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Latest Renders of 2019 iPhone Show Camera Bump Integrated Into Rear Glass
At least one of the iPhones coming in 2019 will feature a triple-lens camera arrangement, and while Apple experimented with multiple layouts, recent information suggests the company will adopt a square-shaped camera bump with three lenses arranged in a triangle shape.
While this design has been shown off previously in renders, OnLeaks' Steve Hemmerstoffer has teamed up with Indian site Cashkaro to share new renders and new information about the iPhones coming this September.
As seen in earlier leaks, these new renders have a wide square-shaped camera bump at the rear with two lenses on the left and a single lens and flash to the right, positioning the three lenses into a triangle.
The renders feature the "iPhone XI," aka the successor to the 5.8-inch iPhone XS. Some sites have been referring to this 2019 device as the iPhone XI or iPhone 11, but we don't have any insight into Apple's naming plans at this time.
According to the site sharing Hemmerstoffer's info, the next-generation iPhone XS continues to feature a 5.8-inch display, but with an "almost indistinguishable" reduction in the thickness of the notch and bezels. The device allegedly measures in at 143.9mm by 71.4mm by 7.8mm, which is quite similar to the size of the current iPhone XS: 143.6mm by 70.9mm by 7.7mm.
The upcoming smartphone is said to feature a "new and unique" rear panel that is made from a single piece of glass that includes the camera bump, a design that could minimize the obtrusiveness of the large rear camera.
The rear microphone is said to be in a different place than it was in earlier leaks (at the bottom of the camera bump) and the iPhone is allegedly going to have a "differently shaped mute button" similar to the mute button on older iPads.
Recent rumors have indicated that both the 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones coming in 2019 will use triple-lens camera arrangements, despite earlier rumors suggesting this feature would be limited to the 6.5-inch model.
The 6.1-inch iPhone XR followup that will be sold alongside the two OLED devices is believed to have a dual-lens camera rather than a triple-lens setup, which is still an upgrade over the single-lens camera in the current iPhone XR.
The triple-lens camera setup included in the 2019 iPhones is said to consist of a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens, which is the new addition as current iPhones already feature wide-angle and telephoto lenses.
2019 iPhones are also rumored to include Lightning ports, a new bilateral wireless charging feature that will let them wirelessly charge other devices like AirPods, 12-megapixel front-facing cameras, and faster A13 chips. With the exception of the camera design, no other design or display changes are expected.


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Gurugram: MG Motor India, in partnership with Attero, has recycled its first EV battery. The metal extracts and various other commodities from the recycling process can be used to develop new batteries, the company said in a media release.
With this achievement, MG Motor India has further augmented its initiatives to strengthen EV ecosystem, essentially making it greener and sustainable. The move is also in synergy with MG’s #ChangeWhatYouCan campaign, encouraging people to make a difference in their own lives and the world around them, the release added.
Rajeev Chaba, president and managing director, MG Motor India, said, “Ensuring end-to-end sustainability for electric vehicles is something we are passionate about at MG. Since battery waste is a challenge for sustainable mobility, we believe battery recycling is the optimum way of bridging this void. We look forward to doing more work in this space to create sustainable, end-to-end solutions that will help us drive radical impact”.
Nitin Gupta, CEO and co-founder, Attero Recycling, said, “As the momentum of EV players grows, it is becoming critical for India to have a sustainable approach to managing E-waste. We have the technology that enables us to extract almost 99% of all metals from a lithium-ion battery and we envision making India Atmanirbhar in non-ferrous metals such as copper, lithium and cobalt through these processes. We are delighted to join hands with MG and our partnership will be instrumental in strengthening the EV ecosystem across the industry.”
MG Motor India has teamed up with Attero Recycling to reuse and recycle Li-ion batteries of India’s first Pure Electric Internet SUV - ZS EV. Focused on developing a sustainable and clean ecosystem, MG has recently collaborated with CleanMax to supply 4.85 MW of wind-solar hybrid power to MG’s manufacturing facility in Halol, Gujarat. With this partnership, MG will abate approximately 2 lakh tonnes of CO2 over 15 years, equal to planting more than 13 lakh trees, the MG release said. Also Read:
The company has sounded out vendors on an assured production plan of 50,000 EVs in fiscal 2023 and scale it up to 125,000-150,000 units annually in the following two years, said several people aware of the matter. If it is able to deliver on the targets, the EV business could potentially generate revenue of INR 5,000 crore for Tata Motors in FY23 itself, justifying the steep valuation at which it sold a stake in the EV business to the PE fund.

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Today, the retail market is at a tipping point thanks to the steady rise of e-commerce. E-retailers are leveraging new and exciting capabilities in old retail models to expand existing markets like grocery, personal care, and apparel. The recent e-commerce development is attributed to the fast growth of online shopping. This article focuses on e-commerce market trends, retail trend 2020, and the future of e-commerce.
E-commerce Market Trends
The first quarter of 2016 saw retail spending to the tune of $92.8 billion, representing 7.8% of retail sales in the same period. Although still in its infancy, e-commerce is expected to grow at an exponential rate of 23.7% in 2016 alone. Total e-commerce sales are estimated to reach $3.578 trillion in 2019 and $4.058 trillion in 2020, the latter representing 14.6% of the total retail spending. Below are three general e-commerce trends:• Online stores are popping up.• Mobile Internet has become all the rage.• Cloud computing is slowly becoming the norm.
1. Online Stores
The evolution of technology and the Internet is the biggest source of disruption for retailers worldwide. A recent study carried out by the eMarketer reveals that e-commerce sales are growing faster than previous estimates. The report predicts that online sales growth will surpass brick-and-mortar sales growth by 2020.
In today’s ultra-competitive market, it is no longer enough to operate an online store. Rather, success is dependent on the ability to deliver individualized shopping experiences while enabling customer interaction with your brand.
Our client Aidan Gray closed it’s retail store this year and exclusively will be selling on the through their online store because the business model just fits better. The small radius of which customers can reach clients through retail is not sufficient enough to justify the overhead of having a storefront vs. selling to the masses and concentrating on the entire continental United States.
Sears Holdings Corp. alone would need to close 300, or 43%, of its Sears stores to regain the sales per square foot it had in 2006, adjusted for inflation, according to Green Street.
2. Mobile Internet
Social Media and Mobile are the key drivers of e-commerce development moving forward. The global smartphone penetration has reached unprecedented heights; thus, owning a smartphone and using the Internet are quickly becoming the same thing.
SMBs must also take advantage of the potential of mobile devices to increase sales. As of 2016, online shopping using mobile digital assistants like Cortana, Google Now, and Siri accounted for over $2 billion in sales.
Retailers are capitalizing on this development by coming up with easy-to-use mobile applications to optimize customers’ shopping experiences. By 2020, the smartphone will become a major platform that supports the entire shopping journey, from search and discovery to recommendations, comparisons, and payments.
Mobile Device Usage:
Mobile Usage Worldwide:
Mobile Worldwide Subscriptions:
Top 5 Mobile Stats to Consider
- Today this is over 36% of mobile subscribers who use iPhones or iPads to read email. 34% of subscribers only use mobile devices to read emails. (Informz)
- 80% of all internet users own a smartphone. (Smart Insights)
- 48% of consumers start mobile research with a search engine. (Smart Insights)
- 33% of consumers start mobile research with a branded website. (Smart Insights)
- 26% of consumers start mobile research with a branded app. (Smart Insights)
3. The Cloud
Companies are migrating to the cloud because it enables them to enrich their customers’ shopping experiences, push forward their brands, and make transactions easy. Moreover, companies can keep their operating costs low and innovate quickly.
The cloud enables businesses to access consumer data such as wants, behaviors, concerns, needs, and expectations. The Oracle Integration Cloud Service allows point-and-click integration between on-premises and SaaS applications from vendors. These data mapping tools allow businesses to easily integrate technologies as well as access product and consumer data between applications.
What’s more, companies will use modern analytics tools built into their respective cloud e-commerce platforms. These tools will enable businesses to analyze and measure consumer behavior across various non-mobile and mobile channels.
Top 5 Cloud Stats to Consider
- Private cloud adoption increased from 63% to 77%, driving hybrid cloud adoption up from 51% to 71% year-over-year.
- Cloud users are running applications in an average of 1.5 public clouds and 1.7 private clouds. They are experimenting with an additional 1.5 public clouds and 1.3 private clouds.
- 17% of enterprises now have more than 1,000 VMs in public cloud, up from 13% in 2015.
- 4. The IaaS/PaaS markets are often dubbed the “cloud infrastructure” market. IaaS spending — fueled by the growing need for remote computing power and storage — could rise from $38 billion this year to $173 billion in 2026, according to Forbes.
- Spending on PaaS, which is often overshadowed and merged with IaaS solutions, could hit $7.5 billion by 2020 as developers create more applications within the cloud, according to Global Industry Analysts. 50% of PaaS spending could be focused on the Internet of Things (IoT) market by 2020, according to Gartner.
Retail Trends 2020
By the year 2020, e-commerce market trends will have significantly changed the retail industry. More consumers will be able to order products by just clicking on their smartphones. They will also enjoy same-day delivery systems like in-store digital, click and collect, and drones.
Retail trends already underway include:
• Growth of e-commerce companies
• Purchase and pick-up systems
• In-store digital systems
E-Commerce B2B Sales:
E-Commerce B2C Sales:
1. The Growth of Amazon
E-commerce giant, Amazon, recently became the fourth largest company in the U.S. due to its stock market value. The company is considered by market experts to have one of the most strong business models in the world. By 2020, analysts predict that it will become the largest company in the U.S.
Amazon Growth Statistics:
The reason why Amazon has managed to grow exponentially year-on-year is that it holds a significant position in cloud computing and online retail. Today, the company owns roughly 40% of the U.S. e-commerce market. With the online retail market expected to grow annually, companies like Amazon are securing themselves a bigger piece of a quickly growing pie.
2. Purchase and Pick-Up
This model increases a retailers’ average purchase value. At least 7% of customers who personally pick up their purchases end up spending more while on site. This model is increasingly gaining popularity from retailers because of the following advantages:
- Increases retailers’ net sales because customers end up buying more items while at the store.
- Increases conversion rates because customers can easily pick up their merchandise.
- Reduces the shipping costs incurred by retailers.
- It decreases returns by customers because of the in-store exchange option.
3. In-Store Digital
In-store digital refers to a system where customers can purchase items online while inside the retailer’s physical store.
Moreover, retailers are going a step further by providing in-store digital customization options. One good example is the Smart Dressing Room offered by Rebecca Minkoff in partnership with eBay and Magento. The system tracks and collects data on what customers try out at the store as well as what they purchase. It later sends updates to shoppers upon new arrivals.
The Future of E-commerce
The future of online shopping and e-commerce will see developments like:
- The rise of online stores.
- The decline of brick and mortar stores.
- The evolution of multiple shopping channels.
1. The Rise of Online Stores
Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) need platforms with a complete digital experience. Since these businesses are small, many roles overlap; therefore, one person oversees brand strategy. By 2020, many SMBs will have leveraged enterprise-grade technology – that too at an affordable cost.
The Oracle Commerce Cloud is an excellent platform that allows SMBs to design and release customizable, feature-rich storefronts for both mobile devices and desktops within a few months. The future of e-commerce demands that these online sites be easy to navigate, have a good design, and process payments quickly.
2. The Internet will Crush Brick and Mortar Stores
The boom in Internet retail and e-commerce comes at the expense of brick and mortar department stores. With digital sales growing at double digits, many traditional brick and mortar stores are expanding into online retail. The reason being that the internet generation has fewer reservations against shopping online.
Brick and Mortar Vs. Internet Sales:
As many branded products move to the Internet, the demand for physical retail space will diminish with time. Eventually, physical retail will need a reason to exist. By 2020, more start-up retailers will create an online presence before establishing physical stores (think of companies like Fabletics).
New business models are already shaping up, like the UK’s click-and-collect, which allow shoppers to purchase products online and collect them at the company’s nearest retail outlet. U.S. retail giant, Walmart, also offers click-and-collect services.
3. Multiple Shopping Channels
By 2020, consumers’ shopping experiences will not be limited to mobile devices, desktop computers, or physical stores. Instead, customers will use multiple channels simultaneously when shopping. They will compare department store prices using smartphones when browsing.
Shopping Channels Stats:
With the shortening attention span of many customers coupled with increased consumer expectations, companies will be hard-pressed to come up with a smooth online shopping experience. Businesses that fail to evolve with these market dynamics and innovate will risk being left redundant.
At Bright Vessel, we appreciate the relevance of e-commerce and its impact on the retail industry. We specialize in digital marketing, website design, search engine optimization as well as social media and content marketing services. Call us today at (561) 935-6418 or contact us to learn more about our digital marketing strategy.


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Retail’s rapidly revolving doors continued to spin today as Shop Direct unveiled that its head honcho Alex Baldock would leave the business next summer.
Baldock was a newcomer to retail when he took up the helm at Shop Direct, and under his five-year tenure the business has delivered consecutive rising profits and sales, all while undergoing a digital transformation.
It’s a testament to the value that a fresh perspective can have in the retail sector that someone with no previous experience could spearhead one of the most far-reaching digital transformations in recent years.
Baldock has regularly spoken about his lofty and long-term ambitions for Shop Direct, including a recent goal to overhaul its company culture to be much more agile, so his presence leading the business will no doubt be missed.
It remains to be seen whether Baldock will take up another retail tenure or leave the sector for pastures new alongside a variety of retail bosses including Anders Kristiansen, Simon Belsham and John Browett.
Also today, JD Sports’ founders are reportedly planning to float their latest venture Footasylum and Nisa named non-executive director Arnu Misra as interim chief executive as it unveiled a rise in first-half sales.
Quote of the day
“I’ve loved my time at Shop Direct. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to lead this exceptional team through such a rapid and far-reaching transformation”
– Shop Direct boss Alex Baldock
Today in numbers
The amount that Footasylum is expected to be valued at for its flotation
Nisa’s rise in first-half sales
There are no updates scheduled for Monday – happy trading!
Grace Bowden, reporter


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Google has released their ads PHP client library for developers creating third party Google ad tools. Per Vincent Tsao, of the Google Ads API Team: Hello ads PHP developers! Today we’re pleased to announce the stable release of the new ads PHP client library. This has been in beta for a while now, is a… Continue reading Google Releases New Ads PHP Client Library
Last week the Google for Education Transformation Center was announced as a hub and launch pad for school change. Google has long been involved in pushing technology to improve and modernize education, but with the launch of the Center it hopes to spur a community of educational thought leaders to action. Persuading schools to adopt… Continue reading Google Creates Education Transformation Center to Promote App Solutions
Google announced the launch of analytics for Google Cast applications, enabling developers of such apps to see how many devices have access to them, how many sessions said devices initiate, and how long those sessions play media. This can all be accessed via the Google Cast Developer Console. Log in with a developer account, and… Continue reading Google Announces Launch of Analytics for Google Cast Applications
Slack has been getting a lot of big improvements over the past month or so. In July, it got an adjustment that made it better for communication. Then, earlier this month, Slack announced the ability to direct email to channels.
Google announced improved beta testing for Android apps on Google Play with new features like open beta and closed beta using email addresses. Google first launched beta testing two years ago, and has been gathering feedback from developers ever since. The Google Play Developer Console lets developers release early versions of their app to select… Continue reading There Are New Beta Testing Options For Android Developers
Google recently unveiled Android 5.0 Lollipop. The biggest difference Google has been touting is Material Design, which the company describes as “a visual language for our users that synthesizes the classic principles of good design with the innovation and possibility of technology and science.” Here’s 45 minutes of Google explaining what that means. Obviously developers… Continue reading Android 5.0 Gets New Design System
Uber thinks that “any app with a map is a potential Uber API partner” – so with that in mind, the on-demand car company is opening the Uber API to all developers. Uber is launching the API with eleven flagship partners who have already begun to use it – Expensify, Hinge, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts,… Continue reading API Affililate Program Launched by Uber
Amazon unveiled the Fire Phone on Wednesday, and two of the most talked-about features are Dynamic Perspective and Firefly. The former enables the device to track where your head is with a system of cameras and sensors so your perspective when looking at and interacting with the device becomes “dynamic”. The latter enables you to take pictures… Continue reading Dynamic Perspective SDK’s Coming For The Amazon Firefly


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Foodpanda Goes Blockchain for Digital-Out-of-Home Advertising Enabled by the Zilliqa Blockchain
Food delivery company Foodpanda has announced that it is testing a blockchain-enabled digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising scheme. Foodpanda works with over 27,000 restaurants in over 190 cities in 12 countries. The food delivery company also recently launched “Pandamart” and “Pandanow” to offer on-demand delivery services. The aim of the new blockchain-enabled pilot has been identified as being present across offline moments when consumers make their decisions on food delivery.
The traditional out-of-home (OOH) advertising relies on outdoor advertising, sending the message to consumers while they are commuting to work or in commercial locations. Digital out-of-home is the advanced and digital version, providing geofencing, tracking, retargeting, personalization features.
To facilitate the technology behind the blockchain-enabled DOOH scheme, Singapore-based blockchain marketing firm Aqilliz is using the Zilliqa blockchain for its clients in the digital advertising industry. Aqilliz is also partnering with Moving Walls, a technology firm for the blockchain pilot.
Srikanth Ramachandran, the CEO of Moving Walls commented on the use of blockchain technology in the campaign, “There are more fundamental issues of fragmentation and a lack of transparency that needs to be fixed. This campaign gives us the opportunity to implement emerging technologies in order to solve long-standing infrastructural problems to the benefit of all participating partners across the OOH supply chain.”
Smart contracts on Zilliqa will be facilitated for the advertising pilot of Foodpanda to enable the verification of ad delivery of promised spots and impressions. Aqilliz made claims that with the use of blockchain technology, companies like Foodpanda will be able to verify easily whether their digital advertising campaigns have been seen.
Since its inception, Zilliqa has been committed to addressing existing issues within blockchain architectures, be it scalability or security. In the case of the former, Zilliqa adopts linear scalability, which allows the network to process more transactions per second as more mining nodes join the network. This technically challenging feat has not been successfully replicated or adapted by many other existing blockchains.
Image via Shutterstock


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Mar 01, 2018
Dick's Sporting Goods Stores Will No Longer Carry Semi-Automatic Guns, Raises Minimum Age For Purchase To 21 Along With Walmart
Dick’s Sporting Goods chairman and CEO offered a major announcement this week after Nikolas Cruz was able to legally purchase a semi-automatic rifle, though not the one he used in the tragic school shooting last month, in a Dick's Store: Dick's stores will no longer sell such "assault-style" guns. Dick's also joins major retailer Walmart in raising the minimum age for purchase to 21.
“Based on what’s happened and looking at those kids and those parents, it moved us all unimaginably,” CEO Edward Stack said yesterday on Good Morning America. “To think about the loss and the grief that those kids and those parents had, we said, ‘We need to do something.’ And we’re taking these guns out of all of our stores permanently.
“We did everything by the book,” Stack continued. “We did everything that the law required and still [Cruz] was able to buy a gun. When we looked at that, we said, ‘The systems that are in place across the board just aren’t effective enough to keep us from selling someone a gun like that.’”
“We’re staunch supporters of the 2nd Amendment. I’m a gun owner myself,” Stack said, clarifying that the store's new policy was irreversible. “We’ve just decided that based on what’s happened with these guns, we don’t want to be a part of this story and we’ve eliminated these guns permanently.”


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Has the “curse of the Dow” finally caught up with Apple? Shares of the iPhone maker have been in a rut since posting disappointing quarterly results in late June, falling to a six-month low of $113.25 on Tuesday.
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The recent declines have wiped out nearly $100 billion of Apple’s market value – about as much as fellow Dow components Boeing and McDonald’s are worth in total.
For CEO Tim Cook, it means his stake of more than 111 million shares is now worth about $12.76 billion, compared with nearly $15 billion at the peak in late April. The dropoff represents a notable bout of weakness for a stock basically impervious to pain for the better part of two years. Strategists pinned the sell-off on the steady run in the shares, as the stock has gained more than 137 percent since hitting a low in April of 2013. In addition, more than 5,700 different funds already own the shares, according to Morningstar data. With Tuesday’s declines, the shares have dropped 13 percent over the last 11 trading days. “When you get a stock that is over-owned it’s difficult to find that incremental buyer,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at Wunderlich Securities in New York. “It’s having its own momentum meltdown.” The declines have left the company’s shares below their 200-day moving average, a measure of the long-term trend in the stock. Shares closed at $114.64 on Tuesday.
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The last time it closed below the 200-day moving average, in November 2012, the stock was in the midst of a swoon that lasted several more months, finally bottoming out in June 2013. This week’s drop below the moving average exacerbated selling sentiment. “For a lot of technical traders that was a sell sign,” said Channing Smith, managing director at Capital Advisors Inc in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A Capital Advisors growth fund owns shares of Apple but reduced its holdings last year. “The Apple ecosystem has never been stronger but we are in a very mature cycle. We think Apple will be a good stock, not a great stock going forward,” Channing said.
Read More: Apple, Samsung Lose Ground in Shrinking Tablet Market
Apple options were busy on Tuesday with about 2.13 million contracts traded, its third-most active day this year, as investors anticipate more volatility in the stock. Analysts at Bespoke Investment Group of Harrison, New York, note that generally, when Apple slips below its 200-day moving average, it tends to weaken a bit further, at least for a week, though returns down the road are generally stronger. Until recently, the company, which was added to the Dow Jones industrial average in mid-March, had escaped the index’s so-called curse.
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Which causes companies’ shares to rally in the months leading up to their addition, but underperform in the months that follow. The disappointing fourth-quarter revenue forecast and iPhone sales that missed some targets, have hit its shares hard and it is now down 10 percent since the shares were added to the Dow. The pummeling the stock has taken reflects investors’ heightened expectations heading into earnings reports. It also points to the realization that the much-hyped Apple watch may not be as big a catalyst for the stock as some hope, though fretting over the newest Apple product is also common among investors. Investors and analysts will be hard-pressed to put their finger on factors that could move the needle at the massive company, Douglas Kass, president of hedge fund Seabreeze Partners Management Inc, said in a note. “At the very least, sales and profit comparisons will likely grow increasingly difficult for Apple, both absolutely and relative to analysts’ expectations,” said Kass, who had briefly shorted the stock as it fell, and covered that position, in addition to selling bearish put options he was holding, as the shares fell. – Reuters


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Kilchoman at Whisky Live Paris 2009
From 26 to 28 September 2009, the whisky fair Whisky Live Paris 2009 took place in Paris, in which Anthony and James Wills took part.
In addition to the Kilchoman Inaugural Release, they also presented the world’s first release of a Kilchoman single cask (No. 232/2006) for the French importer La Maison du Whisky, bottled just 6 days later.
At the Icons of Whisky Dinner on Friday evening, the 3-year-old Kilchoman Single Cask had to hold its own against a Glenfiddich 40 year old, Glendronach 1972 Single Cask and Ardbeg 1998 Single Cask on the menu and was very well received. The 253 bottles were already sold out on Sunday.


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While this blog post is focused primarily on the Indian market, honey adulteration is something most of the world is dealing with now. The year 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic has taught people the importance of building their immune systems and eating well. Honey has always been considered one of the healthiest natural foods available.
Then came the ‘honeygate’ debacle, where some of India’s most trusted honey brands were found to be selling honey adulterated with sugar syrup. The claim that a product is really honey is no longer sufficient to establish that it really is.
This revelation has heightened awareness for the need to implement a system where a label reflects that the product is “pure honey” only if it can be traced to a registered beekeeper.
This 1:55-minute video by WION gives good insight into this growing problem:
Consumers are prepared to pay more for true quality honey because they seek the health benefits, and since the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) allows “some” sugar mixing like with sugarcane, corn, cane, rice or beetroot, traceability is the only way to have peace of mind that one has purchased natural honey.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of education about the structure of honey, many consumers think that crystalized honey means the honey has gone bad, whereas raw and natural honey is prone to crystallization.
Some honey vendors mix honey with sugar to keep it from crystalizing. The other main reason for sugar syrup dilution is economics. The sad fact is that natural honey, once processed, and including wastage (loss) ends up costing so much that many people cannot afford to buy it. Once it is blended with sugar syrup it is cheaper and more affordable for everyone. But if they think they are getting the health benefits they are mistaken.
There is no reason in this high-tech world that the honey supply chain cannot be held to a higher level or transparency and accountability, especially with the ability to digitize and use technology as support.
The report released in June 2019 by The Beekeeping Development Committee specified that bee products including honey that were sold in India or exported should be traceable to either a registered beekeeper or collector. They went even further and suggested that honey with no known source should not be treated as honey. This would return a large degree of integrity to the apiary industry. They also encourage Indian farmers to explore marketing other bee products besides just honey and wax, moving into royal jelly, bee venom, pollen and propolis, which have expanding global markets. This would be even more reason to establish higher levels of transparency now.
At a recent webinar, Down to Earth, organized in Delhi by the non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), many beekeepers from a wide range of states said their jobs are in jeopardy due to adulterated honey. They see this as one of the greatest threats to the beekeeping industry. The organizers revealed the results of their probe into the honey fraud, showing how sugar syrups were added to honey yet able to pass all the adulteration tests listed in the 2020 Standards by Food Safety Standards Authority in India. The syrups in question are obtained from China and are now also being manufactured in India. This has the potential to destroy India’s honey industry if left unchecked.
The diligent beekeepers of India are dealing with many problems in addition to adulterated honey, like pesticides, hybrid seeds that reduce the flowering period, and other challenges to the ecosystem. Not to mention misinformation, the big honey brands mislead the public by advertising that if honey crystalizes it is not pure.
The hardest blow is that their pure, natural honey must compete in the marketplace with fake, cheap and sugary syrups with no medicinal value. So even though the popularity of honey is soaring, the honey market is in crisis.
According to Narpinder Singh, president of the Progressive Beekeeper’s Association of Punjab, their pleas to many governmental departments to do something about the Chinese syrup being called honey seem to be falling on deaf ears, while the public falsely believes they are consuming a health food called honey instead of sugar syrup.
Mr. Singh has advocated for honey traceability and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance testing of the honey that is being sold to the domestic market, just like it is done for honey that is exported. Standards should safeguard both producer and consumer and need to be evaluated and strengthened depending on developments in the industry.
Hopefully this vast adulteration problem will be taken seriously by the authorities before it is too late.


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Atlantis nabs online spotlight again
Reno's Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is on the travel industry's radar again.
Two months ago, the 824-room resort in south Reno was named the "best casino outside of Las Vegas" by USA Today Travel.
Now comes another honor, this time by travelchannel.com as one of "America's High-Stakes Casinos" and showcased among 13 resorts in an online slide show.
Travelchannel.com cited the Atlantis's changing theme from tropical to "something more elegant -- think accent lighting and new, streamlined furnishings."
Also noted is the Atlantis's 60,000-square-foot casino (erroneously described in the slideshow as "67,000,000 square feet") with 1,500 slots machines and "plenty of gaming excitement."
"Atlantis is honored to receive national recognition in publications like USA Today and Travel Channel. We thank Reno/Sparks for continued support over the years, and look forward to serving the people of this great community in the years to come," said Darlyne Sullivan, general manager.
Also among the travelchannel.com list is the Eldorado Resort Casino in Shreveport, La., operated by Reno's Carano family-run Eldorado Resorts Inc.
"We have something for every guest," said Mike Whitemaine, general manager Eldorado Resort Casino Shreveport.
Check out the travelchannel.com slideshow here:


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Mumbai-headquartered Enormous Brands, a 10-year-old independent agency, has set its sights on expanding its presence in Delhi-NCR (Gurgaon).
The 80-member agency has offices in Mumbai and Delhi-NCR, and also handles clients including Diageo brands and startups from Bengaluru, remotely. While Enormous’ Gurgaon office has not gone back to its peak strength post Covid, the agency is now firmly focused on expanding its presence in NCR.
The agency recently released a Diwali film done by its Gurgaon office for Rangriti, a sister brand of Biba, featuring actor Kriti Sanon. The brand was a recent win for the agency in NCR and more conversations and conversions are in the works, revealed Managing Partner Ashish Khazanchi, in conversation with Medianews4u.com.
On the back of the work, the agency has bagged another brand from the stable. The work should be out soon, he revealed.
“Some of the talent is already in and some have been identified and are to join shortly. We have about 20 people in Enormous Delhi right now and I see this going up to 30 to 35 by March/April 2024,” he said.
Enormous announced the appointment of Pranoy Kanojia as the Head of Planning in the Gurgaon office and that of Shrikant Thounaojam as Creative Director in October 2023.
An Executive Creative Director is set to join shortly.
The Independent Opportunity
The belief is that there is space for independents operating at scale that can provide an alternative to large network agencies.
“While there are large independents like Tilt, Womb, Spring (and if I can count Enormous) in Mumbai, there seems to be a space for a sizeable independent in Delhi. There are new relationships that have started off (for Enormous) and I see the scope for us to scale in the market,” Khazanchi added.
The agency has no plans to set up shop in Bengaluru in the immediate future, despite handling a lot of work from there.
“Bengaluru has a number of independents and they are doing good work. There is a start-up to start-up ecosystem, and the start-ups we work with are happy with us handling the work from Mumbai. But in the Delhi market, I feel there is a real opportunity to expand,” he explained.
A post by Khazanchi on LinkedIn alongside the Rangriti ad reveals the intent: “Enormous Delhi sparkles just before Diwali with a gorgeous ad for Rangriti. We’ve powered up in Delhi to give this city, both in terms of the clients and the talent, a good independent alternative. With good work, good people, good times. Delhi is next for enormous.”


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Fiji's Tribal Chef to combine food and fashion
The CRYSTAL BALL
By LICE ROVA
CELEBRITY Chef Lance Seeto will next week give his services and that of his Castaway Island Resort team for free to cook at a glamorous ball which aims to raise money to establish a professional association for fashion designers in the country.
Speaking about the impending Fashion Designers Alliance of Fiji’s Crystal Ball to be held on Saturday February 2, Chef Lance said food and fashion were two fronts on which Fiji could be highlighted on the world stage.
“Like the work we are doing with food in the tourism industry, the fashion community is raising the international focus on Fiji and so we have many things in common,” Chef Lance said.
For the first time in Suva and maybe even Fiji, Chef Lance will conduct an open food site while cooking for guests at the inaugural ‘Crystal Ball’. At $100 a ticket, the celebrity Chef has named his menu ‘Diamonds & Pearl’, enough of a challenge to become the night’s main entertainment. But the celebrity chef is both excited and eager to impress.
“This will be the first for me to cook in a public place and for a fundraiser but this is a good cause and im quite excited,” Chef Lance said. “Castaway Island Resort has generously agreed to sponsor everything to do with the cooking so im bringing down a team of 6 chefs who are also eager for the experience.”
The Castaway Island Resort sponsorship comes at an opportune time for its kitchen staff who have been off normal duties since December’s Cyclone Evan ravaged the western division of Fiji, laying a path of destruction with serious effects on the tourism industry.
Even the Pastry chef is to be part of the team who will cook to the “Diamonds & Pearls” brief and so Fiji’s fashion community will be in for quite a treat.
“Fashion and Food are two of Fiji’s exports which is driving international interest in this country. I believe that Fashion Designers and Fiji Fashion Week is doing important work in telling people about what else we have to offer to the world,” Chef Lance said.
“We do the same work, Food and Fashion and so this time we are bringing to Suva a taste of what we do with tourists so the fashion community can enjoy it. Like fashion, the food industry has had some influence but not enough to drive a bigger international audience so its great to keep doing new things like events like this to influence not just the way we do food but also fashion.”
Naziah Ali, President of the FDAF said the organisation was quite humbled by Chef Lance’s willingness to be a part of the event as the ball would provide much needed funds to get important work done.
“What we are trying to do is make sure that people who have some real creative potential are able to go into business if they want to, whether it’s a retail shop or online. We need to create that access for them because right now, nobody gives anybody a break,” Ms Ali said.
“The event will be quite entertaining with a fashion show, auction of people and fashion wear and an awards ceremony for the hardworking designers who have worked hard to produce fashion in Fiji.”
In a town where there is very little to do by way of recreation, Suva residents and visitors who may often lack exciting formal social outings and the opportunity to dress up may appreciate the inclusion of this to their calendar of events.
“It will be extremely formal, people have to come in gowns not BULA so its not just another function. You will be greeted at the door with complimentary champagne and it will be a party to remember,” Ms Ali said.
Fiji Fashion Week Ltd Managing Director, Ellen Whippy-Knight, who helped establish FDAF said it was an essential event to go to.
“We have been very lucky to score Celebrity Chef Lance Seeto who has committed to his first ever cooking extravaganza in Suva. He understands like we do in the fashion scene, that Fiji has many exports and there is much to be gained not just socially but also economically from organizing events like this to continue to momentum of development that is happening in our country,” Ms Whippy-Knight said.
FJFW is working to support the fashion industry so it can earn the country substantial export earnings. Ms Whippy-Knight said that FIJI has the potential to earn a lot of money from fashion because culture and heritage is a strong part of our society as was the case for France, a country which makes billions from Fashion each year.
“During FJFW 2012, the French Embassy’s Cultural Attache Denis Decraene said the fashion industry in France was worth billions of dollars and the Pacific region could earn a similarly substantial income because like France, culture was important to the islands,” Ms Whippy-Knight said.
"France earns 32 billion EUR a year from fashion and 160,000 sustained by the industry. The French Embassy said fashion is a part of their country’s culture and heritage and it is the same in Fiji, people are passionate about their traditions here."
For enquiries, email firstname.lastname@example.org or telephone 7088819/8611044
Chef Lance Seeto is a Chef, Author, International Food & Travel Writer and currently the Executive Chef on Fiji’s multi-award winning resort, Castaway Island. He has been pioneering a new cutting edge cuisine in the South Pacific for the past 3 years, infusing his Asian heritage with the fresh organic and tropical produce of the Fiji Islands. This work has earned him accolades in mainstream media as well as in the travel industry. He is also an accomplished photojournalist and food & travel writer for The Fiji Times as well as for lifestyle magazines and has amassed an enormous following of both local and international fans via his Facebook blog, Fijian Food Safari. He brings a team of 6 chefs as well as practically his whole kitchen from Castaway Island Resort
The Fashion Designers Alliance of Fiji (FDAF) is a not-for-profit trade association whose membership consists of Fiji’s foremost women swear, menswear, jewelry and accessories designers. The FDAF’s goals are to promote and improve public understanding and appreciation of fashion design, establish and maintain a Code of Ethics and practices of mutual benefit in professional, public, and trade relations, and to advance its artistic and professional standards.
Fiji Fashion Week (FJFW) is run by Fashion Week (Fiji) Limited (FWL) a limited liability company incorporated in the Republic of Fiji in January, 2009. The company’s primary objective is to create a world class fashion week event which helps nurture, develop and promote individual stakeholders in Fiji’s fashion industry.
-- Lice Movono-ROVA Public & Media Relations Fiji Fashion Week - Fashion in Paradise Ph +679 330 1201 M +679 7088819/8611044 72 MacGregor Road, Suva, Fiji http://www.fijifashionweek.com.fj http://www.facebook.com/fijifashionweek http://www.facebook.com/modelsfiji


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Gentle Giant showed off their upcoming Jyn Erso mini bust at the recent GameStop Expo event and now they’ve put her up for pre-order. Jyn is scheduled for the second quarter of 2017 and is priced at $120. The edition size for the 1:6 scale bust hasn’t been announced yet. Head over to Gentle Giant’s website to put in your order.
- Hot Toys Exclusive Rogue One Stormtrooper Jedha Patrol
- First Look Hera Syndulla’s A-Wing


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Rainbow Six Siege made its debut in December of 2015. Since then the game has shown itself to be a successful version of the games as a service model. Since it’s release, DLC has been launched on a frequent basis, with each year of the game's life bringing four dlc packs. This, combined with continual updates to the core game, has ensured that Rainbow Six Siege has built up a huge player base. In an interview with the Daily Star Rainbow Six Brand Director, Alexandre Remy, talks about the future of the franchise and why the team don’t want a sequel.
With the next generation of consoles coming ever closer the question of the franchises future is on peoples minds. Previously Ubisoft Montreal have stated that they don’t want a sequel to the game, proposing instead to deliver more than 100 playable in-game characters. This statement was reiterated by Remy who says “We don’t want a sequel whatsoever.”
While specifics about the next generation tie-ins for the game are understandably secret, the interview did give some insight into the development team’s thought process. Remy stated “we don't want to segregate our community between the different platforms. In an ideal world tomorrow, we’d love players from every platform to be able to play together. We are approaching next-gen with the same spirit.” He went on to elaborate “We’ve been asking how can we make the player base of Siege today be able to migrate - if they want to migrate, that is - but also make this cheaper [than buying a new, next-gen copy of the game] as much as possible or through backwards compatibility.”
We already know that the PlayStation 5 will run PS4 games, and Microsoft look set to follow suit with backwards compatibility. This means that the current player base should be able to easily merge with the next generation of players, at least on the surface. The team also seen determined to ensure that the game is enjoyable for all. This is emphasized when Remy says “The strength of any multiplayer game is the size of its community, so I do believe that we have to make every effort possible that when next gen comes in, they are treated as a high-end PC versus another PC.”
The PC analogy is a great one to use as its easy to understand. While the next generation game may look crisper or smoother, the core gameplay experience will remain the same, as if you were playing the game on two different spec PCs. This statement suggests that a next generation Rainbow Six Siege would likely be a port, rather than a sequel.
Fans will have to wait and see how these plans pan out but one things for certain, the Rainbow Six Siege team aren’t done with the game yet.
The company has to allow preorders to be cancelled at any point prior to the official release date.


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Nintendo will launch a paid, online gaming service for the popular Switch hybrid console next year.
Right now, Switch players have access to online gaming at no cost, but that ends in 2018 when the subscription service launches. The service won’t cost much though, at only $20 for the year, it is much less expensive than annual online subscriptions for Xbox or Sony PlayStation, which each charge $60 per year. Nintendo has previously offered online play for free with past consoles such as the Wii.
The online service, which Nintendo originally planned to launch this fall, will offer multiplayer gaming as well as a Netflix-like library of classic Nintendo games. We don’t know exactly which games will be included, but the company mentions Super Mario Bros. 3, Balloon Fight and Dr. Mario on the Switch online page.
Chat functions and the ability to organize games with friends is possible via a separate app rather than an integration directly into the online service. A free, limited version of the app will be available this summer.
The Switch console has been a hit since it was released in March, and it is sold out virtually everywhere. In its earnings call earlier this week, officials from videogame retailer GameStop said the company sold more Switch units in the first two months than it did Wiis back in 2006. The Wii is Nintendo’s best-selling, non-handheld console in company history.
GameStop says Nintendo Switch is selling faster than Wii in the US. (First two months) pic.twitter.com/RKizrbmt9r
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) May 25, 2017
The popularity of its flagship game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, has played a role in the Switch’s popularity. It is one of the most highly rated games in history, and Nintendo has actually managed to sell more copies of the game than it has Nintendo Switches.
Given the positive momentum, it appears Nintendo may be gearing up to increase production. The Financial Times reports that Nintendo has ordered an additional 18 million Switch units to be produced by next March.


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Nissan CEO: Not range but cost of ownership is important factor for EVs now
A Nikkei Asian Review report has revealed that Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Japanese automaker Nissan Motor said during a recent speech that it is time for the cost of the electric vehicles (EVs) to be reduced. Electric vehicle manufacturers have been concentrated on improving range of electric vehicles as an important factor but Ghosn feels that 300 kilometers range is enough and now impetus should be on reducing cost of EVs.
Highlighting the fact that most of the EV makers “guarantee more than 300 kilometers (188 miles)” on a single charge, Ghosn -- who spearheads one of the bestselling EV automakers in the world -- said that according to Nissan’s experience in the EV market, “consumers do not talk anymore about range or autonomy.”
Speaking at a Nissan event recently held in Hong Kong, Ghosn said that the 188-mile range of present-day EVs is quite sufficient. He also added alongside that what is now required is to bring down the price of the EVs.
Sharing some key marketing insights with regard to EVs based on Nissan’s perspective of the EV market, Ghosn said: “You had to have 500,000 (electric) cars on the ground to understand that consumers do not put autonomy on top of their concerns any more when you cross 300 km.”
With Nissan already making efforts to manufacture EVs with smaller batteries to reduce the price, the key point which Ghosn apparently underlined at the Hong Kong event is that EVs can become popular among mainstream customers only when they have an affordable price-tag.
According to a recent EV magazine Electrek’s report, General Motors (GM) is bringing some new updates to its sole all-electric vehicle, the Chevy Bolt EV, with the forthcoming release of the vehicle’s third model year.
On Wednesday, German automaker Audi announced at its annual meeting that it plans to build 20 new electrified cars by the year 2025. The automaker also added that most of the planned electrified cars will be battery-powered vehicles.
In a disclosure at Japanese battery manufacturer Panasonic’s recent earnings call, CEO Kazuhiro Tsuga said that the company can potentially enter into a partnership with US electric vehicle maker Tesla for building a Gigafactory in China.
In a recent announcement, US electric-scooter company Razor has said that it has launched its new electric scooter share service in Long Beach, after having received a permit from the city to operate the service.
According to a recent announcement by Honda, the production of the automaker’s new, third-generation Insight hybrid has been commenced at its manufacturing plant in Indiana this week.
Electric car maker Tesla Motors has released a new update for its Model 3 software user interface, introducing some new features for the vehicle.


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With the growing awareness and need to take recourse to non-renewable sources of energy, Solar power is gaining increasing popularity. India, receiving abundant sunlight, owing to its geographical location, can utilize the solar power to carry out numerous functions which would otherwise depend on input of fuels. With its conscious choice to use significantly more clean energy to fuel its growth, India is contributing to global efforts to save the planet from the effects of climate change. The contribution to the efficient solar power utilization comes from its various States like Rajasthan, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Although, India uses solar energy to a great extent, more than 90% of solar panels and modules used in Indian solar projects are imported. Therefore, India still relies on other nations for the utilization of solar power.
In the light of above, the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance vide its notification dated July 30, 2018, intimated regarding the imposition of safeguard duty as recommended by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), in the final findings. As per the said notification, the tariff on the imported solar panels would be applicable in the manner stated below:
- 25% ad valorem minus anti-dumping duty payable, if any for imports between July 30, 2018 to July 29, 2019.
- 20% ad valorem minus anti-dumping duty payable, if any for imports between July 30, 2019 to January 29, 2020.
- 15% ad valorem minus anti-dumping duty payable, if any for imports between January 30, 2020 to July 29, 2020.
It clearly specified that said safeguard duty shall not apply to imports from developing countries except China and Malaysia.
By this step, the Government once again emphasizes on its “ encouraging and reposing faith in the domestic manufacturers to enter into the field of solar power being a self-reliant and self-sufficient nation.


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Safaricom has made over Kshs 100 billion in profit before tax for the year ended march 2022. This returns signify the monopoly that safaricom has in the country. The performance statement that was realised by the company indicated that Mpesa contributed over 49% of the company’s profits.
This is the first time that safaricom is indicating the share of profits that Mpesa has contributed. In the past years Safaricom released on the revenue contributions. The revenue contributions for this year stood at 36%. A comparison in this reveals that Mpesa contributed more to the profits than the revenues.
The surge in profits for the mobile money sector has seen a surge in growth from the covid era. The maximum amount that a mobile wallet can hold has been increased to 300,000 from 150,000.
During the height of Covid 19, the government advised Kenyans to avoid the use of cash and instead opt for mobile money. This directive has seen started bearing fruits as the number of cashless payments have increased.
Safaricom’s Lipa na Mpesa platform has also seen a surge in the number of outlets that have registered. The continued use of mobile money will very instrument in helping the company achieve its set quotas. Early this Month Safaricom in partnership with Equity launched a platform dubbed Faraja.
Faraja seeks to offer safaricom subscribers an interest free credit to help them purchase items from select stores. Such products are expected to push safaricom to the valuation in the trillions. In a bid to attract even more users Safaricom has extended the services that Mpesa offers to its clients. This includes Fuliza, Savings Platform, Direct bank borrowing, Lipa na Mpesa payment across all networks among others.


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Between them, the Eacott siblings have been watched billions of times online and made millions. And they’re not even 30 yet.
Tannar, 24, is a YouTuber whose videos have been watched more than 150 million times and have attracted more than one million subscribers.
She’s following in the footsteps of her older brother, Lannan, more well known as LazarBeam, who in 2019 was the eighth most-viewed creator on YouTube and has 21.3 million subscribers across all his platforms and more than 7 billion views.
“People feel more connected when they know there aren’t layers of editing and production in between the person and audience. Now more than ever people want to feel connected,” Tannar said.
The Sydney-based pair are part of a wave of Australian creators changing the face of entertainment by pegging their careers to social and streaming behemoths TikTok, Youtube, Discord and Twitch. But it’s not just dance moves or mukbang videos going viral, one of the major areas of growth, when it comes to online content, are gaming videos, where creators stream themselves trying out new games or beating their personal records. The market for gaming content, according to Adroit Market Research, is on track to be valued at $US79 billion ($102 billion) by 2025.
Grace Watkins saw the potential in the market when her younger brother’s “gaming hobby” evolved into a lucrative career right under their parents’ noses. Elliot Watkins left an internship at an elite law firm to pursue gaming and he’s now more commonly known as Muselk, or at least he is to his 9.28 million YouTube subscribers.
Watkins, who appeared on an online panel about internet safety on Tuesday night, said gaming and video platforms were the future of entertainment. Many parents still consider online platforms to be a negative or unhealthy influence due to their lack of regulation, Watkins said, but they also provide opportunities for young people.
“I’m trying to break the stigma around gaming. It’s an incredible connection tool for young teens, we’ve received so much feedback over COVID to say that isolated kids have found a way to make friends and find an element of lightness to their days,” she said.
“If your child is online, you can’t control what they consume and creating open and honest communication is more important than villainising the internet generally.”
Gaming live streaming platform Twitch is now one of the world’s biggest entertainment platforms, with 26.5 million daily users and an average of 93 billion minutes watched per month.
While the average Netflix user spends about two hours on the platform per day, the average Twitch user spends more than three, with 73 per cent under the age of 35.
Watkins said the appeal of new content platforms was twofold. Millennials and Gen Zers had a strong “bullshit radar” and were more sensitive to advertising, and they were bored of traditional “manicured” entertainment like film, TV and radio.
“We’re living in a time where young people are overwhelmed by the number of ads they are seeing every day. They’ve developed a really good bullshit radar as to what ads look like and they distrust traditional forms of advertising and media as a result.”
In a time when Instagram influencers saturate social media, Watkins said “less polished” creators present a relatable alternative that makes them more “trustworthy” and therefore more appealing to brands.
“You don’t need to travel to LA, have expensive equipment or be well-connected to be a successful streamer or content creator on TikTok. Most people start out in their bedrooms in their room,” she said.
But there remains a gender imbalance in the industry. Watkins said women account for just 24 per cent of those who work in online gaming content, although they make up half of Click Management.
Watkins said the imbalance would not be fixed by introducing quotas or elevating female creators but by focusing on changing the “environment” of the platforms and promoting good gamers “who happen to be women” rather than gamers because they are women.
She also acknowledged the relatability of the online world comes at a cost, and the industry would benefit from stricter protocols and codes of conduct.
In 2020, Click partnered with Benefit cosmetics to host the largest female gaming tournament in Australia, which remains the largest to be held in the world.
“We try to work with great talent that happen to be girls but I don’t think highlighting girls because of their gender does anything for the fact it’s a minority female industry,” she said.
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Trip.com has partnered with Amadeus to help power the China-based online travel agency’s recovery and expansion ambitions.
The Amadeus Custom Search solution, which is powered by Amadeus cloud technology, will enable Trip.com’s platforms to manage increasing online activity, plus scale to meet demand.
In addition to offering high-quality flight content, faster response times and precise accuracy, the solution will also give Trip.com greater flexibility to control dynamic content distribution.
“As we continue our global expansion, Amadeus' cloud-based search technology will help us to meet the ever-increasing demands of our customers,” says Yudong Tan, CEO of Trip.com’s Flight Business Unit.
“We are optimistic about the recovery of travel and this cutting-edge cloud technology will play an important part in accelerating our long-term growth.”
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Adds Brian Chien, Amadeus head of online travel agencies, Greater China and managing director, China: “We are proud to continue our pioneering work with such an innovative and market-leading online travel agency like Trip.com. Our development teams have worked hand in hand with theirs to build a future-proof, cloud-based flight search solution that will make the customer experience across all channels exceptional.
“I have also witnessed the amazing success of Trip.com, having grown from a Chinese OTA to a global powerhouse. At the same time, our collaborative partnership with Trip.com continues to grow and we look forward to a bright future of cutting-edge innovation and customer-centricity as travel makes its comeback. We will collaborate with Trip.com to ensure the success of this game-changing cloud technology.”
Meanwhile, Trip.com Group, which runs Trip.com as well as Ctrip, Qunar and Skyscanner, has officially listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as of yesterday. Trip.com Group is now dual listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ stock exchange in the United States.
Trip.com Group, formerly known as Ctrip Group, first listed on the public markets in the U.S. in 2003.


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Ofcom to offer better mobile consumer protection Communications regulator Ofcom is to investigate the quality of service provided by 3G networks, and in particular look into the mobile broadband speeds...
Huawei hardware embedded in BT's 21st Century Network a risk to UK national infrastructure
CEO Satya Nadella hails "incredible year" for Microsoft
Computing celebrates some of the female pioneers who found huge success despite male dominated environments
The government has proposed ways to attract new professionals to security, increase diversity and ensure leadership


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A new type of redox flow battery presents a huge advantage for electric cars. If the rechargeable batteries are low, the discharged electrolyte fluid can simply be exchanged at the gas station for recharged fluid – as easy as refilling the petrol tank.
Electric mobility is becoming increasingly important. The German government’s ambitious plan envisages one million electric cars being sold in Germany by the year 2020. Until then, however, researchers still have to overcome some hurdles, such as the question of energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries offer a possible solution, but it takes hours to charge them – time that an automobile driver doesn’t have when on the road.
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal near Karlsruhe see an alternative in redox flow batteries. “These batteries are based on fluid electrolytes. They can therefore be recharged at the gas station in a few minutes – the discharged electrolyte is simply pumped out and replaced with recharged fluid,” says engineer Jens Noack from ICT. “The pumped-off electrolyte can be recharged at the gas station, for example, using a wind turbine or solar plant.”
The principle of redox flow batteries is not new – two fluid electrolytes containing metal ions flow through porous graphite felt electrodes, separated by a membrane which allows protons to pass through it. During this exchange of charge a current flows over the electrodes, which can be used by a battery powered device.
Until now, however, redox flow batteries have had the disadvantage of storing significantly less energy than lithium-ion batteries. The vehicles would only be able to cover about a quarter of the normal distance – around 25 kilometers – which means the driver would have to recharge the batteries four times as often. “We can now increase the mileage four or fivefold, to approximately that of lithium-ion batteries,” Noack enthuses.
The researchers have already produced the prototype of a cell. Now they must assemble several cells into a battery and optimize them. This further development is being carried out with colleagues from the University of Applied Sciences, Ostphalia, in Wolfenbüttel and Braunschweig. They are testing electric drives and energy storage units on model vehicles that are only a tenth of the size of normal vehicles. The research team has already built a traditional redox flow battery into a model vehicle. A vehicle on a scale of 1:5 can be seen in action on a test rig set up at the eCarTech in Munich from 13 to 15 October. In the coming year the researchers also want to integrate the new battery, with four times greater mileage, into a model vehicle.
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The United States health care industry is one of the largest in the world with over 300 billion dollars a year spent on prescription drugs alone. (1) For many, these drugs have brought undeniable benefits, but in recent months the health care industry has fallen upon scandal after scandal.
Two of the worlds largest pharmaceutical companies were fined billions of dollars recently after investigations into their secret working practices brought to light several fraudulent activities. Now, new revelations have emerged including pervasive fraud and huge kickbacks which were paid to doctors.
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The chief executive of e-cigarette maker Juul stepped down on Wednesday, with his company beset by a regulatory backlash against vaping, and merger talks between its biggest investor Altria and Philip Morris collapsed.
Juul, in which tobacco giant Altria Group owns a 35% stake, is facing intense scrutiny in its home market as teen use of e-cigarettes surges. The company, which faces a US ban on some products, said on Wednesday that it would suspend all advertising in the country.
Philip Morris International and Altria, announcing the end of their talks, said they would instead focus on the joint launch of tobacco-heating product iQOS in the United States.
The iQOS, which heats but does not burn tobacco, is a rival non-smoking technology to typical vaping devices such as Juul’s, which vaporize liquid containing nicotine and have borne the brunt of the regulatory crackdown globally.
“After much deliberation, the companies have agreed to focus on launching iQOS in the US as part of their mutual interest to achieve a smoke-free future,” Philip Morris CEO André Calantzopoulos said.
When the talks were announced last month, the potential for Juul and iQOS to dominate the biggest vaping markets globally was seen as central to the logic of a deal, which would have seen the tobacco companies reunite a decade after their split and created an industry heavyweight.
However, investors were skeptical of the synergies the deal would generate and a steady rise in number of vaping-related deaths and illnesses reported in the United States may also have changed the companies’ thinking.
Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog said she was not surprised that the talks were abandoned, given the litany of negative health headlines.
“It appears to us the talks fell apart over Juul,” she wrote in a note.
The Trump administration in the United States has announced plans to remove all flavored e-cigarettes from store shelves due to the spike in the number of vaping-related illnesses.
The US Food and Drug Administration earlier this month warned Juul about marketing its products as safer than traditional cigarettes and requested more documents and information within 30 days.
Last week, South Korea and India became the latest countries after Brazil and Thailand to ban or warn about the sale of e-cigarettes, dealing further blows to the still-young industry.
Separately, Juul said it was replacing Burns with K.C. Crosthwaite, a long-time Philip Morris USA veteran and most recently the Chief Strategy and Growth Officer of Altria, potentially a sign Altria wants to force change at the company.


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Tata-BMW: Tata Technologies has tied up with German automotive giant BMW. today said it will form a joint venture to set up an automotive software and IT development hub in India.
Tata-BMW: A joint statement by the companies said the two companies have entered into an agreement to form a joint venture (JV) with the aim of establishing an automotive software and IT development hub in Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai.
Main development and operation activities will be set up in Bangalore and Pune. Focused on Business IT Solutions in Chennai. The joint venture will offer automotive software including software-defined vehicle (SDV) solution for BMW premium vehicles and digital transformation solutions for business IT. Starts operations with 100 innovators. The joint venture will be part of BMW’s global network of software and IT hubs.
“Our collaboration with the BMW Group demonstrates our commitment to providing leading solutions in automotive software and digital engineering to customers worldwide,” said Warren Harris, MD, CEO, Tata Technologies. He said the company will help the BMW Group in engineering premium products, providing great digital experiences to their customers and taking forward its digital transformation journey in business IT.
Christoph Grote, senior vice president of BMW Group Software and EE Architecture, said that the collaboration with Tata Technologies will accelerate the program of software-defined vehicles. India has a large number of talented people with excellent software skills who can contribute their software potential.


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How Jeffrey Godsick has redefined the culture, approach and global reach of 20th Century Fox Consumer Products and its popular brands.
Overstock.com is collaborating with recording artist and reality TV star Bret Michaels for a curated e-store and branded products.
Gwen Stefani has tapped the production companies Moody Street Kids and Vision Animation for a new TV series inspired by the singer and her sidekicks, the Harajuku Girls.
SMS Audio, the audio accessories brand from rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, has announced two new licensing deals with Reebok and Marvel.
Keds is kicking off its role as an official tour sponsor of Taylor Swift's "1989 World Tour" with a new collection of limited edition sneakers.
Holland America Line, a division of the cruise line Carnival, has teamed with two big names in music for new onboard features–Billboard and the Lincoln Center.
DHX Media has tapped The Orchard to distribute more than 8,000 episodes from its library content, as well as newly produced and acquired series.
The Norwegian Star cruise ship has been re-launched with a range of new dining and entertainment venues including the Jimmy Buffet-themed Five o'Clock Somewhere Bar.
Rock band AC/DC has tapped Perryscope Productions and Epic Rights to jointly lead its licensing and merchandising efforts.
Multiplatinum singer Fergie has released a new addition to her Outspoken fragrance line with Avon.
Kidz Bop, the children’s audio series, has announced that they will debut four new albums per year.
Following a sell-out of his Urban guitar collection last November, country crooner Keith Urban will return to HSN May 18 with a second collection.
NFL Players Inc. will be the headline sponsor of the annual Licensing Expo Opening Night Party.
RealCup will expand its distribution next month with three major Canadian grocery chains signing on to carry Marley Coffee.
Peavey Electronics has added a line musical instruments and accessories featuring Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy to their repertoire.
Fuhu, the creator of the Nabi Android tablet for kids, has released the game app "Karaoke Box" complete with the Disney Karaoke: Frozen song bundle.
Jewelry designer Zalemark has teamed up with iconic singer Engelbert Humperdinck to commemorate the release of his new album Engelbert Calling.
Epic Rights has expanded its client roster through new representation agreements with a range of music artists including Def Leppard, Billy Idol and "Chicago."
Sony Music will co-host the Licensing Expo Opening Night Party and present popular girl group Fifth Harmony as the special guest performer.
The Country Music Association will present Kellie Pickler as the special guest performer at the Licensing Expo Opening Night Party.
Epic Rights and Yoko Ono will collaborate on a global branding and licensing program based on the career of John Lennon.
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China's new-found clout in regulating global mergers is causing headaches for companies seeking high-stakes deals that need Beijing's approval.
Where corporate lawyers and advisers were once primarily concerned with merger clearance in the United States and Europe, China's anti-monopoly law - just five years old - has altered the calculus, as Beijing forces often painful delays with an antitrust regime that some see as an industrial policy tool.
"It's to the point where China is one of the key concerns that global companies now have when doing merger clearance deals," said Peter Wang, an antitrust expert and Shanghai-based partner for law firm Jones Day.
Tucked into the hulking Commerce Ministry (MOFCOM) a stone's throw from Tiananmen Square, a handful of antitrust officials are what stands between multi-billion dollar mergers and access to the world's second-largest economy. The hiccups in China's system have the potential to gum up the works - extending firms' funding needs and creating uncertainty around mergers.
Recent deals highlight concerns over the long delays in China's merger reviews and the tough conditions that some experts see as limiting operational control for companies while not being particularly designed to curtail monopoly.
Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp sat through a year-long review before its $US5.6 billion purchase of U.S. grain merchant Gavilon was approved, with conditions, in Beijing last month. A week earlier, China removed the last obstacle to Glencore's $US30 billion, 14-month takeover of miner Xstrata after the commodities trader agreed to sell a $US5.2 billion mining project to ease its grip on copper.
Any major deal involving strategic industries or the supply of vital commodities such as copper, crude oil, iron ore or soybeans is likely to be very closely scrutinized in China.
Yee Wah Chin, an antitrust lawyer with New York law firm Ingram, Yuzek, Gainen, Carroll and Bertolotti, noted the conditions in both cases had little obvious antitrust rationale. "What they have accomplished in both cases is industrial policy. Basically, there was concern about security of supply for an essential input. If you look at the remedy, it's what the remedy addressed," she said.
Desperate to close
Part of the problem, experts say, is the ideological divergence on what constitutes an antitrust review, with China appearing to use industrial policy protection rather than consumer protection as a benchmark. And, the experts note, there is a real sense that Chinese companies are not held to the same merger standards as China turns the screws on foreign companies, trying to create space for its domestic firms to grow.
At home, the policy prescription of China's state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), as well as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other regulators, has been decidedly pro-merger, with Beijing pursuing plans for sweeping consolidation in automotives, mining, pharmaceuticals and electronic and information technology to reduce competition and create economies of scale.
The US Trade Representative has said that 90 per cent of the deals registered with MOFCOM since 2008 involved multinational firms. None of the ministry's conditional approvals has been between Chinese firms, though it has set conditions on cases in which one party is Chinese.
"Sometimes the remedies have nothing to do with antitrust concerns, but you are so desperate to close a deal that you give up the store to the Chinese," said Daniel Sokol, professor of law at the University of Florida's Levin College of Law. "Firms will make all kinds of concessions. If this were the United States, people would say: I'll see you in court. No one's going to do that in China," he said.


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Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, sustainability remains a top priority for many UK consumers when they’re shopping, according to a new report from American Express.
The research reveals that 65% of UK consumers think about the environmental impact of the items they buy, while 41% say they prefer to shop locally rather than online, reducing the carbon footprint associated with digital deliveries.
As well as making the conscious effort to shop closer to home, consumers are also increasingly aware about where they buy from.
Some 63% said they would only shop with a retailer offering sustainable delivery options. In addition, 91% agree that sustainable packaging, doing social good, and a brand’s ethical reputation are all important when deciding who to spend with.
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Meanwhile, 32% would spend more on an item that had better environmental credentials, increasing to 45% among 18-34 year-olds.
In fact, 30% of shoppers also said that if the cost-of-living crisis wasn’t impacting their day-to-day spend, they’d be more inclined to shop sustainably.
A further 64% said they now prefer to shop from pre-loved retailers, whether in-store or online, while 41% said that an ‘end-of-line’ scheme to help them recycle goods would make them short more regularly, or spend more with a retailer.
“Our research shows that despite the current challenges, sustainability remains important to shoppers,” American Express VP and UK general manager, merchant services Daniel Edelman said.
“However, as consumers become increasingly selective about where to spend and what they buy, merchants need to scrutinise their own sustainability strategy and how best to communicate that effectively to customers.”


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China Overtakes U.S. Industrial Output, Powering A Huge Military Buildup
Report Says China Moving To Superpower Role As It Spends Almost 4 Percent Of GDP On Arms
Chinese Industrial Output To Be 50 Percent Greater Than U.S. Production In Five Years, But U.S. Still Gives China Financial Aid
China has become a manufacturing leviathan, overtaking the United States — the largest economy on the planet — in manufacturing output, and the formidable factory power of the Asian giant is powering a huge Chinese arms buildup, a new report shows.
Authored by John J. Tkacik, Jr., senior research fellow with the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington, the report cites figures released by the World Bank.
"As an industrial giant, China needs to be taken seriously as an international economic force and a strategic and military power," Tkacik warned.
The huge trade deficit that the United States suffers in trade with China — $233 billion in 2006, perhaps $300 billion last year — means China is flush with American consumers’ cash, money that can be used to buy new arms and develop capabilities such as anti-satellite missiles and lasers.
While the World Bank report is new, the fact that China is becoming a giant on the international stage is not, he observed.
"China’s new status is not surprising" to those who observe it carefully, Tkacik stated. "China has been the world’s leading producer of steel, copper, aluminum, cement, and coal for several years. As a consumer, China surpassed Japan as the globe’s second largest importer of petroleum in 2005. In 2006, China surpassed Japan as the world’s No. 2 auto market, with total sales of 7.2 million vehicles and production of 7.3 million."
And just last year, "China also became the world’s top producer of merchant ships. In short, one needs no number-juggling from the World Bank to know that China is an economic superpower."
Tkacik provided the figures to back up his finding that Chinese manufacturing output now exceeds that of the United States, using World Bank calculations.
"In 2006, America’s manufacturing sector produced about $2.7 trillion in goods," Tkacik stated. Meanwhile, "China’s manufacturing sector produced about 8.74 trillion yuan in goods, or about $1.124 trillion at the prevailing exchange rate of 7.77 yuan to the U.S. dollar."
China artificially manipulates the value of its yuan in world currency exchange markets to gain an advantage in trade with the United States, so that Chinese goods tend to be relatively cheap in U.S. stores while U.S. goods tend to be more expensive in China.
Tkacik asserts, however, that those figures showing the U.S. manufacturing output to be twice that of China are deceptive.
He continued that "the real value of China’s output is more than twice the exchange-rate value, according to price studies done by the World Bank for the year 2005.
"In an exhaustive study published on Dec. 17, … the World Bank’s International Comparison Program determined that, in China, one only needs about 3.4 yuan to buy what would be a dollar’s worth of goods on the U.S. market — far less than half of the official exchange rate. So, the World Bank lowered China’s [purchasing power parity (PPP)] — last set in the 1980s — from about 3.94 times the nominal exchange rate to about 2.38 times the nominal exchange rate.
Not surprisingly, The Economist magazine arrived at a similar figure for PPP simply by checking the prices of Big Macs at McDonald’s restaurants around the world (The Economist sharpened the figure to 3.42 in its Feb. 1 issue).
Sure enough, a Big Mac that cost $3.22 in Richmond, Virginia, sold for 11.00 yuan (or about $1.41) in Guangzhou.
"The World Bank study simply confirmed that this pricing deflator is valid across the entire Chinese economy. Applying the PPP factor of 2.38, China’s $1.124 trillion worth of manufacturing output would be worth $2.717 trillion on the U.S. market–slightly higher than America’s $2.7 trillion in manufacturing output.
So it is time to recognize that China isn’t some backward nation, or even a developing nation, but a superpower challenging the United States not merely economically, but also militarily, Tkacik stated.
"Now that China’s manufacturing sector has nosed past the United States, America’s political leaders must begin to contemplate what China’s economy will look like in another five years," Tkacik asserted. "It will likely be half-again bigger than America’s industrial sector, giving China the capacity to assemble the building blocks of a military superpower."
China already is procuring missiles, ranging from more than 1,300 weapons pointed toward tiny Taiwan (China may invade and conquer the island nation) to nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles that can strike targets in the United States. As well, it has nuclear-powered submarines with nuclear-tipped missiles that can fly from beneath the Pacific Ocean to strike New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and other East Coast points. And China is purchasing cutting edge fighter aircraft, destroyers, and more. And it is mulling whether to begin deploying aircraft carriers.
China also is using its economic might to finance adventures in space, from acquiring the capability to shoot down U.S. military and commercial satellites, to laser systems that can disable American military satellites, to sending a taikonaut into orbit and sending a spacecraft to orbit the moon.
Beijing leaders, flush with the power of money in trade with the United States and others, have arrived in the first rank of nations militarily.
Thus one has to gag on the fact that China still is receiving aid from the United States, Tkacik indicated.
"China’s boom is not necessarily bad news for the United States," according to Tkacik. "But it means that Washington can no longer condescend to China as a ‘developing’ nation in need of U.S. tax dollars for programs relating to energy, environment, and the like. China has ample money and resources to pay for these programs by itself. It also has the potential to build a superpower military. The Central Intelligence Agency suggests that China spends 3.8 percent of its GDP on arms. Therein lies the real downside of China’s economic boom."


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Des O’Sullivan reports on a changed market.
Adapt or perish might well be the mantra for an art and antiques market in a state of flux. Tough times are sending a strong signal to the tough to get going. The future will be different. The pandemic has accelerated the movement towards online sales. Change has come quickly.
Locally, nationally and internationally many auctioneers who had previously featured a mix of online and in house sales are adapting fast to a market where the uncertain future is becoming less shortterm. Many report that website traffic is busier than ever before.
Those auctioneers who took the plunge immediately after the lockdown have been finding significant success. True, many auctions have been postponed.
As of now the schedule of upcoming sales in Ireland is a bit thin. In a highly varied marketplace it is not a case of one size fits all. Some lots lend themselves to online sales better than others. Those that have gone ahead, often in a revised manner, are demonstrating that it can work, in some cases marvellously well.
Julien’s achieved spectacular results with its Beatles online-only sale last week. The top lot at an online auction (originally to have taken place in New York) was Paul McCartney’s handwritten lyrics to “Hey Jude”. This sold for $910,000 over an estimate of $160,000-$180,000 in an auction which attracted a global audience of registered bidders.
Last Saturday this column noted that contemporary art had taken a hit in the lockdown. This proved true at Morgan O’Driscoll’s sale on Tuesday evening when three works by Jeff Koons failed to find buyers. Koons is one of the world’s most expensive living artists. Damien Hirst also failed to sell.
Morgan O’Driscoll did have a highly successful sale. The top lot, Paul Henry’s Celtic Cross in a West of Ireland Landscape made €105,000 at hammer.
Other top hammer prices were: George Barret, Landscape with Figures, €36,000; Gerard Dillon,Shawl, €24,000; Daniel O’Neill, Choosing Flowers, €24,000; Paul Henry, Mountain Landscape with Lake and Road €22,000; Tony O’Malley, Clare Island Greys, €19,000; Louis le Brocquy, William Butler Yeats, €18,000; Hughie O’Donoghue, Medusa Hold, €17,000; William Conor, Forty Winks, €14,000; John Shinnors, Roxboro Road Bus Stop, €14,000; Donald Teskey, Longshore IV, €14,000; Norah McGuinness, The Black Swan, €14,000; Kenneth Webb, Spring Bogland, Ballinabo, €12,000; Sir John Lavery, Portrait of William Burton Harris, €12,000; William Scott, Abstract Composition, €10,500; Patrick O’Reilly, Pegasus, €10,000 and John Behan, Wild Swans at Coole, €9,500.
Aidan Foley was pleased with two days of online sales at Sixmilebridge and plans more on the May Bank Holiday weekend. Among his main lots were Spring Evening by Arthur Maderson which made €2,100 at hammer and The Stars Serenade by Annie Robinson which made €1,350.
At Matthews’ online sale on Tuesday, a Zambian emerald ring made €17,200 and a sapphire and diamond target ring made €10,000.


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Woman Tells How Her Husband Was Shot in a Gun-Free Zone
Nicole Goeser's husband was shot six times before her eyes in a gun-free zone. She shared her story at the Students for Concealed Carry Conference at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
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Japanese DRAM maker Elpida Memory on Monday said its factories are operating "at close to normal levels" two weeks after the 9.0-magnitude earthquake in Japan, and that it has "sufficient parts and materials to continue supplying out customers as usu...
Two weeks have passed since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami rocked eastern Japan, and while a recovery among the country's technology manufacturers has begun, it could be several months before things start to normalize.
The devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 took a tragic toll on human life but also rocked markets this week, sending shares of businesses, including technology vendors, on a rollercoaster ride.
Some Japanese chip makers are starting to pick themselves up and resume operations in the earthquake and tsunami-torn northeast.
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In the same week that Uber showcased a piloted a robot to deliver food in the US, the ride hailing/food delivery company hosted a “Future of Work” event in South Africa. During the same period FairWork in Austria unveiled a report that rated Uber as one of the poor performing platforms to work for in terms of working conditions.
These activities capture issues (automation,changing nature of work and working conditions) that need to be taken into account as we reflect about the future of work in the world that is technology driven. We are headed towards a future that will make use of robots and this has raised questions about the role of human beings in the workplace. When Uber was showcasing the robots pilot programme, the company indicated that “it will be some time before this technology is operated at scale” this is true in the African continent where adoption of technology takes time. For now, the issue that everyone is grappling with is the condition of work for drivers/owners who are using the ride hailing platform.
On one hand, some car owners are complaining about an unbalanced relationship between Uber and drivers/owners. In addressing the challenges related to work with tech companies there’s a need to take into account the different schools of thought to arrive at a conclusion that assists with solutions.
One school of thought was very well articulated by Prof Mthunzi Mdwaba who was the keynote speaker at the “Future of Work” event organised by Uber. He pointed out that there’s a need to embrace technology in view of our current SA’s unemployment challenge. He said “technology cannot be controlled, innovation will happen whether we like it or not”.
He indicated that Uber is providing work that should be appreciated.
In this regard, Prof Mthunzi is correct about work provided by Uber. When Uber came into the scene it created a platform for people to consider alternative ways of earning an income. Today a student can serve as a driver instead of only a choice of being a waiter. People can work in multiple companies and decide when they want to work. There’s no question about the flexibility provided by working with Uber. Not only has this ride hailing company provided a platform for work, it has also introduced a new model which has been adopted by other companies. Today, just about everyone is trying to apply an Uber type model which can be better referred to as Ubernomics. Today there’s an Uber like product for just about anything you can think of. All of this can be attributed to Uber. Society however has not yet adapted to this model and hence you have a situation where labour activists are raising concerns about the Uber model. Entities that are representing drivers are highlighting another element that needs to be taken into account.
Their school of thought is that drivers should be treated as workers and that their working conditions should be conducive enough for them to execute their tasks with ease.This school of thought is shared by the United Kingdom courts. The Supreme Court justices ruled unanimously that although Uber said it was only a technology platform that connected drivers with passengers, it behaved more like an employer by setting rates, assigning rides, requiring drivers to follow certain routes and using a rating system to discipline them. The decision was a major victory for labour activists in the United States and Europe who are pushing for better wages and stronger protections for workers with services like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Grubhub, which have long been criticised for how they treat their drivers and delivery people. In Africa however drivers are still independent and are not treated as employees.
As a result, labour activists and some unions in Africa who regard the ruling as a victory would like to see the legal principle followed in the continent. In this regard and in relation to demands by labour activists and unions, Mdwaba argued that unions do not represent the entire workforce. This also means that other views should be considered to find a solution to the future of work challenges in the tech driven world.
Another school of thought worthy of our consideration advocates for a middle ground between independence and support. This would mean drivers maintain their independence and engage with Uber as equal.. The tech company would treat drivers and owners as an important stakeholder that is consulted before decisions are taken. This is a school of thought that is embraced by a co-operative ride hailing company like Drivers Co-operative.
They developed Co-op Ride, an app that takes the freedom and independence that Uber and Lyft promised rideshare drivers, and adds in worker ownership. Each driver is also a member who owns one share of the company, with one vote toward leadership and business decisions. Their model includes sharing of profits with driver-owners. The co-op upends the traditional model where the profits generated by workers accrue to executives and shareholders, instead redistributing them back to the drivers. Co-op Ride says that drivers earn more on each trip—8 to 10% more than Uber and Lyft rides, according to the cooperative, because it takes a smaller commission—and all profits go back to the drivers in the form of annual dividends, based on how much labour they contributed; the more trips they complete, the bigger their share of profit.
The three schools of thought should be studied very carefully in the process of shaping the future of work that is driven by technology.
Wesley Diphoko is the Editor-In-Chief of Fast Company (SA) magazine