
Out of Home continues to play its role as a means of public information messaging during the COVID-19 crisis. A new campaign has been launched this week by the HSE which encourages people to continue safe behaviours of hand washing, physical distancing, wearing face coverings and using the COVID tracker app. The creative was designed by well-known illustrator Fatti Burke and placed by Spark Foundry through our team at PML and campaign is primarily aimed at those out commuting, socialising and shopping.
Dr Ronan Glynn said: “We know how important communicating clearly with the public has been throughout this crisis and I thank everyone for their engagement with public health advice.”


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Consumers have sent a strong message to retailers about credit-card surcharges, with almost 90 per cent saying they are likely to abandon stores that introduce them.
A survey commissioned by public relations agency Impact PR gauged views on what impact a surcharge of 3 per cent would have on shopping habits, but it has been challenged by the Retailers Association, which argues it is not a simple issue.
A Commerce Commission settlement with financial institutions in 2009, aimed at getting more transparency over the use of credit cards, enabled retailers to add a surcharge.
The survey found more than 88 per cent of shoppers are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to take their custom to a store that does not charge the fee.
About the same percentage felt that retailers who did charge such a fee were not providing enough information about it to customers.
Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said the findings might give retailers food for thought, but the answers to the survey questions posed were predictable.
"All things being equal, you'd say 'No, I'll go somewhere else [where there is no surcharge].' But all things aren't equal. It may be that that particular shop which is charging you an extra 2 per cent happens to be a couple of kilometres closer, therefore you are using less petrol."
Mr Albertson said the surcharge was not widespread in retail, but hotels, airlines and taxis were charging it "under one guise or another".
Retailers had to pay a service fee on credit-card usage and this had to be clawed back somehow to protect their "very fine margins", he said.
Mark Devlin, owner of shopping website showroom.co.nz, said he didn't charge a surcharge, and retailers who did were short-sighted.
"What we may lose in margin we definitely make up for in customer satisfaction and repeat purchase."


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New marketing materials for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Solider feature a ‘Better with Kinect Sensor’ banner to disclose optional motion control functionality.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Solider is a tactical shooter that includes covert operations throughout Europe against fictional ultranationalist groups.
The final game will include a solo and co-op campaign, in addition to 16-player multiplayer functionality.
Microsoft in Mar. said the Kinect hardware has sold 10 million units to retailers.


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Shiner beer names new agency after Richards Group exit
Another former Richards Group client has found a new agency home. Austin, Texas-based Spoetzl Brewery has moved its Shiner beer brand to Bakery, which shares the same home city as the craft brew.
Shiner was among the clients fleeing Dallas-based Richards Group in the wake of racist remarks made by founder Stan Richards. Richards Group had held Shiner since late 2018 when it won the account that was previously at Austin-based agency McGarrah Jessee.
Bakery won the beer after a competitive review. It will handle creative “and will work across the full product portfolio for the oldest independently owned craft brewery in Texas,” according to a statement. Matt Pechman, Shiner’s national marketing director, in a statement said: “As a fellow Texas-owned independent company, Bakery understands what makes Shiner so special and why we have the best and most loyal fans in the beer industry. Bakery impressed us with their consumer insights as well as their disruptive creative ideas for Shiner.”
Shiner was among several brands that left Richards after reports that Stan Richards, 88, questioned a proposed ad for client Motel 6 as being “too Black” for the company's “white supremacist constituents.” Motel 6 in late November named Barkley as its new agency. Home Depot, another big client that bolted Richards Group, is in the middle of a creative review.


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Intel has set out its plans for virtual reality (VR) with the announcement of Alloy, an untethered all-in-one headset, and a collaboration on Microsoft’s mixed-reality platform, Windows Holographic. VR dominated the first day's keynote presentation at Intel's Developer Forum 2016 in San Francisco, with other announcements including new modules of Intel's RealSense 3D-sensing camera, which will also be important for building autonomous robots. The announcements of Alloy and the Windows Holographic partnership represent Intel's strategy to bring VR beyond the enthusiast market and into the mainstream, taking advantage of VR's heavy computational requirements to sell its own hardware and chipsets.
Innovation in both software and hardware will make VR more popular
RealSense forms the basis of most of Intel's computer vision announcements because the Alloy headset would include two RealSense cameras to provide increased freedom of movement in 3D space. Because it's untethered, Alloy also relies on RealSense to let users perceive (and avoid) physical obstacles and use their hands to manipulate virtual objects. Intel said that it would open the hardware and provide open application program interfaces (APIs) for the ecosystem to developers in 2017.
However, hardware will only be part of the solution in bringing VR to the mainstream. As noted in a technical session, software innovation will play a role in fostering the ease of use and reduction of complexity. Intel pointed to use cases such as education, content creation, and mixed-media entertainment (incorporating VR into other forms of entertainment) as factors that will drive mass market usage, while Windows Holographic will also aim to bring Windows ecosystem apps into mixed reality – for example, controlling 2D apps such as Outlook or Excel while in 3D environments.
Another announcement was the creation of Intel Tech Experience Labs in Los Angeles, a Hollywood studio aimed at producing 360-degree sports and entertainment VR content. It will further develop the 360 replay technology that can be used to pause live events and rotate the screen, as demonstrated in the 2016 NBA finals.
These announcements show the evolution of Intel's thinking on computer vision because they come just one month after it ended support for its agreement with Google's Tango smartphone, which can perceive in three dimensions and has applications in augmented reality. Although RealSense offers similar functionality, Intel is banking on merged reality, incorporating both computer-generated imagery and physical objects interacting together, as the next technology for its chipsets and hardware to power.
"Computer vision: Intel does the Tango with Google on 3D Imaging," TE0004-001039 (August 2015)
Francesco Radicati, Senior Analyst, Consumer Technology


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The video highlights the company’s new Infallible 24H-Matte foundation.
In the 32-second video, close-ups of Jeneil’s face and skin can be seen as she, along with a few other models declared: “I don’t just wear it, I live it”.
Jeneil, has made strides in the global modeling industry and has been featured on the cover of Vogue as well as the Pirelli calendar.
Some of The world’s best luxury fashion houses – including Ermenegildo Zegna – are heading to China
The International Monetary Fund estimates China’s financial clout at the tune of £11.6 trillion – 16.5 per cent of the global economy. The next closest, the USA, comes in at 16.3 per cent.
An economy of that size – with a population set to reach 1.4bn in 2015 – is a boon for global luxury. China is not only the world’s largest GDP; its citizens now allegedly spend the most on designer goods. Despite government sanctions – advertising of luxury goods was banned on official state radio and television in February 2013, while Chinese consumption tax on luxury goods has, in the past 12 months, reached as high as 40 per cent – the country is estimated to comprise anything between 25 per cent and a staggering 47 per cent of world luxury consumption. They are also the world’s most prolific travellers, accounting for 30 per cent of tourist spending.


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Washington — Since citizens of the UK voted for the country to leave the European Union (EU), officials of the tire, automotive and automotive parts industries are still trying to determine what Brexit will mean to their global businesses.
Reactions within the rubber and tire sectors and their supplier industries have been mainly of disappointment, although many have tried to put on a brave face.
“The UK is an important market for Goodyear,” the tire maker said 27 June, four days after 17.4 million UK voters, representing 51.9 percent of the votes cast, decided that their nation should get out of the EU. “Like all global companies, we shall continue to assess the situation as it evolves.”
From an impact point of view, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. potentially has the most at stake among tire makers. Its European headquarters and largest European plant are in Melksham, England, where Cooper has been located since 1997 after buying Avon Rubber PLC’s tire operations.
The plant is Cooper’s primary location for its Avon motorcycle and Avon and Cooper racing tire businesses.
Findlay, Ohio-based Cooper said it is monitoring the market reaction and other repercussions of the Brexit vote.
“We are currently assessing what impacts, if any, Brexit will have on our business,” the company said. “Cooper’s footprint in Europe, with operations in the UK and continental Europe, positions us well to meet customer demand and respond to any changes.”
The tire maker said it will address the effects of Brexit — along with other issues related to its business — when it releases its second-quarter results 4 Aug.
For the past several years, Michelin has sourced radial truck tires for the US market from its Ballymena, Northern Ireland, plant; that factory, however, is slated to close by mid-2018 as part of a European-wide restructuring that will result in more than 1,600 job cuts.
US tire retailers expressed little concern about Brexit. There have been no calls to Tire Industry Association (TIA) headquarters about the vote, and the subject did not come up during a TIA Board of Directors meeting the weekend after the Brexit vote, TIA Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield told Tire Business.
Michelin North America Inc. declined comment for this article. Bridgestone Americas could not be reached for comment.


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The HM Revenue & Customs service has put out warnings about a slew of pirated DS hardware that's apparently been coming into the country.
Hundreds of imported counterfeit games consoles seized at UK freight depots were found to have been supplied with potentially dangerous power adaptors. The goods had been purchased from a range of websites, mainly based in Asia, which claimed the items were "genuine Nintendo products."
Many of the consoles, which are fake versions of Nintendo DS and DS Lite had been bought for around £40.
"UK consumers must be vigilant when purchasing goods online. Buy from a reputable or regulated site and, if purchasing from outside the UK or a new website, research the site – check all the facts before you buy," explains HMRC's Head of Intellectual Property rights Pamela Rogers.
"At best, these consoles would have led to disappointment on Christmas morning; at worst, they could have caused serious harm or injury. Counterfeit goods also cause considerable damage the UK economy by undermining genuine UK retailers and small businesses who are honest and abide by the rules."
It seems as though the safety concerns over the power supplies stem from the fact that they're not electronically tested to UK standards, though the piracy issue is definitely of greater concern.
Mike Rawlinson, managing director for the trade body of the UK game's industry ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association), comments
"We are asking all concerned parents to be diligent – often when a bargain seems too good to be true it actually is. We would also like to thank HMRC for their role in swiftly alerting all UK ports to be on their guard for similar counterfeit goods coming into the country.
"As a responsible industry we are also extremely committed to ending the damaging counterfeit games market, which not only defrauds UK tax payers with inferior products but in some cases actually puts children's lives at risk too. This is an issue that affects all retail businesses, particularly at Christmas, and more needs to be done to work together to mitigate the risks posed by fake goods.
"We are also continuing to work very closely with Trading Standards Officers on this important safety issue and we also want to thank them for their diligence."
It's hard not to raise a cynical eyebrow at phrases such as 'a responsible industry', however. ELSPA's comments actually highlight a difficulty that these console-shopping parents – who typically aren't as aware what they're buying in a jargon-saturated market – suffer from when manufacturers continually imply, and even are accused of deliberately causing, product shortages on the run up to Christmas.
When a website offers a solution that Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft and others are unwilling to provide, it's hard to blame those parents for taking the chance at not disappointing their kids come Christmas morning.
Keeping a diligent eye peeled is always good advice, of course – we just recommend that eye is sometimes turned towards those big companies who appear to indirectly support the piracy industry through their own greed and attempts to play the consumers against the retailers. There, we've said it.


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Entries in 'Charts' (347)
Namco Bandai is celebrating what some would call a surprise chart victory for Ni No Kuni this morning.
Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II is once again at the top of the GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
Just two physical games sold over 1m units in the UK last year, according to UKIE and GfK Chart-Track data.
EA’s FIFA 13 has claimed its sixth No.1 in the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40 this week.
Having dropped off the top of the listings back in October, EA’s FIFA 13 is back at the top of the Gfk Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
Ubisoft has finished 2012 on a high after claiming a double win in the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
Maybe one day it’ll be regarded alongside festive hits like Merry Christmas Everybody, All I Want For Christmas Is You and Fairytale Of New York?
Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the UK’s best selling game for the fourth week in a row.
Well, we're all a good few hours into playing our Wii U's now, and sales charts for Q3 this year have come in.
It’s week one numbers may have been down, but a strong second week has seen Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II hold onto the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats ...
The latest outing for the Call of Duty series unsurprisingly debuts at No.1 in the UK All Formats Charts.
Microsoft proves the Spartan super soldier still has what it takes as Halo 4 debuts at No.1 in the UK charts.
Ubisoft's flagship franchise has broken its own records with the release of Assassin's Creed III.
EA has finally been knocked off the top of the UK charts… by EA.
EA’s powerhouse FIFA franchise remains No.1 in the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats UK charts for a fourth week.
EA’s FIFA 13 makes it a hat-trick of No.1s this week despite some very high-profile competition.
EA’s FIFA 13 has clung on to the UK top spot, despite a 72 per cent week-on-week drop in sales.
There’s claiming the UK No.1. Then there’s claiming the UK No.1.
Valve has revealed Steam’s top ten selling titles for the past week, with Borderlands 2 and Torchlight II duking it out for the top spot.
Finally a bit of a shake-up this week on the Steam top ten product charts, as Borderlands 2 has seized the top spot ahead of its launch.
The chart success fort Square Enix’s Sleeping Dogs is not over yet.
Valve has released Steam’s latest top ten products chart, with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive once more coming out ahead.
NCsoft has revealed that recent MMO release Guild Wars 2 has topped the software charts in ten separate European countries.
Square Enix action title Sleeping Dogs has bucked expectations by retaining control of the UK charts this week.
Valve has announced Steam’s top selling titles for the week prior.


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New UK car sales hit a 10-year high in 2014, boosted by confidence in the economic recovery, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has said.
In total, 2.47 million new cars were registered last year, up 9% on 2013 and the best annual performance since 2004.
Sales rose each month last year, with December's rise representing the 34th consecutive monthly jump.
The SMMT said the strong performance reflected the release of pent-up demand from the recession years.
Car sales were badly hit by the economic downturn which started in 2008, with new registrations dipping below two million in both 2009 and 2011.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the robust performance meant UK new car registrations were now back at pre-recession levels, with only the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 seeing more registrations than last year.
"We expect a more stable 2015 as demand levels off," he added.
The numbers mean the UK retained its ranking as the second largest market in the EU for new car sales, after Germany.
Sales of electric cars saw the biggest growth last year, with sales quadrupling to 14,498 from 3,586 in 2013.
Mr Hawes said with a variety of new plug-in models due in 2015, he expected this area to continue to "grow significantly".
The SMMT data showed that the Ford Fiesta remained the UK's top selling car, followed by the Ford Focus and the Vauxhall Corsa.
Separate data from The Finance & Leasing Association suggested that the majority of new cars were bought by people using credit.
The UK trade body for the asset, consumer and motor finance sectors said in December that the percentage of private new car sales bought by consumers on finance provided through dealerships hit a new record high of 75.9% in the twelve months to October.
Analysis: John Moylan, BBC business correspondent
There are several reasons for the stellar growth in new car sales. There was undoubtedly pent up demand following the downturn. And with wages growing, consumers are feeling more confident about buying big ticket items.
Those who bought cars as part of the 2010 scrappage scheme may also have been switching into new vehicles. And millions of PPI payouts may have also helped.
Mark Ovenden, chairman of Ford UK, points to another key factor. With the pound strong and the new car market in Europe soft, carmakers have been trying to sell more products in the UK, helping to keep prices competitive on the forecourt.
But attractive finance packages are also part of the story. Personal Contract Purchase schemes, or PCP's are not new. Their use has soared in recent years. Ford say that in their own dealerships 94% of cars are bought on finance plans and most of those are PCPs.
According to Howard Clifforth, general manager at the TrustFord dealership in Barking in East London, customers can drive away a £9,500 Fiesta - the most popular car in Britain - by providing a £500 deposit and a £166 monthly payment.
Three years later customers can hand back the car and walk away, make a balloon payment to buy the car outright, or roll over into another PCP deal.
Customers are effectively leasing cars in much the same way as they do mobile phones.
But some wonder if this sort of innovative forecourt funding is sustainable. As PCP contracts end, hundreds of thousands of cars may be pushed onto the second-hand market, depressing prices.
That would increase the cost of future PCP deals. Rising interest rates in the coming years could send the cost even higher.
Best selling cars for 2014
1. Ford Fiesta: 131,254
2. Ford Focus: 85,140
3. Vauxhall Corsa: 81,783
4. Volkswagen Golf: 73,880
5. Vauxhall Astra: 59,689
6. Nissan Qashqai: 49,909
7. Volkswagen Polo: 48,004
8. Audi A3: 45,581
9. Fiat 500: 44,005
10. Nissan Juke: 39,263


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C. Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development (MED) has announced the initial distribution of 2011 tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) quantities to importers, which includes an increase U.S. frozen beef quota allocation from 21,700 to 41,700 MT.
The poultry TRQ has been reduced to 350,000 MT and narrowed in product scope, and will not have country-specific allocations in 2011. Fresh beef, pork, and pork trimming TRQ remain unchanged from 2010. MED will distribute the remaining TRQ quantities to importers by April 15, 2010.
AMI President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle thanked Ambassador Siddiqui and the staff at the Office of the United States Representative (USTR) for their efforts in negotiating this increased allocation. According to Boyle this represents more than an estimated $75 million in additional 2011 frozen beef exports.
Source: American Meat Institute


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TECNO Mobile Beats Samsung To Emerge As Top Africa’s Smartphone Brand
TECNO has beaten Samsung to clinch the top position as Africa’s top smartphone in 2020.
Riding on a successful launch of models in the affordable segment and continued market spending, according to Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service. The Transsion brand achieved this feat against the backdrop of a 6.7% YoY fall in Africa’s smartphone shipments in 2020. Much of the damage was done in the first half of the year due to retail and supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19, which were partially offset by a swift recovery in the second half due to pent-up demand.
(Photo Source:Counterpoint Research Market Monitor)
Commenting on the market dynamics, Senior Analyst Yang Wang said, “Looking at the entire year, the African smartphone market outperformed other regions but was not immune to disruptions caused by the pandemic. Q2 2020 was especially difficult as demand was hammered when most countries entered lockdowns. Smartphone shipments during the quarter saw a YoY drop of 27%.”
Wang added, “Restrictions started easing in July. Demand followed suit, riding on a surge in promotional activities, even as COVID-19 cases ticked upwards heading into the Christmas shopping season. Q4 2020 actually eked out a 1.5% gain in YoY terms, the best quarter on record.”
TECNO became Africa’s top smartphone brand in 2020. Despite disruptive trading conditions in the first half of the year across key Sub-Saharan Africa markets, TECNO came back strongly in the second half after successfully launching models in the affordable segment, and continued market spending throughout the pandemic. TECNO is poised for further market share gains in 2021.


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Win2K to blame for Computacenter profits slump
Service billings down
Computacenter saw first half profits slump 52 per cent to £13.3 million on sales up a measly 2.4 per cent to £927 million (1999: PBT £27.5 million; sales £905 million).
In June, Computacenter prepped the market to expect a profits fall - unfortunate timing when the company was (and presumably still is) attempting a hostile takeover of Compel, Britain's third biggest reseller.
Computacenter, Europe's biggest IT products reseller, blamed the slow take-up for Windows 2000 among its corporate customers for the profits slump.
The effects of Y2k are also still apparent, with corporates not yet returning to their old free-spending ways. Question is: will they ever spend in pre-Y2k amounts with high-margin services offered by traditional resellers, or will they divert resources in to the mitts of fancy e-business consultants, such as Razorfish, Viant, and Scient. ®


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M2M market to reach 400 million units by 2017
APP DEVELOPMENTBy BiztechAfrica - Oct. 26, 2012, 9:04 a.m.
A new study from Juniper Research has found that the Telematics and Consumer Electronics sectors are rapidly becoming the two anchor industries for the M2M (Machine to Machine) market, challenging the position of smart metering. The report forecasts that the market for M2M and embedded devices will reach 400 million by the end of 2017, up from a little over 110 million at present.
Juniper explained that while the eReader has single-handedly enhanced the prospects of embedded devices in the consumer electronics industry, the promise of increased driver efficiency and cost management will drive the success in telematics: “The automotive market is potentially easier to address than other sectors as it contains fewer players,” adds Anthony Cox, Associate Analyst at Juniper Research and the report’s author.
The report says almost without exception, Mobile Network Operators have embraced M2M as an industry sector, tailoring services and approaches to the industry.
APIs from M2M specialists are becoming increasingly sophisticated with tailored solutions for individual M2M customers now common. Hardware manufacturers are providing increased support for their products including API and industry -specific modules.
4G chipsets, while shipping in very low volumes at present, will find their market in the automotive industry and specific applications such as live video monitoring.
The report also finds that the price of M2M modules will continue to reduce, particularly for 3G modules, as automotive and consumer electronics use-cases require improved bandwidth and latency, and as 2G infrastructure is retired in some markets.
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Download Snapchat Redesign Update
Download snapchat redesign update. Snapchat is testing a big new redesign A new home for the Snap Map and its original shows — plus a new test of news briefs By Casey Newton @CaseyNewtonpm EST The Interface is a. Snapchat Redesign Snapchat hasn’t had a significant redesign since lateand it’s not hard to see why. Its last redesign was barely tested before it was rolled out worldwide with little warning, losing it millions of users.
Its growth since the update has been slow, but currently million people use Snapchat every day. SNAPCHAT is testing a new explore feature that could make it a lot more similar to TikTok. Examples of the trial feature have appeared on Twitter and. Snapchat Controversial Redesign Update: Check new updates for android phones & snapchat features.
Avail full updates features at mmfomsk.ru That being said, Snapchat has walked back certain update features in the past. After its last major redesign a couple of years ago, Snapchat users revolted and. If you hate the new Snapchat update redesign, we’ve got some bad news. Snapchat has responded to the mmfomsk.ru petition demanding it reverse its controversial redesign, and its statement won't.
Snapchat says it is currently rolling out yet another redesign to its app to iOS users. Late last year, Snapchat launched an overhaul which earned the. Snapchat is finally removing its controversial redesign in latest update It has brought back an earlier feature that allowed users to see recent stories first.
Snapchat trolls Facebook, introduces Russian bot filter on April Fools' Day The filter makes it appear as if a Russian bot has liked your post. Snapchat’s big redesign bashed in 83% of user reviews Josh Constine @ joshconstine / PM PST • Janu Confusingly jamming Stories in between private messages has sparked backlash.
What's new with Snapchat? Snap has announced new navigation tools are coming to Snap, including an Action bar, Places in Snap Map, Topics for Our Story, and Story Replies. It also promised new AR. Another update to Snapchat has been released to iOS, and Apple users are not happy about it. The new Snapchat update unifies the app’s look across both iOS.
Original coverage (02/13): Snapchat’s major redesign isn’t going over well with a huge number of its users. Overpeople have now signed an online petition urging Snap to roll-back the. Snapchat update: Petition for redesign to be reversed attractssignatures.
One of the biggest criticisms surrounds 'stories', which now live on the new friends page. Aatif mmfomsk.ru: Aatif Sulleyman.
Snapchat recently released a redesign that hasn’t exactly been a hit with its most loyal users. With most apps, if you opt for the upgrade you’re stuck with the new version until the developer. — "With the most recent update for Snapchat, we’ve seen many features that have been returned and improved upon. Friends & celebrity stories are back on the story tab and have been categorised in a more explicit way. Snapchat has rolled out a major new update, which drastically changes the layout of the app.
The redesign has upset some users, who say they’re struggling to. After drawing criticism from users worldwide about its controversial redesign, audio-video sharing platform Snapchat is rolling out another app redesign, starting with the "majority" of iOS users. Snapchat is tweaking its platform in response to backlash against its newly redesigned app.
On Tuesday, parent company Snap (SNAP) announced a new update intended to make it. Snapchat may reveal new changes on December 4 New Android and iOS apps to arrive next month Spiegel confirmed overhaul in earning's report; [Update] 30 Oct Apps. SAN FRANCISCO: Snapchat has brought back an earlier feature called "reverse chronological order" into its app that allowed users to see recent stories first. This has replaced the new feature called "algorithmically sorted feeds" that surfaced into the app's interface in the redesign.
Snapchat lets you easily talk with friends, view Live Stories from around the world, and explore news in Discover. Life's more fun when you live in the moment! When Snapchat rolled out their new interface in Q4 ‘17, they faced severe backlash — mmfomsk.ru gathered nearly M signatures of users petitioning to rollback the update.
Snapchat had recently pushed out a massive redesign update to a number of core elements of the messaging app that has been savaged by users. The new update redesigns the Stories page, which showcases photos and videos from friends, as well as content from professional publishers. Last week Snapchat rolled out its biggest redesign since the app launched in The company split the app into two sections, consolidating friend content on.
Snapchat has posted an official response to users who signed a petition on mmfomsk.ru asking the company to reverse its controversial update, which people say makes the app more difficult to. In the previous versions of the Snapchat update, the Discover page lacked customization which lead to much controversy because of users consistently seeing uninterested content.
With this solution, users will be able to see the different categories available to watch so that they are not only limited to the “For you” section. Brief: Image-messaging app Snapchat rolled out a major redesign last weekend that triggered a reaction so negative that many users are shifting to rival Instagram, according to mmfomsk.ru Snapchatters voiced their disapproval on Twitter, where about 80% of all tweets about Snapchat are currently negative, per a study from LikeFolio cited by CNBC.
Other users began sharing a workaround for reversing the update by deleting the app and turning off automatic updates before redownloading it, but Snapchat advises against it. In this article, we are going to list all the updates and changes that Snapchat introduced so you don’t have to scour the web.
Note: If you see the same changelog for multiple versions, it means that the new versions brought bug fixes and improvements to improve the. Snapchat announced a redesign of its app last November. The update initially hit a few users, but on Monday it reached a global scale. While there isn't any drastic change to the app's design, the UI has been altered a little and a new algorithm has been put into place. A Redesign to the simcoder's Snapchat series, where the focus is on the backend.
This version of the app implements a layout similar to the real Snapchat android application, the main changes to the app are the following: Every layout has a substantial design update that looks just like the snapchat app Gradle and every thing is updated to the latest version (code updated accordingly.
Snapchat released its recent redesign to tons of new users this weekend and many are not happy about it. Nearlypeople have signed. But a recent update allows users to post previously captured content without a telltale "Memories" white border, causing many to wonder whether Snapchat will be able to continue to stick to its guns and differentiate itself from other platforms following a redesign that's being tested abroad.
Snapchat launched a redesign of the app on Tuesday, making publisher-created content more enticing. CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Vox, and about 20. Editor's note: Snap CEO Evan Spiegel sent the following memo to all Snap team members on July Team, Today we are releasing our first-ever CitizenSnap report, which explains the way we operate our business and support our team, our community, and our partners – as well as, more broadly, our society and mmfomsk.ru report, which also details our diversity, equity and inclusion.
The new Snapchat update has made users VERY unhappy. In fact, the reaction to the update is so bad that it's affecting the value of the company. “While the recent redesign of [Snap’s. Visually, Snapchat doesn't look that different in part because the biggest change was removing something. Prior to the redesign, Snapchat was divided by. As a part of their strategic re-design, Snapchat made some changes to the Snapchat Stories Page and boy it has pissed users off massively.
According to the recent update, the story page where users upload their photos and videos unfortunately has disappeared completely. Snapchat is releasing a huge redesign in December Here is an early preview of the design update. Here is an early preview of the design update. Snapchat: andypngr Instagram: http. Snapchat redesign received severe backlash by a majority of its users calling it a confusing and useless move. The whole redesign fiasco gave the UI/UX industry a lesson they must follow for a successful product.
Read on to know more. The "Remove the new Snapchat Update" petition on mmfomsk.ru has received million signatures. More than 1 million people have signed a petition asking Snapchat to do away with the redesign.
Again, there’s no word on when the Snapchat redesign will go live. This news comes as Snap reported a lower-than-expected number of million new Snapchat users for the third quarter of Snapchat Separates Social from Media. Don’t worry, Snapchat still starts with a snap. In an effort to breath life in the ailing platform, the latest redesign splits social from media.
To be exact, the update changes the way content by users and publishing partners is delivered to users. “With the upcoming redesign of Snapchat, we are separating the social from the media, and taking a. Snapchat users may soon get to see a redesigned app for Android and iOS. The latest version of the app will also sport a breaking news section. The Verge reported that it has received screenshots from a tipster that showed that the latest developments are being tested and have been rolled out to some of its users.
This month, more than a million keyboard-wielding, moderately frustrated mmfomsk.ru users petitioned Snapchat to roll back its big redesign—the one Snap delicately introduced over the course of. Snapchat's latest app redesign was rolled out this week to iOS and Android users.
The redesign brought certain changes to its UI and also introduced a new algorithm. Snapchat users globally haven't taken the new update very well.
Their outrages can be seen all over the internet and has led to signing an online petition for its removal. Snapchat Users Are Not Loving the App Update. Petition website mmfomsk.ru said more than 30 petitions have been launched in the last day protesting the new Snapchat mmfomsk.ru: Angela Moscaritolo. SNAPCHAT REDESIGN: Realizing the need to take drastic measures, Snap decided to redesign the app to significantly re-disrupt the social media sphere and boost its sagging revenue.
In these countries, 83% of App Store reviews (1,) for the update were negative with one or two stars THE IMPACT: Despite continuing concerns and a growing. Snapchat recently shipped a major redesign of its app, an update designed to address two main issues: to make the app less confusing for us olds, and to bring the company one step closer to its.


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The independent game designer Jason Rohrer will be the subject of a solo exhibition at the Davis Museum, Wellesley College, Massachusetts.
This is the first time an individual game designer has received a dedicated exhibition. Rohrer's highly regarded short game Passage is already in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, but the Davis Museum will showcase 15 of his finished games alongside sketches, biographical information and other relevant materials.
"This is a notable milestone in the history of the form, but video games have been enjoying increasing attention in the art world for the past two decades," said Mike Maizels, the Mellon New Media Curator at the Davis Museum, in a statement.
"The museum and video games worlds are colliding, and we hope to portray this in a way that is dynamic and exciting for visitors."
Four of Rohrer's games will be displayed in large-scale "experiential" installations: Inside a Star Filled Sky, Primrose, Diamond Trust of London and Cordial Minuet.
The Game Worlds of Jason Rohrer will open in February 2016.


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Cabela’s has been acquired by Bass Pro Shops for $5.5 billion.
The move combines two American companies which cater to the hunting, fishing, and hiking enthusiasts of America and which both had humble beginnings. Cabela’s began in Sidney and Bass Pro began in Springfield, Missouri.
Bass Pro will pay $65.50 per share in cash to buy Cabela’s.
Bass Pro will also begin a multi-year partnership agreement with Capital One which will serve the credit needs of the two stores. Cabela CLUB points and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Rewards will be unaffected. Customers will still be able to use their credit cards at both stores.
Capital One intends to continue to operate the Cabela’s CLUB servicing center in Lincoln, according to Cabela’s.
Sidney has been bracing for the news for months with rumors swirling constantly about the fate of Cabela’s. Cabela’s headquarters remains in Sidney, a city of around 7,000, and approximately 2,000 employees wonder what their future might be.
The company says a driving force behind this agreement is the highly complementary business philosophies, product offerings, expertise, and geographic footprints of the two businesses.
The news release states the merger brings together three of the nation’s premier sporting brands: Cabela’s as a leader in hunting, Bass Pro as a leading in fishing, and White River Marine Group, a leading boat manufacturer owned by Bass Pro.
Cabela’s was founded in 1961 by Dick, Mark and Jim Cabela in Sidney. It has 85 retail stores, primarily in the western United States and Canada.
Bass Pro Shops was founded in 1973 by Johnny Morris. It has 99 stores and Tacker Marine Centers, mostly in the eastern United States and Canada. Morris began White River Marine Group in 1978. Tracker has grown to become the top fishing boat brand in the United States.
“Today’s announcement marks an exceptional opportunity to bring together three special companies with an abiding love for the outdoors and a passion for serving sportsmen and sportswomen,” Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, said in a written statement issued by the company. “The story of each of these companies could only have happened in America, made possible by our uniquely American free enterprise system. We have enormous admiration for Cabela’s, its founders and outfitters, and its loyal base of customers. We look forward to continuing to celebrate and grow the Cabela’s brand alongside Bass Pro Shops and White River as one unified outdoor family.”
“Cabela’s is pleased to have found the ideal partner in Bass Pro Shops,” said Tommy Millner, Cabela’s Chief Executive Officer, also in a written statement released by the company. “Having undertaken a thorough strategic review, during which we assessed a wide variety of options to maximize value, the Board unanimously concluded that this combination with Bass Pro Shops is the best path forward for Cabela’s, its shareholders, outfitters and customers. In addition to providing significant immediate value to our shareholders, this partnership provides a unique platform from which our brand will be extremely well positioned to continue to serve outdoor enthusiasts worldwide for generations to come.”
Bass Pro says it intends to celebrate and grow the Cabela’s brand. The company also stated it appreciates and understands the company’s ties to Sidney and intends “to continue to maintain important bases of operations in Sidney and Lincoln and hopes to continue the very favorable connections to those communities and the Cabela’s team members residing there.”
Johnny Morris will be CEO and majority shareholder of the new company, which will continue to be privately owned.
The merger is expected to close in the first half of next year.


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Videos are just about the biggest thing on the Internet right now, according to a study from Wistia, a video-hosting company.
The infographic shows that 71% of Internet users visit video-sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo. This number has shot up from just 33% in 2006. The graphic also shows interesting demographic stats like the fact that minorities and people with kids are more likely to visit video sites.
Perhaps the most surprising part of the infographic is that the stats seem to be similar across multiple demographics. For example, gender, household income and education level all have little impact on the amount of time spent visiting video sites.
Is video the great equalizer? Are we just spending too much time on YouTube? Check out the graphic below and let us know your thoughts.
Image courtesy of Flickr, Andrew Stawarz


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Mumbai: Logistics optimisation platform Matchlog has raised $3 million in its pre-Series A funding round.
Matchlog raised these funds through Blue Ashva Capital, a leading Singapore and India-based VC, Rainmatter Climate and Bangalore based early-stage investor Capital-A.
Matchlog will utilize these funds to build a tech platform further for AI and machine learning-based pairing of cargo across India. And also to grow the multi-modal share in addition to road transport and expand its footprint to more ports in India and abroad.
MatchLog claimed to be the first company in India that offers at scale the ability to turn around a container from an import to export cycle, thereby eliminating unnecessary empty runs to and from the container yards.
This results in significant fuel savings and directly contribute to the decarbonisation goals of the shipping industry. In 2021 MatchLog claimed to have saved 1 million kilograms of carbon emission through its efforts.
“I am glad to partner with marquee investors like Blue Ashva and Raimatter who value and share the same passion of solving the global problem of carbon emission which is our main mission at Matchlog,” said Dhruv Taneja, Founder – MatchLog.
“We will start with India and then expand to the Middle East, Africa and South East Asian markets in the next 12-18 months. At MatchLog, our mission is to reduce at least 100 million tonnes of carbon through our platform in the coming five years,” added Taneja.
According to Satya Bansal, Founder – Blue Ashva Capital, decarbonisation is one of the key foci of the shipping industry globally. Efficient turnaround of containers and reduction of empty haulage can bring efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
“We’re excited to work with the MatchLog team to contribute our part in making the shipping industry more sustainable,” said Bansal.
“Shipping and logistics is a huge part of the emissions puzzle globally, and Matchlog has taken on the problem of reducing inefficiencies and the footprint inherent in these operations today,” said Sameer Shisodia, CEO – Rainmatter.
“As their reach scales and there is creased visibility intelligence around shipping and logistics, we are excited by the huge optimization possibilities, both economic as well as ecological, this creates for supply chains,” added Shisodia.
“MatchLog has built a landmark algorithm of triangulation by leveraging their extensive domain knowledge and experience. This will bring in tremendous efficiencies in the outbound and inland logistics across India,” commented Ankit Kedia, Founder – Capital-A.


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As the world becomes more mobile, tech companies are finding ways to shift their technology, software, and revenue platforms. Apple continues to take on Google following Google’s jump into the smartphone market with the Android operating system and Nexus One hardware. Following Google's recent purchase of the mobile advertising platform AdMob (which is still waiting approval by FTC), Apple had to develop its own mobile advertising platform to exist within their mobile application marketplace. Enter: iAd
What is iAd?
- Mobile advertising within iPhone applications (apps)
- Content based advertising - ideally, the ad shown relates somehow to the content being viewed or the person viewing the content
- CPM model (cost per thousand views). The advertiser pays a set amount for every thousand times their ad is shown
Who Will Use It?
- Advertisers pay to have their ads show in iPhone applications
- The developer of the app showing the ad makes 60% of revenue
- Apple takes the remaining 40%
- The user potentially gets more free apps but with (intrusive?) ads
Apple has sold 50 million iPhones to date (85 million with the iPod touch included.) As of April 2010, there are over 185,000 apps in the App Store with downloads exceeding 4 Billion. This equates to a lot of eyeballs. The increased technology and capacity in smartphones coupled with the increased adoption by consumers puts more smartphones in more hands and more eyeballs on third party apps. For this, market analysts anticipate mobile advertising revenue to rise sharply as the smartphone and mobile computing industry rapidly expands.
In the OS4 announcement, Steve Jobs billed this as a way for more developers to provide free apps because now they can monetize what was previously free. So whether or not the app has a price tag, the developer still stands to make money.
Likewise, Apple monetizes the previously non-existent revenue channel of free apps. While only 25% of iPhone apps are free, that’s nearly 50,000 apps that now have a way to generate revenue. Developers are excited because they can make money on free, impulsive-prone downloads. Meanwhile, Apple has found a way to turn a quarter of their app store into potential money makers.
What is better for Apple? Someone paying a couple dollars for an app or downloading free app with iAd impressions? Clearly, it’s a win/win either way. Either they get revenue from the purchase or impression revenue. But how significant could iAd revenue be?
According to Apple, they’ve sold 50 million iPhones to date. Consider 6 million of those are the original iPhone and another 4 million are newer models that have been damaged, replaced, or lost and you get 40 million active iPhones in the world today.
Now consider app usage. The number of apps downloaded as of April 2010 comes in around 4 billion. Rough estimations put the number of apps that people continue to use after downloading around only 10% (we’re all guilty of downloading useless apps for the novelty only to delete or remove them shortly thereafter).
So 4,000,000,000 downloads x 10% retention rate* = 400,000,000 retained apps
*retention rate is likely much higher for paid apps and conversely much lower for free apps
Divide the 400 million retained apps out over the 40 million active iPhones around today and this comes to 10 downloaded apps per person that stay active on an individual’s iPhone.
About 25% of App Store apps are free, so assuming iAd will be present exclusively in free apps, 25% of those 10 apps (2-3 apps total) stay on the iPhone and show iAd ads (iAds?).
The adoption of iAd among developers is still unclear, but let’s assume mass adoption by the dev community. If 2-3 apps per iPhone are eligible to show iAds, this could mean 5-10 ad displays (or impressions) per iPhone per day.
With 40 million active iPhones seeing 5-10 ads a day, this would amount to 200-400 million impressions/day through iAd. That’s 73 to 145 billion impressions per year.
CPM is predicted to go as high as $15 for the most premium content. Multiply the number of impressions times potential CPM, consider Apple’s 40% share, and you’re well into the billion dollar range (8.7 billion based on the above numbers) in yearly revenue just through iAd.
And, oh yeah, this doesn’t even take into account iPods and iPads.
Should We Be Excited?
If you’re Apple, you should be. This could potentially be a new multi-billion dollar revenue channel.
Should advertisers be excited? In the end, it’s just content advertising. Will it lead to better ROI than Google (search or content) or Facebook advertising? I don’t believe so. If Apple really expects CPMs as high as $15, it would be more than tempting to abandon iAd for other content based platforms.
Should consumers be excited? Yes and no. While advertising on your personal smartphone is intrusive and could take away from the user experience, iAd could lead to bigger and better apps as developers find it more economical to stay involved in app development.
Apple is working with what they have: a ton of eyeballs holding their hardware using apps for which they control distribution. It is a CPM model - which takes total focus off the consumer taking action and instead charges money for every thousand times it interrupts and shouts at someone not asking to be interrupted. Jobs happily talked down the search advertising (CPC) model during the OS4 keynote, but it is still the most effective (and measurable) online advertising model today.
Most agree Mobile is the future. Is this a winner for monetizing the shift and will it pay off enough to keep advertiser’s wallets open? That has yet to be seen. But the potential for a huge payoff certainly exists.