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warehouse payA Jakarta-based market, which brings wholesalers closer to retail stores and other buyers, announced that it has closed a Series B worth more than $100 million. The company says the round was oversubscribed, exceeding its initial target of $75 million. The funding was led by Asia Partners and Falcon Edge, with participation from Sequoia Capital India, Alpha JWC and Wavemaker Partners.
This brings GudangAda’s total to date to approximately $135 million. Its last funding was a $25.4 million Series A last year, led by Sequoia Capital India and JWC Alpha Ventures.
Established in January 2019, GudangAdda is now used by half a million SMEs and covers 500 cities in Indonesia. Before raising its Series B, it had already grown to $6 billion in net trading value on a $35 million funding. Major manufacturers and distributors on the platform chain include food products company Sido Munkul, spice maker Sasa and British multinational consumer goods conglomerate Reckitt Benckiser.
Prior to starting GudangAda, founder and CEO Stevensang spent more than 25 years in Indonesia’s rapidly growing consumer goods and retail industries. Over the past 10 years, Stevensang told Nerdshala that logistics costs in Indonesia have become among the highest in the world, affecting the entire supply chain, especially SME buyers.
GudangAda helps reduce operating costs by connecting major manufacturers, distributors and retailers, and handling almost all aspects of B2B shopping, including delivery. Its mobile app includes a point-of-sale system and can also be used to manage orders, track logistics, and make payments.
Stevensang said Gudangeda focuses on several things to make inventory easier for SMEs. One is optimizing inventory turnover to increase working capital for businesses on the platform. The company also provides market research and data for the products and gives retailers a large selection of goods. Being linked to multiple suppliers on a single platform, even small retail stores sell a large number of items, but do not have the purchasing volume to order directly from distributors to purchase inventory at competitive prices.
To keep logistics costs down, Gudangeda has partnered with third party vehicle and warehouse providers to build out its coverage throughout Indonesia. For its logistics partners, it provides transportation and warehouse management systems to help them digitize their operations.
Gudangada also partners with banks to provide working capital for SMEs, allowing them to apply for loans using their data on the platform.
The funding will be used to expand GudangEda’s product categories, which now include fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, packaging, homeware and stationery. It also plans to develop an AI-based tool that can provide personalized recommendations for merchant customers. For example, during COVID-19, the platform suggested how much disinfectant a store should stock.
In a statement, Navroz D. Udwadia, Co-Founder, Falcon Edge, said, “GudangAda is certainly the largest SME e-commerce marketplace in Indonesia with best-in-class metrics. Our research and stakeholders (principals, wholesalers) and retailers) has given us confidence in GudangAdda’s unique ROI and value addition across the ecosystem.”


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Paul Fredrick will be featured in an upcoming article from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution which discusses why some men are paying more attention to their wardrobes as a way to combat against employment uncertainty at their workplaces.
As the article mentions, many men are placing a focus on wardrobe staples: neckwear, suits and basic white or blue dress shirts.
“People are dressing up because they want to show the boss they are engaged,” said Tom Darrow, founder of Atlanta-based Career Spa, a career counseling and job recruitment firm. “They are dressing like they mean it.”
We have been hearing a lot of similar feedback from our customers. View our post, “10 Tips for a Successful Business Wardrobe” for more advice on this topic… Continue>>
Paul Fredrick’s VP of Merchandising, Dean White was quoted in yesterday’s WSJ. It’s a great article discussing how the color pink is going to be a leading color for Fall menswear. Dean discusses the increasing popularity of pink ties among Paul Fredrick customers.
Read the article online [WSJ.com]… Continue>>

domain: news


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I just read this excellent article by Lean thinker Michael Balle called “Waste-Free Capitalism.” Most Americans accept that capitalism is the best economic model for allocating scarce resources and maximizing wealth. Most Americans also know that it isn’t perfect. Waste — until recently — has been seen as a “cost of doing business” or using economic jargon, an “externality.” Then along came a Japanese car maker named Toyota, which is daily proving that you can make a profit and minimize or even eliminate waste such as pollution, scrap, landfill, etc.
I believe the government can do this too. While we are not in existence to make money, we do exist to provide value to our customers (the citizens of this country) and be good stewards of those taxpayer dollars entrusted to us to carry out that mission. Using process improvement tools such as Lean can help do just that.


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By Goddy Egene
PZ Cussons Plc has assured shareholders of consistent dividend payment, saying the company is well positioned to leverage emerging opportunities in the industry to boost its profitability.
The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Christos Giannopoulos, stated this when company’s board and management sounded the closing gong at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos last week.
He told journalists that PZ Cussons is one of the few companies that have paid dividends over the years, saying that policy would continue.
According to him, “as long as we paid dividend, it means the fundamental of the company and confidence of investors in the company is strong.”
He disclosed that the company currently imports majority of its raw materials, noting that if the suppliers could set up operations in the country, it would reduce the cost of production and increase its bottom line.
“The company is doing everything within its powers to attract our suppliers to set up their operations in Nigeria,” he said.
Giannopoulos said that the company is working hard to reduce the amount of foreign goods that comes into the country, adding that the firm has brought its associate companies and currently secured 26 hectares of land which allows it to produce palm oil in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria has a lot of raw material and the ability to create and not to depend on import products.
He said: “PZ Cussons has brought its associate companies and got 26 hectares of land plantation which allows us to produce palm oil in Nigeria. Nigeria was once the biggest. Palm tree in the world. So we are doing our part to be able to reduce the amount of foreign goods that Nigeria requires. The rest of our businesses are at growth stage and the old brands always looking to find the opportunities with the consumer as their taste are changing.
“As it stands today, we still import majority of our raw material, we are working very hard with our suppliers to attract them to come and set up their operations in Nigeria.”
He advised the government to be consistent with its policy, saying that would enable company to plan well.
“Business requires stability, the most important thing is for government to put in place policies or enforce policies on a long term basis,” the PZ Cusson CEO said.


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Black Widow’s final mission is now available for any and all Disney Plus subscribers to watch at no additional cost, as the streaming service has given the Marvel movie general access on the streaming service starting today, Oct. 6.
Black Widow, the final film featuring Scarlett Johansson’s popular Avenger, was given a hybrid release on July 9, with the film playing both in theaters and being available on Disney Plus through Disney Plus Premier Access. The Premier Access feature allowed subscribers to purchase the film for a one-time fee of $30 and watch it as often as they like.
Now, after the film was already released on Blu-ray and other digital services, Disney Plus is making Black Widow available to any and all of its subscribers to watch for free on the streaming service.
The hybrid strategy generated big numbers in the film’s opening weekend, with Black Widow setting a then pandemic box office record of $80 million and adding an additional $60 million through Premier Access.
However, Black Widow saw a massive drop in ticket sales at the box office in its second week, though it did make $125 million via Premier Access as of Aug. 24, per Decider. In addition, Johansson sued Disney over the decision to release the film simultaneously in theaters and streaming, claiming that it impacted box-office performance incentives that were in her contract. Johansson and Disney recently settled, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has recently said that the company plans to “reset” how they do talent deals.
Disney released a number of its films over the last year-and-a-half in theaters and via Premier Access, including Mulan, Cruella and Jungle Cruise. But the recent success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is currently in the midst of an exclusive theatrical run, has led the Mouse House to commit to exclusive runs for the remainder of 2021 films that had theatrical release plans (i.e. Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home, West Side Story).
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The latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more!
To watch Black Widow or any of the available content on Disney Plus, you must be a subscriber to the service. The standalone Disney Plus service is priced at $7.99 per month or $79.99 for a full-year commitment. Consumers can also opt for the Disney Bundle, which combines Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu for a monthly fee of $13.99.
Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.


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Milk from Deer Causing a Stir
Excitement is building among New Zealand’s high-end chefs over a new world-first. Deer milk is now being sourced from 70 hinds in Southland to make cheese, desserts and even yoghurt. The company behind the development is Pāmu – the brand name for Landcorp.
“The first question we get from people walking by is: ‘How do you milk these things?’” said Rob Ford, Pāmu’s general manager of innovation, environment and technology.
The answer is with a milking machine, but it’s not easy and the deer have to be hand-reared.
“We’re really excited by it. New Zealand agriculture really needs to start looking at alternative land use, looking at how we can go from volume to value,” Ford said.
So far the milk been made into a crème brûlée, a handmade cheese, yoghurt and even a milk sorbet, and is being trialled in a number of high-end restaurants in Auckland.
The milk has been described as having a delicate flavour that is really subtle and savoury.
At the 50th Fieldays, Pāmu won the Innovation Grassroots Award for its deer milk made with partners Sharon and Peter McIntyre, who farm near Gore.
Original article by Rog Wood, The Herald Scotland, September 14, 2018.


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If you are one of the owners of the Galaxy Nexus from Verizon Wireless, I am quite sure that your patience must be running thing after waiting for the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update all this while. After all, the Sprint camp has already released the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for their version of the Galaxy Nexus, and Verizon device owners are still left “hanging” without a clue as to the exact Jelly Bean release date. Surely some saccharine goodness in the form of news would help tide over upset and long-suffering customers?
Word has it that a Galaxy Nexus owner did badger Verizon continuously, and along the way, might have shed some light on the Jelly Bean update situation. Word has it that Verizon pointed their finger at Samsung for the delay of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy Nexus, and chances are we could very well be privy to a release date thanks to an internal Galaxy Nexus Jelly Bean update release within Verizon’s circles. What do you think of the situation?


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Del Frisco's Restaurant Group announced Thursday that it will open a Del Frisco's Grille on Oct. 13 in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood.
It will be the Southlake-based company's fifth Del Frisco's Grille, which is the company's concept that serves up twists on American comfort classics.
"Atlanta is a vibrant city with a sophisticated dining scene and we're excited to welcome guests with our genuine hospitality," said Mark Mednansky, CEO of Del Frisco's Restaurant Group.
Del Frisco's also operates Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House and Sullivan's Steakhouse and has a collection of 30 restaurants around the country.
The company went public Aug. 1 and reported second quarter net income of $3.6 million, compared to $1 million in the previous-year quarter.
Del Frisco’s opened four new restaurants since the second quarter of last year.
Del Frisco’s said it made $70.1 million from the IPO, the majority of which was used to repay its credit facility.


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Malcolm Poynton, Global Chief Creative Officer of Cheil Worldwide, will be the Jury President for Integration at the 2016 London International Awards (LIA).
LIA defines Integration as an idea that impacts society and becomes a part of the culture, evolving based on the interaction between people and the idea’s different contact points, with the medium as a whole translating to the key trifecta of Innovation, Influence and Impact.
“It’s a real honour to lead the 2016 LIA Integration Jury,” states Malcolm. “We live in an age of fragmented media demanding brands connect with consumers wherever they are, meaning now more than ever, brands need ideas that integrate across contemporary culture and that’s exactly what we’ll be looking for when judging the work this year.”
Malcolm became Cheil Network’s first Global CCO at the beginning of 2015. Over the course of his career, Malcolm has garnered more than 200 international industry accolades, including multiple Agency of the Year titles during his tenures leading M&C Saatchi, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy and SapientNitro.
Malcolm adds, “When it comes to global ads shows, [LIA is] key. Celebrating the best, most powerful creativity for clients across all mediums, winning a LIA ain’t easy but it sure stands out when you place the tallest trophy in the business on the agency mantle.”
2016 Integration Jury:
Malcolm Poynton - Jury President - Global Chief Creative Officer, Cheil Worldwide
Jay Benjamin - Executive Creative Director, Muhtayzik Hoffer, New York
Mat Bisher - EVP / Executive Creative Director, McCann, New York
Lauren Connolly - EVP / Executive Creative Director, BBDO New York, New York
Alan Kelly - Executive Creative Director, Rothco, Dublin
Lixaida Lorenzo - Creative Director, Mistress, Santa Monica
Bechara Mouzannar - Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett MENA, Dubai
Dörte Spengler-Ahrens - Chief Creative Officer, Jung von Matt Elbe, Hamburg
Eric Springer - Chief Creative Officer, INNOCEAN USA, Huntington Beach
The LIA 2016 Entry System is now accepting entries. Judging will take place in Las Vegas from 6th October to 14th October. The shortlists will be announced as each judging session concludes, with Winners being announced 8th November. For more information on submissions and eligibility, please visit the LIA website


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On Wednesday, September 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT, Comcast’s Xfinity Rewards Members are invited to take part in an exclusive livestream event with stars from “Days of our Lives: Beyond Salem,” including Lisa Rinna, Deidre Hall, Drake Hogestyn, James Reynolds, and Eileen Davidson.
The 45-minute event includes a conversation with the stars as they give fans a chance to win exclusive content, hear stories from the set, and even the chance to ask questions of the stars themselves.
According to Comcast, the exclusive event is just one of many benefits Xfinity Rewards Members get to enjoy. To become a member and enjoy all the perks that come with it, make sure to become a member. It’s free and simple to sign up through the Xfinity app or online at Xfinity.com/rewards. From there, members can view and redeem all rewards currently available to them.
“Xfinity Rewards is all about creating unique experiences that only Comcast NBCUniversal can make possible,” said Pooja Kapadia, Vice President, Customer Marketing and Loyalty. “We’re thrilled to be able to bring together Xfinity, Peacock, and the team at ‘Days of our Lives,’ to create this fun and memorable event for our customers.”
“Days of our Lives: Beyond Salem” premieres Monday, September 6 on Peacock. New episodes will release daily thereafter culminating with the limited series finale on Friday, September 10. All episodes will be available to stream for free. New episodes of “Days of our Lives” air weekdays on NBC and are available to stream for free exclusively on Peacock.


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Neighbor is launching in Dallas on Thursday with dedicated staff as it aims to convince you to store your stuff at one of your neighbors’ houses instead of at one of the many storage facilities in the metro area.
The service arose as an idea to help people monetize the “value just locked up in people’s homes,” said Neighbor CEO and co-founder Joseph Woodbury.
Neighbor offers affordable, peer-to-peer self-storage locations within users’ very own neighborhoods through its website and dedicated app. Hosts can sign up to rent out additional space in their home that they aren’t using — a driveway, barn, spare room and even closets — and set their own rent prices.
For those looking to rent storage space, Neighbor offers prices at roughly half the cost of traditional storage companies.
A quick search of storage units around Dallas shows options to rent a 5x5-square-foot unit for close to $40 a month. Neighbor advertises that users can find the same space closer to their homes for $20 a month on average.
“With Neighbor, people are literally storing with their neighbors,” Woodbury said. “It really helps build communities because people make connections that they didn’t have before.”
Neighbor also provides insurance for both renters and hosts on its platform. Hosts receive a $1 million liability guarantee and renters a $25,000 guarantee on stored items.
The startup began in Utah’s Silicon Slopes area in 2017 and launched in Los Angeles two years later. Dallas is the first city outside those two regions to see dedicated resources from the company.
“Texas spends about $5 billion a year on storage and Dallas is, of course, the largest market within Texas,” Woodbury said.
On top of that, Woodbury said Dallas is “just a friendly place.” That’s important because the company’s viability is dependent on users’ willingness to do business with the person living down the street from them.
Neighbor has hired a community manager to run on-the-ground efforts, such as onboarding new hosts and spearheading marketing.
The company’s expansion has been fueled by a recent $10 million funding round led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. It’s been lining its board with former and current Uber and Airbnb board members as well.
“It’s really kind of validated our efforts so far,” Woodbury said.


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As AgencyCon: Indian Agency Awards & Summit 2020, embraces social distancing with a virtual e event, we share 3 reasons you absolutely can’t miss Sam Balsara’s session.
We couldn’t be more excited as we present the second edition of AgencyCon: Indian Agency Awards & Summit 2020 on a virtual platform. What commenced as a platform to celebrate the best minds of the A & M industry, has now embraced the ‘new normal’ with a virtual summit on May 20 on Zoom.
With the theme of ‘Agencies V/S COVID-19’ for this year’s marquee event, we are all set to bring the best minds of the industry on one platform.
Taking the conversation forward, industry veteran, Sam Balsara, Chairman, Madison World will be sharing his thoughts on ‘The Blueprint for Agencies to navigate through these unprecedented times’
It is said that “Desperate times call for desperate measures”. While this is true, such times also demand plan, strategy, and patience. It hence, becomes pertinent for every industry including Advertising and Media to be ready for any further unforeseen circumstances. In-line with this thought, Balsara will share his thoughts on tackling the challenges presented by COVID-19 – sharing his thoughts on how agencies can come out stronger.
Why is it an un-missable session?
- Sam Balsara comes with more than 3 decades of experience. With A&M Industry evolving every moment in the recent times, it is crucial to understand the nuances of the past, present & future of the A & M industry. In the virtual summit, Balsara shares tips on how to sail through and ace this period
- COVID-19 is an ongoing challenge that requires creative solutions. Even when the lockdown is lifted, the pandemic will stay making the future highly volatile. A blueprint will help you navigate through the challenges & perils that lie ahead.
- The last few weeks have seen the consumers behavior change almost completely. The post COVID-19 consumer values brands that take care of them, s/he is more savvy, and is definitely low on patience. With consumer behavior changing radically, the session gives an insight of how can agencies keep up or even preempt what comes next.
So, block your calendar for the virtual AgencyCon: Indian Agency Awards & Summit on 20th May, 2020 – Wednesday. Register for the online summit through this link now!
More details will follow soon. Excited and have more queries? Write to us at firstname.lastname@example.org. In case of suggestions, feel free to drop your comments below.


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LG said its exit would allow it to focus on electric vehicle components, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, and artificial intelligence
It is by far the largest company in South Korea
Samsung regained the top spot in the global smartphone market after having temporarily passed the crown to Apple in Q4 2019
An analysis was conducted across 40 countries
Samsung and several other smartphone makers are planning to release their first 5G handsets this year
Have the smartphone companies lost touch with reality?
You get an 8-inch display in the flat tablet mode & in the folded over mode a main 6.6-inch display on the front & a secondary 6.4-inch display on the back!
The Chinese brands record a strong showing
Global 5G adoption to take off in 2021
A court had originally awarded Apple more than a billion in damages in 2012


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Restaurant discovery and food ordering venture Zomato will now allow users to book restaurant tables online.
The company has launched Zomato Book, its new platform for table bookings, in about 500 restaurants across 21 cities globally, it said in a statement.
The feature has been incorporated in the Zomato app and allows users to make, modify and cancel bookings, sync them with calendars, and send reminders prior to the booking time.
Zomato Book also enables restaurant managers to maximise their seating capacity, estimate how long it will take a table to free up, and keep waitlisted customers notified on the availability of tables. Restaurants can also access data from a customer's past visits to their restaurant. Zomato claims that restaurants have used the product to seat about 2.5 million guests since the launch.
The company started working on its table reservations product in April last year when it acquired Nextable, a US-based table management and booking platform. Zomato Book has been in testing phase since November.
In the table reservation segment, Zomato Book will compete with journalist Vir Sanghvi-backed restaurant reservation firm EazyDiner and Times Group-owned Dineout Services Pvt Ltd, the company that owns online restaurant reservation website Dineout.
Zomato was recently in the news for shutting down its online food ordering service in four cities—Lucknow, Kochi, Indore and Coimbatore. In October, it laid off around 300 employees worldwide, or nearly 10 per cent of its workforce, joining a growing list of Indian startups that are shedding jobs as they try to control costs and sustain investor interest.
Zomato has so far raised $225 million in external funding. A large portion of the money raised was spent in acquiring companies so that it could build a global business. Zomato is believed to be valued around $1 billion following the fourth round of capital infusion in September.


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David McDonald has spent much of his career time at OSI Group. Since joining the giant food processor in 1987, he has helped it to expand and grow its profit margins at a very fast pace. Mr. McDonald first worked as the project manager of OSI Industries, after which he rose through various ranks to become the President and Chief Operating Officer at OSI Group, LLC.
Mr. David McDonald earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Iowa State University. Apart from his leadership role at OSI Group, he also, serves at Marfrig Global Foods S.A. as an Independent Director. He holds other positions as Director of OSI International Foods (Australia) Pty Limited and Member of OSI Group’s board of directors.
In 2016, OSI Group head by David McDonald made a major announcement of acquiring Baho Foods. The move was aimed at widening the company’s portfolio at the same time gave the company an opportunity to further expand its operations in Europe. Baho Food mainly manufactures snacks, deli meats and convenience foods. While giving his remarks about the purchase, David McDonald said that Baho Food products would be crucial in supporting OSI Group to meet the demanding need of Europe customers. He also termed the move as strategic in helping the company to increase its processing capacity at the same time provide an opportunity to serve 18 more countries.
In the past year, the company also released its Global Sustainability Report. In his statement, David McDonald outline the measures the company had put in place to promote sustainable and responsible business practices through empowering communities and sustaining environmental resource. In addition, the head of the company stated that, the firm is committed in improving the lives of its employee, which will have a positive impact on the company’s efficiency.
Mr. David McDonald OSI Group has also gained legacy in helping OSI Group strengthen its footing in China. The company has had operations in China for over two decades where it operates eight factories. OSI Group is also in the processing of adding two more factories in the country. This is due to the development agenda brought forward by the leadership.


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Monsey, NY, August 12, 2014 --(PR.com
)-- Global warming is at the all time high. More and more countries are trying to come up with innovative solutions to curb the abuse of plastic bags.
Companies like Plastic Bag Source have identified the needs of providing the world with a green solution, blending reusable and biodegradable technology.
Companies aggressively resort to a low-cost and effective channel of marketing products. They procure printed shopping bags in wholesale and customize the same in their own branding. Plastic bags offer really cost-effective branding solutions. With promotional plastic bags, companies can reach out to a wide audience in just no cost. Printed shopping bags can accommodate logo, tagline and other promotional messages, the company wants to convey.
With the manufacturing of reusable and biodegradable bags, Plastic Bag Source aims at becoming one of the leading shopping bag suppliers in the USA. The solutions that are offered by Plastic Bag Source are one of its kind and unique. Not only is the solution reusable, but it also offers a great deal of customization for the companies.
According to one of the senior spokespersons of Plastic Bag Source, “We are really proud that we do not contribute towards the rising global warming. We offer a host of products including printed shopping bags in wholesale, retail shopping bags, pouch bags, zip lock bags, and trade show bags. We have expertise in providing flexible packaging solutions that can be easily imported. We have the team who can manufacture bags of any shapes, size and color. The customers can pass on these bags freely to their consumers, as most of them are reusable and biodegradable. We have chosen a motto of going green and reduce the plastic abuse worldwide. Going green has become a buzzword, but our team will ensure that our mission becomes successful in curbing the abuse of plastic. We adhere to stringent quality standards and thus no matter if the solution is reusable, it still can withstand the same strength of ordinary plastics.”
Moreover, the solutions offered by Plastic Bag are hardly offered by other shopping bag suppliers. This makes them stand out of the crowd. Plastic Bag Source also offers other solutions like T-shirt style bags, cotton bags, paper bags etc. Companies requiring bags for food packaging, insulation or industrial packaging can also resort to Plastic Bag Source.


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Economic Data Calls for Jan 14, 2021
Here’s what we are looking for in tomorrow’s economic reports (Jan 14, 2021) — Good Luck Trading!
1. UK Industrial Production, Trade Balance and Monthly GDP (04:00 ET) Bullish GBP — Sharp rise in PMI Manufacturing
2. EZ Trade Balance (05:00 ET) Bearish EUR — Slightly weaker trade balance
3. US Retail Sales, PPI and Empire State Survey (08:30 ET) No Trade — Wage growth was very strong and December is the holiday season but US reported job losses for first time since April


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November 22nd, 2016
Australian delivery software start-up GetSwift will move its global headquarters from New York to Melbourne as it gears up to list on the Australian Securities Exchange next month.
The firm, led by former AFL player Joel Macdonald, uses algorithms to optimise the delivery service for enterprise firms and has had a 400 per cent growth in transactions in the past six months. The service is used in 51 countries and Mr Macdonald said he expected to employ about 30 staff in the firm’s new Melbourne HQ during the next few years.
“We were always keen to come back,” he said. “I grew up in Melbourne and we started the company towards the end of my football career working from the Inspire9 co-working space.
“There was a lot of volatility with my football career, and I stuck it out for 11 years, but my passion has always been technology. Over time I realised I’m better at business than football, especially playing at Melbourne Demons where we were getting destroyed every week.”
Before GetSwift was a delivery management firm, it was a liquor delivery business called Liquorrun, ferrying drinks between bottle shops and thirsty customers. “It took off pretty quickly but we were running a logistics business on very primitive, clunky systems across texts, emails, calls,” Mr Macdonald said.
GetSwift chairman Bane Hunter, a former Viacom and Foxtel executive, said the pair recently met Victorian Small Business, Innovation and Trade Minister Philip Dalidakis in the US where he delivered a “pretty compelling pitch” about why Melbourne should be the company’s first choice for a move back home.
“It’s no wonder Melbourne is now home to some of the world’s fastest growing tech firms and we’re glad to be joining their ranks,” Mr Hunter said.
Mr Dalidakis said the firm’s decision to move to Melbourne represented “another huge vote of confidence in Victoria as a hub for global tech talent”.
Mr Macdonald said GetSwift was on track to list early next month and complete a $5.5 million capital raising that was four times oversubscribed.
“We’re experiencing a really intense and aggressive growth curve right now,” he said. “Our future will be continuing to expand our global footprint and making sure nothing holds us back. The capitalisation is just about fulfilling some of the current contracts in our pipeline and scaling the accelerated rate to capture that market share.”


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The United Kingdom shows how better alternatives can help deliver a smoke-free future.
Smoking levels have fallen to 14.7% in the U.K., more than five percentage points lower than levels in 2011.
1.2 million vapers have now quit smoking.
The Government have committed to making England smoke-free by 2030.
Successive UK Governments have embraced tobacco harm reduction and the use of less harmful alternatives to cut smoking rates. Their approach is evidence-based, anchored in scientific research, and welcomes use of innovative alternatives. It has resulted in the UK having one of the lowest smoking prevalence rates in Europe.
If decision-makers around the world chose to follow the UK’s lead and embrace tobacco harm reduction – including providing smokers with a range of proven less harmful alternatives – just think what could be achieved and how far smoking levels globally could be cut.
Read more about Unsmoke Your Mind
There are now over 3 million consumers of smoke-free alternatives in the UK, the success of which is built on the principle of putting the needs of smokers first. In the UK, health policy is devolved and the Government’s Tobacco Control Plan for England (published in 2017) commits both to reducing smoking prevalence to 12% by the end of 2022 (down from 15.5% in 2016) and to supporting consumers along the way:
“The best thing a smoker can do for their health is to quit smoking. However, the evidence is increasingly clear that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful to health than smoking tobacco. The government will seek to support consumers in stopping smoking and adopting the use of less harmful nicotine products.”
As a manufacturer, Philip Morris International is also committed to putting consumers first. We have spent billions of pounds on the research, development and testing of products that are satisfying and less harmful alternatives for smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke. It is important to state that our smoke-free products are not cessation devices, and the best thing a smoker can always do is quit.
In March 2018, Public Health England (PHE), the agency responsible for protecting and improving England’s health and well-being, estimated there were between 22,000 and 57,000 additional quitters annually in England, who in the absence of e-cigarettes might still be smoking. It has also recently said that over 1.2 million vapers in England have now quit smoking entirely - so there is undoubtedly a huge role for smoke-free products in reducing smoking rates.
Addressing misconceptions with science-backed conversations
There is no room for complacency when it comes to awareness. In England, research by PHE shows that nearly half of smokers still do not know that smoke-free alternatives are less harmful than continuing to smoke. In addition, many people assume that it is nicotine that makes cigarette smoking harmful. It is a fact that nicotine, while addictive and not risk-free, is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. In reality, these are caused predominantly by inhaling harmful compounds formed when tobacco is burned.
PHE have been very clear in stating that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than continuing to smoke combustible cigarettes, so it is important – in fact, critical – that smokers are aware of this. Research undertaken by PMI showed that almost half of smokers in the UK are at risk of continuing to smoke unless they get the facts about all reduced-risk products. While significant progress has been made to date, it is important that the facts and science remain front and centre of all conversations with smokers.
Providing a strong regulatory environment
The UK Government has shown over the years a commitment to tackling the problem of smoking through regulations. This has created an environment that allows innovation in alternatives to cigarettes, which has been crucial to getting over 3 million consumers to use smoke-free alternatives. The strong regulatory framework also protects these smoke-free alternatives from use by under-age consumers ensuring that they are not a gateway to smoking, as well as helping to ensure the safety of these products.
The UK Government’s recent commitment to make England smoke-free by 2030 underlines their determination to see the end of smoking. Having available a range of smoke-free alternatives will be crucial to achieving this target.
Delivering a smoke-free future
Taken together, these three strands are the critical components of a successful strategy for tobacco harm reduction. PMI have made a global commitment to go smoke-free and the clarity of this strategy means we can focus on one goal – delivering them globally. We are committed to working with governments, regulators and health bodies around the world, to ensure that adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking have the best possible chance to change to a better alternative to cigarettes.
The results already seen in the UK and the potential for the future, can be great lessons for the rest of the world.


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The deals between Minnesota and Indian businesses are starting to take off as Gov. Tim Pawlenty's trade mission to India wraps up Friday in Mumbai.
That's ironic because the CNN anchor's been a critic of the outsourcing of American jobs. But all that attention has turned out to be a good thing for Bangalore-based Wipro.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty wowed a lunch crowd Wednesday in Bangalore with a speech selling Minnesota. Apparently, the speech worked -- Pawlenty was asked by at least one person when he plans to run for president.
Is Gov. Tim Pawlenty making a difference for Minnesota by being in India? Reporter Gita Sitaramiah asks that question of some of the delegates on the state's trade mission to India.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty and dozens of Minnesota business representatives are traveling in India, hoping to boost trade with that country. Reporter Gita Sitaramiah tells us about the first days' activities.


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Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone and electronics company, aims to produce smartphones in Pakistan, according to a material disclosure statement filed with the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Monday by its local partner, Air Link Communication Limited.
“Xiaomi, the global consumer electronics and smartphone powerhouse, has partnered with Select Technologies (Pvt) Limited, an Air Link Communication Limited wholly-owned subsidiary, as its manufacturing partner for Xiaomi smartphones in Pakistan,” according to the announcement.
Air Link stated the previous month that it will form a wholly-owned subsidiary called “Select Technologies (Pvt) Limited.”
Air Link has indicated, “The major purpose of this wholly-owned entity would be to take on more mobile device production of specific selected brand(s).”
Air Link expects to produce 2.5-3 million phones per year at first, which “will have a meaningful additive impact on the firm’s profits per share other than the regular course of business,” according to the firm.
According to the corporation, the manufacture of these devices would bring in about $450 million in income every year.
According to the release, “the production facility would be placed close to Air Link’s current state-of-the-art mobile manufacturing plant at the Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate, Kot Lakhpat Lahore.”
The manufacturing plant is anticipated to open in January 2022.
Select will be the manufacturing partner, while Air Link will remain one of the top Xiaomi phone distributors in Pakistan.
“As a result of Select’s Xiaomi phone production, Air Link plans to greatly boost its Xiaomi phone sales and retail operations in Pakistan,” it stated.
According to Canalys, a research organization, Xiaomi’s share of the worldwide smartphone market increased by 83 percent year over year in the quarter ending in June.
According to research published in Business Recorder, Xiaomi delivered 52.8 million phones over this time period, making it the third most popular smartphone brand in the world, following Samsung and Apple.
Air Link has opened multiple retail locations in Pakistan and is the country’s only completely vertically integrated distributor of foreign smartphone brands, according to a company release.
According to the statement, “it is one of Pakistan’s major distributors for Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Itel, Techno, TCL, and Alcatel.”


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More Indian cashewsThis article was originally published in Foodnews
INDIAN cashew production is likely to get a boost with the Directorate of Cashew and Cocoa Development taking steps to increase area planted to cashews to one million ha by 2012. At present 874 000ha is utilised for cashew farming. The Directorate hopes to achieve a 15% increase in a bid to reduce imports of raw cashews. India's domestic cashew processing and exporting industry imports over 600 000 tonnes per year with the majority coming from African nations.


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PT, the playable teaser released to announce Konami's now-canned Silent Hills game, has been removed from the PlayStation Store. The game went offline on Wednesday 29 April after a few days' notice, allowing fans to download it for posterity.
Silent Hills was a highly anticipated reboot of the famous horror series, not just because of its hugely successful announcement, but because it was going to be overseen by film director Guillermo del Toro and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima.
The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus was set to star as well, and could be seen in a video sting at the end of PT, but he was the one to confirm earlier this week that rumours of the game's demise were indeed true.
Despite essentially being a big expensive advert for a now-cancelled game, PT was widely celebrated after its release during 2014's Gamescom event in Germany with many (including myself) describing it as one of the scariest games in years.
Konami closing the door on Silent Hills comes after the messy and still unclear situation involving Kojima, who is to leave the company and his Metal Gear franchise after the release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain this September.
The exact reasons as to why Kojima is leaving aren't yet known, but news of his departure sparked a string of stories including Silent Hills being shut down and Konami delisting itself from the New York Stock Exchange.
Which leaves the gaming world with a big question on its lips: just what the hell is going on over at Konami?


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There has been speculation for several days about the launch of OnePlus 9 series phones. One after another information has come to the fore about the camera, processor and design of the phone. OnePlus 9 fans’ curiosity has doubled due to various tweets and news reports. In the meantime, another new information came up. It is rumored that the OnePlus 9 series OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro phones may have a 4,500 mAh battery.
Tipstar Max Jambor recently tweeted about this. According to the source, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro phones can have a 4,500 mAh battery. The phone box will also have a charger port. In this case, both the phones will have dual cell batteries. However, the details of the battery charging speed were not known. It is rumored that the OnePlus 9 series phones have 85 W fast charging system. There will also be wireless charging system.
By the way, besides the battery, various information has also come out about the multiple features of the phone. According to a report a few days ago, the OnePlus 9 series phone will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC processor. There are also multiple upgrades to the camera module. According to the source, the OnePlus 9 Pro phone may have a Hasselblad camera module.
According to a report published in SlashLeaks last year, the OnePlus 9 may have a 50-megapixel primary camera. Apart from the primary camera, this triple rear camera set-up has a 20-megapixel ultra-wide angle cine camera and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. On the other hand, the OnePlus 9 Pro may have a rear camera set-up at the top right.
According to tech experts, some parts of the inside of the phone may change. Internal circuit boards may be redesigned. In addition to the dual rear camera set-up, the OnePlus 9 Pro may have a punch hole slot for the front camera. According to the design which will be in the upper right corner of the display. There is also a power button on the left side. And at the right end is the volume key. It is rumored that the phone will have dual camera set-up and high resolution as well as quad HD + display. Whose potential refresh rate is 120HZ.
In this case, OnePlus 9 series has OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 Lite phones. Waiting for the smartphones to arrive!


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Ohio-based Huntington Banchares has added an online interactive ice hockey game to its Web site in a bid to sign up fans of local team Columbus Blue Jackets to a new banking package.
The game was designed to accompany the bank's new Blue Jackets Banking package which inlcudes a branded mouse mat, cheque book and cheque card as well as free online banking and bill payment services for customers who sign up.
Huntington says the ice hockey game has attracted more than 4000 game plays since it was launched on 1 February.
Jim Kunk, president of Huntington's central Ohio region, says: "We wanted to offer all of the convenience of our chequeing services along with a fun way to demonstrate fan loyalty to the Blue Jackets."
The premise of the online game is for the player to skate up ice with the puck, dodging and/or checking the opposing electronic players. As the game progresses, the play increases in difficulty and speed. There is no set ending to the game, just increased difficulty. Customers can also challenge friends to a game by sending an e-mail with a link.


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Lincolnshire shoppers gripped by fear because of coronavirus have sparked chaotic scenes in shops across the county.
Shelves have been left bare and queues have been huge as people stockpile items in panic that they may have to self-isolate because of Covid-19.
James Peck had ventured out to Aldi in Gainsborough with his wife and two children to do their weekly shop at around 9.40am this morning, Sunday, March 15.
However, the communications adviser was greeted by a larger number of people than usual looking to do their shop.
“The queues to get into the front door started around 9.40am. By 10am there were no trollies and every aisle was rammed with increasingly irritable shoppers,” he said.
“It was like the run-up to Christmas in terms of intensity.
“I saw a bit of argy-bargy in the car park when we came out too. The guy got out of his car and was shouting after another car leaving the car park.
“Saying that the staff and the tills were in good spirits and kept things flowing in there. It only took us under 50 minutes to do the shop with two kids under seven in tow.”
The 39-year-old, who lives in Clarborough near Retford , says he didn’t even bother attempting to shop closer to home after hearing that it was incredibly busy on social media.
The dad-of-two says he will now start shopping during the week in a bid to avoid the crazy, he believes has been sparked by people’s fear of coronavirus.
He said: “People have whipped themselves up into a panic over this pandemic and it appears that self-preservation is the order of the day.
“We did our usual weekly shop and there others doing the same, but it was noticeably more hectic than normal.
“I saw at least two people buying three packs of loo roll, paying for them, leaving the store to put them in their car and returning to carry on their shop.
“We’re a family four and we only needed one pack of loo roll so that’s what we bought.
“If we’re going to get through this situation people need to think about others more.”
Gainsborough isn’t the only place to be hit by panic buyers as Boston was also busy too.
Dave James, a bus driver, said shops were manic all over the town at around 10am.
The 48-year-old said: “We popped to Curry’s for something and noticed the queue at Aldi.
“As soon as the door opened even more people were getting out of their cars to join the queue – it was silly.
“We laughed at it and thought we’d have a look at how Tesco and Asda were. They were just as bad.
“We struggled to find parking spaces in both supermarkets and shelves were empty.
“It’s getting very silly now. I feel sorry for the elderly people.”
Nige Holcombe says things were equally as bad in Sleaford.
He went to Tesco in the town at 10.30am this morning and says he couldn’t believe how busy it was.
He said: “It was horrendous. What is wrong with people?
“It was crazy busy like Christmas . Queues were bad and shelves were empty.
“It is like nothing we have seen before.”
He added: “I think people are panic buying unnecessarily.”
Natasha Francis-Pearce also went shopping in the town this morning.
She said: “It’s manic in there. People were queuing up the aisle – it’s ridiculous.
“I only went for sandwich fillers and queued for 10 minutes.”
Lis Reynolds, another Sleaford shopper, added: “It was awful at 10am. There were queues up the aisles and the shelves were empty.”
Panic buying and stockpiling has caused some supermarket chains to bring in item restrictions for customers, particularly for toilet roll and hand sanitiser.
Addressing customers in the UK today, Aldi wrote on Twitter: “All our stores remain open and continue to serve our valued customers.
“We have good product availability and our incredible colleagues are working tirelessly to restock and replenish shelves as quickly as they can.
“As we have seen an unprecedented demand across our range, we will be limiting customer purchases to four units on all products to ensure all of our customers have an opportunity to purchase them.
“We thank you all for your patience during this time.”
How has your shopping experience been this weekend? Get in touch by emailing email@example.com


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Zurich is launching a trial run for recreational cannabis. The city will be testing the product by allowing residents to purchase it from pharmacies, and giving them a license to grow their own plants at home.
According to Swissinfo, the majority of Swiss citizens favor cannabis legalization as long as there are enough and efficient regulations in place to safeguard children. The majority of the 3,166 adult respondents in the poll are not only in favor of legalizing, but also of launching pilot experiments to investigate regulated distribution. It should come as no surprise that the country is ready to begin a recreational cannabis experiment, given the majority of people’ support.
Support from the Swiss
According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), two-thirds of those polled want the minimum legal age for cannabis use to be 18 years old, with 70% of those polled believing it is critical to “change the cannabis legislation in Switzerland.”
Reforming cannabis regulations to reduce the illicit market and improve consumer safety were mentioned by the participants, which are both legitimate reasons to favor cannabis legalization. However, other individuals were concerned about the consequences of cannabis on young people’s brains.
In addition to stringent regulations to protect children, proponents of cannabis legalization have cited a prohibition on advertising and high taxes on cannabis products as useful methods for safeguarding public health if legalization is implemented. The survey’s goal, according to Swissinfo, was to determine if people would accept regulated cannabis distribution and “gauge public sentiment on legalization itself.”
The Cannabis Trial for Recreational Use
Switzerland has chosen to start a recreational cannabis experiment in Zurich, one of the country’s biggest cities, with widespread public backing. The experiment will take place in the city, and individuals will be able to buy cannabis products from pharmacies and social clubs under strict guidelines.
This three-and-a-half-year pilot experiment is claimed to take advantage of legislative amendments passed by Parliament last year. According to Swissinfo, this enables the country to undertake research on the impacts of the cannabis market, recreational cannabis usage, and, of course, the effectiveness of the cannabis market’s laws and regulations.
A research dubbed “Züri Can—Cannabis with Responsibility” will commence in the autumn of 2022 as part of the recreational cannabis experiment. The research will include having several cannabis products available for purchase, each with a varied THC/CBD concentration. The study is a wonderful chance to perform essential research surrounding the drug, as well as an efficient method to evaluate how legalization of cannabis would affect individuals, markets, and business.
Local producers that want to participate in the cannabis experiment must first acquire a permission from the FOPH to guarantee that their goods satisfy the required quality requirements. This study will also be overseen by the University of Zurich’s mental hospital.
Currently, there are approximately 200,000 habitual cannabis users in Switzerland. The support for legalization is surprising given that two-thirds of the public voted against a 2008 referendum that would have allowed people to use cannabis in private without facing penalties or prison time. Fortunately, increasing acceptance of cannabis and study into the plant is assisting in the removal of the stigma and misinformation that has long surrounded the plant and its use.
The Swiss Cannabis Market is Dedicated
Since 2017, growing and selling hemp inflorescences (clusters of flowers on a stalk) with less than 1% THC has become allowed in Switzerland. As more evidence of the negative consequences of high-potency THC became available, “light” cannabis became more popular in Switzerland. Swissinfo reports that the number of registered producers in the Swiss market has increased from five in early 2017 to approximately 630 in 2018.
Production seems to be stalling now because too many individuals or organizations are attempting to grow cannabis, and market demand has not yet caught up with supply. Cannabis growers viewed cannabis as a “lifeline,” according to Swissinfo, but they didn’t necessarily “know who precisely they were entering into business with.” Maybe the research they do during the recreational cannabis experiment will be adequate to find out how to restore the supply-demand equilibrium.
The future developments in the Swiss cannabis industry provide people with a chance to firsthand experience what cannabis is like and how it may improve health and quality of life. Even people who are opposed to personal cannabis usage will profit from the money generated by cannabis taxes. Supporters and opponents of legalization should both be able to understand how cannabis legalization can fit into society if the trial goes as planned.
Chane Leigh, nicknamed The Bud Fairy, is a cannabis advocate and enthusiast from South Africa with a fiery personality and a desire to travel. She enjoys educating others and challenging social conventions.


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Buy A Watch, Give Back To The Community, Celebrate The Magic Of Arvo Wear
A lot of people want to give back but don’t know how.
“A lot of people want to give back but don’t know how,” says Jake Nackos, CEO of Arvo Wear. “We hoped Arvo would be the platform where we could offer that opportunity.”
Arvo makes philanthropy as simple as buying a classic, sleek time piece. The company donates ten percent of every watch sale to a social cause, such as Operation Underground Railroad or refugee assistance programs.
Three years ago, Nackos had just completed a business management degree and was looking to put his hard-earned skills to use. While on lunch break from his then full-time job, he wandered into a pawn shop and found the watch that all of our grandfathers own. With a brown leather band and gold casing, the watch was the embodiment of timeless, minimal design. Nackos bought the watch, wore it for months until it broke, then decided to sell watches with that same classic design, thereby allowing consumers to give back in a meaningful way that also happens to be affordable and fashionable. Using the $4,500 he had saved, he ordered 500 watches and a brand was born.
Arvo will celebrate its third anniversary on July 2 having sold watches to over 20,000 customers, a growth Nackos attributes to their influencer marketing. If you’re on Instagram, or any corner of the Internet, you’ve seen an influence wearing an Arvo watch. Utah is home to some big names in the blog world, many of whom are advocates for the Arvo brand. “Not only do we connect directly into their following and build some branding, but the influencers brag for us as well,” Nackos says.
Arvo has worked with the who’s who of influencers in our lovely desert and after a while they started to feel like they were using the same bloggers over and over. Nackos and his team wanted to connect with influencers in other places and better manage their collaborations, so they decided to build an app that would allow them to do both. After building the app, they realized it could be an asset to other brands as well and so they launched Collabor8 two months ago in the app store. There are now 4,500 influencers using the app, making collaborations much less of a timesuck and headache for brands.
In both of these ventures, Nackos has found immense support from the community. “I think Utah is one of a kind,” he says. “People want to see you succeed and the ground is pretty ripe to do so.”
Arvo will continue to succeed as they expand into the retail space and the app they’ve built will continue to succeed as influencers take over the world. You know what they say, why build one business when you can build two? Someone says that, right?


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Welcome to another quarterly edition of the Grid Dynamics newsletter. Follow the latest technology trends, learn from tech experts about cutting-edge industry innovations, discover implementation best practices, and achieve sustainable, scalable technology transformation.
Grow with Grid Dynamics.
We've learned a lot over the last few years about resilience and rapid transformation. How can we best prepare for 2023 and beyond? A focus on speed, scale, and innovation is key. In this eBook, we look at eight of the top technology trends and solutions that organizations across industries can leverage to stand firm as innovation leaders.get ebook →
Grid Dynamics opens office in Hyderabad, India, a hotbed of top-tier engineering talent and a robust business center for hyperscale technology providers and financial services companies.Read press release →
Grid Dynamics has joined forces with Mutual Mobile to deepen expertise in experience design, mixed reality, and cloud edge for global brands.Read press release →
Leonard Livschitz, CEO at Grid Dynamics (NASDAQ: GDYN), was interviewed on the Bloomberg Markets radio program and shared his executive perspective on a range of important topics connecting IT Consulting and Finance. Listen to the interview here.
Delivering a superior customer experience remains a critical requirement for brands in 2023, but monolithic e-commerce systems simply can't keep up with the rapidly changing demands of today’s digital consumers. Enter composable commerce and MACH architecture. From discovery to delivery, and beyond, weave a commerce solution together that has best-in-class components for every step of the buying journey.get playbook →
Numerous industry thought leaders see the overwhelming potential the Metaverse holds in the digital economy. What does this mean for retailers and brands? Exciting new opportunities for brand building, customer data enrichment, innovation, influence, and new streams of revenue.Read BLOG POST →
One of the best ways for traditional insurers to thrive and compete with insurtechs in 2023 is to integrate a future-proof technology strategy across the insurance value chain. Discover the top insurtech innovations that differentiate leaders from laggards.Read BLOG POST →
The economic payback of IoT efforts could generate between $5.5 to $12.6 trillion in value globally by the end of the decade. But how to capture that value? Learn more about the burgeoning opportunities that IoT technology lends to leaders in the digital commerce, insurance, and manufacturing industries.Read BLOG POST →


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Scout PR & Social Media has announced that its PR services have been re-engaged by De Toren Private Cellar. Scout began its working relationship with De Toren in August 2020. The Scout team will be working alongside the De Toren marketing team and the estate's strategic lead agency PURE Creative for another year.
Scout's director Lauren Shantall says, "Naturally, we're thrilled to have been re-appointed, especially after establishing and deepening our working relationship with De Toren over the past 12 months."
"At Scout, we feel privileged to assist in promoting such incredible showcase wines. De Toren truly gives South Africa something to be proud of, and elevates the industry here in the eyes of the world," adds Shantall.
De Toren Private Cellar is a boutique winery specialising in luxurious, world-class Bordeaux styled wines. Situated on the Polkadraai Hills overlooking Stellenbosch and False Bay, De Toren was one of the first-ever South African wineries to grow and produce Bordeaux-styled red blends and the very first to ever make use of a gravity-fed cellar.
In recent years, De Toren was ranked as one of the Top 10 Red Wine Producers in South Africa by the South African Wine Index. It was also nominated as New World Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
For more information, visit www.scoutpr.co.za. You can also follow Scout PR and Social Media on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.


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F-Type successor (rendered here by Autocar) may take inspiration from the stillborn C-X75
Jaguar is considering an array of design and powertrain options for the rebirth of its Porsche 911 rival
Jaguar has registered to trademark the name Jaguar EV-Type, further fuelling speculation that the brand’s next sports car will be electric.
The trademark, which is still pending according to the WIPO global brand database, was first applied for in mid-February.
While trademarks are often registered by companies for a variety of reasons and don’t always preview the name of a forthcoming model, Autocar understands the British brand is actively considering an electric sports car.
The name EV-Type appears to be a reference to the iconic Jaguar E-Type sports car of the 1960s and 1970s. This, along with the fact that the only Jaguar model still using the ‘Type’ suffix is the F-Type, adds considerable weight to the assumption.
It is still believed that Jaguar hasn’t firmly decided on what form the replacement for the F-Type will take, despite its designers having strong ideas. Former design director Ian Callum revealed last year that he had created a blueprint for Jaguar’s next-generation sports car with a mid-engined layout and a look inspired by the ill-fated C-X75 of 2010.
That design is thought to be dependent on a decision to make the next F-Type an EV; another proposal for a front-engined petrol car also remains on the drawing board.
Last year, Jaguar unveiled the Vision Gran Turismo Coupé concept as a digital model designed exclusively for the Gran Turismo videogame franchise. The company gave no indiciation that it would create a production version of the 1006bhp electric supercar, but its characterising features – a high beltline, long bonnet and swooping rear deck – are inspired by the C-X75 and F-Type, and could preview the design of future Jaguar EVs.
One stumbling block would be the need to spend big on developing a bespoke platform for an electric sports car, although this issue could be helped if Jaguar Land Rover extends its budding collaboration with BMW.
Regardless, a successor to the F-Type isn’t due to be launched for another two years at the earliest, as the coupé and convertible were heavily updated only a few months ago.


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Our render shows how an Abarth version of the new Fiat 500 could look
Upcoming hot hatch will be performance sub-division’s first EV
The model will mark the beginning of Abarth as an electric go-faster subdivision of Fiat. Other models will also receive the Abarth treatment on a case-by-case basis. Brand boss Olivier François told Autocar he expects to have between one and three Abarth models at any one time.
François said: “A year and a half ago, I said it can’t be that hard [to make an Abarth version of the electric 500]. Electric cars are so fun to drive already. The good news is that we are actively working on it, and once it’s confirmed, it will be relatively quick.
“The bad news is that it’s more complicated to deliver than I thought. If you want to do a real Abarth, it’s not the same electric powertrain. Once it has the power and torque you want, it’s no longer the same drivetrain, nor the same transmission or brakes… The whole thing has to be adapted.”
He added that final test drives are under way ahead of official confirmation of the car: “It’s going to be fantastic. The sound is going to be very interesting. There will be a choice to be silent or not.”
The Abarth fan community will play a crucial role in shaping the development of upcoming models, said François: “When it comes to marketing, it’s a totally different brand to Fiat. These [Abarth fans] would not buy a Fiat, and vice versa. It’s basically one car [the 500] and two totally different targets. We are going to leverage the community, involve them in the development. Social media is ideal for that.”
The electric 500 has a 0-62mph time of 9.0sec, a top speed of 93mph and a range of 199 miles. The upcoming Abarth version is likely to aim for that sprint in under 7.0sec and a top speed over 100mph but will lose some range.


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The Red Door Salon & Spa will close its Baltimore location in The Village of Cross Keys shopping center next month, the company said Tuesday.
“We appreciate your patronage throughout the years and thank you for being a loyal guest,” the spa said in an email to clients.
The spa is the latest in a series of retail closings or moves out of the North Baltimore center.
Tuesday’s announcement said the spa will close March 16. It has been a tenant in Cross Keys for 13 years.
“After 13 successful years in the space, we have decided to focus on our three surrounding locations in Gaithersburg, Pike & Rose [Bethesda], and College Park,” said Chelsey Orth, regional director for Red Door, in an email. “We thank our loyal customers for their continued support and look forward to serving them at our other locations, as well as any new spaces in the future.”


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Shops are stuffed full of goods. How do they get rid of them?
In any business, whether its goods-related or services, a high turnover is crucial. Sure, some can survive with a stable and loyal clientele, but for most, new (or repeating) customers is what counts. Anticipating the level of future demand is a key element in running a business, especially one that sells physical “stuff.” Business owners will build inventory (goods meant for selling) when they think demand is high and run a low inventory when it is thought weak. Therefore, inventory levels are worth watching.
The chart below shows the annual percentage change in inventories across U.S.-based businesses. The series only goes back to 1993, but you can see that the inventory build-up over the past 18-months has been historic, accelerating at a 16% pace in April. Companies have been increasing stock due to rising demand but also because of supply chain issues. Unsure of whether they can get their stock delivered, companies have been over-ordering for months.
However, now that the global economy appears to be moving towards recession, said companies will no doubt be having crisis meetings about how they can offload their stock of goods. The obvious and classic solution is, of course, to lower prices.
As we move further into the second half of 2022, there’s a strong probability that prices of goods in shops will be cut. That might not mean that headline consumer price inflation will decelerate, food and energy being a big component of course, but it does mean that a price deflationary pulse will be present.


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Top of their game: Inside Activision Blizzard’s innovative benefits strategy
From exploring the Kingdom of Stormwind in the Elwynn Forest to saving Earth as a hero of Overwatch, gamers have long looked to Activision Blizzard’s talented team of employees to imagine, create and share vast worlds with consumers around the globe. And to make sure it acquires and retains the best and brightest talent to keep the fantasy worlds coming, the entertainment and gaming developer provides industry-leading benefits for employees managing such life events as parenthood, sudden loss and chronic disease.
In the last few years, Milt Ezzard, vice president of global benefits at Activision Blizzard, has dreamed up a plethora of innovative benefits and programs — think a $1,200 baby-lulling crib that helps new parents get the sleep they dream about — for the firm’s 10,000-plus employees (with 6,000 located in the U.S.).
Ezzard, an HR veteran who has worked in a range of industries from healthcare to manufacturing and utilities, says he likes to be creative — and fast-moving — when it comes to offerings.
“What I always like to say is, ‘Don’t delay in heading out and trying some of these resources that are so readily available to us now,’” says Ezzard, who was awarded EBN’s 2018 Judges’ Choice Award, given each year to a benefits professional who makes great use of a wide range of benefits programs. “Don’t overanalyze,” he advises. “I don’t pilot anything. When we see an opportunity to jump into an efficient solution, [we take it]. The bar is so low in our healthcare ecosystem right now that anything we do is going to be a win.”
When Ezzard joined the Santa Monica, California-based Activision Blizzard in 2013, he took his own advice into account after realizing there wasn’t much thought being put into the company’s healthcare or benefits offerings.
“Up until I joined, the strategy was to not engage the workforce in their healthcare,” he explains. “We wanted them to make great entertainment and focus on that.”
Ezzard changed that, setting his sights on addressing common health issues, including diabetes. He introduced Virta Health, a doctor-led startup that focuses on fully reversing Type 2 diabetes with dietary changes.
“Depending on the person, we have a variety of ways to help manage diabetes through tech tools,” Ezzard says. Another program he put in place, Livongo, helps workers manage their blood-sugar levels and avoid expensive trips to the hospital.
Help for new parents
Another area of innovation for Activision Blizzard is helping new parents, who now can rest a little easier thanks to a high-tech perk that keeps babies asleep longer. The company added a smart crib to its benefits package to help workers get more, better quality sleep.
New parents receive Happiest Baby’s SNOO Smart Sleeper — a responsive bassinet that lulls fussy babies back to sleep with motion and sound while also swaddling them for safe sleeping. It was created by pediatrician Harvey Karp, author of “The Happiest Baby on the Block.”
“When the baby is put in the bed, it’s secured so the baby can’t roll over and accidently suffocate, and when he or she fusses at night, the bed responds with motion and soothing sounds,” Ezzard says. “The end result is, on average, babies sleep two hours more per night and parents get two more hours of sleep per night. Mom and Dad come back more refreshed.”
This means fewer instances of post-partum depression as a result. “It’s a huge win-win and our employees get something really cool for six months,” he adds.
The $1,500 bassinet is on loan to new parents for six months — the time it takes for a newborn to outgrow the bassinet and transition to a crib — and arrives either brand new or refurbished, with everything but the motor and bedframe stripped away and replaced.
“We don’t charge [the employee],” he says. “It costs me a few dollars a day to rent it, but we get this value that when the employee comes back, they’re a happier employee. We might be avoiding conditions that require treatment because of sleep neglect. There’s a great business case not to charge and just make it available.”
In addition to the bassinets, the game designer supports working moms by providing additional lactation support and enhanced lactation rooms; it even provides breast milk storage and delivery for mothers who travel for business.
And even before other employers like Medtronic, Estée Lauder and PwC made the move to add or increase paid parental leave, Activision Blizzard a few years back bolstered its benefit for new parents to eight weeks of paid time off.
A recent survey from Unum found that the No. 1 benefit employees want deals with flexible work options or absence management. Paid family leave tops the benefits provider’s survey list: Among the 1,227 working adults polled, 58% of all workers (and 64% of millennials) want their employer to offer paid family leave.
But Ezzard didn’t want the company’s paid leave to stop at time off for new parents. As he says, many employees might not have or want children, or have children who are already grown.
That’s in part why Activision Blizzard offers an eight-week paid bereavement leave. The company goes a step further with the provision of eight weeks of paid compassion leave for employees to spend time with a terminally ill loved one, Ezzard says, or eight weeks for the unexpected death of a loved one, such as in a car accident.
Having only a few days of paid leave for grief, which is the norm for most employers, makes it “extremely difficult” for an employee, he says — not only to emotionally process an unexpected death, but also to deal with the logistical burden of day-to-day changes that may need to be made for the sudden impact to the family.
The value of programs like these, says Ezzard, is that when employees return from bereavement leave, they’ve had time to participate in one last memorable life event or to pick up the pieces from suddenly losing a close family member.
From parental and bereavement leave to high-tech cribs and virtual health strategies, Ezzard wants to use benefits to keep his employees happy, healthy and productive, so gamers can keep exploring the Activision universe.
“Benefits are not one size fits all,” he says. “[Employees have a lot of] needs that are just as important as the next. We have a diverse workforce and are addressing that as best as possible.”
Read more about EBN’s Benny Award winners:


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Apple showed off a mixed reality headset capable of both augmented and virtual reality to its board of directors last week and has engineers hard at work on an operating system for the device, according to a report from Apple. Bloomberg. The story notes that while this doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see a headset announced at WWDC next month, it may indicate an announcement is coming.
Bloomberg says there is historical precedent for the board to see devices shortly before an announcement. Apple’s board of directors reportedly got an early demo of Siri in 2011.
It also makes sense that Apple doesn’t want to get involved in software development until the hardware is nearly finished, so it knows what features and software to build. At that point, Bloomberg says that Apple has “increased development” of “Reality OS” or rOS, the operating system that would run on the headset. There’s also another reason why a software push could mean the device is nearing its final stages; it’s easier for hints and software trails to leak before an announcement. We’ve previously seen rOS mentioned in early iOS 13 betas, and it shows up in logs as well.
This device has been in the works for quite some time. According to an article recently published by InformationApple board members were able to demo some prototype AR/VR devices in 2016. The report makes it clear that they were extremely early-stage devices (some were apparently modified HTC Vives, and one allegedly had a crane). to hold the weight of the headphones). out of the neck of the board members), done primarily to act as a proof of concept and to get funding for the project. Dice BloombergBased on the report that the consumer release of the earphones is planned for the end of this year or 2023, it is likely that the one that was shown recently was much closer to its final state.
Leaks indicate that it will be able to both fully immerse you in virtual content and add virtual elements to the real world, likely through a pass-through video feed. form factor wise, Information reported that it will have AirPods Max-esque fabric mesh and a headband that almost looks like a sleek Apple Watch loop.
There are also rumors from prominent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that it is powered by an M1-class chip. This seems to go with BloombergThe report from earlier this year that Apple had to delay the announcement thanks to “content and overheating-related challenges” as well as difficulties getting the cameras to work properly. However, after years of waiting, we may finally be getting closer to seeing the next new category of device from Apple.


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Search results for: All Alcohol content
Twitter Canada’s expanded lineup of premium video offers best-in-brand news, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle content to an influential and engaged audience.
Twitter’s 2019 Digital NewFronts unveils new and expanded video partnerships with top news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, and gaming partners, featuring exclusive new shows and live streams for brands that want to reach the world’s most engaged audience.
How effective are Twitter campaigns? New Marketing Mix Modeling studies covering two years of Twitter activity for four clients in three markets show Twitter marketing campaigns deliver a higher ROI.
See how St-Germain Liqueur used Periscope to create an innovative "live peep show" that produced positive sentiment around the brand.


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iPod Classic & Shuffle Being Discontinued
All the hearsay surrounding the demise of the iPod Classic and Shuffle stems back to the iPhone 4S launch this past October. While no official word has yet been given, the nearly two-year sales decline in iPods might be enough for Apple to drop the guillotine on two the most revered gadgets of our generation. Truthfully, we could do without the Shuffle, seeing as how the iPad Nano is nearly the same size and is more feature-filled. However, ditching the Classic, a device capable of storing 160GB in comparison to the iPod Touch’s maximum 64GB capacity, would be a huge blow for serious music enthusiasts who've come to depend on the device over the past several years.


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BlackBerry 10 will be launched in less than 3 weeks, and as a result we are having a lot many leaks on RIM’s latest platform that will supposedly change the game for RIM and their BlackBerry brand. BlackBerry has certainly lost the appeal which it used to have few years ago.
Thanks to the early leaks, we have a lot of information on the device. The BlackBerry Z10 which will be launching on January 30th at a press conference will be a full touch screen device. It won’t be having any physical qwerty keyboard, which is a highlight feature for BlackBerry devices. It’s not the first time that the company is launching a full touch device. We have previously had phones such as BlackBerry Bold Touch 9930 and others, but they didn’t do pretty well. BlackBerry Z10 is all set to change the game because it will be running the latest platform and will have fairly good hardware specifications that are in par with the competition.
Up till now, we had unofficial photographs and blurrycam pictures of BlackBerry Z10, but now we have some leaked marketing content. A total of nine marketing posters have been leaked and these posters will be most probably be stuck on walls of the retailer when the device is officially launched. The posters give out information on new software features that you can expect with BlackBerry 10 operating system. Apart from that, the posters also show BlackBerry Z10 in white. There’s a lot of demand for white phones. If you take a look around, you may find that more and more people are buying white phones than ever before. The new iPhone, Samsung Galaxy SIII, Note 2 and several other devices come in white, and they definitely look beautiful. The BlackBerry Z10 looks outstanding in white.
Coming to the features, previously, an update to the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha phone featured a folder called “bbm_video” that hinted at a new Video feature for BlackBerry Messenger. Today, in the leaked marketing material, there was a picture which read “BBM Video with Screen Share”. That image hints that that BBM will support video chat and apparently it will because a new video has been discovered which shows the feature in action. The video has a playtime of 7 seconds and it pretty much speaks for itself. Just as rumored, BBM will indeed support video conversation, and apart from that one user can share his screen with another BlackBerry 10 user. I’m guessing it would be some kind of screen sharing feature similar to what we use on computers, where a user can control the device remotely. If that’s the case, RIM better make that feature safe because folks will soon figure out a way to exploit any loopholes in the new platform.
The video can be watched here. BBM members can already use BBM Voice feature on older devices using which they can ring their pals over wifi, and BBM Video will make BBM even a better service. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comment section below.


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Netflix will report first quarter earnings on Tuesday afternoon, setting the bar for a season of financial reports that will reveal a whole lot about the state of streaming.
With Wall Street focusing “on increasing spending on original content amid intense competition in the streaming space,” he wrote, “Netflix seems to need to pull a rabbit out of its hat as part of its latest earnings report to change the mood in a big way. More likely, though, is that management will continue to emphasize the theme of streaming growth.”
>> Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will likely come up on Netflix’s earnings call, since the company suspended its service in Russia, impacting its total subscriber number…
>> I’ll be listening to the call for any guidance about Netflix’s experiments with charging for password sharing in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru…
The inflation factor
Brian Lowry writes: “Netflix won’t be showing up to its earnings day with the best-picture Oscar that the service has long coveted, but it has clearly made enough inroads in that competition to justify the strategy. Yet the question is to what extent Netflix has been busy pursuing what amount to symbolic victories without adequately addressing the pressures on its business model, especially as studios funnel content to their own streaming services, forcing Netflix to both spend more on developing content and cast a wider net in terms of acquiring it from around the globe. The irony is that Netflix’s cultural footprint has never felt bigger — from launching surprise hits like ‘Squid Game’ to below-the-radar shows breaking out and trending — raising the possibility that the service could win a whole lot of battles and still wind up losing the war…”


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John McAfee, founder of the world s largest security technology company, McAfee is all set to release the ‘world s first truly private smartphone’ this year. McAfee took to Twitter to show the first prototype of the ‘John McAfee Privacy Phone’ and says that ‘you gonna love it’. This device is set to be the most hack-proof smartphone ever manufactured. The smartphone will be released later this year through MGT, a cybersecurity firm where McAfee is the executive chairman and CEO, and will be priced at a staggering $1,100 which is approximately Rs 70,600. Also Read - COVID-19 themed cyber-attack surge by 114 percent in Q4 2020: McAfeeAlso Read - Instagram critical bug fixed by Facebook, could allow hackers to turn your phone into a spying tool
Looking at the prototype image of the smartphone, it runs on Android OS. The smartphone appears to bear a curved shape with a physical Home button below. Above the display and just below the earpiece and selfie camera lens, the John McAfee branding is visible. What appears to be the volume rocker in gold color is located on the left side of the smartphone.
The John McAfee Privacy Phone, by MGT – first prototype. World’s first truly private smartphone. You gonna love it. pic.twitter.com/n06CuO3Jay
John McAfee (@officialmcafee) April 25, 2017
Newsweek through an exclusive interview with John McAfee, shared the details on his next big project. Seeing the heavy price tag on the smartphone, its target audience is enterprise users but privacy-conscious consumers may also be interested in it. On describing a little bit about the hack-proof smartphone, McAfee says that it contains a bank of switches on the back cover that allow the user to physically disconnect the battery, the antennas for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and geolocation, the camera and the microphone .
McAfee stresses on the fact that it is actually hardware that is key in providing security to a smartphone. Replying to a comment on Twitter about hardware not having anything to do with security, he says, Hardware has everything to do with security. Software has everything to do with insecurity.
In addition to this, the smartphone will also prevent connecting to a StingRay or any other IMSI-catcher device. It also contains a web search anonymizer. The StingRay is an IMSI-catcher device which mimics a wireless carrier cell tower compelling nearby smartphones to connect to it. MGT will be developing security features for the device with Nordic IT Sourcing Association. The prototype of the smartphone has been developed already, but its full specifications will only be revealed a week before its official launch which is due to happen later this year. ALSO READ: Micromax smartphones to now come bundled with McAfee Mobile Assistant
The John McAfee Privacy Phone which will be launched this year, will be Version 1 and its successor dubbed Version 2 will be launched in the summer of 2018. McAfee says that the Version 1 of this device is not completely hack proof but will give users enormous power over their privacy. He goes on to say that this device is light years ahead of the Blackphone or any other phone claiming to be secure . Blackphone which currently holds the crown of being the world s first privacy secured smartphone runs on Silent OS which is an enhanced Android OS for privacy. ALSO READ: Apple Watch, Microsoft Surface Pro 3, BlackPhone join the selfie stick in Time Magazine s best inventions of 2014
While the Version 1 of the John McAfee Privacy Phone may or may not beat the Blackphone series, the Version 2 promises so much more. McAfee says that the Version which will launch in the summer of 2018 will be as hack proof as humanly possible .


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Domino’s Pizza Adds what3words Address Option to Online Orders
Domino’s Pizza has struck a deal with language-based navigation platform what3words to ensure deliveries with pinpoint accuracy.The pizza chain giant will augment the Global Online Ordering (GOLO) platform for international franchisees with an optional what3words address field during checkout to boost delivery speed and precision.
what3words divides the world into 10-foot squares, each identified by a unique combination of three words. People can determine where they are and where they are going to a precise level using those three words. The idea is that a 10-foot square destination mapped onto the globe will ensure pizzas arrive at the right entrance of the right address, whether that’s within an apartment building or the English basement side door. Drivers using the unique three-word combo of their destination should get there faster and with far less of a chance to get lost by missing or misreading road signs, according to what3words. The estimated time of arrival shared when an order is placed also becomes more accurate because drivers will spend less time puzzling over urban sidestreets or rural roads. Domino’s and what3words ran pilot tests in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and most of North America before the wider rollout this week.
The what3words integration is only Domino’s latest experiment with precision pizza delivery. Online orders can be set to for delivery to outdoor ‘hotspots’ like parks and beaches. Domino’s delivers to the chosen public location and customers give permission for them to track their phone location to find where they are. The appeal of the hotspots is obvious, especially if an outdoor celebration runs out of food. But, as one prescient observer noted when Domino’s announced the hotspots almost four years ago, it seemed “silly” not to reach out to what3words.
— Rachel A. Adler (@RachelA_Adler) April 16, 2018
Hotspots to Words
what3words began its partnership with Domino’s a few years ago, but the general release comes as the navigation startup is accelerating deployment. Lamborghini recently began embedding the what3words platform into its Huracán line of cars as part of the already integrated Amazon Alexa voice assistant. The voice app will enable drivers to set their navigation using the three-word addresses like a standard Alexa skill, albeit one only available in Huracáns. The word combination avoids confusing the voice navigation with imprecise speech or widely separated similar addresses. The startup has been working on similar features for other carmakers as well. Setting on the Domino’s delivery system could mark a huge jump in user numbers or at least recognition of the what3words model thanks to the sheer ubiquity of Domino’s stores.
“Wherever you live, hot pizza is so much better than cold pizza because the driver got lost finding your door,” what3words CEO Chris Sheldrick said. “It’s really important that customers receive their order in good time, and drivers should be able to navigate to their destination with ease. We’re so excited to globally roll-out what3words to Domino’s international franchisees and customers.”


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Who sends out an invitation with more than 350 different image designs? Apple, that’s who, and this is precisely what the company has done inviting media to its next big iPad Pro and Mac reveal, set to take place in New York on Oct. 30.
'There's more in the making'
Apple on Thursday invited selected media to a special event at the plush surroundings of the 2,000+ capacity Brooklyn Academy of Music on Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. ET.
We’ve since discovered that more than 350 iterations of the brightly colored Apple logo image on the front of the invitation exist. The slogan is "There’s more in the making."
To read this article in full, please click here


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What we would not do to tell about our territories!
In our editorial office, news is always on the agenda, and this wonderful news was already “in the pipeline” for some years! Our Claudia Bettiol, founder of Discoverplaces after a journey undertaken together with F.I.S. (Italian Sommelier Federation), has officially become a Sommelier!
An important and necessary choice to better describe our territories, and wine, one of the most important products for our country. Tourism is taking a very specific direction, and that of experiences based on food and wine, and this new experience will allow us to grow more and more and understand the new needs of Italian and foreign tourists who want to come to our country.
Now that we are armed with new knowledge, and a more refined palate, expect many more articles about our beloved Italian and Terre del Cesanese wines …


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BBC News reports that for a limited time the One Laptop Per Child Project will be selling the “$100 laptop” to US consumers in pairs for $399 in order to generate support for the project. With each purchase, the consumer gets to keep one laptop and the other goes to a child in a developing country.
The offer starts on the 12th of November, considerably earlier than any previously announced plans to offer the laptops for sale. BBC said that this program is being offered because “[Project founder Nicholas Negroponte] admitted that concrete orders from the governments of developing nations had not always followed verbal agreements.”
Engineered to reach the $100 mark due to economy of scale, the laptops have yet to reach that point, now going for about $188. The OLPC project has the goal of providing low-cost laptops to children in developing nations, supported by governments, grants, and donations.
In addition to its ambitious social justice and education goals, the project provides an interesting machine: According to the BBC article and the Wikipedia article on the topic, the $188 “$100 laptop” eliminates moving parts by omitting a hard drive; it runs on flash memory and Linux.
The BBC says the waterproof machine “can be powered by solar, foot-pump or pull-string powered chargers,” though Negroponte said in 2006 that the hand crank originally planned was later eliminated from the design. As a result, the laptops are now merely astonishingly steampunk, rather than being steampunker-than-f@!k.
Image via Wikipedia.


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As of 8:01 a.m. today, the mayhem and madness for Missoni for Target had officially begun.
Target’s highly anticipated collaboration with the Italian luxury brand was awaiting customers both in stores and online this morning. The line includes women’s and children’s clothes and accessories, bedding, kitchenware, computer accessories, home decor and more. The excitement was palpable for those in the know.
At the Target in Azusa that I hit up at 8:15 a.m., every umbrella, all scarves (but two) and almost the entire kitchenware section was already gone. The sales associate said, “I wasn’t even finished opening the box of umbrellas, and a woman took them all.”
A woman in line with my friend said she had already visited three Targets by 11 a.m. She said the store in Pasadena was like Black Friday. Several women at the Santa Ana Target had visited South O.C. stores and said the Missoni items were already gone.
Here’s what has gone down:
1) The entire Target website is down! CNBC is reporting that the Target site is down due to the Missoni launch.
2) Entire sections of products are already sold out in stores.
3) @targetstyle on Twitter says they were prepared for traffic but the sheer volume is overwhelming.
Here are some of the clothes I saw before I almost got kicked out – TWICE – for taking pictures.
Here is a link to the entire Missoni for Target look book from Fashionista.com. Now I wish I bought more stuff while I was there! I’m afraid we may have to hit up Ebay to find the bulk items that were purchased this morning.
Here’s our previous post prior to the Misson for Target launch with more looks.
Will you be frantically trying to fetch some of the Missoni goods online or in stores?


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The state of the American worker in Florida this Labor Day Weekend
Monday is Labor Day, a day to celebrate American workers. The nation’s economy is making a very slow recovery. Presidential candidates are debating just what are the best solutions for creating jobs in the nation. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Kelsey Kern spoke with Laura Byrnes, Community Manager at the Marion County Workforce Connection about unemployment rates in North Central Florida.
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Local entrepreneur Bill Bryson discusses his latest business venture, Crane Ramen, a craft noodle shop that opened in downtown Gainesville in December. Bryson and Crane Ramen co-owner, Fred Brown, saw a market for a ramen restaurant in Gainesville, and they get most of their food from local vendors.
The Pledge 5 Foundation is in debt with local businesses in Gainesville. The organization owes more than $100,000, but it created a program, so that they can pay back the money they owe.
In exchange for a reduced sentence, some Marion County inmates participate in a prison work program. The program has produced much of the jail’s infrastructure, saving taxpayers more than $9 million in 2013.
The economic recession in 2007 led to the unemployment of millions of Americans. However, one University of Florida graduate turned the downturn into opportunity.
Publix is moving to the small city of Alachua and will compete with the only other grocery store there called Hitchcock’s Markets. Residents are excited to see more diversity in their grocery shopping.


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The information, which included names, addresses, telephone numbers, bank and credit card account numbers and even signatures, was stored on the hard drive of a laptop bought by IT manager Andrew Chapman. Chapman purchased the machine from Graphic Data, a company specialising in creating and holding digital copies of paperwork for financial institutions, for £35.
It is believed an ex-employee is responsible for selling the laptop. RBS has also admitted that another laptop has gone missing from its offices in Shoeburyness, Essex
"Any breach of these procedures is totally unacceptable and is investigated as a matter of urgency," said a spokesperson for RBS.
The Information Commissioner's Office is investigating the incident, which comes just a month after the MoD admitted that 658 laptops have been stolen or lost since 2004.
See also: HSBC loses 370,000 customers' details