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NEW YORK, NY (July 27, 2017) – NowThis and Chase announced today the launch of “NowThis Money,” a personal finance and economic literacy channel for millennials—a collective 75 million people, age 20 to 36. A natural extension of the NowThis Brand, the channel will take a conversational approach in short, shareable videos focusing on topics of debt, saving, investing, career exploration and entrepreneurship.
Using the social video format pioneered by NowThis, exclusive category sponsor Chase will help existing and prospective customers make the most of their money.
"We’ve always been able to assess which new channels to launch based on our audience's engagement of category-related stories -- and NowThis Money is no different. This is a topic that is incredibly important to our younger community,” said Athan Stephanopoulos, President of NowThis. “We feel there is a very real gap, and subsequent opportunity, that exists in today’s media landscape in providing useful and informative content specifically targeted towards young people and their finances."
“We’re incredibly excited to team up with Chase to launch NowThis Money and go deeper into another area of interest we know our audience greatly cares about,” said Ben Lerer, CEO of Group Nine Media. “It’s certainly a new kind of brand/publisher partnership, and together we’re going to efficiently create awesome and engaging video content that we know consumers will love.”
NowThis Money will also feature upcoming Chase campaigns and sponsorships that highlight interesting, relevant financial content. The two brands will also co-host “Shadow Weeks” to share best practices in engaging a millennial, social-first audience with business and finance video.
“We think this is where the industry is going,” said Kristin Lemkau, Chief Marketing Officer for JPMorgan Chase. “Brands will work with next generation agencies like Group Nine that are both agency and publisher to create content people want to watch, not ads that interrupt and annoy them. We aren’t creating content for its own sake – this is the type of content that drives business outcomes, not just clicks or views. And it delivers on our brand promise to help people make the most of their money, not just sell product.”
NowThis is building an editorial team dedicated to the channel, complementing the work Chase’s Newsroom team has done on financial topics over the last three years.
“This partnership is another way we are testing and innovating into platforms and formats where our customers and potential customers spend their time,” said Brian Becker, head of Chase Brand Newsroom. “We created the newsroom to provide helpful tips and advice through content series of stories, infographics and videos. NowThis extends our focus into social video.”
NowThis creates news content for the social, mobile generation by informing, entertaining and inspiring its audience about what’s happening and important in the world right now. Launched in 2012, the company is the #1 video news brand on the social web in the U.S. with more than 2.5 billion monthly views. NowThis Money is the newest addition to the portfolio of now eight content verticals by NowThis, which include: News, Politics, Entertainment, Future, Her and more. Two new channels, Food and Sports, will launch this fall. In December 2016, NowThis joined forces with Thrillist, The Dodo and Seeker to form Group Nine Media.
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.6 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves nearly half of America's households with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: 5,200 branches, 16,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone. For more information, go to Chase.com.


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Many of the salesmen I rode with while working on a Coors truck during my college years were Korean War vets, but the majority of the managers were World War II vets. Likewise, the sales manager at Schepps Distributing during my tenure was a bomber pilot during WWII. These vets were all professionals and very hard workers.
While VP of sales with Coors in San Antonio, the president of the company was a retired Air Force colonel (later promoted to brigadier general) and former astronaut, the 10th man on the moon. In addition, we had several employees in the sales department who were Vietnam vets. A couple of them came to Coors of Kansas to work with me. Two of these vets were able to land jobs at AB houses in key positions. Recently I had the opportunity to work with some returning vets from Desert Storm and Afghanistan.
Last summer I was invited to participate in a fund-raising event at a golf and ski resort in the UP of Michigan. The golf tournament helped raise money to enable the purchase of adapted ski sleds designed to give special needs children the ability to ski. While there I had the privilege of meeting a gentleman by the name of Paul Jenkins, a Naval Academy graduate and former Navy pilot.
After leaving the Navy, Paul decided to pursue a career enabling vets the ability to find meaningful work. He came upon the idea of starting a craft brewing company that employed only war veterans. After doing quite a bit of research he started The Veterans Beer Company. Along the way he received support from many industry people, including Pete Coors, who provided technical expertise on brewing and helped with some potential distributor interviews.
Veteran, headquartered in Chicago, currently brews two beers: The Veteran, an American lager, and The Blonde Bomber, a blond ale. Both beers are contract brewed by other veterans. All of Paul’s employees are vets. The beers are currently available in only two states: Illinois and Indiana. According to Paul, sales are ahead of plan and Veterans has received wide publicity, being featured in national news reporting including Fox News and The Today Show. 2014 will bring plans to expand the company.
Distributors and retailers are swamped with all the new beers that have hit the market during this craft implosion. Decisions must be made as to which breweries a distributor will represent and those decisions are made given a number of key considerations. Regardless of what those key components are, there needs to be a story behind the beer. As a distributor, I could not think of a better story to tell my customers, or offer a beer with a more compelling story than that of Veterans Beer.
Visit the Veterans Beer website, www.veteranbeercompany.com and take a look at the company. When Veterans comes to your market, do what you can to help them. Douglas MacArthur said “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away,” but the beer industry can, and should, do our part to keep our vets from fading away.

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Chevrolet Camaro Bests Ford Mustang in Snowy January 2014
January 2014 was a pretty bad month for the American automotive industry in terms of sales due in part to the massive amounts of snow that pummeled much of the country but some of the most severely impacted vehicles were rear wheel drive muscle cars like the Chevrolet Camaro, the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Challenger.
Although Ford Mustang sales were actually up a bit from last January, both the Chevy Camaro and the Dodge Challenger had near-record bad months. I have been covering the muscle car sales race each month since the beginning of 2012 and over the course of the past 25 months – January 2014 was the second worst for the Camaro and it was the worst month for the Challenger by several hundred units. However, even with such an awful month for the Camaro, it was still able to beat out both the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Challenger to take the first step towards winning its 5th straight annual muscle car sales title.
In January 2014, General Motors delivered 4,733 units of the 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Camaro. As mentioned above, that was one of the worst sales months for the Camaro since being introduced for the 2010 model year with only November 2012 being worse when the company sold just 4,464 Camaros. While there are a great many factors which impact the sales numbers of muscle cars like the Camaro, the fact that most of the US was battered by Old Man Winter in January played a big part of crushing sales of most vehicles – with the likes of the Camaro being the hardest hit.
Fortunately, the Camaro still sold enough units last month to beat the Mustang by more than 850 units so just like the Camaro has done in each of the past few years, the GM muscle car started off the year with a big win.
GM is eyeing its 5th straight annual sales title in 2014 while also continuing the shutout that it has posted since being reintroduced for 2010. However, 2014 should be the toughest for the Camaro due to the coming arrival of the 2015 Ford Mustang so the mighty Camaro will need to build as much of a lead as possible before the next generation Mustangs arrive.
The Ford Mustang managed to beat its cross town rivals in terms of growth in January 2014 as it was the only one of the three American muscle cars to actually show positive growth compared to the same month one year earlier. In January 2014, Ford sold 3,881 Mustang coupes and convertibles. This marked an increase of only 145 units but with both the Camaro and Challenger having awful months – the Mustang was the only model to show growth last month.
Unfortunately for Ford, that growth wasn’t enough to allow it to beat the Camaro but at least there was some bright point for the Motor Company.
Ford can expect to see Mustang sales figures grow during the course of 2014 for a variety of reasons. First, some people don’t like the look of the 2015 Mustang and those folks are likely to snatch up the current 2014 models before they go out of production. Next, the new 2015 Ford Mustang will arrive at some point in the year and that new model is guaranteed to bring about a big rush in Mustang sales.
Finally, once the 2015 models beginning hitting dealerships, those businesses will be offering deeper discounts on 2014 models still on the floorplan. Ford ‘should’ see the best Mustang sales numbers in years when the 2015s beginning arriving around the country.
Last and technically least is the Dodge Challenger…again. The Pentastar and Hemi powered Challenger is always in third place in the American muscle car race but with 2,458 units sold last month – January 2014 was one of the worst months ever for the Challenger. This comes as a bit of a surprise considering the growth shown by the Challenger during the 2013 calendar year which included record highs in sales and while January is always a slow month for the Challenger…January 2014 was extremely slow.
Fortunately for all involved parties, the end of winter will lead to improved performance car sales. Unfortunately for all involved parties...the end of winter is a few months away and there is plenty more snow left to fall around the US.


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Discount coupons for an extra 3% off all MacBooks are joined for a few days by $25% off coupons on Otterbox iPhone 6 cases. Meanwhile, the $799 (11-inch) and $899 (13-inch) MacBook Airs have returned in a price match sale that students can use to their advantage to snag the same models for $699 & $799 at Best Buy.
A U.S. district court judge recently denied Apple's motion for summary judgment in a long-running case involving the use of digital rights management for content sold through the iTunes Store, opening the suit to move to the trial phase.
Security researchers recently discovered that more than 17,000 Macs around the world have been infected by a new OS X malware threat called "iWorm," which at one point used Reddit.com as a go-between to cull user data, perform various system actions and execute Lua scripts.
Apple CEO Tim Cook on Friday sent an email to Apple employees to honor the third anniversary of the passing of co-founder Steve Jobs, saying the late tech guru's legacy lives on through their work.
iPhone users with an oversized collection of pictures looking for help to shrink their photo library can turn to Flic, a new app that borrows from the popular dating service Tinder by allowing users to swipe right to save, and left for deletion.
Apple is reportedly planning to hold an event on Thursday, Oct. 16, to showcase the rest of its fall 2014 product lineup, which is expected to include new iPads with Touch ID fingerprint sensors, as well as a 27-inch iMac with Retina display.
Apple's iOS 8 update released last month has created major problems for users who connect their iPhone to their car's stereo system via Bluetooth, but there are indications that a fix may be on the way with the upcoming iOS 8.1 update.
Users have can greater control over their privacy with Apple's iOS 8 update, thanks to newly added options to hide individual photos, and to hide App Store purchases directly from an iPhone or iPad.
Increasing volatility in the U.S. stock market is being attributed in part to Apple bears on the options market, who have helped to keep America's largest publicly traded company at around the $100-per-share level.
Google Executive Chairman Eric Shmidt on Thursday responded to comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook referring to the Internet search giant's privacy policies, saying Cook is misinformed and that Google's systems are "far more secure" than anything Apple has.
True to form, Samsung on Thursday released a commercial touting the new Galaxy Note 4 phablet by capitalizing on negative reports criticizing Apple's latest iPhone 6 models for being too "bendy."
According to a report on Thursday, Apple is in talks with major music labels over content licensing price cuts to be applied to Beats Music, which could result in subscription fee drops some time next year.
Leonardo DiCaprio, who was previously in talks to play the lead role in director Danny Boyle's upcoming Steve Jobs biopic, has reportedly turned down the offer and will instead take an extended hiatus from acting.
Apple on Thursday issued the third beta build of iTunes 12 to developers and members of its Apple Seed program, bringing minor tweaks and backend enhancements to the stalwart media app.
Apple on Thursday announced to employees in a company-wide memo that it is expanding workers' benefits, including longer parental leave, an expanded donation matching program, subsidized student loan refinancing, and education reimbursement for all classes.
Though the company was said to be looking outside of its ranks to find a new head of public relations, Apple's longtime corporate communications employee Steve Dowling was reportedly named interim PR chief last week by CEO Tim Cook.
Users looking for fewer distractions on their iPhone, or those who simply want to provide a better look at their wallpaper, can choose to have a blank first home screen in Apple's newly released iOS 8 update.
Though it arrived later than expected, Pioneer on Thursday supplied updates for its existing NEX lineup of car stereos to support Apple's CarPlay. In addition, popular streaming music service Spotify also saw an update to its iOS application to add support for Apple's new car infotainment platform.
Deal seeking site Groupon on Thursday launched a new application dubbed Snap, which pays users cash back for purchasing specific items when at the grocery store.
Though the A8 chip was recently unveiled in the iPhone 6, Apple is said to already be lining up deals for next year's presumed "A9" processor, which will reportedly be manufactured with a 14-nanometer process by longtime partner Samsung.


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Florida Man Arrested After Exposing Himself At Burger KingA Florida man has been arrested after he exposed himself in public at a Burger King, according to police.
Burger King's Sales Rise Nearly 8 Percent Thanks To Return Of 'Chicken Fries'Burger King got a boost from the return of its "Chicken Fries."
(PODCAST) Stories We Missed w/ Rich Herrera, Suzy Stark and Jeff Pantridge
Police: Florida Homeless Man Arrested For Stealing Toilet Parts From Public RestroomsPolice say they've flushed out a man accused of stealing the handles and pipes of toilets in parks and restaurant restrooms around a Florida city.
Burger King May Move To CanadaSome Burger King customers are finding it hard to swallow that the home of the Whopper could move to Canada.
Burger King Offers Burgers For Breakfast Burger King has some new additions to its breakfast menu — its flame-broiled burgers.
The Top 10 News Stories Of 2013
The Current: Obamacare Navigators, In The Kitchen at Datz Dough, Ducks Unlimited, Donate $1 at Burger King to Benefit Military Families, Junior League Holiday Gift Market
Burger King To Offer 'French Fry Burger' For A Buck Burger King says it will start offering a "French Fry Burger" for a buck, as it looks to fend off McDonald's aggressive push for its Dollar Menu.
Burger King To DNA Test Its Beef After Food Processor Used Horse MeatAccording to a recent article in BusinessWeek, Burger King will test its meat to make sure it is 100 percent beef.
Whopper Of A Shift: Burger King To Use Cage-Free Eggs, Pork The movement by U.S. food corporations toward more humane treatment of animals experienced a whopper of a shift Wednesday when Burger King announced that all of its eggs and pork will come from cage-free chickens and pigs by 2017.
Burger King's New Menu Looking More Like McDonald'sThere are unmistakable similarities between Burger King's new lineup and the offerings its much-bigger rival McDonald's has rolled out in recent years. The Golden Arches already rolled out specialty salads in 2003, snack wraps in 2006, premium coffee drinks in 2009, and fruit smoothies in 2010.


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Less than a year after pulling its mild hybrids off the market, General Motors announced that it will bring back the less expensive hybrid technology. According to Larry Nitz, G.M.’s executive director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering, the carmaker is prepared to roll out the next generation of its mild hybrid technology on at least one mid-sized sedan next year. The new powertrain reportedly will be equipped with a lithium ion battery supplied by Hitachi, and will provide about four times as much power and will be 24 percent smaller and 40 percent lighter than previous mild hybrid battery packs.
Unlike a full hybrid system, a mild hybrid system cannot propel a vehicle on electric power alone. It only shuts off the gasoline engine when the car stops and then uses the batteries to restart the engine. The electric motor also provides a boost during acceleration.
When the Saturn Aura won “Car of the Year” at the 2007 North American Auto Show, and that model had a mild hybrid variant, it looked like G.M. might be getting ready to launch hybrids into its mainstream lineup. G.M. would eventually offer five mild hybrid vehicles: the Aura; the Saturn Vue Green Line; the Chevy Malibu hybrid; the Chevy Silverado hybrid; and the Buick Lacrosse EcoHybrid, which was sold only in China. But across all five models, the GM never produced more than about 15,000 vehicles per year and by summer of 2009, all had been canceled. (Beginning in 2009, Chevy switched the Silverado hybrid to a full-hybrid, its so-called “two-mode” hybrid system.)
Starting and Stopping
In June 2009, G.M. cited low sales as the reason for cutting the Malibu Hybrid.
When the Malibu Hybrid first launched, critics said the car didn’t deserve the hybrid name, because it only managed a 2-mpg jump to 24 in the city and 32 on the highway. The 2009 Malibu Hybrid managed a more respectable 4-mpg boost over the base-level Malibu. (Last year, G.M. dropped the entire Saturn brand, effectively killing the Saturn mild hybrids.) Regardless, consumers weren’t convinced to buy G.M.’s mild hybrid vehicles from either a value or fuel economy perspective. The Saturn Aura sold in the same price range as full hybrids like the Prius and Civic, which offered roughly 15 mpg more fuel economy. In order for G.M.’s mild hybrids to be competitive, it became clear that costs would have to be brought down and fuel economy gains would have to go up.
Back to the Drawing Board
From what little we know, G.M.’s new mild hybrid system seems more convincing. With increased torque and fuel economy gains of 15-20 percent, the outlook is significantly brighter than its predecessor. The new system is designed to be more versatile, allowing G.M. to attach it to a broader range of vehicles—including those with six-cylinder engines.
It’s not yet known which models might initially be fit with the system. Last year, Dan Hancock, vice president of powertrain engineering, indicated to reporters at the Geneva Auto Show that G.M. could be preparing to produce as many as 100,000 mild hybrids per year. That might just be a start. As federal CAFE standard gradually rises to 34.9 mpg by 2016, all automakers will be forced to find whatever means possible to increase fuel efficiency for all vehicle segments.
Given its investment and experience with mild hybrids, it makes sense for G.M. to bring back a new and improved version of the technology as a cost-effective way to increase fuel efficiency by 15 to 20 percent. However, it remains to be seen how G.M. will find a way to convince consumers to spend more money on these mild hybrids—especially because the cutting edge of green technology has shifted even beyond full hybrids to plug-in cars, such as G.M.’s own Chevy Volt. The key will be pricing: If G.M.’s new mild hybrids cost only a couple hundred dollars more than similar conventional models, while offering 20 percent better fuel economy, then the company might finally have the right formula for mainstream green.


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We're still feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health and government officials alike recommend the use of face masks to prevent the spread of the novel virus. In some states, like Florida, Pennsylvania, and Alabama, face masks are now mandatory in public spaces. With the required use of face coverings, many parents are raising concerns over the health risks involved with their children wearing face masks.
Infants Shouldn't Wear Face Masks
“Children under 2 years of age should not wear any face coverings including cloth masks, surgical masks, or face shields,” states the Centers for Disease and Prevention Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The risks are extremely high for infants when it comes to wearing face coverings.
- In general, baby's airways are much smaller and wearing a face mask makes it even harder for them to breathe
- Infants under 4-5 months are obligate nasal breathers, meaning they typical breathe through their nose rather than their mouth. Your baby could face breathing difficulty should their nose get stuffy while wearing a mask.
- Infants run the risk of suffering Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and suffocating if they fall asleep with a mask on, according to health official Dr. Nina Shapiro Forbes article
Toddlers and Older Infants Under 2 Years Old
As of July 2020, the CDC has not released any official regulations concerning children under 2 years old wearing a face mask. If you're able to get your toddler to wear a face mask (and keep it on), be advised there are similar potential safety risks while wearing a face mask. Though not as dire as the health safety risks of infants wearing face masks, they are still quite serious.
- Your child may not be able to communicate they're having difficulties breathing
- Some face masks are fitted with rubber bands and hair ties to help face masks stay on. These pose as a choking hazard for toddlers.
- Children may not be able to remove their face mask should they have troubles breathing with it on
- Toddlers and older infants may find the mask to be distracting, causing them to touch their face more so than usual
- There are no child-safe N95 masks approved
We understand parents everywhere want to keep their children safe and out harms way. Parents who choose to give their toddlers face masks should be aware of the safety risks, and ensure their children will be properly supervised.
Safety Tips For Infants and New Mommies
- Wash your hands before and after touching your baby's diapers, bedding, or bottles
- When taking your infant outside, cover the entire baby carrier with a blanket. Do not leave the blanket on the carrier while driving, or whenever you're not in direct contact with your baby
- Breast feeding? Wear a face covering and wash your hands before each feeding
- Pumping? Do not share your pump, wear a facing and wash your hands before using your pump, and thoroughly clean your pump after each use. Here's a guide on how to keep your breast pump clean.
Safety Tips For Toddlers and Children
- Teach your children to avoid touching their faces
- Keep your hands clean! Not just yours, but your children's hands too. Frequent hand washing with warm water and soap is recommended
- Can't wash your hands? Use hand sanitizer with 60% to 95% alcohol, as per CDC recommendations
- Clean and disinfect your home, focusing on high traffic areas that are frequently touched: doorknobs, toilets, sinks, light switches, tables
Social distancing is a critical factor in slowing the spread and infection of COVID-19. Limit you and your baby's exposure by avoiding extra trips to public space, and maintaining a 6ft distance from those outside of your home. Make sure to follow your local news for updates on COVID-19 in your area.
Love + miracles,


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Duabi: GMC closed out a solid year of global sales performance with a 3 percent increase in total sales year over year and 1 percent increase in retail sales year over year, for 2017.
Testament to the brand’s strong product lines, GMC sales in the Middle East were up by 26% at the end of 2017 versus 2016 results, with the Sierra, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL
model results highlighted a growing demand in the region for trucks and SUVs.
GMC achieved an all-time record Denali sales volume in 2017 — roughly one-third (29
percent) of GMC vehicles sold worldwide were Denali, GMC’s highest trim. The pinnacle of
design, performance and amenities, Denali also had its best month ever in December with
39 percent sales penetration. Four models achieved 30 percent or more in Denali sales for
the year: Sierra HD (50 percent), Yukon XL (63 percent), Yukon (54 percent) and Acadia
“GMC had an outstanding year and continued to demonstrate its strong position in the
broader GM portfolio,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global GMC.
“We introduced an all-new Terrain in a competitive and quickly growing segment, increased demand for the Denali sub-brand, and consistently delivered premium trucks and SUVs to our loyal and new customers who we know seek top quality and excellent value for their money.”
Commenting on the Middle East’s results, Sajed Sbeih, Head of Brand for GMC Middle East
said, “The end of 2017 gave us some impressive results that were helped by the arrival of
the all-new Terrain which has had a very positive reception in the market. These record sales volumes have also been boosted by the growing strength of the GMC brand in the
region. By further aligning our brand’s core values of living life to a higher standard and the
introduction of the ‘Like a Pro’ campaign, under the tagline ‘We are Professional Grade’, our
connection to the customer has been further bolstered and has yielded improved results.”
In 2017, quality was a top reason for purchase, with exterior styling as the second highest
reason for customers. The GMC portfolio is regularly honored with awards for quality and
customer loyalty. Most recently, GMC received the J.D. Power 2017 Initial Quality Study –
Best in Segment for Terrain and J.D. Power 2017 Vehicle Dependability Study – Top three in
Segment for Terrain, Yukon and Sierra HD. Additionally, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety honored the Acadia with the 2017 IIHS Top Safety Pick award when equipped with
the optional Driver Alert Package II. Yukon Denali XL also received a Loyalty Award from
SUVs were the highlight of 2017 for GMC, starting with the NAIAS reveal of the all-new 2018 Terrain. GMC also saw the reveal of the enhanced 2018 Yukon Denali, featuring a new
10-speed transmission and interior design elements; the 2018 Yukon Denali Ultimate Black
Edition; and the 2018 Acadia All Terrain with an available third-row option. GMC also celebrated selling its one millionth Denali since the premium-luxe trim launched with the
GMC Yukon in 1999.


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Published on Sunday, October 11, 2020
Indonesia’s largest OTA Traveloka has teamed up with local travel tech firm PT Atourin Teknologi Nusantara to offer virtual tours on its website.
As part of Traveloka’s Xperience tours and activities product offering, 15 virtual tours have been released.
To begin, virtual tours of Bali are available via Zoom, lasting 60 to 90 minutes, and priced from IDR50,000 ($3.40).
Viewers can interact with the tour guides presenting the tour and plan future post-pandemic trips.
One of the tours is ‘Negara: Uniqueness of West Bali; which showcases a relatively unknown part of Northwest Bali which is noted for its water buffalo racing.
“We’re also boosting the recovery of tourism as we’ll be connecting the virtual tours with artificial intelligence and big data marketing. Those who participate in the tours will receive recommendations from our app about where they can stay, how to reach the destinations, as well as the nearest restaurants,” said Terry Santoso, Traveloka Xperience’s Head of Marketing.
Atourin also organises virtual tour training for tour guides across Indonesia.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor


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Tata 1mg Turns Unicorn With $40 Million Fundraise
Tata Digital has acquired nearly 62 per cent stake in the online pharmacy startup
Tata-owned online pharmacy startup, 1mg, has reportedly joined the unicorn club after raising around $40 million in an internal funding round led by Tata Digital. Hereby, 1mg has become country's 107th unicorn.
The round also saw participation from existing investors MPOF Mauritius, HBM Healthcare Investments, KWE Beteiligungen and many others. The recent fundraise is said to allow the company to build up its play against the competition coming from Reliance's Netmed and PharmEasy.
As per reports, Tata Digital has infused over $30 million in the latest round. In June 2021, Tata digital has acquired a majority stake in 1mg. Recent reports said that, Tata Digital has acquired nearly 62 per cent stake in the online pharmacy startup.
Commenting on this investment, one of the close sources in a news report was quoted as saying, "The new financing has happened at a significant premium through the discussions were for a higher valuation before the markets turned choppy. This is also for the time being and the company will look to raise a bigger round later this year or next year."
Founded in 2015 and acquired by Tata Digital in 2021, 1mg is a digital consumer healthcare platform that makes healthcare accessible, understandable and affordable. It allows users to find information about medicines prescribed by doctors and also buy it. The company empowers Indian customers and caregivers to select the appropriate healthcare service at the best possible price, as per company website.
According to market studies, the India healthtech market is currently valued at $2 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 39 per cent to reach $5 billion by 2023.


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Wireless power is ubiquitous now. We use it to charge devices like electric toothbrushes, smartwatches, and earbuds, but most of us use it to charge our smartphones. What we’re talking about here is near field induction charging, and there are a few reasons it has finally taken off for phones in the last few years.
One of them is the Wireless Power Consortium’s victory over Powermat: the Qi wireless charging platform won, after a lengthy standards battle. The technology has also improved enormously – the first wireless charging mats delivered just 2.5 watts, whereas the latest spec allows for up to 15 watts. Then there’s the fact that Apple finally adopted Qi wireless charging in the iPhone range, joining Android manufacturers that have supported it for years such as Samsung, Google, and LG.
“Some companies are more adventurous and go faster,” Menno Treffers, founder and chairman of the Wireless Power Consortium, told Digital Trends. “Some companies are a little more conservative and a little slower.”
Near field wireless charging is thriving, but it still depends on fairly close contact.
Many of us have wireless charging pads on the desk at work or on the nightstand at home. It’s convenient and easy when you have time to charge, though you may still prefer to plug in when you need a burst of battery power in a hurry.
“It’s not an either / or,” Treffers said. “You need both.”
Qi wireless charging is also making inroads into infrastructure, with pads popping up in restaurants and trains. One of the big advantages is that wireless charging pads don’t require the same level of maintenance as USB ports do. Ports break with wear and tear, both in your devices and wherever you’re plugging in. Wireless charging can cut down on that, and there’s no evidence that it degrades your battery faster than wired charging.
The Wireless Power Consortium has its sights set on the kitchen next, with big wireless charging pads that sit beneath your worktop and can deliver 2KW to wirelessly power blenders or hotplates. This can help people when space is at a premium — and it may be the answer to the minimalist kitchens of our dreams.
The organization will also continue to push the upper limits of smartphone charging.
“For phone charging, it’s just a matter of increasing the power we can deliver while maintaining safety,” Treffers said.
But while near field wireless charging is thriving, it still depends on fairly close contact. What about sending power further?
Wireless power over distance is a nascent category but it constantly feels as though it’s on the verge of a breakthrough. Last year, we posed the question: When will your phone charge wirelessly in your pocket? The answer was “soon” … and we’re still waiting.
Having seen working demonstrations from Ossia — transmitting power to a phone case over a distance of a few feet to slowly charge the phone inside — we know that the tech works. Ossia recently partnered with case maker Spigen to bring this technology to market. At CES, Spigen CEO Daeyoung Kim said the company is hoping to release some kind of transmitter and power receiving case package by 2020.
“Power through the air has existed for a while.”
The problem is there are limits on the power that can be delivered, and that’s tied up with the difficulty of getting certification.
“Power through the air has existed for a while,” Treffers said. “It’s not technically difficult, but making it efficient is hard.”
The Ossia demo we saw involved a large transmitter sending out 10W and a receiving device that could pick up around 1W within six feet of the transmitter. Beyond that distance the charge dropped down to milliwatts and eventually microwatts.
When the power demands of the receiving device are very low (retail price tags, for example), you can safely and easily transmit power to them. A company called Powercast has developed several products, including e-ink retail tags that don’t have any battery inside and can be updated wirelessly. It has FCC approval because the power levels are very low, and it has managed to achieve a maximum range of 80 feet.
But what if the receiving device requires more than just a few microwatts of power? Charging a phone with 5W is considered slow nowadays, but to get anywhere close to that with wireless charging through the air, you’d have to transmit an enormous, possibly unsafe, amount of power.
“The efficiency is horrible, and you immediately get into issues with regulators on consumer safety,” Treffers said.
The FCC limits currently in place were not designed with wireless power in mind, but rather to keep wireless communication safe.
One of the biggest companies promising wireless power over distance is Energous. There was some buzz about FCC certification towards the end of 2018, but that was just for its near field solution, which is a lot like the Qi wireless charging we’re already using. More notable was the approval it won in 2017 for sending power over distance.
It may be useful for keeping fitness bands, headphones, or TV remotes charged up, but it’s not enough for phones.
While Powercast is certified under Part 15, which is designed for telecommunications devices and limits power transmission to 1 watt, Energous was certified under Part 18, which has no limitations on power or distance, provided it can be delivered safely. While there’s a theoretical difference there, for all intents and purposes there doesn’t seem to be a practical difference — yet.
At the moment, the amount of power they are delivering is measured in milliwatts. It may be useful for keeping fitness bands, headphones, or TV remotes charged up, but it’s not enough for phones.
Energous has partnered with Dialog Semiconductors to develop a wireless charging receiver chip, but beyond the near field charging, all we’ve seen so far is mock ups and concepts. Various wearable manufacturers seem interested and at least one big phone manufacturer is reportedly licensing the technology.
There have been persistent rumors that Energous is working with Apple, which the company has done nothing to dispel. But whether it’s Apple or another phone manufacturer, there’s no telling what they have in mind for the tech right now – it might not even be phone charging.
It’s worth noting that near-field Energous charging does have an advantage over Qi: It doesn’t require coil alignment, so antennas can be put in flexible material — think watch straps. You don’t necessarily need the same flat surface contact. While the trickle charge at distance wouldn’t be a big enough draw to persuade people to bite, if it works in addition to the near field, with the same chip, then it may be an easier sell.
There are many other players out there in the wireless charging landscape from Wi-Charge to WiTricity, not to mention uBeam, which employs ultrasound to transmit energy. But the longer it takes for someone to get a consumer product out there, the more our natural skepticism grows.
For wireless charging to deliver meaningful amounts of power over distance, it needs to solve the efficiency problem. We’ve already seen some beamforming, meaning the transmitter shakes hands with the receiver and fires power directly to it, rather than blasting out watts in all directions.
For wireless charging to deliver meaningful amounts of power over distance, it needs to solve the efficiency problem.
Still, even in ideal conditions, if you compare wireless power over distance to wired or Qi wireless charging, it’s very inefficient; you’re losing the vast majority of the energy you send out. While wired charging is somewhere around 85 percent efficient, Qi wireless charging started around 60 percent, but has now reached 75 percent and up.
Wireless charging over distance is more complicated because it drops off the further away you are, but we’re looking at somewhere around 10 percent efficiency at relatively close range. If you’re concerned about responsible use of power, that inefficiency is going to be a problem.
Safety is another big issue. The ability to direct power with beamforming techniques potentially makes it safer, because it can help the transmitter avoid firing power at people. But even if these companies can win FCC approval and certification in other countries follows, they still need to convince the general public that it’s safe.
When talking about this technology, one of the first questions we always get asked is about how safe it is, and that’s because it’s not intuitively safe. The convenience is a big attraction, but it will take time to convince people that there’s no risk.
We’re still excited about technology that can wirelessly charge the phone in our bag or pocket without any effort on our part, but there’s still no telling when we’ll actually see it in a product you can buy.
- The iPhone 15 may finally get reverse wireless charging — but I don’t want it
- Otterbox’s Folding Wireless Power Bank offers fast charging while gaming
- The best cheap wireless charging pad deals we’ve found this Prime Day
- OnePlus might cave to pressure and add wireless charging to the OnePlus 8 Pro
- Wireless power over distance creeps closer to your home at CES 2020


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Tesla will discontinue the Model S and SUV Model X at its factory in Tilburg. The carmaker confirms this after NU.nl’s earlier reports. Both car models were upgraded at the end of January, as a result of which the production process would have been changed to make it no longer possible to combine cars in the Netherlands. This has put nearly a hundred jobs at risk in Tilburg.
Another place within the company is looking for those employees. Tesla employs more than 1,500 people in the Netherlands.
The union FNV is already in talks with a US company over a community project. “There’s still a big gap between wanting to watch FNV and putting it on the Tesla desk at this point,” a spokesman said. “They are at a legal minimum with a small surcharge of 1500 euros.”
As for the union, it is not yet clear when the assembly will be adjourned in Tilburg.
The Assembly Hall for Electric Cars opened in 2015 in the presence of CEO Elon Musk. “Because transportation from California to the Netherlands is expensive and harmful to the environment,” it makes sense to produce where needed.
In Tilburg, Tesla is the driving force and the most important part: the battery. They are then tested in detail, riding on the test track of the building.


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Published on January 22nd, 2021 | by The GC Team0
New brands added to D.A.D portfolio
Gloucestershire-based distributor D.A.D has announced the inclusion of premium Italian appliance brand Bertazzoni in its portfolio, giving customers access to the brand’s high-end range cookers, built-in cooking, dishwashers and refrigeration products.
Customers are offered direct delivery, installation and WEEE scrappage, and reduced rates for those who purchase items for display.
The news follows an announcement earlier this week of an exclusive agreement with ESG: Eurosonic Group which enables D.A.D to supply Daewoo Smart TVs in the UK.
The products are due in February and available to pre-order now, and have been carefully sourced to include high quality features at a competitive price point.
Adrian Gillman, Chairman of D.A.D, commented: “The Daewoo brand has always been extremely popular in the electrical goods market. It comes as no surprise that they have been well received in the first week of announcing this news and we are receiving pre-orders already. They are listed on the new website along with our exclusive price list and we encourage our customers to get on board with this great new product.”
The new website Gilman refers to was launched at the end of 2020, and after a successful testing stage with customers it is now fully live, with positive reviews.
Ian Carpenter, Business Development Manager, said: “Our retailers have commented on the much-improved aesthetic and navigation of the new site and we are happy to say it’s much more user friendly.
“Customers can utilise an extensive range of filters to find exactly what they want, easily see what is in stock, and hide prices to use as a sales tool directly on the shop floor. It also has more information with regards to viewing account details, including previous invoices, outstanding orders and more.”


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RALEIGH – Nearly $4.6 billion was spent to buy groceries in the Triangle last year, and the battle to claim a share of those dollars is heating up.
Publix Super Markets, an upscale Florida-based grocery chain, is searching for anchor sites in the Triangle. The company has announced that it will open its first store in Charlotte in 2013. The moves represent the first forays by Publix, which operates 1,081 stores in five southeastern states, into North Carolina.
Publix has picked at least two Triangle sites so far, in north Raleigh and in Cary, for development, real estate sources say.
There has also been speculation that Publix could be negotiating to buy 14 Kroger grocery stores that will remain open in the Triangle after Kroger closes two of its least profitable stores in Raleigh in January.
To that, Carl York, advertising and public affairs manager for Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic division in Roanoke, Va., says the company is committed to strengthening its market share in the Triangle, which was about 9 percent in 2011, according to Chain Store Guide. Kroger has no other stores in North Carolina outside of the Triangle.
“Although we have announced the closing of two stores in January, we are still focused on operating our other 14 stores here in the Triangle,” York says, adding that Kroger plans to invest in four new fuel stations at existing store locations throughout the area in 2013.
Publix spokeswoman Maria Brous would not confirm the company’s plans to expand into the Triangle because it is company policy to wait until a contract is finalized before announcing a new location. She did confirm that the company is “actively looking for sites across the state.” Each of its stores employs 160 to 200 people.
Lakewood, Fla.-based Publix also plans to open a division office in Charlotte in 2013.
Publix is a fierce competitor in any market it enters, and it is expected to go head-to-head with Matthews-based Harris Teeter when it opens its first stores in North Carolina in 2013.
And Wal-Mart has been aggressively seeking new locations throughout the Triangle, especially for its smaller, grocery-based Neighborhood Market stores. With 24 stores in the region, Wal-Mart for the first time in 2011 claimed the No. 1 spot in grocery sales market share for both the Raleigh-Cary area and the Durham-Chapel Hill area, according to Chain Store Guide. It had 23 percent of the market share in the Triangle, followed by Food Lion with a 19 percent market share and 85 stores.
Wal-Mart opened its first Neighborhood Market in Cary in October, and it plans to open two others – one in Cary at a former Food Lion location on Harrison Avenue and the other in Morrisville at the Morrisville Market shopping center on Davis Drive – in early 2013. It is also planning to build another Supercenter store in Chatham County. Food Lion has not announced any plans for additional stores in the region.
“Clearly there’s some change in the winds,” says John Pharr of Raleigh, a top executive for Regency Centers’ Southeast division, which owns 12 shopping centers in the Triangle.
“Publix has pushed now into Charlotte, which is ground zero for Harris Teeter. They’ve also opened a division office in Charlotte and, like the military, when you have a division office it’s like setting up a major encampment,” Pharr says. “In North Carolina, the next major market that’s synonymous with Charlotte is the Raleigh MSA. I can assume they are scouting up here, but so is Wal-Mart.”
Pharr says that Regency Centers prefers to anchor its grocery centers with an “upscale” brand in a market, which for many years in North Carolina has been Harris Teeter or Whole Foods. But in Florida, Georgia and parts of Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee, Publix is the dominant upscale grocery chain. Harris Teeter even tried to compete with Publix in the Atlanta market in the 1990s but retreated and sold most of its Georgia stores to Kroger.
“Publix and Harris Teeter are two well-run grocery store chains,” Pharr says. “They have competed before and continue to compete in other markets, so this is the next natural platform.”
Harris Teeter plans to open three new stores in the Triangle in 2013, one in north Raleigh on N.C. 98, another at a Ninth Street development in Durham, and a third near Flowers Plantation in Clayton.
Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger, however, has been closing stores in the region and lost market share in 2011. Kroger shut down its store at Wakefield Commons in north Raleigh in mid-2011, and it plans to shut down two other stores in January, one on New Bern Avenue and the other on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Raleigh, due to poor performance.
Reporter email: email@example.com.


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After 30 years in business, Fotosource Photography is closing its doors.
The business had been based out of the River City Centre until April’s flooding, which caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to inventory, photography and camera equipment, and computers. The store moved to a temporary location in Gregoire, but most of the lost inventory at the original store was not covered by insurance.
“The economy had been a bit slow but we punched through it, then COVID hit and we snuck through that pretty well,” said Dan Sorensen, owner of Fotosource, during a Monday interview. “When the flood came and insurance didn’t cover us, there was just no way we could recover.”
Sorensen will still offer photography services from Speed Pro Signs in downtown. Some camera and photography equipment can still be found elsewhere locally, but the closure of Fotosource means Wood Buffalo has no dedicated store specializing in cameras and photography.
“People in retail are having an especially difficult time,” said Sorensen. “Businesses have to move on. They are having to decide whether to relocate and hope their customers follow.”
The River City Centre has not reopened since April’s flooding. Sorensen does not know what will happen to the other businesses based at the mall, but said many of them cannot wait much longer for the mall to reopen.
Kelvin Sawatzky, who has owned an art studio at the River City Centre for more than 20 years, lost roughly 40 years of photos and about 100 paintings in the flood. He has run his business from his home since the flood, which has been challenging since he no longer has a visible store front. Sawatzky does not know if he will return to the mall.
“I had a particular shop with a certain character to it and I will be disappointed if I am not able to provide that service,” he said. “But I’m not going to let my life fall into tragedy if I don’t have the shop.”
Downtown challenges undeniable, but WBEDC still hopeful
The past year has been hard on local businesses, as a combination of falling oil prices and COVID-19 forced dozens of small businesses to close forever.
Kevin Weidlich, CEO of the Wood Buffalo Economic Development Corporation (WBEDC), said the challenges in attracting and retaining businesses downtown are undeniable.
At the start of COVID-19 restrictions in March, Weidlich warned Wood Buffalo’s council that many local businesses would not survive the coming downturn. However, Weidlich says WBEDC has hopes for downtown and the local economy.
“There have been business that have expressed interest in the downtown core and many residents have expressed the desire to see the waterfront developed,” said Weidlich. “It’s time to start thinking of downtown in terms of entertainment and recreation opportunities or a place to really enjoy a day out.”
To help local businesses, WBEDC recently opened StartupYMM, a centre designed to help entrepreneurs network and develop skills. With the fate of office culture also steering downtown’s evolution, Weidlich said shared meeting spaces for people working from home could be ideal when in-person meetings are required.
The Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association (NAABA) has started fulfilling this niche from their new downtown business centre. The building includes communal workspaces for local Indigenous businesses.
Earlier this year, Wood Buffalo’s council has approved exempting new downtown commercial spaces from municipal property taxes for up to five years. The grace period starts once an occupancy permit is issued.
Councillors have also approved a $5 million program backed by the Emerging Issues Reserve to support renovations to downtown businesses. This could include building patios, structural improvements or adding public murals. How much each business would get depends on the size of the building and scope of the project.
During Budget 2020 talks in November 2019, council approved $30 million for building a waterfront park by 2025. Another $25 million is going towards downtown development during that same period.
A plan for what a revitalized downtown economy will look like, or how it should rebound, has yet to be debated publicly or approved by council.
“There are a few bright spots in an otherwise very dark situation,” said Weidlich.
-with files from Laura Beamish


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Times move on, and according to a survey led by the IPAF – the Intellectual Property Awareness Foundation – 10 out of 100 Australians have stopped illegally downloading movies and other content from the Internet. That leaves 27 out of 100 still performing online downloads that infringe on the rights of the copyright holders. The 10% who no longer do, say that once they did engage in illegal online downloads, but have since ceased their activities. Out of these, 67% did so because they feared that their computers would be infected with viruses; 65% found that the range of legal online downloads meant they no longer had to seek the illegal ones; 61% stopped because of ethical reasons.
Rather than downloading movies, it seems that the ones still downloading illegal content prefer television online downloads through popular sites that offer online streaming. Yet, despite this activity, there are several legal options available, also growing in popularity. Such options that offer legal online downloads include Netflix, Hulu and iView.
Interesting to note is that after downloading movies in illegal form, more Australians than in the previous year were then willing to pay for the same content – by other renting or buying the official DVD. As well, after downloading movies or watching the online streaming version of a TV show, more were willing to pay for streaming the show.
More than half of those surveyed claim that $2.99 is a price they would meet to download a TV show legally, rather than illegally. Of those who are downloading movies or watching online streaming at least once a week, however, only 22% were willing to pay. When the price was upped to $5.99 for downloading movies, the number willing to pay dropped to 48%, and the number of weekly downloaders willing to pay dropped to 19%.
The belief of IPAF is that after their ISPs intervene, people will change their behavior in regards to downloading movies and watching online streaming. So it might come to pass that ISPs will take a more proactive approach in warning their customers that such activities are both unethical and illegal. Apparently in the United States, such illegal online streaming is becoming less frequent, perhaps due to the wide variety of legal content that can be found. If such content is made more available in Australia, we might see a similar drop in the infringements of copyrighted material.


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For the last several years, industry experts have been sounding the alarm about password security. We’ve known for quite some time that one of the biggest weak spots in corporate security is the fact that employee passwords are notoriously weak. Millions have been spent on security education. Seminars have been held on the dangers of using weak passwords and using the same password across multiple websites.
Endless rounds of training courses have been held trying to ram the point home.
The result? Not much has changed. According to a recent survey conducted by Google, two out of three users surveyed are still holding firm, using the same bad password habits they were before all the money and time was spent trying to convince them of the errors of their ways.
It gets worse though, if you can believe it. A staggering 69 percent of survey respondents gave themselves an A or B grade for their ability to protect their online accounts, with 59 percent indicating a belief that they were better than the average person when it comes to keeping their accounts safe.
Other highlights of the survey include gems like:
- Less than a quarter of respondents said they use a password manager
- Only two thirds of respondents say they regularly update their OS and applications, even though 80 percent said they understood that such updates were crucial in terms of keeping their systems safe
- Only 32 percent of respondents could successfully identify all three of the following terms: phishing, two-factor authentication and password manager.
It’s a surreal landscape of results that reveals an enormous amount of wishful thinking, and of course, it’s an absolute bonanza for hackers around the world. With this data in mind, it’s a safe bet that 2019 will be another record-breaking year where successful data breaches are concerned. Brace for it.


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JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – According to doctors across Region 8, portion sizes have been getting way out of control lately. Doctor Mary Hartwig told said people are often surprised to hear just how little they need to eat in one sitting. Hartwig said individuals with no health problems oftentimes eat too much and by changing a little, they can live longer and healthier lives.
"We are kind of victims of our own success. That is to say in our society our food source and food supply is so safe," said Hartwig. "Eating all the time is just not a good idea. You totally lose track of what you're eating."
Hartwig said a 3 ounce serving of steak is all a person needs in one meal. Many times that steak is three or four sizes larger.
"The largest part of a meal is really your low starch, low calorie foods. That's really ideal," said Hartwig. "It's easy to lose sight of the fact that a lot of what we drink has a huge amount of carbohydrates in it. A carbohydrate is a food that breaks down to sugar in your blood."
Click here for more information on obesity in the United States.
Hartwig said an easy way to reduce the amount of food consumed is to only fill up one plate instead of serving the family in pots and pans. That allows people to eat from their plate, and second servings are based on choice. Another way to feed your family is to serve meals on smaller plates. Hartwig said the meals look larger.
"A piece of bread is a carbohydrate and the end product of the metabolism of that is going to be sugar," said Hartwig. "To put about two cups of sugar into a gallon of tea, that amount of sugar is the same sweetness as a soft drink. We're accustomed to that level of sugar."
According to Hartwig and Doctor Shane Speights, individuals watching their weight should reduce soda consumption.
"Empty calories that are in these soda cans and are in these sugar drinks and unfortunately, and parents don't understand this, if your child is under one year of age, they don't need juice. They don't need soda. They don't need tea," said Speights.
"If you drink a lot of that in the course of a day, you're going to have almost a days' worth of carbohydrate just in what you drink," said Hartwig.
"It's the patients' responsibility. It's an individual decision that everybody makes. Hey, this is really not the best for me. It's probably shaving a few years off my life and I should probably change my habits," said Speights.


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US professor criticises medicines with ‘few benefits’
Report hits out at ‘hyped-up’ new drugs
Drug companies were accused yesterday of conning the public by hyping-up patented medicines with little new to offer while downplaying their side-effects.
An estimated 85% of new drugs offer few if any new benefits while having the potential to cause serious harm due to toxicity or misuse, a study has concluded.
The author of the research delivered a damning attack on “Big Pharma” at a meeting in the US. Professor Donald Light described the pharmaceutical industry as a “market for lemons” – where the seller knows much more than the buyer about the product, and takes advantage of this.
For the full story, pick up a copy of today’s Press and Journal or read our digital edition now.


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The journey from Mian Textiles to Cordoba Logistics
What is the former textile mills company doing in the business of logistics and other ventures?
In the war between TCS and the startups, who will emerge the King of eCommerce logistics?
TCS has the infrastructure and the legacy. The startups have the technology. Who will win?
HBL and Pakistan Post join hands to further financial inclusion
ISLAMABAD: HBL and the Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD) have entered into a 20-year strategic alliance with an investment portfolio of Rs118...
Careem revises fares, days after changing ways customers can pay
Careem is on a roll! In an email message to users on Sunday, Careem has said that it is revising rates customers will...
Effective communications system vital for strong & robust economy: Murad Saeed
The Working Group will make rules for the logistics and transport sector, the minister said
Gwadar’s deep-sea port set for further expansion in January
Under the expansion plan, five new berths would be added to the existing three berths for handling bigger ships
DP World chairman says trade tensions will make 2019 challenging
DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators, was taking measures to reduce costs, and is addressing how it will manage a challenging 2019, said bin Sulayem


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The WhatsApp application currently has over 1 billion monthly active users. The number is growing quite fast and this is the reason why the developers of this application are continuously working on improving it. It is good to know that a popular application can lose a good amount of users because of a simple error or bug, so in order to make sure that all things go smoothly, this application is being updated almost daily.
The new WhatsApp version that has just been released comes with a feature that allows users to take selfies in the dark. Keep in mind that this new update is available on the WhatsApp BETA version for Android devices. While using this new WhatsApp BETA version, users will notice a front facing flash when taking selfies with WhatsApp’s camera. This works ONLY while in the WhatsApp’s camera, so if you are trying to do the same while using the phone app camera, it will not work.
When taking a selfie via the WhatsApp application, you will notice that a flash-like effect will be seen on the screen. This means that phones that don’t have a flashing light on the front camera, they will use the display panel for this effect.
You will also notice some new editing tools on the WhatsApp BETA version such as a new pencil tool or a text editing tool that allows you to draw on photos that you’ve taken with the app’s camera before sharing them with your friends on WhatsApp.
Unfortunately, there is no official news regarding the “Video Calling” feature, but we think that soon enough, the developers will bring it to the application. Rumors say that it will be firstly introduced in iOS, then later, it will make its appearance on Android.
Have you tested the latest WhatsApp BETA version for Android devices? Tell us your thoughts about it!


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Caught in the Middle of the Trade War
Yesterday, we told the story of President Trump’s trade war with China. Today, our colleague speaks with two Americans who have been feeling the effects of that war. Guests: Natalie Kitroeff, a business reporter for The New York Times, talked to Kevin Watje, a truck manufacturer in Iowa, and Eldon Gould, a farmer in Illinois. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.


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With the year starting with off with smartphone launches, having seen the Huawei Mate 20 Pro hit the shelves with the much lower-priced Huawei Y7 Prime (2019) expected to launch soon, Nokia has not been left behind as the Nokia 3.1 Plus has officially been launched in Kenya.
Priced at Kes.17,500 this budget device brings competition to a segment that is slowly becoming crowded. The battle lines have been drawn and everything now boils down to brand equity and a few specification differences – something that the Nokia 3.1 hopes will make it stand out.
The highlights here include:
- 6″ HD+ display
- 3GB RAM + 32GB internal storage
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- MediaTek Helio P22 processor
- 3500mAh battery
- Dual 13MP + 5MP main camera with an 8MP selfie shooter
The Nokia 3.1 Plus comes with an 18:9 aspect ratio which skips on the notch, a decision that will be a selling point to some as much as it has been proven that a majority of the population actually like the notch.
The software is also another important aspect of the device, as it is part of the Android One program and as much the device comes with Oreo out of the box, an Android Pie update is already available and as per HMD’s promise, the device is set to receive Android Q when it launches, so yippy!


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Predictions that consumers would punish brands for their perceived poor response to the Covid-19 pandemic appear to have come back to bite Wetherspoons and Sports Direct, although Tesco is in the unusual position of being both praised and slated for its performance.
So says a tracker study commissioned by shopper agency SMP, which canvasses more than 2,000 UK consumers, and shows that nearly half (44%) of UK adults have already changed their shopping habits.
Of those, one in six (16%) say they made the switch because they did not like the retailer’s response to Covid-19; rising to 26% of GenZers (aged 16-24) and 24% of millennials (aged 25-34).
The study noted that 50% also said they would go more often to certain retailers in the future because of how positively they responded to the pandemic.
At the top of the naughty step we have Sports Direct, followed by Wetherspoon and Tesco, while those getting gold stars are Tesco, followed by Asda and Amazon.
SMP group managing director Peter Martin said: “Covid-19 has shone a harsh light on the UK’s high street. In an age of Twitter and online news, shoppers have been able to gauge retailer reaction to this unprecedented situation in real time – and they’re letting their hearts lead their wallets.
“Some very big retail names have received acclaim for their swift reaction to the pandemic, especially with regard to how they treat key workers, while others have already been lambasted in the court of public opinion.
“What’s clear is that brand values and behaviour have become important in a way we’ve never seen before. People see how brands act when the chips are down, and many seem willing to change their shopping preferences accordingly.
“It is likely that Tesco’s sheer scale puts it on both the good and bad lists, with thousands of stores and home delivery options keeping people stocked with groceries during this difficult time, while also potentially leading to frustrations for some, over access to delivery slots and queueing.”
Back to the future: media consumption turned on head
Coronavirus-themed ads strike a chord with consumers
Crisis-hit consumers more willing to try out new brands
‘Seismic’ shift to push online grocery market up 33%
Online stampede is a mixed shopping bag for brands
Boom or bust: Online winners and losers of Covid-19
Micro-online shops get leg-up with new Whistl scheme
Covid-19 Britain: Bakers, creators, musos and DIYers


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The company says not to expect any surprises in terms of the new franchise's genre
Marcin Iwiński will take on a new non-executive role at the Witcher and Cyberpunk company
PlayStation Productions collaborations are "not unthinkable"
The Japanese Kadokawa Corporation owns the Elden Ring studio
Lance Reddick is doing new motion capture work for the PlayStation game
Halo Infinite has suffered numerous delays and cuts, which are potentially partly due to its tech
Sources claim an update of the 2017 game is in development, along with a multiplayer spin-off
The My Nintendo Store exclusive release is now targeting the first half of October
The expansion will introduce the game's first-ever race and class combination.
The Star Wars actor is generally believed to be the best Joker voice actor


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To bring people together for a better world, this late November, AB InBev Vietnam launched the scholarships named “Let’s go back to school” to support orphans during this hard time.
During the fourth wave, many children lost the love and caring of their parents, leaving them bereft and alone in the face of adversity, especially those coming from poor families.
|Anheuser-Busch InBev Vietnam collaborated with the Red Cross of Ben Cat town to sponsor scholarships "Let’s Back to School" for 38 orphaned children due to COVID-19 |
Responding to the call of diverse organisations to support children in need and following up on its commitment to provide meaningful support to the community in the fight against the pandemic, the Belgian brewer AB InBev launched the "Let’s go back to school" scholarship for 47 COVID-19 orphans. The children were selected from a list proposed by the Red Cross from Ben Cat town and the Youth Union from Tan Uyen town, with each scholarship worth VND10 million ($435).
|Truong Van Toan, head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at AB In Bev Vietnam and Dinh Ngoc Thuy Vy, Communications lead gave the scholarships to orphans in Tan Uyen town |
“We have met many children who were made orphans by COVID-19. They all have their own stories, and many come from poor conditions, from illiterate parents. More than anyone, these children need our support to overcome their losses, stabilise their lives, and become good members of society,” said Truong Van Toan, head of Legal and Corporate Affairs.
“Wtih these scholarships, we want to spread a sense of responsibility with the community, creating meaningful resonance, especially for the children in difficult places such as Tan Uyen and Ben Cat. This is proof of AB InBev's purpose of bringing people together for a better world,” Toan added.
|Founded in 1366, AB InBev has branches in many countries, with a team of 170,000 employees worldwide. |
Founded in 1366, AB InBev is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium and has branches in many countries, with a team of 170,000 employees worldwide.
The company currently owns more than 630 beer brands covering 150 countries. AB InBev is one of the five major fast-moving consumer goods groups in the world. Its global brands include Budweiser, Corona and international brands Beck's, Leffe, and Hoegaarden.


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June 24, 2022 - Sustainability Decoded Newsletter
EU’s Agreement on CSRD
Members of the European Parliament and EU Governments have struck a provisional agreement on the details for compliance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). For a bit of background, the CSRD is meant to update the 2014 Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) to include more detailed and accessible reporting requirements on ESG information.
The new requirements will apply to all large companies with over 250 employees and at least €40M turnover, whether listed or not. Companies will be required to report on their impacts to the environment, human rights, and other social and governance impacts using EFRAG’s draft European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which are open to public comment until August 8th.
This week’s agreement clarified that reported information on climate and human rights will be independently audited and certified. The EU leaders also agreed that non-EU companies with high activity in the EU market, defined by making €150M in annual turnover in the EU, will also have to follow these rules. Exceptions have been made for small and medium enterprises in the new agreement, with the possibility of these companies not being required to report until 2028.
Before the agreement is final, it is subject to approval by the European Council and the European Parliament. From there, here is the timeline for reporting:
1 January 2024 for companies already subject to the non-financial reporting directive
1 January 2025 for companies that are not presently subject to the non-financial reporting directive
1 January 2026 for listed small and medium enterprises (SMEs), small and non-complex credit institutions and captive insurance undertakings
EU Passes Carbon Border Tax
Along with the CSRD, the European Parliament this week also approved a proposal to implement a carbon border tax within the EU. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) would, for the first time, tax goods being imported into the EU based on their associated greenhouse gas emissions. The tax will be based on the EU’s price of carbon, which is currently around €85 per ton of carbon dioxide. Since EU manufacturers are already charged these carbon prices, the EU sees charging carbon border taxes on foreign manufacturers as critical to keeping the EU competitive. In the words of one European Parliament member: “If you want to sell your products in the EU, you need to pay for your pollution.”
CBAM currently is slated to apply to five major sectors: iron and steel, cement, fertilizers, aluminum, and chemicals. Unsurprisingly, it has been criticized by countries that export carbon-intensive products in these industries, namely Russia and China, where much manufacturing is done with coal-powered energy. Outside the EU, the U.S. and U.K. are considering carbon border tariffs of their own, driven by concerns about their own industries becoming uncompetitive. Earlier this month, Congressional Democrats introduced the Clean Competition Bill, which would replicate CBAM in the U.S. to discourage emissions and protect U.S. industry.
SEC Buried in Comment Letters
The end of last week marked the comment deadline for the SEC’s climate disclosure proposal, and opinions have been coming in from businesses, politicians, and others. More than 10,000 comment letters have been submitted to the SEC–far more than usual for an SEC proposed rule. Some letters fall in favor of the ruling, while others are concerned about costs, liabilities and reporting burdens (the SEC estimates that reporting for an average large filing company will cost ~$640K in the first year, then $530K per year afterwards).
Many sustainable finance groups, policymakers, and large businesses have written in favor of the proposal, with Harvard professor and former SEC general counsel John Coates asserting in this letter that the SEC’s proposal is “well within the Commission’s authority to adopt”, since it’s focused entirely on disclosure. Among the supportive commenters were 40 public companies such as Gap, UPS, and Salesforce, with Gap, for instance, writing in favor of the rule while requesting more clarity on the definition of materiality and other requirements. Other comments added that the rule did not go far enough on matters such as Scope 3 Emissions, like a letter from asset manager Generation Investment Management that contended it was “overdue for the SEC to require … the disclosure of Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions.”
Not all comments were so positive. The Financial Services Forum, a consortium of some of the largest American banks, wrote a letter saying the SEC should pare down its rules to be more “qualitative and principles-based, rooted in traditional materiality,” arguing that the current rules go beyond what’s material for investors to know. The Forum’s full comments also asked the SEC to nix its recommendations on the impacts of climate-related risks on financial statements, cut down its Scope 3 and scenario analysis recommendations, and delay the rule’s implementation by 2 years. Separately, BlackRock–one of the financial industry’s biggest outward proponents of climate-friendly business practices–asked the SEC in its comment letter to relax Scope 3 recommendations and reduce the number of required disclosures.
Why do all these comments matter? The 10,000+ comments the SEC is currently sifting through will help the SEC modify and fine-tune the requirements before rolling out the final rule as well as providing a window into the legal challenges the agency will face down the road.
Supply Chains in the News
Social issues in supply chain issues were in the news this week: The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act came into force in the U.S. this week, impacting various industries’ supply chains. The Act bans goods from the Xinjiang region of China in opposition to Beijing’s treatment of the Uyghur Muslim population, including human rights abuses and forced labor. Since 2017, as many as one million Uyghur and Turkic Muslim people have been detained in Xinjiang, as Chinese religious affairs officials seek to “break their lineage, break their roots, break their connections, and break their origins.”
This ban has serious implications for U.S. supply chains. With the Act in place, the U.S. has taken a “rebuttable presumption” that assumes all goods from Xinjiang were produced using forced labor, preventing any imports from the Xinjiang region. This goes beyond the previous ban on certain goods like tomatoes and cotton grown in the region, and has left China angrily denying all accusations. Polysilicon (used in solar panel production), plastics, apparel, footwear, electrical machinery and equipment, toys and sports equipment and vehicle exports are included in the ban.
Unionization at Apple
Workers at a Maryland Apple Store become the first for the company to unionize in the U.S. With a vote of almost 2 to 1 the employees at an Apple store in Baltimore join a growing number of labor movements across the country. The employees will now join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the international president of IAM Robert Martinez Jr. said “This victory shows the growing demand for unions at Apple stores and different industries across our nation.”
Unionization at Apple is part of a swathe of unionization happening across the US. At Starbucks, Amazon, REI, and Microsoft workers are coming together to fight for better pay and working conditions. While some companies like Microsoft have respected workers' right to band together, others like Starbucks and Amazon have taken retaliatory action.
Missed last week's Sustainability Decoded Newsletter? Check it out now and stay in the know: June 17, 2022.
© 2022 Persefoni AI Inc. All rights reserved. This presentation is the exclusive property of Persefoni and may not be copied or distributed, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Persefoni.
Persefoni is the leading Climate Management & Accounting Platform (CMAP). The company’s Software-as-a-Service solutions enable enterprises and financial institutions to meet stakeholder and regulatory climate disclosure requirements with the highest degrees of trust, transparency and ease. As the ERP of Carbon, the Persefoni platform provides users a single source of carbon truth across their organization, enabling them to manage their carbon transactions and inventory with the same rigor and confidence as their financial transactions.


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Windows 10 Mobile is finally available as a free upgrade to older Windows Phone 8.1 devices. After more than a year of testing the new OS through the Insider program, Microsoft finally began to roll it out to devices that didn’t originally came with Windows 10.
But as delighted as people are that the full version of Windows 10 Mobile is finally here, a lot of users are disappointed by Microsoft’s approach to delivering the update — especially after waiting for more than a year after more than a few false alarms. Now that the OS is finally here, users of certain Windows Phone 8.1 devices are shocked to find out that Windows 10 Mobile is not available on their phones.
As we reported last week, Windows Phone 8.1 devices with less than 1GB of RAM won’t be eligible for the upgrade. But it’s looking like some otherwise eligible phones didn’t get the upgrade either, models like the Lumia 1020, 925 and the 920. Understandably, people began to wonder if Microsoft had plans to change its policy and still deliver the update to these devices eventually as part of a presumed second wave of upgrades. One user asked Microsoft about just that on Twitter but unfortunately, received a negative answer.
@hpityu There are no plans for a second wave. ^JH
— Windows Insider (@windowsinsider) March 17, 2016
As Microsoft pointed out, the list of eligible phones is final and there won’t be any second wave of upgrades. This angered a lot of users who are now forced to either stick to Windows Phone 8.1 or switch their current device for a new one.
Here’s why you won’t receive the Windows 10 Mobile upgrade
Although Microsoft didn’t provide any details behind its decision to not deliver the upgrade to select phones, there may be an explanation after all. The main purpose of the Insider program on both PC and mobile versions of Windows 10 is to obtain feedback about system performance. Microsoft is guided by that feedback when it comes to developing every aspect of its operating system — including its decision on which devices will eventually receive an upgrade.
So at first glance, it may look like the Lumia 1020 can run Windows 10 Mobile without any problems. But, a lot of users have reported various problems with the device while running Windows 10 Mobile Preview, forcing Microsoft to decide to not deliver the free upgrade to the Lumia 1020. We assume that’s the case with other phones, as well.
Although we don’t have an official word from Microsoft on this, when asked why the Lumia 1020 won’t get the upgrade, Gabe Aul confirmed the theory on Twitter:
— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) March 17, 2016
So it’s obvious now: Microsoft would rather have Windows 10 Mobile only on devices able to run it smoothly rather than to force the upgrade to all devices and cause even more problems for users.
What do you think? Would you rather use Windows 10 Mobile on a device that isn’t able to run the OS smoothly and face various issues or switch to a new, Windows 10 Mobile-compatible phone? Let us know in the comment section below!


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Selling fake maple syrup may soon be a felony in U.S.
Two U.S. senators are sponsoring MAPLE bill making it a felony offence to sell fake maple syrup.
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The news that two U.S. senators are sponsoring a bill to make mislabeling a food product as “maple syrup” a federal offence rather than a misdemeanor is being applauded north of the 49th parallel.
Lori Burtt, a small maple syrup producer in Peterborough County, Ont., cheered the news. “All it takes is one person in the industry to ruin it for everyone else,” she said in an interview with the Toronto Star.
“I think as producers the integrity of the product is very important. You develop a relationship with the consumer and they expect you as a producer to make your product the very best and that does not include an adulterated product by any means.”
Two U.S. Senators took it upon themselves to sponsor the Maple Agriculture Protection and Law Enforcement (MAPLE) Act after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation revealed a Rhode Island man was packaging and selling a “maple syrup” that was actually nothing but the cheaper cane sugar syrup.
Currently this is a misdemeanor in the U.S., but under the new act — if it becomes law — bottling fake syrup could carry a five-year prison sentence.
Here in Ontario neither Burtt nor Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs inspector Paul Bailey had heard of any cases where fake syrup has been sold. Bailey said there have been allegations of such, but they didn’t prove to be true.
Ontario has just introduced new regulations prohibiting the sale of adulterated or contaminated maple syrup products in July, 2011. The regulations reference a number of federal acts which also regulate labeling, packaging and safety, he said.
The maximum penalty for misrepresenting something as maple syrup in Ontario is $25,000 for a first offence, $50,000 for a second or subsequent offence or up to two years in jail. How those penalties are applied is up to the discretion of the court, a provincial spokesman said.
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Fifteen years ago this month Nortel Networks’ shares hit an all-time high of $124.50 on Toronto’s stock market. It didn’t last.


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Somewhat shockingly Melon Kinenbi is set to release five colloboration singles in a rock style, the first will be with the well known group, BEAT CRUSADERS. The singles will be available only at Tower Records and through the fanclub website which means we can’t hope for any big sales figures. Mano Erina’s last indie single Lalala-Sososo was sold only at Tower Records and sold 600 copies – not actually too shameful.
It’s good to hear the girls are getting new material!
The first single with BEAT CRUSADERS will be released on 2009-06-24 and so far is untitled.
-credit: Totally Hello Project
Even though it's a exclusive single, it's still exciting to know that they'll be coming out with new material!!
Current Mood: excited


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The fast, high-capacity Wi-Fi that users have been enjoying for a few years in laptops is now due to hit smartphones and tablets in a big way, with two major Wi-Fi chip makers announcing products that use IEEE 802.11n with multiple antennas.
Networking, Wireless & VoIP
Ericsson is joining the move towards using smaller mobile base stations, announcing Ericsson Air (antenna integrated radio), which aims to reduce power consumption while expanding coverage to more areas, it said on Tuesday.
Qualcomm plans to demonstrate a peer-to-peer wireless technology that will let devices form "neighborhood-area networks" at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.
Nokia Siemens' Smart WLAN Connectivity Solution will free users from having to manually switch a device's data connection between Wi-Fi and cellular broadband, the company said on Tuesday.
Queensland University of Technology avionics engineering student Bryan Huang has unveiled a mini blimp that looks a lot like a shiny, floating doughnut. The blimp may find employment as a guide to help visitors find their way from reception at CSIRO'...
For IT professionals and network industry vendors alike, the events of last week represent a game changer regarding IPv6, which was developed in 1998 but has scarcely been deployed.
A critical juncture in history arrived this week as the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) assigned the last IPv4 addresses to the five regions of the world's Regional Internet Registries.
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has handed out its last IPv4 addresses, leaving the remaining blocks to regional registries that in some cases may exhaust them within a few months.
Egypt returned to the Internet earlier today by reversing the "kill switch" move it made last week when it withdrew router announcements, experts said.
A press conference taking place on Thursday in Miami is expected to mark the last allocation of internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) addresses by the central authority that assigns them.
The GreenTouch Consortium demonstrated its work Tuesday into how using large-scale antenna systems and virtual modems, along with splitting mobile networks into two parts, can help reduce energy consumption of operator networks by a factor of 1000.
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority has assigned two large blocks of IPv4 addresses to the Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre, activating a rule under which the agency will give out the last of its IPv4 addresses.
Africa will continue using Internet Protocol version four (IPv4) after the global supply is exhausted in coming weeks.
With the last IPv4 addresses about to be allocated, the good news is that IT managers -- at least in the U.S. and Europe -- don't suddenly have to get the next Internet Protocol working.
D-Link has launched a new Wi-Fi router designed for small and medium businesses. The D-Link DSR-500N Wireless N Router offers 802.11n Wi-Fi networking as well four Gigabit Ethernet ports.
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Our current financial crisis has spawned an astounding amount of state and federal legislation aimed squarely at the financial services industry. Legislators are determined to prevent us from making the same mistakes twice, and are vowing to protect consumers from what they refer to as "predatory lending". But how far should these new policies reach? At what point do we consider that government regulation has overstepped the boundaries of private business?
It seems that legislators have tried to tackle all of the financial sector issues at once. From Big bank bailouts, to corporate compensation, to an all out assault on short term lending. No doubt that many of these areas need further regulation and intervention, but it's important that we write laws that make sense for consumers as well as the entities that serve them. The general public will continue to need access to credit and it is imperative that we write smart policies that encourage responsible lending to responsible individuals.
Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA)
In October we saw this proposed agency clear a major hurdle. Its passage through the US House of Representatives moves it one step closer to becoming the agency that will take financial sector reform head-on. It will be responsible for rules regarding credit cards and other financial services products as well as the pursuit of sweeping changes to the short-term lending industry. But many feel that the agency's power will be too broad. And with a growing list of exemptions and loopholes, is this new agency truly protecting the consumer or will it cater to special interest groups?
Short Term Lending Changes
A major focus of the CFPA will be the continued regulation and possible elimination of the payday lending industry. This type of short term lending is considered to be "abusive" and "predatory" by many lawmakers and has been cited as a key reason Congress needs to create a separate watchdog for consumer financial products. Additionally, attention is shifting to the regulation of bank overdraft fees and other financial industry charges.
The current financial crisis makes it easy to see that we are in need of substantial industry reform. It will take our best financial minds to devise long-term solutions for our current issues. The only workable fixes are those that create a fair marketplace for both financial institutions and consumers. Above all, lawmakers must focus on the passage of regulations that get credit into the hands of people and organizations that need it.


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Boston’s Jessops store may be facing closure, following news that the company has gone into administration.
The photographic company has been in discussions for several days over the future of the firm, and The Jessop Group Limited has now entered administration. PwC has been appointed to lead the process.
Spokesman Rob Hunt said: “Over the last few days the directors, funders and key suppliers have been in discussions as regards additional consensual financial support for the business. However these discussions have not been successful. In light of these irreconcilable differences the directors decided to appoint
administrators and we were appointed earlier today.
“Our most pressing task is to review the Company’s financial position and hold discussions with its principal stakeholders to see if the business can be preserved. Trading in the stores is hoped to continue today but is critically dependent on these ongoing discussions. However, in the current
economic climate it is inevitable that there will be store closures.”
The company, which has a branch in Strait Bargate, has been experiencing ‘significant decline’ in the past year, and bosses predicted this downward trend would continue throughout 2013.
Around 2,000 members of staff currently work for the company and may be affected by the move.
In the meantime, it has been confirmed that Jessops will not be in a position to honour customer vouchers or accept returned items.


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- Tesla yesterday released a hardware update to its autopilot function which is likely to improve safety.
- Tesla is likely to report a strong quarter on the back of strong delivery numbers.
- The SolarCity deal will continue to be a drag on Tesla stock.
On Wednesday, October 26th, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) will announce the results of what has been quite an eventful and tumultuous quarter. Tesla stock is down more than 10% since the last earnings report, largely due to the increased risk from the SolarCity merger. Tesla shareholders are scheduled to vote on the deal on November 17th. There has been some good news too for Tesla. It reported strong delivery numbers for the quarter, and yesterday released a hardware update to its autopilot feature. The new autopilot is expected to make driving safer. In a release Tesla stated that:
"As of today, all Tesla vehicles produced in our factory – including Model 3 – will have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver,"
Musk also told the reporters that Tesla plans to do a cross-country ride from LA to New York "without the need for a single touch" by the end of 2017. This will put Tesla ahead of its rivals in the self-driven cars space. But its unclear how much the launch will help Tesla stock.
Tesla Will Report A Strong Earnings
Tesla is likely to report very strong Q3 earnings. It has already topped analysts estimates for vehicle deliveries in the third quarter. The company delivered 24,500 vehicles in Q3, of which 15,800 were Model S and 8,700 were Model X an increase of 70% from the previous quarter. The delivery numbers become more impressive when you take into the account the fact that automobile sales have remained sluggish in past few months.
Ben Kalo and Tyler Frank of Baird expect Tesla to report better than expected results. The consensus is for Tesla to report a non-GAAP earnings of $0.07 on revenues of $2.33 billion. The estimates represent more than 87% YoY growth in sales and a multifold increase in EPS. In the previous quarter, Tesla reported an earnings miss of around 100%. In fact, it has missed analysts estimates in 3 of the last four quarters.
Investors must watch out for Tesla's GAAP profitability and free cash flow numbers. Tesla hopes to be GAAP profitable in this quarter, which it has never been able to achieve. A positive GAAP EPS will be great news for Tesla investors. This is likely to be a good quarter for Tesla. In an email to Tesla employees, Musk had said that third quarter is likely to be the "best ever quarter in Tesla's history".
In a surprise announcement, Elon Musk had tweeted that Tesla will not be approaching market this year to raise funds. When pressed further he said that it is not likely to raise money in Q1 2017 either. This is contrary to what many analysts had expected and what even the company had indicated earlier. In a SEC filing in August Tesla had stated that it intends to approach the market to raise funds either through debt or equity. Even Elon Musk had in an email talked about the need to raise cash:
"Even more important, we will need to raise additional cash in Q4 to complete the Model 3 vehicle factory and the Gigafactory."
As we have noted in earlier posts, Tesla is a cash guzzling company, which is in great need of cash to fund its expansion plans. And many analysts still believe that Tesla will need to approach the market to raise money for its investment in the Gigafactory and production of the Model 3. Investors must watch out for any commentary related to its investment plans and cash requirements. Investors must also keep an eye on Tesla's free cash flow numbers and cash position. Investors should also watch out for any commentary on SolarCity merger.
Model 3 Timeline
Earlier Tesla stock fell more than 2% after CNBC reported that Tesla will start shipping its Model 3 only in 2018, instead of late 2017 as expected earlier. However, Tesla later clarified that 2018 delivery schedule is only for new orders. Old orders will be delivered in late 2017 as promised. Model 3 is a very important piece of Tesla story and crucial for Tesla to achieve profitability. And Tesla should ensure that the there are not many hiccups in production and delivery of this mass market product. Tesla already has around 400,000 order for Model 3. Investors should watch out for any timeline regarding launch and delivery of this product.
Tesla is likely to report a strong quarter on the back of strong delivery numbers. The company is expected to report its first non-GAAP EPS profitability in two years and hopes to report first ever GAAP profitability. The revenue growth is also likely to come in strong. All in all, it is likely to one of the best quarters for Tesla motors. But the shadow of the SolarCity merger continues to loom large on Tesla stock. Goldman Sachs had cut Tesla's price target to $185, in spite of raising revenue and earnings forecast, due to increased risk associated with the merger plans. Tesla stock will continue to remain a risky proposition till the merger issue is sorted out.
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