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Consumers have felt the sting of higher prices for months. Since May, annual inflation has been running at 5%, with October's consumer price index rising 6.2% from the year prior – the biggest such jump since 1990.
That's one reason why analysts, when picking their best stocks to buy now, are focusing on pricing power.
When companies face cost pressures – through higher prices for shipping and raw materials, for example – they have to choose whether to raise prices on their goods or services, or absorb the hit and let margins suffer. The best-positioned firms are those that can pass most of those prices along without consumers balking and taking their business elsewhere.
In a recent report, UBS identified several high-conviction picks that it views as "strong pricing power stocks" – those able to raise prices on products and that have solid margin momentum. The investment bank found that shares of companies with strong pricing power outperformed those without by around 20%, on average, over the following 12 months once inflation rises above 3% on an annualized basis, which is currently the case.
With that in mind, here are seven of the best stocks to buy now for a pricing power advantage, according to UBS. In addition to enjoying a high-conviction Buy rating from UBS, each pick ranks in the top third of its sector for pricing power, margin momentum and input cost exposure.
Data is as of Nov. 17. Dividend yields are calculated by annualizing the most recent payout and dividing by the share price.
- Sector: Technology
- Market value: $300.6 billion
- Dividend yield: N/A
- UBS' 12-month price target: $330 (7.5% implied upside)
Salesforce.com (CRM, $307.09) changed the way salespeople find and track leads by providing access to the service over the internet from a web browser, which was revolutionary in its day. The company also introduced the Software-as-a-Service (Saas) concept – or a pay-as-you-use model – helping clients avoid upfront installation costs and software upgrade maintenance.
The company remains the "clear leader" in salesforce automation and its software is considered "mission-critical" to sales teams in helping them generate revenue, according to Morningstar. Salesforce went from no product to 33% market share in 20 years.
UBS analyst Karl Keirstead says this about the company: "Salesforce is the market share leader within its two core markets (Sales and Service), which competes against legacy offerings from Oracle (ORCL) and SAP (SAP)."
Keirstead notes that demand for applications such as CRM "remains strong," raising his confidence about the company's ability to keep posting robust financial results. Healthy topline growth gives credence to the company's outlook of 20% for its operating margin in fiscal 2023, which was higher than what Wall Street expected.
This improved margin forecast is "sustainable" driven by three things: revenue outperformance, permanent shift to work from home, Zoom customer interactions and renewed internal cost controls, Keirstead says.
Wall Street analysts seem to agree that this is one of the best stocks to buy now. The consensus rating for CRM is a Buy with an average price target of $325.73, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
- Sector: Consumer cyclical
- Market value: $272.0 billion
- Dividend yield: 0.6%
- UBS' 12-month price target: $185 (7.7% implied upside)
If there's a company whose pricing power could be expected to remain strong under any economic environment, it is Nike (NKE, $171.83). For the seventh year in a row, Nike was named the world's most valuable apparel brand by global brand valuation consultancy firm Brand Finance in its 2021 report.
As the world's largest athletic apparel, shoes and equipment company, Nike has a history of signing endorsement deals with key athletes including Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin Durant and Tiger Woods. This partnership with the best athletes gives sales a lift: A whopping 77% of NBA basketball players in the 2020-21 season wore Nikes or its Converse or Jordan shoes, according to shoe database Baller Shoes DB.
The company's revenue track record speaks to this brand dominance: Since 2010, sales have risen year-over-year with the exception of last year's pandemic. The longer-term trend is expected to resume this year, with analysts projecting a 5.8% rise in annual revenue to $47.1 billion.
NKE is also known for its innovation, from introducing pressurized air in the soles of running shoes more than 40 years ago to today's Nike Air Zoom Viperfly designed specifically for the 100-meter dash, and many others.
UBS analyst Jay Sole believes Nike's sales momentum can continue. He cites three sales growth drivers: industry trends, market share gains and channel mix shift. In recent years, NKE has been focusing more on its direct-to-consumer distribution channel as a growth engine.
Despite Nike's longevity and iconic brand status, Sole says the market "doesn't fully appreciate how the company's investments in product innovation, supply chain and e-commerce are working in concert to drive unit growth and ASP [average selling price] increases."
He sees NKE as a "long-term outperformer" that is expected to generate 18% earnings per share growth annually in each of the next four years.
The pros on Wall Street tend to agree. They have a consensus Buy rating on the stock with a $180.37 average price target.
- Sector: Real estate
- Market value: $37.8 billion
- Dividend yield: 0.7%
- UBS' 12-month price target: $380 (9.4% implied upside)
Thank SBA Communications (SBAC, $347.38) for the ability to access the internet, text or make calls on mobile phones and other wireless devices. The company owns and operates wireless infrastructure – cell towers, antenna placements on buildings and rooftops, distributed antenna systems and small cells (low-powered radio access nodes). Organized as a real estate investment trust (REIT), SBA has operations in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and South Africa.
Mobile data usage has been exploding and it is set to expand even more as 5G becomes ubiquitous. UBS analyst Batya Levi points out another catalyst: For the first time in years, all U.S. mobile carriers will be active in network deployments in the next 12 months. These include T-Mobile's (TMUS) 2.5 GHz rollout, Dish Network's (DISH) network buildout, 5G efforts and more.
Another reason SBAC is on this list of the best stocks to buy now is that network deployment internationally is about five years behind the U.S., meaning more business will be in the pipeline for the company. Internationally located towers make up about 20% of SBA's business, the analyst notes.
"Tower growth is strong, defensible and we believe SBAC is well positioned to capitalize on industry trends of rising data usage and increase carrier activity alongside the multi-year 5G investment cycle," Levi writes.
The analyst expects U.S. wireless capital expenditures to increase by around 10% to a record $35 billion this year and ramp up another 10% next year to nearly $40 billion. In contrast, spending has topped $30 billion a year in the past decade, Levi says.
As for analysts' consensus view toward SBAC: the average rating is Buy and price target is $370.11.
- Sector: Industrials
- Market value: $27.7 billion
- Dividend yield: N/A
- UBS' 12-month price target: $500 (14% implied upside)
Generac Holdings (GNRC, $438.68), a name synonymous with home backup generators, has been positioning itself for a clean energy future. Since 2019, the company has been expanding its home solar and energy storage businesses while maintaining market dominance in its core fossil-fuel generator business.
UBS analyst Jon Windham believes Generac can make inroads into the residential solar market due to its customer acquisition platform that will let it take market share from incumbents such as SolarEdge (SEDG) and Enphase (ENPH).
Also, its recent acquisition of microinverter firm Chilicon Power will transform GNRC into a "one-stop shop for residential clean energy solutions, unique within the solar supply chain, and providing Generac's installer network with a compelling value proposition," he says.
Generac also can use its market prowess – it has a 75% market share in North American home backup generators – to expand in the solar and energy storage market. The company's competitive advantages include its brand, experience converting marketing leads to sales, its existing customer service infrastructure, installer support and others, according to UBS.
"GNRC provides a relatively uniquely diversified opportunity to which investors can gain exposure to the rapidly growing solar and storage market with underlying earnings stability from Generac's core business of recession-resilient home standby power," the analyst says.
Another reason this is one of the best stocks to buy now: GNRC is cheap relative to its solar inverter peers. Specifically, shares are trading around 39 times 2021 estimated price-to-earnings (P/E) compared to 70 times for the latter.
Most of Wall Street is in agreement with UBS. The consensus analyst rating is a Buy, with an average price target of $505.53.
- Sector: Technology
- Market value: $2.5 trillion
- Dividend yield: 0.6%
- UBS' 12-month price target: $175 (15.9% implied upside)
When it comes to pricing power, it will come as no surprise to most consumers that Apple (AAPL, $151.00) – which revolutionized the smartphone market in 2007 with the iPhone – has loads of it. If Nike is the world's most valuable apparel brand, AAPL is the world's most valuable brand overall, according to Brand Finance.
Apple's slew of products and services are familiar to most people: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Apple TV+, Apple Music, CarPlay and more. But with the iPhone – the biggest source of the company's revenue by product – at 14 years old and looking long in the tooth, investors are looking to AAPL's future bets to drive higher growth.
One of those bets is in the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market. Over the years, AAPL has invested in self-driving car licenses and remote-sensing LiDAR patents, according to UBS. Analyst David Vogt says he sees the company introducing a branded battery electric vehicle at some point and potentially snagging at least a 5% share in the global BEV market.
Apple's self-driving vehicle ambitions have been talked about for years. In January, Korean media reported that Apple was in talks with Hyundai to develop a self-driving electric car – though the automaker has since said the two were not involved in any such projects.
This comes after a December 2020 Reuters report that suggested Apple is not only aiming to produce a car, but also to introduce a new battery design that will drastically reduce battery costs and increase range, according to a person with knowledge on the matter. Now in June, Reuters reported, per those familiar with the effort, that Apple was in early stage talks with Chinese battery manufacturers to develop this battery.
"We believe Apple's significant cash flow should enable it to enter the battery electric vehicle market," Vogt says. "Although Apple is not a first-mover, its significant resources should enable the company to be a 'fast follower' in time" for the coming explosion in demand for electric vehicles. He sees the global auto market to become nearly 100% electric over the next 10 years.
The bulk of analysts are bullish on AAPL, too. The consensus rating among those tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence is Buy and the average price target is $167.11.
- Sector: Healthcare
- Market value: $218.4 billion
- Dividend yield: 0.3%
- UBS' 12-month price target: $365 (19.4% implied upside)
Danaher (DHR, $305.59), a medical, industrial and commercial instruments company, adheres to the Japanese "kaizen" philosophy of continuous improvement, which became the basis for its Danaher Business System (DBS) way of operating.
This way of doing business is an "important" factor to consider when finding the best stocks to buy, according to UBS analyst John Sourbeer. DBS is a "lean operating model" encompassing all facets of planning, hiring, decision-making and benchmarking across the whole company. "DBS is Danaher," he says. "As such, it's critical for current or prospective shareholders to understand what DBS entails, what benefits it affords Danaher, and how to assess its future impact."
DBS posits that "exceptional people develop outstanding plans and execute them using world-class tools to construct sustainable processes, resulting in superior performance." Superior performance and high expectations then attract exceptional people, which propagates the cycle. Four priorities guide these efforts: Quality, Delivery, Cost and Innovation.
Historically, the company has grown through acquisitions. There is room for future merger and acquisition (M&A) activity to drive returns and share price appreciation, Sourbeer says. He is projecting a compound annual growth rate of around 7% for DHR's revenue over the next three years, which is higher than Street consensus of 6%.
Still, Sourbeer thinks he might be conservative in his forecast "given (Danaher's) increasing exposure to high-growth areas (pharma, bioproduction, diagnostics) and M&A upside. Further, DBS is driving operational excellence."
The consensus rating on Wall Street is Overweight (Buy), while the average stock price target is $339.17, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
- Sector: Energy
- Market value: $53.8 billion
- Dividend yield: 3.2%
- UBS' 12-month price target: $119 (29.5% implied upside)
The fracking revolution made America a net oil exporter instead of importer, a milestone that occurred in 2018 for oil and refined fuels for the first time in decades. EOG Resources (EOG, $91.90) is one of the largest independent oil producers in this market, with nearly all its production coming from U.S. shale fields. A former division of now-bankrupt oil giant Enron, EOG split off in 1999 and has not looked back.
The company differentiates itself by identifying prospective areas for exploration before competitors, enabling it to get attractive leasehold rates, according to Morningstar. EOG also has more experience in shale wells than most peers, resulting in above-industry average productions in new wells. Today's higher energy prices also boost revenue.
UBS analyst Lloyd Byrne believes EOG will be able to keep increasing shareholder returns. He points out that the company raised its base dividend by 10% this year to $960 million and paid a special dividend of $600 million as well. For 2022 to 2023, EOG is expected to generate $9 billion of cumulative free cash flow after base dividends, he says.
"With significant amount of free cash flow, we believe EOG will continue returning capital back to shareholders in the form of increasing base dividends, special dividends and share buybacks," the analyst writes.
As for handling inflationary pressures, EOG is "well positioned" to mitigate higher prices expected in 2022, Byrne says. He notes that the company expects to see flat to lower costs for drilling, including rigs, and completion services – accounting for around half of well costs. It can do this by reducing the number of drilling days, negotiating contracts at lower rates, and others.
The general view on Wall Street is that EOG is one of the best stocks to buy now. The consensus rating as a Buy and the average price target arrives at $108.30.
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Smart home gym equipment has been gaining significant sales momentum amid the pandemic, prompting international brand vendors in the segment to repeatedly increase orders with Taiwanese partners, according to supply chain sources in Taiwan.
Cybersecurity has become an increasingly major concern for the electric vehicle (EV) sector, as cars are going smarter, and the MIH Alliance will serve as a platform for cross-industry communications and exchanges to effectively tackle cybersecurity issues, according to William Wei, concurrently CTO...
Apple reportedly plans to adopt OLED panels in more of its devices including the iPad and MacBook series in 2022, according to industry sources.
Asia Optical launches medical device Pasesa
Digial camera and optical component/module maker Asia Optical has launched Pasesa, a portable non-invasive vascular screening device used to detect cardiovascular sclerosis, according to the company.
Highlights of the day: DRAM prices rising
DRAM supply has already fallen short of demand with the chip shortages worsening. DRAM contract prices are expected to continue rising in second-quarter 2021. The coronavirus pandemic has decimated many industries, but the semiconductor...
ProLogium to set up JV in Vietnam
Solid-state lithium ceramic battery (LCB) maker ProLogium Technology will set up a joint venture in Vietnam with local car vendor VinFast for making EV-use batteries, according to industry sources.
The global supply of notebooks and other PCs will remain constrained all the way to the third quarter of this year as components continue to be in tight supply, according to Acer chairman and CEO Jason Chen.
Gaming notebook specialists have seen demand surge for cryptocurrency mining applications, according to industry sources.
VCM makers to expand production capacity
Japan-based VCM (voice coil motor) suppliers, mainly Alps Alpine and Mizumi, have asked their Taiwan-based contract makers including Audix to expand production capacity by about 40% by the end of June or early July 2021, according to industry sources.
With its advantages in edge computing and mobile device applications, Arm has been expanding its server solution offerings, heading towards high performance computing instead of staying on the traditional route of further lowering power consumption, according to Digitimes Research's observation.
Wistron Group has forged a strategic alliance with Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) to jointly tap business opportunities arising from proliferating 5G and AI applications.
Kioxia breaks ground for new 3D NAND wafer fab
Kioxia held a groundbreaking ceremony for a semiconductor fabrication facility, dubbed Fab 7, at its factory site in Yokkaichi, Japan on February 24. The facility will be dedicated to the production of 3D NAND flash memory.
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Delta Electronics to deal out dividend
Power supply maker and energy management solution provider Delta Electronics has disclosed it will distribute a cash dividend per share of NT$5.50 (US$0.20) for 2020.
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domain: news


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IF YOU read ONE THING
Good things come in fours
How do young people get their news? News organizations of all kinds have been trying to answer this question, and a new report commissioned by the Reuters Institute yields some new insights about this group’s consumption habits. The study of 18- to 35-year-olds revealed four key “moments” to get news in front of younger audiences, as well as four main types of news consumers:
The report suggests that understanding the different expectations and news “moments” of young audiences is critical for engagement across platforms. You can download the full report here or Nieman Lab’s coverage of it here.
- Heritage News Consumers “make a concerted effort to at least consume some of the same traditional news brands that they grew up seeing. However, making time for these in their busy lives is not always possible and sometimes feels like a chore that’s part of being an adult.”
- Passive News Absorbers “remain informed through collective osmosis from their online and offline experiences, but dedicate little to no time to actively engaging with the news. When something piques their interest, they search for it directly and care less about the brand they choose.”
- Dedicated News Devotees have designated time slots throughout the day for news and “have a routine, habitual appointment with their primary news brand.” They’re most likely to have a dedicated app they use regularly.
- Proactive News Consumers prefer to “take matters into their own hands” and curate their own feeds according to their needs, rather than rely on a publisher or brand to do it for them. “They dedicate time for news, but it’s often news they have found during the constant grazing on their feeds.”


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FASTag KYC deadline is March 31, 2024: Step-by-step guide to update online
2 min read • Updated: March 29, 2024, 2:35 PM
FASTag uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to facilitate payment at toll booths electronically. The RFID tax is affixed on the vehicle's windscreen, facilitating toll payments directly from the linked account.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) deadline for updating FASTag know your customer (KYC) is March 31, 2024. After the deadline, FASTags with incomplete KYC will be deactivated or blacklisted, regardless of the account balance.
As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rules, NHAI has asked FASTag users to stick with 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' and discontinue all the earlier issued FASTags through their respective banks. Only the latest FASTag will remain active, and tags issued earlier will be deactivated.
NHAI said that the 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' is the result of reports regarding multiple FASTags being issued for a particular vehicle without the KYC.
"Apart from this, FASTags are sometimes deliberately not fixed on the vehicle's windscreen, resulting in unnecessary delays at the toll plazas and causing inconvenience to fellow National Highway users," the government agency said.
If the FASTag KYC update is pending, users will get a notification via email, SMS or through their issuing bank.
How to update the FASTag issued by NHAI?
- Visit the FASTag website https://fastag.ihmcl.com
- Login using your mobile number and OTP
- On the My Profile section, click on the KYC tab
How to update FASTag issued by different banks?
- Visit https://www.netc.org.in/request-for-netc-fastag
- Select your FASTag issuer bank
- Login to the respective issuer bank
- Update KYC online
FASTag uses Radio Frequency Identification or RFID technology to facilitate payment at toll booths electronically. The RFID tax is affixed on the vehicle's windscreen, facilitating toll payments directly from the linked account.
FASTag has revolutionised India's electronic toll collection system with a penetration rate of nearly 98% and over eight crore users.


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Nintendo of America has now confirmed that this app will be released in North America — it'll arrive in the region on 2nd December and cost $19.99.
Way back in Spring 2012 we told you about the official Louvre 3DS tour guide application that was being offered to visitors of the iconic museum in the French capital. Today Nintendo has announced Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre for the 3DS eShop, and also released one of its most charming mini Nintendo Direct videos as an accompaniment.
The app will be available from today in Europe and will cost €19.99 / £17.99 to download. It recreates the same experience of the guide in the museum itself, utilising the 3D screen in particular to provide views and images of all of the major areas of the site — this includes "600 images of artwork, nearly 30 hours of audio commentary, and more than 400 photos of the museum interior including 360° panoramic 3D photos of gallery spaces". There's an interactive map, set tours such as the Family Tour and a Slide Show feature that you can set to display chosen images with a clock — rather like a stylish wallpaper for the 3DS.
The app will update with latest exhibit information just like those official units in the museum, and it means you can also use your own 3DS for the interactive guide if you ever visit the venue itself. Physical copies of the software are also available from the museum's gift shop, if you dislike download copies and fancy a trip to Paris.
Whether the app is inspiring your artistic side or not, the Nintendo Direct video below is a must-watch, as Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto tour the museum and put the guide through its paces. We'll keep an eye out to see whether this app will also be released in North America.


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NEW DELHI: We are just few hours away from Apple Event the one of the biggest launches of the year Because today is 12th of Sept so it means anniversary of APPLE . Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is all set for iPhone 8 launch – along with two other models and Apple Event watch– At an event in California today.
Apple Event will unveil its latest range of iPhones along with its anniversary edition phone in Cupertino today. The event is scheduled to take place at the Steve Jobs Theatre located on Apple’s Spaceship campus. But Its live Show for everyone . This is for the first time that Apple is organising an Apple Event at the new campus. The event will start at 10 am PT (10.30 pm IST).
As per various leaks and rumours it is expected that Apple iPhone 8 or iPhone X will cost around $1000. In February this year, a report surfaced online suggesting that the next iPhone will cost upwards of $1,000, but a base 64GB model could start at $850 to $900 in the US. iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus will start at around $649 and $749, respectively.
Some reports also suggest that the iPhones will go on pre-order starting September 15 and are expected to go on sale starting September 22. Talking about India, it is expected that the company will launch the devices in India around Diwali sometime in the third week of October 2017.
Coming to the specifications, as per previous reports the Apple iPhone 8 or iPhone X will run on company’s latest 10nm A11 processor and will come with an edge-to-edge OLED display just like the Samsung Galaxy S8+. The smartphone is expected to sport 3GB of RAM and will come in three storage variants – 64GB, 256GB and 512GB. This time it is also expected to offer support for wireless charging and will have a dual selfie camera. The home button will also be replaced by the facial-recognition technology.
For the latest news, tech news, breaking news headlines and live updates checkout Gadgethubspot.com


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|Wal-Mart tests in-store lockers for online orders||| Print ||
|Written by ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, AP Retail Writer|
|Tuesday, 26 March 2013 15:52|
SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, says it's setting up lockers in about a dozen stores so that shoppers who order on its website can pick up their items without having to wait in line checkout line.
The test, which is being conducted in an undisclosed market, is part of Wal-Mart's strategy to offer more convenience for web-savvy shoppers to make their purchases wherever they want.
Wal-Mart officials disclosed the test Tuesday at a media event at its company's global e-commerce offices in San Bruno, Calif., located in Silicon Valley. The test accounts for just a tiny fraction of its 4,000 U.S. namesake stores.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
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Optomec, a supplier of production grade additive manufacturing systems for 3D printed metals and 3D printed electronics, has recently signed a distribution agreement with Emona Instruments Pty. Ltd to expand sales of its solutions into Australia and New Zealand. Emona is the leading supplier of additive manufacturing systems and engineering teaching equipment in Australia and New Zealand.
Optomec Aerosol Jet printers provide high-resolution 3D printing capabilities required to manufacture smaller, lighter-weight, high-performance devices used in industries such as aerospace, defense, consumer electronics and the Internet of Things (IoT). Aerosol Jet technology, which is scalable for high volume production applications, uses a patented process of aerodynamic focusing to precisely print electronic circuitry and functional components in dimensions ranging from as small as 10 microns to as large as several millimeters in a single pass.
“With Optomec ‘s established track record in Australia including users such as CSIRO’s Lab22, Swinburne University of Technology, Deakin University, UNSW, and University of Queensland, we look forward to the Emona /Optomec partnership further building on this success and reinforcing our position as the leaders in additive manufacturing in the region”, said Mark Breznik, Managing Director at Emona Instruments.


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Vivo's Z series to be Flipkart-exclusive in India
To launch its first Z series device in India, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo on Wednesday announced exclusive partnership with online marketplace Flipkart.
The smartphone would feature a 6.53-inch full HD+ display, 16MP+8MP+2MP triple rear camera setup and a 16MP in-display selfie camera.
"The all-new Z series has been designed to empower millennials and fulfil the dynamic needs of the 'Gen Z'," said Nipun Marya, Director, Brand Strategy, Vivo India.
Running on Android 9 Pie, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor and will be fuelled by 5,000 mAh battery.
According to speculations, the smartphone could be a variant of Vivo Z5x, launched in China last month as the brand's first handset with a punch-hole display. In China, the phone comes with four memory variants -- 4GB+64GB, 6GB+64GB, 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB.
Details on the pricing and availability of all variants in India have not been disclosed. IANS


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Rugby, a game wherein two dozen burly He-Man: Masters Of The Universe rejected action figures battle it out over a massive ostrich egg covered in leather, is apparently quite popular.
It’ll be even more popular than usual this year however, due to various nations sending their national sides to the Rugby World Cup 2015 tournament, which is the closest that we’ll ever get to fully recreating the thunderdome scene from Mad Max 3.
And of course it’ll have a video game tie-in, with a game that looks almost as horribly concussed as the behemoths who play the national game based on these screenshots from Bigben Interactive and HB Studios.
This year’s Rugby World Cup 2015 game comes from the same team that brought you Rugby 15 last year, Bigben Interactive and HB Studios. A game which wasn’t exactly universally loved. It’ll be hitting PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS Vita and PC in September.
It’s a properly official game, so there won’t be any need to create a custom team with people such as Land Rover Botha and Schalk Hamburger, according to my regby knowledge. (Scratch that, I’ve just been educated that only northern hemisphere teams are officially licensed. Time to bust out the thesaurus fellas.)
Last Updated: July 16, 2015
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 16, 2015 at 14:18


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Sprint Nextel Corp, the majority owner of Clearwire Corp, has offered $2.1 billion to buy the rest of the wireless service provider but it will likely have to offer more money in order to secure a deal.
Clearwire (Bellevue, USA), which said it is reviewing the offer, saw its share jump more than 11 percent to $3.06 after the offer, topping Sprint's $2.90 offer price and suggesting that shareholders were hoping for a higher bid.
Network equipment maker Ciena Corp said its operating performance would improve in 2013 as telecom carriers boost spending to upgrade their networks after months of sluggish growth, sending its shares up as much as 5.5 percent.
Telecom carriers are rolling out their 4G LTE networks and are looking at optical equipment providers like Ciena who provide a key component to manage costs and modernize networks.
Sprint is in talks with Clearwire to acquire the 49% of the ailing mobile broadband operator it does not already own, according to CNBC.
Citing sources close to the matter, CNBC reports that the two companies are involved in “active negotiations” and could strike an agreement before the end of the year.
TeliaSonera says it has raised $525 million from the initial public offering (IPO) of Kazakh operator Kcell in the UK and Kazakhstan.
The Swedish telecoms incumbent offered up 25% of Kcell’s share capital and will hold a stake of 61.9% in the operator following the IPO.
Shares were priced at $10.50 for each global depository receipt – at the low end of the $10.50–13 range previously announced – valuing the business at $2.1 billion.
Federal regulators on Tuesday gave satellite TV provider Dish Network Corp the go-ahead to use wireless spectrum and also approved a framework for a spectrum auction next year.
The Federal Communications Commission voted to allow Dish (Meridian, USA) to convert satellite spectrum for wireless use but would impose restrictions that the company opposes. Dish is the No. 2 satellite U.S. television provider after DirecTV (El Segundo, USA).
Cable maker Belden Inc said it bought privately held PPC, which makes connectors used in broadband and wireless services, for $515.7 million to strengthen its position in the broadcast industry.
Belden (St Louis, USA), which makes networking products for the broadcast and consumer electronics industries, has been buying connector companies that complement its cable offerings in these markets as it moves away from selling stand-alone cables.
Telecom Italia has said it will only spin off its networks business if there is some kind of regulatory incentive, according to a report in Il Messaggero.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper, Telecom Italia (Rome, Italy) chairman Franco Bernabe said there would have to be advantages for the new company and the slimmed-down Telecom Italia.
His comments follow the decision last week by Telecom Italia’s board to look into the possibility of hiving off the operator’s networks division.
Chinese equipment maker Huawei continues to make inroads into territory previously held by its western rivals, having just signed an important managed-services deal with 3UK, the small UK operator owned by Hutchison Whampoa (Hong Kong).
The arrangement will see Huawei (Shenzhen, China) handling service management and operations for 3UK’s core network, transport network and ICT applications.
It has chosen India’s Tech Mahindra (Pune, India) as a partner for the work on ICT applications.
Deutsche Telekom hopes major investments in Germany and the United States and a long-awaited iPhone deal will turn around its fortunes, compensating for the dividend cut it plans to pay for them.
The company said it would increase investments by more than an annual 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) to 9.5 billion euros in 2015 from an estimated 8.3 billion euros this year, rolling out faster broadband and next generation 4G networks, as it cut its dividend by almost 30 percent.
France Telecom's Polish unit TPSA expects its home telecoms market, which it dominates, to shrink by over seven percent next year because of economic woes and further regulatory cuts in mobile charges, its top executive said.
TPSA (Warsaw, Poland), the former state monopolist, already slashed its 2012 outlook and future dividend payout last month due to economic factors and aggressive competitors, dragging its shares to levels unseen in nine years.


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Category Archives: iPhone
We posted earlier today about a skeptical but possible untethered jailbreak for all iOS 6 iDevices, including the iPhone 5, iPad Mini + others. The DreamJB team have uploaded a youtube video (shown below) which has been confirmed fake by many users within the Jailbreak community including MuscleNerd. The video is one of the most, if not THE most, well done fakes we have ever seen, but even the best fake still has some discrepancies. Now, other than the fact that the DreamJB "developer" has already admitted that this was nothing more than a "social experiment," here are some …
I will begin this tutorial the same way I began the Verizon iPhone4 Downgrade tutorial by saying that you MUST have your 4.3.3 SHSH key saved in order to downgrade from 4.3.4 or 4.3.5. This tutorial will not work if you do not have your SHSH key. If you do not know what an SHSH key is then you most likely do not have it saved. You can check out our What is an SHSH file post.
The folks at ModMyi have gotten their hands on an internally leaked memo from AT&T that outlines the protocol for tomorrow’s white iPhone 4 announcement. Apple confirmed that the white iPhone was finally launching on AT&T and Verizon tomorrow, and demand is expected to be substantial for the device.
AT&T’s customer protocol for tomorrow’s launch reveals some interesting details about the upgrade policy. If you’re planning on waiting in line, this memo also pertains to you…
“The document contains a list of “Critical Must Knows/Dos for Local Dealer Locations.” The highlight of all this confidential information is the …
ModMyi have claimed to have had tips from users saying they are receiving notices fro AT&T regarding tethering. These users have been using MyWi for tethering, and are grandfathered into AT&T's old unlimited iPhone data plan.
UPDATE: Based on the comments ModMyi have been receiving on their announcement, It now looks as though AT&T are basing these messages solely on users with high usage. As it turns out, MyWi shows up as 0 tethered bytes:
For one user, the notices began as a simple text message:
AT&T Free Msg: Did you know tethering your Smartphone to a computer requires a …
Apple has approached the federal government to help stop hackers from jailbreaking the iPhone, reports NBC.
A spokesperson from Apple told the US Copyright Office that "Current jailbreak technologies now in widespread use utilize unauthorized modifications to the copyrighted bootloader and operating system, resulting in the infringement of the copyrights in those programs".
This action of Apple has come after Sony recently filed a lawsuit against the well known iPhone hacker Geohot for jailbreaking PlayStation 3.
It is also to be noted here that in July last year, the United States government ruled in the favor of iPhone jailbreaks …
The feature seems to be built right into the OS under Settings.app, as can be seen in the screenshot below.
It is currently unconfirmed on whether or not this feature and OS version will remain exclusive to Verizon customers only, or will it make its way on GSM iPhone 4 as well.
As was expected, in an event held in the New York City, Verizon Wireless’ President & COO Lowell McAdam has announced the much anticipated arrival of Apple iPhone on Verizon’s network.
As we showed at CES last week, we’re building on these partnerships with LTE — it will make broadband even richer for customers. That’s including a whole new range of smartphones and tablets. One analyst said ‘we displayed an armada of new devices.
Today we’re partnering with a giant of the industry, and that’s Apple.
Later, Apple’s COO Tim Cook also joined him on stage to announce the …
Redsn0w 0.9.7b6 has been released by the iPhone Dev Team.
redsn0w 0.9.7b6 - OSX
Official announcement is as follows:
Update #6: The sixth beta is now available (testers ONLY please!). This version fixes Skype (and as expected all along, the Skype issue turns out to be unrelated to sandbox patches). Please do not pirate the 4.2b3 IPSW! Only those enrolled in the iPhone Developer program have legitimate access to that IPSW using these links (the links won’t work unless you’re a legit developer currently logged in).
Unlike the last few betas, you can freely run beta6 over beta5 without …
Well well.. what do we have here. Verizon Wireless has just sent out invites for an event which they are holding in New York City on January 11, 2011.
Could it be for the long-rumored Verizon iPhone? WSJ thinks so. Will Apple CEO Steve jobs join Verizon Wireless’ President & COO Lowell McAdam onstage to make the BIG announcement? Well we all will have to wait for 1.11.11 to find out.
This is a simple, clear and easy tutorial on how to both jailbreak and unlock the iPhone 2G on iOS 3.1.3 (the final firmware version for iPhone 2G). This tutorial is the same for both Windows and Mac.
First of all, please make sure that your iPhone is currently on the iPhone 3.1.3 firmware.
Connect your device to the computer via your USB cable and launch the Redsn0w application you have just downloaded.…
The iPhone Dev-Team have just released beta3 of Redsn0w 0.9.7.
The third beta is now available (testers ONLY please!). This version extends the fix made in beta2 over to the non-GUI programs too (like the daemons that handle media content). That should cover things like Facetime, Winterboard themes, and embedded videos in iTunes. If you had trouble using the usbmuxd in previous betas, please wait until we incorporate that into redsn0w itself (i.e. don’t bother trying this beta3, just wait for the integration).
The download link is:
redsn0w 0.9.7b3 (OS X). Please test this after a fresh restore (otherwise
Redsn0w 0.9.7b2 has just been released, with the release of the previous version (earlier today), Redsn0w 0.9.7b1, came an untehtered jailbreak but there were native app crashes also the Task Switcher, iPod and YouTube apps were unusable. With the latest release of Redsn0w 0.9.7b2, all these problems have been fixes. Bluetooth functionality though is still disabled.
This version should fix all the native app crashes (including Task switcher). That’s the only change in from beta1….Bluetooth is still disabled.
Why pair an iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, or iPhone 4 with a DSLR lens? Why not!
With the release of the iPhone 4, iPhones now have the ability to shoot at 5 megapixels, HD video as well as a LED flash. Combined that together with a DSLR lens, and you’ve got a device that can shoot amazing images/video with SLR lenses, edit them on the fly, and share them on the internet all in one device. This makes for some amazing shots!
See the video below for an example of the type of video you are able to take on …


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Oh, Urban, say it isn't so. Not again.
The global retailer has another monumental f*ck up on its hands, this time selling a tapestry disturbingly similar to a Nazi concentration camp uniform.
It's not the first time we've seen a Holocaust "fashion" major faux pas. Remember the Star of David Zara put on a striped sweater?
The fashion world is no stranger to these types of PR disasters.
In the past few years, there was Forever 21's insensitive headdress incident, Urban's sweatshirt-covered-in-blood fiasco (which people argued was inspired by 1970's Kent State shooting) and American Apparel's gruesome tampon shirts -- but you can find our slightly horrifying roundup of the most offensive items here.
The Anti-Defamation League, a prominent anti-Semitism group, has sent a message to Urban Outfitters urging the company to cease selling the tapestry.
With grey and white stripes and an upside-down pink triangle, the tapestry eerily resembles the uniform gay concentration camp victims were forced to wear.
The upside-down pink triangle specifically was the Nazis' way of indicating homosexual prisoners.
The ADL states:
Whether intentional or not, this gray and white striped pattern and pink triangle combination is deeply offensive and should not be mainstreamed into popular culture. We urge Urban Outfitters to immediately remove the product eerily reminiscent of clothing forced upon the victims of the Holocaust from their stores and online.
Business Insider points out the company is not selling the item online, which may mean is has already been pulled from shelves. Urban has yet to confirm this.
Seriously, though, isn't there someone who double checks this stuff?


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China’s Regulatory Crackdown at a Look: From Bitcoin to Celeb Fan Golf equipment — Nothing’s Off the Desk
China has launched a multi-pronged crackdown on its tech firms, leaving startups and decades-old corporations alike working in a brand new, unsure atmosphere.
Listed here are sectors which might be going through regulatory stress:
Chinese language regulators have slashed the period of time gamers beneath the age of 18 can spend on on-line video games to an hour of gameplay on Fridays, weekends and holidays, in response to rising concern over gaming dependancy, state media mentioned on Monday.
Tech firms eyeing IPOs
China is framing guidelines to ban Web firms whose information poses potential safety dangers from itemizing exterior the nation, together with in america, in line with an individual accustomed to the matter.
The ban can also be anticipated to be imposed on firms concerned in ideology points, mentioned the individual, declining to be recognized because the matter is non-public.
China is constructing its personal state-backed cloud system, “guo zi yun”, which interprets as “state asset cloud”, in a direct risk to tech giants comparable to Alibaba, Huawei, and Tencent Holdings.
The Chinese language metropolis of Tianjin has requested municipally managed firms emigrate their information from non-public sector operators like Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings to a state-backed cloud system by subsequent yr, in line with a doc seen by Reuters.
Platform financial system
China is in search of to tighten oversight of the algorithms tech firms, together with e-commerce firms, and social media platforms, use to focus on customers.
The Our on-line world Administration of China mentioned in a press release on Friday that firms should abide by enterprise ethics and rules of equity and shouldn’t arrange algorithm fashions that entice customers to spend giant quantities of cash or spend cash in a approach that will disrupt public order.
In April, the State Administration of Market Regulation imposed a file effective of $2.75 billion (roughly Rs. 20,140 crores) on Alibaba for participating within the apply of “select one from two”, during which an e-commere platform bars distributors from promoting on rival websites.
The regulator has additionally imposed fines on smaller firms for different practices associated to client rights and labour.
In Could, it fined rival JD.com CNY 300,000 (roughly Rs. 34 lakhs) for selling false details about its meals merchandise.
The regulator has additionally ordered China’s meals supply firms to offer higher safety for employees.
Celeb fan golf equipment
China cracked down on what it described as a “chaotic” celeb fan tradition on Friday, barring platforms from publishing reputation lists and regulating the sale of fan merchandise after a sequence of controversies involving artists.
Beijing has launched laws that bar non-public, for-profit tutoring firms from elevating capital abroad.
The foundations additionally say tutoring centres should register as non-profits, could not supply programmes for topics already taught in public day colleges, and ban courses on weekends and holidays.
A aggressive larger training system has made tutoring companies extraordinarily in style with dad and mom, however the authorities has recently sought to cut back the price of child-rearing in an effort to nudge up a lagging birthrate.
In November, shortly earlier than Ant Group was set to listing in what would have been a file share sale, China’s banking regulators issued draft guidelines calling for tighter management of on-line lending, during which Ant was a large participant.
The laws set limits on cross-provincial on-line loans and capped loans to people.
The next day, the Individuals’s Financial institution of China halted Ant Group’s IPO. In April, the regulator known as on Ant to separate its cost enterprise from its private finance enterprise.
In June, the Our on-line world Administration of China instructed prime ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing to cease accepting new customers, inside days of going public on the New York Inventory Trade.
That step knocked a few fifth off the corporate’s share worth.
Analysts and traders say the measures on Didi have extra to do with large information and abroad listings by Chinese language corporations than aggressive practices.
The regulator initially cited violations of client privateness however later issued a separate set of draft laws for data-rich Chinese language corporations to run a safety assessment earlier than itemizing abroad.
On the time of the CAC investigation, China’s market regulator compelled Didi and different corporations to pay fines of CNY 500,000 (roughly Rs. 56.6 lakhs) for failing to report acquisitions of smaller firms.
In Could, three monetary regulators widened curbs on China’s cryptocurrency sector by barring banks and on-line cost corporations from use of cryptocurrency for cost or settlement.
Additionally they barred establishments from offering change companies between cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies, and prohibited fund managers from investing in cryptocurrencies as property.
Within the following weeks got here measures from provincial-level governments curbing Bitcoin mining. Bitcoin worth in India stood at Rs. 37.three lakhs as of 6pm IST on August 30.
These curbs triggered a wave of mining shutdowns countrywide, with state-linked tabloid International Instances estimating that 90 % of mining operations would shut within the quick time period.
China’s housing ministry and 7 different regulators have instructed the property administration sector to “enhance order”.
With China’s financial system enhancing after a hunch in 2020 as a result of coronavirus, authorities have stepped up efforts to curb rampant borrowing in actual property this yr, in hopes of stopping an asset bubble.
Different regulatory measures embody borrowing caps on builders generally known as “the three pink strains” and caps on property loans by banks.
© Thomson Reuters 2021


text: Bandai has revealed an exclusive S.H. Figuarts C-3PO figure for Tamashii Comic Con. The event, which will have more than 300 figures on display, will be held in Japan from May 25th - 27th where a limited amount of C-3PO's will be sold each day. According to the Tamashii website the figure will have a metal finish and a red arm, just the way C-3PO was seen in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The figure will cost 6,500 yen, which is currently about $62 USD. Check out the pictures of C-3PO below.


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Following yesterday’s end-of-year results, West Cornwall Pasty Company (WCPC) has announced a new set of developments that include a gluten-free pasty and a new brand.
WCPC reported that like-for-like (LFL) sales were up 20% for the year ending 31 March., while ebitda doubled from £525k in 2015 to more than £1m.
The company has also rebranded its Canterbury store as the West Cornwall Food Co, marking a move away from its traditional pasty focus. The new brand, launched in March, revolves around organic Fairtrade coffee, freshly made sandwiches, cakes, doughnuts and cookies.
It is already reporting that sales have increased 60% on those recorded in the WCPC store last year. There is now a plan to refurbish 16 of the estate’s high street sites into West Cornwall Food Co propositions.
Elsewhere, the brand has made 3.2m pasties in the last year, and has now announced an innovative product breakthrough scheduled for mid-May. The Pasty for Every-Body includes a gluten- and dairy-free pasty.
Baked in a specially designed bag, the product stays free from cross-contamination, so is suitable for coeliacs and avoiders of gluten and dairy.
In January, WCPC announced an underlying profit of £551,000, despite having posted a pre-tax loss of £195,000.


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Apple’s newest iPhones are always in the buzz, especially when it comes to leaks, with bigger display sizes and new colors gathering a lot of hype. We’ve been hearing speculations about three new iPhones being launched this year by Apple, and it looks like Apple themselves have seemingly let this information out.
Apple has decided to publicly file identifiers for all its new upcoming iPhones in the Eurasian database, and it confirms that there will be three different designs or models this year released to the market, with multiple variants of each model. The iPhone model identifiers are: A1920, A1921, A1984, A2097, A2098, A2099 and A2101, A2103, A2104, A2105, and A2106.
Looking at the pattern of the identifiers, the numbers give out an easy hint that the three devices in the iPhone series this year are probably codenamed A19, A20 and A21. Logically, it wouldn’t be wrong to infer from this information that the models are arranged according to their price points. If we go by this, then the A19 might refer to the 6.1-inch iPhone model which is rumored to be a budget friendly option with an LCD display instead of OLED. The A20 should ideally be the successor to the current iPhone X, while the A21 seems like the iPhone X Plus with a huge 6.5-inch display. However, this is just speculation as we don’t know what the order they’re arranged in signifies. It could also be in the order of the size of the display on these smartphones. Nevertheless, we can be thus assured that we will be seeing three new iPhones this year. We can say this with confidence, as the Eurasian database is an official regulatory body and has never been wrong in the past.
If it does turn out to be true, this is the first time in history that Apple will be unveiling three new upgrades to its iPhones, something that all of us will surely look forward to.


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By Eric Smith
From an early age and well into her adult life, Cindy Feinauer has built an impressive resume in the outdoor industry.
The Michigan native “loved the outdoors as a kid” and played sports in both high school and college. After graduation, Feinauer moved out west to pursue her passion for adventure as a backcountry guide, instructor of guides and outdoor program director.
She then went on to coach collegiate and professional soccer—another one of her passions—before realizing that a career in business would help her more quickly pay off student loans. So she joined Wolverine World Wide Inc., first with Merrell as both a tech rep and sales rep before moving over to fellow Wolverine footwear brand Chaco as a regional sales manager.
Along the way, Feinauer, pictured left, earned an MBA to sharpen her business skills, which helped her land the director of sales gig at Smartwool before moving on to North America sales director at Timbuk2. That led to her current role at Specialized Bicycle Components’ custom division, where she has worked for the past five years, most recently as general manager or Specialized’s newest venture, the stainless steel bottle brand Purist.
Although Feinauer has held a variety of roles at different companies, one important thread—beyond the fact that most are outdoors-related—connects each career stop.
“How I got to where I am today is my love for teams—building teams and creating strategy,” she told SGB in a recent interview. “That’s what I took from guiding and coaching and brought into the business world. I like building a team and asking such questions as, ‘Strategically, how do we win in the market? What are the key insights? How do we set ourselves apart?’ Then the question is, ‘How do we build a team of talented folks who can create a vision and execute that strategy?’ That’s what I love to do.”
A passion for team-building is still guiding Feinauer, and it drove her to spend the last couple of years developing the Purist brand. She and her team brought the brand to market in 2018 and have worked tirelessly ever since to help it flourish.
Everything is on track for Purist, which is a standalone brand within Morgan Hill, CA-based Specialized Bicycle Components. The 45-year-old privately held company (Taiwan-based Merida Bikes owns 49 percent) doesn’t disclose revenue, but Feinauer told SGB that Purist is seeing triple-digit growth over 2018.
The Purist product line is a collection of stainless steel bottles that use Specialized’s patented Purist technology—an ultra-thin glass finish on the inside of the bottle that doesn’t retain the taste of whatever liquid it holds. Specialized introduced the technology in its ubiquitous squeezable bike bottles, but the company a few years ago decided to enter the competitive, and somewhat crowded, category of stainless with Feinauer leading the way.
“Looking at the market, we knew that the hydration market was going to continue to grow and that stainless, in particular, was going to continue to grow,” Feinauer said. “We knew there was an opportunity in the market if we could figure out how to put our technology there. One of the things I love about Specialized is that the company doesn’t want to put a product in the market unless they know it is truly, uniquely beneficial to the consumer.”
Of course, the question of entering a crowded category is one that Feinauer has grown accustomed to answering. Plenty of existing stainless steel bottle makers are in the market, with several startups also planting their flag as an alternative to plastic. How would Purist differentiate?
“It is an incredibly saturated market right now,” she said. “A lot of the retail partners that we’ve talked to said there are currently too many brands and that they’re looking to simplify. That was key for us in doing our research and talking to our partners about how we do this right. Everyone we talked to said we have to be differentiated to catch an eye right now because everyone is looking to slim down the number of brands they’re carrying in hydration.”
Part of differentiating centered on product. Purist decided to curate a limited number of models and colors it would offer to not only keep a retailer’s inventory from being clogged but also to better target the right customer, whether that was in lifestyle or outdoors or both.
“I do think we set ourselves up well, not only from a technology standpoint, which is probably the No. 1 differentiator, but when we looked at the market, we saw that there was room for more premium, elevated design and that consumers were willing to pay higher price for it,” she said. “In particular, the everyday lifestyle category was being driven by working professionals. And then you can also see that a lot of your organizations now are moving to not using plastic in their facilities.”
Purist also targeted the white space in gender-neutral design, which helps the brand appeal to consumers who want one bottle for all their needs—coffee in the morning, a smoothie after a workout and an adult beverage in the evening. Also, something that would look good at home, at the office or on the commute.
Another key component of Purist’s differentiation was on the business side. Specialized was careful to ensure Purist, aside from the technology it uses, remained completely separate from the parent. Purist is its own P&L and has its own production facilities within the Specialized supply chain, although there are, of course, some synergies, Feinauer said.
“We have the same DNA of premium innovative products in design,” she said. “But the end consumer for Purist is a very different consumer than the Specialized consumer, per se. It’s important that our brand—what we stand for, our brand language and all that—is separate from Specialized.”
The brand certainly stands out through its channel strategy. Feinauer said that while the brand is in outdoor specialty doors, that isn’t the only one Purist is targeting. Besides, that channel is evolving and lines are blurring, which should bode well for more of its products to find their way onto shelves.
“I think the outdoor industry itself is leaning more into everyday lifestyle, and there’s a lot of crossover,” she said. “Our focus and distribution channel is in premium outdoor and premium lifestyle. That’s where our focus is and those are the kind of partnerships that we’re looking for. That’s where we believe our target consumer shops.”
Purist’s distribution focus right now is direct-to-consumer, but the brand is growing its wholesale partnerships and Feinauer said the goal is to achieve a more even mix of DTC and wholesale. One advantage in that endeavor is having a parent company like Specialized nurturing the brand and letting Purist find its footing naturally rather than inundating existing channels with excessive inventory.
“One of the things that I love about Specialized and the executive team here is they’re allowing us a runway to do this in the right way,” Feinauer said. “We’re trying to grow with the right partners and being particular with the partnerships that we align with. One of the things that’s big for this brand is making sure this brand stays premium and isn’t discounted. We do that by telling the right story to our target consumer through those partnerships. We’re looking for the right type of slow growth for this brand.”
The brand is also developing a giveback strategy that’s focused on amplifying the message of the nonprofit organizations it works with. The brand’s charitable outlet, Purist Collective, is an initiative to channel financial and promotional support to nonprofit organizations and then gather those leaders together to share ideas, concerns and strategies for how to best further social causes.
The Purist Collective’s first partner is Portland, OR-based nonprofit p:ear (Project: Education Arts Recreation). Purist invited the organization to join them at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market to share its mission with the outdoor community. That’s something Purist will continue to do, because fostering the brand ethos is just as important as top-line growth, Feinauer said.
“I think that’s probably one of the most exciting parts of the brand, to be honest,” she said. “Those are the types of relationships and partnerships that we are thankful for and committed to. Hopefully, it will help us become better.”
As Feinauer shepherds the Purist brand into the next phase of growth—finding new channel partners, expanding distribution and growing revenue at the right pace—she is excited for what comes next. For the brand, for herself and, perhaps most importantly, for the team she built and continues to lead.
“I think we still have a lot to learn,” Feinauer said. “But if we can continue to look at the market, find those key insights and white space and continually have those challenging collaborative conversations with our partners and making sure that we’re reacting, shifting and adapting, I think we can set ourselves up for success.”
Photos courtesy Purist


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Chinese bike sharing firm Hellobike has raised a new financing round of US$700 million from existing investors including Ant Financial and Fosun Group, as well as seven new investors, according to Chinese local media.Hellobike, Ant Financial and Fosun did not immediately respond to China Money Network’s emails seeking for comments.
The deal further complicates the competitive landscape of the sharing bike market in China. After Chinese group-buying and location-based services firm Meituan Dianping acquired bike sharing firm Mobike, and Alibaba leading a US$866 million investments in ofo last month, the Mobike-ofo rival has become a battle between Alibaba and Meituan. Previously, ofo also mortgaged its own bicycles to receive two loans worth RMB1.77 billion (US$280 million) from Alibaba’s affiliates. The new round in Hellobike strengthens Alibaba’s position competing for more market share in this fast-evolving sector.
As of last September, Hellobike operated in more than 100 second- and third-tier cities across China with more than seven million daily orders and more than 30 million registered users. Hellobike has focused on China’s second- and third-tier cities to avoid direct competition with larger rivals Mobike and ofo.
Last December, Hellobike raised a US$350 million series D round from Ant Financial, electric vehicle developer WM Motor, Chengwei Capital and bike manufacturer Fujita.
Last October, Hellobike merged with Chinese bike rental firm Youon Bike, which is also backed by Ant Financial, to better compete against industry giants ofo and Mobike.


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Fronius, an Austrian company specializing in welding technology, is eyeing its market prospects in China, according to a senior executive.
Zhang Ming, managing director of Fronius Intelligent Equipment China, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Fronius International GmbH, said China has rolled out a series of policies to promote the development of advanced machinery and intelligent manufacturing, which is conducive to the industry’s high-quality development.
The industry has enormous growth potential. Forward Industry Research Institute forecasts in a report that the sector will have a market size surpassing 300 billion yuan ($45.98 billion) in 2024.
“As intelligent production is the trend of the times, the machines and equipment that enable the intelligentization of manufacturing are key to keeping up with that,” Zhang said.
Fronius International GmbH, which evolved from a simple one-man repair and maintenance operation founded in 1945, has grown into an integral part of the global industrial landscape.
The company specializes in providing high-quality welding systems and solutions. In addition, its business portfolio has also expanded into the other sectors of solar energy and charging equipment.
It ships exports to more than 70 countries and regions, and are widely used in a variety of sectors that require welding, such as auto manufacturing, rail transport, aviation and space, construction machinery, energy and chemicals.
The family-run business, which has passed through three generations, has valued technological progress as its core competitiveness all throughout its growth and has been pioneering industrial innovation.
With more than 500 experts in research and development, the Austria-based company has accumulated strong technological expertise in welding technology over the past decades and owns over 900 valid invention patents.


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Nest has just acquired Boulder-based Revolv, one of the most flexible smart home platforms on the market. It’s a big move in the growing smart home market, which has two main battles: the individual devices and the platform they run on to make our homes smarter. Nest, with its popular smart thermostat and smoke detector, is in a strong position in the first category. Buying Revolv positions it strongly in the second.
Nest, best known for its “learning thermostat,” has made another step into being the center of the smart home world. Today it announced it has acquired smart home hub startup Revolv. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. The deal closed this morning, according to Nest PR. Colorado-based Revolv made a hardware hub with a bunch of radios packed inside to make all the various smart home devices talk to each other. Through the Revolv app, you could sync up smart home interactions. “Nest bought a team of people knowledgable in the interoperability of a wide variety of radio technology and software protocols in order to make integration easier for partners and customers,” said Forrester analyst Frank Gillett.
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I can’t impress upon you enough how good idea it is to not play NBA 2K18’s MyCareer mode for now. If you can’t resist, know that you could wind up losing your game save, Virtual Currency or both. There’s a dangerous bug in the game that’s breaking game saves, according to players and 2K Games.
Again, this is not a drill. If you attempt to play MyCareer, on NBA 2K18, you could lose your game save. Xbox One owners that got access to the game for Early Tip-Off Weekend began reporting their game saves had disappeared late Saturday. The bug, which only seems to damage MyCareer saves, is widespread and indiscriminate. According to reports on r/NBA2K it takes away all character progression and in-game cash that you’ve saved through playing games and signing endorsement deals. Of course, you also get Virtual Currency by spending real-world money or pre-ordering the game, making this problem that much more dangerous.
2K Games Support, NBA 2K18’s publisher, confirmed the issue on social networking site Twitter late Sunday night, telling users its teams were working on solving the problem. Today, there’s a patch for the game, but at least one Reddit user reports losing Virtual Currency with that patch.
If you don’t have to play NBA 2K18 tonight – and really who does – wait until 2K Games confirms that this patch fixes these bugs. Officially, NBA 2K18 doesn’t launch on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or Windows PCs until tomorrow, September 19th.


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BMW i3 awarded four stars by Euro NCAP
The latest Euro NCAP scores have been released, with the BMW i3 scoring just four stars
The latest set of Euro NCAP crash test results have been published today, and include a few surprise scores for some of 2014’s most eagerly anticipated cars.
Perhaps the biggest shock is the new BMW i3, which was awarded just four stars by Euro NCAP. It has become the norm in recent years for new cars to score the full five stars thanks to innovative new technologies, safety assistance systems and better pedestrian protection.
The BMW i3 electric car managed an impressive 86 per cent for adult occupant protection and a decent 81 per cent for child occupant protection. However, it was let down by a poor 57 per cent score for pedestrian safety and a sub-standard 55 per cent for its safety assist systems. Compare that to the Nissan Leaf, which scored the full five stars, and the BMW’s result looks particularly disappointing.
- Check out our top 10 safest cars
Like the BMW i3, the Nissan Note was penalised for poor pedestrian protection, but fared better for safety assist systems – scoring 70 per cent in this area thanks to its seatbelt reminders, electronic stability control and speed limiter. The latter prevents the car exceeding a set speed dictated by the driver.
The Ford EcoSport, due on sale in 2014, was also let down by a poor pedestrian protection score. A safety assist score of 55 per cent was another disappointment and Ford will hope to improve on this in the next round of testing.
Elsewhere, many new cars scored the maximum five stars – including the Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV hybrid. The upmarket Maserati Ghibli was also tested, along with the new Infiniti Q50 and Ford Tourneo Connect MPV – all of which also managed full marks.
However, although each of these scored five stars, none performed well enough to trouble our list of the top 10 safest cars. The Volvo V40 hatchback still sits at the top of our list – scoring 100 per cent for its vast array of safety assist technology, including a system that can brake the car automatically and one that can read speed limits. It even managed 98 per cent for adult occupant protection.
For more information on the current Volvo range, visit the CarBuyer Volvo reviews page.
Hot car deal: sporty Skoda Octavia vRS Estate for £278 a month
Hot car deal: racy Cupra Ateca SUV for just £234 a month
All-new KGM Torres is a £35k SUV from reborn SsangYong


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We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #416 this evening. Have a look at our rundown of topics below, and sound off with your questions and comments via the Q&A module below. You can also email us your questions or comments – Podcast at Autoblog dot com – and follow @AutoblogPodcast on Twitter for more. If you haven't already done so, don't forget to subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes.
Don Panoz isn't a guy to shy away from a fight. Since December, Panoz's Deltawing Technologies has been in a lawsuit with Nissan over alleged intellectual property violations with the design of the Zeod RC. The situation went public several weeks ago when Deltawing bought an ad in The Tennessean, a paper near Nissan's US headquarters, and the industry trade, Automotive News, aimed squarely at
Last July, Plug In America declared that a Mitsubishi i-MiEV in Alabama was the 100,000th electric vehicle sold in the US. Today, the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative announced that that many EVs have now been sold in California alone. To celebrate the milestone – which was actually 102,440 EVs sold in the Golden State between when the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf were introduced
Most of the details related to the next-generation version of the Nissan GT-R sports car have so far been a mystery, but at least one source calls it a "foregone conclusion" that the car will move to a hybrid powertrain within the next few years. That's not to say the model will go soft. In fact, the Japanese automaker may be eying the Porsche 918 or McLaren P1 as performance targets.


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- Incentives of INR 2,30,000 crore to position India as a global hub for electronics manufacturing with semiconductors as the foundational building block
- Rs.76000 crores (>10 billion USD) approved for the development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India
To take forward the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and establish India as a global hub of electronic system design and manufacturing, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Development of Sustainable Semiconductor and Display Ecosystem in India.
Comprehensive program approved. Country. The program will usher in a new era in electronics manufacturing by providing globally competitive incentive packages to companies in semiconductor and display manufacturing as well as design. This will pave the way for India’s technological leadership in these areas of strategic importance and economic self-reliance.
Table of Contents
Development of semiconductor and Display manufacturing Highlights:
- Incentives of 2.3lakhs crores to position Indian as a global hub
- Rs. 76,000 crores approved for the development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem
- setting up of Indian semiconductor mission to derive this sector
- Multiple effect acorss diffrent sectors
- deeper integration to the global value chain
- higher domestic value addition in electronics manufacturing
- contribution significantly to achieving a USD 1trillion digital economy and a USD 5 trillion GDP by 2025
Incentives for the development of the Semiconductor and Display Manufacturing
The following broad incentives have been approved for the development of the semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in India:
Semiconductor Fab and Display Fab: The scheme for setting up of Semiconductor Fab and Display Fab in India will provide financial assistance of up to 50% of the project cost to applicants found eligible as well as technology. Ability to execute such highly capital-intensive and resource-intensive projects.
Government of India to approve applications for setting up at least two greenfield semiconductor states to set up hi-tech clusters with the necessary infrastructure in terms of land, semiconductor grade water, high-quality power, logistics, and research ecosystem Will work closely with governments. Fab in the country and two displays fab.
Semi-conductor Laboratory (SCL): The Union Cabinet has also approved that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will take necessary steps for the modernization and commercialization of the Semi-conductor Laboratory (SCL). MeitY will explore SCL’s joint venture with a commercial fab partner for the modernization of the brownfield fab facility.
Compound Semiconductors/Silicon Photonics/Sensors (including MEMS) FABs and Semiconductor ATMP/OSAT Units: Scheme for setting up of Compound Semiconductors/Silicon Photonics/Sensors (including MEMS) FAB and Semiconductor ATMP/OSAT facilities in India will provide financial assistance to the approved units 30% of capital expenditure. Under this scheme, at least 15 such units of compound semiconductors and semiconductor packaging are expected to be set up in collaboration with the government.
Semiconductor Design Companies: The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme will extend product design linked incentives up to 50% of eligible expenditure and product deployment linked incentives of 6% – 4% on net sales for five years.
Support will be provided to 100 domestic companies in Integrated Circuits (ICs), Chipsets, Systems on Chips (SoCs), Systems and IP Cores, and Semiconductor Design associated with Semiconductor Design and facilitate the development of at least 20 such companies. can achieve. 1500 crore plus turnover in the coming five years.
India Semiconductor Mission: To drive long-term strategies to develop sustainable semiconductors and demonstrate the ecosystem, a special and independent “India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)” will be set up. The India Semiconductor Mission will be led by global experts from the semiconductor and display industry. It will act as the nodal agency for the efficient and smooth implementation of schemes on the semiconductors and display ecosystem.
Comprehensive financial support for semiconductors and electronics
With the approval of the Program for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore (>10 billion USD), the Government of India has announced incentives for every part of the supply chain, including electronic components. sub-assembly, and finished goods. Incentive assistance of Rs 55,392 crore (USD 7.5 billion) has been approved for PLI for large-scale electronics manufacturing, PLI for IT hardware, Specs Scheme, and Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) scheme.
In addition, PLI incentives amounting to Rs 98,000 crore (USD 13 billion) have been approved for allied sectors including ACC batteries, auto components, telecommunications and networking products, solar PV modules, and white goods. Overall, the Government of India has given Rs. 2,30,000 crore (USD 30 billion) to establish India as a global hub for electronics manufacturing with semiconductors as the basic building block.
In the current geopolitical scenario, reliable sources of semiconductors and displays hold strategic importance and are vital to safeguarding critical information infrastructure. The approved program will spur innovation and build in-house capabilities to ensure India’s digital sovereignty. It will also create highly skilled employment opportunities to tap the demographic dividend of the country.
The development of the semiconductor and display ecosystem will have a multiplier effect across various sectors of the economy with deeper integration with the global value chain. The program will promote high household value addition in electronics manufacturing and contribute significantly to achieving a USD 1 trillion digital economy and a USD 5 trillion GDP by 2025.


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Today’s Daily Briefs:
- Taiko Drum Master: Dokodon! Mystery Adventure
- Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
- Bokujou Monogatari 3tsu no Sato no Taisetsuna Tomodachi
- Disney Infinity 3.0
- Monster Hunter X
- Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: Assassin Ikusei Keikaku!!
- Yo-kai Watch
- Fire Emblem 0
Here’s the boxart for Taiko Drum Master: Dokodon! Mystery Adventure, which comes out on June 16th in Japan:
Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
Yesterday, Aksys Games announced that Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus would come out on March 31st on Wii U. It’s not clear if this date is for both Europe and North America (it’s most likely only for North America), but there’s no doubt we will get a clarification within the next couple of days!
Bokujou Monogatari 3tsu no Sato no Taisetsuna Tomodachi
Today, Marvelous shared two more screenshots for Bokujou Monogatari 3tsu no Sato no Taisetsuna Tomodachi (the latest entry in the Story of Seasons series), which comes out on June 23rd in Japan:
Disney Infinity 3.0
It’s on the back of a Kraft Mac & Cheese Box that evidence of a Finding Dory playset for Disney Infinity 3.0. Here’s the pictue shared by Ty Dash on Twitter:
Via: Infinity Inquirer
Monster Hunter X
Here’s some screenshots for the latest event quests for Monster Hunter X/Generations in Japan:
Capcom also revealed a brand new commercial for the game:
Head after the break for the rest of this post!
Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: Assassin Ikusei Keikaku!!
Here’s the theme song for Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: Assassin Ikusei Keikaku!! on Nintendo 3DS, which comes out on March 24th in Japan:
Like the song? It will be included on the CD for Question, the opening song of the second season of the anime series!
On March 24th, a new flavour of Jibanyan’s chocobo will go on sale in Japan: milk. Here’s a commercial:
Here’s a video of Tsukasa Tawada trying out Musicverse: Electronic Keyboard on Nintendo 3DS:
Fire Emblem 0
Here’s the latest Genei Ibun Roku #FE / Tokyo Mirage Session #FE card from the 4th series of Fire Emblem 0 cards (launching next week, on March 17th, in Japan):
Source: Intelligent Systems


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Amazon’s Kelly Day, Canal+ Group’s Manuel Rougeron, Bodhi Tree’s Uday Shankar Among APOS 2023 Speakers
Media Partners Asia has announced the full line-up of speakers for its APOS Summit in Bali, which includes Canal+ Group’s Asia Pacific chief Manuel Rougeron, Bodhi Tree Systems director Uday Shankar and Amazon Prime Video head of international Kelly Day.
Canal+ Group recently acquired a 26% stake in Asian regional streamer Viu, which will also be present at the Asia-focused media, tech, telecoms and streaming conference, with Viu CEO Janice Lee among the confirmed speakers.
The heavy duty roster also includes Warner Bros Discovery CEO and president, Global Streaming, JB Perrette; Paramount president & CEO, International, Pam Kaufman; Netflix Japan vice president of content Kaata Sakatomo; BBC Studios’ SVP & GM Phil Hardman; Candle Media co-CEO and founder Kevin Mayer; Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany; Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby; and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at Indian streamer SonyLIV.
'Red, White & Royal Blue' Becomes Prime Video's No. 1 Movie Globally In Premiere Weekend
Prime Video Snatches K-Drama 'The Kidnapping Day' Starring Yoon Kye-sang, Park Sung-hoon
Leading figures from the tech world include Animoca Brands executive chairman Yat Siu; Google Play VP & GM Sam Bright; Snap APAC president Ajit Mohan; and Jaeson Ma, chairman of EST Media Holdings and CEO of OP3N.
High-profile speakers from Indonesia’s booming media industry include Clarissa Tanoesoedibjo, managing director of Vision+ and MNC Group; Sutanto Hartono, managing director of Emtek and CEO of Surya Citra Media and streamer Vidio; and Manoj Punjabi, founder and CEO of MD Pictures. Also attending the summit from Southeast Asia are Ernest L. Cu, president & CEO of the Philippines’ Globe, and Euan Smith, CEO of Malaysia’s Astro.
APOS organizer MPA noted that the summit taking place at a time when “macroeconomic volatility combined with the impact of technology and growing importance of scale continues to disrupt leading Asia Pacific entertainment economies and companies in their post-pandemic phase of growth.” The panels cover a wide range of subjects but aim to explore how value can be best created for consumers, advertisers and shareholders.
“This year’s APOS Summit brings together a diverse group of industry stakeholders including leading platforms, brands, creators and investors as we focus on the next stage of value creation, disruption and innovation in APAC’s US$150BN entertainment industry over three days of keynotes, briefings, networking and receptions,” said MPA executive director Vivek Couto.
The summit is taking place September 26-28 at the Ayana Estate in Bali, Indonesia.
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December 10, 2009 | by Evan Selleck
A little competition never hurt anyone, right? Let’s hope that’s the idea here, because it looks like we’ve got another contender within the growing internet tablet marketplace. The Archos 5 just became available at Radio Shacks near you; the JooJoo (previously known as the CrunchPad) is set to start pre-orders tomorrow; and let’s not forget all those rumors (still) floating around about an Apple tablet. So, what’s Dell’s angle in all of this?
Like a lot of companies out there, Android seems to be the focus. Dell is apparently planning on launching a 5″, Android-based tablet aimed for a 2010 launch. Sources close to Pocket-Lint are saying it’ll be aimed for the UK, but hopefully that aim gets a bit more broad near, or soon after launch. There aren’t any other details known about this #digitalunicorn yet, and Dell rolled out a canned response to Pocket-Lint regarding rumors and speculation: they don’t comment.
So, for right now, we’ve got our hopes and dreams sustaining things like this. There are other rumors that the Dell tablet will have the same functionality as the Archos 5, but where those similarities are placed is anyone’s guess. A resistive touchscreen? 8GB of memory? Who knows. However, if this does show anyone anything, maybe it’ll be better to wait to see what’s coming down the line, then to jump on a tablet that’s available now.


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Brand new mobile partnership to bring iROKING artists to South Africa commuters – anytime, anywhere
iROKO Partners, the world’s largest online distributor of African music & movies today announced an exciting new partnership with GoMetro, a mobile site launched in September 2012 by mobi.lity in collaboration with South African commuter rail agency, Metrorail.
The brand new GoMetro mobile site provides commuters with real-time train schedules, timetable deviations, schedule changes and platform changes – to provide users with an enhanced digital resource for their daily commute. In addition to this, as of 31 October 2012, GoMetro mobile users will be able to listen to, watch, download and share the freshest tunes out there, anytime, anywhere via iROKING’s exclusive mobile site, gometro.iroking.com. Downloads on iROKING are FREE for anyone who visits the mobile site.
Adi Nduka-Agwu, iROKO Partners’ Head of Business Development for Africa says: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with GoMetro on this new project – it symbolises how we want to work with tech and entertainment companies across Africa. In addition to GoMetro users being able to keep on top of their travel plans on the mobile site, they will also have the ultimate soundtrack for their journey, courtesy of iROKING – whether people want some chill out tunes, or something to get them pumped up for the day, we have it”.
Users will also be able to share any of their favourite iROKING tracks with the rest of the world at the click of a button via email, Twitter and Facebook. iROKING features internationally celebrated home-grown talent such as 2Face, PSquare, Lynxx, Eva, Bez, Timaya and more. This new year-long partnership will revolutionise the daily commute for over 3 million daily South African railway users.
Justin Coetzee of GoMetro adds “We have always positioned GoMetro as a mobile platform to improve the commuter experience – and it is validating to see that pan out. GoMetro is a transit community on your phone, and to have been able to conclude a deal of this nature right after our inception shows incredible traction and an appetite for a mobile transit platform. It is fitting to have iROKING on our platform as the first music offering, as they are true African tech innovators. Public Transport just got cooler with GoMetro and iROKING.”
iROKING is West Africa’s number one music distribution platform, with over 35,0000 tunes from 400 artists. The company also manages the YouTube channels of over 80 artists, delivering 15 million video views on average a month and over 130,000,000 views across its pages.
iROKING is Africa’s number one music streaming service. Launched in 2010, www.iroking.com has over 35,000 songs from over 400 of West Africa’s biggest recording artists, including international superstars such as Bez, 2Face and 2Shotz. iROKING is successfully re-organising Nigerian music distribution via iROKING.com, YouTube, iTUNES and Amazon. Since its inception, the iROKING team has grown the business to over 80 managed YouTube channels delivering 15 million video views on average a month and over 130,000,000 views across its artists’ pages.
In August 2012, iROKING announced that the music platform had registered 100,000 users and October 2012 saw the launch of a mobile site for iROKING, where registered users can listen to and download any of the 35,000 tracks on the site from their Feature phones.


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The regulator was reacting to Meralco’s petition for declaration relief filed before the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 157 last week, seeking the court’s nullication of ERC issuances that prohibit distribution companies from participating in the retail electricity market.
Meralco hadt askedhe Pasig RTC to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO), and subsequently a writ of preliminary injunction (WPI) enjoining the energy department from enforcing a circular, and enjoining the implementation of ERC resolutions.
The circular and resolutions on the implementation of the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) prohibits distribution utilities like Meralco from participating in the competitive retail electricity market as a supplier.
ERC Chairman Jose Vicente Salazar said he finds no strong reason “for Meralco to block a mechanism which would be good for the retail customer base in its present service area.”
RCOA ‘major milestone’ for energy sector
RCOA marks a major milestone in the country’s bid to make electricity rates more affordable to end-users, the ERC chief added.
“RCOA is designed to change the current situation where customers do not have the choice as to who will supply their power requirements and are dependent on utilities designated purely on the basis of geographical territory,” Salazar explained. “This is why they are technically termed ‘captive customers.'”
Under RCOA, customers with a monthly average peak demand of at least one megawatt (MW) – dubbed as contestable customer by the ERC – are now able to choose the supplier of their energy requirement.
These suppliers, commonly known as retail electricity supplier (RES), will directly negotiate and contract on a wholesale level with power generation companies so they can sell electricity to contestable customers at competitive rates.
These rates will be reflected in the generation charge portion of the bill, which typically comprises at least 50% of the monthly power consumption bill.
MPower, Meralco’s local RES, accounts for about 50% of the market share of the contestable market within its franchise, or 18% of the national total.
RCOA ‘good for customers’
Salazar said the RCOA is a big step towards “putting the power of choice of electricity supplier in the hands of the customers.”
“Through RCOA, more ‘captive customers’ will be able to graduate into the so-called ‘contestable market’ where all retail electricity suppliers compete,” Salazar explained.
“I am confident that Meralco will see that the RCOA is good both for its customers and its business,” he added.
Salazar pointed out that the direction of the power sector is to spur competition to bring down the power rates.
“The power sector has already taken big steps in this direction, particularly with the implementation of the Competitive Selection Process (CSP),” he said.
The CSP requires all distribution utilities to conduct an open and competitive process in selecting the power generating company from whom they are to purchase their supply for the captive markets.
Salazar expressed hope that “Meralco will rethink its current position against the RCOA.”
“We can no longer set back gains of the power sector – it can only move forward and the direction is clearly that of competition,” he said. – Rappler.com