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Women in a crisis situation are naturally solution-oriented: Sukhleen Aneja
We, at Adgully, have always saluted and honoured women managers and leaders across diverse fields. Last year, we launched our unique and distinct program, called WOMEN DISRUPTORS, which drew a lot of attention and was highly appreciated by the industry. W-Suite is a special initiative from Adgully that has been turning the spotlight on some of the most remarkable women achievers in M&E, Advertising & Marketing, PR & Communication industry. In the refurbished series, we will find out how women leaders have been managing their teams and work as well as how they have been navigating through the toughest and most challenging times brought about by the global pandemic.
In conversation with Adgully, Sukhleen Aneja, CMO, Marketing Director, RB Hygiene, South Asia, highlights how women are adept and easily adapt to changes without any panic or pressure. According to Aneja, time management is a key to peace and productivity.
How do you think the role and scope of women leaders has widened in the post-pandemic world?
The pandemic has impacted the entire world and changed the way workplaces and individuals function. In fact, both women and men in leadership positions have played an important role during the pandemic. It has been critical to create a conducive and healthy work environment, where empathy and building trust has never been more relevant. Every individual has to extend their support and help one another to make a cohesive ecosystem. But more than anything else, this time has been especially tough for parents having to manage both kids and work.
The rapid transition to digital, an uncertain economic landscape, charting unknown waters, working from home with no modes of the usual contacts. How have you been navigating during the COVID-19 times? What were the challenges that you faced and how did you tackle them?
Human adaptability has never been tested as much as it has been in this time, where brands and organisations are reinventing how we work, how we buy, how we live. The pandemic created a never before inflection point for e-commerce adoption and digitally influenced buying behaviour.
The year 2020 has re-iterated the importance of being agile and adapt based on consumer preferences. We have started experimenting with tools like Augmented Reality and automation to amplify brand experiences and improve consumer interaction. As brands and marketers, there is a definite need to be on all platforms that our consumers are on.
How challenging has it been for you to maintain a balance between managing the team & office work on the one hand and family responsibilities on the other as boundaries blurred while working from home? What is your mantra to maintain that balance?
It has been such a refreshing change to have spent so much time at home. The lockdown has brought about a much-needed work-life balance. While I have not met my team face-to-face, we have had umpteen one-on-one gupshup sessions. Chai Pe Charcha was a format introduced recently, which has been very well received. I have also had a chance to chat with my team’s family during virtual calls. As an organisation, we have ensured that every employee has been well taken care of. The personal connect has surely helped.
At home, the extra moments are special. COVID-19 has made us realise the value of our loved ones like never before. Time management is a key to peace and productivity.
Multiple studies have shown how women leaders performed better during the COVID-19 crisis. According to you, what makes women the best in crisis management?
Women are natural multi-taskers! We can manage work and home seamlessly. Women in a crisis situation are naturally solution-oriented and quick to turn things around. They are adept and easily adapt without any panic or pressure.
What are the five most effective lessons that you have learned as a woman leader?
- Be kind to yourself and others
- Build internal resilience
- Create a strong circle of trust and an eco-system to tide you over the rough times
- Invest in passions beyond work
- Most importantly – Choose your battles


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Chemical maker Celanese Corp. posted a profit of $399 million during the third quarter of 2009, which is up significantly over last year.
Celanese’s third-quarter earnings were buoyed by a $382 million deferred tax benefit that is tied to certain tax valuation allowances, the company said.
Dallas-based Celanese (NYSE: CE) posted a third-quarter profit of $399 million, or 58 cents per share, on revenue of $1.304 billion. That profit is up significantly from a profit of $158 million in the same quarter last year, or 78 cents per share, on revenue of $1.823 billion.
Celanese did experience a drop in revenue during the quarter due to lower pricing for certain chemical products, which was caused by weaker demand and lower raw material costs.

domain: news


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(Washington, D.C.) The outlook for the restaurant industry improved somewhat in October, as the National Restaurant Association’s comprehensive index of restaurant activity registered its first gain in three months. The Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 98.0 in October, up 0.5 percent from its September level. However, the RPI still remained below 100 for the 24th consecutive month, which signifies contraction in the index of key industry indicators.
“Although restaurant operators continue to report soft same-store sales and customer traffic levels, they are somewhat more optimistic about improving conditions in the months ahead,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. “Restaurant operators reported a positive six-month economic outlook for the fourth consecutive month, and the proportion planning for capital expenditures rose five percentage points.”
The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures. The RPI consists of two components – the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index. The full report is available online.
The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators.
The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 96.5 in October – up 0.4 percent from September and its first improvement in three months. However, October still represented the 26th consecutive month below 100, which signifies contraction in the current situation indicators.
Restaurant operators reported negative same-store sales for the 17th consecutive month in October, with the overall results similar to the September performance. Twenty-two percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between October 2008 and October 2009, matching the proportion of operators who reported positive sales in September. Sixty-one percent of operators reported a same-store sales decline in October, down slightly from 65 percent who reported negative sales in September.
Customer traffic also remained soft in October, with operators reporting net negative traffic for the 26th consecutive month. Twenty-one percent of restaurant operators reported an increase in customer traffic between October 2008 and October 2009, compared to 20 percent who reported higher traffic in September. Sixty percent of operators reported a traffic decline in October, down slightly from 62 percent who reported lower traffic in September.
Although sales and traffic levels remained soft, operators reported a modest uptick in capital spending activity. Forty percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, up from 37 percent who reported similarly last month.
The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 99.6 in October – up 0.6 percent from September’s level of 99.0. However, October represented the 23rd time in the last 24 months in which the Expectations Index stood below 100, which represents a pessimistic six-month outlook for the four industry indicators.
Restaurant operators remain mixed about sales growth in the months ahead. Twenty-nine percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), matching the proportion who expect to have lower sales in six months. Last month, 25 percent of restaurant operators said they expected their sales volume in six months to be higher than it was during the same period in the previous year, while 32 percent anticipated lower sales in six months.
Despite the mixed sales outlook, restaurant operators remained cautiously optimistic about the direction of the economy. Thirty percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, while 20 percent expect economic conditions to worsen during the next six months. Last month, 28 percent of operators said they expected the economy to improve in six months, while 20 percent expected economic conditions to deteriorate.
Along with a cautiously optimistic outlook for sales and the economy, restaurant operators reported an uptick in plans for capital spending in the months ahead. Forty-two percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up from 37 percent who reported similarly last month.
The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper , the Association's subscription-based service that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.
National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index
Values Greater than 100 = Expansion; Values Less than 100 = Contraction
Source: National Restaurant Association


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A COUPLE are putting on a free Santa's grotto for struggling families this Christmas – undoubtedly making it the cheapest in Britain.
Raj Narang, 36, and her husband Danny, 32, are offering entry on the house to everyone who visits, as well as complimentary gifts, food and drinks.
All children will receive a present from Father Christmas at the pair's festive event on December 21.
And hot chocolate, mulled wine, mince pies and hot dogs will be handed out free of charge at Premier Arlington Convenience Store in Kenton, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Raj, who has run the corner shop with her partner for two years, told ChronicleLive: "We are aware that with the rising cost of living and being in an area of high unemployment and social deprivation, not everyone can afford to take their children to see Santa.
"There are people coming into the shop, topping up their gas and electric and coming back and putting money on again because it's not lasting.
READ MORE ON CHRISTMAS
We tested supermarket Xmas dinners to find cheapest, here’s who came out on top
We hate our town’s drab Christmas tree – its dim eco lights are so messy
"You see them in the shop buying the bare essentials, whereas they would normally be buying a bottle of wine.
"When you see the same people day in, day out, you can't help but start to care. It becomes more than a commercial enterprise.
"We wanted to do this as a little something for our community to give something back this year."
Raj and Danny are funding the get-together themselves, with a little help from other local businesses.
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Wholesaler Makro has donated a trolley of sausages, buns and tubs of hot chocolate.
Raj described the reaction in the neighbourhood as "amazing".
"There's a great sense of community spirit and we want to nurture that," she added.
CHEAPEST BUSINESSES IN BRITAIN
- Festivalgoers have found what they've dubbed Britain's cheapest Christmas market where everything's half the price of London's Winter Wonderland.
- The owners of 'Britain's cheapest clothes shop' say punters can buy big brands 70% cheaper than in mainstream stores.
- Snacks at 'Britain's cheapest corner shop' are 30% cheaper than at supermarkets.
- Boozers can nab a pint for just £1.70 at 'Britain's cheapest pub'.
Source: Read Full Article


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Electronic cigarettes introduced on charter flights
Posted on Wednesday 03 November 2010
Just before takeoff, flight attendants typically ask passengers to turn off all electronic devices. Flyers are prompted to fasten their seatbelts and the "No Smoking" sign is illuminated, but that may change in the future with the introduction of electronic cigarettes.
Blu Cigs, which manufactures these novel items that give the taste of tobacco without the harmful effects, is offering free samples to passengers with a charter jet company in hopes of moving to commercial airlines.
According to USA Today, "electronic cigarettes are battery-operated atomizers that warm up a flavored liquid that then produces vapor." Smokers will feel the effects of nicotine save of any odor or smoke.
While the Department of Transportation banned smoking on flights back in 2000, there is no official position on whether this technology should be banned, as well. However, the Federal Aviation Administration told the news source that individual carriers should decide whether they will allow these items on board.
Jason Holi of Global Exec Aviation has expressed interest in the product, which is typically used as a smoking cessation aid.
"We're in a customer-service industry. If I have a passenger who's a white-knuckle flier but a heavy chain smoker, I want to make it as accommodating as possible for him."
Print this article »


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On stage at the Huawei Developer Conference (HDC 2019) in Dongguan, Huawei’s CEO Richard Yu confirmed that tomorrow (August 10) the world should expect an Honor TV announcement.
Having just announced Huawei’s new cross-device operating system, HarmonyOS, a potential alternative to Android down the line, and a smart device OS in the meantime, Yu revealed that the Honor TV will be the first device/service to run it.
- Our ranking of the best Huawei phones
- Everything about the Huawei Mate 30 Pro
- The full story of the Huawei ban
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard murmurs of Honor launching a TV. In July, Honor lifted the lid on its Honghu 818, a television chipset. This octa-core processor is clearly more capable than your average TV engine.
With support for Motion Estimation/Compensation, HDR, Super Resolution, Noise Reduction, Dynamic Contrast Improvement, Auto Color Management and Local Dimming, it’s clearly smart, and if it’s anything like the products Honor has launched in the smartphone world, it will be competitively priced.
Those capabilities are all well and good, but when combined with HarmonyOS, they look set to deliver a premium television experience combined with ultimate connectivity, melding phones, smartwatches, speakers, laptops, tablets and more into one journey.
Fire up a video call on your computer, press a button and you can continue it on your phone as you leave your office and walk downstairs to the kitchen. Next, cast it to your smart display as you get on with cooking, and finally, as you take your dinner to your living room, push it to your Honor TV.
Based on the examples Huawei presented, the Honor TV’s camera simply pops up, just like that of the OnePlus 7 Pro, and your conversation can carry on. An evening in front of the TV could take on new meaning with such a seamless cross-device experience and one conversation spanning across rooms and devices.
This could extend through to gaming, with smartphone games likely supported by the TV’s chipset, along with wireless joysticks too. Commute home while blasting baddies to let off some steam on your phone, get home and that same game could just be cast to your TV, or even ready and waiting for you to carry on playing.
With IoT devices on the rise, many of which lack the kind of RAM/storage capacities found in today’s computers and smartphones, much of this processing and storage will likely happen in the cloud.
This gave Huawei a great opportunity to also talk about 5G, but more than that, its Harmony OS is at an advantage being significantly lighter than Android. That’s how it can run on your octa-core TV or smartphone, and your dual-core smartwatch, and how your connected smartwatch can still deliver top-tier experience – by offloading to the cloud.
The Honor TV is expected to either drop in the flesh tomorrow, and if it doesn’t, we could see it at IFA 2019, with tomorrow’s unveiling instead being Honor Vision/Huawei Vision – in other words, the TV version of HarmonyOS.
Stay tuned for more in the coming 24hrs, but if you want to know more about Huawei’s HarmonyOS, its implications for Android and the kinds of devices we can expect to find it on read our news story on it from Huawei Developer Conference 2019.
Via AnanandTech (opens in new tab)


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Unilever said it and Tesco said it and Nestle said it: prices are going to go up. Tesco is the biggest retailer in the land, Unilever and Nestle are two of the biggest food companies on earth. These companies are packed with experts in possession of facts but we are no longer interested in experts and facts.
Today (29th July 2016), marks a truly momentous moment for egg laying hens. Asda and Lidl have finally caved, and pledged to go cage free on all their whole shell eggs. These announcements follow a burst of cage free commitments from Aldi, Iceland, Morrisons and Tesco that have also pledged to phase out cages for laying hens.
I still think of myself as a newcomer to retailing, but I've learned more about food in two years at Tesco than I've done in many years. It's been a journey which has left me mixed emotions. Too often, I've seen examples across the supply chain of good, edible food being thrown away. We have to fix this - working together, across the food industry, in partnership.


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Black Friday is right around the corner, and retailers are busy dropping massive discounts online on some of the best products available, tempting you to spend your money.
However, one of the better deals we have seen so far is with EE, who is running its Black Friday deals from now until December 1, helping you save up to £450 on some top-end handsets like the Apple iPhone 11 or the Samsung Galaxy S20.
There's even one sensational deal that will give you a free Nintendo Switch games console (worth £279) with the Oppo A72. Or a free 4K LG TV with the Google Pixel 4A.
These deals are running throughout the rest of November, with Black Friday landing on November 27, so you have plenty of time to take advantage.
Check out all the top offers below.
EE Black Friday phone deals
The Oppo A72 is available with 10GB data for £35 a month and £30 upfront. You'll also get a free Nintendo Switch games console with your new phone.
You can also pick up an iPhone 11, which comes with 10GB data and unlimited texts and calls for £50 upfront and £39 a month. This offer will save you £240 over the length of your contract.
Or you can go for the iPhone SE which will have 4GB data and unlimited texts and calls for £29 a month and no upfront fee. This offer will save you £146 across the length of your contract.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 will come with 40GB data and unlimited texts and calls for £41 a month and £50 upfront. You'll save £452 across the length of your contract if you opt for this deal.
EE Black Friday SIM-only deals
There are also two SIM-only offers from EE right now, helping you get huge data packages on your chosen smartphone for less.
The first gets you 160GB a month and unlimited texts and calls for £20 a month and no upfront fee.
The second will get you 200GB 5G data for £25 a month and no upfront fee.
Check out all of EE's top Black Friday deals on the official website.
Digital Spy has launched its first-ever digital magazine with exclusive features, interviews, and videos. Access the latest edition with a 1-month free trial, only on Apple News+.
Interested in Digital Spy's weekly newsletter? Sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox – and don't forget to join our Watch This Facebook Group for daily TV recommendations and discussions with other readers.


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Internet companies are considering the implications of the recent judgment against Microsoft for infringing a patent regarding interactive content on Web sites.
The court awarded $520 million to Eolas Technologies and the University of California (UC). The litigation began in 1999 when Eolas and UC accused Microsoft of infringing on a 1998 patent owned by the university and licensed to Eolas.
That patent covers technology that enables small computer programs, often referred to as "applets" or "plug-ins," to be embedded in Web pages and interacted with through Web browsers like Internet Explorer.
Microsoft to change IE Responding to the judgment, Microsoft said last week that it will be making changes to Internet Explorer (IE) that may affect a "large number of existing Web pages," according to a statement by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The company is also preparing to appeal against the ruling.
Microsoft insists that it did not infringe on the Eolas patent, but will work to minimize the effect on customers of changes to IE and is cooperating with the W3C to coordinate that effort.
Computer security experts initially welcomed Microsoft's defeat in the case, speculating that it may usher in the end of Microsoft's ActiveX controls, notoriously insecure software components that allow software developers to integrate specialized functionality with Web pages.
Multimedia companies in danger But technology and legal experts agree that the ruling could affect a wide range of technology companies with products that interact with Web browsers, or services that rely on customer interaction through Web browsers.
"Fundamentally, (the Eolas patent) describes a way of implementing plug-ins in a Web browser," said Richard Smith, an independent technology expert in Boston. "People who use plug-ins like (Macromedia Inc.'s) Flash or Java applets are covered by the Eolas patent," he said.
Macromedia, which distributes a free plug-in to view Macromedia Flash files, did not respond to requests for comment. Multimedia software developer Real Software also declined requests for comment.
The W3C is concerned about the implications of the case, according to Janet Daly, the organization's head of communications: "There certainly are concerns whenever patent issues appear to be relevant to basic technology. That gets the attention of the W3C membership," she said.
Past patent claims, such as those affecting the P3P (Platform for Privacy Preferences ) standard, have stopped development or the implementation of development standards, she said. The organization has legal and technology experts analyzing the Eolas patent. The group is trying to ascertain if any of its published standards infringe on that patent.
Meanwhile, companies with products that could be affected by the patent are watching with interest, and are hoping for word on how Eolas and UC plan to proceed.
Legal advice: "Be on notice".
Hector Santos, president and chief technology officer of bulletin board system developer Santronics Software is concerned: "As I learned more about it and understood more about what these guys patented and what it means, the more I felt like 'This claim is pretty broad!'" Santos said.
"The idea of remote client-server applets activated by a remote hosting server has been around for a while and we do it with our own technology," he said.
A "chat" feature in Santronics' Wildcat software uses a Java application (or applet) that may violate Eolas' patent, he said. Santos is reviewing his product's code and functionality carefully in light of the suit, as his lawyer advised him to.
Douglas Kline, chairman of the patent and intellectual property group at Boston law firm Testa, Hurwitz & Thiebeault warned that companies like Apple, Real and Macromedia should be on notice following the ruling: "If they didn't know about this patent before, they do now. And they have guidance about what one court thinks (the patent) means," he said.
Under patent law, Eolas and the University of California are free to go after technology companies as well as "end users" of that technology, according to attorney Jim Gatto, co-head of the intellectual property group at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo.
Typically, however, small companies will target one or two large companies, collecting significant damages and enforcing their patent rights, he said.
The University of California is not aware of plans to pursue parties other than Microsoft, but spokesman Trey Davis referred questions about legal strategies to Eolas' attorney, Martin Lueck, who did not respond.


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The upcoming Fiat Linea Facelift has been spotted again. Team-BHP member ceebeezee spotted the cars undergoing testing on the Pune-Aurangabad highway. He mentions spotting 5 test mules.
As we have reported earlier, the upcoming Fiat Linea facelift will feature a new front fascia and a refreshed boot. The rear number plate has been moved up from the bumper to the boot lid. With the new front bumper, the car gets a new front grille. Also, the car gets revised taillights and new lip spoiler.
The Fiat Linea facelift is already on sale in European car markets and the new Linea will be launched in India anytime next year. (Click here to read about all 40 odd cars that are headed to us next year)
It is being said that the Linea facelift will get a 1.6 litres Multijet diesel engine. Other engine on offer will include the 1.4 liter turbocharged petrol mill that powers the Linea T-JET, the performance variant of the Linea sedan.
The Fiat Linea failed to ring the cash registers for the Italian auto giant in India. Now, Fiat India having done away with Tata-Fiat partnership and also establishing new service centers and dealerships independently, we hope the new Fiat Linea performs better than the outgoing model. Speaking about the pre-facelift model, the same would continue selling in India with the recently launched Classic variants.
Do you think the Linea Facelift will perform better than the outgoing model in India ? Let us know your thoughts by penning them in the comments section below.
Stay tuned to Motoroids for more updates on the Fiat Linea facelift India launch.
Pics source : Team-BHP


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Kenya is rapidly emerging as a technological and innovation hub in sub-Saharan Africa, whose sustained economic growth hinges on the expansion of financial technology (Fintech).
This comes at a time when most African countries have registered a positive economic outlook, largely due to the positive performance of traditional sectors.
East Africa’s growth has been reinforced by the development of Kenya’s fintech - providing it with the opportunity to leapfrog other traditional drivers such as agriculture which has recently been affected by the delayed onset of the long rains season in Kenya. This is according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) latest report, Economic Insight: Africa Q1 2019.
The accountancy body provides GDP growth forecasts for various regions including East Africa which is set to grow by 6.3 per cent, West and Central Africa at 4.4 per cent, Franc Zone at 4.9 per cent, and Southern Africa at 1.5 per cent.
The report, commissioned by ICAEW and produced by partner and forecaster Oxford Economics, underscores the potential of fintech in leapfrogging other traditional economic drivers. ICAEW Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia Michael Armstrong said that Kenya’s economy is ripe for diversification.
“Growth in Kenya is currently driven mostly by traditional sectors, however, its strong Fintech scene provides an opportunity to diversify and increase growth avenues for the economy in general,” said Armstrong. “This can foster inclusive development, but it can only happen if it is managed properly.”
East Africa has already established itself as the global leader in mobile money transfer services.
Kenya, in particular, has been at the forefront of this growing sector, with the value of mobile money transactions in Kenya now being equivalent to 47 per cent of the GDP.
The report says the development and proliferation of new innovations in mobile technology have allowed Kenya to increase financial penetration beyond what would have traditionally been possible at this stage of the country’s development.
Kenya’s information technology sector that has been growing at an average of 10 per cent now accounts for five per cent of the GDP. This is reinforced by the presence of global technology firms such as Google, Microsoft, IBM, and Samsung. “Widespread mobile money usage has helped to smooth consumption, reduce poverty and boost economic growth in Kenya,” said Armstrong.
Mobile money accounts for neighbours have risen to nearly 1,250 per 1,000 adults in Rwanda and just over 1,000 per 1,000 adults in Uganda.
Other countries seeing a similar proliferation of mobile money accounts include Ivory Coast (1,700 accounts per 1,000 adults) and Ghana (1,350 accounts per 1,000 adults).
Kenya’s leadership in mobile money is attributed to the growth of M-Pesa which has institutionalised mobile banking in the country. The value of mobile commerce transactions reached Sh1.5 trillion ($ 14.9 billion) in quarter three of 2018, while person-to-person transfers amounted to Sh718 billion ($7.1 billion) during the quarter.
The number of active mobile money transfer agents and subscriptions stood at 218,495 and 29.7 million by the end of September last year respectively.
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This implies that 64 out of 100 inhabitants had access to and used mobile money transfer services during the third quarter (Q3) of 2018.
Some estimates suggest that M-Pesa accounts for over two-thirds of total national payments throughput in terms of volume.
In Eastern Africa, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda are expected to record real GDP growth of six per cent.


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Vivo Apex 2019 Has No Bezels, No Ports, and a ‘Full-Display’ Fingerprint Reader
Last year, Vivo unveiled a phone called the Apex that served as a concept device, giving us a glimpse at what the future of the smartphone might behold. The device eventually evolved into the Nex which went up for sale, but the Apex never actually reached the market. Today, we’re getting a new phone called the Apex 2019 that will likely reach the same fate.
Vivo announced the Apex 2019 in a press release today as a concept phone, giving us an idea at what companies have in store for future smartphones. According to the company, the device packs a curved waterdrop glass design with no seems or openings, including no ports or buttons. We saw a similar design with the Meizu Zero this week.
Instead, the Vivo Apex 2019 opts for pressure sensitivity to detect volume up/down and power commands from users’ touch. It also comes with a MagPort, a magnetic connector at the bottom of the device which allows for both charging and data transfer. It’s unclear how well this implementation would work, but if we get to try out something similar in real life in the future, we’ll let you know.
For the speaker, the Apex 2019 uses Body SoundCasting technology which transforms the display into a loud speaker via a vibration function. This completely eliminates the need for a speaker grille. Again, it’s not clear how well it works, but there’s a good chance it’ll make its way into a future smartphone so expect more coverage when that happens.
Speaking of the display, as you can tell, there are also zero bezels around it. This make the device look extremely modern and futuristic. What’s more, Vivo says it comes with a fingerprint sensor that covers nearly the entire surface area of the screen. It’s what the company calls a “full-display fingerprint sensor.” This puts other phones with an in-display fingerprint reader to shame like the OnePlus 6T and Huawei Mate 20 Pro which have designated areas for the fingerprint scanners. With a full-screen option, you’d be able to place your finger anywhere on the screen and securely unlock something.
Finally, Vivo is also sharing some specs that are inside this concept device. The Apex 2019 comes with a Snapdragon 855 processor, a whopping 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, 5G connectivity, and dual rear cameras.
The device will be on display at MWC 2019. No pricing or release information was given because, again this is a concept phone. It’s not meant to go on sale.


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Starting this year CXC is excited to be partnered with Podiumwear, our key partner for the 2016 Wayne Fish Coaches Conference.
With the CXC Storefront With Podiumwear now open, you have until December 15th (one month!) to order high quality outdoor performance clothing that will make skiing comfortable this winter.
Anyone placing an order between now and December 15th will be entered to win a new Rudy Project Windmax helmet.
Also new this year, CXC Member Clubs placing team orders through Podiumwear are able to use the CXC logo to showcase their club partnership with our organization.
Questions? Get in touch


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KOCHI:AIX Connect, operating as AirAsia India, announced the launch of its Summer Sale with fares.
KOCHI:Air India, India’s leading airline and a Star Alliance member, and Air India Express, India’s.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The Global Travel Market, a highly anticipated trade show poised to ignite the tourism sector,.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas today launched the State Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission’s Kerala.
DELHI:NueGo, India’s leading premium electric bus brand by GreenCell Mobility, has flagged off the world’s.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Soon, tourists coming to Kerala can take home exquisite souvenirs that resonate with the State’s.
MUMBAI:Club Mahindra, the flagship brand of Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Limited, is delighted to.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:IBS Software, a global leader of SaaS solutions to the travel and transportation industry, has.
MUMBAI:Go Airlines (India) Limited (“GO FIRST”), India’s third largest airline, today filed an application with.
SHILLONG:Meghalaya, the “Abode of the Clouds” with its picturesque landscape of rolling hills, meandering rivers,.


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Halo 5‘s next expansion will be called “Ghosts of Meridian,” and 343 Industries has shared details about the early April release – namely, it will contain new weapons, weapon skis, helmets, armor, assassinations, emblems, and vehicles, along with a new Warzone map.
The new map “Skirmish at Darkstar” takes place on the world’s “charred surface” and allows players to “battle it out amidst scattered elements of colonial reclamation.” Below is concept art for the map:
The map’s biggest component is a derelict ship in the middle of the map “on the mining planet of Meridian,” which will surely be a key part of the gameplay experience. 343 promised more details surrounding the fiction of the map in a future Cannon Fodder update, and, for now, the team also included a screenshot from the Environment Art team.
Another goodie revealed was official concept art for the Hannibal Mantis, first seen in a live stream. No further details were given, but it already looks pretty sweet.
The Halo World Championship finals take place today at 4 PM PST/7 PM EST, and everyone who watches professional teams CLG and Team Allegiance duke it out via Twitch or through Xbox One will receive a free Halo 5 Req pack.
— Halo (@Halo) March 20, 2016
The pack includes three Ultra Rare items: two pieces of “Challenger” gear and a Halo World Championship player emblem. Microsoft is also offering the digital copy of Halo 5: Guardians for $30, or the deluxe edition for $45 – both deals end tonight.


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CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- The family of the late actor John Wayne is putting a selection of the Duke's personal and professional memorabilia under the hammer in an auction to be held next month in Los Angeles. Among the items up for sale are one of the black eye-patches Wayne wore in "True Grit," the 1969 film that netted him an Academy Award for best actor, and the cowboy hat he wore in "Rooster Cogburn." The auction will feature more than 400 other costumes, scripts, personal documents and awards, including his driver's license, passport and American Express AXP, -0.31% card, according to Heritage Auctions, which will conduct the sales.
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BEGIN ARTICLE PREVIEW:
There isn’t a single industry that remains unaffected by COVID-19. The closure of non-essential shops on the 26th of March, coupled with strict social distancing measures to slow the spread of the virus, has naturally caused a surge in online purchases and home deliveries during the lockdown. This, in turn, has inevitably put significant strain on the logistics industry to fulfil orders, while still taking the necessary safety precautions, thus decreasing worker efficiency.
Supermarkets have been especially impacted. Previously, UK consumers would typically buy 60 to 65% of their food (measured by calories) at supermarkets, but with restaurants and cafes shut, shoppers have bought 85% to 95% of their food there instead. During the first few weeks of lockdown, an extra £1bn of food was reportedly being stowed in people’s cupboards.
The huge surge in demand has led to retail websites crashing or having to implement ticketing systems to cope with demand, which has had a knock-on effect on delays to delivery times. As it struggled to get to grips with the pandemic, retail giant Amazon told third-party sellers it would temporarily cease shipments of non-essential items to warehouses, so that the company could prioritise medical supplies and household goods. This interruption …
END ARTICLE PREVIEW


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Bike enthusiast now working for VTrans
BRATTLEBORO >> Dave Cohen is not really shy about what he is trying to do.
Beyond contributing to global warming, Cohen thinks vehicles also separate us from the environment and from our communities, and he wants to get them off the road.
Cohen has been active around Brattleboro, encouraging local bike stores to carry cargobikes, which are electric assisted commuter bikes. He will talk to anyone who will listen, how the bikes are fully functional in a town like Brattleboro, and how the cargobike can supplant just about any motorized vehicle. Now Cohen is about to spread his message beyond Windham County
The Vermont Agency of Transportation has hired Cohen as the state's first bicycle consultant, and he will lead what VTrans is calling the first statewide program in the nation to more fully integrate bicycle travel into a state's transportation network and priorities.
Cohen, a therapist by trade, said America's relationship with the automobile is so deeply entrenched in our culture and psyche that we have to be weaned from the expectation that motorized vehicles offer the only option to travel.
"We all have car brain," Cohen said. "The automobile has created a mono-culture around transportation and we need to change that. What I am working on is car-reduction therapy."
Cohen, who runs his own consulting organization, VBike, has been hired by Go Vermont, the VTrans initiative to promote ride shares, bus travel and bicycles. He will meet with businesses, individuals and families around the state to go through their day-to-day commuter patterns and try to convince them to invest in a cargobike and leave the car or truck at home.
Cargobikes have a heavy frame and they can carry up to four people. Many cargobikes include an electric motor that the rider can turn on and off with a throttle on the handlebars when the topography demands extra torque to get up a hill.
Cohen said technologies cargobike technologies are improving continually and now is a perfect time for Vermont to work to get more of them on the roads.
"The bicycle industry has promoted bicycles as toys or as high performance exercise objects," he said. "If we really want to respond to climate change we have to change how we move ourselves around."
Cohen met with Rep. Mollie Burke, D/P-Brattleboro, last year and told her about the cargobikes and about the innovations in design and technology that are making them more affordable and accessible.
Burke, a member of the Transportation Committee shared the information with transportation officials in Montpelier who were interested in promoting more bicycle travel as a day-to-day alternative.
"I am thrilled that Go Vermont and VBike are working together to promote a new generation of bike designs and technologies that expand the ability of Vermonters to use bicycles for every-day use," Burke said. "This transportation option offers a low-cost opportunity to help Vermont reduce carbon emissions from motor vehicles, one of my highest legislative priorities."
Ross MacDonald is the Go Vermont program manager, and he said Cohen was hired to help businesses individuals better understand the emerging technologies associated with the cargobikes.
MacDonald said the state is working with manufacturers to get a fleet of sample bikes around the state people can try if they are interested in cargobikes. Over the past few years, he said, Go Vermont has been establishing communication networks for bus routes, carpools and van pools and the organization wants to increase bicycle use as a form of transportation.
"We want to provide the best information and service for each mode," said MacDonald. "Right now bike commuting in Vermont is not a huge piece of the transportation pie and we want to grow that capacity. Dave is enthusiastic and we hope he can help other people make the decision to leave the car at home and consider their bike as the major form of transportation."
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U.S. trade officials said they made strides on several key economic issues during meetings in China this week.
U.S. Trade Representative Michael FromanMichael FromanUS will investigate aluminum imports as national security hazard Overnight Finance: WH floats Mexican import tax | Exporters move to back GOP tax proposal | Dems rip Trump adviser's Goldman Sachs payout Froman heads to Council on Foreign Relations MORE and Commerce Secretary Penny PritzkerPenny PritzkerDeVos should ‘persist’ despite liberal opposition Indiana teachers hold sit-in to demand Young recuse himself from DeVos vote Overnight Tech: Trump team eyes FCC overhaul | AT&T chief says no plans to spin off CNN in merger | Commerce pick heads to hearing MORE said Friday that they had reached agreements with Chinese officials on intellectual property rights, government procurement and regulatory issues.
The leaders met with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and other top officials in Beijing at the annual U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT).
“We still face many challenges, but the JCCT offers us a key tool for resolving important trade and investment issues."
Top U.S. officials including Biden and Treasury Secretary Jack LewJack LewWhite House divide may derail needed China trade reform 3 unconventional ways Trump can tackle the national debt One year later, the Iran nuclear deal is a success by any measure MORE have stopped in China on recent trips around the Pacific Rim to discuss a wide range of security and economic issues.
Agriculture Secretary Tom VilsackThomas J. VilsackUSDA: Farm-to-school programs help schools serve healthier meals OVERNIGHT MONEY: House poised to pass debt-ceiling bill MORE also was on hand during the discussions.
“We have made progress during these meetings, though we still have more work to do on critical issues to further our economic relationship,” Pritzker said.
“I have been in business for 27 years, and I know first-hand how important it is to build relationships with your partners," she said.
"China is a key partner on a broad range of issues, and their economic health is important to the global economy and the United States."
Meanwhile, President Obama nominated Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max BaucusMax BaucusChanging of the guard at DC’s top lobby firm GOP hasn’t reached out to centrist Dem senators Five reasons why Tillerson is likely to get through MORE (D-Mont.) on Friday to become U.S. Ambassador to China.
During the talks, the two nations agreed that China will accelerate its plan to join the World Trade Organization agreement on government procurement and submit a revised offer next year.
China also agreed to ramp up its protection of intellectual property rights, which include stronger enforcement of violations. China's intellectual property agencies, courts and the legislature will receive technical assistance on strengthening the protection and enforcement of those rights.
The United States and China committed to cooperate in 2014 on proposals to amend the trade secret law and on related legislative and policy issues. China is expected to give serious consideration to U.S. legislative reform proposals.
Both sides are aiming to resume U.S. beef exports by July.
On the travel front, China and the United States agreed to open the market for the sale of packaged group leisure travel from China to the U.S. to include Gansu and Qinghai provinces.
The two nations will continue talks about increasing enforcement against counterfeit and substandard semiconductors, and also will aim to tackle the issue of bad faith trademark registrations.
For 30 years, the JCCT has held high-level meetings to review progress made by working groups that focus on a wide variety of trade issues.
China was the largest supplier of U.S. goods imports in 2012, and the third-largest market for U.S. exports in 2011 (after Canada and Mexico). U.S. goods exports to China amounted to $110 billion in 2012.


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The plan by Hyundai Motor Co.'s top officials to add a luxury model is ambitious. But moving upmarket can be tricky, and the Korean automaker must consider each step carefully.
Hyundai plans to launch a rear-wheel-drive luxury car in the United States in 2007 to see whether there is sufficient demand to launch a full-blown luxury brand. Some Hyundai employees in the United States are leery; they would rather have a pickup to sell.
The biggest Hyundai car sold here now is the XG350, a front-drive, four-door sedan with a base sticker price of about $25,000, which means Hyundai would have to leapfrog a couple of market segments to reach the luxury threshold of $42,000.
Sooner or later, most automakers want a luxury brand with more prestige and fatter profits. But before jumping to grab that ring, Hyundai's brass would do well to remember:
n Toyota was in the United States for 30 years and was an established brand for 15 years before its parent company launched the Lexus luxury marque here in 1989. Nissan Motor Co. waited just as long before launching Infiniti here.
n Although Honda Motor Co.'s Acura was the first upscale Japanese channel in the United States, the brand hasn't achieved the same status as Lexus.
n Mazda Motor Corp. narrowly avoided a foolish foray into the luxury market when it killed plans to launch the Amati channel.
Hyundai's plans to add gasoline-electric hybrid models next year and a rear-drive luxury car the following year may be too much for the automaker to absorb.


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SHANGHAI/LONDON - A crackdown on corruption in China's pharmaceutical sector has hurt sales at international and local firms, with many doctors at Chinese hospitals refusing to see drug representatives for fear of being caught up in the widening scandal.
Britain's GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the group at the centre of the furore, has suffered the most. Industry insiders expect its China drug sales growth to slow sharply or even reverse in the third quarter after a 14 per cent year-on-year rise in the three months to end-June.
But GSK - accused by Chinese police in July of using travel agencies as intermediaries to make illegal payments to doctors - is not alone, and a number of companies say their China sales in the second half of the year may take a substantial hit.
With the country's healthcare spending forecast to nearly triple to $1 trillion by 2020 from $357 billion in 2011, according to consulting firm McKinsey, China is a magnet for makers of medicines and medical equipment.
However, a string of investigations and visits by authorities to the China-based offices of global firms has sent a chill through the industry, prompting businesses to step up internal compliance and rein in sales teams.
Corruption in China's healthcare industry is fuelled in part by low base salaries for doctors at the country's 13,500 public hospitals, the main buyers of drugs.
"There is an awful lot of confusion out there," the chief executive of French drugmaker Sanofi SA, Chris Viehbacher, told a conference in London last week.
"There was more of an impact in August and we are seeing less of an impact in September, but I think you will probably find, for at least the next couple of months, turbulence in the marketplace in some sectors."
Pharmaceutical sales staff said their hospital visits had been slashed - both because sales reps are struggling to get access to doctors and because firms are playing it safe.
The cutback in promotional activities has forced a number of drug companies to scrap monthly or quarterly sales quotas.
"There's a fall in sales for sure," said a Shanghai-based sales rep at GSK, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
"Because of the current situation and rumours about peers being taken away by authorities, we're going into hospitals less and less. We're worried the same may happen to us," he said, adding the lull in work meant he was spending more time drinking tea and worrying about redundancy.


text: Kohl’s Donates to Children’s Hospital Safety initiativesPublished on Thursday, November 8, 2012By: Jen Hospodor at 601-984-1105.Published in Press Releases on November 08, 2012JACKSON, Miss. – The Kohl’s department store in Flowood recently donated $23,766 to the Batson Children’s Hospital’s Safety and Community Outreach program.The funds were presented at a helmet and car seat safety check held by the Safety and Community Outreach program and SafeKids Mississippi. The money will be used to support the initiatives of the program, such as helmet and car seat safety checks, parenting classes and other safety outreach events in the community.Mallory Berg, outreach specialist, with Markeyta Dillon and Kason Wilson (baby)“Our goal with this program and our duty to Mississippi is to work within our communities to keep children out of our hospital and our emergency department because of preventable injuries,” said Guy Giesecke, chief executive officer of Batson Children’s Hospital. “ We are so grateful to Kohl’s for their support. They are truly a partner in our efforts to protect our children.”Since 2006, Kohl’s has donated more than $133,000 to Batson Children’s Hospital. Kohl's commitment to Batson Children’s Hospital is made possible through the Kohl's Cares® cause merchandise program. Through this initiative, Kohl’s sells $5 books and plush toys where 100 percent of net profit benefits children’s health and education programs nationwide, including hospital partnerships like this one. About Batson HospitalBatson Children’s Hospital, part of Children’s Healthcare of Mississippi, is located at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. It is the only hospital in the state devoted exclusively to the care and treatment of sick and injured youngsters. More than 150,000 children from all of the state’s 82 counties come to Batson each year. The spectrum of care ranges from well-child care for healthy newborns to care for cancer, birth defects, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, neurological disorders, pulmonary disease, trauma, allergies, diabetes and numerous other childhood illnesses.About Kohl’s Department Stores Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,134 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $208 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com, or join the discussion on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kohls or Twitter http://twitter.com/Kohls.


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One of the UK’s largest independent digital marketing agencies, Mediaworks, has appointed Hannah Elliott to lead its media planning and buying operations.
Ms Elliott joins the agency with more than 17 years of broadcast and out-of-home experience with some of Scotland’s largest brands, managing multi-million-pound campaign budgets for clients across the public sector, education, retail and in tourism.
She will head up the media planning and buying division from Mediaworks’ Edinburgh base but will work with clients across the group’s locations in Leeds, Manchester and at its HQ in Newcastle upon Tyne.
She said: “We’re growing our paid media efforts to offer a fully-integrated online and offline proposition.”
Brett Jacobson, CEO and founder of Mediaworks, added: “We’ve always endeavoured to find the best of the best to continue to improve our business and Hannah’s skillsets are beyond comparison in this field.”
Mediaworks, which counts the likes of Puma, Cath Kidston and Metro Bank among its client base, has 200 staff across its offices in the UK and Ireland.


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By Max Clarke
Declining sales over the holiday period have contributed to HMV’s share prices plummeting 78% over the past year. This Christmas, sales in their stores were down 10% from 2009.
The retail giant is expected to be closing 60 branches across the country over the next year, in response to declining profits from their stores.
HMV opened its flagship store on London’s Oxford Street in 1921 to a strong reception, and over the past 90 years a further 279 stores have been opened across the country and Ireland.
Initially selling only records, HMV’s operations, under their iconic logo of Nipper the dog peering into a grammarphone, expanded and now covers hardware, games, video and more.
Aside from their stores and online trading, HMV- under the name MAMA- owns 13 music venues including Britain’s largest gay club ‘Heaven’ and the Jazz Cafe in Camden. HMV’s MAMA group is turning over profits and is unlikely to be affected by the drop in share prices and resultant store closures.


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Nissan is killing Datsun again
Rebooted brand sold $4,000 cars in emerging markets
Nissan is pulling the plug on its recently rebooted Datsun brand amid falling sales.
The classic nameplate was resurrected by former CEO Carlos Ghosn in 2014 for a line of low-budget vehicles, starting at $4,000, targeted at emerging markets, including India, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Russia and Lebanon.
Nissan had previously discontinued production of Datsun models in Indonesia and Russia in 2020 and has now ceased manufacturing the Redi-Go at its factory in Chennai, India.
Datsun brand sales dropped from a record high of 87,300 in 2016 to just 6,400 last year, Nikkei reported.
"As part of Nissan's global transformation strategy, Nissan is focusing on core models and segments that bring the most benefit to customers, dealer partners and the business," the company said in the statement.
Nissan originally sold passenger cars under the Datsun marque from the early 1930s until 1986. It was a play on the name of the automaker's predecessor DAT Motor Vehicle and was initially spelled Datson, as in "son of DAT." According to Nissan, the spelling was changed to Datsun because "son" also means "loss" in Japanese and "sun" has "brighter associations."
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Nissan will continue to sell out the remaining stock of Datsun cars and offer full service for them, as they share components with other Nissan models.


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U.S. cracks down on global chip exports to Huawei, & expects China's retaliation
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Friday moved to block global chip supplies to blacklisted telecoms equipment giant Huawei Technologies, spurring fears of Chinese retaliation and hammering shares of U.S. producers of chipmaking equipment.
A new rule, unveiled by the Commerce Department and first reported by Reuters, expands U.S. authority to require licenses for sales to Huawei of semiconductors made abroad with U.S. technology, vastly expanding its reach to halt exports to the world’s No. 2 smartphone maker.
News of the move against the firm hit European stocks as traders sold into the day’s gains, while shares of chip equipment makers like Lam Research and KLA Corp fell around 5 percent in U.S. trading.


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It is no secret that The Child is the star of The Mandalorian. This character has become the breakout star of memes, videos, and merchandise everywhere. Since the Disney+ streaming service debuted on November 12, fans have been looking for any way to represent their love for this precious baby. This week, Build-A-Bear Workshop announced that you will be able to bring home your own version of “Baby Yoda”!
At The ICR Conference in Orlando, Florida, the CEO of the famous teddy bear shop announced a partnership with Disney and Lucasfilm. She made this announcement while holding what we assume to be a prototype of what the stuffed animal will look like when it hits stores across the country.
Build a Bear Baby Yoda will be coming in the next few months
— Acing Entertainment (@U_S_Ace) January 14, 2020
While it is not yet known exactly when this plush will launch in your local Build-A-Bear workshop, the CEO said that they expect the launch to be coming within the next few months. Most merchandise for this character has been announced and made available for pre-order but won’t be shipped out to fans until late Spring. If this plush does launch in the next few months, it will be one of the earliest launches of “Baby Yoda” merchandise!


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Leading sport innovation for greater societal and economic impact. EPSI is a non for profit membership-based organisation in Europe, based in Brussels that focuses on innovation in the areas of sport, physical activity, healthy lifestyle, vitality, environment and all related impacted sectors. EPSI strives for more innovation-friendly conditions for the EU sports ecosystem, in order to stimulate technological innovation and to set up / develop businesses with a focus on the entire innovation spectrum.
Be part of the EPSI Network
Enter EPSI Members’ Only Zone
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you interested in discovering the EPSI Platform? Read more about us and discover the most frequent asked questions about the European Platform for Sport Innovation.
EPSI has developed the so-called Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the period 2021-2027, as a result of a strong cooperation and thorough consultation amongst its members.
EPSI provides several advantages to our Members. Discover our affiliated partners coming from all around Europe.
EPSI is partner of the European Week Of Sport, initiative of the European Commission to promote a healthy lifestyle.
EPSI LATEST NEWS
Sports sector companies, together with SmartSports4GoodLife, will present their products at ISPO Brandnew within the framework of ISPO Munich.
Companies from the sports sector, together with the EU project SmartSports4GoodLife, will present their products at ISPO Brandnew within the framework of ISPO Munich.
EPSI network increases its numbers with five new members. We now cover 25 countries!
EPSI and ESA sign a Memorandum of Intent to boost sport innovation with space technologies.
OUR PARTNERS, PROJECTS & MEMBERS NEWS
Fourth webinar organised by the Italian organisation: the event will be in Italian language.
The European Commission has recently opened four calls for project proposals in the field of sport.
Two professor of Politecnico di Torino (EPSI Member) will speak about the current situation of the sport ecosystem.
Sport has been gaining prominence in recent years. Not only is sport being promoted as beneficial to both health and social relationships, its economic significance is also growing. Sport incorporates many industrial sectors and services and is a growing area for companies of all sizes. A 2012 study calculated that the direct effects of sport, combined with its multiplier effects, added up to 3% (294.36 billions of euros) of overall gross value added in the EU. As a relatively new sector, sport is generally regarded as being an early adopter of new ideas and innovations.
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Apple leads the Best Global Brand Report beating Coca-Cola, Amazon, Google, Samsung and numerous other important brands.
The report has been put forward by Interbrand – a multinational brand consultancy, strategy, and management firm. It publishes the Best Global Brands annually and keeping the tradition alive it has revealed this year’s report as well. The report contains the world’s 100 most valuable brands identified on the basis of:
- Financial standings, products, and services
- Influence of the brand on consumers
- The importance of the brand through which it charges premium to the consumers
Read more: https://www.techjuice.pk/apple-best-global-brands-2017/?utm_source=notification&utm_medium=popup
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Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. is converting a former furniture and appliance store in De Pere, Wis., to self-storage. U-Haul Moving & Storage of De Pere at 1180 Mid Valley Drive officially opened on Aug. 24. It currently offers hitch installation and towing equipment, moving and packing supplies, truck and trailer rentals, and U-Box portable-storage containers. Renovations are underway to add a new showroom and a second floor featuring 1,000 climate-controlled storage units, according to a company press release. Propane sales will also soon be available.
The building formerly housed Furniture & ApplianceMart as well as other furniture businesses. The original building includes 60,000 square feet of space on 4.6 acres. The property is along Interstate 41, south of the Main Avenue exit and near St. Norbert College, private, Catholic, liberal-arts college.
"We are excited to serve the families in the De Pere and Lawrence areas. We are occupying a building that in the past several years had many tenants," said Vily Xiong, general manager. "Customer feedback has been exceptional," added Justin Kaminski, president of the U-Haul Co. of Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula. "We cannot get enough product to serve the demand of a community that was previously underserved. Customers are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the climate-controlled storage units."
The opening of the De Pere property was driven by U-Haul’s corporate sustainability initiatives, which support infill development to help local communities lower their carbon footprint, the release stated. U-Haul’s adaptive reuse of existing structures eliminates the amount of energy and resources required for new-construction materials and helps local cities diminish their unwanted inventory of unused buildings, U-Haul officials said.
Established in 1945, U-Haul has more than 44 million square feet of storage space at more than 1,200 owned facilities throughout North America.


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Sony has always boasted that, unlike its competition, it has an end-to-end solution for movies and TV — from the lens to the living room, they say. Today, at Sony Pictures Studio Lot in Culver City, the company made a strong showing underscoring that point with a global announcement meant to elevate in-home entertainment to a “whole new level,” as Sony Electronics President and COO Mike Fasulo put it.
Introducing the new Sony Z series television.
What makes Sony’s new TV such a big deal is a combination of its backlight system, which the company calls Backlight Master Drive, and its processing, called 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme. That may sound like a lot of marketing babble, and to an extent it is, but Sony backs up its lavish naming convention with actual performance — and we’re very impressed.
With Backllight Master Drive, Sony has brought its Z series TVs dangerously close to OLED TVs in terms of black level and shadow detail, while exceeding OLEDs brightness capabilities for a 4K HDR experience that you really must see to believe. Sony’s new backlight system works by increasing the number of LED backlights in use by several times (Sony won’t say how many are in use, but it’s apparently a lot), adding individual control to each and every LED in use and finely focusing the light to a very tight set of pixels. The system is so advanced, you can’t even call the Z series a full array local-dimmed TV because it exceeds that.
As a result, black levels are better than any other LED TV we’ve seen, flare/halo effect is all but eliminated, and there is almost no backlight bleeding. Another benefit is considerably higher brightness; because there are so many LEDs at work and the light doesn’t have to be spread out across a large area, brightness is considerably increased. Color volume is also significantly enhanced, thanks to higher brightness levels.
The net result is eye-popping contrast. Having just reviewed the Sony X930D — Sony’s flagship series for TVs up to 65-inches — we can confidently say the Z series absolutely blows it out of the water and represents a quantum leap forward for LED televisions.
Check out our interview with Sony Electronics President and COO, Mike Fasulo, here:
During our brief evaluation times between demonstrations, we got up close and scrutinized the Z series’ performance to the best of our ability, and while we weren’t able to come anywhere near what we would consider a proper evaluation, it was immediately apparent Sony had just issued its best TV to date. The term “game changer” gets tossed around haphazardly these days, but not since the introduction of LG’s OLED TVs has this jaded reviewer been so impressed, and we’re pretty confident OLED is going to get a run for its money. In fact, it’s hard not to see the Z series as a more practical TV in many ways, given its outstanding brightness and HDR capabilities.
One area in which the Z series isn’t especially competitive is price. The 65-inch model will sell for $7,000, the 75-inch for $10,000, and the 100-inch version, well, Sony’s not saying, but you can bet it will be stratospheric. $50,000, anyone?
The new Z series is available for pre-order now at Sony’s website and will be available at other retailers, including Amazon, later this summer.
- Sony Bravia X95L mini-LED vs. TCL QM8 QLED: The best LCD TV and the one you should buy
- Sony releases its 2023 TV prices with one very big exception
- Toshiba brings 120Hz to Fire TVs with new flagship M550-Series
- LG announces new QNED Mini-LED TV lineup ahead of CES 2021
- All Sony TVs at CES 2020: 8K LED, OLED, and more


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Gemalto has partnered with Morocco’s inwi to deploy the latest version of its LinqUs Facebook-for-SIM mobile application which now includes the popular Facebook Messenger feature.
Through the deal, Inwi’s 12 million Moroccan subscribers will have the opportunity to enjoy seamless and intuitive mobile access to the world’s leading social network site. In a country where smartphone penetration is only at 16 per cent, the solution provides an opportunity for the many users to enjoy Facebook’s services from any type of mobile phone, and without having to incur additional Internet connection charges as it even works on non-data enabled devices.
Gemalto’s turnkey social media package offers a gateway to all of Facebook’s core functions and services such as friend requests, status updates, notifications and news feed, via a user-friendly interface on the handset. No data subscription is required and, with the addition of Facebook Messenger, people can now directly chat with their friends or send private messages anytime and anywhere.
“Inwi’s business philosophy is to deliver truly innovative services within easy reach to enhance our customers’ experience,” said Frédéric Debord, CEO at inwi. “With Gemalto’s LinqUs Facebook for SIM application we can further build on this strategy, bridge the gap for users with all types of mobile phone and respond to Morocco’s growing love affair with social media.”
“Innovation is deeply embedded in inwi’s DNA, and reflected not just in the company’s commercial success, but also a string of industry awards,” said Thierry Mesnard, Senior Vice President of Telecommunications at Gemalto Africa. “Gemalto is fully committed to providing services that harness the power of social networking, and helping inwi realize its bold vision for the future of mobile services in Morocco.”
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Kochi, July 28
CARDAMOM prices fell sharply by Rs 40 a kg at auctions held during the week in Kerala and Tamil Nadu on heavy selling pressure.
There have been heavy arrivals during the week. The early crop this year also turned out to be good. Besides, for the first time auctions were being held in July, trading sources told Business Line.
The arrivals at the auction at Kumily in Kerala on Wednesday stood at 45 tonnes.
Domestic and export buyers were active but they appeared determined to buy at low prices claiming that re-sale was not taking place in the market currently.
The average price at Kumily fell to Rs 232.15 a kg, probably for the first time this year, they said.
According to trading sources in Bodinayakannur, there is no demand both from North and South Indian buyers, while the exporters are silent.
Bulk is being sold at Rs 200- Rs 210 a kg, while floating bulk is sold at Rs 220 - 240. The price of medium bulk had dropped to Rs 170 a kg from Rs 230 - Rs 240 a kg when the auctions began on July 7.
Market continued to slip, they said.
According to some of the farmers, a majority of the growers do not want to hold their produce on the fear that there would be a "bumper crop" this year on favourable weather conditions prevailing in the growing areas.
This phenomenon had resulted in a selling pressure, which, they claimed, was being exploited by the traders who are bidding at low prices. Almost all the quantity brought to the auction centres during the week were sold out.
The individual average price ranged between Rs 232.15 and Rs 236.28 a kg during the week as against Rs 275.31 a kg on July 23, they said.
The total arrivals so far stood at 5,407 tonnes, of which 5,054 tonnes were sold as against 5,774 tonnes and 5,361 tonnes respectively in the same period last season.
The average price this season was Rs 301.01 as against Rs 361.13 last season. (Officially the season is from August 1 to July 31.
For the first time in several years the auctions began on July 7 because of the early crop this year.)
Prices of graded varieties as on July 16 were AGEB Rs 375 - Rs 385, AGB Rs 255 - Rs 265, AGS Rs 240 - Rs 255 and AGS 1 Rs 235 - Rs 245 a kg.


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The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) has started preserving video games made by the region's developers for the first time.
It has started by adding eight games, all of which were made in Australia, the first in 1982 and the most recent in 2019. They are:
- The Hobbit (Beam Software, 1982)
- Halloween Harry (Interactive Binary Illusions / Sub Zero Software, 1985/1993)
- Shadowrun (Beam Software, 1993)
- L.A. Noire (Team Bondi, 2011)
- Submerged (Uppercut Games, 2015)
- Hollow Knight (Team Cherry, 2017)
- Florence (Mountains, 2018)
- Espire 1: VR Operative (Digital Lode, 2019)
The NSFA has an archive of more than three million items, and these eight games represent the start of its commitment to cataloguing the output of the games industry.
"We aim to be the national leader in collecting multimedia and new media content, and it would be impossible to accurately represent modern life without games," said NFSA CEO Jan Müller.
"Our initial selection spans almost 40 years of gaming history. It provides an overview of the evolution of the medium, as well as an opportunity to identify the archival challenges in preserving the different technologies employed -- both software and hardware."
The initial selection was chosen in collaboration with two Australian trade bodies, the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) and the Games Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA).
"Games are a major part of contemporary popular culture; an artistic, storytelling and technological achievement, as well as an industry that contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the Australian economy," said Ron Curry, CEO of the IGEA. "We look forward to working with the NFSA as they start adding games to their vast collection."
The NSFA has marked the addition of video games to its archives with a special exhibition, Game Masters, which traces the entire history of the medium. It will take place in Canberra, Australia until March 9, 2020.


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More than half of London residents feel that there are too many cars on the roads of the UK’s capital – and only half feel that cycling is easy in the city, according to a new survey from micromobility firm Tier.
Those findings come from a study into perceptions on micro-mobility conducted by Predictiv for the company, which is one of three government-approved e-scooter rental trial operators in London and also runs a fleet of rental e-bikes in certain boroughs. The survey results have been released on Car Free Day, and ahead of European Mobility Week.
Are e-scooters legal in the UK? Our definitive guide
According to the poll, which was staged three times in 2021 and this year, more 66 per cent of Londoners feel that are are too many cars on the road – and 73 per cent believe those machines are polluting the air in the city.
Tier also claims that 20 per cent of users renting its e-scooters in London did so for a trip that replaced a car journey. But the study also shows that around a third of respondents felt too exposed to other vehicles when using a bike or e-scooter on London’s roads – and just half felt that cycling was easy and efficient in the capital.
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Tier is aiming to highlight measures is it making to use its e-scooters and e-bikes in London easier at a special ‘pop-up’ event in Southwark. It will showcase its latest spec C1 e-scooter and a new 'smart' Tarsier e-scooter.
The C1 is Tier's sixth-generation machine, and has already launched in Germany, Austria, Hungary and Sweden. It includes a new system that gives 'visual feedback' about slow zones, no-go zones and other restricted areas in cities, turn signals that include audio feedback and a repositioned smartphone holder that is designed to be closer to the rider's line of site.
The machine also gains revamped hydraulic suspension and a wider base to improve stability, and a new motor to improve acceleration and torque.
Meanwhile, the Tarsier e-scooter feature the firm’s ‘Parrot’ software and computer vision technology that can detect users riding on pavements. Tier is currently trialling that machine in 10 European cities.
The firm has also partnered with a navigation app Beeline, which suggests navigation routes that use quieter roads in London. The system is embedded into Tier’s own smartphone app.
Georgia Yexley, Tier’s UK general manager said: “This Car-Free Day we would like to encourage more people to grab an e-bike or e-scooter and see how pleasant and efficient leaving the car at home can be.”
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IoT silos bad for business: Rackspace
Upgrading its iron, cloud-herder muses on the future
Today's Internet of Things (IoT) devices have to break out of their vendor silos if they're to be taken seriously in the corporate environment, according to Rackspace Asia's CTO Alan Perkins.
Speaking to Vulture South at its CeBIT stand to launch an upgrade to its Australian service (more on this below), Perkins said the future of cloud services is inextricably linked with the booming Internet of Things drive.
However, while that's good for companies like Rackspace, whose services Perkins believe will keep growing just to keep pace with the predicted boom in connected devices (26 billion by 2020 according to Gartner, five billion of which will be sensors), interconnectivity is still holding back the sector.
Rackspace customer SimPRO's CEO Brad Couper said his company is already putting its brains into the Internet of Things: “Our specialty is field service, so we see the Internet of Things helping us decide how to get plumbers to cover today's 20 jobs efficiently.
“We have fifty people across the company working on ideas for how to use wearables,” he said.
This, however, is where many of today's models are holding back the IoT world. “I'm really underwhelmed by the model that says 'we'll sell you a device that phones back to our Web service but doesn't talk to anything else'”, Perkins explained.
That model does nothing but create silos – except instead of operational silos within a company, they're vendor silos that the user can't easily escape. “The devices have to become more intelligent, more autonomous, and more integrated,” Perkins said.
Couper agreed, saying that for the IoT to be valuable for his company, “it's crucial that we know we can connect to the devices at all times,” rather than having to rely on a vendor's connectivity.
Rackspace's big announcement at CeBUT was its May 13 date for general availability of its upgraded Performance Cloud Servers for Australian customers, or those who like the idea of running servers in the tectonically-and-politically-stable environment down under.
The upgrade provides four times more RAM (up to 120 GB), twice the CPU performance (using Intel Xenon E5 processors), in-cloud network throughput of 40 Gbps, and a big boost to disk I/O (more than 130 times the previous servers, the company says) to its RAID 10 SSDs.
Perkins said the upgrade will be important to workloads like Web hosting, e-commerce apps, and cloud-based NoSQL deployments. ®


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Facebook’s VR division Oculus is finding it difficult to distance from court battles, of late. While the ZeniMax lawsuit is far from over, the company has now been slapped with yet another lawsuit over the 3D imaging technology incorporated in their Rift VR headsets. It has been filed by a lesser-known competitor called Techno View IP Inc. in the Delaware federal court on Thursday.
The California-based technology licensing firm Techno View IP Inc. has sued Facebook-owned Oculus VR for allegedly infringing on the patented 3D-imaging technology, as reported by Reuters. This patented technology enables the VR headgear in processing images to create three-dimensional virtual reality images — projected via lenses in front of the users’ eyes.
The licensing company has stated in its lawsuit that Oculus infringes on an existing patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,666,096) called “Method For Generating The Left And Right Perspectives In A 3D Videogame.” This technology concerns simultaneous generation of left and right perspectives in a 3D video game, playable only on a virtual reality headset. It is made possible with the method of dynamic image processing of multiple simultaneous images to create three-dimensional output. Techno View continues to add that Oculus infringes on several other patents held by ImmersiON-VRelia, related to the same technology.
This technology is originally owned by VR headset maker ImmersiON-VRelia, who is allowing Techno View to litigate the patent fight against Oculus on their behalf. ImmersiON-VRelia, with offices in Spain and California, is known to make VR headsets similar to the ones produced by Oculus — Rift developer kit. They also sell VR devices similar to Samsung’s Gear VR, which can be used along with a smartphone.
In the lawsuit, Techno View has mentioned that ImmersiON-VRelia’s chief executive Manuel Gutierrez Novelo had secured multiple patents related to VR technology in the period between 2003 and 2006. And Oculus, which was founded back in June 2012, is said to be infringing on the family of said patents — related to 3D imaging. Doesn’t this sound at least a little bit familiar? Well, yeah, we have already told you Oculus was slapped with a separate lawsuit earlier this year.
Oculus used ZeniMax’s hardware and software technology to create a software development kit for the Rift and to develop, modify, and tune the Rift hardware.
This development comes on the heels of its recent tussle with ZeniMax Media Inc, which ended with a $500 million verdict in favor of the latter. During its lawsuit, ZeniMax questioned the capabilities of Oculus CEO Luckey Palmer (who’s now quit Facebook) saying that he didn’t have the expertise to create a viable software or hardware for this VR startup. Thus, Oculus, which was bought for $2.3 billion by Facebook, was sued for employing copyrighted code created by designer John Carmack while he worked at ZeniMax. The said battle is far from over as Facebook has plans of filing an appeal against the game developer.


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The venerable video store chain Blockbuster, beleaguered by changing consumer tastes and technology, announced Wednesday it would close all remaining retail stores. Blockbuster’s remaining stores include five in the Sacramento region, according to its website: Power Inn Road in Sacramento, and individual stores in Antelope, Carmichael, Orangevale and Rocklin.
According to an announcement from Blockbuster, the closures will happen by early next year, along with the end of Blockbuster’s DVD by mail service. Going forward, Blockbuster, which is now owned by DISH Network, will focus on its “Blockbuster At Home” on-demand service through DISH.
There was no one available at Blockbuster’s media contact number to elaborate on the announcement. An email sent to a company press inquiries address was not immediately returned.
Founded in 1985. Blockbuster eventually had as many as 3,500 stores nationwide, but began a downward trajectory in the last decade when people began to favor mail services like Netflix, on-demand movies at home and more recently, streaming movies and TV shows through the internet. Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and closed most of its stores in the last few years.
Blockbuster's mail-delivery service will end by mid-December.
“Despite our closing of the physical distribution elements of the business, we continue to see value in the Blockbuster brand, and we expect to leverage that brand as we continue to expand our digital offerings,” said Joseph P. Clayton, DISH president and chief executive officer, in a news release.


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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Pima Animal Care Center has put out a warning for pet owners.
With many calls regarding bats in Southern Arizona, they're advising pet owners to vaccinate their animals.
"We've had examples where an indoor cat has never had a vaccination and a bat fly's into a home and the cat interacts with it, by state law, that pet has to quarantine and the bat has to be euthanized to see if it has rabies," PACC spokesperson, Nikki Reck said.
Pets must be quarantined at PACC for up to 120 days if they're exposed to a bat. That period is shorter for vaccinated pets. Also, pet owners have to pay for it themselves.
PACC is starting to see a LOT of calls about bats, so we want to take a minute to remind pet owners how important it is to have their pet vaccinated for rabies. (Yes, even indoor cats.)— Pima Animal Care (@PimaAnimalCare) March 25, 2022
There are several low-cost options on the No Kill Pima County website. pic.twitter.com/S0RXgK0SwN
If your pet isn't up to date on vaccinations and does encounter a bat, it can be a huge risk for their health. Reck says there are plenty of resources available to make sure your pet is up to date on their vaccines.
PACC partnered with No Kill Pima County to provide low-cost options for those who need it.
Reck says the most important vaccinations to have are rabies and parvo since illnesses can kill your animal.
If your pet has an encounter with any wildlife, including bats, call your vet immediately.
Heidi Alagha is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Heidi spent 5 years as the morning anchor in Waco where she was named the best anchor team by the Texas Associated Press. Share your story ideas and important issues with Heidi by emailing email@example.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


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Sales of traditional watch manufacturers in the US have had the most dramatic drop in the last 7 years. One of the main reasons is that Apple has launched
With Boot Camp (software preinstalled on OS X platform) – Everything will become easier in installing the Windows operating system for Mac devices. More specifically, the Boot Camp software
Yesterday, the Nowhereelse site of France announced the images which seen as the front of the iPhone 6s with Force Touch technology. And recently, this source continues to publish
Recently, a tweak called “Lock Save Free” got through the approval process and appeared on the source ModMyi, one of the sources which is appreciated by Jailbreak community due
Previously, Apple ever recruited car engineers to prepare for a certain secret project. Many people believe that Apple is planning to produce cars, but so far there is no
Shortly after the announcement of the financial report of Q3 / 2015, Apple has released 3 update versions. They are iOS 9 beta 4, OS X El Capitan beta
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Although Apple has released public beta version of iOS 9 and OS X 10:11 El Capitan not long ago, recently, Apple continues to release iOS 8.4.1 version and OS
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Recently, Apple has launched two new ads videos about the iPhone before the iPhone 6s appears in this year. Main content of these videos is excellent combination between hardware
Jermaine Smit designer has just given us stunning images of the new generation iPhone from Apple. The highlight of iPhone 8 concept doesn’t merely come from design, product features
Launched one week ago, iOS 8.4 of Apple has been installed on over 40% of iOS devices worldwide – according to the statistics of Mixpanel. This company also said
Apple has just released iOS 9 beta 3 version for developers. This build version has 13A4293g code and operates on devices such as iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and can
According to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple and its suppliers are planning to produce about 85 to 90 million next generation iPhone devices this year.


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Coverings 2005, taking place May 3-6 in Orlando, Fla., will be packed with speakers, conferences, seminars and workshops designed to address key issues to the industry, according to National Trade Productions, the show management company for Coverings.
Seminars will be geared toward installers, architects/designers, dealers, distributors and fabricators, giving them the latest on current trends and uses for ceramic tile and natural stone. In addition, many of the seminars will offer ASID, AIA and Florida State Continuing Education units.
Highlights will include a keynote address by humor columnist Dave Barry, and sessions on color trends, the state of the industry, new software, sales productivity, the industry media and more. For more information on educational opportunities at Coverings 2005, telephone (703) 683-8500 or visit www.coverings.com.
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American multinational beverage corporation, Coca-Cola, is making impressive strides towards a more plant-based approach in the food and beverage industry. Supporting the Dutch biochemical company, Avantium, Coca-Cola and associated beverage giants are backing a new plant-based plastic capable of decomposing within just a year. This eco-friendly plastic is made from plant sugars rather than fossil fuels. Through this approach, the future of bottled products will mean less environmental harm caused by plastic pollution and the heavy usage of fossil fuels.
Avantium, a renewable chemicals company, is the brains behind this impactful plan. Drawing attention from several beverage makers, Carlsberg, the 173-year-old multi-national brewing company, immediately jumped on board. Becoming one of the first to package a product in this decomposable material, the brewery intends to sell its pilsner in a cardboard bottle lined with an inner layer of plant plastic.
Around the world, 300 million tonnes of plastic are generated through the use of fossil fuels every year. Sadly, most of it is not recycled and significantly contributes to climate change, as well as the microplastics found in the oceans. Recent studies even show evidence of microplastics deeply embedded in Arctic ice. Whereas normal plastics take hundreds of years to decompose, this new product not only is recyclable but degrades much faster in nature.
It is absolutely essential to address this blatantly obvious crisis at hand. In 2016, a population of more than seven billion produced more than 320 million tons of plastic, with this number expected to double by 2034. With major corporations, such as Coca-Cola and Danone, supporting the use of plant-based, environmentally friendly materials, there is hope that the population as a whole will make positive changes in their behaviors for the greater good of the planet.


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The multiplayer beta for Sledgehammer's upcoming shooter Call of Duty: WWII just keeps getting bigger. This is the second weekend it has been available for PlayStation players, and Xbox One players who pre-ordered have just recently been able to get access.
It was announced by the developers today that coming to the beta was a variety of new content, as well as tweaks and enhancements. Here are the highlights:
- Level cap increased to 35
- New weapons & equipment
- Flamethrower Scorestreak
- New game mode: Kill Confirmed
- TDM match limit is now 100
- Kills on Domination are now 100 points
- Molotovs reduced to one per Scorestreak
- Difficulty of Paratroopers increased
- ADS speed out of sprint adjusted
Coming at Launch
- New controller layouts
- Potential adjustments to flinch
- Hitmarker feedback addressed
It seems that Sledgehammer has been busy, and that they've been paying close attention to feedback and data from the beta.
Are you enjoying the beta so far? What do you think about these additions and changes? Let us know in the comments or over on Twitter.


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Mattel’s iconic Barbie doll joined the popular social-network site LinkedIn this year and even appeared in a Sports Illustrated campaign, but both marketing ploys weren’t enough to drive sales in the latest quarter.
The world’s largest toy maker posted a sharp 61% drop in second-quarter profit as Barbie posted another sales decline and demand also fell for the well-established Fisher-Price and Hot Wheels brands. Results badly missed Wall Street’s expectations for the quarter, hurt by sales weakness across almost all categories.
But the sales woes for Barbie, which have plagued Mattel (MAT) the past few years, are especially problematic. Barbie’s global sales slumped 15% in the latest quarter.
Worldwide sales of Mattel’s preschool Fisher-Price brands slid 17%, while Hot Wheels sales dropped 2%. The pricier American Girl doll segment was the lone bright spot, with sales rising 6%.
The sales decline at Mattel is worrisome for the company as the overall industry is performing fairly decently this year. Mattel, citing NPD Group data, said the overall industry’s sales have risen 4% in the U.S. and 5% in European markets through May. Mattel, meanwhile, is aiming to bolster its results with the recent acquisition of MEGA Brands, a toy company that focuses on construction play and competes with Lego.
Overall, Mattel reported a profit of $28.3 million, or 8 cents a share, down from $73.3 million, 21 cents a share, a year ago. The latest period included an 11-cent tax benefit, which was somewhat offset by 6 cents in per-share costs tied to the acquisition of construction-toy company MEGA Brands. Total revenue slid 9% to $1.06 billion, hurt by fairly balanced weakness in North America and international markets.
Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had expected an adjusted profit of 18 cents a share on $1.19 billion in revenue.
Gross profit slumped to 46.4% from 51.3%, dragged lower by inventory-related adjustments related to the MEGA acquisition.


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Funding will help in transition to game publisher as Richard Garriott fantasy role-playing game rounds into shape
Portalarium®, an Austin-based game developer, just announced an equity crowdfunding campaign to assist the company as it begins the process of taking on the additional role of game publisher. The company’s flagship product, Shroud of the Avatar™: Forsaken Virtues is nearing completion and will be available for commercial release in the coming months.
“We are forever grateful to our backers under our current funding campaign who have helped us reach levels of support that we never dreamed of having,” said Portalarium CEO Richard Garriott de Cayeux. “That support has helped us develop Shroud of the Avatar to where it is today. And with a commercial launch now in sight, it’s time to focus more on marketing and user acquisition as we scale up our player base and the service. It’s also a chance for our supporters to invest in our company as we take this next critical step with equity crowdfunding.”
Shroud of the Avatar combines a single-player narrative story with a sandbox massively multiplayer online (MMO) experience. The production team includes Executive Producer Starr Long, who along with Garriott helped produce the groundbreaking Ultima Online MMO and New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman, who wrote the popular Dragonlance fantasy novels.
Shroud of the Avatar’s crowdfunded campaign began in 2013. It remains in early access but it continues to generate monthly content updates to its backers. The game has now reached 41 straight months of continuous play without a single server software crash. Currently with more than $11.6 million in crowd funding, Shroud is the second highest fully crowdfunded game ever.
To learn more about the Portalarium equity crowdfunding campaign (also known as regulation crowdfunding), please visit the SeedInvest website.


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The State of Malware 2023 Report
The Australian Cyber Security Centre has provided 10 steps for small and medium businesses to store customers' personal data securely.
Ransomware group Scattered Spider aka Octo Tempest are masters at social engineering tactics like SIM swapping.
A list of topics we covered in the week of November 13 to November 19 of 2023
The ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group has filed a non compliance complant with the SEC against one of its victims.
An alarm system company that allows people to call for help at the touch of a button has suffered a cyberattack, causing serious disruption.
Microsoft has patched a total of 63 vulnerabilities this Patch Tuesday. Make sure you update as soon as you can.
The US State of Maine says it has suffered a data breach impacting around 1.3 million people—more or less the the entire population of Maine.
A list of topics we covered in the week of November 06 to November 12 of 2023
The Signal messaging service is testing support for usernames as a replacement for phone numbers to serve as user identities
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Toasting San Diego's Urban Wineries
When Charlie & Echo celebrates its grand opening Saturday, the new urban winery will be planting a flag in territory known more for hoppy IPAs than sparkling viognier.
Charlie & Echo’s 1,900-square-foot facility off Miramar Road — which has been dubbed Beeramar Road — is symbolic of the quietly, yet steadily, emerging urban winery scene across San Diego County.
From Carlsbad to Carmel Mountain, Little Italy to La Mesa, Ocean Beach to Escondido and, yes, Miramar, wineries are cropping up faster than you can say fermentation. They’re in industrial-style warehouses and strip mall storefronts, chic boutiques and tourist hubs.
The diversity of the region’s evolving oeno-landscape will be on display beginning June 1, with the kick-off of San Diego Urban Wine Week.