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Another 4G technology, Mobile WiMAX, will be making news also. Sequans Communications will unveil a highly integrated chip that's smaller and uses less power than before, doesn't need external dynamic RAM, delivers over 40Mbps throughput, and covers all three global WiMAX bands: 2.3, 2.5, and 3.5 GHz. It's aimed at makers of mobile devices and customer premises gear, to exploit emerging WiMAX networks such as the one Clearwire is building in the United States.
For enterprise IT, handheld operating systems matter, because they enable the degree of control, security and usability required in enterprise mobile computing.
Microsoft looks to anchor Windows Mobile more securely in the enterprise even as it reaches out to consumers. At MWC, it is expected to unveil Windows Mobile 6.5, a version that makes some dramatic improvements in ease of use and support for touch and gestures. In short, it looks and acts more like the iPhone user interface. The mobile version of Windows has had a lockscreen: the new release reveals more information about new messages, voice mail and the like without having to unlock the phone, and allows selective unlocking of just that new message or voice mail, for example.
The 6.5 release, due on mobile phones near the end of 2009, will also have Internet Explorer Mobile 6, a major improvement in browsing because it's based on the HTML engine of IE 6, with elements of IE 7 and IE 8, which is still in beta. The user interface exploits fully the new touch and gesture features.
The Google-backed Linux-based Android platform, from the Open Handset Alliance, is expected to show up in a number of new handsets, though Samsung, which was expected to announce its first Android phone, has apparently delayed that news. (Watch a slideshow that pits the G1 vs. the iPhone.)
Presumably the new crop of phones will be using the latest Android build, RC33, with an array of enhancements, which is just now appearing on T-Mobile's G1, the first Android phone.
The LiMo Foundation has released reference implementations for the latest version, R2, of its mobile Linux middleware stack. The code is targeted at operators who can use it to customize a Linux phone at various levels. R2 improves device management, adds an array of security enhancements and improves Web browsing. Ten LiMo phones from NEC and Panasonic will be at MWC, along with prototypes from LG Electronics and Samsung. The foundation also announced plans to include the Bondi specification in the LiMo stack. Bondi is a standard way for Web applications to access phone features and functions, such as a camera or calendar.
"The operators have expressed a clear interest in reducing the number of operating systems in their portfolios, and Linux, Symbian, and Windows Mobile appear to be the preferred OS [options]," says Chris Schreck, research analysts with IMS Research. "I don't expect Windows Mobile or Symbian to disappear in the smartphone space, but I do expect Linux to grow its market share in 2009."
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By now, everyone knows that India is growing faster than China, thanks to the revised gross domestic product (GDP) calculations thrown out by Asia’s third largest economy.
In 2016, the government last week said, India’s economy is expected to grow between 8.1% and 8.5%. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), China’s GDP is projected to grow (pdf) at 6.3% in 2016.
These high growth numbers are the result of what the Central Statistical Office (CSO), the agency that computes the GDP, industrial growth and consumer price indices among others, did in January. It shifted the reference year for measuring inflation-adjusted growth from 2004-05 to 2011-12. The CSO also included new data sources, classification systems, and items like LED television sets and smartphones to the country’s national accounts. As a result, in 2013-14 the economy grew at 6.9%, rather than 4.7%, the CSO data showed earlier.
These calculations, however have received a lot of criticism. The revised method has been called “puzzling”, “baffling” and “confusing” by not only investors but also by some of India’s top economists—both in the government and outside.
To start with, the country’s own chief economic advisor, Arvind Subramanian, said that the revised estimates are puzzling, on Feb. 27, after releasing the Economic Survey 2014-2015.
But this was not the first time he expressed his confusion.
On Feb. 3 in an interview to the Business Standard newspaper, he said: “I am puzzled by the new GDP growth numbers. The revised numbers show GDP growth rose from 4.7% to 5.1% for 2012-13 and from 5% to 6.9% for 2013-14. This means acceleration in GDP growth of 1.9 percentage points in 2013-14, just by comparing the new numbers across time.”
This is “mystifying,” he added, because “these numbers, especially the acceleration in 2013-14, are at odds with other features of the macro economy.”
Some experts say the revision is a joke.
Ruchir Sharma, head of emerging markets and global macro at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, wrote in a blog for The Times of India, that the “dramatic upward revision of the GDP growth rate is a bad joke, smashing India’s credibility and making its statistics bureau a laughing stock in global financial circles.”
“Every piece of data—from the tepid increase in corporate revenues to imports, credit, rail freight and auto sales—points to a much lower growth figure, probably closer to the old estimate of 5%,” he added.
Sharma also wrote that this makes India look bad even compared to China, which many analysts have long suspected of massaging GDP figures to show steady growth.
“The GDP revisions are a reminder that India faces some of the same issues with iffy data as China does,” journalist and economist Dhiraj Nayyar wrote last month.
“If India is serious about becoming an economic superpower, it needs to work harder to create a world-class statistical system. Good numbers are welcome. Timely, accurate data is indispensable,” Nayyar explained.
And experts from all across the spectrum agree that the situation on the ground doesn’t quite mirror the growth described by the new estimates. For instance, the stock of stalled projects (pdf) at the end of December 2014 stood at Rs8.8 lakh crore ($141.3 billion), which is 7% of GDP.
Stalled projects and stretched capacity in the power, infrastructure and housing sectors have a knock-on effects down the supply chain to small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Anil Bhardwaj, secretary general of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises, told Reuters.
“This is a bit perplexing. The feedback we are getting on the ground is not as positive. SMEs are not getting the orders,” Bhardwaj said. ”There is an improvement in business sentiment, in the environment, but unfortunately there is no movement on the ground.”
Even retailers believe the numbers don’t show the correct picture of the business environment in the country.
Govind Shrikhande, managing director of Stoppers Stop, an Indian retailer said the business sentiment is still subdued.
“Is it a trick or a treat?” he told Reuters. “I haven’t understood how they are calculating it, but we are not seeing it reflected in business as yet.”
Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan is also far from convinced.
“We find it hard to see the economy as rollicking in 2013-14,” Rajan said in early February. “It’s premature to take a strong view based on these GDP numbers.”
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Move over June, there's a new smart oven in town. On Wednesday, Amazon announced a new smart oven at its fall hardware event. Not to be confused with the AmazonBasics Microwave the company unveiled last year, the Amazon Smart Oven functions as a combination microwave, convection oven, air fryer and food warmer.
Predictably, instead of using buttons to set cooking times -- though it comes with those too -- you can ask Alexa for help. If it's something common like popcorn, the smart oven comes with a variety of presets. When it's time to flip or stir food, the digital assistant will let you know. Alexa will also tell you when your food is finished. You can also use the assistant to scan pre-packaged food. If you do that, Alexa will set the smart oven to the appropriate temperature and cooking time. Every Amazon Smart Oven will come with a free Echo Dot, as there aren't any microphones or speakers built into the appliance. You can pre-order the appliance starting today for $249.99.
Follow all the latest news from Amazon's 2019 hardware event here!


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Marketers Must Respond Now to These Five Back-To-School Shopping Trends
In a year filled with bleak U.S. retail reports for office supplies, clothing, and electronics, a silver lining has appeared: a National Retail Federation (NRF) survey predicts that consumers will spend nearly 10 percent more on BTS shopping (back-to-school and back-to-college) in 2017 than in 2016. The $83.6-billion projection of total estimated BTS sales represents the second highest U.S. holiday spending outside of winter. This is welcome news for department stores and specialty retailers who will look to recoup the margin from a soft first half of the year.
The prediction of a strong BTS season represents a significant opportunity for brick & mortar (B&M) retailers to hold off the continuing surge of online retailers. While the pace of online retailers is ahead of total retail sales, the majority of BTS shopping still occurs in-store, according to eMarketer.
All B&M retailers will do well to develop strong responses to five major trends impacting the BTS selling season.
BTS is the longest-selling season of any holiday or shopping event in the retail calendar, stretching three months, with nearly half of consumers beginning searches in June or July. The season length is exacerbated by differing school calendars (South begins early August, Northeast begins after Labor Day). As a result, retailer promotions begin as early as May. Online BTS shopping is starting earlier in the year, and this is due partly to Amazon Prime Day, a 30-hour event in July. B&M retailers can still do well in early to mid-August, as most consumers shop three to four weeks before school starts.
Retailers can take advantage of this elongated season by learning from the data, and pivoting quickly. The true ‘winners’ will be able to observe early BTS trends (June/July) and introduce new and updated products before the end of the BTS season (August/September). Fashion retailers are well positioned to observe initial consumer buying behaviors and respond with ‘trend injection’ programs to update select styles and bring to market in 8-12 weeks.
Sales taxes neutralization
Amazon now charges sales tax in 45 states, leveling the playing field for brick & mortar retailers. This recent development has made tax-free shopping weekends more lucrative for consumers who live in some 20 states that offer tax free weekends from May to August.
This represents a significant opportunity for retailers to drive large customer traffic into stores, especially considering that a Retail Me Not’s BTS survey found 24 percent of BTS consumers plan to do all their shopping in a single weekend.
Retail leaders will plan promotions to coincide with tax-free weekends, including discounts on big ticket items such as electronics to appeal to parents. Considering the large potential spend on tax-free weekends this year, retailers will be challenged to ensure inventory is well positioned to avoid stock-outs, and stores are prepared to handle the large crowds to maintain high levels of customer service.
The free shipping standard
Consumers in 2017 are conditioned to free shipping. NRF indicates that 90 percent of shoppers expect free shipping for online purchases. Brands like Amazon, Dell, L.L. Bean, Nordstrom and Wayfair thrive on the free shipping trend, and others offer free shipping during special promotions.
To combat of eroding margins from free shipping, retailers are encouraging the Buy Online Pick-Up In-Store (BOPIS) fulfillment option, which NRF says 54 percent of BTS shoppers plan to use in 2017. BOPIS protects margins and just as important, drives consumers into the store. More progressive retailers will consider discounts for BOPIS transactions due to the foot traffic potential. Retailers like Walmart have significantly expanded their BOPIS and same-day pick-up offerings, and even introduced “Pick-up Discount,” which will provide discounts to customers who stop in for select online-only items.
Given the increasing trend of BOPIS transactions, retailers must ensure that customers are able to pick-up orders in stores quickly and with minimal instruction. Retailers who force a customer to endure a 20 minute wait to pick-up BOPIS orders will not only discourage customers from using BOPIS again, but potentially drive customers to their competitors.
Year-round shopping and subscription services
A growing number of consumers are moving away from traditional BTS shopping excursions in favor of year-round shopping, spreading traditional BTS spend across the year. Retail Me Not’s survey indicates 20 percent of consumers fall into this bucket. This trend necessitates that retailers maintain a portion of the BTS product assortment in stores or online beyond September. As this trend increases, retailers are likely to take advantage by delaying liquidation of BTS inventory.
Over the last five years, subscription retail services have expanded in popularity, with many retailers trying their hand at reoccurring customer purchases. Consumers enjoy the ‘autopilot’ system and savings that go along on products such as dog food, coffee, cleaning supplies and diapers. While subscriptions have been primarily targeted at adults, the subscription trend is expanding into younger age groups in items like clothing, where purchasing frequency can be well predicted. BTS is ripe for subscription service for both young adults and parents of younger children. Consumers are likely to see BTS subscription services in pilot this year and next with select retailers.
The brick & mortar customer experience advantage
Despite recent headlines touting Amazon dominance and retail store closings, the majority of BTS spending still occurs within physical stores. According to eMarketer, 64 percent of total BTS spend in fact.
To maintain market share, brick & mortar retailers must execute on two fronts. First, target timely digital/mobile marketing to customers. Collecting and utilizing data analytics is crucial to an effective digital marketing campaign. A well-executed campaign will help accomplish goal number one, get the customer into the store. Second, immerse your customer in an experience that far exceeds those offered by online retailers and discounters. Customer service is paramount, and retailers are smart to "staff up" during the BTS peak period. For the first time, retailers such as Walmart are introducing “Back-to-School Helpers,” doubling down on the promise of store associates assisting customers in the search for items and at check out. While temporary workers are often required to meet demand, retailers that are able to attract, train and retain the best floor associates will stand out.
NRF’s projected 10 percent increase in spending for BTS from 2016 to 2017 should not be viewed as a rising tide that raises all boats. Instead this increased revenue projection is an opportunity for leading retailers to demonstrate their ability to respond to the rapidly changing consumer purchasing behaviors by evolving the end-to-end customer experience. This quick and adaptive response will be sure to separate the winners from the underdogs during BTS 2017, and will set the stage for retailers as the other big shopping seasons approach later this year.
Andrew Billings is a principal and senior leader in North Highland Consulting’s Retail and CPG practice. He has a decade of management consulting experience within retail, apparel and consumer products industries, including wholesale organizations, vertical retailers, manufacturers, department stores, and big-box retailers. Billings can be reached at [email protected].
Nelson Ho is a manager with North Highland’s retail and CPG practice. He has more than seven years of experience in end-to-end supply chain transformation in retail and manufacturing industries. Specific areas of expertise include supply chain strategy, strategic sourcing, and cost transformation. Nelson can be reached at [email protected].


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Friday, November 11, 2011
How mobile payments will impact future of banks, banking, back end payment processing, credit card transactions and retail customer spending. Smartphones using encryption and biometrics will enable telecom companies to compete with banks and credit card companies for retail payment transactions. Expect wireless payments using smartphones to grow rapidly. Despite this, some customers will continue to prefer cash because it allows anonymous purchases and is convenient for smaller purchases. Mobile payments could generate commissions of up to EU2 billion a year in countries like France, Germany, Italy and the UK. What would happen if -- say -- Vodafone formed a partnership with Google, Nokia and American Express? Implications for financial services, small loans, large ticket purchases of white goods, cars and other big items. Conference keynote speaker and Futurist Patrick Dixon speaking at retail trends conference for Hermes clients. Future of banking and financial services.


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Surveys by Hyundai revealed the company already had competitively priced genuine parts, having similar prices to the aftermarket competitors and in many cases beating them. Hyundai New Zealand Aftermarket Manager Peter Tolley said getting the company’s spare parts aligned across the model range was the first part of the company’s strategy to keep ownership costs as low as possible for all Hyundai vehicles. It would also ensure customers have the reassurance of genuine Hyundai parts which come with a 12 month, 20,000km warranty.
The “grey”parts market is a worldwide problem for the motor industry because many parts are substandard and unsafe. To combat this Hyundai Motor Company has been keen to get involved in this local initiative. “Working closely with Hyundai Motor Company and its suppliers has meant that we are able to offer some substantial reductions in pricing to benefit the New Zealand consumer,” stated Mr Tolley. “We expected customers to benefit from some substantial parts savings, particularly on the larger vehicles such as Terracan, Santa Fe and the new Grandeur” said Mr Tolley. You will see genuine components like front brake pads drop from anything up to $253 each down to $85 under the Family Pricing Strategy. Simple components like oil filters on our petrol engines will drop from up to $38 down to $15. 75. These savings are genuine, long term and will lead into very competitive servicing costs for our customers. ” Mr Tolley said Hyundai was going to greater lengths than any other vehicle manufacturer with this new pricing strategy.
Low ownership costs with Hyundai were already almost a given, due to the extremely high level of quality and reliability in new Hyundai vehicles, said Peter Tolley. Surveys such as the prestigious JD Power Vehicle Quality survey rated the Hyundai Sonata as one of the world’s top three reliable cars in 2005. The US based Total Quality Index survey confirmed the Hyundai Tucson as the world’s highest quality small SUV for 2005. The results come from polling a massive 40,000 buyers of models throughout the USA. With results like this backed up by competitive parts pricing, New Zealanders can be sure they will see Hyundai as an extremely good value, high quality, low cost vehicle for many years to come. ” “Putting it simply, we are confident that over a complete ownership cycle, no car will show a better “complete cost of ownership” than a Hyundai. ” This has already been shown to be the case with Hyundai’s Getz, which in 2005, won the Best Small Car Award in the annual Australia’s Best Cars awards scoring the top ‘well above average’ ranking for among other things, Pricing, Running & Repair Costs and Warranty.


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The Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership released Thursday its second-annual “State of Downtown” report, which broadly outlined just how good of a year 2016 was for the city’s core.
The 19-page document — billed as “economic snapshot and performance indicators” — opens with a turn of phrase for all those who have long heralded Colorado Springs as a community hiding in plain sight: “The secret is out.”
“Downtown Colorado Springs is capturing notice nationwide as an urban area on the move,” according to the report’s introduction, “attracting new residents and commerce, guided by business and civic leadership aligned in our vision for a world-class city center.”
According to the introduction, the city’s core have experienced an unprecedented $600 million in both public and private investment since 2013, while vacancy rates have continued to fall and apartment buildings are beginning to rise.
“It is intended to be an annual report and it really is designed for us to be able to track our trends — hopefully always progress — over time and analyze that to figure out where we need to pivot next,” said Susan Edmondson, president and CEO of the Downtown Partnership.
Edmondson said the document is geared toward helping people make business decisions, as well as to attract business prospects.
In creating the document, Edmondson said the Downtown Partnership focused on two trends: how downtown Colorado Springs has changed over time, and how it compares to the city as a whole.
“It’s not always about what’s good and what’s bad,” she said. “Sometimes it’s more about how we’re looking at the numbers to determine what we need. … But it was a very good year economically, so most of the information and the numbers were very positive.”
Much of this progress has occurred under the jurisdiction of the Downtown Partnership and the Downtown Development Authority, which last year adopted a new “Experience Downtown” development plan — as well as an update to its 2007 master plan (which was subsequently approved by Colorado Springs City Council) — that are designed to work together to help redevelop and beautify downtown Colorado Springs.
“[The DDA has] recommended redesign of nine primary gateways, 23 blockfaces of alleyway improvements, 42 blockfaces of improved streetscapes and 172 blockfaces of cycling facilities, conversion of Bijou and Kiowa streets from one-way to two-way, function relocation of the Downtown Transit Center, improved overall connectivity, and much more,” according to the report.
“Lured by a walkable environment, robust workforce concentration, one-of-a-kind shops, trail connectivity, state designation as a creative district, and the largest concentration of locally owned restaurants in the region, developers and investors are rediscovering the value of Colorado Springs’ city center,” according to the report.
A few highlights of commercial and residential downtown development outlined in the report were completed, such as Blue Dot Place and Catalyst Campus, and there are plans for more. According the report, 2016 saw the approval of 19 land use permits and 662 building permits valued at $188 million including projects such as 333 ECO, Fire Station No. 1, Bijou Lofts, new student housing at Colorado College and the first phase of improvements at the Springs Rescue Mission.
“As the citywide residential market heated up in 2016, so too did Downtown’s, with more than 300 units opened or under construction, and a pipeline of hundreds more units planned,” according to the report.
“We’re not just talking about something that may happen,” Edmondson said. “We’ve got cranes in the sky — we’re seeing actual activity. I think that is important, because in Colorado Springs I feel like we often talk about things and don’t always we them come to fruition.”
The report outlined the DDA’s Downtown Living Initiative grant program, which is designed to spur downtown residential growth by offering applicable projects 100-percent tax increment financing.
The document also touched on the topic of attracting and retaining businesses.
According to the report, there were 811 new business filings in downtown Colorado Springs in 2016, which marked a 40-percent rise in the number of new business filings in 2015. There are 3,225 businesses located in downtown Colorado Springs, representing a workforce of 20,000 employees, according to the report.
“From retail boutiques and restaurants to services and coworking spaces, 23 new street-level businesses opened downtown in 2016, and another 12 businesses announced they would be opening in 2017,” according to the report.
“It was a huge year for retail and restaurants last year,” said Sarah Humbargar, the Downtown Partnership’s director of business development and economic vitality. “Although there were some major closures, there were significantly fewer closures than in recent years … and we had a ton of businesses going into spaces that had been vacant for three or more years.”
According to the report, sales in the Downtown Business Improvement District improved 5.3 percent last year over 2015, reaching their highest level since 2010. As part of those sales numbers, retail sales in the downtown zone increased outpaced that growth and increased 8 percent over 2015, reaching their highest level since 2009.
As a result, total tax collections in the Business Improvement District increased by 20 percent and helped contribute more than $2.5 million in “2C Road Tax” to infrastructure improvements throughout the city.
“The tax rate went up last year and we didn’t see any indication that sales slowed down,” Humbargar said. “That’s a good thing to see.”
Edmondson said that as the economy continues to improve and the downtown commercial real estate market continues to tighten, business tenants in the city’s core could face being priced out of the neighborhood. But for now, she said that is not the reality for downtown retail shops and restaurants.
“We hated to see Old Chicago go,” Edmondson said. “But there wasn’t even a hiccup before [Oskar Blues announced their plans] for something that was maybe a little more urban … a little more modern.”
Humbargar said that although some business have chosen to leave the downtown core, it’s not as dire as it seems. A couple of the more significant moves out of downtown (Southside Johnny’s and Old Chicago) are being considered wise business decisions by owners looking to save on rent and buy their own buildings, while Coquette’s moved from its rented North Tejon Street space to ownership of a larger building on South Tejon Street.
“Here downtown, we’re pretty limited on retail space but we’re extremely limited when it comes to restaurant space,” Humbargar said.
The former Coquette’s space has already been filled with two businesses: IV by Brother Luck and Rooster’s House of Ramen.
“It’s pretty neat that we’ve got a restaurant that has been able to grow by investing in a downtown property … and that by them leaving we’re able to bring in two new chef-driven concepts and really build our culinary scene,” Humbargar said.
Among those that opened in 2016 were:
– Ladyfingers Letterpress
– Sweetest Secret Boutique
– Hooked on Books (second location)
– My Colorado Store
– Thrift Junkie
– Lawrence Dryhurst Gallery
– Cacao Chemistry
– Podiatryst Shoe Store
– Bonny and Read Fresh Seafood and Steaks
– T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila
– Loyal Coffee
– Bento Heaven
– Red Gravy
– Welcome Fellow
– To the Nines Barber Lounge
– Painting with a Twist
Among those that announced plans to open in 2017 were:
– J.C. Bodycare
– Duca’s Pizza
– Toni & Guy Salon
– Carter Payne
– Oskar Blues
– IV by Brother Luck
– Redoux Boutique
– Rooster’s House of Ramen


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In a down economy, marketers are reluctant to test, or even continue with, emerging media platforms. A forecast released by analyst firm Screen Digest and media firm GroupM suggests in-game advertising has fallen victim to recessionary media thinking, though the long range outlook for the channel remains strong.
In 2008 advertisers spent roughly $55 million on dynamic in-game advertising in 2008, according to the report. Though it doesn’t disclose exact figures, Screen Digest describes a short-term softness in ad spending on emerging formats but says that softness will give way to a sharp increase in spending — to $1.2 billion by 2014. That’s a more than 20-fold increase in spending over five years.
The growth will be driven in part by a dramatic increase in the addressable audience of gamers with Internet-connected consoles and broadband-enabled PCs. Connected consoles, including PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii, numbered 40 million at the end of 2008 and will likely reach 90 million in 2011, according to Screen Digest. The researcher also predicts the connected PC gamer market will grow from 400 million early in 2009 to 500 million in 2012.
Currently the Wii does not accept dynamic advertising. “If at some point Nintendo decides to open its platform, it will be a major boost because of the…demographics. It will reach a more mainstream audience,” said Screen Digest Senior Analyst Vincent Letang, who added, “We believe it will happen.”
In-game advertising is far from new, but it’s still treated as an experimental item in many budgets. It is often compared to mobile, and grouped into the emerging media category.
“While both are emerging media, [in-game is] different from the mobile advertising market. While very small, it’s very structured. You already have three companies aggregating a worldwide inventory,” Vincent Letang, senior analyst at Screen Digest told ClickZ. Letang added, “It’s a global media. The popular games are played all over the planet.”
A class action lawsuit against an internet-connected pleasure device highlights the potential pitfalls a growing number of companies will face as they embrace ... read more
Google sparked a small firestorm last week as reports surfaced that its intelligent assistant device Google Home delivered an unsolicited advertisement to unsuspecting owners.
According to Internet Retailer's newly released The Best Digital Marketers in E-Commerce report, Target is the most effective marketer in online retail. So why is it struggling overall?
The rise of YouTube and digital video generally has a lot to do with the rise of the internet and the abundance of digital video content. But YouTube's ascendency is also the result of Google's savvy use of algorithms.


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The largest series of automotive recalls in USA history was made Friday again because of faulty air bags made by the Takata Corporation of Japan.
Just when you think that there can't be any more vehicles affected by the Takata airbag recall, here comes another 1.7 million.
Takata's airbag inflator debacle is far from over. Almost two dozen people have died worldwide and hundreds more injured.
Subaru: 826,144 vehicles from 2010-14 including Foresters, Legacys, and Outbacks.More news: Kanye West signature forged in $900k scam
More news: Problems With Wells Fargo Services Continue for Second Day
More news: Body found in Connecticut ID'ed as Westchester woman
By last December, more than 50 million vehicles had been recalled because of Takata airbags. Volkswagen is recalling 119,394 vehicles, including Audi and Passat models from 2015 to 2017. About 10 million inflators are being recalled in the US this year.
BMW: 266,044 vehicles from model years 2000-04.
Tesla: 68,763 Model S hatchbacks from model years 2014-16. Daimler wrote the vans affected by the recall were made from 2015 to 2017. Finally, Ferrari listed various 2014 to 2018 models.
Numerous recalls are limited to specific geographic regions in the U.S. Owners can check to see if their vehicles have been recalled by going to https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls and keying in a 17-digit vehicle identification number.


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SUBWAY Sandwich Shop Introduces New Rotisserie-Style Chicken Raised without Antibiotics
Brand delivers on commitment to transition to proteins raised without antibiotics
Milford, CT (RestaurantNews.com) Beginning March 1, guests visiting their neighborhood SUBWAY® sandwich shops can enjoy the newest addition to the menu: Rotisserie-Style Chicken that is raised without antibiotics, following the brand’s commitment to transition to only serve proteins raised without antibiotics. After months of working with supply chain and industry experts to meet the new demand, SUBWAY® is the largest global QSR restaurant chain to serve chicken that is raised without antibiotics at scale. The new Rotisserie-Style Chicken also features no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.


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Bad Guy Batch #6 and High Rye return to shelves this fall
October 29, 2020 (Colorado Springs, CO) — Just in time for cooler temperatures and the holiday season, Colorado Springs-based Distillery 291 is releasing two of their most-awarded whiskeys – 291 Bad Guy Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Batch #6 and 291 High Rye (“HR”) Colorado Bourbon Whiskey. Bad Guy recently arrived on shelf and High Rye will be released on November 9, 2020. Both will be available at Distillery 291’s Tasting Room (1647 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80905) and local retailers throughout the state of Colorado.
“These might be the perfect autumn whiskeys,” said Eric Jett, distiller at Distillery 291. “Both have a richness and spice similar to the treats and baked goods we enjoy this time of year – a fitting whiskey for the season we find ourselves in.”
291 Bad Guy Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Batch #6 is a wheated four-grain bourbon, made from corn, malted wheat, malted rye, beech-smoked barley mash, finished with 291’s traditional aspen staves. Historically one of the distillery’s highest-rated and most-awarded whiskeys, Batch #6 is presented at 125.5 proof for an MSRP of $104.99. Over 1,000 bottles have been made available for this year’s release.
291 High Rye (“HR”) Colorado Bourbon Whiskey is a complex bourbon that strikes a balance between the distillery’s Colorado Bourbon Whiskey and their Colorado Rye Whiskey, with spice and fruitiness to round out the vanilla and oak. Made from corn, malted rye, malted barley mash, and finished with aspen staves. Every batch of High Rye whiskey is presented at barrel proof and will retail for $104.99. 800 bottles will be made available.
“Our High Rye recipe was actually a complete mistake,” says Michael Myers, Distillery 291’s founding distiller and CEO. “A double dose of malted rye was accidentally added to our bourbon recipe one day and we thought we’d just let it ride. After aging a bit, the result was fantastic – it was a delicious, complex bourbon with notes of both spice and vanilla.”
About Distillery 291
Distillery 291 is a small batch whiskey distillery nestled in the stunning foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Located in Colorado Springs, the distillery sits in the shadow of Pikes Peak where founder and CEO, Michael Myers, aims to replicate the taste, smell and folklore of the Wild West. Today, Distillery 291 is distilling, from grain to barrel to bottle, ten distinctive Colorado whiskeys. The young distillery has earned bushels of national and international awards for its spirits with the unique character and flavor of a bygone era, including the title of World’s Best Rye at the 2018 World Whiskies Awards. Distillery 291 embodies traditions of the past married with the boldness of the future: Rugged, Refined and Rebellious. Hardmade the Colorado way. For more information visit: www.distillery291.com.
Press releases are generated outside of Spirited magazine and the information contained does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Spirited or its parent company, Sonoma Media Investments.


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Amazon has established itself as one of the biggest companies in the world and one of the largest logistical suppliers. However, their business practices and their rush to get every package delivered on time, has led to tragedy. Many don’t realize it, but Amazon accidents are deadly.
Death by Amazon
In 2013, Amazon saw unprecedented holiday sales. UPS and FedEx were unable to handle the massive influx of packages in time for Christmas. As a result of that incident, Amazon bought a fleet of 20,000 delivery vans for residential fulfillment.
In the past five years, Amazon van drivers have killed 10 people and injured hundreds more. In the case of most businesses, the company responsible would face “Respondeat superior” (Latin for “the master answers”). This doctrine would require the business face consequences for policies that allowed these deaths to occur. Yet Amazon does not answer for these deaths, claiming the van drivers are independent contractors.
While Amazon packages were once synonymous with UPS, times have changed. About half of all Amazon deliveries are now fulfilled through these contractor vans. However, these drivers are often undertrained or even untrained. According to a 2019 book, The Cost of Next-Day Delivery, most of Amazon’s contractor van drivers have little or no oversight.
Safe and Sound
Other major delivery companies, including UPS, have extensive training programs and oversight from the federal government. UPS drivers, for example, are instructed to avoid left-hand turns whenever possible to avoid exposing themselves to traffic.
Amazon drivers do not receive that same training and oversight. As a consequence, people have suffered serious injuries or even died at the hands of these unsafe, undertrained drivers.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injury or wrongful death as the result of a delivery truck accident, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Pasadena personal injury attorney from McGee, Lerer & Associates to evaluate your case, please send us an email or call (562) 270-0546.


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Ampol is partnering with Australia’s SEA Electric to develop EV charging infrastructure, through its AmpCharge business, for commercial EVs in the transport sector.
The partnership’s aim is to help reduce range anxiety for businesses looking to invest in electric trucks.
Ampol has existing partnerships with a number of carmakers, including Toyota, Hyundai and BYD. This latest partnership with SEA Electric will be a first in the commercial electric vehicle (EV) sector.
The partnership between the Ampol and SEA Electric will focus on building a charging solution for SEA Electric customers at Ampol forecourts, destinations, and workplaces.
Ampol general manager James Myatt said the company’s partnership with SEA Electric will use its knowledge and relationships across industries to help support a commercial vehicle owner’s decarbonisation goals.
“Ampol is evolving to provide a range of fast and reliable charging solutions,” said Mr Myatt.
“We know our business customers are looking for lower emissions solutions and want to ensure their investment in commercial electric vehicles can be supported with efficient and reliable charging technologies.”
“Ampol is committed to developing an open access national charging network as well as home and business charging solutions to ensure vehicles can be on the road whenever needed,” Mr Myatt added.
“SEA Electric is proud to partner with Ampol on this project, as both companies lead the country in the transition to sustainable transport,” said SEA Electric president, Asia Pacific region Bill Gillespie.
“Through this collaboration, we are shining a light on the fact that electric powered truck fleets can be operationally flexible by accessing convenient charging infrastructure through the AmpCharge network.
“At SEA Electric, we are building an entire customer led ecosystem to simplify the transition to electrification, with a SEA Electric trained national dealer network for sales and service, full factory warranty, 24/7 support and roadside assistance, and a range of charging options at base or on the road,” Mr Gillespie added.
“Ampol should be applauded for taking the lead with its future energy and mobility strategy, and we look forward to working together into the future on expanding the initiative.”
Ampol first launched its AmpCharge business early last year, and currently aims to have 110 DC fast-charging charging bays at 19 EV charging hubs in Greater Sydney and regional New South Wales this year.
SEA Electric was founded in 2012 and has been conducting EV driveline swaps on diesel trucks since 2017 using its patented SEA-Drive Power System.
In 2021 it launched its local range of SEA Electric-badged trucks, the SEA 300 EV and SEA 500 EV, which offer options ranging between a 4.5-tonne truck that’s driveable on a car licence, through to 22.5-tonne three-axle rigids.
SEA Electric doubled its production capacity at its facility in Dandenong in September last year with it now projected to produce up to eight trucks per day, or 2080 annually.
Last week, SEA Electric announced it had signed a billion-dollar deal with MEVCO to convert 8500 Toyota HiLuxes and LandCruisers to EVs for the mining industry by 2028.
Already more than half of the 2023 allocation of the Australian-developed BEV workhorses have been pre-sold, with demonstrator models available in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
MORE: Ampol launching EV charger network
MORE: Fuel company Ampol grows its AmpCharge EV charging business
MORE: SEA Electric launches new Australian-assembled EV truck
MORE: Australian EV truck manufacturer to double production capacity
MORE: 8500 electric Toyota HiLuxes and LandCruisers for mining, in billion-dollar deal


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Debonair Leona is one of seven skins revealed to join the Debonair skin line in League of Legends. The PBE introduced Leona, LeBlanc, Draven, Malzahar, Brand, Yi, Zed, & Debonair Brand Prestige Edition. Here's everything you need to know about Leona's new skin.
Debonair Leona Skin Splash Art
At the moment, Debonair Leona is the only one without splash art. But based on the other champions, green is going to be heavily involved.
Debonair Leona Skin Price
Riot Games hasn't announced a price point for any of the Debonair skins to date, but it's likely each skin will cost around 1,350 RP.
Debonair Leona Skin Release Date
Patch 11.23 goes live on Tuesday setting these skins up for the next patch in two weeks. You can expect these to go live on Nov. 30.
How to Get Debonair Leona Skin
Debonair Leona Skin will be available in the in-game store once the skins launch.


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USA / Global
porsche panamera facelift Articles
Mansory does its thing on the facelifted Porsche Panamera
Mansory has released its first customization program for the facelifted Porsche Panamera.
Jul 28 2014
2014 Porsche Panamera interior spied, long-wheelbase version likely
These latest 2014 Porsche Panamera facelift spy photos reveal a possible long-wheelbase version destined most likely only for China.
Apr 01 2013
2014 Porsche Panamera hits the Ring undisguised
The 2014 Porsche Panamera has been spied undisguised at the Nürburgring.
Mar 25 2013
Porsche Panamera facelift spied without camo
One of the most popular cars among our spies is the Porsche Panamera facelift which has been caught on camera once again.
Mar 08 2013
2016 Porsche Panamera gets rendered
The Porsche Panamera has always been a little controversial thanks to its less than stellar styling, but that could soon be changing as the company is preparing to introduce the next-generation model in 2015 or 2016.
Jan 03 2013
Porsche's future lineup to include Panamera Cabrio & Cayenne Coupe - report
According to a recent report, Porsche will launch several new models by 2017. See what company has planned inside.
Apr 13 2012
Car Buying Service
Get upfront price offers on local inventory.
Vehicle Imagery licensed from EVOX Images
USA / Global
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- Unlocking Insights into Data Warehousing and Data Mining Trends
- Responsible AI Governance: How to Balance Innovation with Ethical Use
- Business Leaders Say AI is Moving Too Fast For Employees to Keep Up
- Top Data Privacy Practices for Physical Security
- AI in Healthcare and Wellness Is Growing Rapidly, But Most Are in Early Stages of Adoption
- A $50 Billion Opportunity Emerges for Insurers from GenAI's Potential to Boost Revenue
A recession is coming, based on many surveys that found the most pessimistic economic outlook in over a decade. Contingency plans are in place. Businesses are laying off tens of thousands of employees in anticipation of slower growth and a more cautious enterprise market.
The good news?
Business investment in technology remains remarkably resilient in the Middle East and North Africa. As the region’s digital economy increasingly takes shape, despite several headwinds, including volatile demand, high inflation, and supply chain uncertainties, they are not trimming their digital projects. It’s a source of stability for the economy, analysts say.
The reason for the commitment to tech spending comes from what companies learned from the 2008 financial crisis and the recent pandemic. Deep cuts in tech investments were correlated with companies falling behind competitors once the economy rebounded.
“During a recession, while businesses may reduce spending in many areas, they often continue to invest in technology to improve efficiency and productivity. Technology remains at the core of operations and growth,” says Mouna Essa-Egh, Vice President, Middle East and Africa, Secure Power division, Schneider Electric.
The demand for IT is expected to be stronger as enterprises push forward with digital transformation initiatives. “During times of economic uncertainty, businesses survive by adapting their digital infrastructure to meet evolving requirements,” says Amr AlMasri, Regional Director, Genesys, Middle East.
Consider this: spending on ICT across the region will top $233.8 billion this year, an increase of 3.9% over 2022, according to IDC.
Telecommunications services spending will increase 3.6% year-on-year in 2023 to reach $133.9 billion, with IT investment set to grow 4.3% over the same period to hit $99.9 billion.
“To navigate storms of disruption, organizations will need to invest in strengthening their digital resiliency, so they are better positioned to succeed in new market environments as conditions continue to change,” Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC’s group vice president and regional managing director for the META region, said in a statement.
What Are The Companies Spending On?
Cloud computing, data analytics, AI and cybersecurity software have become increasingly mainstream in recent years. Companies now see them as vital tools for conducting business.
Since AI has drastically enhanced how businesses interact, in real-time, with their customers, manage operations, and ensure business continuity, AlMasri adds, “organizations have prioritized investment in AI technologies and solutions to remain competitive.”
Business investment, especially in software, also remains fairly strong. According to Essa-Egh, spending on “software services to drive a greener and more powerful future” will continue.
According to predictions, spending on public cloud services will grow by 25% to surpass $10.4 billion this year, and software-as-a-service apps will account for 43.2% of public cloud software spending.
Cloud-managed services will grow over 16% to surpass $1 billion in 2023, while spending on AI will reach $7.9 billion this year.
Meanwhile, as businesses increasingly rely on data, analyzing it as quickly as possible for real-time decision-making, computing, networking, and storage capabilities as close as possible to the endpoints that generate data is becoming crucial.
“Network edge is increasingly a priority for business efficiency and sustainability,” says Essa-Egh.
According to her, companies in the region are investing in data centers. “Businesses are aware of the importance of data management and efficiently harnessing the power of data, and as a result operating sustainable, powerful data centers is a key priority.”
Recent years’ increase in ransomware attacks and other hacking forms have also raised data security profiles as a top priority among more firms within their budgeting processes.
Top tech managers forecast cybersecurity to be the top spending item among tech budgets.
With IT teams already under pressure to limit resources, and with cyber threats getting more innovative and advanced, efficiency and performance are sure to be prioritized, says Emad Fahmy, Systems Engineering Manager, Middle East, NetScout. “The rapid adoption of IoT, cloud, and AI technologies also means the interconnectivity of our world is rapidly increasing, which leads to an ever-expanding threat landscape. With the need for visibility and performance monitoring greater than ever, IT decision-makers today prioritize purchasing comprehensive and customizable security solutions that can effectively monitor numerous layers of services, applications, and hybrid cloud servers.
Tech To Reduce Cost
Do more with less is a common business motto during economic uncertainty. A BCG survey found that 60% of companies plan to increase tech and digital transformation investments in 2023. So are businesses also looking for tech to reduce costs?
The role of technology, experts say, has also steadily evolved. It is a key ingredient that contributes to a company’s revenue and profits. Businesses will continue prioritizing AI, ML, and cloud-based solutions to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
“Businesses are looking to quickly transition from physical, on-premises solutions to cloud-based and hybrid models to reduce costs and gain flexibility, data security, and functionality. Furthermore, companies will also start prioritizing AI and automation in their business infrastructure to reduce labor costs and improve customer experience,” says AlMasri.
Circling back to the advantages of technology, Essa-Egh adds: “A smart business approach would entail targeted cost-cutting that would prioritize resources to enhance tech within the business for long-term benefits.”
Clearly, the managers who shape technology strategy and spending at companies across the region hold a vital swing vote in today’s economy.


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FIS FedFis has announced the launch of FedFis Digital Prospector, a new tool that will help FinTech companies connect with financial institutions going digital. With the new products, FinTech firms will have access to blended financial institution data and analysis that facilitate FinTech and banking FinTegration. FinTech can save financial institutions by bridging the gap between in-demand, convenient, cost-effective digital frameworks and the know-how needed to successfully implement them, and FedFis Digital Prospector delivers the ultimate conduit to do so.
There is a digital revolution changing customer behaviors, and banks are trying hard to adapt. Oftentimes, FinTech companies are more knowledgeable about the digital framework but lack an understanding of the existing institution’s ecosystem and how to illustrate their products financial impact. Knowing the core, online, and mobile is the starting point to qualifying a prospect.
Using score calculations of FI acquisition risk/reward, contract profitability, and overall bank health, FedFis Digital Prospector determines anoverall prospect FI rating. Combining financial institution data and FinTech data, it delivers a robust built-in ROI model. Packed with key financial data and ecosystem data like core processor, internet banking vendor, and mobile, FIS FedFis is delivering a one-stop hub for critical data and more.
According to Dave Mayo, CEO at FIS FedFis, “FinTech will stop the destruction of banks, not cause it, if they understand Bank financial culture. Digital Prospector creates the first FinTech ecosystem by blending digital products and bank financial data that actually helps both sides with FinTegration.”
About FIS FedFis – FIS FedFis is a partner to the banking industry and serves the largest financial services firms around the world with comprehensive financial data analysis products, news, and the company’s latest product, FedFis Digital Prospector – a blend of FiinTech and banking data to facilitate Fintegration. Additional details can be found at http://fedfis.com.


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Emerging technology has spawned some interesting style trends, at least since iPad broke onto the scene. In recent months, designers have come out with clothes that help you stylishly tote your iPad right on your body. Why carry around a super thin notebook when you can just slip it inside a vest or jacket pocket? There’s even a dress for the ladies.
The most intriguing style that I’ve seen though has got to be the iPad Syte Shirt, where you just carry the device right on top of your chest, and it’s barely noticeable. It’s interactive and see-through, so you can show off a cool design generated from the iPad screen.
But, let Stephen Colbert set the record straight that he was the first to sport the iPad inside his suit jacket at the Emmy’s.
Click to sign up for the Advocate's weekly news digest and be the first to know what’s happening in Lakewood/East Dallas.


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Industry Analyst Jessica Groopman will be a featured speaker at Sweden’s annual IoT Conference on April 26, 2018. Her topic: Three Trends Characterizing the Future of Smart Cities.
Industry Analyst Jessica Groopman will be a featured speaker at Monage’s Alchemist Money Summit April 18, 2018. Her topic: The Consumer Face of Blockchain More information about the session here.
Industry Analyst Jessica Groopman will be a featured speaker at Adobe Summit 2018 in Las Vegas, NV on March 26, 2018. Her topic: The Internet of Trusted Things: How Blockchain Will Power Autonomous Products, Services, and Marketing.
Industry Analyst Jessica Groopman will be a keynote speaker at Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA)’s Regional Summit: Silicon Valley in Santa Clara, CA on March 22, 2018. Her topic: The Internet of Trusted Things: Exploring Blockchain as an Enabler of Trust in an Autonomous World With a projected 10 billion more devices connecting to the Internet […]
Our industry analyst Jessica Groopman will be speaking at Blockchain: Powered by Women in San Francisco, March 14. Learn from Jessica and others on a keynote panel exploring the latest trends and topics in blockchain, seen through the eyes of women leaders in the blockchain and fintech industries. Find out more about the event and register […]
Industry Analyst Jaimy Szymanski will be a featured speaker at TEDx Davenport: Limitless on March 7, 2018. Her topic: What happens when we trade data for super powers? New technologies grant humans exciting “super powers” that result in convenience, efficiency, personalization, and deeper connections. But, at what cost? Bionic brains, x-ray vision, and heightened hearing […]
Our industry analyst Jaimy Szymanski will be onsite at the National Retail Federation’s NRF 2018 in New York on Jan. 14-16. She will be taking briefings to inform her upcoming reports on VR/AR/MR, behavioral science as a driver of CX, and the evolving digital customer journey. Reach out to her at jaimy [at] kaleidoinsights.com to […]
Our industry analyst Jessica Groopman will be onsite at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 in Las Vegas on Jan. 10-11. She will be conducting meetings, briefings, and browsing the latest and greatest in consumer IoT, AI, mobile, robotics, AR/VR, and maybe even blockchain.
Our industry analyst Jessica Groopman will be speaking at the IoT Expo North America on Nov. 29-30 in Santa Clara, Calif. Learn more about the expo and register to attend here. IoT Expo North America showcases speakers, technology leaders, case studies and dedicated tracks covering the entire Internet of Things ecosystem including Smart Transportation & […]


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Technology in Google’s Immersive View in Maps Now Available for Developers
Google is bringing the technology behind its new immersive view in Google Maps to Unreal Engine 5.0. The UE5 support will enable developers to build more powerful mixed-reality experiences.
The Unreal Engine 5.0 support will enable developers to build powerful mixed-reality experiences following the official release of the new Google Cloud tool, Immersive Stream for XR. The Google tool allows users to scan a QR code or to click the link to open a mixed reality experience. The Google Cloud GPUs host, render, and stream experiences to a user’s device behind the scenes, a blog post states.
Advances in computer vision and Artificial Intelligence enabled Google to introduce a new immersive view in Maps. These technologies now allow Google to fuse billions of aerial and Street View images to generate a rich, digital model of the world.
The new immersive view allows users to get the feel of a landmark, neighborhood, or some popular venue in a very immersive way before one even sets foot there. Such a wholesome view of the destinations enables users to make more informed decisions about locations before they even go there.
The immersive view gives users a 3D model of destinations in certain cities, overlaid with rich information such as the traffic conditions and the restaurants close by. In a blog post published last year, Google described an example where with a quick search, a traveler could soar above a destination to get a feel of the neighborhood and the beautiful architecture therein. The location is layered with Google Maps information and even features a time slider that allows the user to check out how the area would look like at different times of the day, in different weather conditions, and to check out the busy spots. The immersive view would even enable users to slide into the nearby spots to get a feel of them before they book their reservations.
Beyond that insight into locations, Google has also highlighted other ways in which the Immersive Stream for XR could be used such as to place (overlay) virtual furniture in augmented reality or to see virtual cars while one is shopping. These use cases are already prevalent in augmented reality and are widely deployed by retailers embracing XR applications.
Immersive Stream for XR Now Available to Developers
This week, Google launched that the Immersive Stream for XR will also support Unreal Engine 5 content. Unreal Engine is becoming increasingly popular with game developers although it can also be deployed in a number of other non-gaming applications. The UE5 support will be a huge plus for developers who wish to make the most of the new Immersive Stream for XR.https://virtualrealitytimes.com/2023/02/11/technology-in-googles-immersive-view-in-maps-now-available-for-developers/Augmented RealityTechnologyGoogle is bringing the technology behind its new immersive view in Google Maps to Unreal Engine 5.0. The UE5 support will enable developers to build more powerful mixed-reality experiences. The Unreal Engine 5.0 support will enable developers to build powerful mixed-reality experiences following the official release of the new Google...Rob GrantRob Grant[email protected]SubscriberVirtual Reality Times - Metaverse & VR


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Marc Bolland, Marks & Spencer chief executive, said the company's clothing results were "not yet satisfactory":
Our Food business has performed very well with record sales over the key Christmas trading period.
Our General Merchandise performance is not yet satisfactory but we are confident that the steps being taken by the new management team will address this.
Our plan is to transform Marks & Spencer from a traditional UK retailer to an international multi-channel retailer. We are making good progress against this plan.
More top news
Police in Beirut are investigating the sudden death of British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes, government sources said.
A tip from the CIA was sufficient to track down and detain a group of suspects planning to bomb the Kazan Cathedral and other sites.
The 12 Years A Slave director is filming an artwork as a 'lasting memorial' to the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.


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The organisers of the Sea Otter Classic have announced that they are to launch an equivalent event in Europe in 2017. Held in Girona, Spain, the catchily-titled “Sea Otter Europe / Costa Brava – Girona Bike Show” will take place from June 3-4.
In the US, the Sea Otter Classic combines racing with a consumer festival and trade show. Bicycle Retailer reports that the Girona event will be similar and will feature mountain bike racing, dual slalom, pump track, children's activities and a product expo.
The US organisers will be partnering with GiOutdoor, a sports promotion company, for the new event.
President and CEO of the Sea Otter Classic, Frank Yohannan, said that Girona – a major European cycling hub and home to a number of pros – represented an ideal location.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with GiOutdoor to introduce our celebration of cycling to the European market. Reaching more cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts has been the long-standing goal of Sea Otter. Girona and the Costa Brava region is the perfect location for us to be able to expand our reach to the European cycling community.”
The Sea Otter Classic began as the Laguna Seca Challenge mountain bike race in 1991. It has grown over the years to take in other cycling disciplines, including a number of road events. Today the event is said to host over 10,000 athletes and 65,000 fans.


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New York City is now one step closer to officially phasing out the iconic MetroCard.
Earlier this month, the MTA began distributing OMNY cards to retailers across the five boroughs, giving New Yorkers their first look at the sleek new card that will be used to tap onto the city’s buses and subways in the years to come.
OMNY, the MTA’s new contactless fare payment, has been rolled out in phases over the past two years, and is now available systemwide at all 472 subway stations, on all 5,800 buses and at all Staten Island Railway stations.
The system allows users to use contactless cards, smartphones or other smart devices to simply tap to pay their fare on all buses and subways throughout the MTA system, as opposed to dipping or swiping a MetroCard.
So how much do these OMNY cards cost? Where can commuters get their hands on one? And do they even need one at this point?
Here’s everything we know so far about the new OMNY card.
HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?
Purchasing an OMNY card will cost commuters $5, plus whatever monetary value they elect to load onto the card.
While the $5 surcharge for an OMNY card appears to be a stark increase from the $1 charge associated with purchasing a new MetroCard, commuters can use their OMNY card for nearly five times as long.
OMNY cards do not expire until seven years after their purchase date, as opposed to MetroCards, which expire in 18 months.
The OMNY cards can be refilled at the retail locations where they’re purchased or online by creating an OMNY account and linking the card.
WHERE CAN YOU BUY THEM?
The MTA has started shipping the new OMNY cards to retail locations throughout the city, like chain drug stores, check-cashing sites and local delis where MetroCards are currently available for purchase.
An MTA spokesman cautioned that once the cards are shipped to a location, the agency does not have control over whether they’re immediately made available for purchase -- meaning some locations that received the cards may not have yet put them up for sale.
For now, those seeking an OMNY card may need to ask around at places where they’ve previously purchased MetroCards to see if the new card is currently available at that location.
In the coming months, the MTA will roll out an online tool that will allow customers to view retailers in their area that have been stocked with OMNY cards, similar to the existing MetroCard Merchant Locator, according to the spokesman.
Later this year, the MTA will begin installing OMNY vending machines at subway stations and other transit hubs throughout the city, granting commuters a quick and easy way to purchase and refill their card.
It’s currently unclear where the OMNY vending machines will be installed on Staten Island, a borough that has MetroCard vending machines installed at just two locations -- the St. George Ferry Terminal and the Eltingville Transit Center.
DO YOU NEED AN OMNY CARD?
Though many people are anxious to get their hands on the new card, there’s only a small number of commuters who will actually need them, and even those people don’t need them just yet.
The vast majority of commuters will never need to purchase an OMNY card if they don’t want one; they can continue paying their fare with their smart device or their own contactless card, as millions have done since the new system was rolled out.
The only people who will need an OMNY card are those without a bank account who have no other means of contactless payment and exclusively use cash to fund their transit trips.
But even these people have over a year to purchase and fill their OMNY card, with the MTA continuing to support the MetroCard for the next year-plus, before completely phasing it out in 2023.


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Banks and retailers are gearing up for the imminent pilot of the UK's first major consumer smartcard project in Northampton.
Credit and debit card holders in the town are in the process of being issued with new cards containing a chip that will authenticate a four-digit Pin typed on a keypad by the customer at the checkout.
The £1.1bn fraud busting scheme will replace the magnetic strip card and signed receipt that APACS, the industry body for clearing houses including Bacs and Chaps, said is a major reason for the UK's annual £411m card losses.
Issues over the payment for the scheme appear to have been resolved, with the banks and stores electing to share the costs.
Over 1,000 retailers will take part in the trial, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Shell, Esso and Dixons.
It will kick off sometime in the spring and, if successful, the banks will aim to roll out the smart cards nationally by 2005.
The UK is someway behind other countries in Europe, such as France, which have been using the Pin method for 10 years.
Duncan Brown, consulting director at analyst Ovum, described the rollout as long overdue.
"Magnetic strip cards are hilariously easy to copy and the chip and Pin technology is well-proven and mature," he said.
Brown predicted that other services are likely to be added to the cards in future.
"One of the interesting prospects is that, once you have a smartcard in everyone's pocket, you have the potential to add other things, such as loyalty card schemes," he said.
A spokesman for the chip and Pin scheme would only say that the project is still "on track" for a spring launch, and that the banks and retailers are currently still in the "planning and testing stage".
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
Fortnite easily out-earns PUBG, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018
Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


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News & Events
Visit us at IJD DIAMONDCON-CUTICON WB-DERMAZONE EAST 2015 -18th to 20th December at Swabhumi, The Heritage Plaza, Kolkata, India.
Shri - Shripad Yesso Naik Honb’le Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH visited our stall in AROGYA 2015 – 12th to 15th Varanasi, Utter Pradesh, India and keenly listening to our briefing and appreciated our research products.
4th-6th September 2015
4th - 6th September 2015 9th SARCD Conference Mysore – Visitors to the Dr. JRK/s Siddha Stall at the conference
Dr. JRK/s Siddha introduces VERDURA range of specialty cosmetics to Dermatologists.
29th and 30th August 2015
29th and 30th Aug 2015 – Visitors in Dr. JRK/s stall in Health, Fitness and Medical Care exhibition at Chennai Trade Centre


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Google buys fossil smartwatch tech for 40 million dollar
Google agreed to pay $40 million (roughly Rs. 280 crores) for the smartwatch technology of the fashion and accessory group Fossil, the companies said Thursday, enabling the California tech giant to expand in the growing wearable tech market.
Wearables have brought Google and the fashion-focused Fossil Group closer together. Today, Fossil announced it will sell intellectual property related to smartwatch technology to Google in a deal worth $40 million. Upon news of the deal, Fossil Group shares jumped about 8 percent today.
“Wearables, built for wellness, simplicity, personalization, and helpfulness, have the opportunity to improve lives by bringing users the information and insights they need quickly, at a glance,” Wear OS VP Stacey Burr said in a statement. “The addition of Fossil Group’s technology and team to Google demonstrates our commitment to the wearables industry by enabling a diverse portfolio of smartwatches and supporting the ever-evolving needs of the vitality-seeking, on-the-go consumer.”
Greg McKelvey, Executive Vice President, and Chief Strategy and Digital Officer at Fossil Group, said the following in a statement:
Fossil Group has experienced significant success in its wearables business by focusing on product design and development informed by our strong understanding of consumers’ needs and style preferences. We’ve built and advanced a technology that has the potential to improve upon our existing platform of smartwatches. Together with Google, our innovation partner, we’ll continue to unlock growth in wearables.
As part of the deal, Texas-based company’s Group research and development team working on the smartwatch will join Google, which will acquire the intellectual property for company smartwatches, the firms said.
The move would give Google the potential to create its own branded smartwatches to compete against Apple, Fitbit, and others in the wearable tech space.
“Wearables, built for wellness, simplicity, personalization, and helpfulness, have the opportunity to improve lives by bringing users the information and insights they need quickly, at a glance,” said Stacey Burr, a vice president at Google Wear OS division.


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There is a lot of excitement following Samsung's upcoming release of the Galaxy Note 7. It is expected to come with plenty of new innovations, so the anticipation is at an all time high. After all, the release is only a few days away. Despite this, however, there is already buzz about the Galaxy S8, which is expected to highlight the VR innovations from Samsung.
It is no secret that Samsung has taken some time and resources to develop the virtual reality arm of the company. It would see, however, that the Korean tech giant is going to incorporate this knowledge into the S8.
GSM Arena claims that, unlike the Note 7, the Samsung Galaxy S8 will come in a standard and an Edge option. Both variants will have a UHD Screen, which is 3840 x 2160px. This is actually a better resolution than the current Oculus Rift, that has a resolution of 2160 x 1200px. The display itself is estimated to be at least 5.5 inches, which is optimal for virtual reality.
However, there is more to VR compatibility than just a good resolution and a well-sized screen - there has to be power behind that still.
Although unavailable in the market as of now, the Galaxy S8 is expected to come powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor, or an Exynos alternate. Yahoo! News adds that it will also run on at least the Android Nougat 7.0, or the latest OS for Android at the time of release.
Of course, Samsung already has a VR headset in the market, which is compatible with present gadgets. That is, the Gear VR. It is currently battling it out with the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Google's Daydream VR. However, creating a handset that is set specifically to the needs and specs of the Gear VR may just be what Samsung needs to bring VR to the next, more publicly friendly level.


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If you’re still rocking an old-age smartphone, it might be time to upgrade.
Not because the Samsung Galaxy S8 is just weeks away or that the iPhone 8 is on the horizon, but because some older handsets are about to lose access to BBC iPlayer.
Announcing the cut, the Beeb has confirmed that all smartphones powered by the now defunct Windows Phone operating system will lose access to its Netflix-rivalling streaming service in April.
According to the corporation, it’s “no longer cost effective” to keep Windows Phone support going.
Those who sport a Windows 10-powered smartphone will still be able to access the BBC’s catch-up service via their phone’s Microsoft Edge browser.
All iOS and Android devices are to keep their sell all singing, all dancing BBC iPlayer apps.
Related: MWC 2017
For those keen to hang on to their devices, Microsoft has confirmed that many older handset are still able to be upgraded to Windows 10.
The company has even launched the Windows 10 Mobile Upgrade Advisor app to help make the process smoother.
If, however, you are in need of a new smartphone, it’s almost the perfect time to upgrade.
With MWC 2017 set to kick off in Barcelona later this month, a fleet of new flagship phones are on their way with the likes of the LG G6 and Huawei P10 both expected to make a formal appearance.
WATCH: Best Smartphone 2016
Would you ditch Windows Phone to carry on watching iPlayer? Let us know in the comments.
Thank you for your visiting on this page These smartphones are about to lose access to BBC iPlayer, We hope this post can be a good reference for you and provide useful information for you :-).


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According to the electronic platform “isagha”, which specializes in monitoring gold prices in Egypt and the Arab world through instantaneous surveys among merchants, the price of a gram of 24 carat gold stabilized at 956.5 pounds.
The price of a gram of 21-carat gold, the best selling in Egypt, stabilized at 837 pounds, while the price of a gram of 18-carat gold was about 717.5 pounds.
The price of a gram of 21-carat gold on Sunday was about 840 pounds, while the price of a gram of 18-carat gold was about 720 pounds.
The price of the pound of gold in Egypt stabilized at 6696 pounds, while the price of an ounce of gold in Egypt recorded 1925 dollars.
The demand for gold in Egypt increases when prices fall.
Leaps in the future
The head of the General Division for Jewelry and Jewelry in Egypt expected that the global price of an ounce of gold would rise beyond the $ 2,500 barrier, and the price of gold grams in Egypt would rise during the coming period, bringing the price of a gram of 21 carat gold to about a thousand pounds, in light of the repercussions of Corona.
Earlier expectations from Bank of America suggested that the precious metal could rise to $ 3,000 an ounce.
Ihab Rashad, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mubasher Capital Holding for Financial Investments, said in previous statements to “Al Ain News” that all indications suggest that the current time is suitable for buying gold, as it has opportunities to rise.
He stressed that the precious metal is now the most prominent store of value in the world, in light of the weakness of the US dollar as well as the return on treasury bills, due to fears of a wave of inflation due to the huge financial aid programs implemented by many countries of the world without being matched by an increase in production.
Gold prices worldwide
Gold retreated globally from its highest level in 3 weeks, as the dollar compensated for some of its losses after a new US rescue package to alleviate the repercussions of Corona faced bipartisan opposition in the US House of Representatives.
Spot gold fell 0.1% to 1927.11 dollars an ounce by 06:29 GMT, after reaching its highest level since September 21 at 1932.69 dollars earlier in the session.
And US gold futures rose 0.5% to 1934.70 dollars an ounce.
“The dollar index rebounded slightly, which put pressure on the precious metal,” said Margaret Yang, an analyst at the DailyFix, which covers trading currencies, commodities and indices.
Gold is considered a hedge against inflation and the currency depreciating, and the yellow metal has gained more than 27% since the beginning of this year, with the support of unprecedented stimulus measures globally to alleviate the economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic.


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Pinehas Nakaziko Local fashion designer, Ingo Shanyenge, is expanding his clothing brand. In this regard he has been recently on a photo-shoot stint in the Capital of his latest menswear collection titled Royalty, under the theme Casual and Leasers. “Royalty is a ready to wear garments. It’s not a new collection as such, but more like a branch-off from ‘Royalty’ which was the collection I showcased end of last year at the Windhoek Fashion Week,” he says. He established his contemporary and Afrocentric clothing brand in 2013. “This is just one of the few Namibian fashion brands that caters for both men and women,” explains Ingo. His achievements in the fashion industry so far is showcasing his sophisticated and well-crafted garments at the Windhoek Fashion Week, Zimbabwe Fashion Week and Brighton Fashion Week in England for the past years. “My latest collection will be dropping at the beginning of March, in a week or two. I release the photo-shoot images online, so there won’t be a fashion show around this collection,” says Ingo. He says he creates something completely new by taking inspiration from things around him, environment or particular situation. “I would research the theme thereof and manipulate the raw research, for example, images of landscapes,” he says. His new collection focusses more on the current trend, which is “high wasted menswear trousers.” I added my touch to it by combining them with easy wear shirts.
New Era Reporter
2018-03-02 09:39:45 1 years ago


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Netflix is losing subscribers for the first time - considers cheaper ad-supported tier
Netflix has blamed increased competition and global economic downturns
Published: 20th April 2022 | Source: flatpanelsHD |
Netflix has lost 200,000 subscribers in Q1 2022
For the first time in 10 years, Netflix has lost subscribers. In Q1 2022, Netflix has lost 200,000 subscribers, with the company blaming a higher level of subscription cancellations and the company's exit from the Russian market, which lost the company 700,000 subscribers.
While this seems like bad news for Netflix, it is worth remembering that the company gained 8.28 million subscribers in Q4 2021, making Q1 2022's regression in subscriber numbers a minor factor. However, Wall Street analysts were expecting Netflix to gain 2.5 million subscribers this quarter, making Netflix's loss of subscribers damaging to the company's stock price.
In Q2 2022, Netflix currently expects to lose around 2 million subscribers. This is due to a worsening global financial situation, the war in Ukraine, and rising fuel prices. Netflix's recent price increases in many nations, including the UK and US (more info here), will certainly not help matters. Many Netflix subscribers are currently downgrading or cancelling their subscriptions for economic reasons.
Netflix currently has 221.64 million subscribers worldwide.
Password sharing and adverts
Netflix is now planning to crack down on password sharing, confirming that they are not testing new tools to detect the practice. Netflix has estimated that 100 million households benefit from password sharing, a practice that the company previously encouraged.
Neflix's CEO, Reed Hastings, has also confirmed that the company is looking into a cheaper ad-supported plan for users. This plan would allow Netflix to offer their services at a lower price point. Netflix plans to offer this option as "a consumer choice", within the "next year or two".
Increased pricing, greater competition, and a worsening global financial situation is starting to hit Netflix's subscriber numbers, and Q2 2022 is expected to be worse than Q1 2022 in this regard.


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Exchange in brief
CertusBank buys securities firm
Blue Ridge Holdings Inc., the parent company of CertusBank, has announced an agreement to buy Sage Southeastern Securities, Inc., a registered broker-dealer out of Atlanta. The new operation will carry the name of Certus Capital, Inc.
CertusBank entered the Savannah market in May when the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance closed Atlantic Southern Bank and CertusBank took over its two local branches, one on Hodgson Memorial Drive and the other in Rincon.
Sage Southeastern Securities, Inc. will be integrated with CertusBank’s wealth management division, based in Charlotte, N.C, The company will continue to service the needs of both Sage Southeastern and CertusBank customers throughout the Carolinas, Georgia and northern Florida.
The terms of the transaction are subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.
Belk scheduled semi-annual charity sale
Belk stores will hold their semi-annual charity sale on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 6-10 a.m. to benefit local non-profit charities and schools.
The charities will get to keep 100 percent of each $5 ticket they sell and shoppers will save 20 to 70 percent off purchases that day.
Belk charity sale tickets are available now to participating nonprofits to sell in advance of the event. There is no limit to the number of tickets charities can sell or the amount of money they can raise.
Belk provides tickets and informational materials at no cost to each participating organization.
Beginning Friday, Oct. 28, tickets may also be purchased at Belk stores with the money divided among participating non-profits and schools at each local store.
To get involved, call or contact the Belk store at Oglethorpe Mall at 912-352-1830 or visit http://www.belk.com/charitysale.
Savannah Tech instructor publishes book
Savannah Technical College English instructor Natarielle Powell has released her debut book ‘Diamonds in my Own Backyard.’
Powell describes the book as a self-improvement manual designed to encourage, enlighten and empower readers of all ages and cultures to utilize their innate gifts and talents to produce financial freedom and positive social change.
Powell, a former United Way Volunteer of the Year, is known for the summer program she organized at age 13.
Information about the book is available at www.natarielle.com or by contacting Powell at 912-704-5662.
Grants to increase exports by small businesses
The U.S. Small Business Administration is providing $30 million in grants to states, territories, and the District of Columbia to help increase exporting by small businesses during the next 12 months. The grants were authorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, under the State Trade and Export Promotion Program (STEP).
The STEP program, launched in March, aligns with President Obama’s national export initiative, which calls for doubling U.S. exports in five years. The program provides federal government funding for 65 to75 percent of program costs, with states supplying the remainder.
Small businesses that want to receive assistance under the STEP program should contact the organizations serving the states in which they are located. For a list of these organizations and more information about the STEP program, visit http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2889/resources/14315.
The SBA anticipates it will conduct a new competition for STEP program grants during the winter of 2011. Awards will be made in September 2012 for export support services by states over the following 12 months.


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You will soon be getting your Android smartphone notifications on your Windows 10 desktop
Gone are the days of receiving the same notification on your phone and PC, and having to dismiss them individually. During a session at BUILD 2016 yesterday, Microsoft showed off its improved notification features with Action Center in the Cloud, a means of sharing notifications between devices with the same Microsoft account. Microsoft explained how missed calls, messages, and other notifications from an Android phone will appear on a Windows 10 PC.
While this concept is already introduced by Microsoft with the Cortana for Android that notifies you on your PC of missed calls from your phone, however, the Redmond giant is taking it a step further with Action Center in the Cloud. Windows 10 users will even be able to reply to the Android notifications directly from a PC.
With the introduction of the new Universal Dismiss, as long as your phone and PC have the same app, one swipe on either device will remove the notification from any devices that it appears on. The most awaited Notification Mirroring is also coming, which will mirror phone notifications on any Windows 10 PC, irrespective of whether that Windows 10 device has the source app for the particular notification. This feature will be integrated with Windows 10 mobile (as long as the phone and PC has the same MSA), and the Cortana app will bring this feature to Android.
While this functionality will work for Windows 10 Mobile devices too, Microsoft would not be bringing this to the iPhone. As far as iOS is concerned, since the OS is so “closed”, Microsoft’s Cortana app would not have the access needed to interact with notifications and respond to messages. Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary update is expected to hit PCs and mobiles this summer with its “future version of Windows.” Such improvements are expected to greatly improve the overall value of the ecosystem.


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Welcome to The Tokenist’s resource hub for investing research. Here, you’ll find guides for surviving – and succeeding – in the ever-changing market.
CoinGecko has partnered with 21Shares to design a uniform classification system for various crypto assets.February 08, 2023
According to India's central bank, only 50,000 users are participating in the country's CBDC pilot project.February 08, 2023
Some crypto advertisers had commercials booked but backed out of the deals after the collapse of FTX.February 08, 2023
A filing with the New York court said that 3AC co-founder Kyle Davies refused to comply with multiple subpoenas.February 08, 2023
Global crypto exchanges are also looking to donate crypto funds to help Turkey and Syria.February 07, 2023


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Monzo, the smartphone only challenger bank raised £1 Million in 96 seconds in it's first crowdfunding round in March 2016, which was the fastest crowdfunding round ever.
The company's most recent crowdfunding campaign raised £70 Million and the co-founder of Instagram, Kevin Systrom is an investor.
But what is the secret behind Monzo's success? Unlike some other banks, there is no cash incentive to join and users do not receive interest on the money you have within the account. However, the company now has half a million users in the UK, who have spent more than £800 Million through the service since launch in 2005.
Some of Monzo's success could be attributed to the fact that users receive foreign exchange for free when using the supplied debit card to make purchases overseas.
In addition, the automatic categorisation of expenses could form a significant part of Monzo's attractiveness as a platform.
Monzo is just a small part of the changing face of consumer banking however.
The banking industry is set to experience a big change in 2018. From the 13th of January of that year the open banking initiative will enable account holders to share their data with licensed startups.
This will enable the development of new products and services utilising that customer data in addition to potentially disrupting the business model of the incumbent financial institutions.
The open banking initiative has been described as banking's "uber moment" however, Martin Lewis of moneysavingexpert.com argues that major banks have the advantage, simply due to the fact that customers are relatively happy with the current situation and are unlikely to change.
There could be big changes in banking in the next few years, but having a sound understanding of your current financial situation and putting a plan in place for your future will always be important. Contact Westminster Wealth Management today.
Is Monzo the Facebook of Banking?


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Meprolight USA, a subsidiary of Meprolight Israel, recently introduced two new backup sights, the Mepro FUBS and the Mepro FABS, as part of its efforts to meet growing demand in the US market. The sights are the latest additions to the company's Mepro FRBS series.
According to the company, the new sights were developed as the company identified increased demand in the US market for optical sights, and particularly demand for backup sights for AR family rifles. Meprolight has stepped up its marketing and manufacturing efforts and has marketed tens of thousands of Self Illuminated Flip Backup sights for both U.S. arms manufacturers and the U.S. civilian market. Thanks to a reliable and fast supply chain, the company captured a significant market share in the American market and in order to maintain its position, it added and diversified the family of backup sights with the launch of the two new sights, the company said.
Benny Kokia, VP of Marketing and Sales - Civil Markets Division, said that the uniqueness of Meprolight's backup sights is that they are adjustable and equipped with an illumination source, which allows accurate shooting even in the evening and at night. The sights do not interfere with or prevent use of optical sights, are easy to maintain, and are durable and reliable for years, according to the company.
Kokia says that the company is one of the main beneficiaries of the increased demand in the American market for optical sights and day/night sights for pistols. U.S. outlets reported increased demand among citizens and hunters for the FORESIGHT sight, which was first launched and marketed in 2020, as well as for Mepro 21 sights, for RDS PRO VII sights with a green and red reticle, and for MicroRDS sights. Thanks to correct assessments, the company in Israel has been able to supply and respond quickly to the increased demand throughout 2020 while abiding by COVID-19 restrictions.
Kokia said, "2020 has enhanced the power of Meprolight. Thanks to a rich variety of optical rifle sights and day/night sights for guns, as well as the successful launch of new products, deepening the company's presence in thousands of US outlets and major trading sites, alongside chain supply efficiency, fast delivery and exceptional dedication of our employees in Israel and the United States, we can be very proud of our achievements. The year 2021 has opened strongly and we hope to persevere, innovate and surprise this year as well."
Meprolight backup sights. Photo courtesy of the company


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Nielsen have published another insight into Americans online behaviour, with some the focus on social entertainment.
[Image courtesy of Nielsen]
From the graphic you can see that Americans are spending nearly a quarter of their time online socially – whether its social media, gaming or email. This leaves little time for your brand site, your latest beautifully crafted online product experience or your latest press release. Year on year we are seeing people spend more and more time in the social web (there have been a 15% rise this year). I see this as an increasing mountain of evidence that if your organisation wants to speak your customers, to break through the noise and provide a memorable customer experience, then you must have a presence in the social space.
Whether its having a YouTube presence like the Home Depot, a Twitter account like Best Buy or just a great Facebook experience like Starbucks – if you’re audience is spending time online in the social space, you should see this as an opportunity to offer a customer experience, because you don’t want to not be there if they go looking for you.
Read the full Nielsen article full of statistics here


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Monsanto to Pay UC $100 Million in Patent Case
Monsanto Co. agreed to pay the University of California more than $100 million to settle the school’s claim that the biotechnology company infringed on a patent related to a hormone that makes cows produce more milk.
The university’s Board of Regents and Monsanto announced the settlement Monday as the bovine growth hormone case was scheduled to go to trial. The suit was filed in 2004.
Under the accord, St. Louis-based Monsanto will pay the school $100 million upfront plus 15 cents a dose, or at least $5 million annually, to license the patented technology. The university’s patent rights expire in 2023.
At issue is the genetically engineered bovine somatotropin hormone, sold under the brand name Posilac. Monsanto says injections of the hormone help dairy cows produce 10% to 15% more milk.
The university alleged that three researchers at UC San Francisco first isolated the DNA used to make the hormone. The lawsuit said Monsanto knew about the research as early as 1985, but sold the product anyway.
Although university researchers might have developed the technology decades ago, the school did not win a patent until 2004, UC spokesman Trey Davis said. The school filed its lawsuit that year.
Monsanto spokesman Andrew Burchett said that the company was the first to produce the product commercially and that it patented the production process.
Monsanto said the agreement with the university would give it an exclusive commercial license to use the university’s patented hormone. The university will have the right to use the hormone in noncommercial research, and the U.S. government will retain some rights because federal funding was used to develop the technology.
The company said the settlement would not hurt its performance this year. Burchett said Monsanto would not disclose annual sales of Posilac.
The three scientists at UC San Francisco who first developed the hormone are Walter L. Miller, Joseph A. Martial and John D. Baxter, according to the school.
Miller said he was happy with the settlement. He published his first paper on the hormone technology in 1980.
“It’s been 26 years, and it’s nice to have it done,” Miller said.
Miller said he and his fellow researchers were denied a patent for decades mainly because of technicalities with the patent process, not problems with their scientific work.
The hormone has stirred debate since it was approved for commercial use by the Food and Drug Administration in 1993. Consumer groups worry that the hormone could affect human health, and many milk brands carry labels advertising that they are Posilac-free.
Shares of Monsanto rose 55 cents Monday to $85.19.


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The Plaza at Preston Center has long been a bastion of Dallas’ best shopping – and cupcakes (Hello, Sprinkles!). Soon, a new name will add to the prestigious center’s already illustrious list of tenants.
Calypso St. Barth Home will be opening its doors on April 29th, just around the corner from its apparel store. President Stefanie DiRienzo Smith said recently, “We have enjoyed such a strong following from the Dallas community. The small amount of Home items we could carry in our apparel store always sold out, so when our manager Amy, made us aware of a store vacancy, we jumped at it.”
Anne Haagenson, a buyer for Calypso Home added, “Our design philosophy is composed of five simple elements: colors, texture, layers, print and shape, seen in the artisan objects and textiles that we are passionate about. This Calypso Home will also have one of a kind chairs and handmade custom dining tables, perfect for Dallas’s legendary dinner parties.”
The store will be located at 8413 Preston Center Plaza, Dallas, Texas 75225. Hours will be Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.


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Europe’s largest software maker recorded strong cloud growth, while on-premise licence sales recovered
SAP on Tuesday reported total revenues and operating profits that beat analysts’ expectations, expanding its revenues from cloud-based products even as its standard on-premise licence business recovered.
The results, brought forward by a week, indicated that SAP is making the transition to the cloud without sacrificing profits, according to industry analysts. They contrasted the German company’s performance with that of Oracle, which last month reported first-quarter revenues that fell short of analysts’ expectations, in part due to the company’s shift to cloud products.
SAP said sales and earnings growth was also strengthened by a weaker euro, something US-based competitors don’t benefit from.
SAP competes in cloud-based services with newer companies such as Salesforce.com and Workday, as well as more established companies such as Oracle and IBM.
Cloud services, which are offered over the Internet rather than hosted on-premises, have grown rapidly in popularity but bring in lower short-term revenues, since users pay only for what they use on a subscription basis. Cloud software makers argue that in the longer term they can make up the shortfall through subscription and services revenues.
SAP’s third-quarter operating profit rose 19 percent to 1.62 billion euros (£1.06bn), beating analyst estimates that topped at 1.59bn euros. The strong results were largely driven by sales in established markets, SAP said.
“SAP’s global resilience helped us also sail through stormy waters in emerging markets where we expect to continue to see volatility and economic challenges,” said SAP chief financial officer Luka Mucic in a statement.
Cloud subscriptions and support revenue more than doubled to 600m euros in the quarter, while the company’s on-premise licence sales recovered from a weak second quarter, growing 4 percent.
Total revenues of 4.98bn euros beat analysts’ estimates of about 4.93bn euros.
SAP said it was standing by its outlook for the full year for operating profit of 5.6bn euros to 5.9bn euros, a rise of up to 5 percent from last year’s 5.6bn euros.
How much do you know about the cloud? Try our quiz!


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अपडेट किया गया: 8 नव. 2019
Nbt Milly Rackz Hit 2.5 million Streams within 60 days of its release on 12/21/18. Rackz currently sits at a little over 2.74 million streams on sound cloud go, the premium side of the streaming platform. Rackz is Also doing well on other streaming platforms like Spotify where its already over 100,000 streams and climbing.