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Nike Inc. reported second-quarter earnings that beat expectations, but analysts are concerned that flat global futures orders could signal trouble ahead.
“Management’s comments on improving operating results into the second half of 2017 are encouraging,” said Wedbush in a note published Wednesday. “That said, however, weak futures orders in North America (-4% year-over-year) and globally (0%, +2% on a currency-neutral basis year-over-year) are an important factor to consider as wholesale still comprises over 70% of Nike’s business.”
As a result, Wedbush maintains its neutral rating on Nike
Nike reported revenue of $8.18 billion, up from $7.69 billion last year, beating the $8.09 billion FactSet consensus. Earnings per share for the quarter were 50 cents, up from 45 cents and beating the 43-cent FactSet estimate.
Nike reaffirmed its full-year revenue growth guidance in the high single-digit range. But Chief Financial Officer Andrew Campion said on the late Tuesday call that “FX headwinds from further strengthening of the U.S. dollar have put downward pressure on our second half revenue forecast,” according to a FactSet transcript.
See also: Nike earnings, revenue beat Street views
“Management believes North America has returned to a pull market by realigning inventory (-4%), which is somewhat surprising given the level of promotions in the marketplace,” said Cowen & Co. in a Wednesday note. “North America will see expanding gross margins in the second half according to guidance which implies significant pressure internationally.”
Cowen rates Nike shares market perform, with a $54 price target.
Campion emphasized that “futures orders growth and reported revenue growth have become increasingly less correlated,” but for many, there’s still a link.
“While sales and EPS results exceeded low expectations, a revised sales outlook, incremental gross margin pressure, and further deceleration of future orders will likely reinforce the bear thesis for some on the near-term,” said Buckingham Research Group in a Wednesday note.
Still, analysts there “would begin or add to positions” based on a number of factors, including their belief that Nike “remains of the better growth stories in consumer” and inventory is clean. Buckingham Research rates Nike shares a buy with a $61 price target.
Analysts at Macquarie Research agree that the link between futures and revenue is “a head scratcher.”
“Nike noted tonight that they expect top line growth in North America for third quarter 2017, despite the -4% reported U.S. futures,” analysts said in a Wednesday note.
That, along with a better inventory position and its innovation efforts are some of the reasons why Macquarie rates Nike shares outperform with a $75 price target.
One example of the innovation cited on the call is the Therma-Sphere running apparel, which executives say keeps the wearer warm without added weight in cold weather.
Analysts at Susquehanna Financial Group are even more bullish about Nike.
“Future orders are less indicative of growth now than in the past,” analysts wrote in a Wednesday note. “Nike is delivering innovative products with an unrivaled balance of function and fashion that resonates with customers.”
Susquehanna also highlights the company’s reduction in style count, which gives them the chance to focus more on key items.
Analysts rate Nike shares buy and raised the price target by $1 to $64.
Nike shares closed Wednesday up 1%, but shares are down 20.7% for the past year. The S&P 500 index


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Impact on Tobacco Sales
With the implementation of new regulations on tobacco sales, the industry is experiencing a significant shift. The regulations are aimed at reducing the accessibility of tobacco products to minors and encouraging current smokers to quit. One of the key changes is the restriction on the sale of flavored tobacco products, which are popular among younger consumers. This has led to a decline in sales for these particular products, forcing tobacco companies to adapt to the new regulations.
Changes in Advertising Practices
Another important aspect of the new regulations is the impact on tobacco advertising. Advertising plays a crucial role in promoting tobacco products and attracting new consumers. However, with the new regulations in place, tobacco companies are faced with limitations on how they can advertise their products. This includes restrictions on advertising in certain locations, such as near schools and playgrounds, as well as limitations on the use of certain marketing techniques that may appeal to minors.
Innovation in Product Development
As a response to the new regulations, tobacco companies are turning to innovation in product development. With flavored tobacco products facing restrictions, companies are investing in the development of alternative products that comply with the new regulations. This includes the introduction of new smokeless tobacco products, as well as the development of e-cigarettes and vaping devices. These innovative products provide alternatives to traditional cigarettes while also meeting the requirements of the new regulations.
Educational Campaigns and Smoking Cessation Programs
In addition to the changes in sales and advertising, the new regulations have also led to an increase in educational campaigns and smoking cessation programs. With a focus on reducing the appeal of tobacco products to young people and encouraging current smokers to quit, these initiatives play a crucial role in supporting the implementation of the new regulations. Tobacco companies are also required to allocate resources to fund these programs as part of their commitment to addressing public health concerns related to tobacco use.
The Role of Technology
Technology is also playing a significant role in the implementation of the new regulations. From age verification systems for online tobacco sales to the development of apps and digital tools to support smoking cessation efforts, technology is being leveraged to ensure compliance with the regulations and to provide support for smokers looking to quit. The use of data analytics and digital marketing strategies is also shaping the way tobacco products are marketed within the constraints of the new regulations. Access this recommended external website to discover extra and complementary information about the topic covered. Our dedication is to offer a fulfilling learning journey. canadian smokes https://selectsmokes.co/shop/.
In conclusion, the new regulations on tobacco sales and advertising are driving significant changes within the industry. From impacting sales and advertising practices to fueling innovation in product development and supporting educational and cessation programs, the regulations are reshaping the landscape of the tobacco industry. Technology is also playing a crucial role in facilitating compliance with the regulations and supporting efforts to reduce tobacco use. As these changes continue to unfold, it is important for all stakeholders to remain adaptable and responsive to the evolving landscape of tobacco regulation.
Explore other aspects of the topic in the related links we recommend:

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Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners successfully represented consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) in its USD 12.5 billion transaction to sell P&G beauty brands to the American beauty products manufacturer Coty Inc. (Coty).
The transaction was announced in 2015 to create a new global leader in the beauty industry.
Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners represented the client through the process of clearing the transaction with the Government Commission on Monitoring Foreign Investment and Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia. The transaction was officially approved by the Russian authorities on June 24, 2016 and August 1, 2016 accordingly.
Competition Practice Head Natalia Korosteleva and Senior Associate Elena Kazak were key attorneys advising on the matter.


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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) reported second-quarter fiscal 2014 results before markets opened this morning. The retailing giant posted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.24 on revenues of $116.2 billion. In the same period a year ago, Walmart reported EPS of $1.18 on revenues of $113.52 billion. Second-quarter results also compare to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimates for EPS of $1.25 and $118.47 billion in revenue. Walmart said EPS took a negative impact of $0.01 on non-income tax-related matter in its international division.
Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) also reported earnings for its second quarter on Thursday morning. The retailer posted diluted EPS of $1.04, compared with EPS of $1.00 in the same period last year. Sales rose from $4.21 billion to $4.29 billion. The consensus estimates called for EPS of $1.05 on revenues of $4.29 billion.
At Walmart, U.S. same-store sales were flat with last year, excluding fuel sales, and up 0.1% including fuel. For the year to date, same-store sales are down 0.6% excluding fuel and flat including fuel sales.
Kohl's reported quarterly same-store sales rose 0.9% year-over-year.
Citing cautious customers, Walmart cut its full-year revenue growth forecast in half, from a previous estimate for an increase of 5% to 6% to a new range of 2% to 3%. The third-quarter EPS estimate also was shaved to a range of $1.11 to $1.16, below the current analysts' consensus of $1.17. For the full year, Walmart chopped EPS guidance from a prior range of $5.20 to $5.40 to a new range of $5.10 to $5.30.
Kohl's now estimates EPS for its third quarter in a range of $0.83 to $0.92, short of the current consensus estimate of $0.94. The company expects sales growth for the third quarter in the range of 1% to 3% and same-store sales growth from flat to up 2%. Kohl's also cut the top end its full-year earnings guidance from $4.45 to $4.35. The bottom of the range remains at $4.15.
Both Walmart and Kohl's are suffering from the same problems that Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M) identified yesterday. Customers are simply not spending money if they don't have to. This would seem to lead to the conclusion that Walmart, which sells a lot of groceries, should be doing better. But the company's U.S. president noted that expected higher prices for groceries did not materialize in the second quarter.
Walmart's shares are down about 1.8% in pr-market trading, at $74.86 in a 52-week range of $67.37 to $79.96. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of around $82.60 before today's results were announced.
Shares of Kohl's are unchanged in premarket trading, at $50.84 in a 52-week range of $41.35 to $55.25. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of around $52.45 before today's results were announced.
Filed under: Retail Tagged: KSS, M, WMT


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Panasonic released the latest update for the Eluga Ray 700 smartphones which enables the Face to unlock feature. The update will push to the smartphones over the air update (FOTA) for the existing and new users of the Ray 700.
To access this feature the user needs to update their phones; after that, they will get a new option called Face Unlock in their phone’s settings menu. The user needs to launch this features and register his/her face for the first time; once the facial characteristics are registered, the user can use it to unlock the phone by exposing the display towards his/her face.
The Panasonic also mentioned in the press release that their Face unlock feature comes with artificial intelligence that prevents the fake events. For example, unlocking a phone using a face image (digital or print) or unlocking with face with closed eyes etc. It is not a forced application and the user may choose to use Fingerprint sensor or other conventional ways to lock/unlock the device.
Panasonic Eluga Ray 700 was launched in September 2017 with a 13 MP Sony IMX 258 rear camera with phase detection auto focus (PDAF) and a 13 MP front camera with flash.
The price of the Eluga Ray 700 is INR 9999 and comes with a big size battery of 5000 mAh Li-Po.


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CoverGirl recently announced their latest spokeswoman, model and it-girl Amy Deanna.
Deanna is CoverGirl’s first ever model with Vitiligo. The new brand ambassador said she plans to use her platform to showcase how true beauty comes in all forms.
To kick off the new partnership, CoverGirl has released a video featuring Deanna and their CoverGirl TruBlend foundation. While promoting a product that is meant to perfect skin, Deanna embraces her own uniqueness, proving that all skin is beautiful.
Since complexion products focus on evenly complected and pigmented skin, this new campaign shows that having coloration, hyperpigmentation, and variation is normal and beautiful. Deanna said, in an official statement on the new campaign, that she uses makeup as a means to express herself.
“Vitiligo awareness is something that is very important to me. At the end of the day I am just like everyone else, I just happen to have spots,” Deanna said.
“It’s a part of my identity, but it doesn’t define who I am. For there to be so many of us and so little representation, it’s truly disheartening. I work with CoverGirl; I’m a black woman; I have vitiligo. That is empowering,” she shared.
CoverGirl says they are committed to flipping the script on beauty by challenging one-dimensional beauty standards and celebrating what makes us each unique. Get into the empowering new video below.
How do you embrace your beautiful uniqueness?


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Fans have known for a little while now that Kung Lao, the hat-wearing Shaolin monk, will be in Mortal Kombat X when it releases later this year. However, there was no indication as to what Lao would look like in the upcoming title until now.
In a recent tweet made by Ed Boo, the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series, a screenshot of Lao beating “the KRAP” out of Scorpion can be seen. With his stylish, weaponized hat and a pretty snazzy outfit, Lao looks, quite simply, awesome.
— Ed Boon (@noobde) January 9, 2015
This is only one of Lao’s looks, as each character has three stylistic variations that players can choose from. Mortal Kombat X is set to release on April 14 for PlayStation 4, PS3, Xbox One, and PC. What do you think of the new screenshot? Is Lao everything you hoped he would be?


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New product leaks continue even after official confirmation of the new iPhone SE. The Twitter account L0vetodreamThe company has been able to obtain accurate data on Apple’s future in the past, he recently commented details about new products on Apple’s launch schedule.
According to that source we would have firstly a new iPad Air that would inherit a mini-LED screen from the rumors that have so far focused on the iPad Pro. It would still have Touch ID, but it would have a sensor behind the screen and therefore the Home Button would disappear from the device. Since the iPad Pro should be the first to be equipped with such a mini-LED display, this iPad Air would not be launched for a long time.
The same Twitter account also commented very briefly that Apple is developing your own game controller (notify that Apple Arcade is “very big for the future of Apple” and that we will see it this year or next year), and corroborates the rumors of some ‘AirPods X’ based on the AirPods Pro but that would eliminate the active noise cancellation and would be cheaper. From the same source, the rumors of the iPhone SE with an A13 Bionic processor and the new iPad Pro were correct, so even though we still consider them to be rumors, we can trust them with a minimum of reliability.
An iPhone 12 that would rather run out of ports than inherit USB-C
On the other hand, and more recently, the youtuber Jon Prosser he’s been busy, too. Aside from announcing that you may we have news about the hypothetical “iPhone SE Plus” soon revealed some more details about the iPhone 12 that we should see presented in September:
- They would still include Lightning port before switching to USB-C, since the plan is to move to no port in the case of the iPhone.
- Nor will they include a Smart Connector as some sources predicted, although does not rule out for a future port-less iPhone so it can be charged more easily.
- They won’t have support for the Apple Pencil.
- As we discussed in another article, will have a reduced ‘notch.
Jon also comments that this new model of AirPods would be ready by now to be shipped and therefore could be launched over the next month along with a MacBook Pro Upgrade. These are things that were intended to be announced in the hypothetical event in March that was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that the company may gradually launch separately.
All in all, it seems that Apple has more new features on the horizon than we thought for the next few weeks and months, contrary to what you might think due to the impact of the COVID-19 virus and focusing on the launch of accessories, which is what is currently driving revenue growth like crazy. We will continue to watch for more leaks.


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MVS has been a frequent customer of MDMT, purchasing its ultrasound probe replacement components.
MDMT designs and manufactures specialty medical ultrasound products for the OEM, third-party repair, and research markets.
The combination of MVS, Wetsco, and MDMT within Innovatus will ensure our ability to support customers and the imaging community.
Dennis Wulf, former president of Wetsco and chief executive officer of MDMT, will serve as chief executive officer of Innovatus Imaging and is a co-investor in the new company.
Michael LaBree, co-founder, chief operating officer and vice president, engineering of MDMT, will serve as chief technology officer of Innovatus Imaging.


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It’s not very often we get to have our very own press release but here it is! Hard to believe it’s been 5 years since we began this blog. We’ll put together a more reflective post at a later date but in the mean time, check out the press release below and consider joining us on Sunday, December 6th!!
Knox Beer Snobs and Knox Brew Tours Anniversary Celebration!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Knox Beer Snobs celebrates their 5th year and Knox Brew Tours celebrate their 1st Year!
Knoxville, TN. November 13, 2015 – Knox Beer Snobs will celebrate their 5th anniversary at the end of November and Knox Brew Tours will celebrate their first anniversary at the same time. “It’s amazing to think about how much the craft beer culture in Knoxville has changed in the last 5 years,” said Rob Shomaker, co-founder of Knox Beer Snobs. “It’s the booming craft beer culture that makes my business even possible,” added Zack Roskop of Knox Brew Tours, “I am truly humbled and grateful
Source: Knox Beer Snobs
Read the full article here.


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Imports of cancer-causing chemicals increase in the Maldives
A report by the Ministry of Environment Ministry on baseline chemical assessment has revealed that the imports for agricultural purposes have increased significantly.
According to the Ministry of Environment, the based chemical study was to show the chemical profile prepared by the Ministry in 2016 to determine the nature of chemicals imported into the Maldives from 2017 to 2021 used in different industries.
While the ministry has revealed some details of the report, the report says that chemical substances and products imported into the Maldives have increased year-on-year during the same period.
In 2021, chemicals worth MVR 10 billion were imported into the country. Of this, MVR 7 billion is contributed to oil imports for power generation
said the Ministry
According to the report, the imports of chemicals substance decreased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the number of disinfectants, medicines and plant foods imported into the Maldives increased that year. The report further finds that 14 different types of pesticides, classified as cancer-causing chemicals by the 'International Agency for Research in Cancer' were imported in 2021.
In addition, the increase of insecticides increased by 462 percent compared to 2017.
The report has revealed that the imports of cancer-causing chemicals such as asbestos and styrene used in boat building have also increased.
The Environment Ministry has stated that based on the findings of the report the government will get the necessary information to formulate policies to address the impact of waste and chemicals on the country's fragile environment, and human health.


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The Chevrolet Malibu was once an automotive icon, but its modern reputation is one for underachievement. A new 2016 model seeks to restore the storied nameplate with improved styling, more interior room and a new hybrid version. It debuts Wednesday at the New York Auto Show. Put simply, “the goal was to put Chevrolet back in the midsize car segment,” said John Cafaro, the brand’s executive director of car design.
In a crowded arena with 2.2 million sales up for grabs annually, Chevy has not been a player. Last year, the brand sold 188,519 Malibus, a six-percent decline from 2013, and fewer than half the number of Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords sold. Despite awards from J.D. Power and Associates and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Chevy knew the Malibu needed a big change.
New Skin, Lighter Bones
The redesign has been in the works for at least three years. Although the Malibu is still based on GM’s Epsilon 2 platform, the underpinnings are more derivative of the Impala than the outgoing model. The body structure makes greater use of high-strength steel, which helps reduce weight by 300 pounds.
Size is more Impala-like as well, with 2.3 inches more overall length and a 3.6-inch wheelbase stretch contributing to greater interior space.
A new skin covers the Malibu’s lighter bones, and design language from the Impala gives its sibling sedan a fresher, more upscale appearance. To execute this premium appearance, Chevy turned to 25-year-old designer Jaymer Starbody, a four-year General Motors veteran and graduate from Detroit’s College for Creative Studies. He described the new Malibu as having a “wheel-oriented” design, and the car looks poised to pounce from certain angles. Though the 2016 Malibu is the same width as before, designers stretched the creases and angles in the sheetmetal to create a flatter, sleeker appearance. The hood and cowl are lower, and the Malibu’s face sparkles with LED running lamps on the top trim levels.
Inside, the roomier cabin has a new center stack, satin chrome accents on the interior panel and a console storage area designed for mobile devices. Chevy MyLink with a seven-inch color touchscreen is standard on lower trims, and the top model upgrades to an eight-inch screen. Perforated leather seats and ambient lighting are also available options. The cabin was designed to look high-tech, but still remain easy to use, according to Chevy interior design director Crystal Windham. “We wanted to make sure all the functional elements stayed within reach,” she said.
Hybrid Leads Revised Engine Line
Propelling the Malibu’s new style forward is an updated powertrain lineup, led by a new 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It can achieve up to 27 miles per gallon in city driving and up to 37 mpg on the highway, Chevy estimates. The 1.5-liter has stop/start technology and is slightly more fuel efficient compared with the outgoing model’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four cylinder (196 hp, 186 lb-ft), which was rated at 25/36 mpg. The 1.5-liter is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The 2016 model also marks the reintroduction of the Malibu hybrid, using a modified two-motor drive unit borrowed from the 2016 Volt. The motors team with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and an 80-cell, 1.5-kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery pack. Electric-only propulsion is possible at speeds up to 55 miles per hour, and the Malibu hybrid is expected to earn at least 45 mpg in the combined EPA rating. With a total system output of 182 hp the hybrid is quicker than the 1.5-liter turbo variant, and can sprint to 60 miles mph in 7.8 seconds. Though the Malibu hybrid and Volt share some genetics, the electric systems are calibrated differently: the Volt is an efficiency play, while the Malibu’s electric enhance power and performance. “We want to take advantage of the points of your drive cycle it is most efficient to run the engine,” said engineer Daryl Wilson.
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo continues, but is now paired with an eight-speed automatic in place of a six-speed. It’s less powerful and slightly more fuel-efficient that before. Chevrolet estimates this model will make 250 hp and 258 lb-ft, with fuel-economy ratings of 22 mpg city, 32 mpg highway. The current Malibut turbo is rated at 259 hp and 295 lb-ft, and gets 21/30 mpg ratings.


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Contract prices for NAND flash memory fell 3-5% in the first half of January, as demand has not been strong enough to digest the industry's capacity, DRAMeXchange reported.
DRAMeXchange estimated that shipments of OEM devices, such as smartphones, tablets and notebooks, are set to decrease 15-20% sequentially in the first quarter of 2014. Bracing for reduced orders from OEMs, NAND chip suppliers are looking to increase shipments to memory module firms, causing chip prices to trend downwards, DRAMeXchange said.
However, many module firms are cautious due to the high inventories they currently hold, DRAMeXchange added. Contract prices for NAND flash chips will continue to drop at a moderate pace in the second half of January.
NAND flash contract prices may see a larger decline later this year, as seasonal factors will negatively affect sales of memory cards and drives, eMMC and SSD devices, DRAMeXchange said. The gap between supply and demand will widen to about 4-5% later in the first quarter of 2014.


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TikTok’s resolution to let customers add longer movies is a great transfer, specialists say. They observe that this opens up the spectrum for creators to make content material in numerous methods, but it surely doesn’t essentially imply that TikTok’s platform is now going to be higher than Google’s YouTube Shorts.
Last week, TikTok announced it will be rolling out the power to add movies as much as 10 minutes lengthy for everybody worldwide. The new video restrict is accessible on each cellular gadgets, together with the best Android phones and the desktop website.
This is the second time the corporate has elevated video limits; the primary was in July 2021, when it allowed customers to add as much as three minutes.
Social media guide Matt Navarra says in an interview that this isn’t a stunning transfer by the corporate. He provides that it is good and logical because it “gives people much more creative space to do different types of content or actual shows or the headroom to make longer pieces of content, which they wouldn’t be able to do with the current limits.”
Interestingly, Navarra says that whereas this is able to instantly compete with YouTube, it will additionally give TikTok a chance to compete ultimately with the likes of subscription companies like Netflix and Disney+.
But other than that, it locations TikTok on the identical stage, or no less than nearer, to YouTube, he says. Where YouTube has already succeeded is within the longer-form video, so now TikTok will be capable to correctly compete with the corporate.
What TikTok may need to think about, nevertheless, Navarra says, is a strategy to manage movies with totally different lengths.
TikTok could strive to herald a brand new viewers
Anshel Sag, a senior analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, says that including longer movies to TikTok’s platform is a “clear indication” of the need for long-form content material even on platforms like TikTok, which is particularly designed for shorter movies.
“Even with three-minute-long videos, there are still multi-part videos, which I think most users hate when there’s a story to tell,” he says.
“I think [TikTok] is moving in the opposite direction to [YouTube Shorts], filling a gap that TikTok believes that it has on the platform and finding a way to continue to enable growth. I don’t think it’s a particularly big growth driver, but I do think it will enable some creators to tell their stories better.”
Richard Lachman, an affiliate professor at Ryerson University and professional on social media, says TikTok is vying to increase its market, its customers, and the inventive prospects.
“There is, right now, some content that doesn’t ‘work’ on TikTok that must only live on YouTube. [TikTok] wants to be all things to all people,” he says.
That being mentioned, Lachman notes that TikTok and YouTube are two fully totally different audiences, and there may be nonetheless numerous individuals who don’t “get TikTok,” and those that do use TikTok are usually youthful.
“So the audience might not expand, but their existing audience’s time on-platform might increase,” he says.
Carmi Levy, a expertise professional primarily based in Canada, says that whereas YouTube is the originator of your complete on-line video market, it’s all the time been Google’s to lose.
“While TikTok’s ascendance among younger users has certainly made the space far more competitive than it was when YouTube was the giant in the room, recent experience shows creators seamlessly crossing over between both platforms, often cross-posting content and related commercial links to drive ad revenue on both sides,” he says.
Though TikTok has finished a terrific job at capturing that youthful viewers, he says YouTube has additionally succeeded in retaining relevance throughout its “admittedly broader audience, while also appealing to the new generation of TikTokkers as option B on their palette of preferred platforms.”
Neither YouTube nor TikTok is doing it proper or improper, there are simply extra choices now
While TikTok will get longer movies, and YouTube Shorts has shorter ones, the 2 corporations are getting into reverse instructions, but it surely doesn’t make yet another profitable than the opposite, Navarra says.
“I think they will both be successful, but for different reasons. I think YouTube’s already very established and has those options for creators to make money and for it to have all the creative tools in place. Its challenge now is building that vertical feed and trying to encourage its existing and new creators to create for Shorts. But it hs this challenge that it ultimately is not TikTok and hasn’t got that brand appeal and the vibe that being on TikTok has. That’s very hard to reproduce,” he says.
Where TikTok will discover difficult is attempting to retain individuals’s consideration span who’ve been conditioned to shorter movies on the platform, Navarra says.
That being mentioned, Sag believes that TikTok continues to be doing a significantly higher job amongst all of the platforms.
TikTok’s arguably higher algorithm might take successful with longer video kind
While each TikTok and Shorts have challenges in entrance of them with transferring in numerous instructions, Lachman notes that the place TikTok may undergo is with its algorithm, which up till now has seemingly been really good.
“One of TikTok’s biggest competitive advantages was that their recommendation algorithm seemed so good,” he says, including that short-form movies assist give information factors usually from each time somebody scrolls, pauses, likes, or swipes to see a creator’s profile.
“You have more chances to train the algorithm when there are shorter videos. By moving to long-form video, TikTok might lose that advantage — the ‘tempo’ of giving them data will slow down. This will impact their algorithm’s accuracy, their targeting models of users, and, if users notice, ultimately, their ad revenue,” Lachman says.
Levy agrees, including that the choice to make movies longer on TikTok was possible not a simple resolution to make, however the change opens up new avenues for TikTok to drive income for itself.
“It isn’t a decision to be made lightly, as it can potentially generate a significant impact on TikTok’s back-end infrastructure. But when you’re a global player with industry-leading growth stats and seemingly limitless demand from an entire generation for what you have to offer, you make the necessary engineering investments to meet that demand and stay ahead of the curve,” he says.


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2 March 2017
Renault upshifts Captur for Geneva
As the biggest selling model in its segment across Europe, it doesn't have much more to prove, but there's a more distinctive, even aggressive, front grille treatment.
The lights also get tweaking and the overall look is closer to big brother Kadjar. There are new 'skid plates' front and rear.
No less than seven interior personalisation packs will provide hours of discussion in the homes of potential buyers.
A fixed glass panoramic roof is available as an extra on upper trim levels.


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Mitsubishi Motors may become the first major Japanese car maker to withdraw from Europe, if plans to sell its production facility in Holland by 2013 go through.
The company is in its fourth consecutive year of declining sales in Europe and registered a Y11.4 billion ($143 million) loss last quarter on the continent.
Mitsubishi has been producing the Colt and the Outlander models at the Dutch factory since 1991, but has never gone up to reaching its 200,000 units a year maximum capacity.
“The Netherlands does not spring to mind as a hub of European automobile manufacturing,” says Paul Van Horn, an analyst who covers the auto market in Benelux region (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg).
“The NedCar BV plant is basically pretty outdated, and Mitsubishi imported almost all their components from Japan,” he adds. “Even before the exchange rate of the yen began to deteriorate against the Euro, it was a comparatively expensive factory for building automotives.”
Mitsubishi will start negotiating with the Dutch government a takeover of its share in the NedCar BV subsidiary. About 1,500 people work at the facility.


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The wait for the arrival of the Oculus Rift — which represents one of the biggest pushes for in-home virtual reality (VR) seen in quite some time — has been almost painful for some of those waiting, but day by day, the pieces of this impressive system seem to come together and, in all likelihood, will ultimately provide us with an amazing experience. That much has become quite clear with the recent announcement that Oculus plans to bring in the RealSpace 3D Audio engine from VisiSonics Corporation to serve as the system's audio backbone.
VisiSonics Corporation is regarded as a leader in the field of 3D audio software, and with the RealSpace engine behind it, the Oculus Rift will be able to present different sounds in a 3D space with incredible accuracy, thus allowing sounds to be perceived as coming from different points relative to the listener, a development that's nothing short of crucial for a system like the Oculus Rift that depends on a user's perception to make the whole thing work. Oculus made the announcement that VisiSonics was in on the action at its recent Oculus Connect developer conference, recently staged in Los Angeles to help bring developers up to speed on Oculus' progress.
RealSpace 3D Audio, meanwhile, is said to be the result of fully 10 years of research from the University of Maryland, working from a combination of room models, head-tracking systems and similar transfer functions, as well as how these various factors impact each other in the transmission of sound in a space. Ramani Duraiswami, VisiSonics' founder and president, believes that the company is “...at a threshold for physics-based personal audio rendering in virtual reality...” and as such was eager to join in with Oculus on the project. Oculus' CEO, Brendan Iribe, noted that audio was “...an essential ingredient for immersive virtual reality...” and as such, having VisiSonics involved would be a great way to augment the Oculus Rift's capabilities.
This will be quite a test for the RealSpace 3D engine. It's one thing to have audio move with video along pre-defined tracks — there's actually an interesting demo the company offers involving what looks like a tiny Apache helicopter — but this is going to be different. The sound will have to move with the perception, and that will be somewhat more difficult than static video. A sound that begins to the user's left will have to be able to move quickly to the front of the user when the user turns toward the sound in question, not to mention back should the user look in other directions; a sound isn't always coming from the direction one initially believes it is, so the user will likely look around rapidly to check for a visual to match the sound. That could prove to be quite a torture test for RealSpace 3D. But given how smoothly the audio seems to move in the helicopter demo, it may well be that RealSpace 3D can adapt to fast movement and make adjustments accordingly.
It's going to be a red-letter day when Oculus finally rolls out the Rift, and though that's still likely to be a few months out by some reports, it's still likely to prove worth the wait as the hardware and software—not to mention the audio, now!--come together to create a magnificently immersive package for users.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson
Wearable Tech World Home


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I’m Normally Not A Praying Man, But If You’re Up There, Please Save Me Supermanon October 31, 2012 at 9:45 pm
Today has been a strange day. First of all, it’s Halloween, which means I’ve spent a large part of the day resisting the urge to go door-to-door in a clown costume and pretend that the courts have ordered me to introduce myself as a sex offender, if only to make the exchange of candy all the more awkward and horrific. Second, with yesterday’s announcement of the Disney purchase of Lucasfilm and a new Star Wars movie in the works, it’s decidedly difficult to put aside the excitement and trepidation behind that announcement and focus on comics. And finally, it’s a couple of days after Hurricane Sandy hit the Boston area, and while we have our Internet service restored here at the Crisis On Infinite Midlives Home Office and are therefore, for all intents and purposes, back to pre-storm normal, the heart of the comics industry in New York is certainly not, which gives our personal triumph of speedy electronic pornography delivery a decidedly bittersweet tang.
But strange day or not, it is Wednesday. And even though the storm delayed the delivery of new comics until 2 p.m. today to my local comic store, where they know me by name and ask me to stop offering to show the paying customers my high-pressure microbursts, the new comics were delivered. Which means that this…
…means the end of our broadcast day.
But while it might be a weird day, it’s a good day for new comics. There’s Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s second issue of Happy, Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s new issue of Hit-Girl, a new Ultimate Spider-Man, the first issue of Marvel’s A+X, Ed Brubaker’s and Sean Phillips’s new Fatale, and perhaps most prominently, J. Michael Straczynski’s and Shane Davis’s original graphic novel Superman: Earth One, Volume Two.
But before we have time to write about them, we need time to read them. And we have the time, since being on the northern end of the brunt of Sandy, I only had to deal with the harsh reality of about 36 hours of being forced to jack off using only my imagination. A lot of people in New York and New Jersey are being forced to jack off to the memories of when their comic collections weren’t six feet under water, seven miles away. So if you have a minute and a few bucks, please consider texting the word “redcross” to 90999; it’ll show up as an extra ten bucks on your cell phone bill next month, which is when Grandma starts sending you your Christmas money anyway.
However, considering we already done done it, it means we can focus on the new books. So until we do…
…see you tomorrow, suckers!


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Quick on the heels of Flo Rida’s laughable attempt at carving out his own piece of the recently announced 20 billion dollar EDM market with Beamz, Armin steps in and releases the Phillips M1X-DJ, a scaled down version of DJ equipment he uses on stage.
This new piece of equipment looks like a portable boombox, with a dock equipped for an apple device. Above the speakers, the M1X has mini turntables and a mixer. The equipment is reported to be compatible with a number of DJ apps, will run for 5 hours on D batteries, and was announced for a retail price of $540 dollars, about 10% of the cost of full DJ equipment.
Armin was quoted as saying: “It’s close to how it is in real life, …Now it’s possible to have a decent piece of equipment, and actually learn how to DJ.”


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There's no doubt that Tesla has been a pioneer in the electric car industry, and they have made some impressive advancements in this field.
pic credit - motoriscuit.com
However, there is a new player in town who may be able to give Tesla a run for its money - Rivian.
Rivian is a relatively new company, but they are quickly making a name for themselves with their innovative electric vehicles.
So can Rivian beat Tesla? Only time will tell!
Rivian has already made a splash in the electric car world with their R-One SUV.
This vehicle is said to have a range of over 400 miles on a single charge, which is impressive considering that most electric cars only have a range of around 200 miles.
Rivian also plans to release an electric pickup truck in the near future, which could be a game-changer in the automotive industry.
Tesla has plans to release a pickup truck as well, but it remains to be seen if it will be able to compete with Rivian's offering.
It will be interesting to see how these two companies fare against each other in the coming years.
Rivian is off to a promising start, but Tesla has a lot of experience in the electric car world. Only time will tell who will come out on top!
Do you think Rivian can beat Tesla? Let us know in the comments.
You can visit our website to read more such stories and articles.


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Corona Becomes First Big Beer Brand to Trial Plastic-Free Rings
The plant-based rings will be piloted in Tulum, Mexico—Corona's homeland—at the beginning of 2019.
"The beach is an important part of Corona's DNA and we have been working with Parley to address the issue on the frontlines where plastic is physically accumulating," Corona Better World Director Evan Ellman said in the press release. "We also recognize the influence a global brand like Corona can have on the industry, and with the support of Parley, are pursuing scalable solutions like plastic-free six pack rings that can become a new standard to avoid plastic for good."
Corona is testing its rings made from "plant-based biodegradable fibers, with a mix of by-product waste and compostable materials," the press release said. If littered, "they break down into organic material that is not harmful to wildlife."
Six-pack rings have long been detested by environmentalists who warn that the material clogs our shores and oceans and could potentially strangle marine life.
Florida's Saltwater Brewery kick-started the ring reinvention two years ago with a compostable substitute derived from wheat and barley byproducts, meaning it could be safely eaten by turtles and fish. The project was a collaboration with Eco Six Pack Ring's, New York ad agency We Believers and a Mexican biodegradable manufacturer called Entelequia. The microbrewer's rings can now be found at Florida outlets such as Publix, Total Wine & More, Whole Foods Market, Lucky's Market and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.
In September, Danish beer company Carlsberg announced it is phasing out the plastic rings connecting its cans. The rings will be replaced with a glue that withstands cold temperatures and can be recycled along with the can.
Parley founder and CEO Cyrill Gutsch said in the press release that Corona is a "powerful ally in our war against marine plastic pollution—and in building the material revolution that will lead us beyond it."
"We share the goal of phasing plastic out for good, because we simply can't afford its toxic impact anymore," he added.
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Elliott Negin
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences' recent decision to award the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to scientists who developed rechargeable lithium-ion batteries reminded the world just how transformative they have been. Without them, we wouldn't have smartphones or electric cars. But it's their potential to store electricity generated by the sun and the wind at their peak that promises to be even more revolutionary, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and protecting the planet from the worst consequences of climate change.
The global population of the critically endangered Javan rhinoceros has increased to 72 after four new calves were spotted in the past several months.
Are tigers extinct in Laos?
That's the conclusion of a detailed new study that found no evidence wild tigers still exist in the country.
Methane emissions are a far more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide – about 28 times more powerful. And they have been rising steadily since 2007. Now, a new study has pinpointed the African tropics as a hot spot responsible for one-third of the global methane surge, as Newsweek reported.


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Samsung said today that its HomeSync Android-powered set-top box will be available starting Oct. 6 for $299.
The gadget will be on sale at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile locations, Newegg, Amazon.com, and Samsung.com.
Samsung first showed off HomeSync at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, but it's just now coming to market. HomeSync is basically like Apple TV for Samsung Galaxy owners, allowing them to wirelessly send content from their phone or table to the TV.
But the HomeSync also includes 1TB for storing and sharing digital content on your home network. It supports up to eight separate accounts and allows each user to quickly sync and share mobile content in real time, or select specific content to share. For example, if you take photos while on vacation, other family members can tap into HomeSync to view them on the TV or their mobile device. There is the option to keep things private, though.
HomeSync hooks to a TV via HDMI, turning any set into a smart TV, Samsung said. With 2GB of RAM, it runs a 1.7GHz Cortex A15 dual-core processor and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which can support a wired or wireless mouse and keyboard, Web browsing, YouTube, apps, games, social networking, and more.
"HomeSync is a powerful platform that we envision to be the center of a household's connected life," Nanda Ramachandran, vice president of emerging business at Samsung Mobile, said in a statement. "We saw an opportunity to create a companion device at home, that seamlessly syncs all of your mobile content wherever you are."
The HomeSync interface is similar to that of your Galaxy device, which can be used as a remote control. It will work with the new Galaxy S4, Note 3, and Note 10.1 2014 edition, as well as older gadgets like the S III, Note II, Note 8.0, Galaxy Camera, and other devices that use Samsung Link.
For more, see PCMag's Hands on With the Samsung HomeSync from MWC.
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Now is the time to invest in post Brexit Britain’s EV industry
By Richie Frost, Founder and CEO of Sprint Power
The EV race is on. From the 1st January 2024, UK carmakers will need to source 50% of their batteries and other EV components, either domestically, or from within the EU to avoid hefty tariffs being slapped on their exports. By establishing an entire EV supply chain domestically, we will not only create a viable and independent EV industry right here in the UK, but also attract investment and much needed talents. Global demand for low carbon technologies is only going one way, after all.
While European carmakers have been investing billions of euros in battery manufacturing plants, the UK is playing catch up in the race to develop a battery supply chain for electric vehicles. While the UK government focused a lot on encouraging research and building a battery testing hub, we are quite a bit behind our peers in continental Europe and Asia. With the UK planning to ban the sale of new ICE vehicles in just nine years’ time, there still remains a huge gap in our ability to meet our own domestic demand for EV batteries and associated components. Only government and industry investment will ensure we don’t get left behind in these early critical stages.
It’s no surprise that the businesses that manufacture products, systems and components associated with ICE vehicles have been affected the most with this change of direction, with many forcing to revolutionise their technologies and products, or downsize their operations. This is in stark contrast to the companies specialising in electrification and low carbon tech developments, many of which face challenges in recruiting skilled engineers quick enough. Sprint Power arrived at the right time to take advantage of this shift towards electrification. And as this trend continues apace, UK OEMs will need the expertise of companies such as Sprint Power like never before.
Growth and investment
The demand for power electronics and battery expertise within UK automotive has seen Sprint Power doubling its growth in a year. Our plan is to invest further to expand our resources and capabilities in 2021 to meet this country’s growing demand for advanced EV propulsion systems and related electrification solutions, helping to realise sustainable transportation and mitigate climate change.
But building the infrastructure to support the design and manufacture of world-class components is just part of the battle. We also need a highly-skilled workforce with the expertise to enable this to happen. According to the government backed Faraday Institution, a failure to build an effective UK EV supply chain could cost us more than 100,000 jobs by 2040.
It is true the UK faces a skills shortage. We urgently need a concerted, ongoing workforce development strategy to ensure the country has plenty of talents in various EV technologies and engineering practices to fulfil the government’s plan to stop the sale of pure-petrol and diesel models by 2030. When I was a student, the main focus for universities was the training of mechanical engineers for ICE vehicles. Today, this focal point has shifted to the training of electrical, power electronics and cell engineers, with these graduates being quickly snapped up by OEMs and start-ups alike.
It is my aspiration to explore and invest more time in building relationships with vocational colleges and universities to offer students and graduates real-world engineering experience in EV applications. I believe early exposure to first class training in the latest powertrain and battery technologies will also ensure our next generation are fully aware of the opportunities within this growing sector and help develop a future workforce of highly specialised skillsets.
Attracting the best talent
While improving the skillset of our own workforce, it remains important that we can continue to attract and retain talents not only from Europe, but further afield too. We believe flexible working and diversity are key parts of our organisational culture and contribute to effectively operating as a fast-growing business, attracting the best talents and meeting the needs of our customers.
The possible disruption caused by the end of freedom of movement due to Brexit remains a concern, but I am hopeful that the new immigration system being introduced by the UK government will enable us to continue to recruit the staff with the skillsets we need. As a start-up, we have the flexibility and agility to react quickly to such challenges as we have set up our business with the infrastructures that allow remote working.
Even during the pandemic, we’ve continued to attract highly sought-after engineers because of the diverse range of projects that we work on. While power electronics engineers working for an OEM may focus on one project that may span the best part of a year, our engineers are drawn to us as we give them the opportunity to focus on everything from passenger and autonomous vehicle projects to marine and defence programs – it’s that varied.
Ever since forming Sprint Power in late 2018, I have seen for myself how the UK boasts an impressive talent pool with a passion for innovation. Now is the time to invest in ourselves so we can power forward to the next level. Let’s not waste this opportunity.


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|Bid||0.00 x 0|
|Ask||0.00 x 0|
|Day's Range||39.06 - 39.70|
|52 Week Range||35.98 - 55.76|
|Beta (3Y Monthly)||0.62|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||9.66|
|Earnings Date||Feb 4, 2020 - Feb 10, 2020|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||2.12 (5.35%)|
|1y Target Est||64.20|
FT premium subscribers can click here to receive Due Diligence every day by email. After a long affair with modern art, Steve Cohen is going downmarket. The hedge fund tycoon (pictured below) is in talks ...
At the head of WPP and Publicis, Europe’s ailing advertising empires, stand two executives placing starkly different bets on how to revive their businesses. Arthur Sadoun started at Publicis in 2017 and Mark Read at WPP a year later, taking over from commanding predecessors who had each served more than three decades at the companies. Both executives faced a similar and daunting challenge: to steer a sprawling network of creative agencies, public relations companies and media buying groups through an unforgiving digital age.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The punitive tariffs on French goods proposed by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are a disproportionate response to France’s digital services tax. But that’s what French President Emmanuel Macron gets for his impatience to be the first to tax multinational internet platforms without waiting for international organizations to agree on a coordinated solution.The proposed tariffs of up to 100%, which are likely to be imposed sometime next year after a public discussion, cover French cheeses and other dairy products, sparkling wine, cosmetics, handbags and porcelain with a combined trade value of $2.4 billion. Even if imports drop significantly in response to the harsh measure, the U.S. government is likely to collect more from the tariffs than France’s planned revenue from the digital tax of between 400 million euros ($443 million) and 500 million euros this year. The rationale for the U.S. retaliation is that the French tax is aimed disproportionately at U.S. companies. The levy of 3% revenue is imposed on companies with a global revenue of 750 million euros, of which 25 million euros in online sales comes from France, if they provide targeted digital advertising or intermediation services. That’s seemingly geography-agnostic, but French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has repeatedly referred to it as a “GAFA tax,” short for Google, Apple Inc., Facebook Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.Compared with a failed European Commission proposal for a European Union-wide digital tax, the French version appears tailor-made to exclude French companies. For example, the EU version set total revenue thresholds, which would have subjected French advertising group Publicis Groupe SA and retailer Carrefour SA to the proposed tax. Under the French arrangement, the thresholds only concern revenue from digital intermediation and targeted ads, exempting these big French players. Besides, digital tax payments can be offset against the French corporate tax, favoring firms domiciled in France.These U.S. arguments make a certain amount of sense. France, however, doesn’t just expect to collect the tax from U.S. firms. China-based Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Axel Springer SE and Zalando SE from Germany, Rakuten Inc. in Japan and France’s own Criteo SA are all among the 27 companies hit with the tax, according to the USTR. Sure, almost two-thirds of the affected companies are American, but the presence of European and Asian multinationals on the list makes the proposed U.S. response even more disproportionate than it would have been if France had only targeted U.S. internet giants.It’s unfair, but Macron’s France was asking for it.In December 2018, France agreed with more cautious Germany on a plan for the digital tax — to wait for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to work out a multilateral solution to the problem of internet platforms’ failure to pay taxes where they earn revenue. In the meantime, the joint Franco-German declaration urged the EU to agree its own digital tax directive that would go into effect in 2021 failing an OECD-approved solution. But when the EU failed to do that because of objections from Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, France decided to move unilaterally, promising to change its digital tax law if there’s ever an OECD solution. It was in such a hurry to be first in Europe to impose a digital tax that it made the levy, approved in July, retroactive to January — yet another irritant to the U.S.The rush was unnecessary. The OECD hopes to come up with a final version of its proposal by January 2020. It’s clearly in the final stretch of development; the version published in October is undergoing public consultations. Even if the U.S. rejects it, as Le Maire suspects it might, there is likely to be enough momentum for the EU to agree on a common solution. The main difference of the OECD’s approach from the current French practice is that it would tax profit rather than revenue, creating rules for allocating taxable profit among countries where it’s earned. That’s a far less controversial approach than France has taken.U.S. President Donald Trump says it’s not up to France to tax American companies; but with the OECD solution, the U.S. will get to tax European multinationals like ad-retargeting platform Criteo, too.The USTR has pointed out numerous shortcomings of the French digital tax. Perhaps most bafflingly, services that look identical to the consumer are taxed differently. For example, Amazon has to pay the tax on a sale by a small business using its platform, but not on a sale of its own merchandise. Uber is taxed as a digital intermediary, but a taxi firm with its own app isn’t. When legislation is rushed, it often ends up defying logic. The OECD’s cautious, lengthy process is meant to arrive at a result that won’t be easy for anyone to shoot down.Since the wait for this result is almost over, it makes little sense for individual countries such as Austria, Italy, Spain, Slovakia and a number of nations outside Europe to push out their own solutions. But they’re taking less of a risk than France with the U.S.: Macron just had to be the first to stick his neck out. Le Maire said on Tuesday that the EU would retaliate for any “new U.S. sanctions” — but it’s difficult to expect such a coordinated response when France’s unilateral action is at issue.There’s little doubt that internet giants, U.S.-based and otherwise, eventually will be taxed worldwide, not just where their headquarters are located. Some politicians may feel it’s not happening fast enough, but jumping the gun only creates unnecessary tension and hurts innocent bystanders such as the French makers of fine cheeses and champagne. France will be thankful to the OECD for the opportunity to pull back from its rash action when the organization’s tax proposal is ready next year — hopefully before the U.S. tariffs bite.To contact the author of this story: Leonid Bershidsky at email@example.comTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Melissa Pozsgay at firstname.lastname@example.orgThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Leonid Bershidsky is Bloomberg Opinion's Europe columnist. He was the founding editor of the Russian business daily Vedomosti and founded the opinion website Slon.ru.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
The J.M. Smucker Company is at it again, redefining modern creative excellence in the CPG category as it launches its new cinematic ad campaign for 1850® Coffee, featuring creative as bold as the 'contraband caffeine' itself. The centerpiece of the campaign is a cop dramedy, a two-minute short film which smartly blends creative storytelling and craft, with some pure, never cut, brand equity. 1850 Coffee is a brand with quality so high, so pure, it's questionable if coffee this good is even legal.
(Bloomberg) -- Masayoshi Son stood on stage in Tokyo this month and told skeptical SoftBank Group Corp. investors that making WeWork profitable is not only possible, but will be “simple.” Driving that confidence is WeWork’s Japanese unit, which is already in the black and will be the springboard for a new service that could help the embattled office-sharing company.While WeWork’s board was still deciding in late October between SoftBank’s $9.5 billion rescue package and an alternative from JPMorgan Chase & Co., Son spent two full days at the unit’s head office in Tokyo, poring over the books, according to people familiar with the matter. Even before the deal was approved on Oct. 22, SoftBank was working with WeWork Japan on a subscription service called Passport that it plans to introduce worldwide, the people said asking not to be identified because the details aren’t public.“Why do we think that WeWork is neither a quagmire nor a sinking business?” Son asked the audience at an earnings briefing earlier this month, before laying out his plan to cut costs and freeze growth at the co-working giant. “Japanese operations are in the black.”Altogether, Son has paid more than $10 billion for an 80% stake in WeWork, which is now worth less than half of that. The plunge in valuation from $47 billion to less than $8 billion and the implosion of its planned initial public offering in September comes at an awkward time for the Japanese billionaire, who is pitching investors on a second $100 billion investment fund. Reviving WeWork based on its model in Japan, one of only two markets where the company generates a profit, could help him counter a growing list of detractors.On Friday, WeWork’s executive chairman Marcelo Claure, outlined a five-year turnaround plan in a meeting with employees, with themes from the Japan strategy. He said the target is to become cash-flow positive by 2023 and geographic expansion would come in a measured and profitable way, according to people familiar with the matter. WeWork also introduced new leaders, including former CEO and chairman of Publicis Groupe SA Maurice Levy as interim chief marketing and communications officer, the people said.The new Passport service would give tenants flexible use of desks, community spaces and meeting rooms, amenities for which visiting customers currently have to pay extra. The service is a work in progress, but if adopted, WeWork aims to set aside a certain number of desks at all locations for Passport users, the people said. The move is aimed at increasing occupancy, the key to making locations profitable.WeWork Japan is also sharing data with SoftBank in a bid to better understand how its spaces are used. Staff at the two companies have met weekly to analyze desk utilization heatmaps and brainstorm about possible applications of machine learning in what is internally known as Project Pluto.Son, who has said his investment strategy is to focus on companies powered by artificial intelligence, is eager to move WeWork beyond its real-estate beginnings. Briefing analysts after last earnings announcement, SoftBank’s founder bristled at the suggestion that WeWork doesn’t match that profile. He said that he’s long pushed WeWork to make better use of its data, but progress has been slow. The company will now begin experimenting with AI in Japan and could be ready to introduce it more broadly in as little as six months, Son said.From the beginning, Japan was different from other WeWork markets. The New York-based company needed a local partner and co-founder Adam Neumann originally courted Mitsui Fudosan Co., one of the country’s biggest developers. After executives toured WeWork’s U.S. operations in 2016, the Japanese company said thank you, but no thank you, and started its own co-working service in Tokyo the following year.Neumann entrusted the job of breaking into the market to his brother-in-law and WeWork employee No. 5 -- Chris Hill. The way Hill tells the story is that he landed in Tokyo with a suitcase, $10 million and no real-estate connections. (He also brought his nephew Sam Robinson.) Over the next few months, with a core group of employees working out of the living room in his posh Roppongi Hills residence, they had a win -- Mori Building Co. agreed to lease two floors in its Ark Hills complex and a penthouse space at a recently opened building called Ginza Six.WeWork Japan was founded in 2017 as a 50-50 joint venture with SoftBank. The Japanese company was initially largely a silent partner and Hill’s familial connection to Neumann shielded him from interference from New York headquarters, allowing WeWork Japan to build and price spaces differently.Hill was particularly strict when it came to giving discounts. While other regions frequently gave as much as 30% off to lure clients, Japan’s reductions rarely reached 10%, according to one executive. That created tensions with New York, which had to explain to clients why using WeWork in Tokyo was going to cost them more. But the discipline paid off. The Japanese business had the highest margins and within 20 months had expanded to 21 locations across five cities.Spokespersons for SoftBank and WeWork Japan declined to comment. Hill, who stepped down shortly after Neumann himself was removed as chief executive officer in late September, didn’t respond to messages.It remains to be seen how far Japan’s success can be reproduced in other markets.WeWork entered Japan when office vacancy rates were near a decade low. The supply has tightened since to around 1%, a level not seen since the 1990s, allowing landlords to raise rents, while requiring a deposit of as much as a year’s rent.While Son has ordered a halt on new building developments, WeWork Japan still plans to open three new locations next month and another seven in 2020. Son said occupancy rates for 15 Tokyo locations average over 90%, though the number is considerably lower for neighboring Yokohama and offices in west Japan.Moreover, SoftBank itself has been a big contributor to that high level of occupancy. The Japanese conglomerate and its subsidiaries take up about 20% of WeWork’s office space in Japan, the people said. Over the years, WeWork pushed its locations worldwide to attract corporate clients because those contracts are more lucrative and stable. But Japan had a higher proportion of enterprise customers from the start, beating the 40% global average.“What has been unique about Japan is that they got to a high tenancy ratio very quickly and didn’t over-commit in terms of growth,” said Chris Lane, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. “The element that isn’t unique is that this business is scalable at high occupancy. In the rest of the world, they need to stop expanding and let the spaces fill up and then they will become profitable too.”For staff at WeWork Japan, being thrust into the center of attention is a mixed blessing. Many local employees came to the company to escape Japan’s stultifying corporate culture and are nervous about the prospects of a SoftBank takeover. But at least they don’t have to worry about losing their jobs just yet.On the evening of Oct. 18, WeWork’s employees worldwide received an email saying that layoffs were on the way, but they would be “humane.” Half an hour later, staff in Japan got an encrypted message from Kazuyuki Sasaki, Hill’s successor, telling them not to worry: Japan is doing well and no one is getting fired.To contact the reporter on this story: Pavel Alpeyev in Tokyo at email@example.comTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Edwin Chan at firstname.lastname@example.org, Adam Majendie, Peter ElstromFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
New Meow ReMix Campaign Provides a New Sound to the Brand that Cats Continue to Ask for by Name ORRVILLE, Ohio , Nov. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Meow Mix®, the brand cats still ask for by name, is reimagining ...
Publicis Groupe wins AXA's advertising creative partnership as well as strategy and media buying in four of its key markets Paris, November 5th, 2019 – AXA has chosen.
WPP reported a return to quarterly organic sales growth for the first time in over a year on Friday, with a new strategy from boss Mark Read helping the world's biggest advertising company to attract talent and win more work. The British company, which has been hit in recent years by major client losses in North America, said despite the improving trajectory it maintained its cautious 2019 outlook because there would be twists and turns ahead. Read, a company veteran who took over from founder Martin Sorrell last year, has merged agencies and changed incentive schemes to provide a more streamlined service after clients complained that the owner of Ogilvy, Grey and Finsbury had become too unwieldy.
Hopes for progress in trade talks between the U.S. and China as well as the U.K. and the European Union gave a lift to European stocks on Friday.
European shares were on a tear on Friday as a surprise breakthrough in Brexit negotiations drove UK-focused London-listed companies and the Irish index about 4% higher, while German shares logged their best day in nine months. JP Morgan's UK domestic plays index, which was created in 2017 and tracks about 30 UK stocks that make all or most of their revenue at home, ended 7.7% higher, its best performance on record.
Shares of Publicis Groupe plunged 11% as the French advertising group said organic sales fell 2.7% during the third quarter, worse than consensus forecasts which were around flat. The full-year organic revenue growth forecast for a 2.5% drop also was worse than consensus expectations. Rival WPP also lost ground, falling 4%.
Shares in Publicis tumbled on Friday to their lowest level in more than seven years after the world's third-biggest advertising company cut its full-year sales target again. Publicis was down 13% in early trading on Friday, also dragging down the shares of British rival WPP . Publicis was at its lowest level since July 2012.
Publicis' chief executive Arthur Sadoun appeared under pressure on Thursday following a second cut to the full-year sales target of the world's third-biggest advertising group. The change in company guidance reflected yet again the hardships that traditional ad groups face, with revenues being squeezed by competition from Facebook and Google as well as tightening budgets by major clients. Sadoun, who succeeded company veteran and current chairman Maurice Levy in 2017, has promised to offset the decline in ad spending by steering the business closer to consulting groups and offering clients technological tools on top of traditional creative marketing campaigns.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- In the glossary of business jargon there’s a term beloved by financial analysts but that journalists find especially grating: the “equity story.”It’s the sort of non-speak that can be explained far more simply: Why should you invest in a given company? That’s something that WPP Plc Chief Executive Officer Mark Read, an operations guy, has yet to answer adequately when it comes to the firm he took over a year ago from Martin Sorrell, something of a finance wonk.The task should sit at the top of priorities for John Rogers, the retail executive appointed as WPP’s new finance chief on Tuesday. That’s not to say that Read hasn’t been busy since taking the helm of the world’s largest advertising holding company. He’s clinched deals to sell assets worth 3.6 billion pounds ($4.4 billion), merged divisions to cut costs and improve efficiency, and stanched some of the revenue declines in North America. The share price has recovered to outperform archrival Publicis Groupe SA since Read announced 2021 growth targets in December.But the London-based company’s shares are still trailing its other major peers — Omnicom Group, Interpublic Group and Dentsu Inc. — when compared to expectations for earnings a year out. Investors are hungry to understand just how WPP’s new guard will translate all of that action into solid, durable growth.Read’s predecessor Sorrell had a seemingly straightforward formula to deliver just that. He promised investors annual earnings per share growth of between 5% and 10%, a pledge he tended to keep until recent years. He did so with a personal recipe of strict targets for organic revenue growth, profitability improvements, stock buybacks and acquisitions and a little sugar on top, a 50% dividend payout ratio. The approach kept shareholders happy and the stock steadily ticking upwards for years.Echoing that formula isn’t realistic in the current era. A shift toward digital marketing on platforms such as Google and Facebook and the incursion of consultancies into the advertising market means dependable revenue growth is far harder to realize. And knuckling down on costs can make it yet harder still. In an attempt to keep the focus clear, Read changed WPP’s bonus policy to place greater emphasis on sales growth than profitability improvements.Rogers, who will join from U.K. grocer J Sainsbury Plc where he had been CFO for 6 years, has a difficult act to follow at WPP. Paul Richardson had a lower public profile than Sorrell, but he led WPP’s finance operations for 23 years. The firm generated an average return of 10% a year in that period.Rogers’s more recent background running Sainsbury’s Argos general-merchandise retail division, which it acquired in 2016, should serve him well, according to media consultant Alex DeGroote. It’s given him valuable experience integrating businesses and managing a vast property portfolio. But a lack of experience in the advertising industry and in North America mean he’s unlikely to be tasked with fixing WPP’s operations in the U.S. and Canada, where revenue declines have dragged down the rest of WPP.His main role will therefore be to help Read crystallize a realistic vision for the company that can reinvigorate investors. Optimism is currently muted: analysts’ average 12-month target price is just 8% above the level at which WPP is currently trading. If Read is making the necessary operational improvements, Rogers needs to help turn that into a better story.To contact the author of this story: Alex Webb at email@example.comTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Melissa Pozsgay at firstname.lastname@example.orgThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Alex Webb is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe's technology, media and communications industries. He previously covered Apple and other technology companies for Bloomberg News in San Francisco.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
In order to justify the effort of selecting individual stocks, it's worth striving to beat the returns from a market...
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Publicis Groupe S.A. Madrid, September 10, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Publicis Groupe S.A. and other ratings that are associated with the same analytical unit. The review was conducted through a portfolio review in which Moody's reassessed the appropriateness of the ratings in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers.
Bold Colors Blend with Modern and Traditional Latin Imagery and Music In First-Ever National Ad Campaign, A Celebration of Café Bustelo Brand's Iconic, Authentic Roots ORRVILLE, Ohio , Sept. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ ...


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Faced with an astronomical repair bill, the owner of a 2013 Tesla Model S recently decided that he'd rather strap 66 pounds of dynamite to the vehicle and record it exploding into thousands of pieces than pay the cost to fix it.
What's the background?
Tuomas Katainen said his modified electric vehicle only worked as advertised for the first 900 miles he drove it. Then it started leaking water and producing troublesome error codes, Business Insider reported.
The Finnish native decided to have the car towed to a nearby Tesla dealership for inspection and see what could be done. A month later, the dealership informed him that the only solution would be to completely replace the entire battery cell. The job would cost him $22,000.
On top of that, Telsa would need to authorize the repair and no warranty would be offered, Katainen said.
So, rather than paying half the cost of a new Tesla to repair an old one, he opted to trash the vehicle instead — in an extremely unconventional way.
Mies joka räjäytti TESLANSA!! Tesla Model S & 30kg dynamiittia.youtu.be
What happened next?
Katainen contacted demolition experts from one of his favorite YouTube channels, Pommijätkät, translated "Bomb Dudes," to help him dispose of the vehicle.
The "Bomb Dudes" jumped at the opportunity and carted the Tesla out to an old quarry in Jaala, a remote village two hours northeast of Helsinki. There, they strapped it with 66 pounds of high-powered explosives and set up cameras to capture the blast in slow motion.
Just before the detonation, a dummy with Tesla CEO Elon Musk's face was flown in on a helicopter to operate the vehicle as it met its fate. Then the crew retreated to a blast shelter, Katainen pressed the button, and the car was no more.
A short pause was followed by a massive flash-bang as a charge ran along the detonation cord and the dynamite sticks erupted in fire.
Tesla's standard warranty for a Model S covers eight years or 150,000 miles, but Business Insider noted that it "may be voided if the battery is opened or serviced by anyone not authorized by Tesla" and that it doesn't cover "damage resulting from intentional actions," such as modifications.
In Katainen's case, the exorbitant cost of a battery replacement effectively forced him to give up on the vehicle and at least get some enjoyment out of its demise.


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Increasingly more and more people are turning to the Internet to follow events happening in the world. Many news websites offer extra coverage of events such as CES, the Detroit Auto Show, and holiday parades. Believe it or not those sites don’t always offer the best coverage of those events. With that in mind we’ve scoured the Internet and rounded up the best spots to watch videos from these events online. In some posts, we even tell you where to watch these events live and in often cases for free.
The Grand Slam tennis tournament of Wimbledon (June 25, 2012 – July 8, 2012) is grander than ever this year, at least for fans who hope to watch Wimbledon online. The world’s oldest tennis tournament, which kicked off Monday, June 25th is being streamed live online, free, and in HD. Of course, live matches are . . .
If you care what’s going to be on TV in the next day or two, look at an issue of TV Guide. If you care what’s going to be on TV in the next five or ten years, take a look at what went down at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show that took . . .
That shut-down, boarded-up Blockbuster video store is kind of a metaphor for the future of DVD and Blu-Ray movies. A new report shows that video streaming will surpass DVD and Blu-Ray discs as American’s favorite format for watching movies at some point this year. Thanks to popular video streaming sites like Netflix streaming video and . . .
If you want to change the world, take notice—viral web videos are the new weapons of mass instruction. In recent weeks, a watershed of online videos has done as much to influence political sentiment than advertising or traditional organizing. The controversial but remarkably successful “Kony 2012” video is one of many recent examples showing how . . .


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Why we are investing in Bumble, the dating app where women make the first move.
“Archaic gender dynamics and old-fashioned traditions still ruled the dating world, this led to all sorts of unhealthy dynamics that ultimately disempowered women and created unnecessary pressure for men”, Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO of Bumble on the dating culture.
Last week was abuzz with news of Bumble becoming a public company. Bumble is an unconventional dating app where women make the first move. It IPOed last Thursday with its price soaring as high as 77% and closed the trading day at $70.31, a 63% gain. Founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, 31, is the youngest female chief executive to take a company public in the US.
Why we are adding Bumble to our portfolio:
- Solid Growth Potential
Even though our goal is not explicitly about beating the market, we will not invest in a company with no growth potential. We believe in thinking like owners, which means we like to hold onto businesses that show massive potential for future growth. Bumble meets this standard.
A dating app that started in 2014/15 and under 7 years has grown to become the second-largest dating app in the US. It grew from a 10% market share in 2017 to 19% in 2020. A 90% growth between that period. We believe Bumble will continue on this trajectory, which would mean an increase in market capitalization and above-average return on investment.
Analysis by SensorTower
Speaking about what the next direction is for Bumble, CEO Wolfe Herd said: “we’re very focused on aggressive international growth”.
Having won the heart of her users in the US, we are confident that the mission of the company in the international market will meet great success as well.
Bumble’s ambition is beyond dating, it hopes to become “THE global women’s brand.” To that end, Bumble has been improving its product verticals.
In its S-1, under the growth strategy, Bumble said, “our brand and product are designed to encourage women to go after whatever they want, not just in love but in life and work as well.” It noted that this has always been the plan and as such it has built the flexibility required on its platform from scratch and mined data that will give insight and inform product development.
Bumble is in the early stages of building products for platonic friendships and business networking with its Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz, respectively. Bumble plans to begin investing in marketing and product and to develop a monetization strategy for Bumble BFF, Bumble Bizz and other potential new categories already. It will be exciting watching these ambitions unravel before us.
- Founder Led
Wolfe Herd departed Tinder, the number 1 dating app in the US to found Bumble in 2014, having accused her co-founder at the former company of sexual harassment and discrimination. Her deep understanding of the space and her commitment to a new vision of dating and beyond means she was instrumental in creating the two leading dating apps in the US.
Wolfe Herd, just like CEOs who have made a dent in the world, is hyper-focused on customers, growth, has great experience in the industry and with much more skin in the game. She’s driven by a sense of mission that we like and the clarity of purpose that we look for in every founder that we invest in.
If history is indicative of the future, companies who have towed this line end up winning the market and making a good return for their shareholders. Bumble could potentially 5x from where it is today. Which will bring its valuation to $70B.
“You are signing up for our very long road ahead of us to try and make relationships healthier and more equitable and to build a brand that resonates not just with women but makes connections better for everyone,” she said.
Data suggests that the market agrees with her mission and ready for the long ride as well. In the period ended 2019, research conducted by sensortowers revealed that Bumble is the fastest-growing dating app in the US. Bumble saw a 135% increase in terms of consumer spend on the app relative Tinder which comes second where consumers’ spent only increased by 62%.
Bumble is beyond the dating app. However, its dating app segment turned its first profit in 2019. It made a profit of $86 million on revenue of $489 million. Badoo, its segment which serves the Latin American and European market, became profitable in 2010, long before Bumble even existed.
According to its S-1 though, Bumble generated $377 million in revenue and a net loss of $84 million in the 9 months ended September 2020.
Bumble generates most of its revenue from core service offering via subscription and in-app purchases. Only 3% of revenue is generated from advertising and partnerships.
According to its S-1, for the nine months ended September 2020, their Annual Revenue Per Paying User (ARPPU) fell to about 4% YoY. Although paying customers within the same period increased by 30% bringing the total paying customer to 1.1 million.
Bumble has a lot of years ahead of as Wolfe Herd earlier noted. And with a laser focus on increasing product offering, customer satisfaction and improving operational performance, we expect ARPPU to continue to increase and consequently the revenue as a whole.
Execution risks remain and there are challenges ahead for Bumble in gaining and maintaining market share. But we believe Herd and the Bumble team can deliver the results.
That is why we added Bumble to your portfolio.
Get a managed investment portfolio at www.rise.capital


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"Minecraft" gears up to bring more surprises for the explorers of its Windows 10, Gear VR and mobile versions. As announced by Microsoft today, there will be a new update coming to add two bosses to the popular block-building survival game releases.
"Minecraft," the phenomenal hit game bought by Microsoft including its game developer Mojang for a $2.5 billion in 2014, have sold more than 106 million copies across all of its major platforms. According to reports, the Boss Update will come to a public beta test on Android today and will be released on mobile, Windows 10 and gear VR for free sometime this fall.
The "Minecraft" Boss update is believed to make "Minecraft" become consistently relevant as it will bring its several ports near to the feature set of its original version. In a press release given by Microsoft, the company stated that their objective is for each "Minecraft" version to have the complete feature parity with one another.
With the coming of the "Minecraft" update, the Pocket Edition and Windows 10 Edition are expected to be brought even closer. The company also challenged those people who claim that "Minecraft" is only a game about building things using blocks to try the game and take a dose of the upcoming two boss battles.
In addition, the Boss Update will also allow the players to enter slash commands on those versions. These appear like some kind of cheats, which allow the players to immediately summon a particular monster or inventory item just by typing in specific phrases.
"Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta" is expected to cost at around $10, while Java "Minecraft" will be available starting at about $28. For those who wish to have the two versions of the game, they can purchase Java "Minecraft" and use the free redeem code in order to unlock the "Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta." Watch "Minecraft" Boss update here.


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In the midst of the fall term during the COVID-19 pandemic, some U.S. universities are continuing the shift to remote learning while other colleges are only allowing 40-60 percent of students on campus.
From Reebok to Nissan and Cirque du Soleil, this approach has attracted some retail and experience giants.
Removing friction points in shopping and telling richer stories is key to delivering Integrated Brand Experiences.
With a need for retail that is less reliant on touch, creating immersive ways to test products has become stable stakes.
On the first episode of In Focus, Josh Brummett discusses the latest camera technology from Sony and Canon, the future of movie theaters, and the value of having a well-rounded background in the video industry.
As reopening begins, every industry the world over is looking for ways to re-engage with customers in ways that deliver the same impactful, memorable experiences they were accustomed to before the COVID-19 pandemic began...
Retail Refined is going live as host Melissa Gonzalez leads a panel of tech leaders that will explore the rebalancing of the physical and digital experience in the retail world.
Melissa Gonzalez explores how the lines between the physical and digital worlds continue to merge thanks to the possibilities of computer vision.
In a world of a pandemic, social distancing, and contactless customer experiences, interactive touchscreens aren’t generating engagement. Brands shouldn’t count out interactive experiences. Haptic and touchless technology could be


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Class 8 commercial vehicles see 15 percent annual gain in August, says ACT
Americas Commercial Transportation (ACT) Research, Co., LLC is the recognized leading publisher of commercial vehicle (CV) industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market.
September 21, 2010
Data published by ACT Research, a provider of data and analysis for trucks and other commercial vehicles, indicates that net orders of heavy-duty Class 8 commercial vehicles were up 15 percent year-over-year in August.
The firm said in its most recent edition of its State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Vehicles that for the three months ended August 31 net orders of Class 8 vehicles came in at 40,033—a 42 percent annual gain.
ACT Vice President Commercial Sector Steve Tam said in a statement that the “summer months tend to be seasonally low order months for Class 8 vehicles, but this summer has seen a stabilization of orders at a more material rate compared to the trough of 2009.
Tam added that net orders were particularly strong in Mexico, likely due to increases manufacturing and trade, as well as possibly benefiting from some “re-shoring” of manufacturing that previously occurred abroad.
This news follows a recent ACT release— ACT North American Commercial Vehicle Outlook— which is calling for full-year production of Class 8 vehicles to be up 26 percent—at roughly 150,000 vehicles—over 2009, with solid growth into 2011, too. ACT also said that commercial trailer production will increase by 47 percent this year.
“Based on our modeling and anecdotal evidence from truckers, it seems like the supply-demand imbalance, which has been tilted away from truckers for the last four years, has gone back to truckers…and we don’t see that abating,” said Ken Vieth, ACT partner and senior analyst, in an interview.
At current levels, Vieth said truck and trailer production is positioned to ramp up as fast as demand is. And with capacity still tight and current fleets aging in conjunction with a potential stretch of increased truckload earnings there could be some staying power for future truck production, he said.
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SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Maxthon (www.maxthon.com), a global software and web services company, announces the release of its newly optimized version of Maxthon Mobile for the BlackBerry Playbook. This launch brings the speed, security and ease-of-use of Maxthon Mobile, which is already a hit with Android smart phones, the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble Nook tablets, to BlackBerry's own operating system and hardware design. Users can download Maxthon Mobile for the Playbook at http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/98559/?lang=en
"The PlayBook is an innovative union of design and enhanced performance, giving users hours of entertainment and a replacement for traditional laptops. Maxthon Mobile is the perfect accompaniment for this tablet since it provides unmatched speed and performance," says Jeff Chen, CEO of Maxthon. "The PlayBook is ideal for reading and watching content and there's no question Maxthon Mobile's browser serves that need very, very well."
"Maxthon Mobile makes surfing the web a pleasure on the PlayBook, because it's designed to address the specific needs of a tablet browser," says Karl Mattson, GM of Maxthon International/Chief of Product Development. "For example, our PlayBook browser offers special, tablet-optimized advanced touch screen gestures and free cloud services that allow you move easily from PC to handset to your PlayBook.,"
"The ratings from PlayBook users suggests we're on the right track: Maxthon Mobile for the PlayBook is 5-star way to enjoy the best of the web."
With offices in the San Francisco, Beijing and Hong Kong, Maxthon Ltd. is an innovative software company and developer of superior web browsers which continue to set new standards for simplicity, speed and security. Each month more than 130,000,000 people use Maxthon's web browser in 120 countries across the world. Maxthon also brings its best-of-breed browsing to the Android platform for mobile devices and tablet computers. For more information about Maxthon please visit www.maxthon.com.
Download Maxthon Mobile for Android phones here:
Want to supercharge that desktop? Try Maxthon 3 for Windows PCs today.
Download Maxthon Mobile for 10" Android tablets here:


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Fred’s Pharmacy hosts Hero Hats program
By Ashley Cummins for the FCT
Since 2002, Fred’s Pharmacy has commemorated the fallen heroes of Sept. 11, 2001, though a fundraiser called the Hero Hats program.
This program serves local emergency teams in the Fred’s Pharmacy market area. Since the beginning of the program in 2002, Fred’s Pharmacy has raised and donated more than $2 million dollars to local fire, police and sheriff’s departments.
According to a press release issued by Fred’s Pharmacy, Inc., “Hero Hats” is a commemorative symbol and a Fred’s Pharmacy campaign that allows customers and team members to make a donation of $1 to support local emergency teams. District managers in each market area select the designated emergency organizations to receive the funding each year.
Victoria Smith, sales and marketing representative for Fred’s Pharmacy, said “Our Hero Hats program has been a way for us to commemorate the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, but also to continue giving back to the emergency teams that support our communities and save lives every day. We hope the emergency teams drew inspiration from the support in their communities and the money raised will be helpful to their needs. We are touched and inspired by the way our customers continue to show their gratitude by their involvement in this program.”
The campaign this year was a success, according to coordinators. Fred’s Pharmacy is donating a chain-wide total of $232,949 to local emergency teams across the region. In addition to all the $1 “Hero Hats” purchased over the course of the fundraiser, all operating profits from Fred’s stores sales on Sept. 11 were donated.
This is an annual fundraiser. Those interested in donating can look for Hero Hats throughout the month of September at any Fred’s location.


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The Iyaloja of Ekiti, Mrs Waye Osho, has advised market women including traders in the state not to open markets or shops in line with the government lockdown order to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the market leader gave this advice in an interview on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti.
She said that the closing down of the three main markets in Ado Ekiti by the Ekiti Government was a welcome development.
“It is a welcome development and we have to obey and support the government in its efforts to make sure that the coronavirus pandemic is chased out of Ekiti. Only those people still living, can be hopeful of tomorrow” she said.
She advised that everybody should buy and sell at the neighborhoods to obey the government order pending the time the nation would get out of the present situation.
The market leader also called for the support of market executives in ensuring that these markets remained shut and no one should open shops or stalls to sell anything for now.
She listed the affected markets to include the popular Oja Oba (King’s market),
(Bisi market) and Shasha market. (NAN)


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Sharp’s 1080p Android Jelly Bean phone priced, compared to Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X+
First seen earlier this month, the Sharp Aquos SH930W is the Japanese company’s only smartphone to have a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display. And, of course, it’s also one of the first in the world to sport such a screen.
We already told you that the SH930W would be released in Russia. And now we’re hearing it’s going to be available in Hong Kong, too, starting next month (December).
Sharp Hong Kong has put together some promo material that shows the SH930W next to some other high-end Android smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S III, Note II, and HTC One X+. Thanks to its 5 inch 1080p display (and the thinner bezel), the SH930W certainly looks more attractive. But Sharp should have compared it to the HTC Droid DNA – since this is the only one to also feature a 5 inch 1080p screen. Well, maybe next time.
The Sharp Aquos SH930W runs Android Jelly Bean, and comes with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and 32GB of internal memory. It will cost 4,488 HKD in Hong Kong – hence about $580. That’s significantly lower than the price for the Russian market (21,990 RUB – $712). It remains to be seen if Sharp will want to introduce the handset in other markets.