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HTC America’s acting president Martin Fichter has managed to make a statement so baffling that the very mind itself boggles. As GeekWire reports, Fichter talked at the Mobile Future Forward conference, and had this to say about “cool” phones:
“I brought my daughter back to college — she’s down in Portland at Reed — and I talked to a few of the kids on her floor. And none of them has an iPhone because they told me: ‘My dad has an iPhone.’ There’s an interesting thing that’s going on in the market. The iPhone becomes a little less cool than it was. They were carrying HTCs. They were carrying Samsungs. They were even carrying some Chinese manufacture’s devices. If you look at a college campus, Mac Book Airs are cool. iPhones are not that cool anymore. We here are using iPhones, but our kids don’t find them that cool anymore.”
Huh, really? Because last time I looked, iPhones and iPod Touches were still the device of choice among high school and college kids, helped along by Apple’s aggressive and annual back-to-school sales. And are you honestly telling me that any Android device out there has the instant recognizability and cachet that the iPhone does? Sorry Fichter, not buying it.


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Math and logistics - SAJ makes the link for students at Math Expo 2016
The marine transportation and logistics industry is built on the mathematics of distribution. In fact, one of the most important parts of the logistics business is data. Gathering and interpreting data requires familiarity with logistics systems and planning concepts, spreadsheet data management, and statistics applications. Today, more than ever, it takes a strong mathematical mind to manage those systems.
It is for this reason that the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) sought to provide an interactive exploration of mathematical concepts and theories related to shipping and logistics by participating in the fourth staging of the Ministry of Education's National Mathematics Expo.
More than 8,000 students, teachers and education officials from the pre-primary to tertiary level, converged recently on the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, for the exposition which wrapped up the ministry's National Mathematics Week that was observed from March 6-11, under the theme: 'Math Counts'.
The objective of the expo was to create an environment where students can interact with the subject in a way that was fun, engaging, and that will help them appreciate and see its relevance and its many applications in everyday life.
At the SAJ/Caribbean Maritime Institute booth, students representing various primary, secondary, and tertiary schools across the island were exposed to models of the equipment used during daily activities in the shipping industry. These included miniature cranes, reach stackers, trucks, shipping containers, ships, and navigation equipment.
Guided by the theme 'Math Counts', the students were challenged to solve mathematics questions ranging from basic math to trigonometry. Successful students received prizes for producing the correct answers.

domain: news


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Google has acquired land in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore to build data centers in these three locations, it said Wednesday.
Five chipmakers, including Intel, IBM, Samsung Electronics, GlobalFoundries and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. have committed investment of $US4.4 billion in research and development in the state of New York over the next five years, to devel...
PC vendor Lenovo has formed a joint venture with laptop contract manufacturer Compal Electronics to build and operate a new factory in China, as part of a move to keep up with product sales, Lenovo announced Tuesday.
Fast-growing blogging platform Tumblr has closed an investment round that attracted new venture capitalists and brought in $US85 million.
Match.com announced on Wednesday it had acquired a 20 percent stake in a company behind one of China's largest online dating sites.
Microsoft said on Tuesday it will work with a Chinese operating system developer to create cloud computing products for the country's market, a move that could help the U.S. company sell to China's government agencies.
HTC has invested in Beats Electronics, a U.S. headphones company rap artist Dr. Dre helped found, as part of a move to improve the audio on the Taiwanese smartphone maker's devices.
WiMax carrier Clearwire's so-far-unfunded plan to adopt LTE faces several obstacles, but the company effectively doesn't have a choice, according to industry analysts.
Sprint Nextel's deal with LightSquared to build and run its LTE network for more than US$13 billion in cash and credits all comes down to money.
Google has acquired Pittsburgh Pattern Recognition, known as PittPatt, a company that develops technology for recognizing faces in images and video, according to PittPatt's website.
Acer said Thursday it plans to acquire iGware, a cloud technology company in the U.S., for US$320 million, as part of a plan to allow users to more easily share content across the PC maker's products.
Mobile networks in North America are filled to 80 percent of capacity, with 36 percent of base stations facing capacity constraints, according to a survey by investment bank Credit Suisse.
Acer has created a new mobile devices business group for China, with the aim of tapping the country's growing smartphone and tablet market.
There is a venture investment bubble in the mobile industry as countless startups draw interest for what might be the next big application or tool, the chief operating officer of payments vendor Square said Tuesday.
U.S. and Canadian courts have approved the sale of thousands of patents from bankrupt Nortel Networks to a consortium including Apple and Microsoft for about US$4.5 billion.
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According to the British customs statistics, from January to June 2018 Russia’s non-resource non-energy export to the UK has shown substantial improvements – it rose by 21,7% as a consequence of the growing trade turnover between Russia and the UK.
24 September 2018, London. In the first half of 2018 the trade turnover between Russia and the UK has reached $6,375 m. It is 28,8% more than in January-June 2017 – $4,949.4 m. The sustainable growth of the bilateral trade has been reported since the end of 2016 by the customs statistics of both countries.
The Russian export appears to be the driving force of the growth. In the first half of 2018 the Russian export has risen by 42,7% and has amounted to $4,571.8 m. Along with the traditionally high activity in energy resources, the Russian non-resource export has also shown a quality improvement and certifies a strong pattern to keep up the high pace.
The largest contributors to the Russian export structure are platinum group metals and organic chemistry products both of which increased twofold, while veneer and board industry were up by 10%, seafood – by 44%.
At the same time, the British export to Russia increased by 3,3%.
Overall from January to June 2018 there are several groups of products leading Russia’s export structure to the UK: energy resources – increase of 43%, precious stones and related articles – growth of 159%, articles of stone, ceramic products, glass and glassware – of 128,4%.
Russia ranks Britain as its 14th trade and economic partner by the volume of Russian exports and 12th by the volume of imports to Russia. The Russian trade surplus with the UK is constantly growing; it has already reached $2,8 bn for the first half of 2018 given that in 2017 the trade surplus amounted $4,64 bn.
According to the Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the UK, Dr. Boris Abramov, “The customs turnover data encourages the expansion of business opportunities both for Russia and the UK. For the Russian exporters the most promising spheres are machinery manufacturing, the pharmaceutical industry and medicine, as well as daily goods consumption, services in engineering, consulting, finance, business and tourism. Innovative software technologies, finances and education also have vast potential of growth”.


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MWC 2017 is officially underway and we are as busy as bees. We have already discussed the new Nokia 3310 and now
Huawei is set to launch two phones in the very near future that are going to demand a great deal of attention.
Before the holiday season began in earnest, we heard a few leaks involving the Huawei P10. New Huawei P10 Edge renders have
If today's intel proves to be accurate/legitimate, we've just grabbed the tech specs of the upcoming Huawei P10. After the P9, which


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Survey: Corporations warming to the iPhoneNovember 20, 2008: 2:40 PM ET
Smartphones -- and in particular Apple's iPhone -- were the only bright spot in ChangeWave's November survey of corporate IT spending for the next 90 days, an otherwise dismal forecast that research director Paul Carton described in terms ranging from "huge nose dive" to "historic collapse."
Asked whether they planned to spend more, the same, or less on information technology in the next quarter, the 1,926 respondents came back with answers that were almost universally pessimistic. Only one in 10 said he or she planned to spend more, while 45% said they expected to spend less -- this at the time of the year when planned outlays for IT usually take an uptick.
"We keep looking for a break in the gloom," Carton told reporters in a conference call Thursday. "We're just not getting it yet."
The only positive sign Carton could find was continued growth -- albeit modest -- in plans for smartphone spending, with 35% of respondents reporting their company plans to buy smartphones next quarter, up 1 point from August.
As shown in the chart below, Research in Motion (RIMM) is still clinging to its nearly 80% share of planned smartphone purchases. But Apple's (AAPL) slice of that market continues to grow, especially among small-to-medium sized firms, with 22% of companies planning to buy iPhones in the next quarter, up from 17% three months ago.
According to ChangeWave, the iPhone is now the No. 2 smartphone in the workplace, with a 14% share, as Palm's (PALM) share continues its downward spiral, falling from 15% of corporate smartphones in August to 11% in November. (See here.)
The iPhone scores even higher in ChangeWave's surveys of consumers. See for example the July report, in which 56% of consumers surveyed said they wanted an iPhone, compared with 23% who were holding out for a BlackBerry.
ChangeWave's latest corporate survey was conducted from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12 among ChangeWave Alliance members involved with IT spending in their organization.
From the Changewave Alliance Web site:
ChangeWave runs a proprietary network of 15,000 highly qualified business, technology, and medical professionals referred to as the ChangeWave Alliance. Alliance members are credentialed experts in leading companies of select industries who spend their everyday lives working on the frontline of technological change. (link)


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New Apple Airpods 2019
On March 20th, 2019, Apple shunned the world after launching the 2nd-gen Airpods. And this time the AirPods are going to feature wireless charging. People are going to have to pay a little extra if they want to opt for the wireless charging module. And this move brought Apple face to face with its significant competitors. Most of Apple’s competitor has already come forward with Qi charging module for phones & earbuds.
Nevertheless, from the entire puzzle, there is only one thing that is missing, and the product is Apple’s AirPower Charger. Apple had a great chance to make a re-announcement regarding AirPower, and however, the Cupertino giant missed the opportunity. Apple came up with the groundbreaking AirPower charger back in 2017. The AirPower came alongside iPhone X.
What is Apple AirPower?
Based on the announcement, the AirPower was an elegant solution that only Apple can come up with. The working principle for AirPower is that the modern-day charging is not going to be a part of wireless. With AirPower, the Cupertino giant said that a person could drop his iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods on the charging pad. In the morning, the consumers are going to pick up all the devices that will be ultimately charged.
- Apple iMac 2019 with the 2X powerful processor
- Apple iPad 2019 with a 10.5-inch screen and supports apple pencil
- Apple iPhone SE 2 launch in India & USA
Nevertheless, AirPower never came to life post-production, and with this, the first gen version of AirPod didn’t support wireless charging. It feels like the recent announcement regarding AirPods is making a doorway for the AirPower. Expects feel that as AirPods is getting wireless charging support, the AirPower might merely be on its way. Apple Watch, on the other hand, works with the standard Apple wireless charging. AirPods are coupled with Qi wireless charging which is great for the customers.
Given that Apple decides to launch AirPower, it might already be too late for Apple. Apple will start shipping the AirPods in April 2019.


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News From : DagangHalal.com (30 Mar 2011)
By Quintus Perera-Asian Tribune Colombo, 29 March, (Asiantribune.com):The 2nd Halal Conference and Exhibition, Halal Expo 2011 was held at Galdari Hotel and the Chief Guest at the events was A H M Fowzie, Senior Minister for Urban Affairs. This is the only event of its kind to be held in Sri Lanka, encompassing the entire Halal industry.
The event thus witnessed companies and individuals from sectors like food and beverages, Islamic Banking and Finance, Travel and tourism, education and lifestyle.
The conference was chaired by Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of Singapore based Crescentrating Ltd – a global market leader in the niche market of Halal-friendly travel.
Mr Bahardeen spoke about the vast strides that the Halal industry has made across the global spectrum. He said that special focus has been made on areas of Halal Tourism, a multi-billion dollar industry, stating that the contribution by Muslim travelers to tourism expenditure has increased almost five-fold over the past 15 years.
As for outbound travel, the Middle East displayed the highest growth among all the market segments He discussed the initiatives taken by countries such as Thailand, Hong Kong and Australia in order to ensure Arab tourists, who now comprise a significant business segment that could no longer be ignored. He said that Sri Lanka could take cue from such countries, especially at a time when peace has fially dawned and when the country has genuine prospects of being leading tourist destination.
Speaking of Halal food he said that what they are trying to do is to encourage companies not just to push Halal food but to go beyond and to educate the consumers what is good food for health and what is bad. He said that in fact some big companies are considering to make their products to be more health conscious, but it is a major challenge as all the people tend to eat more than required.
Mr Bahardeen said that for Halal Industry last 12 months were particularly important and said that Halal friendly tourism has now become a multi-billion dollar industry and the Middle-East displayed the highest growth among all the market segments. He said that affluent travelers spend US $1,000 per day, the Middle-Eastern travelers would spend US $1,500 or more.
He said that countries and large companies around the globe have shown great interest in focusing their attention to the Islamic market, in adjusting their businesses and services to align with the Muslim lifestyle in all areas, food, banking, education, travel etc.
He said that media has started to speak about Halal Industry increasingly and this is changing the dynamics of the industry in the coming years. He said that major research houses are getting interested in the Industry and Google has created a search for Halal and it would be expanded in the coming years. He said that companies are searching for how best their products to be targeted for Islamic market.
He said that now ‘Halal’ is going beyond the food and banking and it is actually the Muslim lifestyle and said that Islamic market is being looked at seriously and today it represents 23% of the world population are Muslims. There are 1.59 billion Muslims in the world and their growth would be doubled in the next 20 to 30 years and would grow to be 26.4% then out of the world population.
The requirements of this population should have to be looked into and now any product be Halal, which was not considered that way earlier. Things like medical facilities, IT, Logistics, financial market and the value to that community have to be recognized and integrated solutions should be found.
Halal food market is US $ 650 billion out of a world figure of US $ 1,2 trillion in 2010 and consumption by Muslims would be 1/5th of the world food market and thus businesses have to change their strategies accordingly.
He said that with regard to travel industry and the contribution of the Muslim community would be around 40% of .the world population.
He said that Sri Lanka also has potential to be a hub to South Asia in this field and said that countries like Thailand, Hong Kong and Australia in order to entice Arab tourists who now comprise a significant business segment that could no longer be ignored. Sri Lanka could take cue from such countries he said.
A S M Fowzie, Senior Minister for Urban Affairs declared open the Halal Exhibition – Halal Expo 2011.
-Asian Tribune –


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Electrolux today announced a strategic partnership in Asia Pacific with the smart recipe platform SideChef, which will power a new digital taste platform offered by Electrolux to consumers in the region. The partnership will...Read more
Electrolux has created this newsroom to provide journalists, bloggers and other interested parties with information about Electrolux and its products and services. These are the news related to Electrolux focus on consumer insight as a starting point for all new innovative products.
On June 11-12, close to 300 leaders, innovators and startups in the food tech community convened to explore the latest technology within the food ecosystem, when the first-ever Smart Kitchen Summit Europe took place...Read more
Electrolux is supporting the initiative ReTaste, a pop-up fine dining restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, that serves rescued food. Inaugurated on May 7th, it wants to raise awareness about the global issue of food waste....Read more
One month ago Electrolux announced the creation of the Electrolux Innovation Factory, an inspirational and collaborative space which will serve as the Group’s hub to accelerate innovation with external partners. Today marks the launch...Read more


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April 6, 2018
Sanrio’s Hello Kitty, in partnership with Dunkin’ Donuts and ZGM, will be taking part in this year’s Museumsuferfest in Frankfurt, Germany.
Event attendees will be able to take part in Hello Kitty photo opportunities and competitions, as well as taste Hello Kitty-themed donuts.
Museumsuferfest celebrates Frankfurt’s museums through a combination of music and culture and will run from Aug. 26-28.
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The Providence GPub beer garden will reopen for business on Friday, May 28th for the first time since the Fall of 2020. For its second year, the outdoor beer garden will be located on Orange Street and offer unique craft beer, elevated pub fare, and live entertainment.
“We developed the beer garden concept last year in response to the pandemic and our guests’ desire for fun and comfortable outdoor dining spaces,” said Colin Geoffroy, President of G Hospitality. “Obviously, when temperatures dropped in November, we had to close it down but we always planned to reopen it this Spring. Now, more than ever, people are looking for great outdoor dining spots so we’re excited to bring our unique space to life once again.”
Guests will be able to enjoy a unique craft beer list which includes local favorites like Whaler’s Rise, as well as some others from around the region such as Schilling Beer Co’s Poppy’s Moonship Raspberry Gose. In addition to great craft beer, a variety of craft ciders from High Limb Cider in Plymouth, MA will be on the menu, along with canned wines from Rhode Island winery, Anchor & Hope.
“Our goal when crafting our beverage program is always to bring the best local stuff in but also to bring in some unique things from around the region that our guests may not have tried before,” said Geoffroy. “We love to expose our diners to lesser known and unique craft drinks that we know they’ll really like.”
As for food, beer garden guests can enjoy some of their favorite GPub menu items like pulled pork poutine, the G burger with candied bacon, and a pub favorite jumbo Munich pretzel with beer mustard.
In addition to great local food and drinks, guests can enjoy live entertainment each Saturday night and play lawn games like corn hole each night. Beer garden hours of operation are Friday-Sunday 3pm-9pm. Currently, reservations are not accepted. Outdoor dining only.


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1Password, a Toronto-based password manager, recently announced its B2B revenue has risen more than 300 percent over the last two years, and that it serves over 47,000 paying businesses worldwide, from SMEs to enterprises.
“I think the growth has really happened because of the current state of cybersecurity. The real answer to data breaches is a password manager.”
According to the 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, passwords are the primary cause of data breaches for businesses, accounting for 81 percent of breaches in 2018. As a result, more enterprises are making security best practices a top priority. 1Password, which began targeting its offering to consumers, moved into a B2B play in recent years, and now sees itself as the actionable face of what to do in the case of a data breach.
“There is a clear and growing trend towards data breaches and their associated costs [are] accelerating,” said Jeff Shiner, 1Password’s CEO. “We launched 1Password Business three years ago to address the need for businesses to improve their data security. We’re now seeing everyone from startups to multinational corporations making data security their top priority.”
1Password was founded in 2005 by David Teare and Roustem Karimov. Version 0.1 came about as an internal tool to manage and share passwords for in-house tools and client websites. Fourteen years later, it has applications and extensions for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Chrome, Opera, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. The startup has a team of over a hundred people located throughout the world.
“We’re all around the world, and people work from home, so there’s nothing stopping us from scaling faster,” 1Password’s chief marketing officer, Matt Davey, told BetaKit, adding that 1Password is looking to bring the team headcount to 200 by the end of the year.
Last year, the company released 1Password7, which involved a revamp of the software’s appearance and functionality, including features like a new sidebar, dark mode, and 1Password mini, which automatically detects the app or webpage users have open and suggests items.
To help businesses protect themselves, 1Password offers free family accounts to all 1Password Business customers to help make good password habits stick. Employees who use weak or duplicate passwords at home are more likely to continue those habits at work — putting that business at increased risk of a breach.
“Our internal privacy and data management policies go further than any other similar company,” said Shiner. “For example, we don’t track our users’ behaviour within the app, and it’s not possible for us to access any passwords stored in 1Password. We don’t even use analytics to profile our customers for marketing. This is a fundamentally different approach, counter to current trends of customization at the expense of anonymity, and we hold ourselves to a higher standard in order to give customers the privacy they deserve.”
In a Statistics Canada report on business victims of cybercrime, just over one-fifth of more than 10,000 Canadian firms reported that they were impacted by a cybersecurity incident, which affected their operations. A 2018 report from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority
(CIRA) found 40 percent of businesses surveyed experienced a cyberattack in the 12 months prior.
“I think the growth has really happened because of the current state of cybersecurity and these companies protecting the data that people give them,” Davey said. “The real answer to data breaches is a password manager.”
Davey told BetaKit the company is currently working on a new update that bundles several new business-focused features, including for protecting accounts and also reporting, expected to be released sometime next year.
Image courtesy 1Password


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More retail businesses are offering subscription services to earn recurring revenue. Our COO Ro Bhatia breaks down how retailers can succeed by adopting subscription business models.
Our CEO Brian Bogosian shares how businesses and artists need to find new ways to distribute the content consumers would typically find elsewhere prior to the pandemic.
sticky.io has teamed up with Salesforce Commerce Cloud! Read the full story and let's get started!


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Inside The Dark Net Markets For Stolen Credit Cards
A new report shows the true breadth of these illegal "card shop" operations
Online criminal black markets are selling hacked credit card data—and a single site was in possession of over $400 million worth of stolen financial data obtained by a single cyber crime group. That’s according to a new report out Wednesday from cybersecurity companies FireEye and iSIGHT, which provides a look at the criminal underground where Americans’ financial and personal information goes to the highest bidder.
These so-called “card shops,” password protected online marketplaces for hacked financial data, exist on the dark net, a hidden corner of the internet that’s unreachable using traditional search engines and requires the use of a specialized software like Tor.
One card shop, unnamed by the report, advertised nearly 20 million stolen credit card numbers at once. With stolen U.S. credit card numbers going for roughly $21 apiece at the time, that would have been enough for vendors on that site alone to reap $400 million. Though, due to a variety of factors, including the fact that the value of stolen credit card numbers depreciate very quickly over time, the numbers would likely have sold for much less.
Most of those card numbers, many of which belonged to Americans, were plundered from the massive corporate data breaches that occurred over the past few years. The report, titled Follow The Money, is focused on the activities of one cybercrime group, FIN 6, since 2014 and does not detail the specific breaches or indiscriminate phishing campaigns from which the millions of card numbers originated. The teams of researchers examined activity on digital bazaars dating back to 2014, and found that the supply of stolen financial information is only outpaced by the demand.
“There are any number of card shop sites that are active at a given time,” John Miller, FireEye’s director of Threatscape Cybercrime, told Vocativ. “Very small shops might sell thousands of pieces of card data and large ones will sell millions, and often millions that are associated with just one breach.”
According to Miller, the shops allow its criminal customers to search for-sale credit card data based on specific banks, location and other factors. By using a card stolen from a New Yorker in New York City, the logic goes, a criminal is less likely to trip up fraud alerts triggered when cards are used for atypical purposes, or far from the cardholder’s home. This kind of advanced search feature is just one example, researchers say, of criminal card shops responding to users’ concern about avoiding detection.
“The amount of collaboration between criminals is amazing,” said Etay Maor, senior fraud prevention strategist at IBM Security. “It’s people all over the world.”
Maximizing the return on investment in all that information seems to be the largest challenge for hackers. If hackers access 100 million card numbers as part of a retail breach, researchers say, they’ll rush as many numbers as possible to market, before victims or the hacked retailer learn of the breach and shutdown affiliated accounts, rendering those card numbers useless.
“Cybercriminals are aware that once they make these cards available, the news will get out,” said Nart Villeneuve, principal threat intelligence analyst at FireEye. Card shops that don’t require an invitation or password to log on make it easier for criminals to rip each other off, often by selling the number to a card that’s already been canceled.
Years of research show that dark net card shops are sophisticated criminal enterprises, often with roots in Eastern Europe. Many times, they have built e-crime businesses that look a lot like legal companies.
Credit card numbers are only a part of that. Often, other sellers on the same markets where credit cards are available advertise strains of malicious software, as well as updates and other services meant to ensure that malware, such as ransomware or computer viruses, keeps working when security features are updated to stop it. The corporate mentality is also on display when sellers of all kinds respond to customer reviews and complaints.
One of the busiest markets on the dark net is AlphaBay, a bustling forum where vendors sell everything from drugs and weapons to various strains of malicious software. Users need only create an account to peruse the illicit goods. The site, which launched in December 2014, ranks among the biggest online hubs of criminal activity. It’s managed to stay online despite the media attention surrounding its sale of possibly stolen Uber and TalkTalk account information. Credit card information is far more typical fare, with sellers advertising, for example, 10 MasterCard accounts for $10, in just one of thousands of similar listings.
AlphaBay, while busy, is a low-level site for stolen financial information and where fake accounts are frequently bought and sold.
As is common on the dark net, transactions are made in bitcoin, and store operators build up their reputation by allowing customers to submit positive and negative feedback. Alpha Bay sellers are rated on a vendor trust scale of one to 10, with established sellers generally responding quickly to customer complaints and shipping to customers all over the world.
“Great seller! As described and more,” wrote one satisfied customer who appears to have purchased stolen identification records and credit card information. “A terrific collection of useful things, from fraud to fun!”


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Tags: TEREX Corporation
Terex Corporation announced on Monday that it has agreed to sell its truck business to Volvo Construction Equipment for approximately $160 million. Terex’s truck business manufactures and sells off-highway rigid and articulated haul trucks. The transaction, which is slated to close in ...
During the past 12 months, Terex has successfully moved production of the minerals processing and asphalt paving lines from its Cedar Rapids, Iowa, plant to Oklahoma City. Tom Riordan, president and chief operating officer of Terex Corporation, spoke during a May ...
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Students on Middlesex University Dubai’s prestigious postgraduate marketing programmes met with four ‘leading lights’ from the industry during the ‘Off-Site Experience’ day held on Saturday 2 November at the Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates.
The opening speaker was Turkey’s Cenk Tasanyurek, Learning and Development Manager at Aventura Parks who shared his career and learning journey and provided insight into the brand’s blue water opportunities and bright future.
The next speaker was Martin Kubler, Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Partnership Solutions who came from Germany for the event and spoke to the students about the hotel and hospitality industry.
Dr Alun Epps, Campus Programme Coordinator for the MBA, stated “The MSc team is keen to get experts form the “real world” to engage with the students and this event sees marketing excellent showcased in a matter of hours. Ultimately, there is an assessment based on the day but it is taken for granted that those present will gain immeasurably from interacting with these experts in the local marketing and entrepreneurial community.”
After lunch, long term friend of the University, Swiss serial entrepreneur Matteo Boffa, General Manager at Etuix charmed the audience with his unique perspective of business ethics and the environment.
The last speaker of the day was India’s Ashutosh Sahoo, Head of Marketing for Sobha Reality whose narrative included being head-hunted away from Donald Trump to re-brand a luxury real-estate firm here in the UAE.
You can find out more about our renowned Master’s programmes at www.mdx.ac.ae/pg.


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Social media is populated on a daily basis with posts from consumers complaining about their e-commerce deliveries not arriving on time. The good news for those consumers is that the retailers themselves are not completely satisfied with their ability to deliver.
In the second annual Bringg Barometer: “The State of Retail Delivery & Fulfillment 2022” report, 47% of retailers said they were “somewhat satisfied” with delivery windows and 4% said they were dissatisfied. Only 29% felt they were doing a great job with delivery windows, suggesting there is plenty of room for improvement in the process, according to delivery and fulfillment cloud platform company Bringg.
When it came to the quality of delivery services offered, 54% were highly satisfied against just 23% that were somewhat satisfied. However, the Bringg report found areas of opportunity. Of 56% of retailers that were highly satisfied with their delivery/pickup options, 64% said they struggled with inefficient manual processes. Of the 54% highly satisfied with the quality of delivery services, 43% struggle with scheduling those deliveries.
This year’s report did identify how retailers have coped with COVID-19 and the shifts in consumer behavior.
“[In 2021] retailers found their feet with alternative fulfillment options, and models such as curbside pickup and click and collect have become the norm,” Bringg said in the introduction of the report. “Consumers continue to prioritize last-mile fulfillment speed and convenience, accelerating the need for retailers and e-commerce brands to deliver faster, more efficiently and cost effectively.”
The company noted that hyperlocal fulfillment models have gained traction as retailers rush to fulfill greater volume orders and achieve same-day or on-demand deliveries for customers.
“With on-time delivery, same-day delivery, scaling fulfillment and managing multiple fleets all top priorities, today’s retailers can’t afford to have inefficiencies, lack of visibility and outdated technology holding them back,” Bringg wrote.
The survey of e-commerce stakeholders found that 44% are managing multiple fulfillment channels with disparate technologies, and 61% cited visibility as a significant problem.
“Retailers need to be able to connect their data and processes better to create more efficient order fulfillment and a single, unified experience across fulfillment channels, helping their brand to stand out in an increasingly commoditized field,” the report said.
When it comes to fulfilling faster delivery times, 99% of respondents said they will offer same-day delivery within the next three years compared to just 35% that do so today. However, most fulfillment models today are not optimizing for same-day delivery, with 36% saying they don’t have the right technologies, such as real-time order visibility, in place to accommodate same-day delivery. Another 24% cited the distance goods must travel from warehouse to fulfillment centers as an obstacle.
Watch: Using tech to improve deliveries
Visibility was not only a problem from warehouse to fulfillment center but also once the item was shipped to the customer, with 61% of respondents saying they lack delivery visibility. The major impediment to this for 55% of respondents is the manual nature of their planning and dispatch operations.
“While retailers are looking for new ways to fulfill orders, there’s a challenge in connecting the dots,” the report noted. “These gaps in data as well as legacy processes are standing in the way of achieving fast delivery of growing order volumes.”
The report found that 65% of retailers are currently handling their last-mile and fulfillment operations manually. This is becoming problematic as more retailers are recognizing the need to have multiple delivery partners to ensure capacity. More than half of respondents (55%) use multiple fleets for last-mile delivery.
Faster deliveries lead to lack of brand control
The survey dug deeper into the trends mentioned above, including speed of delivery, which has become a top ask of customers in today’s on-demand environment. Currently 58% of companies are offering next-day delivery, but indicating the importance of instant gratification, 56% expect to offer 30-minute delivery windows by 2025.
However, as brands work to deliver faster, many feel they are losing control over their brand experience. More than 80% of retailers work with as many as five different last-mile providers, but 36% say it hurts their brand control to do so.
“Retailers are not connected enough across their technologies and external fleets to have enough visibility over the provider’s end-to-end delivery performance and customer experience,” Bringg’s report surmised.
A lack of visibility throughout the supply chain was a common theme, and it is no different when it comes to scaling same-day delivery. The top challenges to scaling operations included real-time order visibility and tracking challenges (51%), travel time between warehouses and retail/delivery locations (49%), manual operations (35%), and outdated technology (34%).
Automation, services adoption
More retailers are utilizing automation to help solve their last-mile e-commerce challenges, but it is still a long slog for many. Just 35% have fully automated the process, although the rest have at least started the process. Only 5% said they have no automation at all.
When it comes to value-add services, 65% offer over-the-threshold delivery services currently, but 45% said they would like to offer assembly or repair services, although the complexity in doing so is holding them back. Disposal and reverse logistics are on the road map to adoption by 15% of respondents.
“It will be interesting to see how the retail sector adjusts its fulfillment operations to the current market eruptions,” the report said. “Retail sectors such as omnichannel fulfillment are growing; retailers are taking their customers from offline to online buying and fulfillment; and new ecosystem players — including crowdsourced fleets, warehouse solutions, mobility solutions, and more — are paving the way for cost-effective, fast fulfillment. The good news is that the retail industry is highly agile, with a third of retailers (33%) highly confident that they can pivot based on new, pandemic-driven customer behavior.”


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As business owners seek out alternative ways to overcome efficiency and productivity hurdles, 9 out of 10 are open to using artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to automate tasks, according to a new report by Microsoft.
The survey, which gathered feedback from 1,800 businesses across the US, UK, and Japan, also revealed that 3 out of 4 respondents want greater access to low or no-code tools — like customer relationship management (CRM) and project management software — to drive forward their success.
And Microsoft is listening. The global tech provider, which already uses machine learning to enhance Office 365, has just pledged to invest a further $10 billion in ChatGPT’s creator, OpenAI.
Businesses Are Ready for AI, According to Microsoft
With 30% of companies currently relying on AI and machine learning to maintain the accuracy of their data, the business landscape is clearly no stranger to the technology.
However, new findings from Microsoft reveal that 90% of businesses are ready to utilize AI solutions even more, to help them gain valuable insights, eliminate repetitive tasks and ultimately, improve workplace collaboration.
But how are businesses currently using AI? According to Microsoft’s report, algorithmic-led technology can assist business operations in myriad ways.
For instance, the company’s current utilization of AI in Microsoft 365 helps businesses across the world to catch mistakes easier in Word documents, schedule tasks with greater ease, and boost productivity by making it easier to analyze work habit data.
The report also cites Robert Critchley, the vice president of exercise transportation company iFit, who uses Microsoft’s AI-driven Supply Chain Center to assist in inventory allocation.
“With AI we can gauge exactly which units are likely to sell in a particular area. And it’s 70% more accurate than when we were doing it manually.” – Robert Critchley, Vice President of iFit
According to Critchley, by doing the tedious work for him, these tools reduce the “manual grinding” and “human error” that was associated with his company’s previous methods, making switching to smart tech a no-brainer.
Businesses Are Also Embracing Low Code Tools
In fact, according to the report, 77% of businesses wish they had greater access to no and low-code tools or platforms to build better digital solutions, while 84% believe the ability to create custom-built apps could help to improve their teams collaboration.
This willingness to adopt the tech is hardly surprising. According to Microsoft’s 2022 Low-Code Trend Report, these types of tools can help businesses in numerous ways by automating repetitive and menial tasks, reducing costs, and improving analytic capabilities.
So, whether businesses choose to rely on existing software, or use no code tech to develop platforms in-house, you can expect to see a lot more of these tools in the near future.
Microsoft Expands its Partnership with ChatGPT
Fortunately for the 90% of businesses looking to embrace AI, Microsoft is one step ahead. The technology provider recently announced a new multi-year $10 billion investment with OpenAI, the research lab behind ChatGPT and DALL-E.
The two companies already boast a close relationship, with OpenAI assisting the development of Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft acting as the lab’s exclusive provider of cloud computing services.
However, the latest round of investment will turbocharge Microsoft’s use of AI even further, helping the company to make major changes to its ‘Bing’ search engine, its cloud provider Azure, and Microsoft Office, and remaining ahead of Google, Apple, and Meta when it comes to generative AI.
Speaking on the matter, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the strengthening of this partnership was part of the companies refocus on AI, which he dubbed “the next major wave of computing.”
Yet, for the 10,000 former Microsoft workers that recently fell victim to the company’s mass layoffs, this multi-billion dollar investment is likely to come with a sting.


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SureWerx, supplier of professional tool, equipment and safety products for workers across North America, has been selected as one of Canada’s Best Managed Gold Standard Winners and represents the fourth consecutive year as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies.
Brand name acquisitions, the expansion of product portfolios, continuous and significant investment in its talent and the digitization of its services were key components of SureWerx’s corporate growth strategy, all of which contributed to milestone company achievements in 2018. The 2019 Best Managed program winners are amongst the best-in-class of Canadian owned and managed companies with revenues of more than $15 million, demonstrating strategy, capability and commitment to achieve sustainable growth.
Now in its 26th year, Canada’s Best Managed Companies is one of the country’s leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies for innovative, world-class business practices. Every year, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies compete for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates the caliber of their management abilities and practices.
Product and company expansion due to a number of acquisitions in the United States and Canada were key accomplishments in SureWerx’s efforts to improve its services and product offerings in the North American safety market. Last year, SureWerx announced acquisitions such as Jackson Safety and WILSON Safety brands, which expanded SureWerx’s reach globally. The company continues to engage customers and employees through digital methods and works to enable all workers to be safe and productive at work by providing exceptional tools, equipment and safety products while ensuring that SureWerx employs excellent safety practices within the organization. SureWerx also continues to be recognized for its work around internal safety practices and advancements, and strives to be the global leader in worker safety and productivity.
“It is a proud moment for the entire SureWerx team to be named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the fourth year in a row and to be awarded as a Gold Standard winner this year,” said Clive Shepherd, general manager, SureWerx Canada. “This award is a true testament to the hard work and dedication from our team to consistently provide unparalleled customer service and industry leading products to the professional workers in Canada.”
“Best Managed companies are elevating Canada’s place on the world-stage,” said Peter Brown, partner, Deloitte Private and co-leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program. “By broadening their network, and thinking globally, the Best Managed program is honoring these winners for their achievements in Canadian business, and growing influence worldwide.”
2019 winners of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies award will be honored at the annual Canada’s Best Managed Companies gala in Toronto on April 17. On the same date, the Best Managed symposium will address leading-edge business issues that are key to the success of today’s business leaders.
The Best Managed program is sponsored by Deloitte Private, CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business, and TMX Group.


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NEW YORK and CANTON, Ohio, Dec. 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EyeLock LLC, a market leader of iris-based identity authentication solutions, and Diebold, Incorporated, a leading global provider self-service technology, software and services to financial, commercial, retail and other markets, have teamed up on a new screen-less, self-service ATM concept that harnesses emerging technology to create a vision of what the future banking experience might look like.
Citibank, the leading global bank, is testing the Diebold prototype, called Irving, at its innovation lab in New York. The prototype also will be on display in the VOXX International booth 10417 at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show taking place in Las Vegas, January 6-9, 2016. VOXX International acquired a majority interest in EyeLock in September 2015.
The design of the new concept ATM looks different than what people are used to seeing at banks. It is an ATM without a PIN pad, card reader, or screen. Instead, all transactions take place via a mobile app on the user's smartphone. In addition to near field communication (NFC) and quick response (QR) code technology, the new system uses iris scanning from EyeLock to identify the customer once at the ATM.
"EyeLock believes that the age of carrying plastic cards and remembering passwords is just about over and the era of unfettered personal access through biometric technology is just beginning," said Anthony Antolino, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer for EyeLock LLC. "For banking and other applications, EyeLock's iris identity authentication solutions are not only highly secure, but very easy to use."
According to Frank Natoli, Executive Vice President of Self-Service Technology at Diebold, the process is simple: A customer signs into their banking app on their phone or tablet and determines how much money they want to take out. Once the withdrawal is input, the customer can go to any EyeLock-equipped ATM on the network to complete the transaction. They would simply approach the machine, which scans the iris of his or her eye to quickly verify identity, and the ATM dispenses the correct amount of cash. The whole process takes less than half the time of a typical ATM transaction today.
"While digital channels are evolving, cash will continue to play an important role in consumer transactions," Natoli said. "That's where Diebold comes into play – to bridge the digital and physical worlds of cash in unprecedented ways through cardless transactions, mobile integration and faster, more convenient access. The Irving concept embodies a new era of banking and puts the user experience at the top of the pyramid to connect consumers with their money when and how they see fit."
Natoli noted that the new ATM concept and its current design are constantly being fine-tuned.
"At Citi, we are always looking for innovations that simplify and enhance the banking experience," said CitiFinTech CEO Heather Cox.
Citibank is in the early stages of testing the high tech ATM and plans to roll it out are still to be determined.
About Diebold's Irving Concept
With an estimated five trillion dollars in currency circulating the globe, Irving was designed to provide faster, more convenient consumer access to cash.1 Driven by a design philosophy that places the user experience at the core, Irving features:
- Bring your own device (BYOD) access: The card reader, PIN pad and physical screen are completely eliminated. Instead, transactions are scheduled using the screen on the consumer's mobile device.
- Increased speed and security: Cash withdrawals can be completed in less than ten seconds, and since this method authenticates the transaction by connecting to the consumer's smartphone, security is increased and card fraud is mitigated.
- Consumer-recognition technology: Consumers are identified through near field communication (NFC) as they walk up to the concept, and are delivered instant access to cash through contactless, mobile-banking methods such as quick response (QR) codes, NFC and iris-scan biometric technology.
- Small footprint: Compared to a standard through-the-wall ATM, this terminal's depth is reduced by as much as 32%, and on the consumer-facing side, it is up to 37% narrower, when compared to other standard ATMs in the market.
EyeLock LLC is an acknowledged leader in advanced iris authentication for the Internet of Things (IoT), providing the highest level of security with EyeLock ID™ technology. Iris authentication is highly secure because no two irises are alike and the iris is the most accurate human identifier other than DNA. The company's significant IP portfolio, including more than 75 patents and patents pending, and proprietary technology enables the convenient and secure authentication of individuals across physical and logical environments. EyeLock's solutions have been integrated and embedded across consumer and enterprise products and platforms, eliminating the need for PINs and passwords. Corporations across the Fortune 500 recognize the level of security EyeLock provides due in part to its extremely low false acceptance rate, ease of use, and scalability. As a sponsor member of the Fast IDentity Online Alliance (FIDO), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a safer and more secure digital presence for consumers, EyeLock is dedicated to advancing digital privacy and next generation security.
Diebold, Incorporated provides the technology, software and services that connect people around the world with their money - bridging the physical and digital worlds of cash conveniently, securely and efficiently. Since its founding in 1859, Diebold has evolved to become a leading provider of exceptional self-service innovation, security and services to financial, commercial, retail and other markets. Diebold has approximately 16,000 employees worldwide and is headquartered near Canton, Ohio. Visit Diebold on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DieboldInc.
Game 7 Comms


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Someone in Toronto just quit their job to make waffles full time
Ever dreamed of quitting your job to just make delicious waffles all day, every day?
Well, that's exactly what one guy in Toronto did.
Gord Poon was a partner at a video production company and a part-time pastor up until about a year ago. Just last month he officially started turning down new videography work to focus on his project Sunnyside Waffles.
Like many local small businesses, it was born out of the height of lockdowns as yet another wave of them rolled through the city in March 2021.
On paternity leave, Poon started whipping up different waffle sandwiches and getting friends to try them, to a great response. He launched on the day his toddler started daycare: July 3, 2021.
"I started selling these sandwiches in my backyard, creating space and community for people," Poon tells blogTO. "My driveway and backyard became a space for gathering that summer. It was delightful."
For his waffle sandwiches, Poon makes crispy and chewy bubble waffles, primarily stuffing them with fried chicken for $15, though he's recently done breakfast sandwiches with egg and bacon for $13.50.
The chicken sandwiches are made with a karaage-style double-fried chicken thigh slathered in gochujang hot sauce and topped with a kale and cabbage slaw. You can actually also choose between buttermilk or gluten- and dairy-free sweet potato mochi waffles.
They can typically be found at pop-ups across the city, usually at breweries like Muddy York and Henderson or cafes like East Toronto Coffee Co.
"This project has entirely been word of mouth and community based. It's really cool to see how tight knit the craft brewery community is when we get referred [for] a project for more opportunity," says Poon.
"We have consistently sold out in most of the places we've popped up. We've even had a line up before we opened for service, which was pretty crazy to experience during the month of February."
Poon hopes to eventually open a full-on breakfast and lunch restaurant.
"It's good for people to meet in-person more than ever," says Poon. "I think it's good for our souls."
Join the conversation Load comments


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November 16 marks the official launch of sales of the 2017 vintage. As it falls at the same time as Thanksgiving and has become associated with end-of-year celebrations, Beaujolais Nouveau has found a home in the United States. Americans enjoy almost 10% of the production volume of the new wine every year, the total of which was estimated at 25 million bottles in 2016. “The United States is one of our key markets,” says Dominique Prion, who heads up the Inter Beaujolais winemaking cooperative in the eponymous French region. “Average consumption has grown 8% every year, while the figures are dropping in France.”
Despite a “meagre harvest” caused by late frost this year, more than 1.5 million bottles will be exported to the United States in 2017. The wine is transported in shipping containers, a maneuver that requires a sense of logistics only a handful of producers have mastered. Georges Dubœuf is one of the leading players in the field. Nicknamed “the King of Beaujolais,” the 84-year-old wine merchant assembles the harvests of 300 producers and exports his wine to Paris, Tokyo, London, Beijing, Sydney and New York. Nine out of every ten bottles sent to the U.S. is labelled with his name.
Georges Dubœuf’s grapes are harvested in August and bottled from October 10 onwards. The producers’ cooperative decides on the date on which the wine is removed from the cellars, and when it is exported outside of the European Union (it left the E.U. on October 25 this year). Driven by truck, then by train, up to Le Havre, the 107,000 allotted cases then cross the Atlantic aboard the MSC Savannah, a freighter flying the Liberian flag. Expected to dock in Port Newark in New Jersey on November 6, the wine is then unloaded by Quintessential Wines, the distributor of Dubœuf wines in the United States.
Beaujolais Nouveau represents a “small percentage” of the Californian distributor’s activity, but “a major challenge in terms of logistics and promotion,” says Dennis Kreps, the company CEO. More than 15,000 wine merchants spread across all 50 states have to be supplied by November 16. The bottles destined for Hawaii and Alaska are transported via cargo plane, and the others are loaded onto trucks. Up to three drivers take turns driving to reach the furthest towns in time.
Red Wine Fever
Beaujolais Nouveau has always been a highly competitive market. During the 1950s, winemakers rushed to send their bottles to Paris, where bistros would herald the launch of sales of the year’s first bottles on November 15. This date was then replaced by the third Thursday of November in 1985. “Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived” would be displayed in every bistro window. “On the night before the launch, some 100 trucks would be parked in front of each vineyard,” says Dominique Piron, whose family has managed a vineyard in Villié-Morgon since the 16th century. “On the stroke of midnight from the village bell tower, the drivers were handed their instructions and the trucks would set off for Paris. Even television crews would be there, it was very impressive!”
The reduction in delivery times put a stop to this race against the clock, but the arrival of the first cases of wine is still something to celebrate. An American importer even managed to get around the longshoremen’s strike that had shut down ports in 1971, by having 25 cases of Beaujolais flown in by Boeing 747. The bottles were opened and served the very same night in a French restaurant in Manhattan. The event caused quite a stir, and U.S. consumers rushed to discover this new wine.
The following year, the New York Times published a piece about the wine’s arrival, and the same importer – Shenley Industries – once again had people talking. Some 2,000 cases of Beaujolais Nouveau were flown in New York on a Pan Am flight, and Miss France chaperoned the cargo! The extravagance certainly didn’t stop there. In the early 1980s, wine merchant Georges Dubœuf moved into the American market and began delivering the first cases himself – but this time by Concorde! The “King of Beaujolais” made a name for himself in the United States thanks to his publicity stunts, which included a launch party at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, a reception at the top of the World Trade Center, a parade of French chefs riding motorbikes through the streets of Manhattan, and parties with fountains of red wine and Playboy playmates in Las Vegas.
The first cases of Beaujolais Nouveau will arrive discreetly this year. The launch of sales is still an event celebrated by French embassies – in the same way as Bastille Day – but the Beaujolais trend is running out of steam. Dominique Piron agrees: “Winemakers couldn’t keep up with the Beaujolais Nouveau phenomenon. They weren’t able to preserve the identity of the wine or the terroir,” he says. “After devoting a large portion of the budget to the United States for several years, we have decided to change our communication strategy.”
A major part of the Inter Beaujolais budget (one million euros in 2017) is now allocated to the emerging markets of Japan and China. In the United States, the cooperative’s efforts are instead focused on educating consumers. “We base our communication strategy on our know-how and on the wine itself,” says Romain Teyteau, head of exports for Dubœuf wines in North America. “We teach our customers about the Beaujolais region, its terroir and different vintages, our winemaking techniques, the aromas of the year, and the food and wine pairings.”
Georges Dubœuf will be in Tokyo on November 16, while his son Frank, the heir to the winery, will be in Manhattan. Their Beaujolais Nouveau will be served at some 100 tasting events, receptions and dinners across New York and Florida – the two states that make up 20% of their activity in the U.S.A. – as well as in California, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Montana, Utah and Idaho. The Alliances Françaises, the French-American Chambers of Commerce, and the French Consulates are also regular customers.
Beaujolais Nouveau is seen as a poor-quality wine in France, but customs duties and transport costs have turned it into an expensive product in the United States. Expect to pay between 11 and 15 dollars for a bottle in a store and up to 50 dollars at a bar or a restaurant. But the quality of the vintages is improving, which is helping to restore the reputation of other wines from the Beaujolais region. In a testament to this rebirth, a community has formed, and now includes sommeliers, chefs, and young connoisseurs “eager to discover these wines from the Old World,” says Romain Teyteau. “With the end of the fad that has lasted for 30 years, consumers are beginning to realize that other wines from the Beaujolais region can be both credible and enjoyable.”
Article published in the November 2017 issue of France-Amérique. Subscribe to the magazine.


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Shares of health and wellness retailer GNC Holdings (NYSE: GNC) tumbled on Thursday following the release of the company's disastrous fourth-quarter report and the suspension of its dividend. GNC missed analyst estimates on all fronts, with revenue slumping by nearly 10% year over year. The stock was down as much as 16.5% soon after the market opened, but settled to an 8% loss by 11:15 a.m. EST.
GNC reported fourth-quarter revenue of $569.9 million, down 9.4% year over year and about $1 million short of the average analyst estimate. Same-store sales dropped 12% at domestic company-owned locations, with a smaller decline of 6% at domestic franchise locations.
Image source: GNC.
Non-GAAP EPS came in at just $0.07, down from $0.59 during the prior-year period and $0.29 below analyst expectations. GAAP EPS was a loss of $6.35 per share, driven by a $473.5 million asset impairment charge related to goodwill. Gross margin slumped to 29.9%, down about 6.4 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2015.
In an effort to preserve cash and pay down its debt, GNC announced that it was suspending its dividend. GNC also does not expect to use the remaining $197.8 million previously authorized for share repurchases in 2017.
GNC launched its One New GNC initiative in December in an effort to reverse the company's poor performance. Changes include a single-tiered pricing model to cut down on confusion, a new free loyalty program in addition to a new paid program, and the alignment of online and in-store prices.
As interim CEO Bob Moran pointed out, it will take time for these changes to be reflected in the company's results:
With same-store sales falling off a cliff and the bottom line quickly disappearing, One New GNC will need to show progress sooner rather than later. The stock is now down about 87.5% from its multiyear peak in late 2013, and further declines are likely if the company fails to stop the bleeding.
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Artist Ridwan Chandra Choa is glad for the extra attention, though.
In a David vs. Goliath legal battle between two breweries, the Internet might be the slingshot.
Facebook is apparently frowned upon at the DVLA, even if you use your own smartphone.
One Austin, Texas-based company is working on a food synthesizer that could help reduce food scarcity on Earth.
The "LulzLiberator" uses a $1,700 printer and $25 in parts.
68 percent said printing or owning 3-D guns should be banned.


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Haute couture classes
What do Bill Blass, Anne Klein, Todd Oldham, and Vera Wang have in common?
Those top fashion designers, along with several others, are donating surplus materials and their staffs’ time to help hundreds of New York City students in the “BID for Kids” program. The four-week program, created by the city’s Fashion Center Business Improvement District, brings together designers and students to work collaboratively in an arts education program.
Todd Oldham, the program’s honorary chairman, launched the 1999 season of BID for Kids in a classroom at Public School 166 last month.
Mr. Oldham talked with the 4th graders at the Manhattan school about different fabrics and also showed them how to cut and measure material. The actual classes for the arts education program were scheduled to begin this week.
More than 300 4th to 12th graders in 12 schools throughout the city are applying their research, reading, and math skills to the project. Each class will research a different period in history, with a special focus on how socioeconomic conditions affected and determined the clothing worn at the time. Then, students will use what they learned to design garments that will be exhibited in a public space in the Fashion Center District, known in the vernacular as the garment district.
And to show his support for the program, Mr. Oldham, 37, is not just the chairman; he is also one of the instructors who will work with students.
This marks the second year that fashion houses have donated discarded fabric, beads, buttons, and trimming--all of which would normally end up in a landfill.
“I have seen the serious dearth of arts materials available to our public school students,” said Barbara Randall, the executive director of the Fashion Center BID. “Thanks to manufacturers, designers, and contractors in the fashion district, we are able to fill this gap.”
--Karen L. Abercrombie
A version of this article appeared in the March 10, 1999 edition of Education Week


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Every franchise agreement states that the franchise rights can be terminated if a franchisee runs afoul of the brand's standards. But just because the agreement says it’s so, doesn't necessarily mean that strict enforcement by the franchisor is a good thing.
The recent resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich stirred debate over freedom of expression but the real debate should have been over whether or not Mr. Eich should have been chosen as CEO in the first place
Today, students and professionals alike are forced to continuously demonstrate thought leadership and strong values through personal brands. But are they doing so successfully?
News of corporate upheaval can dampen morale even in the most successful and motivating corporate cultures. Avoiding upheaval entirely may be impossible but how it's communicated to staff can go a long way toward helping the company bounce back.
The tarnishing of a business leader's personal brand within an organization can have a profound impact on his or her company's performance. Minimizing the damage requires strategy, forethought and stamina.
Brand reputation is more vulnerable than ever with the proliferation of social media channels. Yet many companies still don't factor in the effects that a social media backlash may have on brand equity and market share until it may be too late.
Through social media and the Internet consumers have access to all kinds of product, company and competitor information, user reviews and pricing data. This is nothing short of a power shift, and one that requires business leaders to take a different approach to selling
These entrepreneurs took a successful pitch and maximized the potential of the Shark they partnered with, turning fledgling companies into a national brands
The U.S. President is such a BlackBerry fan that he walked off a helicopter before take-off and ran back into the White House to retrieve his trusty smartphone
The man purchased a 30 MB in-air Internet package for $28.99. When he deplaned, he was shocked to learn he’d been hit with $1,142.47 in overage charges
Claudia Cattaneo: Quebec has effectively agreed to provide a platform to pass judgment on the emissions of oil sands, which are regulated in Alberta
A new study by Oxford Economics reveals that Canadian firms lag behind old and new global competitors in investment in critical skills training


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The number of ads Google took down last year for advertising policy violations nearly doubled from 2016, and cryptocurrency ads will soon join the list of forbidden ad types. The post Google says it removed more than 3.2 billion bad ads in 2017 appeared first on Search Engine Land. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
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Though Warren Buffett is rightfully regarded as the world’s greatest value investor even he is not infallible. Uncle Warren’s masterpiece; Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B), faces many serious threats that could bring it down in the future.
Something that Berkshire investors need to keep in mind is that their beloved company was designed to take advantage of certain conditions. If those conditions do not exist, the company itself could have a very hard time retaining value.
The greatest threats to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BERK.A) come from changing conditions some of which, Buffett has not anticipated or prepared for. Here is a list of 10 threats all Berkshire Hathaway investors and fans should be aware of:
- Growing wage stagnation and income inequality in the United States. A quick glance at Berkshire’s list of companies reveals that Buffett’s business model requires a prosperous middle and upper-middle class in the United States to profit. Its’ stable of brands includes homebuilders such as Clayton Homes, jewelers like Ben Bridge and Borsheims, Jordan’s Furniture, the RV maker Forest River, BoatUS (which insures recreational watercraft), and the Scott Fertilizer company.
- All of these businesses have one thing in common: they need a very prosperous American middle class to succeed. Yet as many observers note the American middle class is losing ground. The Pew Research Center reported that the median wealth of the average middle class family was 28% lower in 2013 than it was in 2000. That means Americans have less to spend on all the stuff Buffett’s companies are selling.
- Another trend identified by Pew that does not bode well for Berkshire Hathaway is that the middle class is shrinking in 2001, 54% of Americans were middle class, by 2015 that number had fallen to 50%. Closely related is the Upper middle class which has not grown since 1981 according to Pew.
- America’s shaky and bubble-prone real estate market. Observers will know that Uncle Warren has bet heavily upon America’s real estate market and the middle class’s home-ownership habit. Berkshire now owns real estate companies, Johns Manville, Home Services of America, Shaw Floors, RC Wiley Home Furnishings and even the Acme Brick Company. These companies all require a high rate of home ownership and increasing demand for real estate to prosper.
- The problem with that is the home ownership rate has been falling for some time will continue to fall, the Urban Institute reported. The rate hit a high of around 67% just before the 2007 mortgage crisis but fell to 63.6% in 2013. The Institute expects the rate to fall to 61.3% by 2030 and keep falling for at least 14 years. To make matters worse the majority of the 22 million new American households that will be created over the next decade and a half will be renter households, The Washington Post’s Wonkblog reported. The causes of this phenomenon include stagnating incomes and rising student debts which make it hard to get a mortgage.
- The growing popularity of digital media. Buffett’s stable of companies is top-heavy with legacy media assets including newspapers, TV stations, and a wire service – Business Wire. The newspapers depend heavily on advertising revenue, which is dropping dramatically largely because of the rise of Alphabet’s Google. A greater threat here is the growing number of people; particularly younger and more affluent individuals, that rely exclusively upon digital sources for their news and entertainment. Some of Buffett’s signature holdings include the Buffalo News and BH Media Group which owns dozens of small town and regional newspapers as well as a TV station.
- Fewer Americans are driving and they are less likely to buy a new car. Berkshire Hathaway can be safely called an “auto-centric organization.” It owns a $1.7 billion stake in General Motors (NYSE: GM), a group of car dealerships (Berkshire Hathaway Automotive) and one of America’s best known auto insurance brands – GEICO.
- This makes it vulnerable to younger people’s refusal to get behind the wheel. The percentage of Americans that hold driver’s licenses has been falling and young people are less likely to drive than ever before, The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute reported.[i] Back in 1983, around half of all 16-year-olds had a license today 25% do. Only 76.11% of those between ages 20 and 24 had a driver’s license in 2015, as recently as 2008 82% did. The percentage of persons between 24 and 44 that lacked driver’s license was also rising.
- An even greater threat than the driving decline might be the tendency of Americans to keep their cars longer. The average car or truck on US roads is now 11.5 years old and the percentage of older cars is likely to rise in coming years. This means fewer sales for auto dealers and lower insurance premiums for GEICO to charge.
- The coal industry is dying. One of Berkshire’s highest profile assets is the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) which is heavily dependent on shipments of coal – a commodity for there is increasingly no market – for much of its revenue. Nearly 40% or 200 of the nation’s 523 coal burning power plants had shut down as July 2015, the Sierra Club reported. King coal is dying a death from a thousand cuts that includes tough federal regulations, cheaper natural gas, growing use of alternative energy sources to produce electricity and low market prices. Once coal is gone, the BNSF is going to have to find something new to haul or face a massive revenue loss. Note: Berkshire can make up some of losses from coal because it owns pipelines for natural gas.
- Falling oil prices. Berkshire Hathaway has profited handsomely from the fracking boom in the United States triggered by high oil prices. The BNSF makes a lot of money hauling fracking supplies including sand. On March 29 Baker Hughes reported that the number of rigs drilling for oil in the US had fallen again to 372. Buffett has avoided some of this by selling Exxon-Mobil (NYSE: XOM) but he still holds a major stake in the refiner Philipps 66 (NYSE: PSX).
- Changing consumer habits. Berkshire Hathaway’s vaunted stable of companies and stock portfolio are chock full of old-fashioned brands. Old-line names in the portfolio include Walmart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) and GM. Berkshire’s subsidiaries include Kraft-Heinz, Duracell, Fruit of the Loom, See’s Candies and International Dairy Queen Inc. One has to wonder how profitable these companies can be in an America where people shop on Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), eat at Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) and stock their pantries with private label goods from Aldi. At some point Berkshire is going to have to start making some concessions for changing consumer tastes, particularly as the older generations that use those brands die off.
- The changing nature of American retail. Berkshire Hathaway is still heavily invested in what one might call the 20th Century retail network in a 21st Century America. For example Berkshire still owns a large stake in Walmart despite that company’s recent revenue decline. Its subsidiaries include Benjamin Moore; which sells paint through small dealers in a nation where people shop for home repair supplies at Home Depot (NYSE: HD) and Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW). It also owns the food maker Kraft Heinz, at a time when grocers are increasingly specializing in private label brands. Berkshire also owns at least one catalog company; Oriental Trading, in the age of Amazon.
- The lack of a clear succession plan at Berkshire Hathaway. Warren Buffett is 85 years old and he had a bout with prostate cancer in 2012. Despite that there’s no clear succession plan at the company, media reports indicate Buffett’s son Howard could take over as chairman, but they do not say who would make the decisions. A big problem is that Buffett’s sidekick and longtime number-two man Charlie Munger is 91; six years older than Uncle Warren. Obviously Berkshire Hathaway is not an ordinary company most of its subsidiaries effectively run themselves but still it needs somebody to make decisions. Without strong leadership Berkshire could quickly flounder.
- Warren Buffett’s star power. Strangely enough the biggest threat to Berkshire’s future is Uncle Warren himself. The company is largely built on his reputation, many people only buy its stock because of him. It is hard to imagine Berkshire Hathaway without Warren Buffett. Its share price will fall by 10% to 20% after Buffett’s death even if he chooses the perfect successor. The only way some shareholders will be satisfied is if Buffett is cloned. My prediction is that Berkshire Hathaway will face serious turbulence and a lot of people will make a lot of money by shorting it when Buffett’s successor takes over. It will probably take several years for that individual to prove himself or herself to investors and any missteps could prove disastrous.
Berkshire Hathaway will survive
Despite all this Berkshire Hathaway will survive because it is a strong company that makes a lot of money. Unfortunately it could lose its legendary status without its beloved founder in the head office.


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Microsoft recently announced an interesting technology which they dubbed Surface. Its basically an interactive surface, and it looks quite impressive. It even feature the multi-touch feature which Steve Jobs had shown off on the iPhone at the start of the year.
The price would be quite high, not for joes like you and me. And I wonder what happens if one leaves coffee stains on it ? Apart from that, definitely something out of the sci-fi books !
Check out :
* Demo on the Microsoft Site.
* Preview on Engadget.


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Samsung Galaxy M40 gets limited edition Cocktail Orange for Amazon Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day seems to be the time to launch exclusive colors – the Samsung Galaxy M40 will be available in Cocktail Orange exclusively the Prime members in India starting July 15.
The price for all colors is the same, INR 20,000, but this Amazon deal is the only way to snag a non-blue M40. In case the color sounds familiar, the Galaxy A60 is also available in Cocktail Orange. The A60 isn’t available in India yet, however.
Note that this new color doesn’t show up on Samsung.com, which just offers the two launch colors: Midnight Blue and Seawater Blue.
The phone itself is available in very few markets, so most people can't get one in any color. But when (if?) the availability of the Galaxy M40 expands, it's not clear if this orange color will be available.
- 05 Sep 2019
nice color but the price? lol nevermind
- S . SUDHAKAR
- 17 Aug 2019
Third class PLS TFT display. Yuck
- 16 Aug 2019
Nice color ........


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DPR assures Nigerians of no Fuel scarcity during Sallah holidays
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has assured Nigerians that there will be no petrol scarcity during the Sallah holidays.
In a statement released on Friday in Lagos, DPR’s chief of public relations, Paul Osu, stated the guarantee.
To mark the occasion, the federal government declared July 20 and 21 as public holidays.
Mr. Osu went on to say that there was adequate product throughout the country and warned marketers against hoarding or creating fake scarcity in any way.
He stated that the DPR will increase its monitoring and supervision of petroleum products outlets to guarantee compliance with regulatory mandates regarding quality, quantity, integrity, and safety of operations.
Mr. Osu advised consumers to report any infractions, such as product under-dispensing, to any DPR office across the country.
He also reaffirmed the DPR’s commitment to safety, urging consumers to follow all safety precautions while using petroleum products.
Mr. Osu also stated that the regulatory body will continue to take steps to facilitate business and provide opportunities for investors and stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
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Trade between the states is on the rise and the UAE is seeking to make investments in the southern African state.
The UAE and Oman have signed an agreement to connect Abu Dhabi to Sohar with passenger and freight trains.
CarLogik and 3atlana offer a range of services to vehicle owners in the UAE and Egypt respectively. The two auto-tech startups, have both announced successful funding rounds in the past two days.
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WELCOME HM160 | October 2020
The October 2020 issue of Hornby Magazine (HM160) which celebrates 100 years of Hornby. You can read the full issue in page-turning PDF format or as individual features re-edited to suit the digital world. Indulge in the latest layout features and exclusive online videos, browse new releases in the News and Reviews, discover the secrets of railway modelling through our step by step guides and much more.
HM160, October 2020
Revolution Trains (RT) is seeking expressions of interest for another production run of its ‘N’ gauge Class 390 Pendolino Electric Multiple Unit (EMU). Manufactured by Rapido Trains of Canada, it is now more than two years since RT’s ‘N’ gauge Pendolinos first appeared in a raft of Virgin Trains liveried identities.
A new collection of ‘O’ gauge four-wheel Stroudley carriages are set to be released in the fourth quarter of 2020 by Dapol. The new line up will be manufacturered in the UK at Dapol’s factory in Chirk and were originally announced at the Dapol Collectors Club open day in 2018.


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LGBT: $790 billion buying power but what are their favorite brands?
The total buying power of the LGBT U.S. adult population in 2012 will be $790 billion, according to latest figures. Which brands tick their boxes? A new survey from YouGov reveals the top brands among the gay community, with Android topping the list.
A brand that didn't even make YouGov's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Top 20 Buzz Rankings last year has emerged as the leader this year.
Android rose straight to the top of the rankings with a buzz score of 38.2 compared with iPhone's 35.6 and iPad's 34.2. The results were collected by YouGov who polled 5,000 consumers each day for a 12 week period, filtering responses from those who identified themselves as part of the LGBT community.
Target and Starbucks are also newcomers to the rankings, probably in light of their recent support of LGBT rights. In fact, the rankings are markedly different from last year with other newcomers including Samsung, Aleve, Kindle, Advil, PBS, LG, Comedy Central, and Skype.
Recent research from Catalyst found that most members of the LGBT community (87%) prefer companies that offer equal benefits for LGBT employees and almost half (47%) prefer brands that create ads tailored to their community. Even if a brand was more expensive, 71% would continue to be loyal if that brand was in favour of LGBT issues.
Witeck Communications estimates the total buying power of the US LGBT adult population in 2012 will be $790 billion.
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Collaboration combines Nokia’s IMPACT IoT Platform with Optus services expertise and market reach
Optus has selected Nokia’s IMPACT Internet of Things (IoT) platform to provide device management and data collection capabilities to their customers. Both
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Columbus makes the ranks of many lists
Of all the cities in the United States, Columbus is the best — in a couple of ways, at least.
We’re the No. 1 city for sports, we’re told, and for working moms.
No. 2 for job creation and for “bros,” the obnoxious enthusiasts of beer pong and muscle shirts.
No. 3 for fashion designers and for people described as “sex-happy.”
No. 4 among places to be young, broke and single (too bad about the broke part because we’re also fourth for shopping).
No. 5 for romantic restaurants — and bedbugs.
The capital of Ohio has accumulated dozens of rankings as an increasing number of online sites categorize cities by superlatives: coolest, smartest, fattest, drunkest.
“There’s been list inflation out there. Everyone’s been doing lists,” said Bert Sperling, who in 1985 developed the software behind the Sperling’s Best Places rankings published on his website, in magazines and by corporate clients.
People like lists, he said, because they help make sense of an endless sea of online data.
In presenting lists as slide shows, websites earn page views (translation: money) as readers click through ranking after ranking.
“In some cases,” Sperling said, “they’ll just put up whatever list they can think of that will be clickable.”
New Yorkers might not get too excited when their city tops a list, but Columbus rankings sometimes make news.
Because Columbus has been said to lack an image among outsiders, a tone of surprise sometimes accompanies positive rankings for the city:
“It might sound like the middle of nowhere,” began a story on the personal-finance website Money Under 30 (the No.?4 “young, broke and single” ranking).
“Columbus may surprise you by being on this list,” said the consumer-advocacy website NerdWallet (top 10 destinations for gay travelers).
“No, that’s not a misprint,” clarified Golf Magazine (No. 2 city for golf).
Even backhanded compliments, though, help groups market the city.
Columbus 2020 uses positive rankings about business and quality-of-life issues in its efforts to attract talent and economic development.
The tourism pitches of Experience Columbus seem more legitimate when they include outside rankings, communication director Beth Ervin said.
New marketing ideas have been inspired by rankings, such as one showing that Columbus has the third-highest concentration of fashion designers in the country.
An Experience Columbus pitch along those lines led to a recent USA Today story (although the opening line was familiar: “You probably never thought you’d read a story about Columbus, Ohio, being a mecca for fashionistas”).
Plenty of rankings aren’t as practical, though. Some are determined not by data analyses but by reader surveys and, in some cases, who knows what.
A determining factor in the “bros” rankings, for example: “reputations for partying.” In ranking Columbus second, the real-estate website Estately mentioned the city’s being home to Abercrombie & Fitch, allegedly a favorite brand of bros; and the inventors of Four Loko, the alcoholic drink.
In rankings on similar topics, analyses of different data yield contrasting conclusions.
NerdWallet named Columbus seventh-best for recent college graduates, considering factors such as unemployment, the cost of living and the number of bars per 1,000 residents.
But the Daily Beast website listed Columbus as 11th- worst for young adults, having used data to find cities where young people are increasingly unemployed, single and in debt.
The rankings don’t always jibe.
Columbus is fifth among most-relaxed cities (ranked by Forbes), second-best for commuters (Kiplinger’s) and second-safest for families (Underwriters Laboratories).
But how could we be so calm when Sperling’s Best Places says we’re a top-20 spot for migraines, sleeplessness and hypertension?
Can we really brag about being a better golf city than sunny Orlando, Fla., once home to the likes of Tiger Woods? Or a bigger “brain magnet,” according to Forbes, than New York or Silicon Valley?
Whether rankings are serious or frivolous, the aggregate matters most, said Kenny McDonald, chief economic officer of Columbus 2020.
On the list of Columbus lists, some common themes emerge: The city is a good place to live and work, and a home to young, intelligent and creative people.
In the past few years, McDonald has noticed many more rankings for Columbus — and hopes that outsiders have, too.
“Over time, people start to ask: ‘What’s going on in Columbus? Why am I constantly seeing that name now?’??” he said. “That’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
Still, with so many lists, Sperling noted, just about any city can find a positive take-away.
“Every place,” he said, “is wonderful in some way.”


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Google announces Bard chatbots’ integration into popular apps for an enhanced user experience.
Bard overcomes regulatory hurdles for global launch and introduces extensions for Google Drive, Gmail, and YouTube.
Users can use Bard for summarizing emails, finding routes, and fact-checking; privacy controls are emphasized amid competition with ChatGPT.
Google is set to integrate its Bard chatbot into popular applications such as Gmail, YouTube, and more, as part of Alphabet's efforts to enhance user experiences. This move follows OpenAI's release of ChatGPT, which prompted Google to develop Bard in response.
Earlier this year, Google overcame regulatory hurdles to launch Bard worldwide, despite concerns about data security from European regulators. To gain public support, Google is now introducing Bard extensions, enabling it to function as a plug-in within Google Drive, Gmail, YouTube, and other platforms.
Users will be able to leverage Bard to summarize lengthy emails, find quick routes on Google Maps, and extract bullet points from dense documents. To address concerns about accuracy, a fact-checking feature will be included to verify Bard's responses in real time.
Generative AI relies on data scraping from extensive databases to provide human-like responses. Google assures users that Bard will access private data only with consent and will not use it for targeted advertising or training Bard. Private content will remain inaccessible to Google employees, and users will have control over their privacy settings.
Google remarked in a blog post,
You’re always in control of your privacy settings when deciding how you want to use these extensions, and you can turn them off at any time.
[Source - Voanews]
This development comes after Microsoft incorporated ChatGPT into Bing earlier this year but failed to challenge Google's search engine dominance. Google aims to capitalize on ChatGPT's declining user base and position Bard as a strong competitor in the generative AI landscape.
While Bard's integration into Google's ecosystem offers convenience, it may face competition with established AI models like ChatGPT. Some users might still have reservations about privacy and data usage, despite Google's assurances. Additionally, Bard's success in challenging ChatGPT's dominance remains to be seen, as generative AI popularity fluctuates.
Google's integration of Bard into popular apps enhances the user experience, making tasks like summarizing emails and finding routes more convenient. Bard's global launch and extensions for Google Drive, Gmail, and YouTube offer versatility. The fact-checking feature ensures accuracy, and Google emphasizes privacy controls, addressing concerns about data security.