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Dubai’s vision of transporting residents via flying taxis could become a reality sooner than expected, after Chinese startup EHang told Bloomberg it aims to roll out the drone-style cars in the emirate as early as 2018.
The company is also eyeing Saudi Arabia as a potential market, it was reported.
EHang has already developed a one-passenger drone and is now working on a larger two-seater model that is currently being tested at the company’s headquarters, located at a disused theme park in Guangzhou, southern China.
The E-184 drone, which is powered by four propellers, has a cruising speed of up to 100 kilometres per hour and a flight time of up to 25 minutes before the battery must be recharged.
Passengers in the fully-automated drones select a pre-programmed flight path to reach their destination then sit back and enjoy the view.
The company hopes to roll out the taxi drones in Dubai as early as next year, subject to regulatory approval. “We will start mass production of our passenger drones at the beginning of next year,” EHang CEO Hu Huazhi told Bloomberg TV. “We also plan to install fully automated production lines to enlarge manufacturing capacity in 2018.”
In addition, the company plans to embark on an ambitious mass production plan to reach markets in Saudi Arabia, Singapore and several European cities.
In February, EHang announced its partnership with Dubai’s RTA at the World Government Summit with the shared aim of developing the world’s most intelligent transport system. HE Mattar Al Tayer said at the time of the announcement that the authority would make “every effort to start the operation of the autonomous aerial vehicle in July 2017.”
On its website, EHang describes the E-184 as “the safest, smartest and eco-friendly low-altitude autonomous aerial vehicle.”
Powered by electricity, it is made with 100-percent green technology and is designed to land immediately at the closest possible location in case of malfunction.


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London, UK (PRWEB UK) 13 December 2013
The BBC journalist credited with popularising the 5:2 diet will eat a tapeworm for a new science show about parasites, The Mirror reported November 27th. The article, “5:2 diet journalist will eat a tapeworm for BBC Four show about parasites,” noted that Michael Mosley, who studied the two-days-a-week calorie-restriction diet in a Horizon documentary, gathered tapeworm cysts from an abattoir and swallowed them for the BBC Four show Infested. A BBC spokesman commented that Mosley will ‘systematically infect himself with some of the most extraordinary, powerful and surprising parasites of them all’ in order to examine their possible medical benefits.’ (http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/52-diet-journalist-eat-tapeworm-2858815#ixzz2lviMWz8W)
Following on from this, Yourwellness Magazine explored popular diets, aiming to determine which one is best for overall health and wellness. According to Yourwellness Magazine, ‘New diets grab the headlines every few weeks, which makes it incredibly hard to choose [one] – how do you know which are the real deal and which are just fads?...When it comes to choosing the best diet for your health and goals, it’s important to first discuss it with your GP – they will help you take any other health concerns into account, and to draw up a plan that works best for you. (http://www.yourwellness.com/2013/11/which-diet-is-best-for-you/#sthash.DvM1fCy3.dpuf)
Yourwellness Magazine explained that a low carb diet, such as the Atkins diet, emphasises the protein and fats in food. People following this diet can eat around one third of their daily calorie intake from carbs. Yourwellness Magazine pointed out that many fruits and vegetables are considered high in carbohydrates, so this diet can be incredibly bad for health and it limits meal options. Yourwellness Magazine asserted that the Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, relies heavily on an intake of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables, whole grains and heart-healthy olive oil.
To find out more, visit the gateway to living well at http://www.yourwellness.com.

domain: news


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Synchrony has introduced the Synchrony Home Credit Card, which is aimed at consumers seeking home appliances and furnishings.
According to the Stamford-headquartered company, the new credit card carries no annual fee and offers a 2 percent cashback as a statement credit on purchases under $299. The card also features six months of promotional financing on purchases of $299 or more and 12 to 60 months of promotional financing on qualifying purchases at participating retailers. The card is being issued and serviced by Synchrony Bank. The company said that it was working with Discover Global Network to enable a wider merchant acceptance within the home category.
“Synchrony Home cardholders are looking for incredible value and different financing options when it comes to making their homes feel like their own,” said Neeraj Mehta, CEO of payment solutions at Synchrony, adding that the card will provide consumers with “more buying power and the cashback rewards they’re looking for to help meet their home desires.”


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The New York Times announced that beginning Thursday, that their articles and their paywall were going to hit the Flipboard app. While some are still trying to figure out what the heck Flipboard is, we're trying figure out who got the better end of this deal.
For those not fully aware -- Flipboard is basically an app that reformats a website's stories, Facebook news feeds, and Twitter into big, beautiful eye-pleasing layouts. Apple called it the best tablet app in 2010, and it might be a media industry savior.
Well, its deal with The New York Times is simple. You'll be able to get full access to New York Times articles on Flipboard beginning Thursday, but unless you're a subscriber, you'll also have to deal with the pesky 10-article-per-month paywall that the Times has adopted--premium Times content was locked for Flipboard users. What isn't so simple is how this affects both media companies or if this is even a good move, which is where we try and break it down for you:
With the deal, The Gray Lady gets to be hipper (think: cool mom). No, seriously. It seems just yesterday we were talking about the fun New York Times and Buzzfeed collaboration in covering the Republican and Democratic conventions, which sent the Twitterverse into an OMG-peppered tizzy. With Flipboard, it's another step into that direction even though Tech Crunch's Alexia Tsotsis sounds a little less than enthusiastic. "Fine. Sure. It’s a big deal, in a business that is slowly dying, to show an understanding of 21st century distribution mechanisms. Kudos NYT. You’re still worth less than Instagram."
For an app that's often described as niche and often comes with a several-word explanation, this pairing might be what Flipboard needs to get some name recognition. "[F]or Flipboard, the vote of confidence from the paper of record is a nice momentum marker," writes AllThingsD's Peter Kafka. "Flipboard started out in 2010 with what was effectively a nice way to look at Facebook and Twitter streams," he writes. And Mashable's Todd Wasserman adds, "For Flipboard, the announcement is the latest in a couple of high-profile moves over the past few weeks including the introduction of an Android app and integration with Google+ and YouTube."
Essentially, in two short years, a nice way to look at media has turned into something that gives you all the news that's fit to print, and it holds a nice bargaining chip with future publishers now--not bad.
Denise Warren, general manager of The Times' website, revealed that a recent survey determined that 20 percent of NYT subscribers 20 percent said they read Web content through third-party apps like Flipboard that feature a variety of sources, reports the Times' own Bits Blog. And that's a hefty percentage. But Kafka points out how that can be deceiving:
Times subscribers already have access to the New York Times on just about any device they want. And the Flipboard version looks and acts almost exactly the way the Times apps act (see screenshot). This just means you don’t have to toggle between the Times app and Flipboard.
Ahhh, the money. According to the Times's bits blog, the paper "will sell full-screen ads that appear between its Flipboard pages, which are intended to be more attention-grabbing than conventional web advertising", but aren't revealing how the revenue will be split. On name recognition alone, we're guessing it's easier to sell ads on The New York Times than it would be the other way around. So there's that--that America's paper of record should receive a bigger chunk of the revenue.
But it's worth noting that ads haven't been working out so well for The Times' media giant neighbor down the street: Conde Nast, where two of its publications, Wired and The New Yorker, aren't seeing benefits and have cut their ties to the app. "All the others that went to that more robust experience are staying on it," said Josh Stinchcomb, VP for digital sales at the Conde Nast Media Group told Ad Age. "Some are having great success with the advertising piece. It's becoming clear that it's not one size fits all."
As Kafka noted, the pages on the Times app and Flipboard look identical. And that might be a good thing for The Times. Hear us out. As Ad Age's Nat Ives reports, one of the reasons behind The New Yorker and Wired cutting the cord with Flipboard was because of a lack of advertising. The other reason seems to be aesthetics. "Nobody will deny that Flipboard is a beautiful product, but the question is, is it too beautiful?" an executive told Ives. "What people want out of a magazine is exactly what they're delivering. So if people feel like they're getting that already, even if it's not the same depth of content that would be in a print or monthly publication, then are they less likely to want to find it in the magazine itself?"
The Times is no magazine. And with its paywall, there's no danger in people jumping ship the way they would with those Conde titles.
If the aesthetics remain the same, Flipboard: loses what they've been known for--making ugly dull things pretty.
Winner: The Times
Of course, this is speculation at best and we won't know how this all shakes out until Thursday (and beyond). But for now, it looks like Flipboard may have got the better end of this deal.
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to email@example.com.


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Ramadan generates higher revenues for businesses, not just for food items, but also non-food products like ‘choolas’ (braziers) and girgian boxes. Stoves and cooking ranges are the bestselling non-food items during Ramadan, as they are frequently used in Kuwaiti households. The handmade ‘choola’ is unique to many Kuwaiti homes.
Like girgian boxes, the choola is handmade, and decorated with beautiful designs. “I have got many orders from companies and individuals ahead of Ramadan. For us, Ramadan is something unique and special,” said Adnan Tinwala, a shop owner at Souq Safafeer (tin market) in Kuwait City. “Our sales are increasing every Ramadan – by 30 percent to even 100 percent,” he said. Girgian boxes are ordered a few months before Ramadan by many retailers. “We need to deliver the girgian boxes one or two weeks before Ramadan so that they can be displayed,” Tinwala said.
Girgian bags are known to many children in Kuwait, but girgian boxes are used by adults to store girgian gifts. “Kids are into smaller bags of gifts, but adults want it bigger. The boxes are colorfully designed. Those ordering such boxes are private companies and government ministries,” he said. “The bigger the box, the higher the price – small girgian boxes will cost you KD 3, while larger boxes cost around KD 15.” The boxes are made of wood and corrugated tin, and embellished with designs distinct to Kuwait. “The design and combination of colors are unique to Kuwait – they are very Kuwaiti and popular,” Tinwala added. His shop is known to some in the market by the name of his father Sameer. “He is into the electrical and construction supply business. Eight years ago, my father added this business. I’ve been running this shop for the last six years, one year after I graduated from college in India,” he told Kuwait Times. Adnan admires his father because of his never-say-die attitude. Sameer started working in Kuwait as a carpenter in the woodworking industry in Shuwaikh industrial area. One day, his friend offered him a shop, which he stocked with electrical and construction products. Sameer still runs that shop.
Eight years ago, he diversified his business by opening the box workshop in Souq Safafeer, a traditional iron and tin market in Kuwait City. Souq Safafeer’s history can be traced back to the early 1950s. It eventually became known to many in Kuwait as a popular destination for people seeking corrugated tin, iron or stainless steel products like braziers, cargo trunks, storage lockers, barbeque stands, cooking pots and even caskets for the dead
By Ben Garcia


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On the heels of the government's announcement of closure of 1600 Internet cafes this year around the country, the Chinese Internet cafe industry is on the verge of a crisis. The industry itself says about 90% of its China-wide outlets are facing hard times.
Concerned officials from the Ministry of Culture have disclosed both during and after this past week's China Netcafe Industry Alliance Summit that some new measures and regulations favorable to the industry will soon be issued.
Some guidelines that are expected to be issued by the Ministry are allowing businesses to have later opening hours and also allowing people under 18 entrance to the Internet areas of the cafes. However the total number of cafes allowed to follow the new guidleines are expected to be low, as the Ministry will want to monitor activities in a small area first before opening up the new policies to all of China's Internet cafes.


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Risks are being taken. More than this, they’re being rewarded. With the growth of independent presses, prizes and the rising number of literary journals, there’s been something of a tide change in the profile of innovative novels. Challenging writing is not only being produced, it’s finding an audience.
So says a recent article in The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/20/hard-books-literary-experimentaion-popularity-shrinking-market
Anyone who’s ever tried to pitch a book to a publisher only to be asked to classify it into a genre and to name a similar book that’s sold well can take heart from Paul Kingsnorth, whose novel The Wake, written in a made-up version of Old English, has just been longlisted for the Man Booker. The Wake was rejected by conventional publishers, who asked if it couldn’t be rewritten in English, but published by Unbound which, as Kingsnorth says in this BBC interview, is
a new kind of publisher. The way it works is, in order to get the book published on its initial print run, you have to have enough potential readers pledging to support the book financially.
A great idea? Gert thinks so.


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Cold Stone Creamery now in Philippines
US ice cream parlor Cold Stone Creamery has finally opened its first outlet in the Philippines, almost a year after premium ice cream chain Haagen Dazs exited the market.
The exit of Haagen Dazs from the Philippines makes Cold Stone Creamery the only premium ice cream brand in the country, says Michael McGill, president of international.
“We love ice cream competition and I’m sorry they left the country but we see this as an opportunity for our brand to really appeal to the masses, with our unique experience, our ice cream is made fresh in the store every day,” he said.
Cold Stone Creamery is operated by local company Arizona Ice Cream Corporation, which plans to open 15 outlets over the next five years.
A second outlet will be opened at SM Mall of Asia in June.
McGill says he is confident of the market due to the country’s economic climate.
“There’s an emerging middle class in the Philippines and also the sense that there isn’t a super-premium ice cream concept in the Philippines. So we felt we can come here and fill the need of ice cream lovers here,” he said.


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New Delhi: With India emerging as a preferred destination for the global tourist, achieving higher standards of excellence in every area of the hospitality industry is the need of the hour.
This was the theme around which the International Hospitality Fair (IHF) 2007 was structured by CII with focus on strengthening the B2B platform wherein, hospitality and allied industry can play a stronger role.
It outlined a road map for service sector providers, government bodies and tourism departments that could help retain the incoming tourist while building on these numbers.
Tejendra Khanna, Lt. Governor, Delhi said that the net value addition will only go towards enriching the experience of a tourist which will in turn create an everlasting impression of the country.
Also, globalization will bring diffusion of cultures and India’s transformation will only serve to be a catalyst in pushing up numbers of inbound tourists in coming years.
The four day fair will highlight sourcing needs for the latest in food & beverage, bakery, food service, hospitality equipment, products, services and technology. More than 100 exhibitors are participating with products, services and solutions related to the hospitality industry.
* Have more city centric events that help bring out the tradition, art, culture and ethos of the city. Delhi will have cultural programmes every month: Arvinder Singh Lovely, tourism minister, Delhi
* Additional 5000 rooms by 2010 to accommodate tourists visiting the city for Commonwealth Games
* Focus on eco-tourism and sustainable growth
* Skill development initiatives


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The results of The Hot List are in—find out who makes the cut by getting our latest issue of NZ Marketing.
Marketing, advertising & media intelligence
Are you what you think you are? Find out by getting our latest issue of NZ Marketing.
TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards 2016: Cinderella stories for Marley, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Eat My Lunch, Mercury Energy and more
A record number of attendees, dressed in their finest, made their way to the The Langham in Auckland last night to celebrate the 2016 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards winners. Ben Fahy, publisher and editorial director of Tangible Media’s business network and Marketing Association chief executive Gill Stewart hosted the event, while comedian and television personality Te Radar stepped on stage again as MC.
Jeremy Wells is prolific in the media. One minute he might be fooling around with the Alternative Commentary Collective, next minute he’ll be imitating Mike Hosking on Hauraki, then he might pop up on-screen in a Meridian ad. Here’s what media the deadpan disc-jockey consumes in his own time.
While RNZ exists on the periphery of the commercial world, the organisation’s chief executive sees it as increasingly important to work with the nation’s major media companies.
Long before Online Republic was the Kiwi success story sold to Australia-based Webjet for $85 million, Sim Ahmed wrote a cover story for NZ Marketing in 2013 telling the story of how the company's founder Mike Ballantyne discovered success by moving away from ego-stroking digital campaigns and focusing on the unsexy—but increasingly important—realm of search engine marketing. Today, we revisit this tale. (Please note: this story features previously published content).
Products don’t exist in a vacuum. And the circumstances they’re experienced in play a much bigger role than we realise, says Andrew Lewis.
In a congested space like the electricity market, it’s difficult to stand out from the crowd. But, Flick is on a mission to do just that with its educational, customer-centric approach, socially conscious advertising and digitally savvy service. And making sure the brand stays true to its purpose is general manager of brand Jessica Venning-Bryan, one of the company’s leading lights.
Us&Co may be new kids on the block, but the team says it's on the road to reinventing the ad game, leaving traditional business models in the dust. Here's a peek at the agency and what it's been up to.
At Previously Unavailable’s breakfast event this week, Air New Zealand’s head of innovation Scott Bishop spoke about the difference between companies with an offensive mindset (like, unsurprisingly, Air New Zealand, or Tesla, which took its patents open-source and backed itself to stay ahead of the competition) and companies with a defensive mindset. The defensive companies generally fail because they’re trying to protect a legacy and tend to force customers to adapt to their business model, rather than looking at what their customers actually want and solving their problems. While we’re not deluded enough to place ourselves in the same category as Air New Zealand or Tesla, the same binary choice applies to us: try to create the new, or try to maintain the old. So, after much chin-stroking, spreadsheet-staring, brow-furrowing and distance-gazing over the past few months, we’ve decided to take the offensive.
The dynamic duo that is Jono and Ben can be found everywhere in the media these days. When they're not on their own show, they're in the news for attempting to ride a banana boat across the Cook Strait, or some other such shenanigan. We caught up with the pair to find out what media they consume when they're not in it.
Of all the brands sold in New Zealand, none was rocked in 2015 quite as significantly as Volkswagen after the emissions scandal broke. So, if there’s one person who’s learnt a thing or two about change, it’s the car brand’s general manager Tom Ruddenklau.
As Ben Fahy skyrockets through middle management and passes the editorial baton of NZ Marketing and StopPress on to Damien Venuto, he valiantly searches for the meaning of life (and marketing).
Celebrity endorsement is as old as advertising itself, spanning everything from Pope Leo XIII appearing on a poster for vin Mariani back in the late 1800s to Keiran Read giving Plumbing World the thumbs up to Homer Simpson designing ‘The Homer’. But the digital age has accelerated the trend and moved it in a different direction, with brands trying to cash in on the cachet of celebrities both traditional and new age. So how can they bask in the glow of these ‘influencers’? And how can they use imagery to make an impact? The next StopPress Presents event aims to uncover a few tricks of the trade.
Shouting out random things in a public space isn’t the best conversation starter in real life. And TRA's Colleen Ryan argues the same applies in social media.


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If you think today's business environment is chaotic, brace yourself. You ain't seen nothin' yet.
That's a bold statement, considering all of the economic, legislative, regulatory and technological changes we're dealing with these days. But the folks at Intuit and Emergent Research insist the next decade will bring unprecedented change … and tantalizing new opportunities.
They've released a report titled, “Intuit 2020: Twenty Trends That Will Shape the Next Decade,” and it's an eye-opener.
The report identifies 20 demographic, social, economic and technology trends that will shape the next decade, and it underscores one unmistakable fact: The chaos we're feeling today will intensify as the next 10 years play out, and CPAs will play a role in bringing order to that chaos.
“The world is rapidly becoming more complex,” said Steve King, principal researcher for Emergent Research, which conducted the study in partnership with Intuit. “Small businesses in particular are going to need more assistance in understanding this complex world. Tax law changes, health care changes, environmental law changes, globalization, just to name a few — there are a lot of areas in which businesses will need help, and that's a great opportunity for CPAs.”
In its entirety, the report is too big to examine in one blog post, so we're going to spend the next few days examining each of the report's four key sections in detail. Let's start with …
Demographic trendsHere's what the report says we can expect on the demographic front in 2020:
1. Digitally savvy kids grow up and change everything.Gen Y will mature, continuing to be quick adopters of new technology, with a focus on careers, families, home ownership and high-tech living. Gen Z will enter their teen years, natively fluent in both mobile and social platforms, as the global grid is their toy, their inspiration and their education.
2. Baby boomers gray, but they don't slow down.Baby boomers will dominate the graying population of the industrialized world. But 2020 will see a new breed of senior citizens with “unretirement” and active engagement best describing their lifestyle choices as they continue to work in their current professions or even opt to start new careers.
3. It's a She-conomy.Women, especially those in emerging markets, will be a dominant force in the global market, taking increased leadership responsibilities across business, government and education.
4. Cultural fusion brings global tastes to local markets.The adoption and adaptation of global traditions into local habits will emerge as a growing trend due to the widespread use of the Web. Exposure to different cultures and practices through the Web's global grid will become the norm as consumers and businesses worldwide view, share, tweak and adopt products and practices.
5. Economic opportunities fuel urban living.Driven by economic opportunity, the shift from rural to urban will continue, with about 60 percent of the global population living in cities and suburbs by 2020. More than 50 cities worldwide will boast more than 5 million inhabitants, with more than 20 megacities teeming with more than 10 million residents each.
So we have one of the largest generations in history — the boomers — redefining what the Golden Years look like. We have another huge generation — the millennials — replacing boomers and redefining the workplace, bringing with them new attitudes, technologies and priorities. We have women redefining leadership, and we have a swing toward multiculturalism that's redefining our lives.
It's going to be an interesting decade, isn't it? Sounds like business leaders will have to re-learn a thing or two as well.
Read the report in its entirety, then check out my interview with Emergent Research's Steve King:
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The Indian Premier League may be injured, but it's certainly not out, say people who are negotiating sponsorship deals with the BCCI and the individual teams. The 2016 edition of the tournament may not have attracted astronomical amounts of money from sponsors, but the interest is still alive despite the controversies. Though the BCCI has maintained that handset company Vivo has paid as much as Pepsi did (Rs 85 crore per year) for the title sponsorship for three years, insiders claim that the size of the deal is much lower.
In fact, Pepsi itself is back as an associate sponsor in IPL by paying a much lower price. Pepsi has the pouring rights for the entire tournament, which means that through the tournament only Pepsi products would be available at the stadiums and the grounds. "Brands are restructuring their existing deals cost-effectively," points out Hitesh Gossain, Founder, Onspon, a sponsorship marketplace.
The 2016 edition may not see a lot of the traditional sponsors, but there are a number of new entrants such as Oxygen and Oppo Mobiles, which are more than willing to come in as sponsors. "Brands see IPL as a great platform to announce their launch. So, you either have absolutely new brands sponsoring IPL this year or established brands such as Maruti, which have a slate of new launches," explains Gossain.
Though there is indeed a slight correction in prices, sponsorship rates haven't dipped dramatically. Placing one's brand on the front of the jersey of the players still costs around Rs 20 crore for an established team such as Kolkata Knight Riders. While some of the newer teams such as Pune or Rajkot may have to be content with Rs 9 crore, Gossain says that since these teams have celebrity players such as M.S. Dhoni and Suresh Raina, they are attracting a lot of interest from sponsors. Neither team has finalised its list of sponsors, but they have managed to get good conversations going.
Rohit Gupta, President (Network Sales), Sony Pictures Network, claims that it is for the first time that they have completely sold out their ad inventory almost a month before the tournament. "We usually have 25-30 per cent of our inventory left a month before the tournament begins and the fact that we are completely sold out is a pleasant surprise. This shows that IPL as a brand has definitely survived the controversy." Gupta says that the ad rates this year have surged by 15 per cent (Rs 5.75 lakh for a 10-second spot), while HD ad rates have gone up to Rs 2 lakh per 10 seconds.
Gupta also agrees with Gossain that the 2016 edition has seen a lot of new brands advertising on IPL. While e-commerce topped the advertiser list last year, this year it is only the bigger players such as Amazon and Flipkart that are around, while smaller players like Shopclues have bowed out of the IPL.
Though IPL continues to woo sponsors, its biggest challenge would be to lock in long-term sponsors (just as EPL teams have). Thanks to the string of controversies, brands are sceptical to associate themselves for the longer term. Even the title sponsorship deal is just for three years. "This time around many brands are looking at only one-year deals," points out Gossain of Onspon.


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The fashion industry is ever booming, where each season brings about new trends and evolving style. It’s difficult enough keeping up with the latest fashion trends, but what’s even more difficult is acquiring the look without breaking the bank.
Major luxurious brands feel the pinch now more than even when affordability comes into the equation. Consumers are living more sparingly due to the uncertainty of global finances. Markets are constantly unstable and this results in it being challenging for the public to splurge. With that being said, high-end brands are just not as profitable as they were a decade ago.
Due to unstable finances, young shoppers are opting to have quantity of quality. A typical example would be comparing an entry level Balmain jeans that would cost nothing under $470 while on the other hand an entry level H&M jeans cost as little as $11 and retain a very similar look. The drastic difference in price allows buyers more financial freedom to buy more for less. This is one of the main reasons why high-end brands are feeling the pressure. It’s practically impossible competing with regular brands that bring in more ideas and furthermore more revenue.
A number of high-end brands have closed stores worldwide due to being volatile in this market. Michael Kors is amongst these brands that are experiencing the kick in the market. In a website post last May the company released their annual figures which have decreased in both profit and revenue. Revenue has stooped to $1.06 billion from $1.20 billion which is a decrease of 11.2%! Gross profits took a major knock as well making Michael Kors less profitable than previous years. Other such high-end stores that took a step further by closing stores were Bebe (180 stores closed) and True Religion Jeans (27 stores closed).
Regular international brands like Zara, H&M and Forever 21 are reaping the benefits of sales due to the fact that new stocks arrive almost weekly instead of seasonally. Majority of items are priced well and appeal to people of all classes. Due to this fact consumers have the ability to be more flexible and efficient in obtaining the latest trends. All items and garments are great quality and thus worth every penny.
This cycle altogether makes it quite strenuous for luxury brands to compete with regular brands. The quality is there, but prices and variety are strictly limited making it a big problem. New pieces are usually released seasonally at over the top prices. Plenty of high-end shoppers have admitted to buying second-hand luxury items for a fraction of the retail price from private sellers. This gives those who want to own luxury high-end products plenty of opportunities to own certain things without paying the full price.
Another major challenge high-end brands face is replica items being sold across the globe. Many buyers have said that they would rather have a replica item that looks the exact same as that of an expensive brand without having the hassle of paying exorbitant amounts. This is an issue all luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Channel and Dior face. The unfortunate reality is that nothing can be done about these replica goods being sold because these brands wouldn’t know where to begin to stop the production of them.
With regards to marketing, it should be noted that regular brands advertise a lot more than luxury brands. Most high-end brands don’t find the need to advertise or market their items as much as regular, everyday brands. High-end brands rarely have sales and even when they do, items are still crazy expensive! On the contrary, normal brands are at a great advantage because they often have unbeatable deals that appeal to everyone, making it once again an extremely competitive market.
In the current fashion industry luxury brands need to realize now more than ever that the progressive global changes affect the buyer. New ideas and innovations need to be implemented as the market gets tighter with new competition popping up daily. People are evolving and becoming more practical and fashion is no more about brands but about practicality.


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With their work, the research team has created the world's first reflective electronic display, which is capable of displaying full motion video while also displaying print-quality color images while maintaining good visibility under all lighting conditions.
The display is based on the electrowetting display principle, and significant advancements have been made in the technology by implementing a new, 5.8-inch TFT active matrix panel with extremely high transmission, a new display driver capable of addressing the reflective panel with 18-bit color signals, and employing a revolutionary display architecture based on layered switching of the base colors used in coherence detection and recognition.
According to Professor Zhou, this is the first time the world has had the opportunity to see a full-color movie with realistic colors displayed on a reflective screen. This outstanding performance is also owed to the dyes used by the color layers, which are also manufactured by the SCNU team and have set new records.
Professor Alex Henzen, a founding member of the SCNU team and technical leader on e-paper, demonstrated a tablet computer prototype using a new 5.8-inch e-paper display. Professor Alex Henzen stated that this reflective, sunlight readable tft display will revolutionize the e-reader and tablet markets by reducing display energy requirements by several orders of magnitude, allowing for days of continuous color video on a single battery charge, and allowing users to finally enjoy reading tablets in bright sunlight for the first time.
Outdoor billboards using electrowetting color video e-paper have significant improvement potential due to the following characteristics: high contrast, low power consumption, and a wide color gamut.
Since demonstrating color and monochrome e-paper outdoor billboard components to potential customers two years ago, the team has been working to improve the technology and application of e-paper outdoor billboards. The pixel structure has been changed significantly, and this is the most significant change. Based on a new process and the technology described in the preceding section, the team was able to significantly improve the structure's size and shape, resulting in an increase in display pixel aperture to more than 80% and a contrast ratio of more than 10:1. It improves the overall color and brightness of the display. What's more, an expert dye synthesis team has optimized the dye formula, which has resulted in improved contrast and color gamut on par with magazine color print (SWOP) and television display (sRGB).
Specifically, the team will demonstrate four new prototypes: two reflective color display panels with variations in the way light is reflected, and two monochrome reflective panels, one of which approaches the brightness of paper with some angle dependence, while the other achieves 40% reflectance while maintaining a completely diffuse image. All of the prototypes are fully video capable and deliver 6 bits greyscale or 18 bits color, depending on the configuration.
For many years, the e-reader market has been anticipating the arrival of a color video e-paper display. This is a large and demanding market, particularly in the areas of education and outdoor application. According to Professor Zhou, the high demand for online learning during the epidemic this year highlights the need for reflective color video display technology in the future. Our display technology is a perfect match for the extensive set of features that these devices require. We plan to launch our first application product in the summer of 2021, which will be available for download. The team anticipates that the industrialization of this technology will be completed by 2021.
An institute for electronic paper displays at South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics of South China Normal University, founded in 2012 by a group of original core members of the Philips e-paper display research and development team, was established in 2012. The Institute's primary focus is on the research, development, and industrialization of environmentally friendly optoelectronic technologies, with color electronic paper displays and video capability serving as major challenges. Since receiving a grant from the National Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFB0401500), the institute, in collaboration with 12 other institutes, has increased the pace of innovation and made significant strides in the last calendar year.


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Sports Direct, the sportswear retailer, has reported a fall in first-half pre-tax profits of 40.8% to £57.8m after being impacted by unfavourable exchange rates.
However, Sports Direct’s performance came in ahead of analyst expectations. Over the 26 week period to October 25 UK retail sales rose 14.9% to £588m. Group revenues grew 10.1% to £756.9m with a strong performance from the international retail business which was up 22.8%, with underlying EBITDA for that part of the business up 20%.
Sports Direct chief executive Dave Forsey said: “We are pleased with our performance in the first half of this year, when conditions remained challenging.”
He added: “Although the operating environment is likely to remain difficult; we have motivated colleagues, a fantastic unrivalled range of products for our customers, and the World Cup to look forward to. On that basis, and assuming stable exchange rates, we are confident in the full year outlook for the group and expect to achieve underlying EBITDA, of at least £155 million this financial year.”
Sales at Sports Direct’s brand division struggled on the back of poorer wholesale revenues and it said it was now looking to focus on higher-margin licensing. Revenues for the brand division were down 19.3% to £95.1m.
Sports Direct said that it was ahead of schedule in its target to reduce debt levels to below £400m by April 2010. It said in its last half it has already reduced debt to £362m.
The sports retailer, which operates 371 stores in the UK, last month hired a new chairman – former police chief Keith Hellawell.
It is expected that Hellawell will play a key role in helping steer the retailer through ongoing investigations into the company by the Competition Commission, the Office of Fair Trading and the Serious Fraud Office.


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Kroger Co. should post even better results this year than the strong gains it generated in 2011, CEO David Dillon told shareholders Thursday morning at the company’s annual meeting.
Dillon credited an improving economy and the success of Kroger’s Customer 1st strategy, which enables the downtown-based supermarket giant to respond quickly to customer needs and encourages innovation.
He touted the company’s accomplishments last year. It gained market share, increased sales 10 percent and extended its streak of rising same-store sales to an industry-leading 34 straight quarter.
“We expect 2012 to be even better,” Dillon said. “We’re very optimistic. Our overall retail environment seems to be improving slightly. We expect earnings to be even stronger than in 2011.”
The earnings view is no surprise. Kroger just hiked its 2012 earnings per share guidance to $2.33 to $2.40 from $2.28 to $2.38 per share after it beat first-quarter earnings estimates. It earned $2 last year, excluding pension costs.
He pointed out technological innovations such as those that have enabled Kroger to improve the average customer wait to check out. It’s 30 seconds now, but it was four minutes in the past, Dillon said.
Kroger expects to generate a net increase in its number of stores this year, Dillon said after the meeting. That affirms comments CFO Michael Schlotman made at an investor conference Wednesday. The company’s store count has declined in recent years and it shrunk by 25 stores last year. That trend took place because the company has been closing underperforming stores over the past few years, offsetting the addition of new stores.
“That might slow this year,” Dillon said of the store closings.
While it’s not significantly increasing the number of new stores, on a net basis it expects to add stores this year, he said. Many of the new stores are larger Marketplace stores, boosting the company’s square footage, too.
Kroger’s board reloaded its $1 billion stock buyback plan earlier this month after it wrapped up last year’s plan. That and the company’s record of boosting its dividend every year since reinstating that payment to shareholders seven years ago speaks to Kroger’s strong cash position, Dillon said. The company aims to be in position to consider raising the dividend each year, he said.
During the audience Q&A session, one shareholder who spends half of the year in Florida asked Dillon to consider putting Kroger stores in the Sunshine State. He prefers the stores to the service he gets at Publix near his Florida home.
“I’d love for Kroger to move into Florida, especially in the Winter Haven area,” shareholder William Farrell said.
“Do you have an intersection picked out for us?” Dillon laughingly asked.
Dillon responded seriously to the request by saying he couldn’t predict whether Kroger would expand to Florida, where it has operated before. But it is a possibility.
“It’s certainly on our radar scope as one of the possible places,” he said.
Shareholders voted to elect the full slate of directors and approved the executive pay plan in an advisory vote. The percentage of the say-on-pay vote wasn’t provided.
They rejected two shareholder proposals, one to revise the company code of conduct to apply to all suppliers in an effort to avoid abuse of farm workers and one seeking to get Kroger to take responsibility for post-consumer recycling of product packaging.


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editors picks auction east point fraser coast fraser island ginger beer mackay mackay history message in a bottle problem
A RARE 90-year-old ginger beer bottle has sold at a Toowoomba auction for a staggering $17,500.
auction bottle editors picks ginger beer toowoomba
26th June 2020 10:06 AM
You won't believe where the bottle might have originated
bottle fraser coast fraser island message in a bottle
21st May 2020 1:05 PM
A RARE piece of Mackay history, more than 100 years old, has been unearthed at East Point.
bottle east point mackay mackay history
14th Dec. 2017 7:12 AM
IAN Ratcliffe spent more than 40 years boozing before he realised his issue was not what was inside the bottle – it was...
bottle editors picks problem sunshine coast
05th Dec. 2015 5:12 AM
New site dialog. Will only be shown once.


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Innovation in predator fishing – there’s an award for that. And at one of Europe’s premier fishing events, Hengelsport en Visbotenbeurs in Holland, it went to Deeper. This weekend, the Deeper team were in Utrecht to showcase their range of smart sonars, and to pick up the Predator Fishing Innovation Award for the Deeper Smart Sonar PRO+.
The award was voted on by visitors to the huge event, organised by Total Fishing and featuring over 160 trade stands. Being chosen by visitors to such a prestigious trade event shows that enthusiasts and experts alike believe the PRO+ is a predator fisher’s best friend. It also rounds off another great year for the electronics company, which was also awarded at (amongst others) CES, EFFTEX, AFTA and China Fish.
Deeper Expanding Benelux Presence with New Partnership
July 17, 2018
Deeper START named Best New Accessory at EFTTEX
July 9, 2018
Deeper Pick Up Lithuanian-American Innovation Award
March 5, 2018
Deeper becomes 1st company from Baltics to make top 10 in Deloitte’s Fast 500 for EMEA
December 8, 2017
Korda Now Exclusive Distributor of Deeper Sonars in the UK
November 8, 2017


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From the Detroit auto show, Volkswagen announced this week plans to invest $800 million in its Chattanooga, Tenn., plant, expecting to create 1,000 jobs in the United States.
The German automaker not only will expand its plant in Tennessee to prepare for “an electric mobility future,” it will make the facility its North American base for manufacturing electric vehicles, executives said.
Volkswagen has 2022 circled on the calendar as the target to start manufacturing electric vehicles at the plant.
Tennessee’s outgoing and incoming governors were in Detroit for the announcement at the North American International Auto Show.
“The U.S. is one of the most important locations for us, and producing electric cars in Chattanooga is a key part of our growth strategy in North America, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess said in a statement.
“The management team, led by Scott Keogh, is committed to continuing to increase our market share in the coming years. Together with our ongoing investments and this increase in local production, we are strengthening the foundation for sustainable growth of the Volkswagen brand in the U.S.”
In addition to the U.S. expansion, Volkswagen said it will build the “first dedicated EV production facility” in Zwickau, Germany. The automaker also will add dedicated EV facilities in the Chinese cities of Anting and Foshan by 2020, and in the German cities of Emden and Hanover by 2022.
Volkswagen currently builds its Atlas SUV and the Passat sedan in Chattanooga. The automaker says it will add production of the Atlas Cross Sport SUV at the plant later this year.
VW said it will invest about $50 billion in Germany through 2023 toward the development and production of electric vehicles and “digital services.”
“The shift toward electric vehicles is a trend that can be seen worldwide, and Volkswagen’s decision to locate its first North American EV manufacturing facility in Chattanooga underscores Tennessee’s manufacturing strength and highly skilled workforce,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said in a news release.
“As one of Hamilton County’s top employers, these additional 1,000 jobs will have a lasting impact on the region. I thank Volkswagen for its partnership and also applaud the company for its ongoing commitment to education and workforce alignment, which helps Tennessee build a pipeline of talent for years to come.”
The announcement came about 24 hours before Volkswagen and Ford confirmed they had agreed to a “strategic alliance.” The two will work together on medium-size trucks, commercial vans and autonomous technology.
Executives said the two would remain separate companies. The alliance does not include any cross-ownership. Hackett said Ford and Volkswagen are “two separate companies with deep ties to our respective countries.”


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Blame It On Rio
Catch that bossa nova beat. If the recent wave of Brazilian-themed restaurants, recordings and assorted other products is any indication, South America's biggest country is hotter than ever here in the United States. Brazilian cuisine, in particular, is gaining in both profile and popularity.
Which isn't news to Ivan Utrera, co-founder and president of Rodizio Restaurants International Inc., a Littleton, Colorado-based chain of Brazilian eateries. "For many years, there was a total lack of knowledge of what Brazilian cuisine is," explains the 37-year-old entrepreneur, who launched the first of six Rodizio Grills in 1996. "Brazil has never done a good job of marketing its cuisine."
Enter restaurants such as Rodizio Grill, which specializes in cooking a wide variety of meats over wood fires. "The way the meat is prepared in Brazil, the spices are very light, so they highlight different flavors of the [meat itself]," says Utrera, who projects 1999 sales in excess of $10 million. "It's a familiar--but refined--flavor to the American palate."
As for America's cultural palate, it's embracing the strains of the bossa nova, as well as movies like "Central Station." For soft-drink aficionados, there's Bawls Guarana--a beverage produced from a popular Brazilian berry. Perhaps the most unique item in our America-goes-to-Rio files, however, is a new Brazilian restaurant in Atlanta whose waiters dress in drag. We just thought you'd like to know.
Seniors inspire the latest food trend.
Had your fill of home-meal-replacement news? Weary of all the talk about the growing number of seniors? Well, how about prepared meals for the elderly?
For inspiration in how it's being done, look at companies like Atlanta's Morrison Health Care Inc. or the Omaha, Nebraska-based Home Instead Senior Care franchise, both of which have added meal preparation to their lists of services.
Expect more competition as baby boomers begin to care for their aging parents--and, ultimately, their aging selves. For those seeking the next big thing in home-meal replacement, it's certainly food for thought.
What A Racquet!
New sport serves up opportunity.
Paddle, anyone? Although lesser known than its cousins, tennis and racquetball, the sport of paddle is nonetheless turning heads--and we don't just mean literally. "It's extremely fun," raves Edward H. Thompson, 53, founder of the Paddle Recreation Center in Houston. "This is a sport that's proven itself a winner in many countries."
Putting his enthusiasm into concrete form, Thompson recently opened the first of what he plans to be a chain of Paddle Recreation Centers. "We're a country that's constantly looking for new things," says Thompson, citing the success of extreme sports as an indicator of paddle's potential. "You find something radical every year."
What's radical about paddle is that it incorporates many of the elements associated with tennis--a net to hit over, service boxes and the like--and combines them with the wall rebounds common in racquetball. "The ball stays in play much longer than it does in tennis," explains Thompson. "So you're in motion for a longer period of time."
Not that the motionless are excluded. Spectator-friendly, paddle also serves up a market for tie-in apparel and equipment. Sums up the former tennis-pro-turned-paddle-enthusiast, "We're selling fun."
- Move over, Lincoln logs: Expect renewed interest in Legos with this year's new Legoland theme park in Carlsbad, California.
- Channel hopping:Look out for Nickelodeon's upcoming "SpongeBob SquarePants." As far as we know, it's the first TV series ever to star an animated sea sponge . . .
- Licensing alert:Stuart Little feature film (Sony Signatures): Call (310) 244-7788 for more information.
Rodizio Restaurants International Inc., 2275 E. Arapahoe Rd., #225, Littleton, CO 80122, (303) 738-8108


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Jaheim Jackson smiled widely for his mugshot as police officers booked him for allegedly participating in a mob shoplifting raid on an Ulta Beauty store in Lakeview last week. A judge allowed him to go home by posting a $500 deposit in that case, which involved allegations of taking $8,500 worth of fragrances.
Cops arrested Jackson again late last week after investigators connected him to a similar raid on an Ulta store in suburban Berwyn two months ago.
While his bond court hearing on Saturday did not provide images of Jackson’s face, he sure didn’t sound like he was smiling as a different judge slammed him with a much higher bail.
“The alleged value of the goods that were taken was $2,865,” Judge Maryam Ahmad said after hearing allegations about the Berwyn case. “With that amount in mind, bail is set in the amount of $30,000-D.”
“That’s … That’s $3,000?” Jackson stammered in a stunned tone.
“You need $3,000 to be released from custody, Mr. Jackson,” the judge confirmed. A so-called “D bond” requires a 10% deposit for release.
“I’m not going to be able to be bonded out!” Jackson whined.
“You need $3,000 to be released from custody, Mr. Jackson,” Ahmad repeated as she asked prosecutors to name Jackson’s next court date.
“I can’t make that bond.”
“Mr. Jackson, should someone post your bond, your next court date is December 8th,” Ahmad continued.
“Post bond today?” Jackson asked. “But, that’s too much.”
“Good luck, sir,” Ahmad said as she moved on to her next case.
As of Tuesday morning, Jackson is still in the Cook County Jail.
Ulta Beauty stores have been hard-hit by shoplifting mobs. A woman who appeared during the same bond court session as Jackson on November 29 was accused of helping steal $4,655 worth of fragrances from the chain’s Greektown location.
In September, a paying customer recorded another shoplifting team’s raid at an Ulta in Norridge. That crew escaped with about $10,000 worth of products, authorities said.
Ulta’s South Loop store has been repeatedly targeted, as has the company’s Mag Mile flagship, according to CPD records. In fact, the Michigan Avenue location was targeted three times between August 27 and August 31 alone.
The Ulta thieves are suspected of being the front-line soldiers of an organized crime operation that sells stolen name brand merchandise online at deep discounts.


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In October 2019 IKEA Philippines reported the opening of the first IKEA in the Philippines to be initially “by the end of 2020”. But IKEA enthusiast in the Philippines will have to wait another year to experience their first IKEA.
The Swedish home interior giant has confirmed on the official IKEA Philippines website that the first store is opening in 2021. The update reports that IKEA is “preparing to make a new home” in the Philippines and that time is spent “building up our business and learning about life at home in the Philippines”.
“Come 2021, we will open an IKEA store in Pasay City to give millions of Filipinos easy access to a wide range of well-designes, functional home furnishing products at prices so low almost everyone will be able to afford them,” states the update from IKEA Philippines.
The IKEA in Pasay City is expected to become the biggest store in the world at 65.000 square meters – roughly the size of 150 basketball courts, reports the daily Manila Bulletin.
Founded in Sweden more than 75 years ago, IKEA is the world’s largest home interior retailer with more than 400 stores in 50 countries.
Source: Manila Bulletin


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“These are the big potatoes in the fashion industry – Zara alone churns out 850 million clothing items a year. You can imagine the size of the toxic footprint it has left on this planet, particularly in developing countries like China where many of its products are made,” said Li Yifang, Toxics Campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia.
In 2012, Greenpeace purchased more than one hundred garments sold in 29 countries and regions by 20 global fast fashion brands, and had them tested for several hazardous chemicals. Samples included jeans, trousers, t-shirts, dresses and underwear. All items were tested for hormone disrupting NPEs; some were also tested for Phthalates, which are toxic to the reproductive system, and cancer-causing amines from azo dyes.
The testing results show that all the brands had at least several items containing hazardous chemicals. About two thirds of the 141 samples contained NPEs, four samples had high levels of toxic phthalates, and traces of cancer-causing amines from the use of azo dyes were detected in two products from Zara.
NPEs are banned for textile production in Europe due to concerns over its negative impact on the aquatic environment, but in much of the Global South, including China, their manufacture, use and release are not regulated. In addition, the EU has set phase-out dates for four types of commonly used phthalates. The investigation found that almost all problematic pieces with identifiable places of manufacture were made in the Global South, including 21 made in China, the world’s biggest textile manufacturer and exporter.
"The testing results reveal how much toxic chemicals these brands are dumping in China and other developing nations where products are made and regulations are loose. As the world’s biggest fashion retailers, the likes of Zara have no choice but to change their practices, not only for its consumers but also for the communities affected by its irresponsible suppliers,” Li continued.
“The worst part is, as fashion gets faster and more globalized, more and more consumers worldwide are becoming fashion’s victims while contributing to the industry’s pollution. But it doesn’t have to be so. We’ve already witnissed commitments from sportswear giants such as Adidas, Nike and the Chinese brand Li-Ning, to elliminating the use of all hazardous chemicals in the entiety of their supply chains,” said Li.
Greenpeace demands fashion brands commit to zero discharge of all hazardous chemicals by 2020 and require their suppliers to disclose all releases of toxic chemicals from their facilities to communities at the site of water pollution.
Download the report.
Greenpeace East Asia Media Officer
Mobile: +86 13911526274
Tel: +86 65546931-185
 The clothes were sold by the leading fashion companies Benetton, Jack & Jones, Only, Vero Moda, Blažek, C&A, Diesel, Esprit, Gap, Armani, H&M, Zara, Levi’s, Victoria’s Secret, Mango, Marks & Spencer, Metersbonwe, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Vancl.
 Amines are used in the manufacture of azo dyes and can be released when they are chemically broken down. Some amines can break down into cancer-causing chemicals.


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Latest VLC Update Makes It 4K Compatible Along With Improved Audio Support
VideoLAN has released version 2.1 of its popular video player, VLC. The update is codenamed “Rincewind” and brings new audio processing to the app. There is full support for surround sound outputs in addition to new effects and many new supported metadata formats for audio.
Whereas, for the video the update has ported the OpenGL output to OpenGL ES, making ports to iOS and Android much easier. VideoLAN says that VLC is now ready for Ultra-HD content. The app update has focused on improving MKV compatibility, including better seek performance and subtitle metadata support.
The OS of the app has some changes in User Interface as well, the playback menu can be changed according to ones prefrence and videos can now also be played as a desktop background.


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Budweiser Dominates Ad Showdown in Super Bowl XXXIII
Research International Panel Says “Who Needs BudBowl?”
NEW YORK (BUSINESS WIRE) – It wasn’t Rod Smith’s long touchdown pass from John Elway or Tim Dwight’s exciting kick returns that were on the mind of attendees of Research International’s First Official Super Bowl Party in Reverse at Mickey Mantle’s Sunday in New York City. It was the ad-by-ad analysis of the commercials to determine which scored the most points with men. On this night that captures the attention of millions of men, Research International “turned down” the volume on the game and “turned up” the sound on the commercials as a panel of marketing aficionados evaluated the winners and losers based on RI’s new study of the male demographic, The Wild Spirit of Man? Connecting with Men in the Millennium. The panel selected those commercials most effective in appealing to men. The top four commercials as voted by Research International Super Bowl Party In Reverse attendees were:
Budweiser Lobster (1st Quarter and Overall Winner)
Budweiser “Paper or Plastic” (2nd Quarter)
Bud Light “Mouse” (3rd Quarter)
National Football League (4th Quarter)
“Let’s face it, Super Sunday us just a big day for the advertisers as it is for the guys on the field,” said Gayle Moberg, executive vice president and managing director, Research International USA. “Humor has always been a staple on this day, but it really scored a touchdown this year with viewers — both men and women. In addition, the ads reflect one of the findings of our study — men at the millennium are different from their predecessors. They maintain the traditional masculine qualities of protector and provider, but they have also heightened aspects of their lives such as sensitivity, caring and being true to themselves. Maybe that’s why there’s a less of a gap between sexes this year when it comes to Super Bowl advertising favorites.”
The all-star panel line-up included Dick Lynch, former New York Giant (1959-66) and the current voice of the Giants on WNEW-FM (Moderator); Mercedes Cardona, reporter, Advertising Age; Warren Farrell, Ph.D., author of The Myth of Male Power and Why Men Are The Way They Are; Irwin Kornblau, vice president and director of marketing, PlayboyMagazine. Guest included marketers and brand managers from major companies including: Pepsi Co., Merck, AT&T and Empire Blue Cross.
The event celebrated the unveiling of “The Wild Spirit of Man?”, the most comprehensive look at the male demographic to date. The new study shows what motivates male consumers, what are the hot buttons for building brand loyalty and whether the approach to reaching men and driving their purchases has changed in recent years.
ABOUT RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL/USA
Established in 1973, Research International is a full-service research company with more than 1,500 multinational clients from a variety of product and service categories. With more than 3,000 permanent employees, RI draws on its global network of 86 full-service offices in 56 countries to provide strategic international solutions to clients.


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Lumia surpasses DROID on Google search
Nokia has done a fair bit of advertising itself. Android also continues to own a nice big chunk of the smartphone market while Microsoft's mobile OS still has a single-digit market share. The big goal for the Finnish based manufacturer is to somehow convert these search requests into actual purchases. And of course, Android started out with a low marketshare and it wasn't until the Motorola DROID launched that Androidmania began.
The popularity of "Lumia" as a search term bears further watching. If the Nokia Lumia becomes that turning point device the way that the Motorola DROID was for Android, we should see the gap between "Lumia" and "DROID" widen out over the next couple of week. You never know when the staus quo is about to change. Back in February 2010, we reported on comScore's December 2009 survey of U.S. smartphone marketshare and it showed Android fifth out of five operating systems with a measly 5.2% share. That more than doubled September 2009's 2.5% rate, giving us a hint of thing to come from Android. Who is to say that Google Trends isn't giving us a similar hint about Windows Phone?


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From swapping spaghetti for courgetti to fitting in more gym time, British consumers are becoming increasingly health-savvy and there’s a huge appetite for brands that can help them make better choices. And with George Osborne’s surprise inclusion of a sugar tax in his last budget, there’s now an even bigger impetus for British businesses to respond.
One company that’s trying to adapt is Muffin Break, the food franchise. In response to plans that will”see a 20% sugar tax being imposed in hospital cafes by 2020, the franchise has introduced healthier food options and promotions at its University Hospital Lewisham and Whittington Hospital outlets. As well as upping the number of salad options on its menu, it’s removing temptation in the form of biscuits and crisps from the till points and replacing them with bowls of fruit and a new porridge option. The franchise also has plans to roll out more positive changes in other locations.
Explaining the decision, Lisa Brook, general manager of Muffin Break, said: “We have long been committed to expanding our product portfolio and providing our customers with more healthy alternatives and the NHS move has strengthened our resolve. We pride ourselves on the food that we serve and continue to improve our dining experience to respond to changing consumer needs.”
The demand for lighter options is certainly there. According to Mintel, the research company, 97% of Brits are trying to eat healthily at least some of the time and 27% have started checking food labels more. And given they’re also spending 44% more on gyms, the pursuit for body beautiful could also be behind the rise in fitness franchises. As Pip Wilkins, CEO of the bfa, remarked in June of this year: “The nation’s health and fitness is regularly in the news and that’s helping to drive demand for gyms and health clubs.”
But despite the rising interest in healthy living, not everyone seems convinced.”Concerns are mounting this week that the sugar tax, which comes into effect in 2018, will lead to job losses and tighter margins – but not necessarily a significant reduction in sugar consumption. A report published this month by Oxford Economics claims it will cost 4,000 retail and hospitality jobs, while Leendert den Hollander,”vice president and general manager of Great Britain”at”Coca-Cola European Partners, said the “facts don’t suggest that a sugar tax works to change behaviour”.
As the industry braces for the introduction of the new tax, Amy Price, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, says “health remains an ongoing issue for consumers”. Now it’s up the Britain’s franchise network to rise to the challenge.


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Carhartt, the 130-year-old Detroit maker of actually desirable, well-made work clothing, is branching into protective equipment for health-care workers. The company will start making 50,000 medical gowns
While building out development vehicles digitally and checking them in virtual reality isn’t new for automakers, the shelter-in-place situation across much of the country has made the technology all the
Mercedes-AMG is about to update its E63 high-performance sedan and wagon to align them with the rest of the E-class lineup, which received a thorough facelift recently. In particularly good news for the
Loan lengths for new-car purchases have been relentlessly charging forward, getting longer with each month. And now in March, according to research from Edmunds, the average loan term hit 70.6 weeks—nearly
Bentley officially unveiled the Bacalar last month, a roadster based on the Continental GT convertible but with bespoke bodywork and a nearly limitless level of color and trim customization from the company's
The top end of the global auto industry has been as deeply affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic as more mainstream manufacturers, with all of Europe's luxury carmakers having halted production. That
Lordstown Motors, pushing ahead with plans to release its Endurance electric truck, is testing the chassis of the vehicle according to these videos. One thing you might notice is that the body of the looks
The luxury compact sedan segment has seen a lot of change since the Lexus IS was last redesigned in 2013. The BMW 3-series has entered a new generation, as has the Mercedes-Benz C-class. The Alfa Romeo
The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) forced a near-total shutdown of the U.S. economy in mid-March, and just as predicted, auto sales were strongly curbed as a result. New-vehicle sales fell for everyone
Ford Motor Company is planning to convince the U.S. government to get another "cash for clunkers"-like stimulus program rolling to fight back against loss of sales due to the coronavirus crisis, Bloomberg
The Lucid Air was supposed to make its world premiere at the New York auto show. With that event moved to late August amid concerns over the coronavirus, the EV automaker has had to make some adjustments.
Twist the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio's drive mode selector into Race, which dials back the stability control and dials up everything else, and a message appears on the gauge cluster screen: "Best
In the midst of a global pandemic, the news that automakers are stepping up to help fight the coronavirus pandemic is a glimmer of inspiration that reinforces the idea that the world will overcome our
Back in the olden days, by which we mean before the 2006 Honda Ridgeline, a tailgate was just a hinged door at the end of a pickup bed. Back then, brand logos were usually less than two feet tall, even.


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Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, they just did. An auction in Japan revealed that the price of truffles has absolutely collapsed:
FT: Business executives and celebrities packed into a $300-per-head white truffle dinner at Tokyo’s Ritz-Carlton hotel for a three-way auction linked by satellite feed for this year’s haul of Alba white truffles from Italy’s Piedmont region.
The biggest truffle on the block, weighing 1.05kg, was carried off by a Japanese bidder who trumped European counterparts with his Y3.02m bid. A lot to pay for a tuber but an anaemic fraction of last year’s record $330,000 (Y32.4m, euro 257,802), paid by Macau casino owner Stanley Ho for a specimen weighing 1.5kg.
We won't purport to understand fully the economics of the truffle market. Our hunch, though, is that it's more like the wine market and the art market -- prices set by what the rich are willing to pay -- rather than, say, the oil market, where the prices are set by what it costs to drill that last barrel of oil. The stunning fall in truffles, which should be good news for high-end diners, mirrors what we've seen recently in some art auctions. Truffles (as far as we know) don't keep forever, so truffle owners can't just wait until the market recovers. (HT: Alex Kirtland)


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Looking to strengthen its presence in international satellite broadcasting, Sony Corp. confirmed on Friday it’s discussing joining with News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch in News’ Japanese satellite venture JSkyB.
The move raises the prospect that Sony’s partnership with Murdoch could be extended to include News’ U.S. sat-TV venture ASkyB, Wall Streeters said.
News Corp. is looking for a partner to replace telco MCI Communications, which decided last year to reduce its ASkyB stake from 50% to 20%. Murdoch is known to have had several meetings with Sony president Nobuyuki Idei in the past few months, and sources say the discussions may have ranged beyond the JSkyB joint venture. Neither Sony nor ASkyB would comment.
Murdoch reportedly wants Sony to buy a 30% stake in JSkyB, which was launched in December and will begin experimental broadcasts in April with 12 channels, increasing to 150 channels by April 1998.
But Sony said last week in a statement it has not “finalized” its decision to invest in JSkyB, and a Sony spokeswoman denied a report in Friday’s edition of Nihon Keizai Shimbun that an agreement in principle was reached Jan. 6, when Murdoch made a “secret” visit to Japan for talks with Idei.
Sold on satellite
Even if Sony does not do the deal, the company sees digital satellite broadcasting as a growth area. Idei told reporters at Sony’s annual New Year reception in Tokyo Thursday that strengthening its involvement in digital satellite broadcasting is one of Sony’s top three goals for 1997.
Sony is a major supplier of electronic hardware to the sat-TV industry, making the Digital Satellite System dishes for U.S. operators DirecTV and USSB, and it is building the broadcast center for ASkyB in Gilbert, Ariz. ASkyB hasn’t yet chosen the supplier of its satellite dishes.
Through its film studios and record companies, Sony is a major owner of movies, TV programs and music. Sony said in its Jan. 24 statement, “We are considering making full use of these comprehensive assets to enter in the broadcast business,” referring to satellite TV.
To better focus its satellite TV strategy, Sony is putting together those interests into one company linked to Sony Pictures and Sony Music, it said.
Investment bankers say that given all this, Sony may be willing to extend its partnership to ASkyB, although one source says Sony may be more inclined to stay at home, with a JSkyB investment alone.
Additionally Idei said last week that Sony would establish a “second” world headquarters in New York, concentrating its strategic planning for entertainment, telecommunications and computers at that office under an exec to be appointed.


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Karachi, June 2, 2023 – Petroleum prices in Pakistan have experienced a significant increase of 45% on a year-on-year basis, contributing to a rise in inflation, according to official statistics released on Friday by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) recorded a 43% increase by the week ended June 1, 2023, compared to the same period last year. Petrol and diesel prices have risen by 45.55% and 45.18% respectively on a year-on-year basis.
The year-on-year trend reveals significant price increases in various commodities, including cigarettes (138.50%), Lipton Tea (114.93%), gas charges for Q1 (108.38%), wheat flour (105.56%), bananas (88.96%), potatoes (86.86%), rice Irri-6/9 (80.97%), rice Basmati broken (80.15%), pulse Moong (60.40%), bread (59.66%), eggs (55.29%), pulse Mash (53.70%), washing soap (48.61%), petrol (45.55%), and diesel (45.18%). However, the prices of tomatoes (42.14%) and onions (29.00%) have witnessed a decrease.
In the current week ended on June 1, 2023, the SPI increased by 0.03%. Notably, there were significant increases in food items such as onions (7.31%), potatoes (2.89%), chicken (2.87%), tea prepared (1.56%), tomatoes (1.11%), and non-food item energy saver (2.16%). On the other hand, notable decreases were observed in LPG (4.46%), wheat flour (4.06%), bananas (4.04%), petrol (2.96%), eggs (2.57%), diesel (1.94%), and various other items.
Among the 51 items monitored, prices of 19 items (37.25%) increased, 14 items (27.45%) decreased, and 18 items (35.30%) remained stable during the week.
The significant surge in petroleum prices has contributed to inflationary pressures, exacerbating the cost of living for the general population. Higher prices of essential commodities, including fuel, are likely to have an adverse impact on various sectors and could further strain the already burdened economy.
The government needs to closely monitor the inflationary trends and take appropriate measures to control rising prices, enhance affordability for the population, and address the underlying causes of inflation to ensure stable and sustainable economic growth.
Disclaimer: The figures provided in this news report are based on official statistics and are subject to change as new data becomes available.


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The world’s richest man sold 934,000 Tesla shares worth more than $1 billion on Thursday, according to a securities filing.
This brings the total value of shares dumped in the past month to more than $10 billion.
The sell-off comes after Musk — who is estimated to be worth $284 billion — tweeted in November that he planned to sell 10 percent of his stock in the electric car company.
The sale is part of a plan to potentially cover a larger federal tax bill of about $11 billion by Musk exercising Tesla stock options.
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Tesla’s stock price has fallen 10.7 percent over the past month during Musk’s selling spree. Some investors have said Musk’s sale is putting pressure on the company’s sky-high shares, which are a favorite among retail investors and are still up nearly 50 percent since early 2021.
Musk also said on Thursday that he plans to exercise the allowed options to buy an additional 2.1 million Tesla shares.
As CEO of both Tesla and SpaceX, Mogul has disputed with lawmakers in DC over a proposed tax hike on the wealthy.
In November, when Musk had already sold more than $6 billion in Tesla shares, he mocked Sen. Bernie Sanders on Twitter.
“We must demand that the extremely wealthy pay their fair share. Period,” tweeted the Vermont Independent.
“I keep forgetting that you are still alive,” replied the Mughal.
“Do I want to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word…” Musk said.
<amp-img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/01/24/11/bitcoin%20price%20latest%202022.jpg?width=982&height=726&auto=webp&quality=75" alt="Bitcoin fell from a record high of $68,000 in November 2021 to below $35,000 by the end of January 2022"height="726" width="982" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/01/24/11/bitcoin%20price%20latest%202022.jpg?width=320&auto=webp&quality=...


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Davos: A time to set clear goals for action
Davos was dark and quiet when the Alliance team arrived this morning, but the sun soon came out, along with political, business and academic leaders from around the world, here for this week’s annual World Economic Forum.
Dressed in suits and snow boots, many have stopped by the Davos Hub Pavillion where the Alliance is based, taking advantage of our free cups of car-powered hot chocolate. Yes, our hot-chocolate maker is being powered by the 100% electric Nissan LEAF which in turn has been charged with 100% renewable energy from Davos. To see our earlier post on this unique system, click here.
Today we met the likes of Sue Riddlestone and Pooran Desai of the BioRegional Development Group, as well as MIT Big Data guru and Nissan Advisory Board member Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland. They all spoke about the need for harnessing technology in order to create a sustainable future, to overcome the challenges posed by increasing inequality, and to clean up the polluted air in our cities, from Beijing to London.
Meanwhile, Nissan vice chairman Toshiyuki Shiga spoke to us about the need to refocus on the environment, now that the outlook for the world economy finally seems to be improving. And Simon Sproule, director for marketing communications at Renault-Nissan, explained why Davos is a great place to learn about new industries and trends.
From the use of electric vehicles in the Serengeti to reduce both air and noise pollution, to connected, autonomous cars to improve the efficiency of both transportation and the use of the world’s resources, we’re hearing about myriad of ways we can harness new technology in order to overcome challenges and to create opportunities – and we have only spoken to a handful of the thought leaders here so far.
The air in Davos is clear – the sun is out - and here at the Alliance hub we’re all set for common goals in 2014, leveraging shared and clear-sighted vision, too.
Back tomorrow with more!print Tweet


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The Australian vitamin brand VÖOST has selected a Yorkshire-based digital marketing agency to help build its UK market share. THE Australian vitamin brand VÖOST has selected a Yorkshire-based digital marketing agency to help build its UK market share. VÖOST, which is part of the Australian Vitaminhaus brand, has chosen Tailor Made Media to run it’s UK digital marketing activity through 2017.
Sally Ellis, the VÖOST UK sales manager, said: “There are challenges companies face when growing a presence in a new country, this includes understanding cultural differences and guidelines. “We have been very pleased with the way the Tailor Made team has picked up the specific guidelines for vitamins that need to be adhered to for the UK. “This is hugely important for us from both a brand and an ethical standpoint.” Ms Ellis said VÖOST had been impressed with Tailor Made Media’s collaborative approach, and the company was open to feedback and full of ideas. Sam Risker, Tailor Made Media’s managing director, said the company is one of many UK SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) that are seeing an increase in overseas business as a result of a weaker pound.
“In addition to VÖOST, we have picked up other brands looking to establish or grow their UK market share or develop a new website, including Korek, a property company based in Dubai,” she said. Ms Risker said Tailor Made Media, which has eight staff, is enjoying rapid growth. “We find that the work is out there, and people are spending,’’ she said. The company is based at York Science Park and provides websites, branding, and digital marketing services to clients across the UK and overseas.
It has a particular focus on the construction, building products, hotel and food and drink sectors. The science park is located on the University of York’s campus and it provides fully serviced and managed business accommodation, ranging from suites to specialist laboratory facilities. It also offers virtual office and hot desking facilities, along with conference and meeting room options. The park supports more than 120 companies in the science and technology sectors, from small start-ups to large corporations.
Read the original story: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/york-based-tailor-made-media-receives-a-vitamin-voost-1-8581027


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Pedal to the mettle – cars set to drive the laser market
Friday, 18th Dec 2015
One of the main boosters for manufacturing sectors today is the expanding demand of the automotive industry. Numbers have been crunched. According to data by Statista, the global market for autonomous vehicles and hardware components is forecasted to expand from 400 million U.S dollars in 2015 to 40 billion by 2030. This translates to higher demand for laser systems to cut, weld and drill hardware parts and components together.
The strategy for manufacturing companies to meet rising demand lies in using the most cost efficient machinery to churn out hardware. But efficiency for them isn’t just about cost cutting; work has to get done using minimum amount of time and resources. Choosing the wrong laser model may very well jeopardise the entire processing equation and causing their company to lose millions of dollars while at it. How then should companies make the right choice regarding laser machinery?
According to Thomas Leib, a laser safety pundit and advisor, the primary factor in choosing a successful laser system lies in its material. That means knowing if the laser you’re buying is what you really need in terms of applicability, he told Photonics. For a start, choosing the right laser system could save tons of pennies in the long run. Something everyone would be happy about.
More often, it would seem like the most cost-effective one is the obvious choice. But purchasing the right laser requires knowing what your company wants. Simple put, what is your purpose for getting one? For example, the purpose of medical machinery and systems would be to save lives and to elevate health standards. Hence, cost here would not be a main concern but rather the ability for innovation and change. Wasted time doesn’t necessarily equate to wasted money. But knowing that a particular laser system can subject your company to millions of dollars lost would definitely come in handy when making purchasing decisions.


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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Stealing a pair of pants from a Charlottetown clothing store has resulted in a 30-day jail sentence on Oct. 1 for a P.E.I. woman.
Karen Melissa Carragher, 49, pleaded guilty in provincial court in Charlottetown on Aug. 30 to the theft under $5,000 charge.
Court previously heard that on Jan. 11, Carragher was at Moores clothing store in the Charlottetown Mall. She went into a change room with five pairs of jeans but exited the room with only four pairs. She was approached by store staff but wouldn’t let them check her purse for the missing pair of pants. Carragher then left the store. Store staff members were unable to find the missing pair of pants.
At sentencing on Oct. 1, Judge Nancy Orr accepted a joint recommendation from Crown attorney Chad McQuaid and Carragher’s lawyer Justin Milne. Even so, Orr said that given Carragher’s lengthy prior criminal record, which is “most unenviable” and dates back to 2005, recommendation was at the “lowest end” of what might be considered.
Besides the 30-day jail term, Orr also sentenced Carragher to 12 months of probation, which includes a condition banning her from Moores.
Carragher was also ordered to pay $99.99 for the pair of jeans.
Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter with the SaltWire Network in Prince Edward Island.


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MIAMI – Computer users are being urged to change their passwords immediately after a massive web leak was discovered.
Various reports claim the breach, which is being called CloudLeak, has exposed passwords, private messages and other data from millions of sites.
Forbes.com reports websites affected include Uber, FitBit, OKCupid and many others.
The leak stems from a code problem within CloudFlare, a content delivery network used by other websites. CloudFare has been accidentally leaking personal information for months, Fortune reports.
Fortune claims the leaked data includes private messages from dating sites and chat services.
Although CloudFlare attempted to fix the problem once notified, companies such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft Bing had already stored leaked data without knowing.
Despite experts advising people to change their computer passwords, CloudFlare has yet to notify any of their customers.


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In honor of Pretzelmaker’s 26th birthday, the brand will be serving up 26-cent pretzels in conjunction with National Pretzel Day on April 26, 2017.
The special pricing deal will be valid for the purchase of original salted or unsalted soft pretzels.
While officially there’s a limit of one pretzel per person during the promotion, individual stores can set their own limits.
Pretzelmaker’s 26-Cent Soft Pretzel promotion will be available at participating locations nationwide for one day only on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.
Image – Pretzelmaker


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It has been a long time since we saw a new Mario Kart title hit. The last major title was Mario Kart 8 which was originally released for the Wii U in 2014, and then an enhanced Deluxe version was then released for the Nintendo Switch in 2017.
If you are looking forward to seeing a new major title released in the series, you could be in luck. According to analyst Dr. Serkan Toto, Mario Kart 9 is apparently in development, and Nintendo could actually tease the game later this year.
The analyst adds that the game is expected to have a new twist, though Nintendo usually introduces new elements in new titles to help keep things interesting and exciting. For example, there was the introduction of two-character karts and also anti-gravity features in some of the other titles.
We do not know if the new Mario Kart 9 will be launching on the Switch or the next version of the Switch. There have long been rumors about Nintendo working on a “Pro” version of the console, something that the company has denied many times, but since the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are here, it would make sense that Nintendo could be planning new hardware to keep up with the others.


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BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) have signed an agreement to research the next-generation of lithium battery sells.
The agreement follows the memorandum of understanding concerning a mid-to-long-term collaboration on next-generation environment-friendly vehicles and technologies announced by the two companies on December 1, 2011.
The research project being undertaken under the agreement is focusing on increasing the performance and capacity of lithium-ion battery cells through the use of new combinations of materials for cathodes, anodes and electrolytes.
In addition to the collaborative research agreement between BMW and Toyota, the German brand will supply its 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesel engine for the Japanese manufacturer’s models. starting in 2014.


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U.S. denies Tesla tariff relief request for Chinese-made Model 3 'brain'
WASHINGTON, June 13 (Reuters) - The Trump administration has denied requests to exempt Tesla Inc's TSLA.O Model 3 from 25% tariffs on its Chinese-made car computer and center screen, according to letters seen by Reuters.
The U.S. Trade Representative's Office denied both requests in May 29 letters, saying they both concern "a product strategically important or related to 'Made in China 2025’ or other Chinese industrial programs."
The California-based electric vehicle manufacturer had warned that increased tariffs on the car computer it dubbed the "brains" of the Model 3 causes “economic harm to Tesla, through the increase of costs and impact to profitability.” Tesla had also urged the office to approve a request by its supplier SAS Automotive USA Inc, builder of the center display screen for the Model 3.
(Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Bill Berkrot)
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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The VR revolution has been just a few minutes away for years now. More recently, some of the major tech stalwarts invested in this next-gen technology have started withdrawing from it, at least for the time being. This all suggested only one thing: we’re still much further away from VR being mainstream. The promised future, which felt like it’s right around the corner several years back, hasn’t arrived yet.
Reiterating this, PlayStation’s CEO Jim Ryan last month said in an interview that “we’re more than a few minutes from the future of VR”. But “at some point in the future, VR will represent a meaningful component of interactive entertainment.”
It appears Sony is indeed working on VR and AR (augmented reality) headsets for the future. A newly-discovered utility patent shows how the Japanese company plans to improve and refine this next-gen technology.
Sony VR headset patent
According to the patent documentation, Sony is looking to introduce a tech that ensures that the user is wearing the headset properly. Agreed that existing VR headsets already equip a wear sensor. However, Sony wants to take things to the next level by placing multiple sensors distributed over the entire headset, ensuring better wear detection.
There are pressure sensors, a motion sensor, an acceleration sensor, light-emitting diodes (LED), and haptic feedback generators. Since VR headsets are typically worn for a longer period of time, users’ comfort is paramount. With multiple pressure sensors, Sony is trying to distribute the pressure evenly. A correct fit would also ensure accurate data tracking.
Sony may also opt to use a camera and image recognition to detect if the device is fit properly. The company may equip the device with different types of cameras, including a thermal imaging camera. The patent documentation doesn’t detail the purpose of LEDs and haptic feedback generators though. Sony says it will reveal that “soon”.
Perhaps these would alert the user of a poor fit through light indicators and vibrations. The device would also likely display such information on the screen as well as over voice through the built-in speakers.
Additionally, the device would let users create a profile for themselves. They can select whether they are bald or have a large or small head with hair. There’s also a rotatable knob on the back of the headset to tighten or loosen the headband.
This could be the Sony PSVR 2
Sony filed this patent titled “Pressure sensing to identify fitness and comfort of virtual reality headset” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) back in September 2016. The patent was granted and published on November 24, 2020.
The patent sketches show two different designs – one VR headset while the other looks like AR glasses. However, it’s a utility patent and not a design patent. This essentially means the patent covers the described technology and not the device’s design. So Sony can still opt for some other design as well. And with each varying design, the positioning of the sensors would vary. However, the concept remains the same.
Sony already has a PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset launched in 2016 for the PlayStation 4 (PS4). And while the company recently launched the much-anticipated PS5, it came without its own PSVR. Instead, Sony has made the existing model forward compatible with the new console, although you need a special adapter to make the PS4 camera work with it.
The company is providing this PlayStation Camera Adapter free of cost to eligible customers. So it essentially eliminates the need for a new PSVR to enjoy VR games on PS5. In the meantime, Sony is also seemingly working on a new version of the headset, i.e the PSVR 2. It now remains to be seen if the concept described in this utility patent will make it into a commercial product or we will see something completely different.


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Letters, pictures, costumes—all the basic-yet-essential items that moved this crazy show's plot-lines along were present at a showcase organized by the Vilcek Foundation. You can check out more photos from the event over at Gawker.TV. [Gawker.TV]
The Simple Props Of LOST
Trending Stories Right Now
The only good social network is evidently toying with the idea of purging the worst thing about social media — and I, for one, couldn’t be more on board.
Samsung is reported to have delayed launch events for its troubled, roughly $2,000 Galaxy Fold phone in Hong Kong and Shanghai, based on reporting by SamMobile and Engadget Chinese editor-in-chief Richard Lai.


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Britain has announced that they have taken the decision to ban the sale of diesel and petrol cars starting from 2040. The ban comes as part of the Government’s plan to clean up the country’s air.
U.K. environment secretary Michael Gove says that things simply have to change.
“We can’t carry on with diesel and petrol cars,” U.K. environment secretary Michael Gove told the BBC on Wednesday. “There is no alternative to embracing new technology.”
CNN reports that almost 2.7 million new cars were registered in the UK in 2016. This makes it the second biggest car market in Europe after Germany.
So, will they actually be able to achieve the 2040 deadline? It looks like it’s going to be very, very difficult. British demand for electric and fuel cell cars, as well as plug-in hybrids, grew 40% in 2015, but they only accounted for less than 3% of the market.
Although it will be difficult, David Bailey, a professor of industrial strategy at Aston Business School, says that “clean” cars are still likely to grow in terms of sales.
Ending diesel and petrol car sales by 2040 is a step in the right direction but given that electric cars are coming anyway this is probably pretty irrelevant. It’s a bit like saying we’re banning the sale of steam engines by 2040,”
Industry insiders warn that just like anything else, people will only really catch on once the “clean” cars reach a cheaper or similar price to petrol and diesel ones.
So why the deadline?
“The deadline was announced by the government on Wednesday as part of a plan to reduce air pollution. The blueprint highlighted roughly £1.4 billion ($1.8 billion) in government investment designed to help ensure that every vehicle on the road in Britain produces zero emissions by 2050.” As per CNN
Aside from being essential for the future, clean air is also essential for right now. Around 40 000 deaths occur each year in Britain as a result of outdoor air pollution.


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The forthcoming “Grand Theft Auto” trilogy will reportedly be available across multiple platforms, including the Nintendo Switch.
According to IGN, a remastered trilogy featuring three classic Grand Theft Auto games will be releasing soon, and it will reportedly be available across multiple gaming platforms, even on Nintendo Switch.
John Ewing/Portland Press Herald/Getty Images
Rockstar Games has not officially confirmed the release, but video game website Kotaku claims to have learned from sources close to the company that a remastered trilogy is in fact in the works. According to IGN, the gaming bundle will include GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas — all of which will be remastered in Unreal Engine and feature a mix of new and old graphics.
This leak comes alongside reports that Rockstar is also currently working on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of GTA 5, which are rumored to be releasing later this year.
Which game in the upcoming remastered Grand Theft Auto trilogy are you looking forward to the most: GTA III, San Andreas, or Vice City?[via]