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By Jessica Yun
Online retailer The Iconic has uncovered nearly $201,000 in additional underpayments in the midst of upgrading its payroll and HR systems, after having already been found to have underpaid hundreds of casual staff more than $1 million between 2013 and 2019.
The fashion and lifestyle retailer, which has cut 116 jobs this year, back-paid 800 current and former staff in 2022 after two audits of its accounting systems found payroll errors totalling $1.38 million.
While all those underpayments have now been rectified, The Iconic engaged independent external auditors to conduct payroll checks that identified 551 casual staff had also been underpaid a total of $200,937 in wages, interest, super and lost earnings between 2020 to 2023.
“The Iconic deeply regrets that the issue has occurred,” said a statement from the retailer.
“We take our obligations very seriously, and we believe that our new payroll and human resources systems as well as our ongoing vigilance in reviewing and upgrading our payroll processes and data minimises the risk of this happening again.”
The company has self-reported the additional underpayments to the Fair Work Ombudsman, established a dedicated team to provide affected staff with information and support, and is in the final stages of remediation, it said.
In an email to affected workers on Friday, The Iconic’s new chief executive Jere Calmes said the business “extends our sincerest apologies” to staff impacted by the “misapplication of the relevant awards”.
Some staff were overpaid, but will not be asked to pay back the funds. Other underpayments were less than $1. “However we have committed to paying all impacted ICONITEs a minimum of $50 as a gesture of good faith,” Calmes wrote.
Late last year, several staff came forward to this masthead to detail their experience working for a company that they said had a culture of not listening to concerns about pay, conditions, and recognition for jobs performed. Staff described working in extremely hot or cold conditions, with models photographed wearing summer clothes in winter needing their images retouched as their skin turned “blue” from the cold.
Australian label Bec & Bridge cut ties with the retailer after accusing it of copying its designs. Its founders Becky Cooper and Bridget Yorston ultimately chose to “exit quietly” from The Iconic rather than pursue further legal action.
The Iconic made a total of 116 roles redundant this year as part of an organisational restructure. A round of redundancies in February eliminated 69 jobs and was followed by a further round in August, which has not been made public until now, that resulted in 47 job losses.
“Our people are always our biggest priority, and we were acutely focussed on limiting the impact on our team members throughout this process, while considering what is strategically required to evolve our operational effectiveness,” a spokesperson said.
The Iconic was established in 2011 and is part of the Global Fashion Group, which is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. While the brand is profitable as a whole, making €211.8 million ($353 million) in the 2022 financial year, it has never turned a profit in Australia, where it hires around 1000 employees.
Documents filed with the corporate regulator show a loss of more than $11 million for the 2022 calendar year in Australia, more than double the $4.7 million loss in 2021. Meanwhile, sales revenue improved, coming in at $716.9 million, compared to $620.2 million the year before.
Jere Calmes took over as chief executive after Erica Berchtold announced she was leaving after four years to take the top job at Best & Less, but she backed out of the role three months before she was expected to begin.
with Melissa Singer
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HEAVY electricity consumers should brace to pay more money compared to clients who use less power, dispelling complaints by some consumers that they were being overcharged, Zesa says. Zesa has set a lower rate for the first 50 kilowatt hours a month which is designed for vulnerable
groups and were billed at 2 US cents per unit while those that used between 51 and 300 kilowatts were charged 11 US cents per unit.
This has seen some consumers who slipped into the 51 kilowatts range complaining that the recently introduced prepaid-meters system by Zesa was cheating them as their units got used up quickly.
Zesa Holdings spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira said tariffs for prepaid meter users had not been increased, but consumers would witness a corresponding rise in electricity payments if they used more energy.
Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority only gave the power utility the green light to increase average tariffs from US9,83c kilowatt per hour to US9,86 cents.
Consumers also complained that apart from new charges, Zesa was deducting more than 20 percent from amounts they pay to settle outstanding debts.
The power utility should deduct 20 percent from the amount paid by a client to settle outstanding debts, if any.
However, Mr Gwasira said people were complaining because they were now monitoring their electricity consumption.
"Customers are now paying more attention to electricity consumption because of a more direct relationship between use and payments," he said.
"If you use more electricity, you will witness a corresponding rise in electricity payments. The way to go is conserving energy in the homes."
He said prepaid meter users paying huge amounts of money were using a lot of electricity.
"If you consume more electricity, you are considered a heavy consumer and you pay more," he said.
"People should know that the first 50kWh are designed for vulnerable groups and are billed at 2 cents per unit. If you use electricity in the range of between 51kWh and 300kWh you pay more that is you are charged 11 cents per unit.
"From 300 kilowatts going upwards, you go to a higher tariff and you are charged 15 cents per kilowatt hour because we do not look at you as a vulnerable person."
He said the power utility would never shift from the tariffs that were approved by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.
"Zesa has started implementing the approved tariff, which was granted by the regulator ZERA from the January 1 2013," Mr Gwasira said.
"The tariff structure is for the year ending December 2013 and Zesa is implementing only the approved tariff."
He said the power utility was deducting 20 percent from the amount paid by consumers with outstanding bills.
"That percentage is going towards settling the bills of those with debts and this is deducted each time one buys electricity.
"If a client has any queries or would want to see a statement of the amount he would have paid, he is free to visit our offices for assistance," he said.
Mr Gwasira said prepaid meters were "more economical" to use.
"For us prepaid meters have reduced tariffs because we would have reduced the costs of going to read the meter as well as the costs of producing the bill while the client pays for what he uses," he said.
"The problem is that during the hyper-inflation period people were getting electricity for free and before that they were getting subsidised electricity. Now with dollarisation they are paying the full cost of power hence the outcry. People should just be responsible."
Interviewed residents said Zesa had downplayed a tariff hike on prepaid meter users.
"When the smart meter was introduced, US$10 would buy me over 100 units but now for the same amount one only gets 62,5 units," said Mr Blessing Chinyanga.
"This means something has been done to their billing system as we are getting a raw deal."
Mr Nhamo Chimuka added: "It seems they are taking more than the recommended 20 percent towards the amounts we owe them. Since they control the machines, they could have done something to the system."
Zesa introduced the pre-paid meter system last year replacing the conventional billing system that had posed challenges to the power utility and the consumers.
Most consumers were not settling their bills arguing that they were inaccurate as they were based on estimates but their final debt is now based the actual reading taken when their old meter was changed over.

domain: news


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PARAMUS, N.J., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smart Balance, Inc. (NasdaqGM: SMBL) will hold a special meeting of stockholders at 10:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, January 21, 2010, at the Saddle Brook Marriott, 138 Pehle Avenue, Saddle Brook, New Jersey 07663. Stockholders of record at the close of business on December 14, 2009, are entitled to attend and vote on all matters that properly come before the meeting.
About Smart Balance, Inc.
Smart Balance, Inc. (NasdaqGM: SMBL) is committed to providing superior tasting heart healthier alternatives in every category it enters by avoiding trans fats naturally, balancing fats and/or reducing saturated fats, total fat and cholesterol. The company markets the Smart Balance® line of products, which include Smart Balance® Buttery Spreads, Milk, Butter Blend Sticks, Sour Cream, Peanut Butter, Microwave Popcorn, Cooking Oil, Mayonnaise, Non-Stick Cooking Spray and Cheese, and also markets natural food products under the Earth Balance® brand and healthier lifestyle products under the Bestlife™ brand.
For more information about Smart Balance, Inc., Smart Balance® products and the Smart Balance™ Food Plan, please visit http://www.smartbalance.com.
SOURCE Smart Balance, Inc.


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ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- The world-wide phenomenon "Stomp" is visiting the Clemens Center for the next two days, and they're ready to make some noise!
"Stomp" has grown from a street performance to an international sensation over the past 20 years. The show has performed in over 50 countries during that time in front of more than 24 million people.
Performers bring everyday objects to life to create percussion, combined with visual movement for the show.
Organizers say you will never look at trash cans, shopping carts, or pots and pans the same way again.
"What is 'Stomp'? 'Stomp' is making music from the mundane. We're taking regular everyday objects and creating - we using choreography, we use rhythm we make music with it and it's something that appeals to almost everybody," says Jeremy Price, Resident Director and Performer.
Stomp will be at the Clemens Center Tuesday and Wednesday with performances at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets range from $29.50 to $59.50. and can be ordered online or by calling the Clemens Center Box Office.


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Glue Maker Loctite Gambles Big With Super Bowl Spot
Loctite will spend almost its entire 2015 ad budget with a spot at the beginning of the fourth quarter with the latest installment of its less-than-year-old #WinAtGlue campaign from Fallon, Minneapolis.
Pierre Tannoux, marketing director for Loctite Consumer Adhesives, said he’d leave other details of the creative as a surprise for closer to the game, set to air on NBC Feb. 1, 2015. He declined to say which product or products will be featured, but Super Glue is the biggest and historically best-supported brand in the Loctite family, based near Cleveland.
The ad will be part of a broader effort that will include digital and PR. By Henkel’s reckoning, Loctite will be the first home-improvement brand in the game since Master Lock ended a decade-long run in 1995.
The estimated $4.5 million price of a Super Bowl spot represents a big gamble for Loctite, which has spent $4 million in total on measured media each of the past two years, according to Kantar Media.
Read more at Advertising Age


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Sabi, a B2B market serving Nigeria’s $244 casual trade sector, today revealed the close of a $6 million bridge round to support its busy development in Nigeria and extend its services to other nations.
The bridge round was led by CRE Venture Capital, a financial investment company that was likewise associated with Sabi’s $ 2 million seed round in 2020.
According to the start-up, the financial investment will sustain the business’s quick development as it considers brand-new markets consisting of South Africa, a nation whose casual trade sector adds to a minimum of 15%of its GDP and 18%of its working with capability.
Launched in 2020 as a spinoff of Rensource, an African energy business providing power-as-a-service to consumers, Sabi supplies merchants and resellers with service tools and services that assist them reach brand-new consumers, enhance capital, and simplify logistics.
The start-up targeted the over 41 million MSMEs in Nigeria that require effective platforms that can link them to company tools and services that assist them reach brand-new consumers, enhance capital, and improve logistics. On Sabi, merchants can handle their profiles easily through offline and online channels. They can likewise access sales and stock management tools, purchase and offer items, track service efficiency, and gain access to funding, all in one platform.
Sabi’s extension to South Africa will be the business’s 2nd growth because launch. According to the business, it just recently ended up being functional in Kenya where it wishes to assist the nation’s 7.4 million MSMEs Discussing the growth, Ademola Adesina, co-founder of Sabi, stated, “Now that Sabi is functional all throughout Nigeria, we eagerly anticipate bringing our service into brand-new markets with comparable casual sector obstacles, beginning with Kenya and after that South Africa. Sabi’s group, platform, and financiers are prepared to continue scaling Sabi into Africa’s leading B2B market.”
In Nigeria, Sabi’s services are supplying over 175,000 merchants handle their companies and make B2B deals. The start-up likewise declares that its merchants have actually tape-recorded over $ 1.2 billion worth of sales through MyShop, its ERP tool, and are on track to negotiate over $80 million annualised on MerchBuy, its B2B market, by the end of 2021.
Speaking on its $6 million raise, CEO Anu Adasolum commented, “We are thrilled to have actually closed this bridge round as Sabi continues to grow at an unbelievable speed. Our merchant users are benefiting from every part of our platform, and the quality of the B2B partners we have actually brought onto the marketplace is clear from the ever-increasing deal volume.”
Pardon Makumbe, co-founder and Managing Partner of CRE Venture Capital, included, “CRE Venture Capital is happy to support Sabi’s ongoing development throughout Nigeria and growth into Kenya and South Africa. Sabi’s online/offline method to serving casual companies, integrated with the quality of its platform and provider curation, has actually plainly settled in Nigeria. The business is on track to be among the fastest-growing African business of 2021 and is revealing no indications of decreasing.”


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Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel announced its bundled voice and data plan with a new 4G smartphone from Celkon at Rs 1,349.
The Celkon Smart 4G, which has a market price of nearly Rs 3,500, features a 4-inch touchscreen, dual SIM slots and FM radio. The Android powered 4G smartphone offers access to all apps on Google Play Store, including YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp.
The device comes preloaded with MyAirtel App, Wynk Music and Airtel TV.
Airtel is offering a monthly pack of Rs 169 offering data and calling benefits. For details visit www.airtel.in/4gphone. Customers can opt for other voice and data plans as per their needs also.
“Celkon has distribution in southern Indian markets, and our partnership will enable us to serve a large set of customers with this affordable smartphone proposition,” said Raj Pudipeddi, director – Consumer Business & CMO, Bharti Airtel.
4G customers need to make a down payment of Rs 2,849 for the 4G smartphone and make 36 monthly recharges of Rs 169. The customer will get a cash refund of Rs 500 after 18 months and another Rs 1,000 after 36 months, taking the total cash benefit to Rs 1,500.
If the customer does not want to opt for Rs 169 bundled plan, the customer can make recharges of any denomination and validity as per individual requirements. However, customer need to make recharges worth Rs 3,000 within the first 18 months to claim the first refund installment of Rs 500 and another Rs 3,000 over the next 18 months to claim the second refund installment of Rs 1,000.
Customers need not return the 4G smartphone to Airtel / Celkon at any point to claim the cash benefit.
Customer can purchase the smartphone from any of these stores and get the prepaid recharge done from any Airtel retailer. Celkon provides after sales support for the device through their service network in India.


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Sony Corp. CEO Kaz Hirai said there was increased urgency for profitability from movies, but again emphasized the company’s commitment to its pictures unit at a corporate strategy meeting at its Tokyo headquarters on Tuesday.
Speculation that the Japanese conglomerate could be looking to sell Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has continued after the recent appointment of Tony Vinciquerra as its new CEO, though Hirai has repeatedly stated his commitment to the struggling unit.
Hirai acknowledged that the profit forecast for the current fiscal year to March 2018 is “is significantly below the original target set in the mid-range plan” but maintained, “Pictures remains an important business for Sony.”
“Inside the Pictures business, the level of urgency with which measures are being implemented to improve the profitability of the motion pictures business has increased. Due to the nature of the business model for motion pictures, it takes time for results to improve, but Sony is aiming to transform this business into one that generates a high level of profit,” added Hirai.
“I’ve spent a lot of time at the studio recently, and the level of motivation among staff is very high, they love working at Sony Pictures. Tony is a team builder and a people person,” said Hirai in reply to a question about turning the Pictures division around.
“Tony’s management style is very similar to mine in terms of capturing the hearts of employees,” replied Hirai to a question about why he chose Vinciquerra, adding that the new CEO also met with other Sony senior executives, including CFO Kenichiro Yoshida, who were involved in the final decision.
Sony Corp. is forecasting overall operating income of ?500 billion ($4.5 billion at current exchange rates) for the current year, of which the pictures division is set to contribute just ?39 billion ($350 million), or less than 8 percent. By way of comparison, the music segment is forecast to generate more than double that amount, and the game unit, led by the success of the PlayStation 4, more than four times as much.
Vinciquerra takes over as CEO of SPE on June 1, and the division will be represented by CFO Philip Rowley at the investor relations event to be held after the strategy meeting.
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During New York Fashion Week, artist Bjarne Melgaard staged "The Casual Pleasure of Disappointment" to accompany a new exhibit of his line of distressed, destroyed and deconstructed fashion. Creators was there to capture the reactio...
Pantsuits were one of the biggest trends we saw at New York Fashion Week in February, with designers like Oscar de la Renta to Alexander Wang sending them down the runway. This week, Yara Shahidi showed off her ability to master the look of the moment after a taping of "Larry King... Continue reading
Just last week, New York Fashion Week was applauded for featuring at least one model of color in every single runway show this season. But a new stunning spread in Allure proves we still have a long way to go when it comes to true inclusion. Meghan...Show More Summary
In our long-running series, "How I'm Making It," we talk to people making a living in the fashion industry about how they broke in and found success.Some good news came out of this past New York Fashion Week: the diversity scorecard improved a bit; in fact, in a major milestone, every fall... Continue reading
After seeing the shows at Spring 2017 New York Fashion Week, the predictions for biggest trends were solidified, giving us a much clearer picture of what to expect this Spring. There were some surprising hair accessories, lip gloss used...Show More Summary
Though we wrapped up fashion month with plenty of street style coverage (see our favorite looks from New York, London, Milan and Paris), we journeyed to Moscow for more outfit inspiration during the 34th season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (#MBFWRussia), which just... Continue reading
After tackling the Fall 2017 shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris, we kept the fashion train rolling all the way through to Moscow, where the 34th season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (#MBFWRussia) just wrapped up in the nation's capital. Each season, a steady mix of up-and-coming... Continue reading
New York Fashion Week continues to offer the most diverse casting on its runways yet again, thanks mostly to innovative, smaller labels like Gypsy Sport and Chromat which cast not out of tokenism or fear of backlash but out of genuine inclusivity. Overall, though, every city improved the diversity on their runways for… Read more...
As we reported last month, New York Fashion Week hit a landmark for diversity during its Fall 2017 season; for the first time, every show or presentation included at least one model of color. And while we were — obviously — more than thrilled about these... Continue reading
Kendall Jenner is back in Los Angeles after a quick trip to Miami. The 21-year-old model, who landed at LAX Airport on Monday (March 13), just had a whirlwind several weeks doing fashion shows around the world in New York, Paris, and more. Today, Kendall took to Twitter to upload a video of all her [...]
As industry tentpole events, like New York Fashion Week, come and go in a flash, it's interesting to take note of how influencers and brands have evolved working together over the past decade. Last year, it was reported that 49 percent of people say they rely on recommendations from influencers when making purchase decisions. So...
Although many of the fall/winter 2017 trends that bubbled to the surface at New York Fashion Week last month could be seen on the runways here (velvet fabrics, exquisitely detailed embroidery and the jumpsuit silhouette, to name three), Paris Fashion Week did add a couple of things to the fashion...
We delve into the heart of the fashion world's most anticipated event of the year—Fashion Week— to find out what beauty looks are making it onto the runway.
These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.Why are there so many international fashion weeks?The big four (New York, London, Milan and Paris) may be done for this season, but countries all over the world — from Australia to Russia to Kazakhstan — host their own fashion weeks.... Continue reading
Butter Group may be a New York nightlife institution but that didn’t stop partners Richie Akiva and Ronnie Madra from temporarily moving shop to Paris and hosting multi-night takeovers at some of the city’s hottest clubs. The duo brought the vibrant (and drunk) atmosphere of 1Oak and Up&Down to the City of Lights while hosting […]
Our girls killed it this month! Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Bella Hadid walked their little butts off during all the respective Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan, and Paris this February and March. Lest you lose track of their many fabulous looks, we've created a gallery where you can view some of the best! Who [...]
Armory Week is the art-world equivalent of Fashion Week, Sundance, or South By Southwest. The event, which just wrapped up in New York City, takes its name from the Armory Show art fair, though there are several other independently run art fairs happening at the same time. These fairs function like trade shows for art galleries. Show More Summary
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and lead guitarist / keyboardist Jonny Greenwood came together to create an experimental soundtrack for Undercover by Jun Takashi’s FW17 presentation entitled “A New Race Living In Utopia.” Check out footage straight from the runway below. The moody, piano-heavy score is an extended remix of sorts, unfolding over 16 minutes and […]
Ooops! Rapper Azealia Banks skipped out on a very important court appearance in New York yesterday. She failed to show up in Manhattan Criminal Court Monday, March 6, allegedly playing hooky to attend Paris Fashion Week. According to a statement by her entertainment lawyer, “Azealia Banks mistakenly believed she had a court appearance on March […]
New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week have funneled in a myriad of new trends inspiring men to revamp their accessories, and up the ante with vintage leather. Messenger bags are undeniably super-functional and exude an exclusive charm. Show More Summary


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London, UK – December 15, 2017 – DomainTools, the leader in domain name and DNS-based cyber threat intelligence, today announced the results of a survey which found that over three quarters (78 percent) of UK consumers have been scammed online more than once, yet nearly all (97 percent) still shop online.
When asked what happened to them as a result of clicking on a scam URL, over a quarter (27 percent) said their computer was infected with a virus. In addition, 12 percent of respondents had credit card information stolen and 11 percent ended up buying a fake product. When asked if they personally knew anyone who had purchased fake goods from a website that they thought was legitimate, over a fifth (22 percent) said yes.
According to Tim Helming, Director of Product Management at DomainTools, “Shopping online continues to grow in popularity, confirmed by the empty stores on Black Friday. Unfortunately, that means phishing and online counterfeiting attacks have likely increased too. As our survey respondents admitted, shoppers are increasingly and unknowingly sharing financial and personal information with these criminals or buying fake goods. As shoppers search for their holiday gifts this year, it’s important that they remember to look closely at URLs and email addresses before clicking.”
However, increased targeted scamming seems to have helped to educate consumers in the UK – over three quarters (73 percent) said that they have changed their online shopping habits as a result of being targeted by scams. In addition, nearly all (92 percent) said that they were aware of phishing. When asked what they would do if they received an email that they were not expecting, or was from someone they didn’t know which contained a link to a website, half said that they would not open the email at all, followed by checking that the domain in the email matches the brand they received the email from (29 percent).
Tim Helming continued “It’s encouraging to see that UK consumers are actively changing their online habits to keep their data safe online. Double checking the links in emails is a great place to start—many illegitimate sites look virtually identical to the real thing. This is where looking closely at the URL can make a real difference for staying safe online.”
Action Fraud group has warned that Yeezy trainers and Kylie Jenner makeup are two of the most common items that trick consumers during the holiday period, so the DomainTools research team analysed domains mimicking Kylie Cosmetics and Yeezy Boost using its PhishEye tool. PhishEye allows users to search for existing and new domains that spoof legitimate brand, product, organisation, or other names. In total, there were 139 domains identified as high risk that contained the two brand names. Some examples include:
DomainTools offers top tips for consumers to avoid falling foul of a spoof website:
- Check for extra added letters in the domain, such as kyliecossmetics[.]com
- Check for dashes in the domain name, such as yeezyboost-online[.]com
- Look out for ‘rn’ disguised as an ‘m’, such as modem.com versus modern.com
- Check for reversed letters, such as kyleicosmetics[.]com
- A plural or singular form of the domain, such as kyliecosmetic[.]cc
Notes to editors:
This survey was carried out by OnePoll in October 2017 and studied the attitudes of 1000 consumers in the United Kingdom.
- DomainTools generates risk scores according to a proprietary algorithm that assigns a “guilt by association” score to the domain based on a number of factors. Like friends, domains tend to cluster with similarly good or bad domains and such patterns are highly predictive of whether a new domain is going to be good or bad.
- The full results are available upon request
DomainTools helps security analysts turn threat data into threat intelligence. We take indicators from your network, including domains and IPs, and connect them with nearly every active domain on the Internet. Those connections inform risk assessments, help profile attackers, guide online fraud investigations, and map cyber activity to attacker infrastructure. Fortune 1000 companies, global government agencies, and leading security solution vendors use the DomainTools platform as a critical ingredient in their threat investigation and mitigation work. Learn more about how to connect the dots on malicious activity at https://www.domaintools.com or follow us on Twitter:@domaintools


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Stockholm, November 1, 2012—Tobii Technology, has been selected as one of 5 national finalists to represent Sweden in the European Business Awards. As a National Champion in the prestigious 2012/13 awards program Tobii will now compete for the coveted Ruban D’Honneur status in the next round of the competition.
The European Business Awards has identified Tobii as one of Europe’s best businesses based on its ability to demonstrate three core principles at the heart of the awards program: innovation, business excellence and sustainability.
“We’re proud to be selected to represent Sweden as a National Champion,” said Henrik Eskilsson, CEO of Tobii Technology. “The European Business Awards is widely recognized as the showcase for Europe’s most dynamic companies and we are now looking forward to the next round of the judging process where we can explain in more depth how we are achieving business success in these tough trading conditions.”
This year, for the first time, entrants in the European Business Awards submitted a video case study. All case studies were uploaded onto the European Business Awards website and an online voting mechanism was introduced to allow the public to choose their favorite videos in each country. Over 35,000 votes were cast with one company automatically going through to the National Champion round. In addition, an esteemed panel of judges chose another 4 organizations that exhibited innovation, business excellence and sustainability to represent Sweden.
Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards says, “This year, the video element of the awards has allowed our panel of expert judges to gain a much deeper understanding of the business strategies of all the National Finalists. It is because of this that the judging has been particularly tough and this year, perhaps more than ever before, it is an exceptional accolade to be picked as a National Champion. Together with our sponsors and supporters we’re looking forward to seeing Tobii Technology in the next round.”
Between now and January 2013, National Champions will be reassessed by a third panel of judges made up of Europe-wide business leaders, academics and entrepreneurs who will award the top organizations the coveted Ruban d’Honneur status. Finally, after face-to-face presentations, the Ruban d’Honneur recipients will be honored and the names of the overall winners will be revealed at a Gala awards ceremony in April 2013.
Sara Hyléen, Head of PR, Tobii Technology; phone: +46 709 161 641, sara.hyleen (@) tobii.com
In the U.S.:
Kristina Messner, Focused Image, phone: +1 703 678 6023, email: kmessner (@) focusedimage.com
For media enquiries relating to European Business Awards contact:
Jo Henderson, PR Manager, European Business Awards, Tel: +44 (0) 7870 634 567, Email:email@example.com
About Tobii Technology
Tobii Technology is the world’s leading vendor of eye tracking and eye control, a technology that makes it possible for computers to know exactly where users are looking. Our eye tracking technology has revolutionized research in many fields and enabled communication for thousands of people with special needs. Looking forward Tobii’s mission is to bring eye tracking into broader use. Some of that future is already here. We provide market-leading eye tracking technology to industrial partners in areas such as hospitals, diagnostics, vehicle safety, gaming and computer manufacturing. Tobii continues to realize its visions, showing continuous and rapid year-to-year revenue growth, and receiving numerous awards and recognition for its accomplishments. From our head office in Stockholm, Sweden, our reach is as broad as our vision. With offices in the US, Germany, Norway, Japan and China and a worldwide network of resellers and partners, we are truly a global company.


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How Keyes Bell Road Toyota raised its CSI to 94.7% with Lyft
INDUSTRY | AUTOMOTIVE
With 3,800 monthly service customers and only three shuttle vans, getting customers where they needed to go when their cars were in the shop was a daily struggle for the team at Keyes Bell Road Toyota.
The service department began using Lyft Concierge so that customers could get where they needed to go while their car was in the shop.
- 94.7% CSI score – up two percentage points from Toyota’s average
- $6,200 savings in the first month
- An increase in repair orders
Auto dealership eliminates shuttle cost and frustration, while delighting customers
The Keyes Bell Road Toyota dealership has been a player in the Phoenix, Arizona vehicle market for over 30 years. In the past few years, sales have nearly doubled, a trend that has caused a corresponding increase in service department business.
Initially, Keyes Bell Road Toyota had three shuttles and a rental car fleet to help customers get where they needed to go while their cars were in the shop. “We had three shuttle drivers, three vans, three phones, and a board where we separated east and west,” says Scott Huggett, service director.
Each morning, Bell Road’s shuttle drivers experienced a rush, trying to get customers to work after they’d dropped off their cars for service. Customers got impatient. Drivers got stressed out. When service members recommended potential upsells to customers waiting on shuttles, the answer was likely to be, “No.”
The dealership had also eliminated its loaner fleet as another option for service customers. “You never recover all the potential costs of an internal fleet,” explains Huggett.
The cost of shuttle service — including drivers, vans, gas, phones, insurance, tires, and other costs — was another big budget item. The company was anxious to minimize those expenses, while increasing customer satisfaction.
“Our customer satisfaction index (CSI) score has increased 1.5 to 2 percentage points, up to 94.7% at the end of 2018. I attribute that rise to our Lyft service, because that’s the biggest change we’ve had.”
— Scott Huggett
Service Director, Keyes Bell Road Toyota
In 2016, Huggett heard that a sister store had started using rideshare for their service customers, and decided to explore it as an option for Keyes Bell Road Toyota. Since it was a new concept for the dealership, he wanted to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone who could help him through the process.
Huggett was impressed with the Lyft representative who got him started with Bell Road’s service. “He gave me the lowdown through a webinar, and we basically signed up then and there,” he says. “Lyft made it easy.”
Huggett’s team began using Lyft Concierge in April 2016, to schedule customer rides on demand. “We load the customer’s information into Concierge, hit enter, and the customer gets a text message in seconds, letting them know a Lyft ride will be there in just a few minutes,” says Huggett.
“There’s no service department in America that can get a customer picked up at their store and to their destination that quickly,” he says.
TOP BENEFITS INCLUDE
Keyes Bell Road Toyota’s CSI score has risen as high as two percentage points, ending 2018 with a 94.7% score, while servicing 3,800 cars per month. Huggett credits Lyft’s speed of service with that rise.
"I'm constantly complimented by customers. They love the fact that we use Lyft. They love the fact that it's so fast." -Scott Huggett
Keyes Bell Road Toyota eliminated the costs of its shuttles and its internal loaner fleet, saving $6,200 in the first month of using Lyft.
"Customers don't even think to ask for a loaner any more. They just say, 'I'll take a Lyft ride.'" -Scott Huggett
Increased service revenue
Keyes Bell Road Toyota customers no longer have to wait for shuttles. With Lyft as an option, it’s convenient to get where they need to go while their car is being worked on. As a result, they’re more likely to agree to additional services. In the first year of using Lyft, Bell Road’s repair orders increased 400 per month.
"Lyft is a profit center for us. I’m spending $7,000 to $8,000 per month on Lyft, and I know I’m making money on every one of those customers." -Scott Huggett
Huggett looks forward to partnering with Lyft for additional services in the future. “Lyft is a leader,” he says. “Our partnership offers opportunities for both companies.”
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The perpetually struggling AMD announced Tuesday that it would sell and lease back its corporate campus in Austin, Texas to generate $164 million in cash. It’s a quick way to make a buck, but it could raise questions about the long-term viability of the company.
Nokia pulled the same trick with its Helsinki headquarters back in December 2012, raising $220 million—and Nokia is another struggling company.
In January 2013, AMD announced it had hired new executives to focus the company in the mobile CPU sector, which came after a lawsuit accusing former employees of stealing company secrets. The company suffered a net loss of $1.18 billion in 2012 and has noticeably reduced its chip manufacturing capability.
Last fall, a Wall Street analyst called AMD “un-investable,” following the announcement of its terrible Q3 2012 numbers and the sudden loss of its CFO.
“We have no further confidence that any aspect of our prior structural thesis (margin accretion, cash flow, and balance sheet deleveraging) will play out in the foreseeable future,” Bernstein Research‘s Stacy Rasgon wrote in an investor’s note in October 2012.
Ars will have a lengthy feature later this month that will detail the company’s past and present challenges (the article includes interviews with the former CEO, Hector Ruiz, and other high-level former executives).


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Lego Cybertruck anyone?
The meme community and internet trolls have been working overtime ever since Tesla showed off its upcoming Cybertruck (and its shatterproof glass that failed to make or take an impact as the maker would have hoped for). To make matters more interesting, the Cybertruck and its tug-of-war against a Ford F-150 has sparked controversy too, which Tesla and Ford hope to put to rest in the coming week.
Meanwhile, the folks at Lego have created their version of the Cybertruck! Well, it is not a Lego Technic masterpiece like the Bugatti Chiron or the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, but it's certainly cheaper, easier to assemble and as Lego claims, shatterproof too! But we hope a Tecnic model is under consideration as well. Imgur user Brickardo has even envisioned what it could look like:
Image: Brickardo via Imgur
Starts Rs 1.38 Crore


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Here are all the official OnePlus 6T accessories and their prices
Alleged OnePlus 6T render
As expected, the OnePlus 6T will be accompanied by a number of accessories at its unveiling on October 17. But today, just under three weeks before the event, MySmartPrice has managed to obtain the full list and pricing.
Kicking things off with some extra protection, OnePlus will once again be offering a variety of Bumper cases. Specifically, a Nylon Bumper Case in Black will be on offer alongside Ebony Wood and Karbon editions. In regards to pricing, the Nylon variant will set customers in Europe back €26.95, while the latter two options will cost €31.95. In addition to these offerings, OnePlus will have two Protective Cases on offer: Sandstone and Karbon. These will be priced at €21.95 and €26.95 respectively.
Moving on to the audio department, OnePlus has already confirmed that it will be introducing new USB Type-C Bullets earphones. Today, the color has been revealed as black, and they will once again cost €19.95. The reason OnePlus is introducing this new USB Type-C model is that the OnePlus 6T lacks a headphone jack. However, the company is aware that many people still own earphones that are compatible with the old port. Because of this, OnePlus will be following in the footsteps of both Apple and Google by offering its own USB Type-C to 3.5mm dongle for €8.95.
The pricing of these accessories in other countries is yet to be confirmed and can’t be converted to other currencies directly as OnePlus tends to modify its pricing in each market. However, consumers should expect OnePlus 6T cases to cost the same as those of the OnePlus 6.
Things that are NOT allowed:


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A billion-dollar Chinese plan to invest in Western Digital Corp is designed to plug the U.S. data storage firm into a network of influential China tech players carefully constructed by Tsinghua University, the alma mater of President Xi Jinping.
For $3.8 billion, a unit of state-owned Tsinghua Holdings Co will get a 15 percent stake in Western Digital. What Tsinghua, run by a university committee, hopes to get is the latest in a string of domestic and foreign footholds in data storage and the chip market, an area deemed of strategic importance by Beijing.
Wednesday’s Western Digital deal follows Tsinghua’s $23 billion move to buy U.S. chipmaker Micron Technology Inc as China ramps up efforts to develop chips expertise. But the Micron plan has been clouded by U.S. security concerns – and some say the Western Digital may follow suit.
“Its (Tsinghua’s) Chinese government affiliation is making its overseas acquisition more difficult,” said Fubon Securities analyst Carlos Peng.
Western Digital hopes selling the minority stake to Tsinghua’s Unisplendour Corp will help it avoid rigorous regulatory scrutiny. If the deal goes through, the California-based firm will have a new investor with a wide range of China tech units, from IT services provider Unisplendour to biotechnology firm Chengzhi Shareholding Co.
The Tsinghua network also stretches to other U.S. firms.
In May, Unisplendour announced to buy 51 percent of Hewlett-Packard’s H3C Technologies for $2.3 billion, creating a Chinese tech hub that houses H3C’s networking operation alongside its China-based server, data-storage and technology-services businesses.
Meanwhile in 2014 Intel Corp bought a $1.5 billion, 20 percent stake in two mobile chipmakers under Tsinghua’s umbrella. That provided the Chinese firm with support from a U.S. semiconductor giant on chip design and development within China itself – a landmark deal for Beijing.
“It (China) is producing its own products rather than just contract making, it’s because there’s demand from local consumption,” said Gartner analyst Tracy Tsai.
“Tsinghua, with its state-backed role, plays a key part under this background. It needs to introduce partners through mergers and acquisitions and help China boost its technology knowhow.”
(Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)


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Kate Harding one of our Business & Management Students is currently half way through her Marketing placement with the Kellan Group. As part of her placement Kate formulated a social media strategy and regularly provides digital content for the company. As part of this Kate has written a blog to discuss the impact of Brexit on the Hospitality industry. We have included below to demonstrate what our students get involved in on Placement:
“Where Does Brexit Leave the Hospitality Industry?
The results were 51.9% leave, 48.1% remain. The public has spoken, and it’s time for us to get on with it. One of the main industries that will face the biggest impact is the hospitality industry; an industry that contributes an estimated £57 billion to UK and makes up 9% of total UK employment. So you’re probably wondering, how’s the hospitality industry going to cope?
Ufi Ibrahim, the CEO of the British Hospitality Association (BHA) spoke out about the impact on the Industry, saying “Hospitality and tourism benefits from a flourishing economy and any level of uncertainty will have an impact. The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union is the beginning of a process which could take years”
In total, a quarter of the hospitality workforce is made up of migrant workers, London being the biggest recruiter, with a total of 69% of hospitality jobs being filled by migrants. With the effects of being out of the EU, potentially making it harder to employ migrant staff, hospitality could face even higher rates of hard to fill vacancies and a rise in chef shortages. At present, hospitality wouldn’t run without migrant workers, we rely on them and we need them in order to be successful.
On the flip side, Brexit could see a positive effect on the hospitality sector. Whether it is a rise in the ‘staycation’ or increased foreign travel due to the strength of the pound, there are plenty of opportunities. Brexit has the potential to give a massive boost and the hospitality sector could see a huge a rise in demand from customers as well as new job openings.
Companies will be forced to revisit their hiring and retention strategies. We could be seeing an increase in standards and better relationships. If the industry works hard enough to stop Brexit from affecting it, and uses the time we have until we officially leave the EU wisely, we may actually see a positive impact on the industry. In truth; where does Brexit leave the hospitality industry? It is unanswerable – we simply don’t know. The only thing we can be certain of is that the passion of those working in it will drive them on to make sure they battle to take advantage of any opportunities.”


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Detroit, MI, United States (4E) – In an effort to to stem losses with its European company inside the midst of a extended car marketplace contraction, U.S. automaker General Motors Co. (GM) mentioned it usually stop producing Opel vehicles inside its Bochum, Germany plant by 2016.
The choice to close the German plant can signify which the Opel’s Ellesmere Port plant inside the UK might stay operational.
The Detroit-based firm seeks to restore profitability inside Europe, though this might indicate the first-time a vehicle factory may close down inside Germany because the Second World War. GM estimates a reduction of about $ 1.8bn this year because sales inside the industry is expected to fall a fifth straight year.
The Bochum center is regarded as the 4 Opel production vegetation inside Germany. Talks between administration as well as the unions had started because June.
The firm mentioned which the warehouse inside Bochum might stay operational plus there are plans which the plant can be utilized to manufacture components following 2016.
With deliveries this year estimated to reach its lowest because 1995, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association mentioned which the vehicle marketplace can see its largest decline inside virtually 2 years inside 2012. Car professionals have been seeking to cut ability throughout the area because they are doing not anticipate sales to recover till 2014.
The decline inside the marketplace has additionally forced firms including PSA Peugeot Citroen plus Ford Motor Co. to declare closures of their factories inside the UK, France plus Belgium.
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Theresa Palermo, Chief Marketing Officer, Vera Bradley, and Ann Jane Draper, Global Director, PR and Influencer Marketing, Fossil Group, discussed how a brand can extend its global reach without the risk of alienating its target audience during a Fireside Chat at the 2016 Chief Marketing Officer Leadership Forum in Dallas on Dec. 8. During the chat, titled “Appealing to Expanded Demographics While Sustaining Existing Strong Customer Base,” Palermo explained how Vera Bradley has generated new interest from Millennials recently and maintained a strong customer base of younger and older consumers over the past few years.
Vera Bradley today represents a leading provider of handbags and luggage for women worldwide. However, the company started small and built a loyal customer base over an extended period of time. Vera Bradley continues to explore ways to grow its customer base as well.
Today, finding ways to build relationships with Millennials is a key priority for Vera Bradley.
Palermo noted Vera Bradley has been successful in generating interest among older and younger consumers. Conversely, fostering trust and loyalty with Millennials remains an ongoing challenge for Vera Bradley and other businesses globally.
“The brand had a very high concentration in older consumers and a high concentration in very young consumers,” Palermo said. “What we had started to lose was our middle crowd. … That’s our influencer crowd.”
To build relationships with Millennials, Vera Bradley has deployed an “authentic” approach, according to Palermo.
“What we do is connect women together and help women celebrate their own femininity.”
By focusing on authenticity, Vera Bradley has stayed true to its roots in its day-to-day operations and marketing efforts. This approach has enabled Vera Bradley to develop a distinct voice – something that has helped the business expand globally and foster partnerships with Millennials and other consumer groups.
Furthermore, Vera Bradley emphasizes offering products that deliver a superior mix of fashion and function, which has helped the brand stand out from its rivals.
“What we do is connect women together and help women celebrate their own femininity,” Palermo noted. “Why we did this better than anyone else was a concept we came up with called ‘beautiful solutions,’ which meant the product was beautiful … and it solved a problem.”
For example, Vera Bradley recently launched handbags that feature charging capabilities, enabling consumers to recharge their smartphones on the go.
Palermo noted the handbags have been successful and highlight her company’s ongoing commitment to innovation.
“Having a bag that has a charging capability is something we found to be incredibly important,” Palermo said. “It’s just keeping pace with [the consumer] and knowing that we need to continue to innovate to make her life easier.”
Delivering a consistent customer experience (CX) across all consumer groups can be difficult. Meanwhile, failure to do so could cause a business to alienate consumers. And ultimately, it may force a company to lose customers to its rivals both now and in the future.
“When you look at what motivates a 25-year-old consumer versus what motivates a 55-year-old consumer, those are two very different consumers. If you’re not disciplined, the default becomes to have an experience that looks very different.”
Dedicating the necessary time and resources to learn about various consumer groups is crucial for all companies, regardless of size or industry. If a company understands its target audience, it can explore unique ways to connect with audience members and provide them with products and services to fulfill their requests.
“When you look at what motivates a 25-year-old consumer versus what motivates a 55-year-old consumer, those are two very different consumers,” Palermo pointed out. “If you’re not disciplined, the default becomes to have an experience that looks very different.”
In addition, business leaders must understand that CX remains a work in progress. If business leaders make CX mistakes along the way, they should be ready to move past these errors immediately.
“You’re not always going to get the [customer experience] right … but it’s the ability to recognize what you need to evolve and continue to move,” Palermo stated. “And if you fail, fail fast.”
How a business connects with influencers may dictate its long-term success. If a company finds influencers to help promote its products and services, it may be able to generate substantial interest from consumers. Comparatively, a business that lacks influencers to help spread the word about its products and services may struggle to gain consumers’ trust.
Business leaders are responsible for finding the right influencers to help a company promote its products and services. With authentic influencers at its disposal, a business may be able to gain consumers’ trust and transform consumers into advocates.
“Finding the right types of influencers became really important,” Palermo said. “We’ve partnered with a lot of influencers. … who are influencers within their communities that really help to navigate and show off the brand in a different way.”
Theresa Palermo joined Vera Bradley as Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer in June 2015.
Palermo is an accomplished, decisive and creative omni-channel marketing professional with a proven track record of defining and executing marketing strategies that drive sales and build brands within rapidly changing retail landscapes.
Between 2013 and June 2015, Palermo served as Vice President, Global Marketing and Public Relations for Fossil Group, where she successfully created and executed innovative marketing strategies and campaigns for their extensive portfolio of luxury and fashion brands across North and Central America. Palermo joined Fossil in 2011 as Global Senior Director of Marketing. Prior to joining Fossil, she held key marketing roles of increasing responsibility with several well-known retailers including global footwear company Collective Brands (Senior Director Global Marketing, Stride Rite Children’s Group), The Timberland Company (North America Marketing Senior Director) and the J. Jill Group (Retail Marketing and PR Director).
Palermo received her Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University and earned her MBA, with an emphasis in Corporate Strategy and Marketing, from the Simmons College School of Management in Boston.
ABOUT ANN JANE:
Ann Jane Draper is global director at Fossil Group, where she leads PR and influencer marketing for both the corporate entity, Fossil Group, as well as its portfolio of 15 licensed brands, including Michael Kors, kate spade new york, Diesel, Emporio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld and others.
Fossil Group, a global design, marketing, distribution and innovation company, sells 50 million watches and accessories annually in 150 countries. Specifically, Draper is responsible for developing the company’s communications strategy, most notably its “fashion meets tech” wearable PR strategy, as well as driving awareness of its licensed brands among editors and online influencers.
Prior to joining Fossil Group, Draper worked at global PR firms, Weber Shandwick and Publicis, where as vice president she led brand and product strategy, thought leadership and celebrity and influencer engagements for Samsung, Verizon and others.


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EA has announced that PS4 and Xbox One versions of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor are in the early stages of development.
This revelation was made during the Q1 2024 earnings call, which is certainly a surprise to most, especially since it was first revealed to be a PS5, Xbox Series, and PC exclusive launch. While it was released to great reviews, many critics pointed out that its performance was rocky despite the delay, needing multiple post-launch patches to iron out.
No further details about the PS4 and Xbox One release were given, much less a release date, but considering how the game performed on the PS5 and Xbox Series, it would be wise to consider that EA and Respawn will be taking their time to address concerns and port it properly to less powerful hardware.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is now available for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.


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Dipping into dips: Nestle India enters new segment amid price hike considerations
The new Maggi Dip & Spread products have a low-fat yoghurt base, containing ‘almost 80% yogurt with less than 3% fat’.
Nestle India told FoodNavigator-Asia that as of now, these products have only been launched in Delhi as “we are following a phase-wise launch approach”. Two flavours formulated for local Indian tastes are available: Cheese Garlic and Jalapeno Salsa.
“Yoghurt based low fat MAGGI Dip & Spread is an entirely new category for us which will offer […] a whole new experience,” said Arvind Bhandari, Nestle India General Manager, Dairy.
“The increasing eating-out culture and aspiring India's growing appetite for global cuisines are leading to the trend of cooking unconventional and international dishes at home.
“We would like to tap this opportunity and emerge as a significant player in the segment with promise of convenience, health and exotic taste of dip and spread with different food types."
The main target consumer demographic for this product are millennials between the ages of 25 and 35.
According to the official press release, the product ‘signifies the emergence of a new category in the seasoning segment in India’.
“[The product] has been conceptualised [based on] in-depth consumer research,” it said, although the company declined to reveal further details on this research.
Price hike considerations
On the other hand, Nestle India is also considering what is said to be a minimal price hike that would affect ‘some categories’.
Suresh Narayanan, Nestle India Chairman and Managing Director told Firstpost that: "If there is a sustained impact [due to input costs] on wheat, packaging material and possibly on milk going forward, it would affect quite a few categories in the company."
"[S]electively in some categories, there could be some price increase," he added, although no information was provided about the possible quantum.
"It is very difficult to specify the timings but all these are moving in tandem. We just have to see to the extent to which these pan out will determine the extent to which we will absorb it or not absorb it, it will determine the time."
Among the rising input costs affecting this contemplation are raw material (wheat, milk) prices, and increasing packaging prices due to rising crude oil prices and the Indian rupee’s poor performance against the US dollar.
Expansion and growth
That said, Nestle India is also looking at further expansion plans, both in existing production and new locations.
"Expanding in existing factory amortises the services cost in setting up infrastructure but there could be other sites as well, we could look at," said Narayanan.
"It's an active subject seeing the sustained performance."
Nestle India controls approximately 50% of the domestic instant coffee market via its coffee brand Nescafe. It reported domestic sales growth estimated to be around 11.8% in 2017, part of which has been attributed to the “rebuild of Maggi Noodles”.
Earlier this year, Nestle India collaborated with Walmart-owned Flipkart to launch its Maggi Special Masala Noodles.


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Over the last few years, the Resident Evil franchise from Capcom has been on a decline due to its sudden switch in genre. In detail, the last three Resident Evil titles have bred an angry mob of fans that prefers the traditional horror gameplay instead of a fast-paced shooter title.
With the Resident Evil series fluctuating, many are not having high expectations for the upcoming title, Resident Evil 7. Well, this is a mistake made by the fans as they should jump in joy for the future sequel.
This is because Resident Evil 7 will be a remake of the award-winning first trilogy that will feature a horrifying gameplay throughout. Furthermore, Resident Evil 7 is tipped to make its debut on the Xbox One and PS4. In other words, the game is going to come with some insane graphics, thus, enhancing the horrific experience.
Of course, the above is confirmed after a screenshot of the game got leaked online and it shows a familiar cut-scene from the series’ first trilogy. When Resident Evil 7 gets released, it will be making its debut across all platforms including the Xbox 360 and PS3.


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A Delaware judge has rejected a request from Elon Musk and Tesla to dismiss a lawsuit filed against them regarding Tesla’s purchase of SolarCity. The judge said it is “reasonably conceivable that Musk is Tesla’s controlling stockholder.”
Vice Chancellor Joseph R Slights III sided with the stockholders. The judge’s written ruling on the case included:
The combination of well-pled facts relating to Musk’s voting influence, his domination of the board during the process leading up to the acquisition against the backdrop of his extraordinary influence within [Tesla] generally, the board level conflicts that diminished the board’s resistance to Musk’s influence, and … Musk’s own acknowledgements of his outsized influence, all told, satisfy [shareholders’] burden to plead that Musk’s status as a Tesla controlling stockholder is reasonably conceivable.
The suit against Tesla/SolarCity/Musk is a combination of five lawsuits on a similar topic that were filed in the summer of 2016 after the merger was announced. The judge presiding over the cases pushed the consolidation.
In January 2017 Tesla asked for the suit to be dismissed, arguing that Musk’s influence wasn’t as strong as suggested. Tesla’s lawyers noted that prior case law had found that stockholders with larger percentages than Musk had been found to not be controlling interests. Additionally, Tesla noted that even if all votes by Tesla directors and officers were set aside, the balance of votes by other shareholders would still have been in favor the acquisition.
Tesla has continued to slow solar power lease rollouts, recently falling behind SunRun as the largest residential solar company in the United States. In 2017 the company remained the second largest commercial solar developer in the nation, however these projects were mostly holdovers from earlier SolarCity work.
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This story is from June 9, 2012
Seafood exports need no Chinese balm
KOCHI: While China granted its assent on May 31 to the export certification format furnished by the Export Inspection Council of India for Indian seafood exports, the move is not expected to lead to an exponential increase in exports to Beijing, say marine exports officials and the industry. Southeast Asia, led by the Asean bloc, has in the past decade emerged as a major market for Indian seafood exports. "In fact, China's influence on the Indian seafood industry has been on the wane as exports to Southeast Asian countries are surging, thanks to various Indo-Asean trade agreements signed in recent years. We expect Asean to emerge as a powerful influence in exports to Southeast Asia during fiscal 2013, and China's share of Indian exports to fall by at least 2%," said a senior Mpeda official. Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Under a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the bloc in 2009, it was decided to eliminate duty on 80% of the goods imported into these countries by 2013. The agreement came into effect in January 2010, and the original 30% tariff on Indian imports into Asean is proposed to be brought down to zero by 2014. "Presently, the tariff on imports is around 10%; as this is lowered further, Southeast Asia, in particular the Asean bloc, will become our biggest market. This is clearly an advantage for Indian seafood exporters," the Mpeda official said. In the April-December period of 2011, Southeast Asia emerged as the largest market for Indian seafood exports with a share of 25.8% in US dollar realization and 39.6% in quantity. Exports to Southeast Asia posted 43.2% growth in quantity, 103.7% in rupee value and 96% in US dollar realization. Meanwhile, China accounted for just 7.1% of Indian exports during the period, with a sharp decline in quality and value terms. The surge in exports to the Southeast Asian region has been attributed to shortage of raw material in the Asean bloc. "The successive import duty reductions under the new FTA regime will have a marginal, though significant, impact in increasing exports to Asean going forward. But I doubt if shrimp, our biggest export item to the Southeast Asian region, will benefit from the import duty reduction. But cuttle fish and squid exports stand to gain," said Abad Fisheries MD Anwar Hashim. Further, sources said that direct exports to China are now below 10%, and a majority of India's exports to China are routed through Asean nations like Thailand and the Phillippines for reprocessing. "Any embargo by China on Indian exports for whatever reason, would not be a death blow to Indian seafood exports, though it can have some negative impact," exporters said. As per Mpeda, China had a 21% share of India's total marine products export worldwide with Indian seafood exports to China in fiscal 2011 touching Rs 1,978 crore. Fiscal 2012 numbers are awaited next month.
more from times of india cities


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Xiaomi debuted the Redmi Note 10 series in March. But just like last year, these phones are not sold in China. That’s because the company’s home country will be getting different smartphones with 5G connectivity under the same names. Ahead of their launch, details regarding these handsets have started to pop up.
The Redmi Note 9 series for China includes three devices, namely Redmi Note 9 5G, Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G, and Redmi Note 9 4G. All three phones are also available in global markets with different names.
Similarly, this year, China’s Redmi Note 10 series is rumored to have the following devices.
- Redmi Note 10 5G
- Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G
- Redmi Note 10 Pro+ 5G
The cheapest model in the lineup has already been certified by TENAA. According to the listing, it will be the same Redmi Note 10 5G that’s sold in global markets but with support for 22.5W fast charging instead of 18W.
Earlier today, a tipster on Weibo revealed that a smartphone in the Redmi Note 10 series for China will be powered by the newly announced MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC. This handset could break cover as Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G since the Redmi Note 10 Pro+ 5G is rumored to feature a MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chipset.
Unfortunately, nothing else is known about these devices. But we do expect to learn more about them before their official release.
ALWAYS BE THE FIRST TO KNOW – FOLLOW US!


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Digital TV News: Bryan Wiener
Comscore expands partnership with NBC and Telemundo owned stations
Jan 22, 2019 – Comscore and NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations (NBC and Telemundo owned stations), have announced a partnership. All NBC and Telemundo owned stations will now use Comscore’s linear TV currency, as well as its local mobile and desktop insights.
News categories: Comscore, NBCUniversal, Bryan Wiener, Frank Comerford, Advertising, Big Data, USA
Comscore expands currency relationship with Nexstar Media Group
Jan 10, 2019 – Comscore has announced an agreement with Nexstar Media Group. Comscore will serve as a currency and measurement provider to all Nexstar markets, including the markets Nexstar acquired from Media General.
News categories: Comscore, Nexstar, Bryan Wiener, Timothy C. Busch, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, OTT, Terrestrial, USA
Comscore announces AMC Networks as Campaign Ratings beta partner
Nov 12, 2018 – Comscore has announced that AMC Networks is the newest beta partner for Comscore Campaign Ratings (CCR). CCR is Comscore’s cross-platform video advertising measurement solution.
News categories: Comscore, AMC Networks, Bryan Wiener, Tom Ziangas, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, Mobile, USA
Comscore announces A+E Networks as Campaign Ratings beta partner
Nov 12, 2018 – Comscore has announced that A+E Networks will join other leading media companies as a beta partner for Comscore Campaign Ratings, Comscore’s new cross-platform video ad measurement solution.
News categories: Comscore, A+E Networks, Bryan Wiener, Don Robert, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, Mobile, Worldwide
comScore cross-platform video advertising measurement beta goes live
Sep 27, 2018 – comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) has announced the beta release of comScore Campaign Ratings, its cross-platform video advertising measurement solution. The solution provides media buyers and sellers with an unduplicated view of video ad campaign delivery across linear TV, OTT, desktop and mobile platforms.
News categories: comScore, Dan Hess, Bryan Wiener, Advertising, USA
comScore pilots Campaign Ratings video advertising measurement solution
Jul 31, 2018 – comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) has announced a pilot of a new video advertising measurement solution called Campaign Ratings. It provides media buyers and sellers with unduplicated measurement of ad campaigns across linear TV, OTT, desktop, and mobile, with streaming measurement powered by Hulu.
News categories: comScore, Bryan Wiener, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, USA
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The long-held belief that enabling employees to do what they’re good at makes for better business has now been backed up by compelling figures from a recent report.
GANT have been at the forefront of fashion since 1949 when they were founded in the USA by Jewish immigrant Bernard Gantmacher.
Christmas is one of the busiest and most profitable times of year for the retail industry.
But managing extra staff and high customer expectations means that it can easily become one of the most stressful times of year.
The key to managing a productive and stress-free holiday season lies in...
We live in an age that’s driven by the need to improve margins and increase profitability. As we fall into a cycle where we’re continually pushing for increased output, expectations of our employees are higher than ever.
The result is a workforce who are working longer hours and feeling...


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StarCraft II lead Chris Sigaty has revealed to Kotaku the beta will receive a massive update this week, which will also have the inclusion of the map and mod editor.
As well as those, Sigaty also revealed that the Mac version of the beta is coming next week.
Previously, the firm said it had planned to get the Applefied version of the taster out by the end of this month, so it looks it may make it by the skin of its teeth.
The RTS is due out within the first half of this year, with a release date to be announced “in the coming weeks”.
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|By Marketwired .||
|May 1, 2014 09:58 PM EDT||
HSINCHU, TAIWAN and MILPITAS, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/01/14 -- PROMISE Technology today announced that its Pegasus2 M4 and SANLink2 10G are both now globally available through PROMISE's network of distributors and value added resellers. Unveiled earlier this month at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, the new storage solutions are specifically engineered for creative professionals, and make up part of the world's first end-to-end Thunderbolt 2 to shared storage solution.
The new, small form factor Pegasus2 M4 offers a perfect combination of portability, capacity, performance, and cost. Designed for use with 2.5" HDD/SSD, the innovative, compact Pegasus2 M4 external RAID solution works with the new Mac Pro® and is an ideal solution for professionals working both offsite and in-studio. The Pegasus2 family supports OS X® Mavericks and Windows®-based Thunderbolt hosts.
Connecting a Mac Pro or any Thunderbolt 2 enabled Mac to high performance 10Gb Ethernet network, PROMISE's SANLink2 10G is a Thunderbolt 2 10GBase-T bridge adapter. The SANLink2 10G provides Mac users with versatility for mobile use when offsite, and also enables simpler deployment and a more cost efficient infrastructure for direct Ethernet access from Thunderbolt 2.
"PROMISE shipped the world's first storage solutions with the original Thunderbolt technology, and the addition of the Pegaus2 M4 and SANLink2 10G continues our track record as a leading innovator of storage solutions for the rich media space," said James Lee, CEO, PROMISE Technology. "We have set new standards for performance, flexibility and versatility, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities for multimedia pros and power users."
The Pegasus2 M4 and SANLink2 Thunderbolt 2 to 10GBase-T Ethernet bridge are available now through the global network of PROMISE distributors and value added resellers.
About PROMISE Technology Inc.
PROMISE Technology is a recognized global leader with 25 years of experience in the storage industry. PROMISE has developed its own enterprise-class hardware and software storage architecture, in addition to complete SAN, NAS and Unified storage platform product lines. PROMISE is also committed to providing dynamic software defined storage solutions for vertical markets, including cloud and IT storage solutions, video surveillance storage solutions, rich media storage solutions and much more. With industry leading technology and research and development capabilities, combined with highly experienced global sales and after sales service teams, PROMISE is at the forefront of the industry with the highest levels of customer satisfaction. PROMISE Technology is an ISO-9001:2008 and ISO-14001:2004 certified manufacturer with operations and sales and support teams throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions providing unparalleled service and support to customers around the globe. For more information, visit: www.promise.com.
© 2014 PROMISE Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PROMISE, the PROMISE logo, VTrak, VTrak A-Class, VTrakFS, SmartStor, SuperTrak, FastTrak, VessRAID, Vess, PerfectFlash, HyperCache, HyperCache-R, HyperCache-W, GreenRAID and Pegasus are registered or pending trademarks of PROMISE Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information regarding products, services and offerings may be superseded by subsequent documents and are subject to change without notice. For the latest information and specifications regarding PROMISE Technology, Inc. and any of its offerings or services, please contact your local PROMISE office or the corporate headquarters.
*Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
When you focus on a journey from up-close, you look at your own technical and cultural history and how you changed it for the benefit of the customer. This was our starting point: too many integration issues, 13 SWP days and very long cycles. It was evident that in this fast-paced industry we could no longer afford this reality. We needed something that would take us beyond reducing the development lifecycles, CI and Agile methodologies. We made a fundamental difference, even changed our culture...
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Things are changing so quickly in IoT that it would take a wizard to predict which ecosystem will gain the most traction. In order for IoT to reach its potential, smart devices must be able to work together. Today, there are a slew of interoperability standards being promoted by big names to make this happen: HomeKit, Brillo and Alljoyn. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Adam Justice, vice president and general manager of Grid Connect, will review what happens when smart devices don’t work togethe...
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"There's a growing demand from users for things to be faster. When you think about all the transactions or interactions users will have with your product and everything that is between those transactions and interactions - what drives us at Catchpoint Systems is the idea to measure that and to analyze it," explained Leo Vasiliou, Director of Web Performance Engineering at Catchpoint Systems, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at 18th Cloud Expo, held June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York Ci...
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The 20th International Cloud Expo has announced that its Call for Papers is open. Cloud Expo, to be held June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, brings together Cloud Computing, Big Data, Internet of Things, DevOps, Containers, Microservices and WebRTC to one location. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to plant your flag in this fast-expanding business opportunity. Submit your speaking proposal ...
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@DevOpsSummit taking place June 6-8, 2017 at Javits Center, New York City, is co-located with the 20th International Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. @DevOpsSummit at Cloud Expo New York Call for Papers is now open.
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20th Cloud Expo, taking place June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy.
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In the next five to ten years, millions, if not billions of things will become smarter. This smartness goes beyond connected things in our homes like the fridge, thermostat and fancy lighting, and into heavily regulated industries including aerospace, pharmaceutical/medical devices and energy. “Smartness” will embed itself within individual products that are part of our daily lives. We will engage with smart products - learning from them, informing them, and communicating with them. Smart produc...
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Volkswagen India Private Limited announced the achievements of the 'Think Blue. Factory.' initiatives at its plant in Chakan, near Pune which aims at environmental sustainability - a global target set by Volkswagen.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 3 2013
Homegrown automobile manufacturer, Mahindra & Mahindra today said it will hike prices of some of its models by 1-2 percent soon to offset increasing input costs and inflation.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 3 2013
Nissan today reported its annual sales figures in India for the financial year ending March 2013, registering eleven percent year-on-year increase.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 2 2013
Tata Motors' programme to upgrade the skills of its strong 25,000 technicians is the first-of-its-kind in the commercial vehicle industry.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 2 2013
Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL), leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, today announced a new phase of growth for the company’s business in the Indian car market.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 2 2013
Honda Cars India, the subsidiary of Japanese car major, Honda will launch its first diesel car, Honda Amaze in India on April 11, 2013 for which it has opened bookings since Monday, Hironori Kanayama, President and Chief Executive Officer, Honda Cars India said.
Japanese car manufacturer, Honda Cars India today said that it would invest Rs 2,500 crore by 2014 to revamp its manufacturing activities, including establishing a new car assembly line.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 2 2013
India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India today reported 4.78 percent dip in its total sales in March at 1,19,937 units from 1,25,952 units in the same month last year.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 2 2013
India's largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp yesterday reported that 11.36 percent fall in total sales at 468,283 units for March 2013.
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) assumes responsibility of Marketing, Sales and Service of Mercedes-Benz Buses with effect from April 1, 2013 while Mercedes-Benz India will continue to assemble the Mercedes-Benz Buses from its existing manufacturing plant at Pune, in Maharashtra.
It is that time of the year again where midnight is the most awaited hour, as AirAsia’s Free Seats promotion is back, now fly from Kuala Lumpur to exciting destinations such as Singapore, Krabi, Hatyai, Phnom Penh, Yangon, Jakarta and more being offered from Rs 0, excluding airport tax and fuel surcharge beginning 21.30 hrs (IST) of Monday, April 1, 2013.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 1 2013
Eicher branded trucks and buses have recorded sales of 4,962 units in March 2013 as compared to 6,051 vehicles in March 2012 representing a drop of 18 percent.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 1 2013
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), the country’s second largest car manufacturer and the largest passenger car exporter, registered 12.3 percent growth in Exports for the month of March 2013.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 1 2013
The Bangalore-based Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) sold 19,452 units, in the domestic market, in March 2013 in comparison with the sales of 18,220 units in the corresponding month in 2012, registering a seven percent growth.Automotive News by Jayashankar Menon on Apr 1 2013
General Motors India, the wholly owned subsidiary of the US-based car manufacturer General Motors had posted a 14.94 percent dip in its sales at 9,006 units in March this year in comparison with the sales of 10,588 vehicles in the year ago period.


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Google’s Pixel smartphones leaks have surfaced again.
This time, the devices appeared on a listing on Verizon, which has since been removed. The listing showed three color options – blue, silver and black. The storage options are shown to be 32GB and 128GB. A mysterious feature called “Google Magic” has been mentioned. It is expected to be a software feature, although nothing is known about it yet.
The Pixel devices are expected to replace the existing Nexus range of devices. While Google has kept the devices under covers, much has already been revealed about the two devices.
The specifications and features have already appeared on a listing on the Carphone Warehouse website. The Pixel has a 5-inch full HD display, while the Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch Quad HD one. Both phones come with 12-megapixel rear cameras, 8-megapixel front cameras, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and 4GB RAM.
They will come with Google’s new AL voice assistant, which will replace Google Now.
In terms of battery, the Pixel comes with a 2770 mAh battery, while Pixel XL has a 3450 mAh one.
The Pixel phones are expected to be priced starting $649. Google is also expected to launch the Chromecast Ultra, Daydream VR headset, Google Home and Google Wi-Fi at an event, which takes place in San Francisco at 9:00 a.m PT (12 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday.


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Web-enabled phone call service Skype, which allows people to make free voice and video calls through their internet connection, may be axed if its owner eBay loses a legal battle with the firm's founders.
Online auction giant eBay bought Skype for $2.6 billion in 2005. Crucially, the peer-to-peer technology at the heart of Skype's functionality was not included in the deal - Skype founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis preferring to hang onto the technology via their new company, Joltid, which then licensed it to Skype.
At issue now is whether eBay has broken its licence agreement with Joltid, given it has conceded in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it is developing new code.
Joltid argues that modifying code used in the system goes against the agreed terms of the software lease.
eBay has since launched legal action at the UK High Court arguing the software lease cannot be terminated.
In response Joltid has counter-sued threatening to pull out of the licence agreement altogether.
The trial is due to start next year in what may prove to be a major legal bun fight.
However, eBay has said it is "confident" about the outcome but if it lost admitted that ''continued operation of Skype's business as currently conducted would likely not be possible''.


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Even though each AirPod provides a reprieve from the noise and stress of the airport, it offers so much more. There are many advantages to using the capsule, including relieving stress and helping you feel more relaxed. If you’ve ever been stuck at the airport waiting for your delayed flight, you’ve probably indulged in some daydreaming. Perhaps you’ve pictured yourself falling asleep on a comfortable bed and waking up refreshed and fully rejuvenated. The reality
While the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dishes out subpoenas to cryptocurrency projects like a generous house doles out candy on Halloween, TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington’s $100 million cryptofund has also come under investigation. ‘They Just Have to Figure out What They Want.’ TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington’s $100 million cryptofund has been subpoenaed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — which is no skin off Arrington’s back. He told CNBC on Thursday: We received a subpoena.
The post SEC Subpoenas TechCrunch Founder’s Crypto Fund — And Everyone Else, Too appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.
Tesla, the automotive company, was the victim of a cryptojacking attack as their Amazon cloud account was compromised and used to mine cryptocurrency. Even the largest and most technologically advanced companies can be vulnerable to being hacked. Case in point is the pioneering electric car company, Tesla, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk. They were recently the target of a cryptojacking attack that saw their Amazon cloud account compromised and used to mine cryptocurrency. Security
The post Tesla’s Amazon Cloud Account Hacked to Mine Cryptocurrency appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.
Crypto isn’t currency — at least, according to American multinational banking and financial services holding company JPMorgan Chase & Co. Missing the Point JPMorgan, a New York-based institution with a history that is far from pro-crypto, claimed in a wide-ranging note to clients that cryptocurrencies only make sense as a hedge in one’s investment portfolio — and are neither viable stores of value nor effective currencies. Wrote the company: The huge volatility of the price
The post JPMorgan Misses the Point, Says Crypto Isn’t Currency appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.
After duplicating charges and draining users’ accounts, Visa has accepted responsibility for the gross error — after initially claiming Coinbase was to blame. Over the past week, Coinbase users have been experiencing a rather unpleasant situation. Numerous users reported erroneous duplicate charges on their credit and debit cards, effectively draining users’ bank accounts and leaving many individuals in potentially dangerous situations. After initially confirming the reports, Coinbase passed the blame for the situation on to Visa,
The post Visa Owns Up to Erroneous Error, Says Coinbase Isn’t to Blame for Draining Accounts appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.
CG Blockchain, developers of blockchain-based tech for the investment industry, has announced their partnership with global financial data and analytical tools provider FactSet. The new partnership will enable CG Blockchain’s clients to use FactSet’s order and execution management system for order generation, analysis, and compliance. In return, FactSet will gain access to blockchain tools developed by CG Blockchain. FactSet (FDS) is a publicly traded company that provides analytical and data-driven solutions, technology, content, and services to professional investors.
The post CG Blockchain and FactSet Team Up to Enhance Investors’ Interaction with Crypto Assets appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.
Fearing Bitcoin and Seeking to Capitalize on Higher Fees, VISA and Mastercard Reclassify Crypto Purchases as ‘Cash Advances’
Just in time for what some savvy investors might construe as a 60%-off Bitcoin sale, VISA and Mastercard have decided to make buying cryptocurrency more expensive than ever. Bitcoin is “Cash” Now? At some point during the last week, both VISA and Mastercard decided to reclassify Bitcoin transactions as “cash advances” – as opposed to purchases. According to a spokesperson from Mastercard: Over the past few weeks, we have clarified to acquirers – or the
Telegram, a popular non-profit cloud-based instant messaging service, is kind of a big deal. Even so, many big-time cryptocurrency investors aren’t interested in the company’s record-seeking $2bn initial coin offering (ICO). Telegram is seeking to fund a mainstream payment system utilizing multi-blockchain architecture, which will be integrated into their popular messaging application. Even for a well-known and reputable brand like Telegram, however, reaching a target goal $2bn for an ICO is no easy feat, requiring
The post Crypto Insiders Not Buying What Telegram is Selling appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.
The crypto space is going to get very crowded in the next year or two so finding the right token or ICO to invest in will become more of a challenge. Big social media platforms do not help much as content is unregulated, unedited, and they are largely populated by trolls and shills. Scams and fake news are rife and the companies that own the platforms even profit from advertising fraudulent websites. What is needed
Two of BlackRock’s fixed-income managers have resigned from the world’s largest asset manager to launch a cryptocurrency hedge fund. The two BlackRock ex-managers are Adam Grimsley, who was a fixed income specialist for eight years, and Michael Wong, who was the senior portfolio manager and head of fixed income asset allocation, are launching a cryptocurrency hedge fund called Prime Factor Capital. Grimsley and Wong are partnering with Nic Niedermowwe, an Oxford Maths PhD. He will serve
The post Two Ex-BlackRock Managers to Launch Cryptocurrency Hedge Fund appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.


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That’s Microsoft’s latest Siri-mocking, iPad bashing, Surface RT bragging ad shown above, released yesterday. Pretty ballsy stuff when you consider they literally just announced a huge $900 million writedown due to unsold Surface RTs, and various reports have shown that their tablet has had just about zero impact with consumers or with the enterprise.
I think somebody needs to explain to Microsoft how trash talking works. Revenge is a dish best served cold they say, and trash talking is not too effective when you are right smack in the middle of getting your ass kicked. Just a thought.


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Google has announced it is lowering its Play Store fees for subscriptions to 15%, and Media Experience apps to 10%.
Like Apple, Google originally charged a flat 30% commission for all paid Android apps in the Play Store. While developers were initially thrilled to pay a commission in exchange for Apple and Google handling the sales end of their business, many have since soured on the fees, claiming they are too high.
Google has been making changes to its fees structure, but its most recent change is its biggest yet. The company’s fee for recurring subscriptions already dropped from 30 to 15% after 12 months, and Media Experience apps were subject to a 15% fee.
The company is lowering those fees even more, with all recurring subscriptions slated to enjoy a flat 15% fee starting January 1, 2022. This change was made to address customer churn that prevented some developers from ever realizing the lower fee that only kicked in after the first year.
Google is also lowering the fee for Media Experience apps to as low as 10%
Google’s announcement is welcome news for Android developers, and puts additional pressure on Apple to adapt its App Store fees to the current market.