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I am thrilled to be a part of the Sproud story and eager to watch them grow to new heights
MALMO, Sweden (PRWEB) November 17, 2021
Sproud, the Swedish-born sustainable pea milk brand, adds Sara Berger to the company as Global Chief Executive Officer. In this role, she will help lead Sproud’s global expansion, oversee product development, expand the team and cultivate a strong company culture all while keeping Sproud’s long-term sustainability mission at the forefront. Former Chief Executive Officer, Maria Tegman, will now be able to fully dedicate her time as Marketing Director and Co-Founder and she will work in tandem with Sara to accomplish Sproud’s goals for the future.
“Sara’s vast experience in fast-moving consumer goods combined with her knowledge about the food industry and passion surrounding the sustainability movement makes her a perfect fit to lead Sproud. We are confident she will help Sproud become the world’s leading pea-forward dairy company,” says Maria Tegman, Co-Founder of Sproud.
Sara Berger brings 20 years of industry experience to the team including her most recent role as Chief Executive Officer of SydGrönt, Sweden's largest local produce supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables. She has also held senior positions at numerous food companies where she drove the increase in plant-based options. Berger has served on many boards and is currently serving as a board member for the tech platform, Matilda Food Tech.
“In a competitive market, Sproud has done an incredible job positioning itself as a key player due to the health and environmental benefits of utilizing the yellow split pea. We have great food production sustainability initiatives in the works for 2022 as well as creative plans to differentiate Sproud from other milk alternatives on the market. I am thrilled to be a part of the Sproud story and eager to watch them grow to new heights,” says Berger.
Berger joins Sproud following its 2020 launch into the U.S. market and most recently its multi-faceted creative campaign that promoted Sproud’s launch in Whole Foods and Sprouts stores across the Los Angeles region, positioning Sproud as a brand to try and keep an eye on. Replacing the word “milk” with “***k”, (“Born in Sweden. Tasty as ***K”), Sproud proved itself to be a company that isn’t afraid to take risks and make bold choices in order to cut through the noise and compete with a crowded plant-based milk market.
As Sproud continues to expand and become recognized globally as a premium plant-based milk, Berger is working closely with Tegman to focus on Sproud’s edgy creativity and sustainable mission in order to increase global growth for the brand.
For more information about Sproud check out, https://besproud.com/us/ and follow Sproud on Instagram at @BeSproud.
Sproud is a producer of plant-based milk made from yellow split peas. Established in 2017 by co-founders Maria Tegman, Nicklas Jungberg and Christopher Robertson, the company is headquartered in Malmö, with additional teams based in the UK and US. Sproud launched its first products in Sweden in 2018, and is currently sold in 18 markets around the world through major supermarkets and online retailers such as Waitrose, Ocado, Amazon, and Whole Foods Market.


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Just a couple of hours until Google releases its latest smartphone duo. They're under the new Pixel brand and are far from the only highlight of today's event.
Traditionally, Google will livestream the event on YouTube. Here's the video below for your viewing pleasure.
In addition to the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, Google is expected to reveal the Daydream VR headset, a new Chromecast, as well as information regarding Google Home and Google Wi-Fi. There's also anticipation regarding Andromeda OS - the union between Android and Chrome OS.
Before you run out and get this device you should know that Verizon Wireless has the last word on most or any software upgrade related to Android. A recent article in Engadget covered this in detail which explained why it took longer to get the Andro...
I had to run. That must have been when they finally got to talking about Andromeda. What did they say about it? Also, I missed the part where they explained the big bezels on the pixel phones. What did they say about it?
I wished the cameras were 16 mp and 10 mp front..

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GameStop announces the launch of an NFT and cryptocurrency wallet
GameStop has announced the launch of a MetaMask-like cryptocurrency and NFT wallet.
GameStop Corp. is an American retailer of video games, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise.
After its decline during the mid-late 2010s, GameStop became newly popular in January 2021. The company gained significant attention from media and Reddit users due to the volatility of its stocks.
GameStop first announced its Web3 expansion plans on May 26, 2021.
On May 23, 2022, the company shared that it launched a self-custodial wallet based on Ethereum Layer 2. This technology is cheaper and more efficient than Layer 1. Although, it is as secure as the Ethereum mainnet.
The wallet will allow gamers and users to send, receive, and use NFTs and cryptocurrencies across decentralized applications. Individuals will not have to leave their web browsers in order to make transactions.
The wallet will also enable transactions on the GameStop NFT marketplace, which is due by the end of July.
The GameStop Wallet will apparently also track some of user information, including IP address, GPS coordinates, network, clicks, mouse position, and keystroke logging.
The beta version of the GameStop wallet is already available on the Company’s website. The wallet extension can be downloaded from the Chrome Web Store.
Read related posts:
- MetaVRse to launch Web3’s largest shopping mall later this year
- Microsoft warns of “cryware” attacks that clear out crypto wallets
- MetaMask to integrate Coinbase Pay
Any data, text, or other content on this page is provided as general market information and not as investment advice. Past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future results.
The Trust Project is a worldwide group of news organizations working to establish transparency standards.


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What do Chanel and Adidas have in common? The answer: Pharrell Williams.
The musician-cum-fashion designer has been a Chanel ambassador for several years, and most recently starred in the ad campaign for the French fashion house’s new Gabrielle bag, marking the first time Chanel has marketed an accessory as unisex.
And when he’s not busy kicking it with Karl Lagerfeld in Paris, Williams is busy working on his ongoing Adidas Originals projects, including the Hu line, which he launched in 2016. Now, the 44-year-old is marrying the two projects with a new sneaker collaboration between Hu and Chanel, according to WWD.
Williams customized an Adidas Hu NMD sneaker on behalf of the fashion house, which will be available exclusively at famed Parisian boutique Colette during Chanel’s takeover of the store’s first floor from Oct. 30 to Nov. 25. Colette will shutter for good on Dec. 30. Details about the sneaker, including the price point, have been kept mum so far.
This isn’t Chanel’s first go-round in the world of sneakers; Lagerfeld sent athletic shoe-inspired kicks down the couture runway in 2014. However, the new project definitely feels more in the vein of streetwear, proving yet again that luxury’s infatuation with the trend is not slowing down.
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Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) – The drug store operator missed estimates by 4 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly earnings of $1.37 per share. Revenue came in below estimates as well. Walgreens said it is maintaining its prior earnings outlook for the year despite the soft first quarter.
Lennar (LEN) – The homebuilder reported quarterly profit of $2.13 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $1.90 a share. Revenue also topped Street forecasts. New orders were up 23% on both a dollar and volume basis compared with a year ago.
Macy's (M) – Macy's has cut more than 70 workers at its Bloomingdale's chain and plans to announce larger layoffs in February, according to a report in Women's Wear Daily. The moves are said to be part of the retailer's restructuring plan. Separately, Macy's reported comparable sales for November and December fell 0.6%, with the retailer noting positive momentum compared to the prior quarter.
Boeing (BA) – Boeing is under pressure once again following the crash of a Ukraine International Airlines 737-800 shortly after takeoff in Tehran. Officials are pointing to engine failure as the likely cause and say the crash was not related to terrorism.
Luckin Coffee (LK) – Luckin announced a follow-on offering of 7.2 million American depositary shares. Additionally, a selling shareholder of the China-based coffee chain is offering 4.8 million American depositary shares for sale. The announcement came as Luckin announced it is expanding into vending machines to increase its share of the China market.
United Airlines (UAL) – United Airlines will take a $90 million charge against fourth-quarter earnings, due to Hong Kong disruptions stemming from ongoing anti-government protests. United said the protests have reduced demand for travel to Hong Kong.
Alibaba (BABA) – Alibaba is undercutting Amazon.com (AMZN) in Europe by offering lower fees for sellers, according to sources who spoke to Reuters. The sources say the move by the China-based online retailer has had mixed results.
Becton Dickinson (BDX) – Becton Dickinson was downgraded to "equal weight" from "overweight" at Barclays, which cites valuation. The medical products maker has seen its stock rise more than 22 percent over the past 12 months.


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Road safety campaigners are calling for a ban on the use of wearable technology, including smartwatches, by drivers.
Smartwatches from high-tech giants Samsung, Sony, Motorola and LG - which can be used for calls, texts and calendar notifications - are for sale in New Zealand. Apple is releasing its Apple Watch here later this year.
Laws banning drivers' use of phones - with an $80 fine and 20 demerit points - do not cover the use of wearable technology.
Caroline Perry, of road safety charity Brake, said the law should be widened, stating motorists using smart technology on their watches while driving should face the same sanctions.
"A second's inattention at the wheel can result in tragedy," she said.
"Smartwatches and other wearable technology are extremely distracting if used while driving. Our advice to drivers is to take them off and put them out of reach so that you aren't tempted to use them at the wheel."
Governments around the world are taking action over motorists using wearable technology. Canadians can face fines of up to $120 for using smartwatches while driving. In the UK, motorists using a smartwatch face the same $442 fine as motorists caught on a phone.
British research shows the use of a wearable device may be even more distracting than a handheld mobile phone.
A recent study showed a driver reading a smartwatch message took 2.52 seconds to react to an emergency situation. A driver talking to a passenger would react in 0.9 seconds and someone on a mobile phone would respond in 1.85 seconds.
A New Zealand Police spokesman confirmed the use of wearable technology was not captured by current mobile phone laws.
There were no plans to alter legislation to include the new gadgets, but motorists could potentially be charged with careless driving if they were distracted by using a smartwatch.
"Our main message is to avoid their use altogether while driving and keep your attention fully focused on the road ahead," he said.
A Ministry of Transport spokeswoman also warned motorists against using smartwatches while behind the wheel.
"The more a driver's attention is diverted away from the task of driving, the greater is the risk of crashing," she said.
"The research on driver distraction shows that risk increases as the task becomes more complex, time consuming and frequent."


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Google on Wednesday launched its most advanced AI termed the Gemini Model. Google claims that the technology is capable of crunching all sorts of information such as photos, videos, and textual data.
Google’s CEO Sundhar Pichai in a statement stated that Google had been in the AI development race since the rise of ChatGpt almost 1 year ago. Afterwards, Google has spent hundreds of hours trying to develop the most advanced AI model ever.
Sundhar Pichai stated that this new era of models represents one of the biggest technological efforts we’ve taken as a company. Google has already integrated the new Gemini model to its AI assistant Bard and hopes that the most advanced Gemini version will be available next year.
Google said it will launch three Gemini AI versions with varying processing power. While the most powerful will run in data centres, the lowest processing power one can be run on mobile phones. Moreover, Google stated this AI model will be far cheaper than the rest of the models and this model isn’t just more capable, it’s also much cheaper.
Experts at Google suggest that even though this model takes a lot of time to train, Google is trying to ensure that the process is as swift as possible. Google had also announced the launch of their tensor processing chips the TPUs which will be capable of training AI models and consist of 8,960 chips.


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This post was written by Hatchet reporter Rachael Gerendasy.
The D.C. Zoning Commission unanimously approved GW’s proposal to construct an office building along Pennsylvania Avenue Monday.
The Square 75A construction project, set to break ground in 2014, includes plans to demolish an office, two University buildings as well as Froggy Bottom Pub, Thai Place, Panda Café and Mehran Restaurant. In their place, the University will build a glassy 11-story structure that will house retail on its ground floor facing Pennsylvania Avenue.
The University has put forward a $4.1 million benefits package in community perks to appease neighbors and local groups, who have continued to express concerns about ground-level retail that will dampen the street’s nightlife.
Commissioner Robert Miller encouraged GW to select types of retail that would stay open later in the day, like the coffee shop and yoga studio that designers featured in a rendering of the building last fall.


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The vinyl industry claims it is greening its products, but the manufacture, use and disposal of PVC still poses significant environmental and health issues.
POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, OR PVC, is ubiquitous in the building industry. Versatile and cheap, it’s found in nearly every part of the building, from roofing membrane, siding and floor coverings to electrical wiring and plumbing.
The vinyl industry has been attempting to clean up its act, with claims of new, less toxic formulations, reduced emissions during production and increased recycling rates. In light of these claims, architecture firm Perkins+Will, in cooperation with the non-profit Healthy Building Network, compiled a report called Healthy Environments: What’s New (and What’s Not) With PVC. Published in November 2015, the purpose of the study was to present information on the environmental and health hazards of PVC, and to determine if the vinyl industry’s claims have rendered the material safe enough to remove it from the Precautionary List, a group of 25 chemicals for which Perkins+Will says there are preferred alternatives.
The report acknowledges that the industry has taken steps to reduce the toxicity of vinyl. Harmful additives, such as lead-based stabilizers and phthalate plasticizers, are being replaced by more benign chemicals. But the report concludes that, despite these improvements, the fundamental hazards of PVC remain, and that healthier alternatives exist for many PVC products (see chart). Here are some highlights from the report:
A Problematic Life Cycle
PVC is a chlorinated plastic that poses environmental and health concerns in all phases of its life cycle. Here are some of the biggest concerns:
Mercury Pollution. PVC is made by reacting chlorine with ethylene. In the past, chlorine was extracted from salt water using mercury cells, which released mercury, a persistent pollutant, into the environment. Although this technology is being phased out, it is still widely used in China—the source of many vinyl building products.
Dioxin Emissions. The manufacture of PVC releases dioxins, a potent and persistent carcinogen. The Vinyl Institute claims the industry has reduced dioxin emissions by 82 percent since 2000; however, an analysis of data reported to the EPA from the industry shows that neither rates of production nor dioxin emissions have not changed substantially in the last 15 years.
Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM). This potent human carcinogen is the precursor to polyvinyl chloride resins. In 2014 alone, vinyl chloride monomer and PVC manufacturers released 531,203 pounds of VCM into the air.
Use in Building
Additives. PVC products require additives to improve their stability and flexibility. In the past, these have included toxic lead or cadmium stabilizers and phthalate plasticizers. The additives are not tightly bound to the PVC resin; over time, they are released out of the plastic, where it can either be ingested or absorbed directly by the skin. The industry is replacing these harmful chemicals with “organotin” stabilizers and non-pthalate plasticizers; however, other potentially harmful additives such as halogenated flame retardants and antimicrobial compounds are still being used.
Toxic Emissions from Fires. When burned, PVC “creates carcinogenic dioxins, a mist of corrosive hydrochloric acid, and thick smoke.” This toxic brew threatens occupants, first responders and anyone else who might be exposed during a building fire.
End of Life
Upon disposal, PVC products pose a hazard to workers, people living near landfills and incinerators and the environment. When incinerated, PVC releases chlorine and forms dioxins; therefore, landfilling is a better alternative. However, accidental landfill fires are fairly common, and the EPA Dioxin Inventory estimates that they fires may represent a significant source of dioxin emissions.
Recycling Vinyl: A Long Way to Go
Finally, the report notes that only about one percent of PVC is currently recycled. Ironically, incorporating recycled vinyl in new vinyl products potentially introduces some of the hazardous substances the industry is trying to avoid. Lead, cadmium, triclosan and phthalates are among the hazardous substances found in older vinyl products. Several flooring companies are addressing this problem by limiting the sources of recycled PVC.
The majority of PVC products that do get recycled are sent to China, where they are commingled into one waste stream, and where untrained, unprotected and low-wage workers sift through the scrap by hand. Some PVC products are burned in open pits to separate valuable metals from the plastic.


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Beiersdorf, the multinational company behind major brands such as NIVEA and Eucerin, has joined forces with German recycling firm Werner & Mertz.
Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV), Werner & Mertz have developed a standard for the use of mechanically-recycled waste plastic, which is obtained from the German ‘Grüner Punkt’ waste collection system for cosmetics packaging.
In a statement on the partnership, Beiersdorf said there is a “high uncertainty” in the cosmetics market among both manufacturers and recycling companies about the use of post-consumer recyclates (PCR) in cosmetics packaging. Generally, the Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 on consumer products stipulates that manufacturers should only put safe products into circulation, but it does not define under which conditions recycled material may be used. Hence, said Beiersdorf, the uncertainty as to whether and in what form the PCR material meets the safety criteria.
Werner & Mertz has been driving the development of HDPE treatment processes in a long-term project with partners and demonstrated the safe use of recycled HDPE is possible for ‘rinse-off products’ – those used for body cleansing. As a market leader in skincare, Beiersdorf recently set ambitious targets for the recyclability of its packaging. The first products with bottles made from recycled plastic have already been launched to market.
Michael Becker, head of global packaging development at Beiersdorf, said: “In our efforts to further increase the proportion of recycled material in our plastic packaging, we as a manufacturer face the challenge that suppliers are insufficiently prepared for our material requirements.
“It quickly became clear that we had to provide support in the development of high-quality recyclates, especially in defining quality requirements.
“Werner & Mertz had already done excellent preparatory work in this area. Together, we developed the idea further and set the basis for a cosmetics standard.”
According to the findings of a study conducted by Werner & Mertz and Dr Frank Welle of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging, cosmetic products manufacturers should aim to design plastic packaging in a way that it consists of high-quality material that can be recycled. The concept of recyclability should be taken into account in the design of the packaging, for example by using mono-materials instead of mixed materials; sustainable printing inks; removable labels, and the ability to detach components to allow for separation during the recycling process.
Immo Sander, head of packaging development at Werner & Mertz, commented: “With our joint work, we have proven that mechanical recycling is a viable route for high-quality secondary plastic materials.
“Our findings are forward-looking and intended to give all players more security. If many companies follow our example, demand will be increased, which will accelerate investments in processing plants and make the repeated use of plastic waste more economical. This then benefits not only the companies but protects our environment.
“In Beiersdorf, we have found a strong cooperation partner who shares our vision of an industry-wide use of recycled material.”


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The Institute for Government has released some excellent reports on Influencing Behaviour through Public Policy. They explain and provide case studies for concepts that show how behaviour can be influenced – all of which is relevant to designers / UX professionals.
NMA report that French Connection are launching a click-to-buy store within YouTube.
I love the new recipe pages created by one of my favourite brands, Abel and Cole. They not only show a great recipe but offer persuasive reasons to choose their products and support their purchase journey by listing the ingredients at the bottom making it easy to add them to your basket.
Foursquare received industry attention again this week after McDonalds announced a Foursquare campaign they ran had resulted in a 33% increase in footfall in one day. This was quickly refuted by ReadWriteRead who showed that this couldn’t possibly be true and in fact the statistic referred to check-ins, but this is still great publicity for the location based app.
I enjoyed this old clip from Yes Minister showing how (if you are unscrupulous) you can get the answers you want from a survey.
Adidas ran a social media & online PR campaign to launch their new football boots. This involved flying Footballer of the Year, Lionel Messi, into 3 locations in East London which were announced through official teasers on their Facebook page throughout the day and on news sites with inevitable noise on Twitter. The event turned out to be a partial disaster, with the organisers cutting short the first location and not even making it to the last because of crowd control issues. Regardless of the online coverage, for the many kids that turned up and were disappointed, this is surely a dent in their perception of both the adidas and Messi brands.
And finally, Twitter announce their interface redesign which will be rolled out over the next few weeks. It aims to make it easier to view embedded media, related content and user profiles, extending the interface into two panels. This will hopefully provide an improved experience for those using the website rather than 3rd party Twitter apps.


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In 2015 Jack Rix from Top Gear said "What the Mirai does prove, though, is that although expensive, fuel cell technology works and, as a driving experience at least, it’s ready to enter the mainstream. Hats off to Toyota for taking the plunge. And take the plunge we did, with rapidly improving technology and performance.
See what the Fully Charged Show said after test driving the Mirai in the same year in the video opposite.
In 2018, Calvin Kim on Edmunds.com says: "If you're looking to stop burning fossil fuels for transportation but you don't find the driving range and recharging times of battery electric cars to be sufficient, the 2018 Toyota Mirai may be perfect". His review mentions a lack of hydrogen fuel stations, but that number is growing rapidly as shown on our fuel stations page.


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Deal will boost leading operator group’s marketing reach with next-gen tech
Betegy, the premier independent provider of personalised sports data and gaming visualisation, has partnered with GamingTec to drive its demand for social media content, online resources, marketing materials and personalised landing pages across a number of its operator brands.
Using Betegy’s latest proprietary AI-technology, the agreement will see the Betegy platform revolutionise the two brands’ content across all social channels, with the operator able to instantly create entire campaigns to market any event it has available, in as little as one click.
Betegy will also integrate multiple additional components as part of the deal, including live data feeds to automatically update all odds-related marketing content across articles and blogs.
As well as automatically generated banner and landing page solutions, Betegy’s entire process is fully automated – enabling GamingTec to deliver bespoke campaigns across numerous demographic segments, with an unmatched level of personalisation, all within minutes.
Commenting on the partnership, Alex Kornilov, CEO at Betegy said: “We strive to create unmatched experiences for players, driving engagement to new levels through personalised and immersive content.
“Our comprehensive solution will ensure GamingTec’s brands can create market-leading material in a short space of time, allowing their marketing departments to focus on player acquisitions and campaigns to drive their business.”
Andrei Beu, Commercial Director at GamingTec, added: “Betegy’s complete marketing solution allows us to create a full end to end online plan with real ease and allows us to focus our resources on campaigns and acquisitions for two of our leading brands.
“The proven success of Betegy’s platform is clear with their client list and we can’t wait to enjoy a successful partnership together.”
The alliance follows important commercial agreements signed by Betegy, most recently including ESTV, FTN Network, PokerGO, Germany’s Tipico, as well as Parimatch, Bwin and Coingaming.io, as it continues to bring its EGR award-winning solution to tier-one gaming and sports betting companies worldwide.


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By Peter Docherty, Founder and CTO, ThinkAnalytics
Personalized tile promotions will unlock new revenues
We’ll see video service providers selling prime tile space on their TV recommendations carousel to content and channel owners who will run campaigns personalized to each viewer. Armed with rich analytics and actionable insights, video service providers can continuously refine what viewers see in sponsored tiles, and drive-up engagement with a new show, a new series, or even an entire channel.
These personalized tile promotions will also provide video service providers with new ad revenue streams in 2022.
The personalized tile can include a short video or trailer. For example, the interactive tile might be dynamically populated with a hero image of Brian Cox and promoted to existing Succession fans as well as to people who haven’t watched the program but fit the viewer profile.
The growth in personalized tile promotions will also influence UX design. Popular devices from the likes of Samsung already feature sponsored tiles as areas for targeted content promotion and we expect this to accelerate in 2022.
Super-aggregation with supersized universal search goes mainstream
I have been predicting the rise of super-aggregation for the last four years! But in the last 12 months one ThinkAnalytics customer, Tata Sky, has achieved what I believe to be a world first: full-blown super-aggregation with supersized universal search across 11 apps in one deployment. And another operator offers subscribers personalized content discovery, including voice search, across multiple streaming services, linear, VOD, catch-up, and recorded content, in 15 languages across seven countries.
This represents a massive leap forward from what I call super-aggregation light – where multiple apps are accessed through the EPG but require viewers to launch individual apps to search for something to watch.
In 2022 we’ll see more video service providers following in Tata Sky’s footsteps and supersizing their super-aggregation services with silo-free universal search.
Data-driven streaming will claim the viewer engagement crown
Finally, we will see the back of stagnant data lakes that are not fit for purpose. They will be supplanted by fast-flowing, dynamic data streams from devices, platforms, metadata, and consumer behavior that can be harnessed for ultra-dynamic, rapid decision-making. Out with outdated ways of evolving the UX, such as surveys, in favor of a data-led approach that adds value to the everyday running of the business.
In 2022 we’ll see more video service providers adopting data-driven strategies incorporating hyper-personalization, context-aware and semantic technologies that boost audience engagement and consumer satisfaction and open monetization opportunities.
One customer is integrating the Think360 cloud-based learning platform into its TV stack and building data-led businesses across its footprint that allow for testing, and modification of the UX in super-quick time, based on real-world data. As well as optimizing engagement in the here and now, these state-of-the-art learning systems can even gaze into the future – and suggest modifications to personalized UXs that anticipate viewers’ future requirements too.
In 2022, video service providers who work their data hard to optimize the customer journey and proactively adapt to viewers’ needs will have the power to leave the data lake laggards in their wake.
Hyper-targeted TV advertising moves to prime time
Another of my predictions that evolves every year is targeted advertising, which is set to break through in 2022. Consumer profiling advancements during the past 12 months, such as those in the latest version of ThinkAdvertising, will help make this possible. Armed with rich user profiles, TV advertisers can now reach highly segmented audience niches that they recognize, value, and can measure, including those important but elusive “light” TV viewer categories.
We expect to see the adoption of the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) taxonomy for addressable TV advertising. This will remove the friction involved in buying and running cross-media campaigns that include targeted TV ads. ThinkAdvertising, for example, is able to automate the creation of segments based on more than 160 IAB audience affinities – such as people interested in adventure vacations.
Plus breakthroughs in predictive behavioral analysis will make it possible to predict a viewer’s purchase intent – and dynamically capture and build audience segments that demonstrate an enhanced interest in a particular purchasing category at a particular time. For example, a sudden interest in programs about trekking vacations gives the green light to brands offering trekking tours.


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Milan, Italy -- Pirelli & C. SpA has repurchased the final tranche of shares in Pirelli Tyre SpA it sold two years ago.
The tyre maker completed the transaction, announced March 11, by taking full ownership of Speed SpA, a holding company set up in August 2006 by seven investment firms to carry out their purchase of a 38.9-percent stake in Pirelli Tyre. Pirelli acquired about half the stake in March and the remaining 19.2-percent share July 9.
Those financial institutions-Intesa Sanpaolo, Banca Leonardo Group, UniCredit, One Equity Partners-JP Morgan Group, Lehman Brothers and Mediobanca-agreed in March to sell their holding back to Pirelli for the equivalent of $1.28 billion.
Pirelli paid $664.6 million in cash and assumed $613.7 million in debt to acquire the shares-a premium of nearly 13 percent over the value of the stake in August 2006 when it was sold.
From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)
press release from Pirelli


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Stoic’s John Watson says that Stoic Games is interested in porting The Banner Saga to consoles but might be limited by the team’s small size.
Stoic’s The Banner Saga was easily one of the more notable role-playing games to release earlier this year. Just recently, its developers at Stoic Games have recently revealed that the game will be receiving new iPad and Android releases sometime this summer. It now seems, however, that the tablet versions won’t be the only new editions of the game Stoic has in the works. Speaking in a recent interview, Stoic programmer John Watson has claimed that the company’s future plans could include news versions of the game for consoles and portables.
“The ideal would be to get some console ports out before the end of the year,” said Watson. He would go on to say that “the game would be great on Vita” but affirmed that a version for Sony’s handheld would likely come after the game had been ported to “other” consoles. “I’d much rather see it on PlayStation 4 first, then work on the Vita,” said Watson. “The Vita might need some changes to take advantage of the fact that it’s both control and touch at the same time.”
Even with that desire firmly in place however, Watson admitted that the small size of Stoic’s team could be limit its ability to make such ports a reality. “It’s a path of least resistance thing,” he said. “There’s three of us.” Whether the team winds up actually following through on its console ambitions, you’d probably be hard pressed to find many RPG fans who’d be upset over the prospect of the game spreading to wider audiences and, presumably, greater success. Just personally, while I loved the PC game, I will admit that the very idea of being able to play the game on my Vita has me very much excited. What do you think? Would console and portable ports be a good move for Stoic, or should the developer perhaps focus its efforts on other endeavors, such as making its second episode?
Source: Digital Spy


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Brazilian meat producer JBS has announced it will sell US-based Five Rivers Cattle Feeding to Pinnacle Asset M...
Ikea Food Services AB has introduced a new global sustainability scheme that promotes better welfare for chick...
Cargill has seen its profit shrink by 6% in its second-quarter results, as it cited rising cattle costs for th...
Valio has announced it will pay a responsibility bonus to its farmers in Finland who commit to various measure...
Alex Clere talks to two New Zealand dairy farmers, and asks what being part of a cooperative means to them.
Cargill has unveiled a new high oleic hybrid canola oil which it claims reduces saturated fat content by up to...
Cargill's first-quarter revenue has edged ahead by 0.7%, boosted by demand for beef as well as cocoa and chocolate products. Read more
Meijer has become the latest US grocer to join the 'wonky fruit' movement, offering its customers a range of misshapen produce at a discount. Read more
Arla has launched its first branded organic milk product in the Middle East, forming an important part of its growth strategy in the region. Read more
Olam International has sold 5,100 acres of its Californian farm assets to real estate investor Farmland Partners for $110m. Read more
Organic agricultural produce in the US is booming with farms selling $7.6bn worth of organic commodities in 2016. Read more
Mars has said that all the basmati rice sold under two major brands will now be sourced from farmers working towards sustainable production. Read more
Cargill is expanding its animal feed business in Thailand with the acquisition of a feed mill in the Prachinburi Province. Read more
Olam International has begun production at two new poultry plants in Nigeria following an investment of around $150m. Read more
FrieslandCampina's Cooperative Jumpstart has secured a €130m subsidy to install 103 manure monofermentation systems. Read more
M&S has said it has become ‘the first major retailer’ in the UK to source its non-organic milk from RSPCA Assured dairy farms. Read more
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2017


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Sales of ebooks, which exploded following the launch of the Kindle in 2007, are declining as publishers gradually push up the prices.
Ebook sales fell by 9.3 per cent from January to July 2015, according to figures from the American Publishers Association. April was the worst month this year with ebook sales falling 51.6 per cent year-on- year.
While some in the publishing world attribute the decline to the lack of any blockbuster titles skewed to the ebook market this year, others say that recent deals struck between Amazon and the five major publishing houses, which allow the publishers to set the prices of their ebook titles, and stop Amazon discounting them, are also to blame.
Simon & Schuster agreed a new pricing deal with…


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The struggling retail chain GameStop laid off over a hundred employees today, both at its corporate headquarters in Grapevine, Texas and at other offices including its subsidiary Game Informer magazine in Minnesota, where nearly half of the editorial staff lost their jobs in a surprise cut.
“As part of the previously announced GameStop Reboot initiative to transform our business for the future and improve our financial performance, we can confirm a workforce reduction was implemented impacting more than 120 corporate staff positions, representing approximately 14% of our total associate base at our company headquarters as well as at some other offices,” a GameStop spokesperson told Kotaku in a statement.
“While these changes are difficult, they were necessary to reduce costs and better align the organization with our efforts to optimize the business to meet our future objectives and success factors. We recognize that this is a difficult day for our company and particularly for those associates impacted. We appreciate their dedication and service to GameStop and are committed to supporting them during this time of transition.”
This news comes just a few weeks after GameStop laid off dozens of regional managers, following a brutal year that saw the company try (and then stop trying) to sell itself. GameStop’s stock has plummeted over the past few years as the retailer continues to struggle to stay afloat in a world where digital distribution has grown to dominate gaming.
The layoffs blindsided staff at Game Informer today. Seven of the popular magazine’s editors announced on Twitter this afternoon that they had been laid off, including one who said he was on vacation. (Per Game Informer’s masthead, the magazine has 19 full-time editorial staff.)
“I am trying to get things right with my people,” editor-in-chief Andy McNamara wrote on Twitter. “I love Game Informer, its people and its readers more than any corporation could, and I will address all the issues when I can, but for now I need to focus on my GI family.”


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Blank-check firms are already making a huge comeback, and now, two of the widespread financial industry veterans with a kinship for fintech have joined to enter this on-going trend. Ryan Gilbert, the venture capitalist, and Betsy Z. Cohen, the founder of The Bancorp Bank, have partnered to create a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) by name – FTAC Olympus Corp.
FTAC has initiated its public offering on NASDAQ last week and seeks to raise $750 million. In the next two years, it proposes to pick a hopeful fintech startup to give those proceeds to as well as take public.
Gilbert is said to stay as a general partner of Propel Venture Partners, the venture capital arm that BBVA rolled off in 2016 and was co-founded by Gilbert. However, BBVA remains a limited partner in this case. Kasisto, Prosper, and Coinbase are amongst the other fintech Propel have funded.
Gilbert views this opportunity as a logical next step in the financing band. He says, “At Propel, a lot of my focus is on seed and Series A businesses. We’ve seen so many companies grow from the seed stage to be a massive operation. Some are commanding very generous evaluations.”
To speak of Betsy Cohen, she built The Bancorp Bank in 2000 as the first fintech-friendly bank. This firm is known to offer the regulated, federally insured banking services behind disruptors such as Chime, PayPal, and Betterment. Cohen and Gilbert are the newest executives to build a SPAC that lets founders rapidly increase capital to buy current businesses and platforms rather than create them from scratch.
Cohen reveals that building a SPAC is another way to assist the fintech segment. She says, “We have seen many fintechs scale their businesses, grow their products, become part of an ecosystem, and develop in different ways. I thought enough was enough.”
She adds, “I loved my companies and could see on a going-forward basis there would be many that would succeed and many that would fail. I thought another approach to the industry might be to try to identify those companies that had come to a level of maturity where they could make a transition from being a private company to being a public company and have greater access to capital. I looked for a structure that was not as market-timing-sensitive as an IPO so that I could be helpful to these companies.”
Founders use their age-old experiences and track records to sell investors on their vision and aptitude to select a dependable target firm. The trend comprises FinTech Acquisition Corp. III, which later merged with Paya, the commerce tech provider. Another example is Ribbit Capital, one of the prominent investors in fintech startups consisting of cryptocurrency and blockchain ventures, announced seeking to raise $350 million for a SPAC that would make fintech procurements.
In the meantime, SPAC, with ties to former House Speaker Paul Ryan, has appeared. Besides, Megalith Acquisition, in recent times, settled to buy BankMobile from Customers Bancorp. This deal comprises firms with ties to Customers Chairman and CEO Jay Sidhu.
After a blank-check firm is set up, as FTAC Olympus was on last week, the managers are given 24 months to identify an acquisition. With the SPAC shareholders’ acceptance, the resources of the target company, and the SPAC will be combined, there will be an exchange of stock, and the picked startup will become a public organization.
SPACs in the U.S had already raised $23.6 billion this year, as per Refinitiv. Stessa Cohen, the consultant at PivotAssets, told the emergence of SPACs in the fintech sector is a sign of its maturity. She states, “It’s just another aspect of that hunger for what fintechs are doing. How do you bottle it and how do you make it available, because really isn’t that what it’s there for?”


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The world’s largest seed maker, Monsanto, is having a rough time in India.
Last week, the Missouri-based company threatened to shut down its business in India after six decades due to “arbitrary” and “innovation-stifling” decisions by the Indian government. Monsanto’s lashing out was primarily at the Narendra Modi government’s move to regulate the selling price of genetically modified cotton crop seeds in Asia’s third largest economy.
This is the first time that the Indian government has fixed prices for Bt cotton seeds—or genetically modified cotton seed—after its introduction in 2002. Under the new rule, the maximum sale price of Bt cotton seeds has been set at Rs800 ($11.9) for 450 grams, starting April 2017. The seeds were earlier sold at prices ranging from Rs830 ($12.3) to Rs1,000 ($14.8).
But what has irked Monsanto the most is the government’s decision to effectively slash the royalty fee it receives by a staggering 74%. Royalty fee is typically paid by local seed makers to Monsanto. Under the new rule (pdf) notified by India’s agriculture ministry on March 8, Monsanto will only get Rs49 ($0.73) per 450 grams of the seed in comparison to the Rs183 it received earlier. Since 2006, Monsanto is estimated to have received over Rs4,400 crore ($654.5 million) as royalty payments, according to the National Seed Association of India.
The American multinational currently sells two types of Bt cotton seeds in India. The first, Bollgard I, doesn’t have any royalty fee attached to it. The second generation, or Bollgard II, attracts a royalty.
In a statement on March 6, two days before the government announced the decision, Monsanto, said it will find it difficult “to justify bringing new technologies into India” if the royalty was cut.
“If the committee recommends imposing a sharp, mandatory cut in the trait fees paid on Bt cotton seeds, MMBL (Mahyco Monsanto Biotech Limited) will have no choice but to re-evaluate every aspect of our position in India,” Shilpa Divekar Nirula, India CEO of Monsanto, said in the statement.
At present, Monsanto operates in India in a partnership with Mahyco, which has sub-licenced its technology to 28 domestic seed companies that manufacture over 300 different Bt cotton hybrid seeds in India.
India has close to eight million cotton farmers, and the Bt cotton technology supplied by Monsanto makes up for about 90% of the seed market in the country. And, although Monsanto can be credited for the phenomenal increase in cotton production in the country, it has had a bumpy ride.
The American firm has been under fire after activists blamed the high prices of its seeds for farmer suicides in the country. Over 300,000 Indian farmers have killed themselves since 1995, primarily due to heavy indebtedness.
The government has now said that the decision to control prices will help farmers.
Additionally, the decision to regulate prices may also have to do with the Modi government’s plan to break Monsanto’s monopoly. ”Based on the representations, this department also made a reference to the Competition Commission of India for investigation of dominance of MMBL and abuse of monopoly in Bt cotton technology so as to ensure competition in the market,” India’s agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh said on March 9.
Monsanto is yet to respond to an emailed questionnaire from Quartz.


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WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) -- Drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits management company CVS Caremark Corp. on Wednesday declared a dividend of 16.25 cents.
CVS Caremark's next dividend is payable May 3 to shareholders of record on April 23. In February, the company raised its dividend 30 percent from its previous level of 12.5 cents.
Its shares lost 8 cents to close at $44.71 Wednesday. The stock is near the upper end of its 52-week range of $31.30 to $45.39.


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By Tony Winterburn • 14 October 2020 • 17:32
As Amazon Prime Day is expected to hit an all-time record, retailers big and small are looking to “participate in that energy” with their own online deals.
Retailers are expected to use the latest technology to try to manage their supply chains and smooth out the customer experience during a tougher than expected holiday season.
A late Amazon Prime Day means an early start to the holiday shopping season this week. The annual shopping event has become a holiday in its own right, with July 15 – one of last year’s Prime Days – trailing behind only Cyber Monday and Black Friday for online shopping last year, according to retail research firm NPD Group.
Amazon doesn’t release specific revenue numbers around its Prime Day events, but the company said it sold more than a staggering 175 million items during last year’s Prime Day!
For the small businesses who sell their products on Amazon as third-party sellers, Prime Day could offer them a chance to boost sales. Many retail shops have suffered significant drops in business amid closures and other obstacles brought on by the past several months of the pandemic.
We hope you enjoyed this article “Retailers Hope Amazons Prime Day 2020 Sparks off a Buying Frenzy”.
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PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has sustained its growth in the first half of 2021 on the back of increased data users and mobile data traffic and the introduction of new data offers.
Total mobile data users on Smart's network increased to 39.5 million or by 6.1 million at the end of June, compared to the same period the previous year. This puts Smart ahead of competitors with the most number of data users in the Philippines.
This has pushed mobile data revenues up by 12% to ₱35.0 billion in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period last year, ahead of competition's 7% growth over the same period.
Since the start of the pandemic-related lockdowns in the first quarter of 2020, total mobile data traffic on Smart’s network has reached a total of 4,460 petabytes, ahead of competition for the same period, as its customers used Smart’s fast and reliable mobile connectivity to support online learning, work from home, communications, entertainment, and livelihood.
In the face of these pandemic-induced challenges of business closures, loss of livelihood and limited mobility impacting Individual consumers, PLDT’s Consumer Wireless business segment’s revenues rose 7% year-on-year to ₱43.8 billion for the first half of the year, a ₱2.7-billion increase from the same period last year.
Data/broadband represented 79% of Consumer Wireless revenues in the first half of 2021. Total mobile data traffic for the period was at 1,579 petabytes, a 17% increase compared to the first half of 2020. The monthly average mobile data traffic for the second quarter was 267 petabytes, 11% higher than the full year 2020 average.
"Despite the hyper-competition, and this pandemic limiting mobility for our wireless customers who have shifted to working and studying at home, our e-load top-ups remain strong at 13% growth versus last year," said PLDT Inc and Smart Communications President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio. "In the second half, we will unleash data products enabling relevant and impactful campaigns that embolden our customer’s passions and purpose."
New data offers
To further drive data usage on the network, Smart has recently launched new offers for its subscribers, such as the newly unveiled UNLI GIGA promos, which allow subscribers to choose between UNLI GIGA Stories (with unlimited Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Kumu) or UNLI GIGA Video (with non-stop YouTube, iWantTFC, NBA League Pass, and Cignal Play). The promo, which comes with 2 GB data for all other sites and apps for seven days for only ₱149, is exclusively available on the GigaLife App, the one-stop app that enables subscribers to simply and seamlessly pursue their passions and purpose.
Smart also recently launched its new Smart Bro Rocket SIM, which is compatible with any SIM-enabled device and comes with 30 days of Unli Data for an introductory price offer of ₱499, catering to the rising demand for more data and superfast connectivity as customers stay home amid new lockdown restrictions. After the 30-day period, subscribers with Smart Bro Rocket SIMS can also avail themselves of other data offers via the GigaLife App.
The 'heart' of the Consumer Wireless segment's growth, the GigaLife App was recently enhanced with GigaPay with PayMaya. The recent innovative enhancement enables GigaLife App users to conveniently top-up, buy data and access other exclusive data promos through GigaPay by linking their PayMaya wallet as payment source for all in-app transactions. In its initial phase, GigaPay also allows linking of subscriber’s credit and debit cards, making it even more convenient for Smart subscribers to transact without leaving the app.
As of end-June 2021, Smart had increased the number of its base stations to over 68,500, an increase of 16%, compared with end-2020. This includes more than 4,500 LTE base stations deployed in the first half of the year alone.
For continued efforts to expand and improve its mobile network, Smart was once again cited by third-party analytics firm Ookla® as the country's fastest mobile network in the Philippines for the fourth consecutive year, based on analysis by Ookla of tests taken with Speedtest® covering the first half of 2021, reaffirming its dominance.
Ookla’s latest report also cited Smart as the country's fastest 5G network in the Philippines for the first half of 2021.
According to a recent evaluation by Ookla, users of Samsung and Apple devices in the Philippines can also expect their devices to perform at their fastest on the Smart 5G network, based on Ookla’s analysis of Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q2 2021.
To date, Smart's 5G network has been fired up in more than 4,000 sites nationwide making it the country's first, fastest, and widest 5G network.


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Blockchain start-ups hold investor event in SingaporeKorean blockchain start-ups held a meet-up earlier this week in Singapore to explain their projects to potential investors.
According to ICO Platform, a blockchain start-up and crowdfunding platform launched last year, a total of seven blockchain projects met with investors at Duo Tower in Singapore on June 5, where more than 300 people attended.
The meet-up, officially the 1st Global Blockchain Jump-Start Meetup in Singapore, was co-hosted by: ICO Platform; Hahm Shout, a marketing service firm; Korea M&A Center; and Jenga K, an ICO consulting firm.
Other than ICO Platform, projects introduced to participants include Alphacon - a blockchain-based health care platform - and AI Crypto.
ICO Platform explained that Peter Lim, founder and CEO of PLMP Fintech, decided to invest $1 million in the company. ICO Platform is currently in the process of an initial coin offering.
By Choi Hyung-jo


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*Right click on Download and “Save Link As…”
New interviews every show! Join Larry Jordan and Michael Horton this week as they talk with:
Steven Chu, COO, Toon Boom Animation
Steven Chu is the COO of Toon Boom Animation, a highly-respected Emmy-Award-winning software company. He’s currently at CES, showcasing some of their latest products. We want to talk to him about what’s new, and where he sees the animation industry going in 2013.
Dmitriy Vatolin, CEO, YUVsoft
YUVsoft started ten years ago as a software developer based in Moscow, focused on video. Recently, they branched out into a new market – converting 2D images into stereoscopic 3D images. We talk with company founder and CEO, Dmitriy Vatolin, about what got him started, their clients, and the products they offer.
Chris Bross, Strategic Technical Alliances Manager, DriveSavers
One of the worst feelings in the world is discovering your hard drive crashed and took all your files with it. DriveSavers specializes in getting your data back. In this interview from the recent Storage Visions conference in Las Vegas, we talk with Chris Bross, Strategic Technical Alliances Manager at Drive Savers, about what to do when your hard drive dies and how they go about recovering crashed SSD drives.
Dr. Doug Hansen, CTO, Millenniata
We’ve known for a while that CDs and DVDs don’t store data indefinitely. But, until recently, they were our only options for low-cost archiving. Now, a new company – MDisc – has created a modified version of a DVD that etches your data into stone, using off-the-shelf DVD burners. And, according to the company, they offer a shelf-life of hundreds of years! We spoke with Doug Hansen, CTO at Millenniata, the makers of MDisc, at the recent Storage Visions conference in Las Vegas to discover the secret behind their products.
Cirina Catania, Producer, Digital Production Buzz
This week, more than 200,000 geeks descended upon Las Vegas for the annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) event. Our producer, Cirina Catania, was part of the mob. She’s been taking notes like crazy and joins us this week to share her take on what’s new and what’s dead at CES.
The Buzz is all the information you need now to know what’s coming next!
The Digital Production BuZZ airs LIVE Thursday from 6-7 PM Pacific Daylight Time. Ask questions during the show on our Live Chat, listen live, download an episode from the archives, or subscribe to the podcast either through iTunes or our website. Whatever you do, DON’T miss this week’s show!


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25 February 2017
Congratulations to Tasmania’s tourism industry – for the third year running we have dominated the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards winning more medals than any other state.
This demonstrates once again that Tasmania does tourism better than anyone, and that the partnership between government and industry to maintain the tourism boom is working.
A centrepiece of our plan to grow the economy and create more jobs is to back our competitive strengths and there is no better example than the tourism industry.
This year’s awards also demonstrated our great strength in eco-tourism proving that we can balance the protection of our precious natural areas with a growing tourism industry.
The national awards are also a wonderful advertisement for our State and will inspire more people to visit our beautiful island.
Congratulations to all nominees in the national awards, and particularly the winners.
The gold medal winners are:
Visit www.australiantourismawards.com.au for the full list of winners. Visit the Premier’s Facebook site for a video message about the awards.


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Wall Street report: Friday close
TECH analysts issued a positive spin on a negative quarterly report from Microsoft, helping to prevent a big drop in market value for the world's biggest software maker.
The extraordinary defence of Microsoft in the face of bad news issued by the company itself turned a 7% share plunge overnight into a 1.5% gain and lent support to both major markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 51.83 points or 0.51% to 10,257.11. The Nasdaq Index slipped 5.60 points to 1,796.83. For the week, the Dow gained 0.7% while the Nasdaq tacked on 2.3%.
Microsoft, which reversed an expected loss to trade up 83 cents to $57.20, is a component of both the Dow and Nasdaq indices. Merrill Lynch led the chorus of analysts putting a positive spin on Microsoft's figures and its lowering of forecasts for the remainder of 2002. But cynics were quick to point out that many of the analysts rushing to Microsoft's side had maintained 'buy' recommendations on the shares as they were sliced in half over the past two years.
While Microsoft's comeback did not light a fire under techs generally, it did help stem selling in what had been anticipated would be a weak session. Intel was lower by 35 cents or 1.2% to $30.10 and Cisco Systems was off 18 cents or 1.2% to $15.26. Hewlett-Packard rose 49 cents or 2.7% to $18.69 and proposed merger partner Compaq added 30 cents or 2.8% to $11.12.
Sun Microsystems stood out with a gain of 63 cents or 7.4% to $9.15 after it said it expected to return to profitability in the current quarter despite continuing weak demand for its network servers.
United Airlines rose 15 cents or 1% to $14.99 despite posting a quarterly loss of $510m., its seventh straight. Walt Disney climbed 57 cents or 2.3% to $24.97 as Goldman Sachs noted an improvement in business at the company's theme parks.
Online auctioneer eBay spurted $1.35 or 2.6% to $54.39 after its results showed strong growth in most areas.
Telecom equipment provider Nortel was off slightly to $3.93, down from roughly $80 in 2000, after it said it would cut another 4000 jobs to bring its workforce to nearly 50% below what it was a couple of years ago. Embattled telco Qwest saw its shares shaved another 94 cents or 12.4% to $6.63 as it lowered expectations again and said it would lop 2000 jobs.
Among Dow components, Boeing fell 95 cents or 2.2% to $42.75, Honeywell shed 43 cents or 1.1% to $37.87 and International Paper rose 83 cents or 2% to $42.16 on stronger operating numbers.
Most watched Money videos
- The classic Moke is reborn as an electric vehicle
- Are BP and Shell worth investing in despite green concerns?
- Range Rover announces new fully electric version
- New £95k Range Rover unveiled - and will have an EV version
- Volkswagen launch stunning all-electric cars ID.5 and ID.5 GTX
- Kia creates an electrical storm with all new battery-powered EV6 GT
- MGB Roadster Limited Edition in detail
- Renault unveils retro drone based on classic 4 for 60th anniversary
- Government unveils new design for electric vehicle charging point
- 5% of public electric car chargers revealed to be unusable
- Portable electric vehicle charger that can be stored in the boot
- Renault show off AIR4 retro drone version of Renault 4 without wheels


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Text messaging applications are a dime a dozen. Luke Klinker, the developer behind Talon for Twitter and EvolveSMS, is working on another SMS app. Simply entitled 'Messenger' while in testing (the final release will have another name), this app allows you to use SMS on your phone, tablet, Android TV, through a web app, and even with a Chrome extension. As far as device compatibility goes, this is pretty impressive.
Pushbullet, despite some unpopular pricing changes, still remains one of my favorite Android applications. I use it every day on multiple devices, but Mac owners haven't been lucky enough to receive an official client. Your only choices until recently have been to use the Chrome extension (which requires Chrome to always run in the background) or a paid third-party client called PushPal.
There's still not an official client for macOS, but Noti was released recently. Noti is a free and open-source Pushbullet client, designed specifically for macOS. You can respond and take action on notifications, just like with the Chrome extension, but Noti uses the macOS Notification Center instead of the ugly Chrome notifications.
T-Mobile Tuesdays program has had its fair share of hiccups, but all things considered, getting stuff for free every week is better than getting nothing. Next Tuesday (September 6th) will bring a partnership with Subway that will allow every T-Mobile Tuesdays participant to pick up a free 6-inch oven-roasted chicken sub from Subway. The usual partnerships with Wendy's (free small Frosty), Lyft ($15 ride credit), and VUDU (free movie rental) will continue for Tuesday the 6th.
EMERGENCY came to Android more than 3 years ago in March of 2013. Back then, the Xperia Z was the hottest phone on the block, the Galaxy S4 was starting its pre-orders, and Holo was the coolest design language we could imagine. But EMERGENCY was rather well received thanks to its replay value. With 13 disaster scenarios and 18 units under your command, you could manage your resources differently to try to save as much lives and fight as many terrorists as you could, and thus control the situation better and faster.
The game has seen several updates on Android since its release, though none in the past 8 or so months.
Opera VPN is notable because just like the VPN in the Opera browsers, it is completely free. You can choose between a number of countries including USA, Canada, Germany, Singapore, and The Netherlands (with more countries coming soon). The application also includes a built-in ad tracking blocker, to prevent advertising networks from tracking your behavior across websites.
These posts are never fun to write, and we've been writing a lot of them lately. Odds are you've heard about the attack in Nice, France that took place several hours ago. I won't recount the specifics, but at times like this all the backbiting among the big US wireless companies stops. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile have all announced free calls and texts to France so those with loved ones in the region can check in. Google is also waving fees for calls to Nice on its various platforms.
So you don't live in Australia and couldn't get a free Cardboard viewer from that Optus giveaway a couple of days ago. Maybe you live in the US — actually our Analytics tell us that a nice majority of you do — and you'd like a chance to get your free VR viewer nonetheless. Maybe you're a fan of Conan O'Brien and maybe you've missed that Cardboard giveaway that he did last year. Now's your chance to pounce on your coveted freebie and grab it.
Team Coco is giving away Google Cardboard VR viewers again this July, although the design is different and less playful than last year's orange haired cute avatar.
High-speed LTE data is more ubiquitous these days, but it's also more often than not capped. To save your data plan, you might want to hop on WiFi when it's available, but WiFi isn't always free. It'll be free for 6 months if you take Amazon and Boingo up on their offer. Download one free app, and you get six months of WiFi access.
Lenovo's Moto Z and Moto Z Force were announced yesterday to a lot of skeptical criticism from fans of the old Motorola brand. Personally, I think they look nice and I like the Mod approach as opposed to LG's, but only time will tell whether they end up being a disappointment or not. For now, all we have to go on is David's quick hands-on and his impressions were mitigated.
If you're interested in the Moto Z and Moto Z Force, there might be some good news to sway your decision even more in favor of the phone. The Droid Edition, which will be exclusive to Verizon whenever it launches this summer, will come with 2 years of "original quality" storage on Google Photos for free.


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New Data Reinforces Social Media’s Role in Driving Bottom Line Growth as More Consumers Plan to Increase Spending on Brands they Follow on Social
Sprout Social’s 2020 Index unveils data that illustrates how brands transform social into a significant growth engine and elevates the importance of learning new skills
As consumer purchase behavior is rapidly evolving, with more consumers turning to online buying in the current climate, brands’ online presence and social media strategy have never had such a direct impact on businesses. In fact, according to the 2020 Sprout Social Index: Above and Beyond, released today, nearly 9 in 10 consumers will buy products from a brand they follow on social media. The survey also shows that when consumers follow a brand on social, 75% will increase their spending with that brand, a number that has increased 12% year-over-year. Having a strong social strategy can help propel businesses forward with consumers buying more and increasing spending with their favorite brands.
Marketing Technology News: Adam Morgan Joins SC as Partner
Sprout Social, a leading provider of social media analytics, engagement and advocacy solutions for business, surveyed 1,000 social marketers about their social goals, challenges and expectations, and cross-referenced their responses with those of more than 1,000 consumers to understand how they behave online and what they expect from brands considered best-in-class on social. Although consumer behavior clearly indicates the business impact of social media, marketers still struggle to measure the return on investment (ROI). In fact, social marketers rank measuring ROI and supporting overall business goals among their top three challenges. While 56% of social marketers use data to better understand their target audience, only 23% use social data to measure ROI and 16% use social data for competitive insights, suggesting that the use of social data has not reached its full potential.
“While social media is a powerful channel for brand awareness, it’s also a proven business accelerator. In fact, a strong brand presence on social media can drive consumers to purchase and give brands a leg up over their closest competitors,” said Jamie Gilpin, CMO at Sprout Social. “This is especially true in today’s environment. Brands who fail to stand out on social or lack the ability to analyze social data are missing a big business opportunity, which can be crucial for future success.”
Marketing Technology News: Inte Q Offers Email Strategy Expertise & Resources Amidst Global Pandemic
The 2020 Index reveals insights on social media goals, how marketers can build strong connections with their audiences and overall what is considered best-in-class in the industry. Key findings include:
- Brand awareness remains a top priority. Sixty-nine percent of social marketers say increasing brand awareness is their number one goal for social media, while 52% percent say increasing web traffic is their top priority and 46% are focused on growing their audience.
- Engagement, transparency and customer service help brands stand out: When asked what makes a brand’s social presence best in class, consumers note that engagement with their audience (61%) is a top factor, along with transparency (45%) and strong customer service (44%).
- Today’s marketers invest in learning new skills: Out of the professional goals for social marketers, learning a new skill ranked as the primary objective for more than half of all marketers (51%), even outperforming getting a promotion (38%) or increasing influence internally (43%) across both practitioners and leaders.
- Visual social platforms are popular with younger consumers: Social platforms focused on photos and videos, like YouTube and Instagram, are quickly gaining traction among younger consumers. When asked which platforms they plan to use more of, 73% of members of Generation Z said Instagram while 65% said they plan to spend more time on YouTube.
- Consumers expect timely responses on social media: How quickly a brand responds on social media is important. Forty percent of consumers expect brands to respond within the first hour of reaching out on social media, while 79% expect a response in the first 24 hours. Response rates vary by industry, as real estate and legal rank the highest (29%), followed by recruiting & staffing (28%), finance & banking (28%) and healthcare (27%).
Marketing Technology News: Vestorly’s Software Powers FMG Suite’s AI-Driven Content Engine


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Android creator Andy Rubin launched a new high-end smartphone to take on tech giants Apple and Samsung earlier in May 2017.
The Essential smartphone that was initially priced at $699 when announced has now reduced its price by $200 drastically making the new price of the smartphone, affordable and relatively cheaper at $499.
The announcement was made in a blog post.
Prices of Android phones have been known to reduce gradually but this drop is seen as a sign that the phone isn’t doing well in the market. Of course, Essential doesn’t see it that way and calls the aggressive drop in price a “massive campaign to attract attention.”
That’s not where it ends though; the loyal customers who did manage to buy the phone at its original price of $699 win themselves an essential store code called “friends and family code.”
Essential Products unveiled its first smartphone that combines some of the best specs from major mobile phone makers into one device. The Essential Phone features edge-to-edge bezel-less displays similar to what we saw on the Xiaomi Mi Mix.
The display shows that Essential aims to compete with tech giant Samsung which also went down the minimal bezel path with the S8.
Needless to say, Rubin and team have kept their word by launching software updates time-to-time but that has clearly not fallen in their favour.


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Google is planning a big gaming announcement for Tuesday (Mar. 19) that could change the way you play video games. But a new report suggests it might not be what some in the rumor mill had expected.
When Google announces its new gaming platform on Tuesday, it won't unveil a console, according to Kotaku. Instead, the gaming site, which is citing sources who claim to have knowledge of Google's plans, believes the search giant will instead deliver a new game-streaming platform.
According to Kotaku's sources, the streaming will be similar to Google's Project Stream, which allowed players last year to play an Assassin's Creed game in full resolution by streaming it from Google's servers.
According to Kotaku's sources, Google balked at a console because it wanted gamers to play titles on a variety of platforms instead of just one. The sources envision players being able to pick up a game on a PC or Mac and then move to the television to keep playing. Games would also be accessible on smartphones.
Arguably the most compelling feature in the proposed platform is that you'll be able to play in high-resolution regardless of the hardware you're on. That's because the service would run on Google's servers, which would handle all the heavy lifting.
According to Kotaku's sources, Google might have some other big plans for its service. Chief among them is a feature that would allow you to watch a Twitch streamer playing the game and then let you pick up where that person left off, so you can experience the same part of the game. Google might also try to integrate YouTube into the service and give you access to walkthroughs in the parts you're playing.
As ambitious as that sounds, other companies have tried game streaming and have yet to catch on. In the home-gaming market, PCs and consoles still reign supreme. But Google apparently believes it can buck that trend.
Google will make its announcement at the Game Developers Conference on Tuesday. The company's keynote will kick off at 1 p.m. ET and we'll be there to bring you live coverage from GDC.


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Demand for electric vehicles is showing signs of going into reverse as sky-high price tags and the wider cost of living crisis are putting off all but the wealthiest, according to a report.
The share of new buyers searching for electric vehicles (EVs) on Auto Trader’s marketplace slumped from a high of 26 per cent in September last year to 16 per cent in February. Buyers appear to be switching back to petrol and hybrid vehicles, with the latter accounting for almost one in five new car ad views in January, compared with eight per cent a year earlier.
This comes despite the Government’s ambitious net-zero push and rules that will mean sales of new petrol and diesel cars are banned from 2030. Auto Trader’s Road To 2030 report reveals that the price of EVs and the tightening squeeze on household finances from rocketing inflation means they are fast becoming the preserve of the wealthy.
Prices of new EVs are typically 35 per cent – or £10,000 – more expensive than petrol or diesel cars, with the number of EV models priced under £20,000 on Auto Trader’s marketplace dropping from 11 in 2020 to three last year. Its report showed that more than half (55 per cent) of buyers looking at EVs earn more than £50,000 a year.
Erin Baker, editorial director of Auto Trader, said: “Sooner or later we will run out of people who are rich enough to buy electric cars, and the latest data from our marketplace could be an early indication of what’s to come. It’s a canary in the coalmine and the Government needs to take notice.”
There are fears that demand for EVs may be hampered further when current incentives are due to end, with the Plug-In Car Grant due to finish in 2023 and the benefit-in-kind tax break set to stop in 2025. “There are enough wealthy motorists out there to drive sales for now, but if EVs don’t become more affordable soon, the mass adoption that the Government is banking on will not materialise,” Ms Baker said.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea


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Pharmacist and patient engagement leads to better patient outcomes
Serving as trusted and accessible resources, community pharmacists have a unique opportunity to help patients adhere to their medication regimens and improve outcomes. Ninety-five percent of all Americans live within five miles of their community pharmacy, and in a 2011 Gallup poll, pharmacists were ranked second only to nurses on their list of the most honest and ethical professionals.
New technologies and automated systems, such as pharmacy processing software and robotic dispensers, reduce the time to fill and verify prescriptions. As a result, pharmacists have more time to engage with patients and take on clinical tasks, such as patient coaching and medication education. Targeted behavioral-based patient conversations delivered in the pharmacy can help patients better understand their disease or illness, the role and function of their medication, and the importance of adherence.
Building on the benefits of this patient-centric approach, there are a growing number of opportunities for pharmacies to participate in programs targeted at improving medication adherence, including pharmacist counseling sessions, adherence outreach and medication reminder programs. Integrating with pharmacy software to alert pharmacists to sponsored clinical opportunities, these programs provide training and many include compensation for offering behavioral coaching sessions to help patients overcome adherence barriers, enrolling patients in savings programs, and providing information about clinical trials to eligible patients.
McKesson’s Pharmacy Intervention Program found patients who received face-to-face behavioral coaching from their pharmacists showed significant adherence benefits. For example, COPD patients who received coaching showed an average of 1.6 incremental fills over 12 months, and patients coached in multiple diabetes programs showed an average of four incremental refills over 12 months when compared to patients who did not receive behavioral coaching.
With specialized education and training in patient health, and the fact that they are one of the most trusted professionals, pharmacists are ideally placed to help improve patient outcomes. Combined with technology advances, this trend is likely to grow.
For more information on trends the adherence experts at McKesson Patient Relationship Solutions see shaping the future of medication nonadherence, view “The Future of Medication Adherence” whitepaper here.
SymphonyIRI Group provides a peek ‘Inside the Mind of the Shopper’ at Marketplace
DENVER — Monday morning kicked off with a bang at NACDS Marketplace, as SymphonyIRI Group’s Navin Gautam took attendees inside the mind of today’s value-conscious shopper.
“Delivering truly shopper-centric value is going to be key, and neither manufacturers nor retailers can do it alone,” Gautam, principal of client services for SymphonyIRI, told attendees during his presentation, titled “Inside the Mind of the Shopper: Understanding the Difference in Motivation by Generations.”
Gautam explained that a series of “shocks” have rocked the U.S. economy since 2007— such as high unemployment rates, commodity inflation, investment depreciation and the Euro-zone crisis — and have given rise to a new value-conscious consumer.
Concern over rising medical costs also has impacted the mindset of shoppers. In fact, a 2010 Deloitte survey found that only 25% of U.S. consumers remain confident that they are able to deal with future medical costs.
In light of these concerns, consumers increasingly are looking for ways to save money. For example, research showed that many shoppers are looking to save money by going to the doctor less and increasingly are self-treating (36%), and many are turning to at-home beauty treatments to curb costs (35%).
Gautam also told attendees that, according to research, the use of coupons and circulars in trip planning remains strong but there are slight differences that exist across generations. Younger generations tend to clip and use more coupons compared with older generations, who tend to research circulars.
Technology (i.e., smartphones and social media) also is changing the retail landscape and represents significant opportunities, especially when it comes to mobile couponing. For example, research showed that 75% of shoppers make a list prior to shopping, 10.6% of list makers use technology and among those list makers who use technology, 69% use a smartphone.
Coca-Cola, Facebook execs talk social media at NACDS Marketplace
DENVER — Executives from Coca-Cola and Facebook on Monday morning shared social media best practices and strategies here at NACDS Marketplace 2012.
Social media is about engaging the end-consumer in an interactive dialogue, more than it is about accumulating “likes.”
“The most valuable channel to engage the consumer is the news feed,” suggested Mike Haines, director of market solutions for Facebook. “Don’t think about your page as a destination … but as a launching point for the news feed.” Facebook is the power of word-of-mouth unleashed, Haines added.
That’s in part because social media is about telling a brand story. “Stories are the most powerful ways to share ideas,” noted JD Doughney, senior social marketing manager for Coca-Cola. “They’re also the most sticky way to retain information.” Social media also is ubiquitous.
“How far is the average person in the United States away from [his or her] smartphone? It’s literally 3 ft.,” commented John Carroll, VP drug and value channel for Coca-Cola. According to Carroll, 1-in-5 shopping trips start on Google, as many as 40% of 18 to 34 year olds use handheld devices to search for coupons, and half of all consumers use social media to learn about deals.
However, social media also should be a contributory revenue stream, not another cost center. For example, Haines noted, Walmart is using Facebook to help augment its relationship with shoppers at the community level. Shoppers who “like” Walmart’s page are asked to identify with a particular store, Haines said, which enables Walmart to target ad campaigns at the actual store level.


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The Windows 10 Creators Update—codenamed Redstone 2—will begin rolling out on April 11, 2017. Like other updates to Windows 10, it’s free, and includes a host of new features. It will be rolled out slowly like the Anniversary Update, so it will be a few months before Microsoft offers it to everyone.
You can, however, upgrade to the Creators Update right now using an official tool from Microsoft. Not sure if you should rush to update? Here’s all the stuff you’ll find within.
his post was originally written after Microsoft’s big October 26, 2016 event, but has since been updated with features from the final release.
Microsoft is making a big bet on 3D creativity with the Creators update. This is the company that bought Minecraft, after all.
A new Paint 3D application included with Windows 10 allows you to work with and create 3D models. Windows also comes with a “View 3D Preview” app that allows everyone to open 3D models, view, rotate around, and zoom in. Currently, it supports .fbx and .3mf file types.
In addition, the Microsoft Edge browser now supports 3D content. It can be used to upload and download 3D models—including models exported from Minecraft and SketchUp—from Remix3D, a community website created by Microsoft. Windows can then print any type of 3D model to a 3D printer, which means Minecraft players can bring their creations into the real world.
Microsoft PowerPoint gains 3D models and cinematic 3D animations for transitions like Morph, so those 3D models can be incorporated into presentations. Microsoft will be adding more 3D features to Office applications like Word and Excel over the next year.Read More...
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Lifting women’s participation and development pathways in business is a keyway to advance gender equality. Policy makers, governments and corporates can contribute by ensuring research and data collection includes women, enabling equal access to funding and other opportunities, providing targeted education, training and upskilling, and defining social procurement KPIs with strong equality.
50% of social enterprises in IKEA Social Entrepreneurship portfolio, are founded, co-founded or led by women. A statistic that positively reflects the OECD report Beyond pink-collar jobs presenting the finding that “women represent up to 51% of social entrepreneurs in different regions of the world."
Since 2012, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship has joined forces with social enterprises to develop products and services available in IKEA stores worldwide. Below, we highlight a few from Asia.
We’ve partnered with Rangsutra, a social business in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, for over ten years. Rangsutra, founded and led by women, is dedicated to generating employment for skilled artisans in the country, the majority of whom are women and also shareholders in the company.
Karupannya, Bangladesh, who started as a supplier to IKEA, has recently been recognised as a social business partner. A producer of carpets and natural fibre products, for 15 years the business has been committed to employing people from vulnerable groups, creating positive social impact for women from rural areas, disadvantaged youth and LGBTQIA+ minorities. Today, over 6,000 people employed at Karupannya are working in IKEA production.
Another example on social business’ focusing on women is Du Anyam, who producing woven wicker handicrafts, started with a small number of women weavers on Flores Island, Indonesia. The three young, female co-founders then extended operations to other remote islands where seasonal income from smallscale farming was insufficient to sustain livelihoods.
Du Anyam’s first local products were sold at IKEA Indonesia in August 2022, and later this year their first global product will be available in all IKEA markets. The handmade products use plant fibres – predominantly palmyra, which is sourced locally – and create incomes for women in remote communities, improving nutritional outcomes for families and educational opportunities for children.
Spun, founded by the renowned Welspun Textile Group in India, also provides jobs for women with no other family income, in addition to supporting them and their families with education and healthcare.
Another business in India, Ramesh Flowers trains women from rural villages in the production of handmade products and is committed to bringing women from the factory floor into management positions. The founder of Classical Handmade Products Bangladesh, Tauhid Bin Abdus Salam, decentralised business and rather than establishing factories in major cities, brings work to rural communities.
Supporting enterprises outside of the IKEA value chain
In addition to partnering with social businesses for product development, we extend our support to social entrepreneurs through accelerator programmes, grants and loans. This assistance offers avenues for them to explore new impact models, new markets and shares expertise to enhance their reach and influence.
Women-led enterprises often face distinct challenges, such as limited funding access and networking prospects. Coupled with financial barriers, workplace gender biases, and societal constraints, the entrepreneurial journey can be daunting for women. Nevertheless, women continue to create innovative business solutions to tackle social and environmental issues.
Over the month of March, we’re highlighting several female entrepreneurs we support through our various programmes and how they're using their businesses to create a more inclusive world.
Read their stories.


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ET Startup Awards 2020: Zerodha leans on itself to thrive and shine
The resilient business run by Zerodha, that defied all models and conventional wisdom, caught the jury's eye.
Aiming for the stars: Startups are charting course for the final frontier
The new focus could help India’s space economy, estimated to be 2% ...
Quicko gets Rainmatter’s Rs 2 crore as seed funding
The startup will utilise the capital to build out its income tax return filing service fo...
Technology helps us unleash innovation in capital markets: Zerodha CTO Kailash Nadh
The money we are investing in startups here is to ensure that more people understand the capital markets and have a better user experience.
Ideas to Innovation series: In conversation with the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner 2017 (Part 4)
Exclusive interviews with Nithin Kamath, Founder & CEO, Zerodha and Satheesh Kumar KR, Chairman & MD, Enzen Global Solutions
Fintech startup Balance raises Rs 1.5 crore from Zerodha’s rainmatter fund
Balance CEO Ankit Kumar said the funds will be used mainly to expand the team from seven members at present, especially to hire designers and developers.
ET Startup Awards 2016: How the Bootstrap Champ Zerodha is taking investment to the masses
Kamath says Zerodha will support innovative fintech players through Rainmatter, which recently launched Smallcase, a thematic investment platform.


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Article by Lucy Cromwell
Follow Lucy on Twitter @LucyCromwell7
Let’s set the scene
You run a relatively successful vacation rentals website, bringing in more and more new clients when, suddenly, the coronavirus pandemic hits.
Cancellations start coming in left, right and centre and, as time goes by, you’re given no choice but to issue a huge number of refunds to customers.
You start to worry how long the pandemic is going to last, what the economic impact is going to be and, most importantly, how your business is going to survive throughout.
You implement a number of strategies to try and stay afloat, keeping your business in the minds of your target market throughout lockdown. You cut non-essential spending, furlough several employees and try to foresee what the post-COVID-19 landscape will look like.
It is ultimately this which brings you to this article today, seeking advice on how your industry and workplace environment is likely to change moving forward.
Without further ado, here are four key ways the vacation rental management sphere has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. The Holiday Rentals Market Will Prosper
First things first, let’s start with some good news – now that the lockdown restrictions have finally been eased, the short-term holiday rentals market is expected to prosper.
After all, postponed or cancelled holiday plans don’t tend to sit well with customers. And, if anything, having a temporary lifestyle forced on them during the pandemic will have only heightened their desire and need to get away as a result.
That said though, it might be quite some time before we see holidaymakers travelling as far afield as they were before the pandemic hit. With quarantine restrictions still in place across a number of countries, many people will be putting far-flung destinations at the bottom of their travel bucket list for now, favouring UK staycations for the time-being instead.
A key reason behind this ties into the UK government’s recent marketing campaign, which highlighted the need for money to be kept within the UK economy so that the country can rebuild and financially recover.
As such, rental holiday platforms like Airbnb are expected to become more and more popular over the coming months of the year, bringing with it fresh home-based competition for you as a property manager to think about.
Without further ado, here are four key ways we predict the vacation rental management sphere will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Hygiene Is A Priority
While vacation rentals have always needed to meet high hygiene standards, the coronavirus pandemic has now effectively raised those standards even higher.
It is no longer good enough to simply keep properties clean and tidy. Sanitising from top to bottom in between guests is now imperative towards minimising the virus’ spread and ensuring your guests’ have a positive experience during their stay.
Similarly, ensuring your guests and employees have the correct equipment and materials will be vital in keeping them safe. As recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), disposable materials like paper towels should be used over microfibre cloths or absorbent rags, and hand sanitiser should be available in all common areas and walkways.
Likewise, any bed bug or insect populations will need to be controlled effectively – especially during the warmer summer months.
Without these effective COVID-preventative hygiene measures in place, guests may refuse to stay at your properties, only damaging your reputation and turnover as a result.
3. Embrace Technology For Property & Guest Management
As strange as it may sound, the coronavirus pandemic could have actually done the vacation rental industry a favour, finally giving business owners enough time to hone and rethink their processes.
The systems used within property management are fairly outdated, after all, and – when compared to a host of other industries – they are in dire need of an upgrade.
So, now that the COVID-19 pandemic has given property managers the chance to pause and reflect, there appears to be a pretty high likelihood that, moving forward, technology will finally become more and more implemented within management processes – and for good reason.
Technology has moved so far forward in recent years, we’d be here for hours explaining what can now be done at only a few clicks of a button.
Whether it be responding to initial enquiries, logging maintenance requests, sifting through emails, prioritising tasks or automatically recording data, advances in cloud and AI-based technology help free up a lot more time, enabling you to focus on any other areas of your business in need of your attention.
4. A Positive Guest Experience Is Key
As with nearly every other industry across the planet, maintaining a steady stream of revenue will be at the very top of every business owner’s priority list. And, within the vacation rental management sphere specifically, the easiest way to do just comes through either increasing or stabilising the occupancy of your properties.
Due to the current climate, that may be more difficult than it sounds, but it doesn’t have to be. By providing your guests with the best experience possible, the more likely they will then be to give you repeat business or recommend your services out to others.
So, how exactly do you ensure this guest experience is as positive as possible?
Well, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and ask what you would expect from a short-term vacation rental. In light of the pandemic, a flexible cancellation policy is now a must-have, as is reassurance beforehand that the property has been maintained and restructured to be as COVID-secure as possible. A seamless booking process is also important, as well as a contactless self-check-in procedure to take the stress away from complicated key handovers.
In essence, the more focus you can put on improving your guests’ experience, the happier they will be during their stay and the lower the likelihood will be that you’ll encounter any unexpected turnover loss.
At first glance, the post-COVID-19 landscape may seem bleak but – when you delve deeper into it – it actually represents a fantastic opportunity for the vacation rentals industry.
While yes, it may be difficult to deny that coronavirus has had a significant impact on businesses, only those who embrace the change and think optimistically will survive the aftermath.
By putting your guests first, improving your internal procedures, incorporating technology and being adaptable to change, you’ll help put your vacation rentals business in the best possible position. Why settle for simply surviving the pandemic when your business could thrive from it instead?


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It’s been a busy month for counters of all kinds. The Forbes list just released its latest list of the country’s richest women. And guess who made the list this year? Kylie Jenner, of Keeping Up with the Kardashians fame.
Meanwhile, in another New York skyscraper, the Dow Jones company removed legacy brand General Electric from its famous index.
Out with the old, in with the new.
The Dow’s reason for cutting GE from its list? The market has changed, GE’s businesses are struggling, and “there’s no quick fix.”
As for Kylie’s success? Helping others with a quick fix—makeup! Forbes reports that her cosmetics line most famous for its lip kits is worth a whopping $800 million. Oh, and a few million in paychecks from her reality show.
Kylie’s fortune has made her a top contender for the title of youngest self-made billionaire, close to replacing Mark Zuckerberg for the title.
So, what’s the lesson here? Times, they are a changin’. And if you have to pick between a legacy business and a social one, pick the social one. Oh, and being a Kardashian doesn’t hurt.