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Ever wonder where Microsoft got the code name for its upcoming Windows Vista release? According to Lily Delos Rios, VP of Product Delivery at Symantec, the code name Longhorn grew out of two then-current project code names: Whistler and Blackcomb. Whistler and Blackcomb are two mountains near the popular Whistler, British Columbia, ski community. The project named Whistler became Windows XP, and Blackcomb was to be an even more ambitious new operating system. When it seemed that Blackcomb was too ambitious, Microsoft decided it needed something in the middle, something between Whistler and Blackcomb. In the real world, there's a saloon located between the two mountains, and that saloon's name is Longhorn.
You might wonder why I'm starting a column about Microsoft by repeating an anecdote from someone at Symantec. This week at the Symantec Vision conference in San Francisco, several top-level Symantec executives were openly challenging Microsoft on security
. Despite considerable press coverage of the emerging Google vs. Microsoft battle
, the way they were talking, you'd think Symantec was Microsoft's only competition.
In the real world, there's a saloon located between the two mountains, and that saloon's name is Longhorn.
In a room full of Symantec Veritas customers, an informal, nonscientific poll revealed that none of the IT managers expected to deploy Windows Vista in their organizations within the first three months of its release. Worse, only a handful thought it likely that they'd deploy Windows Vista within the first six months. Microsoft is betting the farm on Windows Vista in the enterprise market; Microsoft makes a majority of its software sales through enterprise agreements, and most of the features in Vista are aimed toward these high-end customers.
One new feature in the Enterprise versions of Windows Vista will be an imaging tool, allowing IT managers to create a model workstation that will deploy that image onto new PCs as they come online. The advantage, says Microsoft, is that you can edit the image to include the latest security patches from Microsoft so that your image is always the latest and greatest. That's hardly news to IT managers who have been using Symantec's Norton Ghost for years. As one IT manager told me, "Why would I bother to learn Microsoft's tool when I already know Ghost?"
Vista's like an onion
Bottom line, Symantec is the only security vendor positioned to take on Microsoft.
With Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional, Microsoft attempted to have one platform for both its enterprise and home users. With Windows Vista, that simple concept gets more complicated. Microsoft has an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink version that will be called Windows Vista Ultimate, and, as suggested, it will have every possible feature. For the corporate office, however, Microsoft is planning an enterprise agreement-only version called Windows Vista Enterprise, which drops the Media Center package but keeps the Bitlocker hard drive encryption feature. For small businesses, Microsoft is planning a retail version called Windows Vista Business, which drops the Media Center and Bitlocker but keeps the tablet PC support and IIS for Web site creation. Finally, the version that you and I will find on most new PCs beginning sometime in 2007 will be called the Windows Vista Home edition, which includes the Media Center but drops tablet PC support, Bitlocker, and IIS, among other networking and administrative functions unnecessary to the average solo PC user. Sometime in the next two weeks, Microsoft will unveil another build of its Windows Vista operating system, and this release should be public and perhaps for the first time be broken out into specific versions of the operating system.
Of course there is a downside to Microsoft designing Windows Vista primarily for the enterprise audience, and some bad security decisions have already been made that will trickle down throughout the entire operating system series. I'm particularly upset by Microsoft's recent announcement that its new outbound firewall filtering will be disabled by default
. Now you'll have to enable it yourself, which most users are loath to do. Microsoft bowed to pressure from its Enterprise, but, since this operating system is still in beta, there's plenty of time for the geniuses in Redmond to reverse that decision, at least on the Windows Vista Home edition. Whither third-party security?
Last week, a report from the Yankee group suggested that Windows Vista-embedded security features will knock out third-party security apps
, especially the firewall and antispyware vendors. I first addressed this question in a column in January
, and I still think third-party firewall applications will continue to thrive, whether or not Windows Firewall's outbound protection is enabled. In the post-Windows Vista world, I do think third-party antispyware vendors will have a hard time justifying their existence against the free version of Windows Defender. One area where third-party security vendors will definitely succeed against Microsoft will be in stopping phishing and identity theft.
Within the last year or so, Symantec purchased many smaller security companies
, beefing up its portfolio in authentication and fraud protection. Within the 2007 consumer versions of Norton security apps, expect to see new behavior-blocking technology it bought from WholeSecurity. Here, I think Symantec's technology will be much more robust than Microsoft's diluted antiphishing technology within Windows Vista. Wider ripples in the pond
Maybe it really is becoming a Microsoft vs. Symantec security universe. My ZDNet colleague David Berlind thinks security vendor McAfee
and others are threatened by Microsoft. David cites McAfee's CEO Gene Hodges, who, after first giving a fairly rosy picture of McAfee's future, quickly jumped ship. Another sign of McAfee's market desperation is its recent foray into Apple Mac OS X security. Elsewhere, David mentions the departure of Fred Felman, formerly of ZoneAlarm, more recently with the antispyware vendor Tenebril. David quotes Felman as saying of the security industry today, "It's beat." That's news to me because the last time I spoke with Felman, a couple of months ago, he didn't sound all that impressed with either the firewall or the built-in antispyware plans for Windows Vista.
Bottom line, Symantec is the only security vendor positioned to take on Microsoft. To counter Microsoft's new Windows Live OneCare managed support service
, Symantec will be rolling out Genesis later this year. Look for the two software giants to continue to be in lockstep, announcing similar security product features and services
in the coming years. I would hate to see McAfee fade away and for desktop security to come down to just two vendors, but that's been the pattern with Microsoft for years: narrow the market and be one of the two survivors. Will Microsoft emerge as a dominant security vendor in the next few years? Talk back to me.


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Discover the latest news and updates for foodservice professionals.
Anchor FP Pastry & Culinary Challenge 2018 Shapes Future Master Chefs
Anchor Food Professionals Pastry & Culinary Challenge 2018 was recently held in Malaysia from 13-16 March.
Vietnam’s Next Top Baker 2017
The inaugural Vietnam’s Next Top Baker 2017 was held in June and open to both professionals and home bakers.
Butter prices soar on global demand
With butter enjoying a resurgence in demand around the world, the price of the bakery staple is consequently being driven higher.
Launch of PizzArt by Anchor, the Ultimate Pizza Experience
Malaysia Anchor Food Professionals has recently embarked on a celebration of the art of pizza in its different shapes and sizes with a new campaign called PizzArt by Anchor.
Anchor Food Professionals opens Sri Lanka's first dairy innovation kitchen
Sri Lanka’s foodies are set to receive a delicious boost to their out-of-home dining experience, with Fonterra’s opening of the country’s first dairy innovation kitchen for the foodservice industry.
Fonterra scoops top innovation honour at world's largest food show
Fonterra has picked up a top innovation award at the Gulfood Innovation Awards for its trade stand of between 40 – 90m2 at the world’s largest food show in Dubai this week.
I'll have extra stretch with mine
Fonterra dips toe into Brazil market with first sale of its Extra Stretch Mozzarella
Anchor Food Professionals welcomes you at Gulfood
For the first time, Anchor Food Professionals will be exhibiting under the Fonterra banner at the world’s largest annual food event in the Middle East – Gulfood.
Fonterra Topping Global Pizza Markets with New Investment
Fonterra takes another important step in its value add strategy today, with the announcement of a new mozzarella plant that will meet growing customer demand for its world-renowned cheese.
NZ Anchor Food Professionals team scoops silver at the 2016 Culinary Olympics
The New Zealand Anchor Food Professionals’ team of chefs has taken out silver at the 2016 Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany.
NZ Anchor Food Professionals team wins two bronze medals in first category of the Culinary Olympics
The New Zealand Anchor Food Professionals’ Team of chefs has taken out silver at the 2016 Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany.
New Zealand’s Culinary Olympians set to take on the world’s best
Fonterra today launched its new global foodservice brand, Anchor Food Professionals, helping to cement the Co-operative’s position as a leader in foodservice.
Fonterra Eltham – Filling Billions of Burgers Worldwide
The first slices of cheese have rolled off the new slice on slice line at Fonterra Eltham, in Taranaki, with the plant set to produce cheese...
Fonterra Campaign to drive appetite for cream in China
A competition to find China’s best Anchor Cream cake is whipping customers in Fonterra’s biggest market into a frenzy, with demand for...

domain: news


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On the quaint coast of Cornwall, near the town of Perranporth, there's a beach that's constantly covered in Lego. Tiny flippers, little plastic dragons, a brick here and there—these pieces have been washing ashore since a shipping accident in 1997 sent 4.8 million pieces into the sea nearby. And one-by-one, out they…
Let's say you order things online. Video games, for instance. Given the fact you order them on a computer and then, days later, they magically appear at your door, it's easy to begin to treat the process as, well, magic.
Bethesda Softworks is calling Fallout: New Vegas' launch a success, with more than five million copies shipped since the game's release, with retailers calling for more. Now all they have to do is fix it.


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Cristiano Ronaldo-owned Hotel to Open in Marrakech
The Pestana CR7 venture, owned by Real Madrid’s star Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s top hotel chain, Pestana, announced the opening of a new hotel in Marrakesh next year.
The hotel would be the fifth under the Pestana CR7 chain, Moroccan media said, adding that the Marrakech hotel is part of the brand’s plan to double its hotels in three to five years.
“Marrakech is a leading destination that is becoming more and more sophisticated. It offers the perfect environment for the establishment of renowned hotel chains,” said Pestana CR7 chain in a statement.
The brand is also capitalizing on the popularity of Ronaldo, a regular visitor of Marrakesh himself, to draw more customers especially from Asia and the Middle East, as well as reinforce its expansion into Spain and the United States.
Ronaldo and Pestana will open two hotels this year in Madrid and New York, having already tested the market at home in Portugal, which is enjoying a tourism boom, with an initial two hotels – in Madeira and Lisbon.


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"Positive information benefits us emotionally, physically, and mentally. It contributes to a happier, healthier life."
By Good News Network Friday, August 31, 2012
Soviet-born Sergey Brin is already a world-changer. The Google co-founder has donated millions of dollars to charity and given us public technology tools that make us smarter.
But one of the most touching efforts comes from his small real estate holding firm called Passerelle Investment Company.
"With it, Brin is buying up downtown property in Los Altos, Calif., a small Silicon Valley town near where he lives, and is renting it out at below-market rates to stores he thinks families in the community need: a children's bookstore, a children's playspace, and a child-friendly coffee shop."
|Civics and World|


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In an effort to expand its retail network and better serve its customers, Virginia ABC has opened a new store in the Crooked Run Center at 115 Crooked Run Plaza in Front Royal. Although the store began servicing customers on July 23, a grand opening is scheduled 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
This second Front Royal location was strategically chosen to meet market demands and better serve the growing population. The next nearest ABC store is in the Royal Plaza Shopping Center.
The Front Royal store measures 1,960 square feet, carries approximately 1,087 items and will employ six people -- a manager and five sales associates.
“We're eager to welcome customers, answer their questions, fulfill special requests and, ultimately, adjust the store’s product mix to accommodate their tastes,” said Wilson Jones, director of retail operations.
Regular store hours will be 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1–6 p.m. Sunday. The first 25 customers will receive a free, non-alcoholic gift.
ABC has opened 80 stores in the last 10 years and plans to open 20 more in the next three years. Currently 98 percent of Virginia’s population resides within 10 minutes of an ABC store.
The Crooked Run Center store is the second store in Front Royal and the 344th store in the ABC network.
New ABC Store Opens in Front Royal


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Bangor, ME News Release Archive - Page 8
November 01, 2013 -- The Bigfoot CMMS producer has been selected among peers and competitors by the Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce.
October 31, 2013 -- Forest2Market has expanded its delivered price benchmark to the Northeast, effectively rounding out its timber market pricing services for the entire United States. The benchmark reports aspen,...
October 31, 2013 -- Global Metallocene Market 2016 says market growth is the increasing demand for polymers with low molecular distribution, and other characteristics, which in turn has led to an increased consumption of...
October 31, 2013 -- Easy ways to compare auto insurance rates are now posted by the Auto Pros company online. A database of national and local companies can be accessed by car owners online at...
October 31, 2013 -- New Life Hiking Spa has consistently been voted “The Best” in Weight Loss, Outdoor Adventure and Affordability in the SpaFinder Reader’s Choice Awards over the past decade and has won five awards for...
October 31, 2013 -- Maine cycling fitness center runs contest for up to 24 people to enjoy a private class.
October 31, 2013 -- Eastern Shore Home Improvement provides expert advice on roof winterization in Maine.
October 30, 2013 -- Atlantic Salmon Federation says farmed escapees threaten Maine’s endangered salmon.
October 30, 2013 -- Author announces release of ‘The Lone Cypress’.
October 30, 2013 -- Analysis and Forecast of China Smart Meter Market, 2013-2017” is the new market research report added to the online library of MarketReportsChina.com.
October 29, 2013 -- ARME Realty.com announces several new inexpensive real estate marketing programs designed for real estate professionals on a budget. Shopping cart to go online by the holidays.
October 29, 2013 -- Shea’s General Manager Reflects on Company's Steady Progress and Evolution
October 29, 2013 -- Indulge, relax and celebrate the holidays at The Westin Nova Scotian, elements on hollis and Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club.
October 28, 2013 -- Favorite 80’s teen movie queen Molly Ringwald will perform hits from her recent jazz CD at Husson University’s Gracie Theatre on November 23rd. Ringwald is best known for her roles in the John Hughes’...
October 28, 2013 -- The Portland Hilton Garden Inn Airport has broken ground on a 35 room expansion project which will be followed by a complete renovation
October 28, 2013 -- Vasque is proud to sponsor 15-year-old Neva 'Chipmunk' as she reaches her goal to be the youngest person to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
October 27, 2013 -- Rumble strips could prevent head-on collisions and save lives, says Joe Bornstein of the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein, a Maine personal injury law firm.
October 25, 2013 -- The Atlantic Salmon Federation is receiving from NOAA more than half a million dollars to support Atlantic salmon restoration in Maine.
October 24, 2013 -- Over 35 years, Macy Industries, Inc. has been working to be the most valued solution for metal products for clients throughout New England.
October 24, 2013 -- Know Technology and the State of Maine Office of Information Technology announce that Know Technology has been awarded a three year contract to supply American Power Conditioning (APC) uninterruptible...
October 23, 2013 -- ETR 407 staff, customers and the community engage in community plantings to support the environment in local parks from Mississauga to Richmond Hill.
October 23, 2013 -- Mattress and sleep blog BedEd.org looks at five sleep disorders that rival the plots of scary movies in their latest timely article.
October 23, 2013 -- Over the last three years we've processed over one hundred thousand online life insurance applications. After conducting some fairly painstaking number crunching we've identified five of the...
October 23, 2013 -- With ski season right around the corner, Maine Bunk Beds has announced the addition of the space-saving Katahdin to their line of eco-friendly bunk beds.
October 22, 2013 -- Rimol’s greenhouse donation initiates food production for NH soup kitchen and food pantry.


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We have to admit that the new launch trailer for Insomniac Games’ upcoming horror adventure VR title looks really impressive.
The studio has uploaded their new official trailer for Edge of Nowhere, which is Insomniac’s first step into the world of Virtual Reality. The game will be available on June 6 exclusively for Oculus Rift on Oculus Store.
You can watch the full launch trailer for Edge of Nowhere below.
Founder and Editor of PC Invasion. Veteran PC gamer of over 22 years.


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Normally, to get a free meal in China, you either have to be fat or good-looking, but one buffet restaurant in Anhui recently handed out coupons for free meals to everybody.
Turns out, bad idea.
To celebrate China’s National Day holiday, the restaurant in Tongling city distributed 5 days worth of coupons to local residents, resulting in total chaos. Apparently, people like free things.
Photos have gone viral on Chinese social media showing security guards trying to prevent a stampede at the restaurant’s entrance with dozens of people anxiously waiting in line for their chance to come in and grab some free grub.
The photos also show a large amount of uneaten food, and there’s nothing that Chinese web users hate more than wasted food.
“Even though it’s free, there’s still so much food left over, the quality must not be good,” commented one netizen.
“You would have to pay me to eat there,” wrote another.
“Once you hear something is free, you rush out to get it no matter what, that is the Chinese national spirit,” joked another netizen.
Hey, could have been worse.
[Images via NetEase]


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Total income rose to Rs 2,935.72 crore in the quarter under review, from Rs 2,542.84 crore in the same period last year.
In the first quarter of this fiscal, the company operationalized 207 ckm (circuit km) in the Obra line with a total network at 18,801 ckm.
Distribution losses were at 6.88 per cent in the quarter, compared to 13.47 per cent in the year-ago period.
The units sold increased by 18 per cent to 2,036 units, on account of rise in power demand.
"ATL's recent acquisitions (APTL and WKTL) and robust under construction pipeline will further bolster its Pan-India presence, consolidating further its position as the largest private sector transmission company in India and moving it closer to its goal of 20,000 ckt km of transmission lines by 2022," said Anil Sardana, MD & CEO, Adani Transmission Ltd in a statement.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- ET Markets
- I-T Wing’s Lens on Offshore Payments by Indian Cos Now
A company, like an individual taxpayer, is also required to disclose its overseas financial interests, subsidiaries, and bank accounts in the annual I-T returns.Need More Direct and Indirect Tax Reforms
There is need for further reforms in the direct and indirect tax regimes, revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj said.Global Apparel Cos Bounce Back in Style
About half a dozen global apparel and lifestyle brands expanded anywhere between 30% and 70% to garner combined annual revenues of nearly $2 billion in FY22, reversing the performance from a year ago when Covid-induced curbs on mobility and business operations caused sales to shrink.
Read More News on
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.


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California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to spend $300 million starting in January as part of a new policy to aid small businesses and law enforcement affected by high-profile smash and grab thefts.
Newsom plans to add the noted amount to the existing California budget, according to the New York Post.
The spending proposal will include $255 million to implement law enforcement at stores, $18 million for a new organized “theft unit,” and $20 million for businesses affected by thefts.
“The rules are the rules, the laws are the laws, and we just want people to be held to account,” Newsom stated in the announcement of his crackdown plan Friday.
“These organized retail mobs … [have] a profound impact on our feelings of safety here in this state, this region and as I note, this country,” the California governor added.
In November, Los Angeles “flash mobs” over the course of a 10-day stint made off with $350 million in stolen items.
Despite Newsom’s efforts, some still remain skeptical of his diplomacy.
“The Democrats’ relentless push for their ‘criminals first’ agenda has turned this once-majestic state into a sanctuary for criminals,” GOP state Senate leader Scott Wilk stated following the announcement.
In 2014, in a move toward compassion to prevent low-level offenders from overcrowding California prisons, Newsom backed Proposition 47, a measure that doubled the amount a person could steal before being charged with a felony, from $450 to $950.
LAPD Det. Jamie McBride, a director of the Los Angeles, the director of a Los Angeles police union, told the Post this month, “it’s a s**t show over here.”


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On today’s Business Beat, Jeff discusses new findings that show that entrepreneurship continues to thrive in today’s business world.
Tune in to the Business Beat, below, to learn more about how entrepreneurship continues to grow today:
Tune in to News/Talk 760 AM WJR weekday mornings at 7:11 a.m. for the WJR Business Beat. Listeners outside of the Detroit area can listen live HERE.
Are you an entrepreneur with a great story to share? If so, contact us at [email protected] and we’ll feature you on an upcoming segment of the WJR Business Beat!
Good morning, Paul!
Entrepreneurship in the USA is alive and kicking according to new data from digital.com through the pandemic. One in three people who have left a traditional job, say they’re doing it to pursue their dreams of working for themselves. According to the U S labor department, 4 million people handed in their letters of resignation in April alone, many on their way to starting their own business. Now, the stars have aligned to swing the doors, open to new ideas, new opportunities, and lots of creative energy and focus being put to work, to formulate new business models that target needs in the marketplace today and create opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. Let’s look at whatthedigital.com study reveals about. What’s behind the wave of startups budding up in our country at a pace that is nothing short of the most prolific period in our country’s history for startup formation. So what’s driving this trend nearly half of Americans say they want better pay or benefit. 42% want to focus on their health while 41% are leaving in pursuit of something. They’re more passionate about why now the study reveals that nearly two thirds say the pandemic allowed them to get educated about what it takes to start a business while 59% say the pandemic showed them the vulnerabilities of working for someone else. Now, what are the common types of businesses being started to. Computer and it work top the list of businesses. People are starting today followed by retail, personal care, healthcare and finance industry related businesses. I believe that this is an era in which in 5 to 10 years, we’ll be talking about some of America’s most promising and game-changing businesses were born, born right on the heels of the tragic pandemic and simply put because. If you’ve been on the fence about starting a business, whether they’re full-time or part-time the time is now.
I’m Jeff Sloan, founder and CEO of StartupNation.com, and that’s today’s Business Beat, on the Great Voice of the Great Lakes, WJR.


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Destiny 3 Could Still Be Coming In 2020 Despite Split With Activision
However one has to wonder that with this split, could it potentially have thrown a monkey wrench into the company’s plans for Destiny 3? Apparently not, at least according to research firm Cowen & Company who claims that Destiny 3 is still on track for a release in 2020. Given that Destiny games are released every three years, it seems like it is a pretty safe prediction to make.
The report also claims that the deal with Activision saw the publisher request a game every two years, but it was later changed to every three years which might have led to a “growing divergence” between the companies, which could possibly explain the split. We had heard back in 2018 that Destiny 3 was already in the works, so a launch in 2020 doesn’t seem entirely impossible or out of the question.
It is unclear as to what this split could mean for Destiny 3 as well, due to the fact that with Destiny 2, Activision had wanted to introduce more microtransactions to bolster the game’s revenue after it had failed to meet sales targets. With Destiny 3 now being self-published, maybe we could be seeing a return of a game with less in-game purchases, or at least that’s the hope.
Filed in Gaming. Read more about Activision, Bungie and Destiny.


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December 1, 2023
Executives with GrandPrix Originals (GPO) have signed a licensing agreement with Gulf Oil Limited Partnership that brings a line of official apparel to the U.S. The gear debuted to the public during the international Porsche event, Rennsport Reunion 7 in Monterey, Calif. Sept. 28 to Oct. 1.
“Since Gulf Oil’s first Le Mans victory 55 years ago with the Ford GT to the mighty Porsche 917s that kept the livery in the winner’s circle, the light blue and orange have become beloved worldwide,” says Jonathan Sieger, chief executive officer, GrandPrix Originals. “That is why Grandprix Originals Europe offers a stunning line of the largest collection of Gulf apparel worldwide. Previously, Americans could only purchase those handcrafted exclusive items in Europe, like at Le Mans Classic. We are excited that this new agreement allows us to bring this heritage Gulf line to the U.S., and we’ve got much more coming.”
Under the new agreement, GrandPrix Originals USA now offers a large selection of Gulf products that have been sold worldwide. The company started with a selection of over 30 products at Rennsport Reunion 7, many of which sold out at the event. New designs continue to make their way in for the holidays, as well as an expanded collection in the future.
“We are excited to add the GrandPrix Originals USA name to our family of merchandise licensees,” says Nikki Fales, vice president, marketing and payments, Gulf Oil Limited Partnership. “With this agreement, fans in the U.S. can wear the famous orange and blue livery in celebration of the brand’s more than 120 years of heritage.”
Over the years, the Gulf Racing livery has appeared in sports car racing, Formula1 and other forms of motorsports. It has adorned factory entries from Porsche, Ford, Aston Martin and McClaren. Privateers and enthusiasts have often added the blue and orange scheme to their vehicles.
“Steve McQueen’s character, ‘Michael Delaney,’ and the unmistakable blue and orange Gulf logo on his driver’s suit and Gulf livery on the infamous 917 in the 1971 film, ‘Le Mans,’ are some of the most memorable looks in motorsports,” says Jeany Zhao, co-owner, chief financial officer, GPO. “Our Michael Delaney series in the Gulf Collection celebrates that era of racing. We are immensely proud and excited about our new relationship with Gulf Oil LP and look forward to what we can bring to American racing and fashion enthusiasts. All of us at GPO truly love motorsports. To us, this isn't just merchandise; it’s a tribute to an iconic legacy and the impeccable craftsmanship we stand by.”
GrandPrix Originals USA will offer Gulf Racing items for men and women, including:
Lambskin, leather, cotton and lightweight jackets
Polos and T-shirts
Leather and canvas bags/luggage
“All of our products are designed, developed and manufactured to perform,” says Marco Ruf, co-owner, GPO. “From buttery soft lambskin jackets to rugged bags, each is a work of functional art. Our apparel fits right in wherever there is speed and style.”
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Through its print edition, website, daily e-newsletter and event publications, License Global reaches more than 150,000 executives and professionals in all major markets. The magazine also serves as the official publication for the sector’s trade events, which include Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Japan, Licensing Expo Shanghai and the Licensing Leadership Summit.
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A new line of Olympic heritage men's apparel by Lacoste has been launched with the first items celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Grenoble Winter Games and the Mexico City Summer Games.
The clothing and accessories line - developed by Lacoste as part of a new licensing agreement and in line with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Global Licensing Strategy - will feature limited edition collections that will aim to reflect the graphic legacy of legendary Olympic Games.
The IOC and Lacoste's collaboration will continue until 2020, with a collection developed each season.
Items will initially be sold in 10 countries: Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and Britain.
In a speech at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Timo Lumme, the managing director of the IOC's television and marketing services, said: "We are delighted to announce the launch of this new collection, which marks the beginning of an exciting licensing agreement with Lacoste to further connect people with Olympic history and legacy.
"The collection celebrates the iconic designs of Olympic Games Grenoble 1968 and Mexico City 1968 on their 50th anniversary.
"These Games not only represented a turning point for the art and design of the Olympic Games, they also left a strong sporting and cultural heritage that is still acknowledged today."
Lacoste's chief executive Thierry Guibert added: "We are happy to start this licensing agreement with the International Olympic Committee.
"Founded by tennis player and entrepreneur René Lacoste, Olympic medallist in 1924, the Lacoste brand carries the values of fair play, elegance and tenacity that are dear to the Olympic Movement.
"Those common values have inspired us with this collection that radiates with a touch of French elegance the iconographic heritage of past Olympic Games."
The IOC are aiming to "connect the audience with Olympic history through the art and design of previous editions".
The target is not the typical Olympic spectator and fan, but rather enthusiasts and anyone who would like to own a piece of Olympic history.
Additional collections are being developed and will be launched soon.


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Agency.com has appointed a new head of interactive TV to run its UK
activities. Gerben Van Duyl replaces Maurice Flynn, who left the agency
in March to join GoodTechnology's interactive TV unit. Van Duyl was
previously the marketing director of the e-commerce company Intershop.
He spent two years at Intershop and was most recently marketing chief at
the mobile applications provider Upstream.


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Content streaming service Hotstar has launched a monthly subscription service priced at Rs. 199 a month, which offers a exclusive selection of movies and TV shows.
The service has been launched with the sixth season of HBO's Game of Thrones, which was available on Hotstar minutes after it finished screening in the US.
(Also read: How to Legally Watch Game of Thrones S06E01 Right Now)
Hotstar has been retweeting fans of the show on its official handle who are reporting that the footage is uncensored, but hasn't given an official confirmation on whether the service offers an uncensored version of US TV shows and movies. Hotstar's Twitter handle is calling the service 'unspoiled', which could mean that the footage is uncensored, or that it's available minutes after broadcast in the US. It seems like the social team is explicitly evading the use of the word 'uncensored', possibly to avoid controversy.
A total of 36 shows are listed in its premium TV show catalogue, notable names include Silicon Valley, Veep, and The Newsroom. The movie catalogue however, is not so exciting, with a list of around 70 Hollywood movies, the latest are from 2015.
Hotstar works over apps, available on Android and iOS, and also on the desktop, through a Web browser. This membership is currently available only in India, and the service only accepts credit cards as a mode of payment as of now. According to the FAQs, support for debit cards is coming soon, but there's no word from Hotstar on whether digital wallets like Paytm and FreeCharge will be accepted.
Netflix, which launched its subscription service in India earlier this year offers plans at Rs. 500 a month. Other players in this space include Spuul, Hungama, Eros Now, and Muvizz.


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Loyal customers can be a brand’s most affordable and effective ambassadors by creating word-of-mouth referrals and purchasing time and again.
With retail sales falling – a 0.6 per cent drop in the March quarter after a 0.3 per cent in the December quarter – loyalty is waning, and a top priority for brands next financial year will be finding ways to reclaim and retain customers. A major survey offers the answers: transparency, being community-minded, thanking them, and offering a high-quality at good value are some of the things customers say brands can do to win their loyalty.
The insights were derived from a survey of an independent panel of 2500 Australians, analysed by Customology, Australia’s leading specialists in customer lifecycle management. Collated in a new report, ‘The Unspoken Customer’, Customology offers insights into the attitudes about brands among consumers who don’t normally review online, provide feedback or participate in brand surveys.
Customology founder and CEO Mark James said: “Customer loyalty is intrinsically linked to a brand’s success, and loyalty can be scuppered if customers are not rewarded appropriately. Rewards, however, must be genuine and add tangible value. A coffee wholesaler, for instance, will need to offer customers incentivised value to ensure they shop with them for their next order. They key is to recognise and appreciate the customer’s loyalty and reward the behaviour you want to influence. Conversely, it is extremely difficult to win back once-loyal customers after you have lost them.”
Drawing on its latest data, Customology reveals the six things brands can do to win customer loyalty.
1- Don’t rely on marketing emails. Too many brands use the spray-and-pray approach, relying on marketing emails to create loyal customers, rather than creating genuine value. Customology’s study found that 46 per cent of customers hardly read these emails and almost two-thirds (61 per cent) said they rarely influence their purchase decisions. Brands could use a mix of communication channels, such as SMS, direct mail, push notifications, social media and advertising. And while customers provide plenty of information about themselves to help brands create personalised messages, most brands continue to spam their customers with the same messages at the same time.
2- Thank customers. A simple thank you goes a long way for customers who have chosen to spend their hard-earned cash with you. One in 5 customers (19 per cent) reported not receiving any form of communication after their first visit, despite sharing their contact details. A follow-up email or a push notification with a personalised note on what their purchase means to the business is a good place to start.
3- Give back to the community. Customer expectations of brands have grown. They want a holistic view of the brands they’re purchasing from, and this knowledge makes a direct impact on where they spend their money. Customology’s data shows 82 per cent of customers think it’s important for brands to give back to the community, and 50 per cent believe it would directly influence their brand loyalty. It’s worthwhile for brands to promote their corporate social responsibility – whether that’s supporting a local community project, reducing their environmental footprint, or donating a portion of profits to charity.
4- Be honest and transparent. Honesty is the best policy, and brands need to walk the talk to earn their customers’ trust. The reality is, however, that 48 per cent of consumers don’t believe brands are honest in their communications, and 50 per cent don’t believe online reviews are genuine. When what brands say about themselves don’t match what customers hear from elsewhere, the brand is perceived as out of touch or, at worst, deceptive. Brands could focus on developing a more human relationship with their customers: own up when things don’t go right and be clear on how they will fix them.
5-Loyalty programs must provide strong value. It might come as a surprise that a whopping 68 per cent of customers are loyal to brands that don’t have a loyalty scheme. However, 82 per cent of customers believe they should still be rewarded for their loyalty. Brands could assess whether existing loyalty or reward programs are still relevant and providing value. Customers should be recognised and rewarded based on their unique position in the lifecycle, their specific purchase behaviour and preferences.
6- Quality, value and customer experience are key. There is less reason to provide a loyalty program if you maintain these three values. More than half (55 per cent) of customers would be tempted to go to a competitor if the quality of a brand’s products or services declined, 50 per cent would leave if they found better prices elsewhere, and 42 per cent would leave a brand if they had a poor experience. Ultimately, customers will remain loyal to a brand if they consistently receive quality products and services, at a competitive value rate.
Customology’s ‘The Unspoken Customer’ report can be found here.
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The Avid Collective MD reveals his life pre-adland. As exciting as it is, it's not international playboy spy & Lothario.
SenateSHJ has launched a new digital, data and insights capability designed to help clients tackle the growing complexity of communication challenges. SenateSHJ Digital, Data and Insights (DDI) will combine the firm’s existing Digital and Insights functions to create a Trans-Tasman capability focused on digital communication, and the generation and use of data to improve communication. […]
Creative technology platform Bonzai has announced the launch of BrandStory – a new premium mobile ad format. BrandStory offers triple the ad space and 2.8 times greater time in view than single scroll ad formats, addressing the surging demand from brands worldwide for more real estate to drive real results by seamlessly intertwining awareness, exploration […]
B&T went through the looking glass this morning, with editor-in-chief David Hovenden (above) appearing on Channel 7’s The Morning Show to get the general public involved in our search for Australia’s Greatest Ad. Hovenden chatted with Kylie Gillies and stand-in host Matt Doran about what makes a great ad and showcasing some of our favourites […]
Two Australian-born technology providers have joined forces to bring more power and choice to marketers in Australia and New Zealand with mobile messaging that is more local, cost-effective, and integrated. It’s a partnership that sees two Australian software companies come together to deliver a world-class mobile-first solution for marketers building data-driven, personalised, omnichannel campaigns. While […]
Zitcha and Broadsign have teamed up to integrate the Broadsign out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform with Zitcha’s retail media platform. The collaboration empowers retailers to maximise and monetise in-store digital display networks and enables advertising partners to easily view and book available in-store inventory and review campaign performance alongside the retailer’s other media channels. With the […]
Today, 7-Eleven has announced a one-of-a-kind collaboration with the popular Sydney-based anti-resort wear label Double Rainbouu. Dropping tomorrow, December 1, just in time for summer, this limited-edition capsule will infuse the fashion brand’s rebellious spirit with a distinctly iconic 7-Eleven flavour. The unisex collection features five must-have styles comprising two signature Hawaiian shirts, a peaked cap, a bucket hat […]


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Apple iPhone 8 to launch on 12th September alongside iPhone 7s and 7s Plus: Report
Apple is apparently going to unveil three new devices this fall, and while the iPhone 8 has been the most talked device this year, the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus are also the smartphones to keep an eye on. Although there have been rumours regarding the arrival of these much awaited smartphones, we might now have a proper date for launch.
As per the report on The Wall Street Journal, Apple has scheduled its annual iPhone event on the 12th September where it will unveil all the three smartphone including the special edition iPhone 8 (or whatever it decides to call the phone). Prior to this, the rumours indicated that the launch of iPhone 8 will be delayed to October, but the new report states that we might not have to wait for too long now.
The iPhone 8 is the lime light amongst all the three smartphones and is creating a lot of buzz from a while. It is said to feature an edge-to-edge bezel-less 5.8-inch OLED display. It will sport a curved glass back, and fingerprint scanner will be embedded into the display. Further, the upcoming flagship device is said to have a large circular pad inside of it to support wireless charging. The smartphone will come with vertically aligned dual rear cameras, which is said to be the premium highlight of the smartphone.
On the other hand the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus are said to be one step upgrades of their predecessors. The smartphone will come with the same design but with some technical advancements. As per previous reports, the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus will apparently come with a glass back unlike the aluminium one that the predecessor held. The inclusion of glass back makes 7s slightly thicker than the iPhone 7. The glass back will certainly make the smartphones capable of wireless charging which is the rumoured fact for iPhone 8 as well, and will be one of the major upgrades.
Let’s see how much of this materializes!


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The brother of notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar has won a legal battle to use the killer’s name as a web domain – and plans to sell merchandise.
Roberto Escobar intends to use www.PabloEscobar.com to hawk items including branded flamethrowers.
The current domain owner had demanded $3million to hand it over, but the The National Arbitration Forum sided with Roberto, who is kinown as ‘El Osito’.
The site will sell items for the cartel leader’s holding company, Escobar Inc when it opens next year.
Roberto, a co-founder of the company, had vowed to fight “anyone that is in our way”.


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Leeds City Museum is opening an exhibition to showcase the craftsmanship and design skills of Yorkshire furniture maker, Thomas Chippendale in the year of his tricentenary.
The exhibition is already open to the public and will run until (more…)
On an episode of Antiques Roadshow broadcast on April 15th 2018, a Fabergé Flower was valued at over £1 million. The piece consisted of a gold twig resting in a rock crystal vase carved to make it look like water.
The Fabergé Flower belongs to (more…)
Minimalism could be on its way out to be replaced by interiors featuring antiques.
Many people have embraced minimalism with rooms that feature (more…)
In May 2018, Christie’s in New York is selling the art and antique collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller.
Some of the items were acquired by the (more…)
The Ritz Paris Hotel is selling 10,000 objects and antiques in a five day sale later this month. The hotel closed in 2012 for a full renovation and items removed from the hotel are being put up for sale.
Audrey Hepburn, Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel and Marcel Proust are amongst the famous names that have (more…)


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Hong Kong’s travel restrictions continue to hamper the traffic performance of home carrier Cathay Pacific, but there are marginal signs of improvement, including a narrower half-year loss forecast.
Recent adjustments to Hong Kong’s travel restrictions started to have an impact on traffic figures in May, says the airline.
During the month, it carried 57,982 passengers, more than double the number carried in May 2021, but still 98% lower than in May 2019.
“The introduction of further adjustments to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in Hong Kong from 1 May was a welcome development, although our business during the month remained constrained,” says chief customer and commercial officer Ronald Lam.
“We increased our passenger flight capacity by 78% compared with April, but we still only operated about 4% of our pre-pandemic levels. Traffic volume in terms of RPK increased 94% month on month, and this was driven primarily by long-haul flights. As a result, overall load factor reached 60.5%.”
Cathay adds that the addition of flight capacity in the second quarter, as well as continued strength in the cargo market, will help it narrow its losses for the first half of 2022.
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Eniac Ventures is announcing its second fund to invest in mobile startups. The new fund is $12.9 million, significantly larger than the first $1.6 million fund. The company plans to use the new fund to continue to back mobile-first ideas in the adtech, consumer, enterprise and commerce industries.
Eniac, which was founded by Hadley Harris, Nihal Mehta, Vic Singh and Tim Young, is focused solely on making small seed stage investments in mobile startups. Previously the the average size of the investment was around $25,000 to $100,000, but the new fund will allow for bigger checks, in the $200,000 to $300,000 range with money for follow-on rounds.
Mehta, the founder of ad-tech startup Local Response, originally sold his first company ipsh! to Omnicom in 2005 and was an angel investor in AdMob (which was sold to Google for $750 million). Harris was the Head of Business Strategy and Vice President of Marketing at Vlingo which was acquired by Nuance for $225 million, as well as the CMO of Thumb, which was acquired by Ypulse in mid-2013.
Since 2010, Eniac has backed 42 early stage mobile investments with six exits. Investments include LocalResponse, OnSwipe, Localytics, Tempo AI, MindSnacks, Fondu (acquired by Airbnb), Instinctive (acquired by Soundcloud) and MetaResolver (acquired by Millennial Media). which almost tripled Eniac’s investment in less than a year. We’re told that the total value of first fund has increased 2x from the initial investment.
Eniac is also announcing some of the investments it has already made out of the fund, including BioBeats, Boxed, Glide, Just Sing It, Reactor, RapCommerce, and Vistar Media.


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Chips hit 1000MHz
PARIS -- Engineers in IBM's research division said last week that they have demonstrated the world's first experimental Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) microprocessor operating at 1000MHz -- some three times as fast as today's fastest chip from Intel.
The processor achieves clock speeds of up to 1100MHz, IBM said, and contains one million transistors.
The micro-architecture, circuits and testing techniques resulting from this project will eventually be applied to microprocessors using IBM's recently introduced CMOS 7S "copper chip" technology, IBM said.
-- by Jeanette Borzo
Compaq enhances server and storage linesby Kathleen OhlsonBOSTON -- Compaq has announced new features for its Professional Workstation line -- new ProLiant 1600 and ProSignia 200 models -- as well as an addition to its optical storage line.
The Professional Workstation 5100 and 6000 will now include Intel's 333MHz Pentium II processor, which comes in single or dual-processor configurations, and new graphics accelerators, Elsa's Gloria Synergy and the Diamond Multimedia Fire GL 4000.
Compaq has also added new models to its ProLiant 1600 and ProSignia 200 line. The ProLiant 1600 6/300 features a 333MHz Pentium II processor with dual processor capability, 512KB second level ECC cache, and 64MB of EDO ECC DIMM memory.
The ProSignia 200/300 features a 333MHz Pentium II processor with dual processor capability, 512KB second level ECC cache, and 32MB of EDO ECC DIMM memory, Netelligent 10/100 TX UTP Controller on the PCI local bus, and a 16x MAX CD-ROM Drive IDE.
Compaq also has added the 24x MAX IDE CD-ROM to its optical storage line. It features transfer speeds up to 3.6Mbps.www.compaq.com.au Bay to resell ATM: company plugs WAN gapby Stephen LawsonSAN MATEO -- Battle lines are being drawn in the market for end-to-end networking as Bay Networks seeks an ATM partner to fill a critical hole in its offerings to carriers.
This week, Bay plans to announce it will resell a third-party vendor's ATM switch for enterprise backbones, according to sources. However, this deal will leave open the company's need for a carrier-class core switch.
Sources had indicated that Bay would turn to Fore Systems, but Bay officials denied the company had agreed to resell a Fore switch.
Such a reseller agreement would allow Bay to compete against competitors now supplying core switches for carrier and large ISP networks, including Cisco Systems, Ascend Communications and Newbridge Networks.
Networking vendors are scrambling to build product lines and partnerships that give them a presence in both the LAN and WAN markets. The promised payoff for users is guaranteed data and multimedia services that span from enterprise headquarters to branch offices, partners and customers.www.baynetworks.comAsian crisis dampens global chip market, says Dataquestby Elinor MillsSAN FRANCISCO -- Financial troubles in Asia are slowing the growth of the worldwide semiconductor market, which is expected to grow 7 per cent to $US160 billion by the end of 1998, market researcher Dataquest says.
Dataquest previously forecast the market to grow to $US175 billion or by 17 per cent during the year, but the firm re-evaluated its figures due to the Asian crisis. A formal forecast for the semiconductor market will be completed in April.
Dataquest attributed most of the predicted slowed growth to a decline in worldwide elec- tronic equipment production. The potential lower costs of DRAM manufacturing in Korea -- which would result in lower market prices -- and the devaluation of the won further lowered the semiconductor forecast.
In 1998, Dataquest predicts continued oversupply that will force manufacturers to continue efforts to keep prices low.
Additional information about the semiconductor market is available in Dataquest's report entitled "The impact of the Asian financial crisis on worldwide electronics production and the semiconductor market".www.dataquest.comWeb businesses spend big on adsby Sharon MachlisFRAMINGHAM -- In the battle to attract new Web users, the weapons are getting more and more expensive.
Besides traditional online ads and partnerships, an increasing number of Web businesses are turning to mainstream media -- including television -- to lure surfers to their sites.
And that doesn't come cheap.
Ameritrade, for example, recently shelled out $US25 million in one quarter to promote its new $US8 electronic stock trading price.
The campaign included such costly TV advertising buys such as ABC's Monday Night Football and Seinfeld. That's a lot of money, admitted Ameritrade president Michael Anderson.
"But it's critical as the industry is exploding to grow as quickly as possible. We went very aggressive on our advertising," he said. The payback was 51,000 new customers in three months, he added.
What do you want your vendor to do?
by David Moschella
FRAMINGHAM -- Compaq's purchase of Digital raises one of my favourite questions for customers: what do you actually want your vendors to do?
Do you want to get your laptops and desktops from the same vendor? How about your desktops and servers? Servers and central systems? Systems and software? Software and services? Services and outsourcing? Outsourcing and strategic consulting? Where do you draw the line?
From the 1960s through the mid-1980s, enterprise customers often bought a range of products and services from a single vendor such as IBM, Digital or Unisys. With the rise of PCs and more open systems, corporations all but junked that approach to rely on specialised providers such as Microsoft, Compaq, Sun Microsystems, Novell, and Oracle. Of the old vertically integrated US suppliers, only IBM and Hewlett-Packard now bear any resemblance to their previous form.
Despite the sweeping nature of these changes, it was never completely clear what was going on. Were customers rejecting one-stop shopping or were they merely reacting to the fact the existing vertically integrated suppliers offered a bunch of out-of-date, proprietary products? For a while, that debate seemed mostly academic. But now that products based on Wintel standards have grown to meet such a wide range of requirements, the question has dramatically resurfaced.
Some reintegration is indeed occurring. The top PC makers such as Compaq, Dell, IBM and HP are also the top server vendors. With Compaq's acquisitions of first Tandem and now Digital, three of today's Big Four are stressing the close relations among their PCs, systems and services to a degree that was almost unimaginable a few years ago.
Moreover, two of today's leaders -- HP and Compaq/Digital -- are now Microsoft's most important global partners. By combining their PCs, servers and support services with key Microsoft offerings such as Windows NT and Exchange, these next-generation systems companies can nearly match the breadth of their vertically integrated predecessors. The difference is today's systems companies, with the exception of IBM, have pretty much given up on their own software, wisely opting to rely on Microsoft and third parties.
For now, this reintegration appears to be what many customers want. The rise of both NT and network-based computing has shifted the industry back towards a more centralised, server-based model. This trend should strengthen over the next few years as network computers, server-based Windows applications and cost-of-ownership tools are added to the mix.
But don't be surprised if things eventually flow back the other way. Consumers and small businesses already make up more than half the world's PC market, and their share will steadily rise. These customers don't give a hoot about global integration capabilities. There are good reasons to question how well IBM and HP will manage to serve this critical chunk of the business.
As for Compaq, if Eckhard Pfeiffer can maintain the company's speed, focus and cost-competitiveness while absorbing a behemoth such as Digital, he will have vaulted Compaq into the industry's highest echelon.
However, history suggests the odds are heavily stacked against him. Remember HP/Apollo, AT&T/NCR, SGI/ Cray and Samsung/AST? I suspect Michael Dell still likes his long-term position.
The real question is: do you?
Cabletron finalises Digital's networking fateby Hiroko SatoBOSTON -- Cabletron has completed its acquisition of Digital Network Products Group.
Cabletron will distribute Digital's network products as well as its own products, and Digital will continue to provide technical support and warranty service for the Digital-branded products via its new division, Digital Network Business Segment. It is also committed to purchasing a certain amount of Cabletron products during the term of a reseller agreement, according to Cabletron.
By taking over Digital's internationally recognised brand name and technology, Cabletron hopes to increase the share in the global market.
"We look forward to . . . increasing our presence within the channel, as well as the international and service provider markets," said Don Reed, Cabletron's president and CEO.


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Zinc social inventory in Shanghai, Guangdong and Tianjin was little changed over the weekend as shipments leaving the warehouses in Shanghai offset the arrivals in Guangdong and Tianjin we found.
The overall inventory edged down 2,300 mt from last Friday to 109,900 mt as of Monday July 9, with inventory in Shanghai down 3,800 mt to 80,400 mt, inventory in Guangdong up 1,400 mt to 10,700 mt and inventory in Tianjin up 100 mt to 18,800 mt, some?data showed.
We expect zinc prices to stablise this week. Downstream consumers are likely to take a watch-and-wait stance as some of them had restocked last week. The inventory, therefore, is expected to hold steady or nudge up this week.


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Schlaraffia impressed at IMM 2018
From 15 to 21 January 2018, we showcased our newest Schlaraffia products at the International Furniture Fair (IMM) in Cologne (Germany). After an intensive period of product development, we were proud to give an insight into the new generation of GELTEX® products, which soon will be launched. Also, our new Boxspring collection, pillows, duvets and dog beds were presented under the name ‘Schlaraffia Home Collection’.
We were happy to welcome an impressive number of visitors, who were excited about the new trends on display, at our booth.


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Its a beautiful day for all those nine countries– Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore who will be getting their iPad’s right from today. Apple stores have been opened a bit early in Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico and Netherlands to manage thousands of people who have gathered to purchase an iPad. The remaining five countries are yet to see sunrise.
We have got some Youtube videos of iPad launch in Hong Kong, Mexico and Netherlands.
iPad Launch in Hong Kong
iPad launch day in Mexico
iPad launch day in Netherlands


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They are carving out opportunities in the US$37b sector and looking to grow overseas, helped by free trade pacts
Wed, Jul 29, 2015 - 5:50 AM
The World Bank says the value of Vietnam's agribusiness is just 1.2 times that of its primary agriculture, compared with 2.7 times in South Korea; and the country still relies on billions of dollars of foodstuff imports.
A STEELMAKER turning to pigs and animal feed, a property developer raising cows, a stockbroker milling rice and a real-estate-to-retail billionaire growing fruit and vegetables.
Three decades after Vietnam started moving away from a socialist-led farm economy towards...


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Olympus Admits to Hiding Losses
TOKYO—Japan's Olympus said Tuesday it covered up investment losses for decades and used a series of acquisitions to clean up its books, helping clear up some of the mystery surrounding those deals and reversing weeks of statements defending the transactions.
The admission exposes one of the biggest and longest-running loss-hiding arrangements in Japanese corporate history, casting a cloud over the future of the 92-year-old maker of cameras and endoscopes, which is being investigated by authorities including the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the U.S Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Memorial Day Blowout: Up to 50% off + extra 30% off all home goods - JCPenney promo code
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Save 15% or more from Best Buy deal of the Day
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10% off sitewide - Dick's Sporting Goods coupons
Journeys coupon: Get $10 off $50+ orders
Top Walmart coupon: 15% off all purchases
- Ulta Beauty:
Ulta Beauty Spring Promo: 40% off Cerave Skincare


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MUMBAI: Valentine's Day saw shares of gift and card-makers surge by up to 19.89 per cent during intra-day trade on the BSE amid a rally that lifted investors' spirits.
Shares of Hanung Toys and Textiles, which is engaged in the manufacturing of stuffed toys and home furnishings, skyrocketed by 19.89 per cent in morning trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange to touch an early peak of Rs 235.
Similarly, Archies, which is engaged in the business of retailing gift items, greeting cards and stationary items, surged by 12.21 per cent to touch an early high of Rs 45 on the BSE.
Market players attributed the sharp rise in these stocks to Valentine's Day. Investors flocked to the counters of these companies, which are engaged in the manufacture and retail of gift items, they said.
Meanwhile, the BSE barometer Sensex was trading higher by 364.66 points at 18,093.27 in the afternoon session.


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Yamei is China's leading manufacturer of intelligent electronics and systems for the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors, including Next Generation Keys, Vehicle remote diagnostics and management, tracking and control systems. The company was bought by Trimble in June 2011.
Astrata intends to manage and grow Yamei as part of its global transportation technology business. George M. Kappaz, Chairman of Astrata Group said "Yamei's top-end smart key and vehicle electronics business is highly complementary to our core location-based IT solutions. We are excited about the synergies with Yamei, and consider the Yamei business a compelling addition to our global product offering and a significant component of our China strategy. We expect to use this platform to significantly grow our business in China."
This is Astrata's second acquisition of a subsidiary of a major listed company this year, having acquired Qualcomm Enterprises Services Europe (Omnitracs Europe) from Qualcomm in January.


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By John Daly
If the names Ross Boomsocks, Gross Gore, and Rezone mean nothing to you, it’s probably because of your age.
They are some of the video-game monikers adopted by leading players in the eSports industry, one of the world’s fastest-growing entertainment sectors. It is estimated that it will be worth €1.25bn annually by 2020.
At the E-Stars finals at the 3 Arena this weekend, all the glitz of professional video-gaming will be on display to a live audience of thousands, while streaming worldwide to millions.
Some of these masters of the art of video gaming, who are aged in their teens and early 20s, earn huge money for playing Call Of Duty, Fortnite, and Grand Theft Auto.
But most folk over a certain age are unaware of them. ESports, also known as electronic sports or pro-gaming, is a competition that uses video games.
These are organised, multi-player video-game competitions between professional players and comprise a number of formats, including a first-person shooter and multi-player online battle arena.
“The league provides a platform, where competitors can test their mettle,” says Mags Byrne, managing director of Three Ireland’s EStars.
Launched in 2011, Twitch.tv, the main online platform for eSports, began as a minor site, streaming live content to an interactive audience.
Showcasing the skills of professional streamers — people who play video games for a living — the site quickly went from three million to 20m monthly visitors, and has since grown to hundreds of millions.
It eventually attracted the attention of Amazon, who bought it for €810m, in August, 2014.
The Twitch.tv financial model operates on subscription fees and advertising, but has also mined a rich vein of revenue, by allowing fans to purchase items like custom chat rooms, or to have a streamer read a personal message during a live broadcast.
In 2017, Twitch.tv users clocked more than 355m minutes, watching two million streamers.
At 46m viewers, more people watched the Legends World Championships than did the US National Basketball Association finals.
And the 2017 Dota 2, a popular online multi-player game, featured a prize pool of more than €20m, whereas the 2017 Masters Tournament operated a collective pot of €9m.
In terms of demographics, the average Major League Baseball viewer is 57 years old, whereas the average
eSports viewer is 25.
Shinggo Lu, chief executive of U Git Gud, a business dedicated to helping streamers improve their play, says: “When I talk to traditional business people about what I do, they have trouble grasping that people are getting paid to play video games and that spectators pay to watch them.
"In the greater business world, it is becoming common knowledge that eSports is booming.”
Witness the case of Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, a 26-year-old Twitch streamer, who plays the popular game, Fortnite, and who makes €420,000 a month operating from his bedroom.
In another measure of how established eSports is becoming, the 2024 Paris Olympics is in talks to include gaming as a demonstration sport.


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Fashion chain Gap to close 19 stores in UK and Ireland | Retail business
Fashion chain Gap will close 19 stores in the UK and Ireland as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on Main Street, while a distribution center in Rugby remains in jeopardy.
A spokesperson confirmed that the US-owned chain has decided not to renew store leases that expire next month, as part of a pullback that follows a strategic review of its European presence.
Gap did not provide any details on which stores will close or how many jobs will be lost as a result. But unlike the big names on Main Street who disappeared from Main Street for good during the pandemic – such as TopShop and Debenhams – Gap has said it will still have more than 50 stores in the UK and Ireland.
The move is the result of a strategic review of the San Francisco-based company’s European operations that began in October last year.
The company said at the time that it was considering closing stores in the UK, Ireland, France and Italy and that its European distribution center near Rugby was also under threat. Its future is still being studied as part of the company’s ongoing strategic review.
Gap, which also owns Banana Republic, has been forced to close stores around the world due to the pandemic, with a net of 204 stores closing their doors permanently in 2020.
He lost $ 665million (£ 471million) in the year to the end of January 2021, but has since seen his fortunes improve.
It posted a profit of $ 166 million in the three months to the end of May, on sales of $ 3.9 billion, higher than the revenue it reported in the same period of 2019 , the last comparable quarter before the pandemic.
The pandemic has claimed a series of well-known fashion chains, as the lockdown measures have led to deserted shopping streets and accelerated a trend of online shopping.
TopShop and Debenhams have both fallen victim to the coronavirus, as have Cath Kidston, Oasis and Warehouse.
In many cases, businesses were already in financial difficulty and could not survive the hard blow of a prolonged shutdown, even with government support.
Collectively, UK shopping streets lost more than 17,500 outlets in 2020 alone, with further damage likely to have been inflicted in 2021.
In April, a study by the Center for Retail Research found that nearly 190,000 jobs were lost in retail between the start of the pandemic and March 31, 2021.
The British Retail Consortium has warned that closures and job losses remain a significant risk despite the easing of restrictions.
The boss of the trade body, Helen Dickinson, warned Members of the Treasury Select Committee earlier this week that the impending July 1 expiration of a moratorium on landlords demanding rent arrears could cause further damage to the sector.


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There are gutsy scams, after which there’s this: At this very second, a Bitcoin scammer is internet hosting a fake press conference livestream on YouTube presupposed to be a shock collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. It’s utterly faux, nevertheless it’s truly type of convincing.
The livestream is titled “LIVE: Unveiling Mercedes-Benz & Tesla Collaboration Mannequin – A automobile that modifications every thing.” It makes use of old footage from Tesla’s 2022 shareholder meeting, overlaid with a QR code that takes you to a Bitcoin rip-off website, and a faux tweet constructed to seem like it got here from Elon’s official account saying “Your life will change inside minutes for those who scan the QR code. That’s not a joke.” (The tweet doesn’t seem anyplace on Elon’s Twitter feed.)
Jalopnik author Lawrence Hodge discovered this video whereas scrolling YouTube. We instantly reached out to a Mercedes-Benz consultant, who confirmed that the video is a faux. In the event you look intently, the YouTube channel hosting the fake livestream is called “@mercedesbenz180,” however with 160,000 indicated subscribers and an official-looking brand and show title, it’s simple to see how somebody would possibly get bamboozled by it.
Big sale! Three days only!
Best Buy’s exclusive three-day deal touches every category sidewide. If there ever was a time to buy some tech, it’s now.
Honestly, it took the Jalopnik staff a moment to figure out that this was a fraud. The livestream looks real enough, with three paragraphs of boilerplate from Mercedes-Benz in the video description and a subscriber-only chat bar. To someone who doesn’t know the car industry very well, it might not seem to crazy for Mercedes-Benz and Tesla to be partnering on a new vehicle.
But it’s all just a scam. The QR code takes you to a shady-looking site with the URL “muskevent.net,” which pops up buttons to buy Bitcoin or Etherium cryptocurrencies. I did not probe any further than that, because I value my digital safety.
Perhaps the most realistic aspect of this scam livestream press conference is the awkwardness of it all. In the 10 minutes that I’ve been watching, I’ve seen fawning Musk superfans ask about building a base on Mars and sincerely thank Elon for the money they’ve made trading Tesla stock. Elon is not a gifted public speaker, and while the 2022 footage has nothing to do with Mercedes-Benz, a casual viewer might think they’ve just tuned into the wrong part of the livestream and missed the big news.
Jalopnik has reached out to Mercedes-Benz for official comment on the matter. We also tagged Elon Musk on Twitter to see what he has to say about it — as a result of, as you most likely know by now, Tesla doesn’t have a communications division, and thus, there’s no person on the firm we will contact to ask about this.


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Editor's note : This story is available as a result of a content partnership with the Financial Times. Subscribers will see stories like this every day on our website (and in our daily emails) as an added value to your subscription.
Just as passenger anger rises over airline charges and customer service, the world's leading carriers are squeezing more money out of fees on everything from baggage, food to hotel bookings.
Over the past decade, so-called ancillary fees have experienced huge growth. The top 10 airlines, ranked by total ancillary revenue, generated $2.1bn in 2007. In 2016, this had grown to more than $28bn, according to research by IdeaWorksCompany and CarTrawler.
Among the most successful groups at selling ancillary services are United, which generated $6.2bn in revenue last year, Delta, which generated $5.17bn, and American, which generated $4.9bn.
Globally airlines are estimated to have earned $67.4bn of income from ancillaries last year, representing about 9.1 per cent of airline revenue for 2016, up from 4.8 per cent in 2010.
It is not a new trend. Ancillary fees have been creeping in across the whole airline industry as carriers search for ways to make up for lost revenue from falling ticket prices. But airlines have become more inventive over charging for services other than the ticket price. Activities include anything from frequent flyer miles, bidding for spare seats next to you, on-time guarantees, lounge access to hotel bookings, holidays and car hire.
"Airline management teams have clearly identified ancillary revenues as a way to add incremental, high-margin revenue to the core seat product offer," says Anand Date, aviation analyst at Deutsche Bank.
However, it has raised scepticism from some within the industry who argue that the majority of these fees are for things flyers used to get for free and are therefore hidden fare increases.
This year British Airways sparked criticism from some of its passengers after the carrier started charging for food and drink on short-haul economy flights across Europe.
The move has led to a blurring of lines between full-service carriers and their low-cost rivals. Most airlines now offer a basic seat-only fare, allowing customers to choose what extras they want to pay for.
The pressure on revenues has meant that even airlines that have long rejected the idea of charging for these services are realising the benefits they offer to their bottom line. Both Etihad Airways and Emirates Airlines, which have generally not charged for extras, have started to introduce ancillary fees over the past year as they look to boost their falling profits during a tough period for the Gulf airlines.
Last October, Emirates introduced fees for advanced seat selection for economy passengers. Then in January, the carrier said it would allow economy passengers who are frequent flyer members to pay to access its lounges.
In June, Etihad announced similar pay-per-access to its lounges for economy passengers, as well as taking the decision to start charging for chauffeur services that had previously been included for all its premium class passengers.
It also introduced the option of offering passengers the option to bid for up to three empty seats next to their own.
This focus on ancillaries is likely to grow across the global airline sector, according to aviation commentators. "I think we're going to see more and more airlines go this way. When the largest part of the market is price driven, the lower the fare is going to become, the more you need to make up for the lower revenues by selling other services," says John Strickland, an aviation consultant.
Airlines are increasingly looking at what they have and do not sell but could. "There is a move to show you all the options you could have and at the same time sell you more," says Chris Tarry, a London-based aviation consultant. "With some of these charges, such as lounge access or spare seats, you are almost selling excess capacity," he adds.
According to research by Sabre, a technology company, travellers are willing to spend up to $99 on airline extras such as seats, bags and food to personalise their flight.
The low-cost airlines are unsurprisingly the best performers when it comes to the amount of ancillary revenue generated as a percentage of total airline revenue.
Research from IdeaWorksCompany and CarTrawler reveals these charges can make up as much as 46 per cent of a budget airline's total revenue in the case of US low-cost airline Spirit. In Europe, Wizz Air has the highest amount at 39.4 per cent, followed by Ryanair at 26.8 per cent.
Outside of the more standard ticket-based extras, future growth in ancillaries is likely to come from installing WiFi on the aircraft and generating new revenue streams through exclusive films or advertising, or allowing passengers to book a restaurant, event or hotel in-flight.
"The smart airlines will be those that continue to think about their passengers who generally lead busy lives and strive to make the time in-flight as useful as possible to their passengers," says Graham Pickett, global head of travel and aviation for Deloitte.
Jay Sorensen, president of IdeaWorksCompany agrees. "Airlines focus on selling airline seats. I think they need to begin to focus on the number of days away from home that a customer may spend, and that is an opportunity for them to sell more."
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Not to be redistributed, copied or modified in any way.


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Bandai America SDCC 2013 Exclusives – Mighty Morphin Power Rangers!
In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Bandai America is going to be offering a bunch of Power Ranger-themed exclusives at San Diego Comic-Con this year. We rounded up all of the Bandai America SDCC 2013 Exclusives for 2013 below.
This post is going to serve as a master post. It will be updated as new exclusives are announced.
Last Update: June 27
Metallic 4″ Green Dragon Ranger Figure
The first exclusive, the SDCC 2013 Exclusive Power Rangers Green Dragon Ranger Figure is going to stand 4″ tall, feature full metallic green paint, and an exclusive diecast ranger coin that will work with the Legacy Power Morpher. Limited to just 500 pieces, this exclusive is sure to sell out very fast.
Legacy Power Morpher – Green Ranger / White Ranger Edition
The 2nd exclusive from Bandai America is going to be the Legacy Power Morpher in a Green Ranger / White Ranger Edition. This limited edition item is 24 Karat Gold plated and comes with 2 diecast medals.
Deluxe Gosei Morpher
Harness the power of the Power Rangers Megaforce Gosei Morpher and unlock the secrets of the Power Cards! With only 300 produced, this Limited Edition Item is 24 Karat Gold Plated, includes 10 exclusive foil cards, and comes in collector full foil packaging.
Prices haven’t been announced yet, but you can find all of the Bandai America SDCC 2013 Exclusives at the Bandai America booth #2813 only at SDCC 2013.
Also be sure to check out the rest of the San Diego Comic-Con exclusives on our big SDCC 2013 Exclusives checklist!
The Green/White Ranger Morpher looks amazing! and I like the Tribal Coin too. hopefully there’s a worldwide re-release coming soon.


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Tag - Ascend
Huawei has launched two smartphones as successors to last years' slimline Ascend P7. The Ascend P8 has a 5.2-inch 1080p display held inside a unibody casing measuring just 6.4mm thick and weighing 144 grams (5 ounces), and is flanked by the phablet-sized P8max with a larger 6.8-inch 1080p screen and a set of similar specifications, but with a thicker 6.8mm and heavier 228g (8 ounces) body.
Huawei has added another smartphone in its Ascend device range, one which is destined for sale on the Chinese market. The Ascend GX1 is a mid-ranged Android KitKat smartphone with a six-inch 720p IPS display, with the combination of its large display and slim body giving the device a high screen-to-body ratio of 80.5 percent.
Huawei's second smartphone launch at its IFA event is a more modest device in comparison to the Ascend Mate 7. The Ascend G7 is an LTE-equipped smartphone with a 5.5-inch 1280x720 display, and though it has specifications making it a mid-ranged device, Huawei has attempted to make it more attractive by using a metal body with relatively few plastic sections.
Huawei has unveiled its latest iteration in the Ascend P series of flagship Android smartphones, at a launch event in Paris, France. The Ascend P7 follows on from the thin profile of earlier models by having a thickness of just 6.5mm, while still increasing the size of the display to five inches with a resolution of 1080x1920 and a pixel density of 445 pixels per inch.
Huawei has launched its Ascend G6 4G smartphone at Mobile World Congress, among other devices. The mid-range smartphone, said to be based on the Ascend P6 in some aspects, offers LTE connectivity in a device measuring 7.85mm (0.31 inches) thick. Electronista briefly put the Ascend G6 through its paces at the trade show, and found it to be a pretty useful mobile device, albeit with some reservations.
Huawei has launched a brightly-colored addition to its smartphone range in Europe, with the two-tone casing and physical design said by Huawei to be aimed at a younger audience. The Ascend Y530 is an entry-level Android smartphone with a 4.5-inch, 480x854-resolution display, with the restrained internal specifications matching its low launch price tag.
Huawei has launched its update to the Ascend P6, at the same time as new rumors surface mentioning a new flagship device. Launched quietly in China, the Ascend P6S features a number of minor improvements from the Ascend P6, while the Ascend SX will apparently merge together the design of the P-series devices with the performance of D-series smartphones.
Huawei has introduced its second-generation Ascend Mate2, bringing a long list of upgrades as the company continues to promote its brand in the US and elsewhere. The gigantic 6.1-inch smartphone is claimed to reach two full days of heave use, and even integrates an extra USB port so other devices can be charged from its 4,050mAh battery. We checked out the new device at the company's CES press conference today in Las Vegas.
An updated version of the Huawei Ascend P6 is on the horizon, one which will see it having an octa-core processor. Huawei president Xu Xun Quan revealed that the Ascend P6S smartphone will be getting the eight-core treatment in the future, though refrained from hinting at exactly when the device will be coming on the market.
The rumored Huawei Ascend W2 has been confirmed by the company, after making an appearance at the Mobile Asia Expo. Appearing on the Huawei stand, the Ascend W2 is a low-cost Windows Phone 8 device, complete with a 4.3-inch WVGA IPS display, a range of three colors, and a styling reminiscent of the Nokia Lumia range.
Now AAPL Stock: The symbol you provided ("AAPL") doesn't appear to be registered
Cirrus creates Lightning-headphone dev kit
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has introduced a MFi-compliant new development kit for companies interested in using Cirrus' chips to create Lightning-based headphones, which -- regardless of whether rumors about Apple dropping the analog headphone jack in its iPhone this fall -- can offer advantages to music-loving iOS device users. The kit mentions some of the advantages of an all-digital headset or headphone connector, including higher-bitrate support, a more customizable experience, and support for power and data transfer into headphone hardware. Several companies already make Lightning headphones, and Apple has supported the concept since June 2014. http://bit.ly/29giiZj
Apple Store app offers Procreate Pocket
The Apple Store app for iPhone, which periodically rewards users with free app gifts, is now offering the iPhone "Pocket" version of drawing app Procreate for those who have the free Apple Store app until July 28. Users who have redeemed the offer by navigating to the "Stores" tab of the app and swiping past the "iPhone Upgrade Program" banner to the "Procreate" banner have noted that only the limited Pocket (iPhone) version of the app is available free, even if the Apple Store app is installed and the offer redeemed on an iPad. The Pocket version currently sells for $3 on the iOS App Store. [32.4MB]
Porsche adds CarPlay to 2017 Panamera
Porsche has added a fifth model of vehicle to its CarPlay-supported lineup, announcing that the 2017 Panamera -- which will arrive in the US in January -- will include Apple's infotainment technology, and be seen on a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen as part of an all-new Porsche Communication Management system. The luxury sedan starts at $99,900 for the 4S model, and scales up to the Panamera Turbo, which sells for $146,900. Other vehicles that currently support CarPlay include the 2016 911 and the 2017 models of Macan, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman. The company did not mention support for Google's corresponding Android Auto in its announcement. http://bit.ly/295ZQ94
Apple employees testing wheelchair features
New features included in the forthcoming watchOS 3 are being tested by Apple retail store employees, including a new activity-tracking feature that has been designed with wheelchair users in mind. The move is slightly unusual in that, while retail employees have previously been used to test pre-release versions of OS X and iOS, this marks the first time they've been included in the otherwise developer-only watchOS betas. The company is said to have gone to great lengths to modify the activity tracker for wheelchair users, including changing the "time to stand" notification to "time to roll" and including two wheelchair-centric workout apps. http://bit.ly/2955JDa
SanDisk reveals two 256GB microSDXC cards
SanDisk has introduced two 256GB microSDXC cards. Arriving in August for $150, the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card offers transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s for reading data. The Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card can read at a fast 100MB/s and write at up to 90MB/s, and will be shipping sometime in the fourth quarter for $200. http://bit.ly/294Q1If
Apple's third-quarter results due July 26
Apple has advised it will be issuing its third-quarter results on July 26, with a conference call to answer investor and analyst queries about the earnings set to take place later that day. The stream of the call will go live at 2pm PT (5pm ET) via Apple's investor site, with the results themselves expected to be released roughly 30 minutes before the call commences. Apple's guidance for the quarter put revenue at between $41 billion and $43 billion. http://apple.co/1oi1Pbm
Twitter stickers slowly roll out to users
Twitter has introduced "stickers," allowing users to add extra graphical elements to their photos before uploading them to the micro-blogging service. A library of hundreds of accessories, props, and emoji will be available to use as stickers, which can be resized, rotated, and placed anywhere on the photograph. Images with stickers will also become searchable with viewers able to select a sticker to see how others use the same graphic in their own posts. Twitter advises stickers will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks, and will work on both the mobile apps and through the browser. http://bit.ly/29bbwUE


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Following a new multi-year partnership between FanDuel and the PGA TOUR, FanDuel is now an official betting partner for the TOUR. Under the agreement, FanDuel will have the right to use logos and advertise within the TOUR media and its partner platforms.
A Multi-Year Partnership Signed by FanDuel and the PGA Tour
Monday, August 31, FanDuel teamed up with the PGA TOUR. Under the multi-year partnership, FanDuel became an official betting partner of the PGA TOUR. The deal will see FanDuel have the rights to use logos and also advertise within TOUR Media as well as TOUR partner platforms. Furthermore, FanDuel will now have the right to create pre and post-event betting programming and content.
Recently, the PGA Tour and the golf’s popularity skyrocketed. According to FanDuel, golf has seen a significant increase in popularity on the company’s platform in recent months since it resumed play after being interrupted by the pandemic. The company said that golf had: “the highest single-event handle on FanDuel Sportsbook on nine of the last 12 Sundays“.
In the last few months, we see that the PGA Tour signed a few similar partnerships. Back in July, the PGA TOUR signed a multi-year partnership with DraftKings. Under the partnership expansion, DraftKings became the first Official Betting Operator for the PGA Tour.
FanDuel and the PGA TOUR Management Comment on the New Partnership
Mike Raffensperger, FanDuel Group Chief Marketing Officer shared his excitement by saying: “Golf interest is up on FanDuel, so we are excited to deepen our relationship with the PGA TOUR.” He continued by pointing out that FanDuel is now going to be able to offer a unique gaming experience on its platform. Raffensperger added that special TOUR promotions and content will be available for FanDuel’s clients.
But here is what the PGA Senior Vice President of Media & Gaming, Norb Gambuzza said about the partnership: “We have long admired FanDuel’s brand, product and marketing strategies as well as the leadership position it has taken since the legalization of sports betting in 2018.” He shared that the company is excited to bring FanDuel into the PGA TOUR’s Official Betting Operator program. Gambuzza concluded by saying that the company will continue to engage new fans in the “rapidly growing space”.
Here, we cannot miss to say that the PGA Tour also signed a partnership with BetMGM last month. Similar to the current partnership, BetMGM received the rights to use PGA TOUR marks as well as advertise within TOUR media and TOUR partner platforms. Looking at the fast pace with which the PGA Tour is growing, we can honestly say that for them the sky is the limit.


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The emergence of the BNPL sector has led to a dramatic drop in credit card transactions as consumers move away from traditional payment methods.
Expansion of BNPL Sector
Recently, Amazon announced it would stop accepting credit card payments from January and research by leading UK Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) platform, Butter, has revealed how the emergence of the BNPL sector has already led to a decline in credit card transactions, as more and more consumers opt for this modern method of payment.
The Buy Now Pay Later space has expanded dramatically in a very short period of time. In fact, it’s estimated that the value of transactions taking place via BNPL platforms has climbed 65% during the pandemic, hitting £6.4bn in 2020 alone.
This has been driven by a user base that has almost doubled in size, climbing from 5.8 million users to 10.1 million – a 75% increase.
As a result, it’s thought that the BNPL market now accounts for 5% of all e-commerce transactions, a 2% increase in just 12 months.
But what does it mean for traditional transaction methods?
Decline for Debit & Credit Card Use
Butter’s market analysis shows that the old fashioned favourites of the debit and credit card are showing a notable decline in the face of BNPL challenger platforms.
In just one year alone, the number of debit cards in issue with UK residents has fallen by -6% to just 92,172,000. At the same time, credit cards have seen a -3% decline with just 62,948 now in issue.
While the value of purchases made immediately via the use of a debit card has climbed 3% on an annual basis, there has also been a decline in those choosing to purchase on credit.
The latest data shows that consumers purchased goods on credit to the tune of £13.9m annually, down a huge -18% on the previous year during the same time BNPL transaction values climbed 65%.
Timothy Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of Butter, commented:
“Buy Now Pay Later is just another option open to the consumer when it comes to how they want to transact and we’re never going to see it fully replace the direct purchases made via a debit card or with cash.
However, it’s abundantly clear that the greater flexibility, transparency and accessibility it offers over purchasing with a credit card, for example, resonates with today’s consumers. So it’s no coincidence that credit card purchases have declined while the BNPL space has gone from strength to strength.
For many, credit cards are a rabbit hole of additional charges, confusing bills and uncertainty.
Today’s consumer wants to know what they’re borrowing, what it will cost them to do so and a clear picture of their repayment timeframe and the BNPL sector offers that while also allowing them to spread the cost of a purchase to suit their individual financial situation.
It also seems as though credit card costs no longer work for retailers and while Amazon has been the first to announce their removal as a route to transacting, we could see many more soon follow suit.”


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Lester Aldridge is pleased to welcomes new partner James Realff to the Real Estate team based at the firm’s Southampton office.
James advises on all aspects of commercial property transactions including acquisitions and disposals, commercial land development and landlord and tenant matters.
James is well known for his down-to-earth and engaging manner as well as his informed and commercial advice. He has been involved in a number of significant transactions including the purchase of multi-let retail and industrial estates, a shopping centre in Chatham and numerous brownfield sites for development as regional distribution centres for retailers.
In addition, James has experience in the acquisition, disposal and financing of rural land as well as property portfolio management for large religious institutions.
James trained at an international law firm and joined LA from a national law firm. Commenting on his arrival, he said: “I am delighted to join Lester Aldridge and am looking forward to working as part of the Real Estate team in this challenging and exciting time for the property industry on the South Coast and across the UK as a whole.”
Matthew Barrow, Managing Partner, said: “I am pleased to welcome James to the partnership. His breadth of experience is a welcome addition to our thriving Real Estate team.”


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CentOS 6.2 out
Karanbir Singh has announced the release of CentOS 6.2, the latest version of the community distribution built by compiling the source code for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2: "We are pleased to announce the immediate availability of CentOS 6.2 for i386 and x86_64 architectures. CentOS 6.2 is based on the upstream release EL 6.2 and includes packages from all variants. All upstream repositories have been combined into one, to make it easier for end users to work with. All updates released since upstream 6.2 release are also released to the CentOS 6.2 mirrors. With this release we are now back to a regular, managed and tested release path and time scales. However, for the time being, we are going to retain the CR/ repository in the event it's needed in the future to push ahead-of-release updates." Read the <a href="http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-announce/2011-December/018335.h... announcement and release notes to learn more about the new release. Download the installation DVD images: <a href="http://mirror.wiredtree.com/centos/6.2/isos/i386/CentOS-6.2-i386-bin-DVD... (3,640MB, SHA256, <a href="http://mirror.centos.org/centos/6.2/isos/i386/CentOS-6.2-i386-bin-DVD1to...), <a href="http://mirror.steadfast.net/centos/6.2/isos/x86_64/CentOS-6.2-x86_64-bin... (4,218MB, SHA256..., <a href="http://mirror.centos.org/centos/6.2/isos/x86_64/CentOS-6.2-x86_64-bin-DV...).


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- Nintendo’s about to launch its first ever paid online service, Nintendo Switch Online, for $20/year.
- The new service is required to play various Switch games online, including “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” and “Splatoon 2.”
- “Fortnite” is apparently excluded — a major exception to a huge shift in playing Nintendo games online.
Nintendo’s upcoming online service forces Switch owners to pay $20/year to play games online.
Enjoy playing “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” online for free? How about “Splatoon 2?” Enjoy it while you can: When Nintendo Switch Online launches on September 18, those games will no longer work online without a paid account.
There is, however, one major exception: “Fortnite.”
That’s right — the free-to-play smash-hit “Battle Royale” game won’t require the paid online service on the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo announced as much quietly, in an FAQ that CNET discovered on Friday — it specifically calls out “Fortnite” as an exception to Nintendo’s new paid online service requirement.
No other games are included as exceptions, which leaves open some interesting questions: For starters, what other types of games will be able to circumvent the paid service?