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Barclays PLC (Barclays), a major global financial services provider, announced today that its US credit card group, also known as Juniper, will open an operations center in Colorado Springs that will add 450 new jobs to the local economy.
To support this expansion, Barclays has signed a lease for 69,000 square feet in North Creek 1 at 5725 Mark Dabling Boulevard.
"We demand the best talent to deliver on the promises we make to our customers," said Richard Vague, CEO of Barclays US credit card operation. "Colorado Springs is an ideal place for us to hire the kind of people who can help us exceed our customers' expectations."
In October, Barclays will begin recruiting employees to work in the areas of bank operations, credit, collections, customer care, human resources and technology. The company expects to have 450 staff on board by Spring, 2006.
"We're excited to be adding jobs in a market where many of our customers live and work," said Jim Stewart, president of Barclays US credit card operation. "As the issuer of the Frontier Airlines MasterCard we already have many ties to the community."
"Barclays is a company with a long history of providing world class financial services and we welcome them to Colorado. It is good news for our state's economy, and is representative of the great organizations choosing to locate here," said Colorado Governor Bill Owens.
"We are delighted Barclays chose Colorado Springs for its new operations center," said Mayor Lionel Rivera. "In addition to creating a significant number of jobs, Barclays has indicated their desire for broader community involvement. We will do everything we can to support Barclays as they establish themselves as one of our leading corporate citizens."
"Barclays' expansion into Colorado Springs will position the company to become one of the area's major employers," said Mike Kazmierski, president and CEO of The Greater Colorado Springs Economic Development Corporation. "We are very pleased that Barclays has expressed confidence in our business climate and infrastructure and will do our part to ensure their ongoing satisfaction."
"We originally chose Barclays as our credit card issuer because their people are very experienced in the credit card marketing business," said Jeff Potter, President and CEO of Denver-based Frontier Airlines. "Today's announcement demonstrates an even stronger commitment from Barclays to provide outstanding service to our customers. We are thrilled to welcome them to the beautiful Rocky Mountain region."


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A combination of cold weather, promotions and price cuts saw millions of Americans shop for holiday gifts over the Thanksgiving weekend, kic...
It's not so long ago that teens were something of a sweet spot on the retail landscape, buoyed by a core customer who seemed immune to the r...
Hot topics under discussion at the annual meeting of the rebranded United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) included major trade n...
US retailers battled significant headwinds in February, with sales of early spring merchandise getting off to a slow start in the face of co...
China-based shirt manufacturer and yarn supplier Luthai Textile Co has its sights firmly set on growing its global business. Earlier this month, as the company revealed plans to open an office in New York, Michelle Russell talked to Luthai general manager Liu Zibin about the rationale behind the move.
The latest listing of the best global brands show clothing performed well, with US department store retailer Macy's increasing its brand value by more than 25%, and H&M ranking as the top retailer in its region.
Jeffrey Gennette has been promoted to president of US department store retailer Macy's, taking on additional responsibility for its marketing and online business.
Management consulting firm Kurt Salmon has appointed Macy's executive Tom Cole as a partner in its retail and consumer products group.
US department store retailer Macy's recorded an increase in earnings in the fourth quarter but results missed analyst expectations as harsh winter weather hit January sales.
Workers making clothing for JC Penney, Macy's, Kohl's and Wal-Mart at the Alianza Fashion factory in Guatemala were deprived of more than $6m in back wages, benefits and pension funds when the company shut down last year, a new report claims.
What a difference two years makes. In the past couple of weeks major US retailers including Walmart, Target, Macy's and Nordstrom have all lowered their forecasts for the rest of the year citing sluggish sales, cautious consumers and general economic uncertainty. But for specialty clothing retailer Gap Inc it's a different story.
- Garment manufacturers eye Myanmar outsourcing
- PSF 2014: Shifting focus from cost to consumer
- PSF 2014: No one size fits all in apparel sourcing
- Mexico's shoe makers blame their woes on China
- Tesco takes second stab at US market with F&F
- Adidas China supplier in discussions over strike
- Bangladesh PM asks clothing buyers to pay more
- Jones CEO to depart as Sycamore splits business
- Workers strike at Adidas supplier shoe factory
- Banana Republic taps former J Crew designer
- Ethiopia – the emerging textile and clothing industry
- Antimicrobial fibres, fabrics and apparel: innovative weapons against infection
- Trade and trade policy: clothing imports, consumer expenditure and trends in five emerging markets: Brazil, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan and Peru, 4th quarter 2013
- Jeans in Italy
- Sustainable Textiles for Apparel: Fact, Fiction and Future Prospects

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Star of Food Network's 'Iron Chef America' to host live cooking demonstration, sign books
The Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops recently announced chef Marc Forgione will appear at the festival for a live cooking demonstration at noon on Saturday, July 7. One of the Iron Chefs on Food Network's "Iron Chef America," Forgione is also a restaurateur and cookbook author.
Presented by Fisher & Paykel and Artisan Kitchens & Baths, the demonstration will take place on the Taste of Buffalo Culinary Stage in the New Era Cap parking lot at 160 Delaware Ave. Chef will prepare chili lobster on Texas toast and Kona kampachi tartare with avocado mousse, featuring sashimi-grade fish with a clean, rich, slightly nutty flavor. Guests will be able to sample the dishes while supplies last. He will also sign copies of his book, "Marc Forgione, Recipes and stories from the Acclaimed Chef," which will be available to purchase at the Culinary Stage.
"With a modern twist on fine dining, Marc Forgione has earned widespread acclaim and a stellar reputation for amazing food," said Rich McDermott, 2018 Taste of Buffalo chairman. "Taste guests can look forward to watching his artful food presentations come to life, listening to stories about his time as an Iron Chef, and tasting a few of his signature recipes."
Forgione is the chef/owner of Restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City and American Cut in New York City and Atlanta. He is also partner at Khe-Yo in New York City
Celebrating its 35th birthday this year, the Taste of Buffalo is the nation's largest two-day food festival showcasing the delicious tastes, delectable smells, sights, and sounds of the city it calls home: Buffalo. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 7, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 8, along Delaware Avenue in downtown Buffalo, beginning at Johnson Park and heading south around Niagara Square to West Eagle.
Fifty-three locally owned restaurants and food trucks will be featured, along with unique craft beers, New York state wines, live music and family-friendly entertainment.
Admission to the Taste of Buffalo is free. Food items range in price from 2 to 10 tickets. Food tickets are sold in $5 sheets and each food ticket is valued at 50 cents. Cash, Visa and MasterCard are accepted at any of the ticket tents during the Taste of Buffalo.
A complete list of restaurants participating in the 2018 Taste of Buffalo, along with more than 250 different menu items to be served, is available at tasteofbuffalo.com
The Taste of Buffalo is a not-for-profit organization with more than 1,000 volunteers helping to put on the annual event. Each year, the event allocates funds to support the community through donations to local charities. In addition, the Taste of Buffalo partners with select nonprofits to staff ticket and beverage booths with volunteers, in return for a donation. The festival also offers five annual $1,000 scholarships to local high school seniors pursuing a culinary or hospitality-related degree. To date, more than $500,000 has been donated back to the community thanks to purchases made by Taste of Buffalo festivalgoers.
New this year, two additional one-time scholarships have been made possible thanks to Smithfield Foods and a generous partner. For more information, visit www.tasteofbuffalo.com


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CBS had agreed to buy CNET Networks and its raft of sites in a deal valued at $1.8 billion ($900 million) the companies have confirmed.
The deal, which includes internet sites CNET, ZDNet, Gamespot. Mp3.com and CNET News.com, saw CBS pay $11.50 a share – a significant premium on the $7.50 share price on Wednesday.
The deal brings CBS a huge platform of internet users catapulting them into the top 10 in the US – and giving them access to an audience of some 200 million. The company already owns social music site Last.fm.
The deal has apparently been ‘unilaterally agreed by CNET’s board’ according to the company’s news site and will be completed in the third quarter.
CBS is one of the biggest television and radio networks in the US, where it is responsible for the likes of CSI and NCIS.
CNet Networks does have UK presence, but no announcement has been made as to how this deal will affect it.


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Meg Whitman is stepping down as chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise six years after joining its corporate predecessor, Hewlett-Packard, and leading a turnaround effort that split the Silicon Valley corporate icon in two.
Ms. Whitman, 61, will retire in February, the company said on Tuesday. She will be succeeded by Antonio Neri, 50, Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s president.
Ms. Whitman took the helm at Hewlett-Packard in 2011, nine months after joining the company’s board, following her failed bid in 2010 to become the governor of California — spending more than $100 million of her own money and losing to Jerry Brown.
At Hewlett-Packard, Ms. Whitman inherited a fix-it problem and delivered mixed results. She oversaw rounds of cost-cutting and then decided to break up the company. Ms. Whitman went with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which took the business software and hardware operations of the parent company. The other spinoff, HP Inc., houses the printer and personal computer business.
Since Hewlett Packard Enterprise became a stand-along company, its share price is about where it was on the opening day of trading. But including share buybacks and dividend payments totaling nearly $18 billion, the total shareholder return is 89 percent, the company said.
In after-hours trading, HPE shares fell nearly 7 percent.
The job at Hewlett-Packard presented a very different challenge from her first stint in the tech world. In 1998, she joined a fledgling start-up, eBay, steering it as it rode the early growth of the internet and making Ms. Whitman a billionaire.
“At HP, she was handed a tough hand in a legacy business — the opposite of eBay,” said A.M. Sacconaghi, an analyst Bernstein Research. “She was a complete realist about the business, and generally did a good job.”
Continue reading the main story


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Chinese telco Huawei will cease production of its most advanced Kirin chipsets from next month, due to the growing impact of US sanctions.
According to financial magazine Caixin, the CEO of Huawei's Consumer Business Unit, Richard Yu Chengdong, told a tech industry forum last week that the company would stop production of the Kirin 9000 chipset from the 15th September.
"From September 15th onward, our flagship Kirin processors cannot be produced," Yu said.
"Our AI-powered chips also cannot be processed. This is a huge loss for us. Huawei's mobile phones have no chip supply, which makes our shipment volume this year a little less than [the] 240 million units [shipped last year]," he stated.
The US tightened restrictions on Huawei in May, banning suppliers of software and manufacturing equipment worldwide from using American technology to manufacture components for Huawei without first obtaining a license from the government.
Huawei's HiSilicon chip division relies on software from US firms to design a wide range of chips, including Kirin types. TSMC produces the chips for Huawei, using equipment from US vendors.
Last month, TSMC said that it had stopped taking new orders from Huawei since May to comply with the US government's orders.
While losing a big customer like Huawei is not an ideal situation, TSMC said that it was still in a position to achieve more than 20 per cent revenue growth in 2020, thanks to strong demand for infrastructure, 5G smartphones and high-performance computing products, such as graphics and artificial intelligence.
But, for Huawei, there is no other option than to stop production of advanced Kirin chips, as the company does not have the capacity to produce such chipsets. The firm will, however, continue to produce mid-range Kirin chips for more affordable smartphones.
Meanwhile, Qualcomm is reportedly lobbying the Trump administration to allow it to sell components to Huawei.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Qualcomm has told the government that American tech firms would lose their dominance in the 5G market If Huawei switches to MediaTek or Samsung components.
'If Qualcomm is subject to export licensing, but its foreign competitors are not, US government policy will cause a rapid shift in 5G chipset market share in China and beyond,' Qualcomm said, according to the WSJ.
That 'would hamper American research and leadership on 5G issues' and would be 'an unacceptable outcome for US interests,' the company stated.
Rivals AMD and Nvidia have already started taking advantage of 7nm technology to produce more efficient chips
The chip maker is also rumoured to have made major breakthrough in 2nm chips
The first Macs with Apple chips will arrive by the end of the year
Both AMD and Intel are continuing to produce CPUs at near full capacity despite the COVID-19 outbreak
Long rumoured shift from Intel to in-house designed ARM processors is imminent, noted Apple analyst claims


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Looking ahead to upcoming album releases is a precarious proposition in 2015. Surprise midnight digital releases are de rigueur, and an ill-timed leak can postpone, move up, or scrap an album’s release date altogether. But as long as artists (and labels) keep promising to deliver the goods, we’ll be waiting with bated breath.
This fall’s crop features new music from British stalwarts old (PiL, New Order) and young (Disclosure, Chvrches), even including a band that appears to have risen from the dead (The Libertines). Prince is set to drop his new record exclusively on the celeb-studded streaming service Tidal, and while Fetty Wap has been ubiquitous on the airwaves this summer, his self-titled debut is still forthcoming. The noisier set has new albums from Destruction Unit and Diät to look forward to, as well as Deafheaven‘s highly anticipated followup to the beautiful horror of 2013’s Sunbather.
And what about the likes of Kanye, Frank Ocean, Grimes, Adele, and (gasp) Justin Bieber? They’re all expected to release albums this season, but outside of a few nebulous hints, little is known about their plans. But it’s likely we’ll see a release from at least one of them. And then there’s that album made by cats…
Click through to take a look at the rest of what’s new for fall.


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For the first time, Ocado customers will receive a 20p monetary reward for scanning and recycling packaging using their smartphones.
The retailer has teamed up with Polytag and Bower to deliver the initiative, starting from today.
Customers can scan a QR code printed onto Ocado’s own brand two and four pint milk bottles, which have just reduced in price to £1.45 and £1.20 respectively.
The first 20,000 codes scanned will see consumers receive a 20p reward which will appear in their digital wallet in the Bower app – the same amount that will be redeemed as a deposit in the upcoming Deposit Return Scheme legislation once it is rolled out in 2025. This 20p can then be withdrawn to their bank account.
Although consumers will not redeem a deposit – as it will not be added at the point of purchase – the partnership aims to demonstrate the viability of a DDRS by enabling people to receive a cash incentive for recycling using their smartphones.
The serialised codes – printed at Interket UK – can only be scanned once, preventing consumers from repeatedly claiming back a deposit from the same pack.
Additionally, the Bower app uses GPS technology to validate that the consumer is claiming a 20p by standing within a close distance of a registered home recycling bin.
Also, the on pack QR codes also enable brands to access real-time data on packaging lifecycles, including if, when and where packaging is recycled.
invisible tags will also feature on all product labels, which are going to be counted in two regional material recycling facilities using Polytag’s invisible tag readers.
This means data captured in the app when a consumer claims their 20p reward will be mapped to the count of items identified in the material recycling facilities.
This is the first time Bower has partnered with a UK retailer to offer monetary rewards,
it also represents the next phase of a DDRS partnership between Polytag and Ocado Retail which last year saw unique QR codes printed accurately and at speed on five million labels for two and four pint milk bottles.
Those codes take consumers to a customised landing page containing real-time information and dynamic content.
Laura Fernandez, Senior Packaging and Sustainability Manager at Ocado Retail, comments: “To be able to launch a workable digital deposit return scheme that actually pays consumers back for recycling is a game-changing move for recycling and the circular economy in the UK.”
“We already know that Ocado shoppers have an appetite for such a scheme as when we surveyed them last year, 80% were likely or very likely to scan a QR code for a deposit return.”
Alice Rackley, CEO, Polytag, says: “In its response to the DRS consultation in January, the UK government encouraged innovators to continue to demonstrate that the technology for a DDRS exists. Our partnership with Bower and Ocado Retail is the next step in demonstrating the viability of a DDRS in the UK.”
“After successfully mass applying five million unique every time QR codes to Ocado Retail’s packaging, we will now further conduct a proof of concept – consumers receiving monetary rewards for good recycling habits.”
“We are excited to analyse consumer interaction with the codes, and strongly believe this could be a breakthrough moment when it comes to recycling in the UK.”
Suwar Mert, CEO and Founder, Bower, says: “For the first time, we now have a pioneering technology for a digital deposit return scheme. Consumers can now embark on a rewarding recycling journey by using mobile phones and regular recycling bins.”
“Over 500,000 users are already using the app and get rewarded not only for their bottles and cans but for all packaging with a barcode. We can elevate the recycling rates and put speed and scale behind the transition towards a circular packaging economy”.
Steve Gough, Valpak, adds: “The Ocado Retail, Polytag, and Bower teams are leading the industry towards an improved and optimised recycling system that harnesses digital technologies.”
“There are many benefits of a DDRS and we’ve seen this first-hand through a successful pilot in Europe by our sister brand, RLG. We are excited by these developments and we will follow this partnership with interest, observing closely how consumers interact with the QR codes.”View Original Article


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Radar Movers: America Still Hooked on Apple iPhone, VeriFone Plunges 14%
Shares of VeriFone Systems (NYSE:PAY) plunged more than 14 percent in late afternoon hours. The company reported quarterly earnings of 42 cents per share on revenue of $430 million, missing expectations for 47 cents per share on revenue of $440 million. Richard McGinn, interim chief executive officer, said, “We are keenly aware of the significant short-term challenges impacting our fiscal year 2013 financial results. To regain our momentum, we are addressing the critical issues head-on.”
Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) shares edged slightly higher in late afternoon trading. The casino operator announced it will repurchase up to $2 billion of its shares. “I am extremely proud to announce that the company’s outstanding financial performance, together with our expanding cash flows and strong balance sheet, has enabled us to initiate a multi-year share repurchase program,” said Mr. Sheldon G. Adelson, chairman and chief executive officer.
Shares of General Motors (NYSE:GM) dipped 2.7 percent on Wednesday, but edged higher in late afternoon hours. The U.S. Treasury Department announced that it will begin another round of sales of the company’s stock it acquired as part of the financial bailout known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The news reflects another step in the right direction for GM who has been making many headlines in the last month with its optimistic news. Previously snubbed, “Government Motors,” GM’s shares rose above its initial public offering price for the first time since 2010 in May. Shares of Ford (NYSE:F) fell more than 3 percent.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares declined nearly 1 percent on Wednesday, but the tech giant received positive news on its market share. New data from comScore reveals that Apple is growing its share of the U.S. smartphone market faster than its rival Samsung. The report covered the three-month period that ended in April 2013. According to comScore’s statistics, Apple ranks as the number one smartphone manufacturer in the U.S. with a 39.2 percent share of the original equipment manufacturer market. Samsung (SSNLF.PK) was ranked second with a 22 percent OEM market share.
Don’t Miss: 3 Stocks for Summertime Fun
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The industry reunites with French flair
After a three-year hiatus, produce pals from around North America were once again in one city to celebrate the industry in a monumental CPMA. With a theme of reconnection, a sold-out show floor held over 270 exhibiting companies and a record number of attendees for a week of networking, learning and building business in Montreal.
With that, Oppy had a lot (and we mean A LOT) to be proud of this year. With two busy booths of meetings and interviews on the show floor, one featuring Oppy’s range of key brands from Envy™, JAZZ™, Ocean Spray, Zespri™, Perpetual Vegetable Co. and Divemex, and a complementary booth just across the aisle filled with the latest innovations, featuring brands UP Vertical Farms™, Oppy’s first-ever vertical farming venture, and Happy Berry™, Oppy’s first-ever hydroponic item in the berry category. Brothers Bahram and Shahram Rashti of UP Vertical Farms™ commanded the retail and media spotlight throughout the event with Bahram speaking during the Learning Lounge session, Future Growth – Changing Production in Produce. Marketing Communications Manager Kelsey Van Lissum also shined as a panelist in the Growing in Produce session.
Business Development Representative Susanne Bertolas was celebrated by her teammates at the Women in Produce Reception having been selected as an Outstanding Woman in Produce by Grocery Business Magazine, an initiative underwritten by CPMA. Susanne shares some experiences and words of wisdom in the publication, which you can see here. While Senior Sales Representative Myles Coueffin was cheered on at the Young Professionals Reception as a participant in this year’s Passion for Produce program, expanding his knowledge of the supply chain through mentorship and participation in various events, and noted as a rising star in the produce industry.
A star that has risen received the association’s 2022 Young Professional Award: our very own Executive Director of Operations and Logistics Stewart Lapage. This award is bestowed annually to a young person who displays passion and dedication to the produce industry. A well-deserved honor with Stewart being a driving force in supply chain management at Oppy, and in the industry, representing on a number of committees.
The group was among friends with five folks from Divemex attending, along with T&G Head of Marketing Cecilia Flores Paez who oversaw the grassroots Envy™ campaign which featured walking billboards, digital advertising trucks and samplings in and around the trade show. Envy™ also starred in a floral arrangement at the annual banquet, which Oppy sponsored, signifying the end of a successful week where Chairman, CEO and Managing Partner John Anderson spoke to the industry, presenting Oppy’s inspiring new purpose: Grow Our Tomorrow while also igniting a heartfelt round of applause for this year’s Oppy retirees at the show.
It all couldn’t have been done without veteran trade show operative Director of Marketing Services Cathie MacDonald driving our strategy for the event, with Marketing Specialist Shea Thomson executing every detail. A job well done all! Thank you and congratulations to everyone who contributed to Oppy’s successful presence at the 2022 CPMA.


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PepsiCo Europe has announced the appointment of Archana Jagannathan as its new chief sustainability officer, effective immediately.
Jagannathan currently holds a leadership position on Climate, Energy and Water at PepsiCo Europe, as well as being vice president for sustainability in the UK and Ireland.
She joined the soft drinks and snacking giant in 2018, and has held a variety of roles at the business, in category management, packaging and sustainability.
Sustainable Packaging Strategy
'Under her leadership, PepsiCo has developed a sustainable packaging strategy for Europe, including announcing and delivering on its ambition on 100% rPET, as well as developing plans to eliminate virgin-fossil-based plastic in all crisp and chip bags by 2030,' the company said in a statement.
Jagannathan is also set to play a role in the transformation strategy PepsiCo Positive (pep+), which puts sustainability at the centre of the business.
'Strong Vision And Commitment'
“PepsiCo has long had a strong vision and commitment to its sustainability agenda and pep+ provides the entire organization with a clear roadmap to sustainably grow and bring value to the planet and people," Jagannathan commented.
“We’re taking significant action to deliver on that vision and I look forward to continuing my work embedding pep+ into our decision making and wider business strategy”.
In her role she will report to Silviu Popovici, PepsiCo Europe chief executive, and PepsiCo’s global chief Sustainability officer, Jim Andrew.
In a statement, PepsiCo said that it thanked its CSO, Katharina Stenholm, for her 'leadership and achievements during her time at the company' and wished her 'all the best in the future'.


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Bright and early in the morning of Monday, February 26 Sony will unveil new devices. That’s the third day of the MWC. Of course, the press invite just promises technological innovation without telling us exactly what we’ll see.
The rumor mill forecasts a high chance of Xperia XZ Pro – Sony’s foray into OLED displays coinciding with a switch to 18:9 aspect ratio (nary a bezel in sight). This phone can mark several other firsts for the company, including its first dual camera on the rear (its first dual selfie cam is on the XA2 Ultra).
There may also be a successor to the Xperia XZ1 and (fingers crossed) perhaps even a Compact version. And there will certainly be some accessories. Whatever it is, we’ll be on location to report on it first hand.


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Austin in the money: $8.6M surplus in 2012
The city of Austin ended fiscal 2012 with an $8.6 million surplus, driven by an increase in sales tax and development revenue and a small dip in expenditures.
Sales taxes in 2012 were up 8.6 percent over 2011 and $5.4 million above the budget estimate. Development-driven revenue was up 30 percent for the year, boosting the city's bottom line $4.2 million above the estimate.
General fund expenditures ended the year $42,000 below estimated costs.
The city collected $164.2 million in sales taxes in 2012, up from $151.1 million in 2011 and ahead of the estimated $156.7 million. Austin saw the third largest-increase in year-to-year sales taxes among Texas' major cities, behind Houston's 11.7 percent increase and San Antonio's 9.7 percent increase.
Development revenue totaled $16.9 million in 2012, eclipsing 2011's $13 million and exceeding the $12.7 million that had been projected. Residential building permit units were up 116.4 percent over 2011, an increase unmatched in two decades.
Property taxes tallied $278.5 million, up from $251.4 million the prior year, although slightly short of the estimated $279.4 million.
This year, property tax revenue is projected to increase 4.4 percent to $313 million and sales tax revenue is projected to increase 13.7 percent to $166.4 million. Total expenditures in 2013 are projected to be $742.7 million.
The City Council will address the surplus and what to do with the extra cash at a special meeting on Jan. 29.
Robert Grattan covers government, courts and economic development for the Austin Business Journal.
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Tagged: OTA update
HTC One users will be seeing the Android 4.2.2 update surface via an over-the-air update sometime in the relatively near future, according to reports coming in from Taiwanese users. Some international users have revealed that they've received the newest update, with one publishing a screenshot of the update page that displays the changes other owners can expect.
AT&T has announced and begun rolling out another update for the Samsung Galaxy Note II. This latest is a security update and is now available over-the-air. Basically, those carrying an AT&T branded Galaxy Note II -- you may want to be on the lookout for an update notification.
Galaxy Note 10.1 devices in Germany and keeping its update momentum going.
Samsung released a video for the Galaxy S III Premium Suite upgrade that broke down some of the new features we should expect to see on the device such as multi-window. Now, Samsung has pushed part two of the video which lets us see the rest of the features that we will be enjoying on the S III. There is definitely some good stuff, and it gives users even more reason to constantly check that update screen on their devices.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean to Nexus owners via an over-the-air update, but if you are impatient, there are ways to get it sooner. The firmware for the GSM version of the Galaxy Nexus (so not Verizon's LTE-equipped version) is available for download on Google's servers. The v4.2 ROM for the Nexus 7 is also available.


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Following a report in October claiming Samsung and LG were both attempting to win orders for OLED displays to be used in future iPhones, a new report today says Apple has partnered with LG Display for a foldable OLED panel of sorts.
According to the report from etnews, LG Display is partnering with Apple, Google, and Microsoft on what it describes as ‘out-foldable’ OLED displays.
LG Display secured global manufacturers as its partners. Apple, Google, and Microsoft were listed as first buyers of LG Display’s foldable displays. It is heard that LG Electronics joined a group of buyers of foldable displays late… LG Display already developed a prototype of out-foldable panel and it is heard that technical level of this prototype is significantly high. Although it is working with outside businesses, it is heard that it developed major parts of this prototype.
Back in October, a report from BusinessKorea noted that Samsung and LG were collectively investing a combined record amount of around $11.6B into the development of flexible displays for 2016 as the two companies competed to secure Apple’s orders for future iPhones.
While LG and other possible suppliers including Foxconn-owned Sharp and Applied Materials could provide Apple with OLED displays for future iPhones, as of October it was estimated Samsung was producing around 95% of small-to-medium OLED displays in the market. It’s unclear if LG Display will be the only company providing Apple with OLED panels or if the partnership is specifically for upcoming 2017 iPhone models expected to include OLED displays.
LG has previously shown off flexible and foldable display prototypes, including a larger flexible, rollable, and transparent OLED panel that it originally planned for 2017 production.
While there have been several reports so far that Apple is planning to use OLED displays on at least some models in next year’s flagship iPhone lineup, the latest from The Wall Street Journal last month said the company was also prototyping a hi-res curved-screen model as possible top-tier iPhone.
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NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Affymetrix reported after the close of the market on Wednesday that its fourth-quarter revenues retreated 4 percent as product sales fell 12 percent from a year ago.
For the three months ended Dec. 31, 2010, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based microarray firm said revenues totaled $84.9 million, compared to $88.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2009. The results fell just short of Wall Street estimates of $85 million.
Product revenues for the quarter were $71.9 million, down from almost $81 million a year ago. Figures for the fourth quarter of 2010 include $63.4 million in consumables revenues and $8.5 million in instrument revenues.
In the year-ago period, Affy posted $71.9 million in consumables revenues, and $9.1 million in instrument revenues.
Service revenues for the quarter totaled $6.4 million and royalties and other revenues were $6.6 million, compared to $5.9 million in service revenues and $1.9 million in royalties and other revenues a year ago.
Affy's R&D costs for the fourth quarter were down 9 percent to $15.5 million from $17 million a year ago, while SG&A spending was down 17 percent to $28.7 million from $34.6 million for Q4 2009.
Affy said net income for the quarter rose 42 percent to almost $4 million, or $.06 per share, from $2.8 million, $.04 per share, a year ago, surpassing analysts' EPS estimates of $.02.
In a conference call following the release of its earnings, Affymetrix President and CEO Kevin King said that the overall decline in its business was driven by a "major slowdown in scientific services and lower-than-expected sales within the discovery segment of our business.
"Clearly the number one priority for the future is driving top-line revenue growth," he added.
King noted strong demand for Affy's discovery products from academic and pharma customers as the business sustained a double-digit volume increase throughout 2010. Nonetheless, that business was down 5 percent for the year, compared to 2009 "as the adoption of lower priced products increased as a percent of total mix."
The change in mix occurred in both Affy's DNA and RNA business.
During the call, CFO Tim Barabe said that DNA revenue slid 14 percent to $21.5 million in the quarter from $25 million in fourth quarter of 2009. RNA revenues dropped 19 percent to $36.4 million from $44.6 million a year ago.
For the full year DNA revenues increased 3 percent to $91.3 million, while RNA revenues slid 8 percent to $147 million.
The company emphasized product diversification as a source of growth and during the call company officials reiterated that theme. The firm is looking to expanding in clinical markets, and King said that cancer and cytogenetic products continue to grow and are expected to add to Affy's DNA revenue in 2011 and beyond.
Interest among top cancer centers and pharma is also growing for its OncoScan service, King added, and the company is working to develop it as a "consumable product in the future."
For full-year 2010, Affy's revenues slid 5 percent to $310.7 million from $327.1 million in 2009, and missed analysts' estimates of $311.9 million.
Its product revenues decreased to $277.7 million in 2010, compared to $279.2 million in 2009. Service revenues plunged 48 percent to $20.6 million from $39.6 million a year ago, though royalties and other revenues increased 49 percent year over year to $12.4 million from $8.3 million.
The company reduced its net loss for the year by 57 percent to $10.3 million, or $0.15 per share, from $23.9 million, $0.35 per share, in 2009, but fell short of Wall Street estimates of a loss of $0.13 per share.
For full-year 2010, Affy spent $67.9 million on R&D, down 12 percent from $77.4 million in 2009. SG&A costs shrank to $114.8 million for 2010, down 12 percent from $130.8 million in 2009.
Affy's results for 2010 include a $6.3 million gain from the repurchase of convertible notes, and its 2009 figures include a gain of $17.4 million in the repurchase of convertible notes, as well as restructuring charges of $2.2 million.
As of Dec. 31 Affy had $35.5 million in cash and cash equivalents and $67.2 million in available-for-sale securities.
In early Thursday trade on the Nasdaq, Affy's shares climbed around 9 percent to $5.39, as investors responded to the better-than-expected profit for Q4.


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Finland promoting happiness and sustainable travel at ITB Asia 16 - 18 October 2019
Finland is promoting happiness and sustainable travel at ITB Asia 2019 with 48 exhibitors from 33 Finnish companies present!
Finland is promoting happiness and sustainable travel at ITB Asia 2019 with 48 exhibitors from 33 Finnish companies present! The Embassy of Finland, including Ambassador Antti Vänskä, participated the opening of the event.
Travelling to Finland and exploring the happiest country on earth is steadily increasing its popularity. Finland offers an alternative to crowded travel destinations, and seeks to nurture, conserve and preserve its unspoilt natural environment, as well as the Finnish culture and lifestyle for years to come.
In September, Visit Finland launched a new Sustainable Travel Finland initiative providing companies and destinations with a sustainable development process through ecological, social, economic and cultural dimensions. It also equips them with a comprehensive toolkit for eco-friendly tourism, which makes it easier to adopt responsible, ethical practices and greener choices in their everyday business. The initiative enables easy identification of sustainable tourism providers and destinations.
Now, Visit Finland is inviting visitors to be like a Finn by making a pledge of sustainability to nurture, to help conserve and preserve Finland's pristine natural environment and protect the country’s unique lifestyle, which is rooted in the natural world and supported by a culture which celebrates equality.
By taking the Sustainable Finland Pledge, visitors promise to respect and treasure Finnish nature, its inhabitants and culture during their visit. To sign the pledge, please visit the page Visit Finland: Sustainable Finland Pledge.


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WhatsApp with new features in the new year
Menlo Park: A report on new WhatsApp features coming this year is out. WhatsApp is set to introduce a handful of great features that users have been waiting for like WhatsApp Communities, Avatar, Self Chat feature and View Ones...
Google Pay and PhonePe are no longer free; The Reserve Bank has released a discussion paper on setting charges for UPI transactions
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank has released a discussion paper on setting charges for UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, etc.) transactions. Currently, there is no user charge for UPI transactions. However, the RBI points out that the charge can be argued...
The fish will now come home; The MIMI app was launched, initially in this district
Thiruvananthapuram: Fish and allied products can now be purchased with the help of the mobile app. Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian inaugurated the app called Mimi. Film star Anie took over the production. Minister Saji Cherian said that along with...
The e-Rupee digital payment platform will be launched today
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today unveiled the e-Rupee digital payment platform. The platform was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India in collaboration with the Central Government. The Prime Minister said that the presentation of the...
Tactically obtaining permission from users: Central government against WhatsApp
App Ready; Livestock trade is also longer digital
Alappuzha: Livestock trade is also going digital. Buying and selling cows and heifers can now be done in a sophisticated way. An online mobile application that allows you to view and buy photos of livestock on your phone is...
Now ration information through a mobile app
New Delhi: The government has launched a new mobile app as part of a ration card scheme in a country where a ration card can be used anywhere in the country. The 'Mera Ration App' is to facilitate the...
You can now keep your insurance policies with Digilocker
Thiruvananthapuram: Insurance policies can now also be stored in Digilocker. Digilocker is a government-provided system for storing documents on the web or mobile app. The app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple Store. You...
Central government’s ‘Sandesh’ app to replace WhatsApp
New Delhi: WhatsApp is reportedly being replaced by the central government's 'Sandesh' app, which government officials have reportedly started using the Swadeshi app. Last year, the government confirmed plans to launch an app similar to WhatsApp Chat. It is...
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Saniya Iyappan Photos Gallery - Saniya Iyappan is a Indian actress mainly works in Malayalam movies .


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When recreational marijuana use becomes legal in Colorado on January 1 , medical retailers expect demand to increase by 400 per cent. Increasing supply to meet that demand will carry with it dramatic economic and environmental costs.
The monthly energy bill for River Rock, a medical marijuana retailer with two dispensaries and a warehouse in the Denver area, exceeds $21,000. According to John Kocer, one of River Rock’s owners, that’s nothing: one of his competitors pays a monthly bill of $100,000 for its warehouse operation. In Colorado and elsewhere in the U.S., the pot industry generates more than enough revenue to pay its bills. The environmental cost of doing business, though, is a different matter.
In 2011, a study by researcher Evan Mills at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory showed indoor marijuana production accounting for 1 per cent of national electricity production, using $6 billion worth of energy per year, and creating greenhouse gas pollution equivalent to that of 3 million cars. Faced with the rapid growth of those numbers, the City of Boulder put into place the kind of environmental regulation ordinarily associated with corporate polluters. Boulder requires marijuana growers to purchase wind or solar energy, or to buy carbon offsets. That increases marijuana growing costs by an estimated 20 per cent.
River Rock’s new 18,000 square foot greenhouse will primarily use solar power, rather than artificial lights.
– Read the entire article at AlterNet.


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The Italian cruise line has signed a contract with Aker Yards to build two more ships, according to the shipyard's Web site. Though exact tonnage and design details for these two new-builds are yet to be released, the Aker Yards statement indicates that the ships will belong to the Musica class; those vessels measure 89,600 tons and carry 2,550 passengers.
MSC Cruises is one of the fastest growing lines in the industry with two ships coming onto the scene in 2008 alone (MSC Poesia launched in March, and MSC Fantasia -- its largest at 133,500 tons and carrying 3,300 passengers -- is due out later this year). MSC Splendida, a sister to MSC Fantasia, is planned for spring 2009; MSC Magnifica, the fourth ship in the Musica class, will launch in spring 2010.
The just-ordered vessels will be built at Aker's Saint-Nazaire yard for delivery in February 2011 and February 2012, respectively. Though signed, the contract is still subject to financing.
--by Melissa Baldwin, Managing Editor


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DETROIT (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles <FCHA.MI> <FCAU.N > is recalling about 310,800 vehicles in two separate recalls involving Jeep Wrangler SUVs, Ram heavy duty pickup trucks and Dodge Charger sedans, the company said on Wednesday.
The largest recall is for 225,000 new-model Jeep Wrangler SUVs because of sensor wiring that may malfunction and keep air bags from deploying, the company said.
Wrangler SUVs affected are from the 2016 and 2017 model years made from June 16, 2015 to Aug. 14, 2016, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2017 model-year Wranglers are still with the company, FCA said.
FCA said there have been no reported injuries, crashes or consumer complaints due to the possible defect, and that company staff discovered the malfunction during its own routine testing.
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U.S. safety regulators said that in certain types of crashes, front air bags and seat belt tighteners will not activate, increasing risk of injury.
Consumers will be advised by FCA to schedule appointments with FCA dealers who will reroute the wiring at no charge.
Of the affected Wranglers, about 183,000 are in the United States, about 18,000 in Canada, about 3,100 in Mexico and another 21,000 in several markets outside of North America.
In a separate action, FCA is recalling about 86,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs from model years 2007 through 2013 as well as model years 2011 to 2014 Dodge Charger Pursuit sedans.
The affected vehicles have alternators that may be subject to premature diode wear that could increase the potential of engine stalls or engine fires.
One person sustained a minor injury related to this issue, FCA said.
In this recall, about 75,000 are in the United States, about 10,100 in Canada, about 1,100 in Mexico and about 100 outside of North America, FCA said.
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Frances Kerry)


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Ethereum (ETH) Price Hits Nine-Month Low, Plunges Below $300
Ethereum (ETH), the world's second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, tumbled to a nine-month low of below $300 on Monday.
The coin was hovering around $320 earlier during the day, but a sell-off kicked off at around 15:00 UTC, sending the price to as low as $285 — a level last seen in November 2017. At one point, ETH was down 17% on the day, marking its biggest drop since March and making it the worst performer among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
As of 20:33 UTC, the digital coin is changing hands at $289.9, almost 10% down on the day, according to Coins.Online data. Its market capitalization stood at $29.3 billion.
Erasing its year-on-year growth and droppin...
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IronFX Clients Drop Claims, Crypto IPO Launched on LSE – Best of the Week
Catch up on last week's top stories Analysis – is blockchain always the answer? A Latvian startup announced that is “de-tokenizing” itself, saying that it wants to succeed on the strength of its product rather than price speculation. A rare occurrence nowadays, but could this be the beginning of a wider trend?
There have been others that cancelled cryptocurrency-based projects too. People may be starting to realise that it might not always be appropriate to ‘upgrade’ a system with blockchain technology. Analysis – is the Lightning Network all it’s cracked up to be? The Lightning Network is a protocol which represents the best hope for the future for Bitcoin by making transactions fast and cheap. It was released in beta mode in March 2018, and over the last month has seen usage grow by 85 percent.
However, one user has reported the network to be plagued with bugs and errors, and Diar reported a 99 percent failure rate on large transactions and only 70 percent success with transfers worth a few dollars.
So we are left asking – is the Lightning Network a realistic dream for the future? Interview with CEO of Spotware Systems Financial technology provider Spotware Systems is developing its own cryptocurrency exchange and has hired a new CEO in the shape of Alexander Shulman.
Shulman spoke to Finance Magnates about cXchange (as the new venture is called) and updates that the company is making to its foreign exchange software. 93 Chinese customers drop all charges against IronFX IronFX, the Cypriot foreign exchange broker about which hundreds of people complained because it wouldn’t give them back their money, has gained some relief now that 93 of its Chinese customers have withdrawn their claims at the same time. The firm had denied their charges, arguing that the customers had abused its bonus system.
In January it was granted a similar reprieve when the Hungarian high court ruled that its former Hungarian customers were not protected by EU law. Australian FX company buys British FX company Australian foreign exchange broker AxiCorp announced that it will be purchasing a British foreign exchange broker called One Financial Markets, pending regulatory approval.
Reportedly, the companies have been negotiating the deal for around a year. Under the agreed terms, One Financial Markets will continue to operate under its own name. ESMA regulations are forcing customers out of Europe The European Securities and Markets Authority recently put its restrictive new laws into action, and foreign exchange companies are feeling the pressure. The are no longer allowed to lend at high rates or offer binary options trading, and must supply negative balance protection so that its customers cannot go into debt with them.
As a result, many customers are now trading with companies based outside of Europe. However their choices seem to be for other regulated areas such as the United Arab Emirates rather than to unregulated Caribbean islands, as European firms had warned. Swissquote buys European bank, gains access to EU Swiss banking group Swissquote has purchased a Luxembourg-based bank called Internaxx Bank S.A. for 27.7 million euros. This acquisition will give the bank access to the European market.
Internaxx has been licensed since 2001 and has approximately 12,000 clients, who are in the main not local. It is popular with international investors, ex-pats and so on. The bank hopes to reach even more customers using Swissquotes more ample resources. Bitcoin leveraged trade at 200x leverage maximum, 200% profit at 1% price raise Make a profit whether the bitcoin price rises or falls BITCOIN LEVERAGE TRADING YOU CAN TRUST


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Analyst projects increased ad spending by consumer-goods makers
NEW YORK Consumer-goods makers are looking to increase their brand awareness with more ad spending, a new report suggested.
Major consumer-products makers are expected to spend an average 9.7% of their annual sales on advertising this year, up from 8.6% in 2009, Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Ali Dibadj said in a recent research report. Why? Dibadj explained that boosting a brand’s share of advertising beyond its market share will raise that market share. Among major household products, market share stayed the same or rose 64% of the time over the past 16 quarters when a company’s advertising reach exceeded its market share by 50% or more.
In the four weeks ended March 20, overall U.S. sales of household and personal products — excluding Walmart and club stores — increased 0.2% from a year earlier, compared with a 5.4% gain in private-label sales, according to a Sanford C. Bernstein analysis of Nielsen data.
Major contenders include Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palomolive and Kimberly-Clark.
Drank stretches its market reach to Oregon
EUGENE, Ore. The ultimate relaxation beverage will be distributed in the Beaver State.
Innovative Beverage Group, makers of Drank, said it has inked a deal with Western Beverage Co. to distribute the relaxation beverage across the state.
“It is a thrill to have reputable Western Beverage Company think so highly of Drank that they want to place it on shelves within their distribution area as a leading non-alcohol alternative,” said Peter Bianchi, CEO of Innovative Beverage Group. “We can’t wait to help Oregon ‘slow their roll’ and continue to bring our relaxation inducing product to thirsty consumers out West.”
Meissner joins Jones Soda as CEO
SEATTLE Jones Soda is hoping to revitalize its business with the appointment of a new CEO, its third in the past two years.
William Meissner replaced Joth Ricci, who served as Jones Soda CEO for nearly a year. Meissner recently was president of Talking Rain Beverage and previously worked for Fuze Beverages.
Jones Soda recently announced that beverage maker Reed’s was interested in purchasing the company, in addition to another, unnamed potential buyer.


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A Victoria's Secret event proves more popular than the president, as visitors swamp the site to see its lingerie-clad stars live.
Broadcast.com said the Web lingerie show drew a record 1.5 million total visitors, which it said was the largest audience ever for an event broadcast exclusively on the Internet.
"As significant as the record-breaking worldwide audience figures were for the live Webcast, they might have gone much higher had everyone who was trying to log on been successful," Victoria's Secret said today.
Some users reported they were not able to log on for the much-hyped event
"This marks the first time a corporation in the fashion industry has exclusively used Internet broadcasting to promote brands and products," said Mark Cuban, president of Broadcast.com, in a statement. A company spokeswoman said the previous record for the Webcaster was last September, when Clinton's grand-jury testimony was shown.
Added Ed Razek, president of brand and creative services for Intimate Brands, Victoria's Secret parent: "Worldwide Internet audience figures like these have only been associated with prime time national television programming."
Real Networks also announced that 250,000 RealPlayers were downloaded yesterday, with peak download rates of 30,000 an hour. The fashion show was broadcast exclusively in RealAudio and RealVideo.
Victoria's Secret predicted that the site will receive more than 250 million hits during the week of the event.
"The Web is proving to be a great extension for Victoria's Secret," Razek said. Victoria's Secret launched its Web site in December, joining other brick-and-mortar retailers on the Internet. The company announced its plans in a Super Bowl ad and also ran ads on the Web and in newspapers.


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Fashion From Nature, the first UK exhibition to explore the complex relationship between fashion and nature from 1600 to the present day, is currently on at the Victoria & Albert museum in Central London. The Graduate Fashion Week team attended a conference surrounding the exhibition on Friday, to learn more about the ethical ethos behind the exhibition, and why the prestigious museum commissioned a forward thinking project focused on design.
“Inspiring V&A show determined to incite change”
Karen Dacre, Evening Standard
The schedule of speakers included Edwina Ehrman, Senior Curator at the V&A, Kathy Gomez, Vice President of Innovation at Nike, Claire Bergkamp, Worldwide Director of Sustainability and Innovation at Stella McCartney, Amy Powney Creative Director at Mother of Pearl and GFW alumni, and Carry Somers, Founder and Global Operations Director at Fashion Revolution to name a few! With so many inspirational and innovative designers, business owners and more on the panels, it was a day of education from all angles.
From a focus on transparency and accountability at Fashion Revolution to material activism and circular bioeconomy, there were many creative solutions proposed, that would aid in building a more ethical, and sustainable future for the industry. Alternative business models at Mother of Pearl has meant that not only are their products in the ‘No Frills’ range environmentally conscious, but actually available at a more affordable price than other collections. Disproving myths surrounding sustainable and considered fashion is one of the ways that we may focus on a positive future - combined with the passion of young people entering the industry, it’s possible to affect real change from day one.
An overarching concept throughout the day, was how we can begin to make an effort in our lives now, as empowered consumer. This creates pressure on brands and companies to change their processes, making a sustainable approach financially viable and in the interest of the business. It’s clear that we, as an industry, must adopt an approach that recognises the multiplicity of problems in the industry from it’s relationship to nature and culture, the power structures that damage individuals in developing countries and understanding fashion as a significant part of society.
“Fashion can be an incredible means for autonomy, livelihoods and to express our imaginations.”
Professor Dilys Williams FRSA
The youngest in the industry, current students and recent graduates, are a driving force for change. We’re eager to see the innovation and creativity of the current final years, to see how the new generation tackles the problems of the industry. It is through positive change and collaboration that we may seek out a new future.
“I am a disruptive fashion lover. What is a disruptive fashion lover? It’s a person who loves what they do, and loves it enough, to care about making it better.”
Caryn Franklin, Professor of Diversity in Fashion
Words by Annabel Waterhouse-Biggins


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The Genies took over Las Vegas for Vision Expo West 2017 last month, marking the fourth time we’ve live covered the International Vision Expo on social media.
Vision Expo’s post-show press release noted the high volume of social media buzz during the event. “Social media buzz has reached an all-time high for Vision Expo, reaching almost 12 million impressions shortly after the show floor officially closed on Saturday,” said Melissa Ashley, Reed Exhibitions Senior Vice President. “We’re thrilled that attendees are sharing their excitement about the new collections and latest product launches previewed on the show floor, and engaging with the connections they’ve made via our new events and programs.”
This year’s Vision Expo West offered 182,000 square feet of exhibit space with more than 60 new fashion brands debuting fall lines, accessories and new eyewear trends throughout the high-end fashion pavilions and Gossip Genie was there to showcase it all through social media, photography, and videography.
Here are a few things we learned along the way:
1. Instagram Stories are a great way to capture the excitement of the show
Lizz, Instagram Story extraordinaire, covered all 182,000 square feet of the show floor through more than 14 minutes of Instagram Story footage and over 300 photos and videos uploaded to the three-day event’s Story. The Story allowed us to capture the exhibitors and the show floor in a unique way and offer a glimpse into what Vision Expo has to offer its attendees. Our Instagram stories resulted in over half of our total Instagram impressions and we noticed more views on Stories than Snapchat, which is something we will definitely be aware of for future events.
You can watch the full video here: https://splice.gopro.com/v?id=7wjDjZ
2. Influencers really do influence the audience
We invited a small group of influencers to attend the show and share blog posts and social media updates from the event. One of the influencers, GlamOptometrist, participated in an Instagram takeover of the Vision Expo account, resulting in some of our most engaged posts.
3. Teamwork makes the dream work
It’s always a joy to bring the Gossip Genie team’s combined efforts together at live events like Vision Expo. Through everyone’s expertise, we reached over 3.4 million people through our social media posts and documented the show with over 2,500 professional photos and hours of video footage for Vision Expo marketing materials.
4. Working under pressure brings the best results
From running around to different events on the show floor to a last-minute photography job featuring Joey Fatone, I’ve often found that the pressure of live events always brings out amazing results. With an hour left in the show, I made Keenan’s anxiety fly through the roof by asking him to create a “Thank You” video to post at the end of the show. Despite the tight deadline and quick turnaround, Keenan knocked it out of the park with an amazing highlight video of the past three days of the show and the video ended up being one of our most engaged posts across all platforms.


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Williams Jet Tenders has taken its 100th order for the Minijet 280, which is the first model in a new range.
The Minijet 280 was introduced at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September and is intended for owners of power and sailing yachts 45 feet and smaller.
“We are truly delighted with the Minijet’s look and performance and are so pleased with both the excellent customer feedback and sales since her launch,” Mathew Hornsby, sales director at Williams Jet Tenders, stated in a press release. “It’s been great to welcome a number of new customers to the Williams family with the Minijet being able to support smaller parent yachts.”
Look for the Williams Minijet 280 at February’s Miami International Boat Show.
A powerful, lightweight design: The Minijet 280 has a BRP Rotax Ace 900 engine and a weight of 462 pounds.


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Going into last year, the e-commerce market in India was already a hotly competitive one in which Amazon was challenging Flipkart, and making headway, for a share in a rapidly evolving market. That was all before Walmart spent USD 16 billion for an approximately 77 percent stake in Flipkart, however, making India the latest battleground for the ongoing tussle between the two U.S. heavyweights.
Even in the last couple of months, things have become more intriguing, as Google recently entered the fray with shopping search services, Flipkart’s CEO suddenly departed over personal misconduct allegations and Amazon upped its game with a Hindi language mobile app. Now Reliance is jumping into the e-commerce market with ambitions to beat both Flipkart and Amazon.
Add in a new set of proposed regulations that could drastically alter how Flipkart and Amazon have been doing business in this market, along with their prospects for future revenue, and there’s a sense that almost anything can happen in India’s e-commerce market in the coming years.
Flipkart’s investment in its wholesale unit appears to be part of its preparation for the market changes ahead, although it’s not entirely clear how the money will be used. In any case, market watchers shouldn’t be surprised if Flipkart has some big strategic announcements in the near future as one of the world’s most exciting e-commerce markets continues its bumpy evolution.―Retail Dive


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Emerson in Strategic Partnership with Zamil Air Conditioners
Apr 30, 2004
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Emerson Climate Technologies, a business of Emerson, announced a strategic partnership with Zamil Air Conditioners (ZAC), a major international manufacturer of air-conditioning systems and a leader in the Middle East.
The partnership combines products from several companies within the Emerson Climate Technologies business group, including Copeland, Flow Controls, White-Rodgers, HVACR Motors and Therm-O-Disc.
Emerson said the relationship represents its first truly integrated, strategic partnership in the Middle East, although the company has been a supplier to Zamil Air Conditioners for more than 20 years. Emerson says the new partnership allows it to offer Zamil several products from across the business group’s individual companies under one strategic partnership.
"This partnership with Zamil Air Conditioners is an excellent example of why we formed Emerson Climate Technologies two years ago," said Tom Bettcher, Emerson executive vice president and business leader of Emerson Climate Technologies. "By bringing together products, services, and expertise from across our individual businesses, we have created a single, worldwide resource for the climate control needs of our customers that is more capable of supporting their success than any one Emerson business alone."
Zamil Air Conditioners, one of the unit companies of Zamil Industrial Investment Company (ZIIC), manufactures, tests, markets, and services a comprehensive range of commercial and residential air-conditioning products, ranging from compact room air-conditioners and mini splits to large-scale central air-conditioners, chillers, and air-handling units. The company’s six in-house brands are Classic, Cooline, CoolCare, Clima Tech, Geoclima, and Kessler Clima Tech.
"Zamil Air Conditioners teams up with only the most reputed and professional suppliers to ensure high quality of its products," said Abdulla M. Al Zamil, chief operating officer of Zamil Industrial Investment Company. "Emerson Climate Technologies fits our high standards perfectly. With their sales support and relationship building at all levels, we feel even more confident now about Emerson Climate Technologies’ ability to support our strategic and operational initiatives."
With its recently expanded Middle East headquarters in Dubai, UAE, Emerson Climate Technologies said it is better able to serve key partners like Zamil locally, by operating closely with them and meeting customer needs in their markets. Emerson Climate Technologies was established in the region in 2001.
Back to Breaking News


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Smuggling of tobacco products has posed a serious problem for the government as legal import of cigarettes was less than those coming in through illegal channels, Minister of State for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.
Sitharaman said it was a matter of concern that smuggling of tobacco products into the country was more than those coming through legal routes. “Our concern is illegal import of tobacco products.
Illegal imports are increasing. We are trying to strengthen the borders so that illegal imports can be stopped. Commerce Ministry is in regular touch with Finance Ministry under which the customs department falls,” she said during Question Hour.
The Minister said ways were being explored to completely stop tobacco production in the country and provide alternatives to the tobacco farmers.
Sitharaman said the total number of cases of smuggling of cigarettes detected by field formations of the Customs Department across the country during 2014-15 was 1312 consigments with a value of Rs 9.24 crore and during 2015-16, the number of cases was 2,731 with a value of Rs 16.16 crore.


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On Monday, 55-year-old Steve Jobs, the legendary CEO of Apple, disclosed that he will be going on medical leave. He was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2004, and he had a liver transplant in 2008. He said he will continue as the company’s CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions, but COO Tim Cook will be handling the day-to-day operations. Jobs has taken Apple to the peak of high-end technological innovation and fashionable design and in the process made it the world’s most valuable technology company, surpassing Microsoft. On Tuesday, Apple reported yet another stellar quarter that was beyond all expectations. The near-term future also looks bright, with the iPhone soon coming to Verizon, which has a subscriber base of 93 million. It looks as though Apple does not need Steve Jobs to sustain its momentum, at least not for the moment.
Apple reported record revenue of $26.74 billion, up 71% in the first quarter. Net profit was up 78% to $6 billion, or $6.43, per share from $3.38 billion, or $3.67 per share last year. Gross margin was 38.5%, down from 40.9% last year but up from 36.9% last quarter. The company ended the quarter with $50.7 billion in cash.
Apple sold 4.13 million Macs during the quarter, up 23%, and 19.45 million iPods, down 7%. It sold 7.33 million iPads with distribution in 46 countries by the end of the first quarter. The sales value of the iPads was over $4.4 billion, which yields an ASP of about $600. During a quarter driven by holiday sales, Apple sold 16.24 million iPhones, up 86%, with ASP of $625 and sales value of $10.1 billion. iPhone distribution was through 185 carriers in 90 countries.
For the second fiscal quarter of 2011, Apple expects revenue of about $22 billion, compared to $13.5 billion last year. It expects EPS of about $4.90 and gross margin of 38.5%.
Apple without Steve Jobs
Bobbie Johnson on the BBC traces Jobs’s 35-year relationship with Apple: how the company was founded in 1976, its initial popularity and subsequent decline after Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT. In 1996, he returned to Apple and brought NeXT into its fold. Since then, Apple has been churning out a string of innovative products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, which are known for their exceptional quality and design.
Jobs’s real genius is in reinventing new categories – not necessarily even inventing new categories, just repackaging them. There were tablets before the iPad and smartphones before the iPhone, but the consumer electronics and design/user experience focus is uniquely Jobs. And the true successor there is Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president (SVP) of industrial design.
Apple has a deep bench of executives who have been around since the company’s reinvention in 1997 and, together with Jobs, have made Apple the company it is. Apart from Jonathan Ive, this team includes Philip Schiller, SVP of worldwide product marketing; Scott Forstall, SVP of iPhone software; and Bertrand Serlet, SVP of software engineering.
At the moment, I see no problem with Apple even if Jobs is on medical leave. They have a superb product portfolio and very small market penetration. They are going to sell to the Verizon customer base and simply mint money for the next few quarters. Over time, they will start penetrating the emerging markets with the same product portfolio – iPad, iPhone, iPod, iTouch, and so on. None of this requires Jobs’s daily presence. Apple just needs to keep executing, building great products, and increasing their channels. Tim Cook can do all of this with the rest of the Apple management team.
Apple will do fine without Jobs for a while on the strength of its existing products, but it is in defining and redefining entirely new categories of products where it may flounder, which may not be such an issue in the short term (say, three years). Deal-making may be an issue – Jobs is very good at deals with Hollywood, the media industry, and publishers. But there are other savvy deal-makers out there, and Apple needs to recruit someone spectacular in that domain to plug the gap.
There is no dearth of talent in Apple or in the market that cannot be found to replace Jobs’s various talents. But it is perhaps his approach that will be hard to replace. This approach was driven by his understanding of the frailty of life. In 2005, following his brush with cancer, Jobs said:
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking that you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
Apple stock is trading around $338.84 with market cap of about $312 billion. Annual revenue in 2010 was $65 billion, and Apple hit a 52-week high of $348.481 on January 14. The stock price dropped this week after Jobs’s news, but the spectacular results helped to allay concerns about Apple’s prospects. And if Apple keeps delivering on the numbers, the stock will eventually stabilize as the market learns to live with an Apple that does not have Jobs but is still performing spectacularly. Apple now has such momentum that it can continue along the path of success for a long time. Jobs has created not just exemplary products but also an exemplary company that should continue to delight people with its products. In Daring Fireball’s John Gruber’s words,
“… the most important product Jobs has created since his return is not any of the sleek devices people line up to buy. It’s a company that can not just survive after he’s gone, but keep making a dent in the universe.”
But what about the technology industry? Jobs is one of the greatest visionaries of our time. He has led not just Apple but the entire industry, acting as a role model to other innovators and an inspiration to many of us. It is that role – that enormous shoe – that will be hard to fill. Yes, Mark Zuckerberg has vision about social media. Yes, Larry Page and Sergei Brin have vision about search. But none of them have quite the level of personal presence to move our industry the level Jobs has done time and again.
I hope Jobs takes the time to heal and to recover from whatever he is suffering from. Apple is fine. He need not worry. But in the end, it will be nice to have Steve around the industry, and to have the benefit of his immense instinct, insight, synthesis, clarity, and imagination for us to ascend to greater heights.
I hope you get well soon, Steve.


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Two rare diamond rings that sold this week, one of which was the most expensive ever to be auctioned, were graded by a Carlsbad nonprofit organization.
First on Tuesday, the 15.38-carat “unique pink” diamond went for $28 million at a Geneva action.
Then, the “oppenheimer blue” sold for $57.5 million the following day at Christie’s Geneva, making it the most expensive diamond to ever be auctioned.
The Carlsbad-based Gemological Institute of America, an organization that protects the public trust in gems and jewelry, graded both diamonds.
The “unique pink” mined near the Kimberley area of South Africa and touted for its clarity and pure structure, was the star lot in Tuesday's Geneva auction.
Blue diamonds are thought to be the rarest and most sought-after color. The “oppenheimer blue” was owned by Philip Oppenheimer, the late chairman of the De Beers diamond-marketing group.
The Gemological Institute reports that only one in 10,000 diamonds has a fancy color, and of those, only a handful are given top grades.


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Scribd has doubled its content offering over the past six months, hitting the 1 million mark after adding 10,000 digital comics yesterday.
In the course of that expansion, the label typically used to describe Scribd’s main program–“ebook subscription service”–has become a bit of a misnomer.
Scribd expanded into audiobooks last November, adding 30,000 titles with the twin goals of drawing in new users and getting its ebook-reading base to try out audio.
As it extends its $8.99-a-month platform beyond ebooks, Scribd is joined by a cohort of other subscription providers also staking new ground. Oyster is now also a web publisher, while Bookmate has long argued its added social features shore up its subscription program.
To get all the ebook and digital publishing news you need every day in your inbox at 8:00 AM, sign up for the DBW Daily today!
Ebook Sales Down at Hachette (Pub Lunch)
The publisher’s parent company Lagardere had a weak fourth quarter, with Hachette’s digital sales in the U.S. shrinking from 30% to 26% of total revenue. Hachette acknowledges last year’s trade dispute with Amazon took a toll on some of its recent figures.
Christian Publishers Sanguine Despite Weak Fiction Sales (PW)
Recent Neilsen data shows sales of Christian fiction shrunk 15% in 2014 compared with the previous year, but publishers in the category say they’re holding steady, attributing some of the decline to growing pains as readers get used to cheap ebooks.
Related: When Low Ebook Prices Don’t Cut It
Why Amazon’s Campus Push Isn’t Just about Physical Retail (ZDNet)
Amazon’s new counter at Purdue University isn’t exclusively about testing out physical retail, especially since the location isn’t quite a store in the conventional sense. As one observer points out, it’s also a potentially great way to establish customer loyalty among specific demographic: well-educated digital natives.
Do Used Ebooks Have a Real Future? (Bloomberg)
Whether ebook resale is a viable business in the United States or amounts to piracy remains to be settled, despite a number of recent initiatives meant to test to boundaries of the current legal landscape. But one writer explains why “the question of used digital media may become moot before it ever takes hold.”
Kindle Upgrades iPhone App (Ink, Bits & Pixels)
The newest version of Kindle’s iPhone app includes support for digital comics and e-textbooks and makes the Books Browser feature available to smartphone users.
Related: Mobile Strategies for Authors and Publishers–Free Webcast
Ebook Sales Shoot up for Harper Lee and E L James Titles (DBW)
After debuting on last week’s Ebook Best-Seller List, two titles in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy jump into the upper reaches of this week’s rankings, while To Kill a Mockingbird and Harper Lee’s forthcoming Go Set a Watchman also earn a place each.
Amazon Prime: A Weird Idea that Works (Wired)
The notion that a premium shipping service and a digital streaming platform would sit well side-by-side is a strange one. And when Amazon hiked the price of Prim from $79 to $99 a year, there were plenty of doubters. One Amazon watcher explains why the program has nevertheless become “an unvarnished success.”
Amazon Launches Giveaway Platform (Ink, Bits & Pixels)
Sellers now have the ability to set up promotional contests through Amazon, but the service doesn’t appear to extend to digital content yet.


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Black diamonds have moved from the world of drill bits to the world of fine jewelry. In Basel, at The JCK Show in Las Vegas, and at the Jewelers of America show in New York, more dealers and manufacturers than ever before were displaying loose stones as well as black diamond jewelry. “I guess the popularity of black diamond has been increasing over the past five years or so,” says Kapil Seth of IBN Diamond in New York. He cites the platinum trend as one reason for black diamonds’ new vogue: “The white metal really contrasts the black of the diamond.” Jeff Curry, gemologist at the House of Onyx in Greenville, Ky., agrees that contrast is the key, but he sees it more in the juxtaposition of black diamonds with white diamonds in high-end fashion jewelry. Marcus Fuchs, manager of Chromagem in New York, cites a different reason for black diamonds’ popularity: “Black diamonds are fairly inexpensive, so you see a lot of caratage for fewer dollars.”
Fad, fashion, or forever? Is the black trend likely to have legs? “I don’t see the craze lasting very long,” says Alan Bronstein, a natural colored diamond dealer in New York. “People who wear black diamond have a certain personality. One needs to see the beauty in it for themselves, and a lot of people just don’t see it. They’re fascinated by the concept, but not to actually own one. That’s why black diamonds remain fairly inexpensive.”
Curry also doubts there’s a genuine trend. “I don’t think there’s any huge demand,” he says. “We sell mostly carat sizes to collectors.” George Solow of New York has been selling colored diamonds for 54 years. “There’s very little demand for black,” he says. “They want the yellows, the pinks, the blues.”
But Fawaz Gruosi, president of de Grisogono S.A. of Geneva and a leading designer of black diamond jewelry, has confidence in the new craze. In his book,The Black Diamond, he has this to say: “In the opinion of professionals like myself, black diamonds have long been underrated. In only two short years, in fact, the black diamond market has soared beyond belief. And this is only the start.”
What is black gem diamond? “The absorption of all the visible light across the visible spectrum is what makes natural black diamonds,” says Stephen Hofer, author ofCollecting and Classifying Coloured Diamonds. “No matter what impurities are in the diamond, the light-absorbing ability of these inclusions is very efficient at trapping all the light that falls on the stone and making it look black.” Hofer lists the common names given to pure black diamond as charcoal, gunmetal, ink, jet, midnight, onyx, pitch, steel, and wax.
Natural black diamonds are divided into two basic types. “Carbonados” derive their color from heavily included visible imperfections. “Pure black” diamonds have microscopic graphite dispersed throughout the gem. Both are black, but they’re physically and visually different.
Carbonados. Carbonado is the Brazilian name for black diamond. They’re heavily fractured and included and are considered industrial quality-also known as “crushing bort.” Carbonados are commonly pulverized and bonded to drill bits and other cutting tools. (It’s reported that carbonados were used to cut through rock during construction of the Suez Canal.) Their random crystal orientation makes them difficult to facet, but some black industrials can be polished and set into jewelry.
Pure black. The second-and rarer-type of black diamond resembles black onyx. “Those get their color from micro-dispersed graphite along the octahedral planes,” says John Koivula, chief research gemologist at the Gemological Institute of America. Unlike the industrial blacks, they’re not filled with eye-visible cracks lined with black inclusions. Because they’re not heavily fractured and not made up of twisted or randomly oriented crystals, they’re less difficult to facet than the industrial variety. Unfortunately, many people don’t note the difference between these blacks and the more common bort. “These very rare black diamonds are often lumped in with the much more common cracked stones,” says Koivula.
Quality grading black diamond. Because the best black diamonds are scarce, most faceted blacks are carbonados. Natural blacks are basically opaque but should be examined with a strong transmitted light. “Many black diamonds are highly included and show transparent near-colorless areas,” says Seth. These transparent spots reduce quality. “When choosing a black diamond, look for as black and as opaque as possible,” Seth adds. “The fewer the spots, the better it is.”
Finding the perfect black diamond may be impossible. In aGems & Gemology article titled “An Investigation of a Suite of Black Diamond Jewelry” (Winter 1990), Robert Kammerling, Robert Kane, Koivula, and Shane McClure reported that the black diamonds they examined “contained extensive cleavage/fracture systems that were lined with black inclusions.” Robert Aminzade of Natural Fancy Colored Diamond Company in Forest Lake, Minn., says, “Even the most-fine black diamonds have a little pit or scratch somewhere.” Close examination of black diamond jewelry bears out the verdict. At the shows, at least half the set stones I examined had eye-visible imperfections. With a loupe, the number was 75%.
Gruosi doesn’t see imperfection as a problem. “This is one of the charms of the black diamond,” he says. “It is not perfect.”
Issues of perfection aside, the finer-quality black diamonds-those with inherent color-are eagerly sought by high-end jewelry designers like de Grisogono. “Black diamonds which are caused from micro-dispersed graphite are actually mono-crystalline, not aggregate stones, and therefore have very few surface-reaching cracks,” notes Gruosi. “You can get a much more uniform color and polish, very similar to colorless diamond.” Gruosi seeks out the finer qualities. “We generally use the larger, more homogeneous stones as center stones, which means that a homogeneous pavé or center stone can be difficult to find, but we do it.”
What to pay for top-quality black diamond. Black diamond melee can cost as much as large single stones, if not more. Prices for treated goods in melee sizes are similar to prices for natural stones. “A decent one-carat might cost $250 per carat, the same as a parcel of 3-pointers,” notes Seth. He recently sold a 20-ct. blackish-gray diamond that showed red veining. “The finest stone I’ve ever sold was an 8-carater,” he says. It sold for $1,200 per carat.
Roger Basile, vice president of Grafstein’s in New York, says he hasn’t seen many nice natural blacks lately. His current stock-natural grayish blacks-is priced relatively low. “Typically they range from very cheap, at $100 per carat,” he says. Finer qualities and larger sizes can range up to $600 per carat. “We try to stay with the nicer material,” says Basile. “We look for tops which are very clean.”
But with black diamonds’ newfound popularity, the search for good quality at an attractive price is on. “Some dealers treat a lot of junk, and so it’s hard to be competitive,” says Basile. “We have to go through hundreds of goods, looking for clean tops and nice color to work with. We get a lot more calls for them than what we have.”
Curry sells both naturals and treated. Prices range from $400 to $500 per carat, but he says he hasn’t had any calls he can’t sell. Rahul Karnavat, president of Lotus Diagems in New York, says treated melee-1-pointers, for example-can cost up to $275 per carat. Four-pointers to 8-pointers cost from $175 to $250 per carat. Starbrillian.com is an Indian-Belgian firm that advertises black diamond prices over the Internet. The Web site quotes a full range of sizes from half-pointers through one-caraters. The smallest are the most expensive, $325 per carat. The remaining sizes range in price from $185 per carat to $275 per carat. All diamonds listed are advertised as natural color.
Aminzade says high-quality caraters range from $750 to $950 per carat. But fine stones can be priced even higher. Dror Yehuda of Yehuda Diamond Co. in New York says his family has been collecting black diamonds for three or four generations. “The largest stone we have is over 54 cts.,” he says. “We do sell black diamonds from a few carats on up. Typically they start at $1,500 per carat on a few carat-size stones. We have a pair of black dice, 22 cts. each, valued at $250,000.” Yehuda says the price depends on how black the stones are.
Seth warns that color and price aren’t the only factors to consider when buying black diamond. “Somebody told me that he bought a smaller parcel [thinking it was natural color], which turned out to be irradiated,” he says. With its almost metallic appearance, black diamond has inspired some fascinating fakes. Seth has even seen faceted gunmetal-actual metal-masquerading as black diamond.


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Fake Meat Industry Implodes After Years Of Hype
The meat substitute market is collapsing after its meteoric rise, with key players in the industry facing massive layoffs and plummeting sales.
Fake meat products like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, which advertise themselves as healthy and environmentally friendly alternatives to meat, soared to national popularity in 2019 when they began selling their products with massive fast food chains. Impossible Foods was moving toward laying off 20% of its staff in late January just months after its competitor, Beyond Meat, announced plans to cut a fifth of its own workforce, according to Bloomberg.
The United Nations and the World Economic Forum have urged the public to eat less red meat and adopt meat substitutes, citing concerns about carbon emissions from the meat industry. Beyond Meat founder Ethan Brown has taken the stage at numerous conferences and panels over the last decade touting the benefits of fake meat for human health and the environment, and in 2022 he said his process for breaking down plant products into protein would render the current meat agriculture system obsolete in a New York Times conference on climate change.
The consulting firm Deloitte found in September that consumers were opting out of meat substitute products like Beyond Meat because they considered the brands “too woke;” the trend held true even among individuals looking to cut back on red meat consumption.
Beyond Meat executives blamed the company’s declining sales from 2021 to 2022 on consumers’ decreased appetite for meat substitutes, according to Axios.
“We feel good about our growth and performance, and we haven’t been experiencing what some of the other brands in the space have reported,” an Impossible Foods spokesperson told Axios.
The products are plant-based and are created through high-moisture extrusion, a process that pre-cooks the meat before it’s sold, according to Axios. Burger King and Qdoba added Impossible Meat products to their menus in 2019, while Beyond Meat was sold at Del Taco, Subway and KFC.
Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.
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I’m shocked the general public doesn’t have faith in the FDA, EPA, the corporations or the lying press that these “meat substitutes” are completely healthy and in no way negatively detrimental to human health. Also shocked it hasn’t taken off like wildfire. I mean Jim Cramer, Carlos Quintanilla and the rest of cnbc cheerleading liars have been lying about….. I mean providing free press for this trash for years.
The masses have been sufficiently dumbed down such that most, well more than half, would do something as asinine as taking an untested RNA “vaccine” simply bc big brother said they would be fine.
Anyone intellectually stunted enough to buy into the lies the government freely espouses is going to have a hastened meeting with reality, a meeting they will attend exactly one time.
God that was good!