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DEVRO, the Scottish-based collagen skin manufacturer, has seen profits slide after making 130 staff redundant at its sites in Moodiesburn and Bellshill.
The company, whose products are used by the food industry, said costs linked to streamlining its Scottish operation led pre-tax profits fall to £1.6 million in the six months to June 30. This compared with £16.2 million in the first half of the previous year.
Chief executive Peter Page said: "Stronger sales in the second quarter have resulted in volumes and constant currency revenues in line with prior year for the first half.
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"In order to add capacity, align products with market opportunities and reduce unit costs, all our manufacturing operations are in the midst of a significant transformation process which is impacting current year profits but will enhance earnings in the future."


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Following in Aldi’s Shoes, German discounter Lidl is also starting to sell off cheap Android-based smartphones. While Aldi launched the Wolfgang brand to promote their line-up of mobile devices, Lidle isn’t taking that route. Instead, the company is offering the smartphones under the name of their manufacturer. Huawei.
The Wolfgang smartphones have proven to be very successfull in Aldi’s home country (Germany) as well as here in Holland. The same is expected for Lidl’s offering. The deal Lidl made on the batch of phones it will sell also helps Huawei as a brand to enter the European market.
Yesterday was the first day of sales for the Huawei Ascend Y200 in Germany. The device that has a 3.2MP camera is selling for €99,99 and is expected to pop-up in other Lidl markets very soon.
Huawei has been active in Europe, but ishardly known under consumers. A lot of its products have been OEM labelled. Huawei has invested a lot of money in a marketing push that is about to happen this year as the company hopes it can cater to the same consumers that now buy their electronics from LG. So we will be hearing a lot more from this company in the months to come.

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This year’s festive decorations are being pushed even further back, with a new “window decor” style being pushed further into the future.
As the New York Times points out, the term window decor means a window that looks like a window and has a handle on one side and a small piece of paper that looks something like a note, and has some sort of decorative ornaments.
It has been used for a few years to mean a window on the other side of a room that looks out.
And in 2018, the window decor was pushed to the outside of a building, to the street side.
As a result, the “window decorations” are going to be a bit harder to find than they used to be.
That means the decor will have to be placed farther back on the exterior of the house, and the decorations will also have to look a little more decorative.
In addition, the decor can be used to create a more personalized look, with the note attached to it, and some of the decorations could be put up on the windows themselves, and others could be placed in front of windows, too.
The new style of window decoration is being pushed back into the past This means that, as the Times points the out, some of your new decorations will be in the past.
Some windows will be decorated with snow, and there may be a new decoration that comes with the window.
Some will have a glass or glass box that can be opened and closed.
But for the most part, it will be a window decoration that looks more like a Christmas present.
And while you can still have your Christmas decorations in the home and still have the decoration on the window, the decoration will be placed away from the window and on the street.
And some of these decorations will have decorative objects attached to them.
In other words, there may not be a decorative object on the inside of the window that you can put on the door of the front porch or on the porch of your home.
There may be no ornament in the window itself, so there will have no decorative object to attach to it.
This means the window decoration will have less of an impact on the overall decor.
But if you have a window ornament on the outside, it could have a noticeable effect on the appearance of the rest of the decor.
The New York State Department of Buildings has a guide on what to do with window decorations in their 2018 guidelines for window decorations.
For the most current information on the “new” window decorations, check out the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s guidance on how to place windows.
You can read more about the new style here.
In 2018, there was a new trend to make window decorations that look like windows that open.
These windows are a little less fancy than the traditional window decorations because they use more decorative elements, such as snow and glass.
You’ll also notice that many of these windows will have paper attached to the door to help make the decorations more visually appealing.
The Department of Public Works is still pushing the idea of using decorative windows that look more like the outside instead of just looking like the window on a street side, and they’ve also moved to a new style.
The agency is still putting up window decorations on the streets, but they are no longer putting up windows on the building’s exterior.
They are going back to the old style.
And they have also started to make more window decorations for the interior of the home, which is another new trend.
So you may still see window decorations next year, but you’ll likely see more window decor for the exterior.
You may even see window decoration on one of your windows.
There are also new guidelines for decorating windows for the future, and more information is coming out on the new window decor trends in 2018.
But even if you’re not looking to get your window decorations put up this year, the new styles are worth looking into if you want to keep your house looking its best this year.


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The ultimate stamp of excellence in the restaurant industry is coming to Colorado.
The company behind the Michelin Guide announced today that Colorado is now just the sixth Michelin Guide destination in the United States and the eighth in North America. The other regions that have sparked Michelin’s interest are New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, California, Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Toronto and Vancouver.
“Colorado has a rich culinary community that includes both established, notable chefs and innovative up-and-comers. Their restaurant teams are committed to using a wide range of high-quality ingredients, sourced locally and sustainably, with farm-to-table dining being a particular highlight,” according to Michelin’s statement. “Colorado’s mountainous terrain has influenced its culinary landscape, with many restaurants offering dishes inspired by the state’s outdoor lifestyle. Colorado’s gastronomy is influenced by German, Hispanic and Native American cultures; the state is home to several Native American tribes, including the Ute, Navajo and Apache.”
As a result, restaurants around the state better be on their A-game. The anonymous Guide inspectors are already visiting spots in Denver, Boulder, Aspen and Snowmass Village, Vail and Beaver Creek Resort, according to the French tire company that produces the guides. The first Michelin Guide Colorado selection will be revealed later in 2023.
These “famously anonymous” inspectors award Michelin Stars – one, two or three – based on five criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavors, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine and consistency both across the entire menu and over time, according to Michelin.
The Guide, which covers more than 15 countries around the world, is also “renowned for its Bib Gourmand selection, highlighting restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices, as well as hotel selections, which will also now feature unique places to stay around Colorado.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Michelin Guide to highlight the exceptional cuisine, sustainability efforts and innovation of the culinary industry in Colorado,” said Timothy Wolfe, Director of the Colorado Tourism Office, in a statement. “Colorado residents have long enjoyed the expanding food scene of our incredibly talented chefs, who bring locally harvested ingredients to life. The Michelin Guide will further elevate Colorado as a global dining destination, serving a variety of flavors with the authentically friendly attitude that can only be found in Colorado.”
Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.
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Apple opens up on Qualcomm with both barrels
They say you’re not supposed to bite the hand that feeds you, but apparently, no one chose to tell Apple that. The computer and mobile giant is suing mobile chip manufacturer Qualcomm for upwards of $1 billion for allegedly committing patent infringement. The kicker, Qualcomm is one of Apple’s biggest parts suppliers.
According to Associated Press reports, Apple alleges Qualcomm is a “greedy monopolist” engaged in abuse of power by holding a key segment of the mobile market hostage in order to extort royalties for “iPhone innovations that have nothing to do with Qualcomm’s technology.”
In other words, Apple is saying one of their major suppliers is profiting off of Apple’s property and representing it as its own. In one example, Apple claims Qualcomm demanded royalty payments for Apple’s fingerprint ID system, which was built into recent iPhone models.
Qualcomm is, of course, flatly denying any wrongdoing, arguing: “We welcome the opportunity to have these meritless claims heard in court where we will be entitled to full discovery of Apple’s practices and a robust examination of the merits…”
Apple responded to that legal word salad with a slam worthy of a WWE character: “Qualcomm’s recent effort to cover its tracks – by punishing Apple for providing truthful testimony at the request of government regulators – underscores the lengths to which Qualcomm will go to protect its extortion scheme.”
Extortion? Scheme? Cover its tracks… Yes, those are definitely fighting words. And it appears, at least at the onset, Apple has the upper hand.
Right before this lawsuit landed on the front page of tech and business sections, the Federal Trade Commission filed its own lawsuit against Qualcomm, alleging the company has been, “imposing unfair licensing terms on manufacturers…”
Apple immediately offered to “cooperate” with the FTC investigation. But is Apple’s lawsuit viable, or are they piling on Qualcomm while the company is busy dealing with the FTC investigation and litigation?
Whatever the case, Qualcomm stock dipped a bit after the punch and counterpunch landed on the headlines. Now, company leadership is forced to make some serious decisions about how to prioritize which headache to handle first and how to marshal its legal team to defend its position while also calming increasingly antsy investors. Not easy tasks, and decisions that will be sure to test their mettle.
Depending on their management decisions, this time next year we could be reading about a company that beat back both a corporate Goliath and the federal government. Or we could be reading about a company on the ropes with some very serious management problems to address.


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The African Tech Startup Competition for $50k in Equity Investment Starts Now!
The 2020 MEST Africa Challenge is expanding its reach from five markets to nine, targeting early-stage companies based in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
Participating entrepreneurs will take part in country-wide competitions where they will pitch virtually to a panel of expert judges. Finalists from each country will go on to compete on a global stage in front of entrepreneurs, investors, corporate partners and ecosystem players for the chance to win $50k in equity investment from the MEST, and the opportunity to join the MEST incubator community.
- Pre-seed or seed-stage (have raised $100k total or less cumulatively since inception)
- Currently generating revenue
- Can demonstrate traction in one or more of the nine MEST Africa Challenge Markets (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda)
- Has been in operations for 2 years or less
- Tech-enabled (software company)
- Industry agnostic
- Any business model (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2G etc…)
- *Francophone applicants must pitch in English
Extended to May 13th:
Tech entrepreneurs in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania were encouraged to apply!
Final PitchAugust 12th, 2020: Finalists from each country will go on to compete on a global stage in front of entrepreneurs, investors, corporate partners and ecosystem players for the chance to win $50k in investment from the MEST, and the opportunity to join the MEST incubator community.
Watch Live Here
Africa’s biggest tech software pitch competition goes virtual due to COVID-19
In light of this uncertain time, this year’s MEST Africa Challenge will be entirely virtual for the first time since its inception three years ago. In order to expand the competition to target even more tech startups in need of funding, the application deadline has been extended to May 13th.
Additionally, each country final will take place in its own week, during which MEST will be curating and creating conversations and resources specific to their particular local contexts.
“GetFundedAfrica is a technology-based, business information platform operated by Afriscaper Research & Consulting Limited with a mission to reduce barriers to funding for African businesses. GFA matches investor ready, African & African-Diaspora owned companies with global investors, leveraging market research, industry data and news aggregation“
Are you an entrepreneur? Share your story with us and get featured on our platform send us an email firstname.lastname@example.org


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Zynga co-founder Justin Waldron is building a mobile gaming unicorn
Justin Waldron co-founded gaming company Zynga with Mark Pincus when he was 19. Today, he is an investor in over 50 companies across the globe, and has also founded another gaming startup - Playco.
Wednesday March 17, 2021,
4 min Read
Justin Waldron is no stranger to the gaming world. Often regarded as a pioneer in the social gaming circuit, having built and introduced viral game titles to users during his stint at— a company he co-founded (along with Mark Pincus) as a 19-year-old in 2007.
He also happens to be an investor in over 50 companies across the world.
But, what’s keeping Justin busy of late is his “next big thing” or PlayCo — an instant gaming startup that he co-founded with Michael Carter. PlayCo became a unicorn even before both the founders announced the venture in September 2020.
It has raised $100 million in a Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital and angel investor Josh Buckley with participation from others. With PlayCo, Justin is building cross-genre social games that billions of people can play together without requiring any additional app downloads.
Early investors are betting on Justin’s impressive track record, the founding team’s vision, and the rapid growth in the social gaming space post the pandemic. For a man, who’s been a life-long gamer and gaming entrepreneur, building yet another large-scale venture is almost second nature.
“You can make something that can make over a million people happy. I think that is a superpower,” Justin shares as he recounts his journey from even before Zynga. Read more.
It’s increasingly apparent that there’s no reverting to the pre-pandemic status quo for workplaces. With most employees having adjusted successfully to the remote working routine, organisations are now looking for new ways to boost productivity and remove the remaining friction in work from home. They are also looking at strategies to make their onsite employees return to work. As COVID-19 accelerates the transition to a location-agnostic model of working, this panel at Future of Work 2021 discussed how organisations can prepare for the evolution of remote to hybrid work systems.
Editor’s Pick: Integrating the dry commodity value chain
Saurabh Bohra is quite the industry veteran when it comes to the food and grocery business. After spending 16 years in FMCG and retail, leading several categories for some of India’s largest companies, he turned entrepreneur last year with his agritech venture —.
The startup looks to integrate the post-harvest supply chain in essential commodities, from rice to spice and pulses to dry fruits. NovaSatum is building a full-stack platform for procuring, processing, grading, packaging, and retailing dry agri produce from the farm gate to the food plate. Read more.
Between 2017 and 2019, India lost crops grown on nearly 8.5 percent (or 18.16 million hectares) of arable land to floods and excessive rainfall, government data showed. This resulted in huge monetary losses to the tune of hundreds of crores for thousands of farmers.
To address this situation, Delhi-based entrepreneur Jatin Singh decided to start GramCover — an agricultural insurance startup — to improve farmers’ access to financial products and services, and help them cushion against unforeseen or irreparable monetary damage. Read more.
News & Updates
- Instant messaging app Signal has released a new beta version of the application, which lets its users wirelessly migrate their accounts. The feature will continue to offer end-to-end encryption for the local WiFi Direct connection it will use to transfer the data.
- the company's entry into nutrition supplements or 'functional food' with its own product line. He said the product will soon be available on Zomato’s app for orders. Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal announced
- MAKERS India recognised entrepreneurs Divya Gokulnath and Geetha Manjunath, and Nivruti Rai, Country Head of Intel India, with the ‘Women Who Make India’ awards for their trailblazing work. The Emerging Women Entrepreneur 2021 Awards also recognised Project Balika’s Jasmine Bala; Vineeta Singh, CEO of ; and influencer Saloni Gaur.
- Kalyan Jewellers India Ltd raised Rs 352 crore from anchor investors ahead of its initial share-sale. The company’s IPO committee has decided to allocate 4,04,48,275 shares at Rs 87 per piece to 15 anchor investors, including the Singapore government, HDFC Life Insurance Co Ltd, and BNP Paribas Arbitrage.
- Wealthtech firm CashRich announced the acquisition of WealthApp mutual fund distribution business in an all-cash deal. CashRich had raised equity funding from three existing UK-based investors to finance this acquisition.
Before you go, stay inspired with…
"If you give people really big jobs to the point that they're scared, they have way more fun and they improve their game much faster."


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Latest Cybercrime Stories
A September breach that resulted in the theft of 56 million credit and debit cards belonging to Home Depot customers also saw hackers steal roughly 53 million email addresses, the retailer revealed this week.
High-performance RuleGate® appliance operationalizes industry-leading threat intelligence from the ThreatIQ service to heighten cyber defenses Reston, VA
In Conjunction with National Cyber Security Awareness Month, ThreatMetrix Presents Three Ways for Law Enforcement and Businesses to Bring Cybercriminals to Justice San
Campaign focuses on drawing awareness to and educating citizens, communities and law enforcement on combating identity theft and online fraud. WASHINGTON, Oct.
Monica Lewinsky’s Fight against Cyberbullying, a NoBullying Article Released Today http://nobullying.com/monica-lewinsky/
Hollywood does its part to promote cybersecurity awareness month; helps spread the word that ransomware is a real threat (PRWEB) October 22, 2014 KnowBe4
New Integration Combines FireEye Threat Intelligence with MobileIron App Security and Management to Enable New Data Loss Prevention Capabilities for Mobile Enterprise Apps MOUNTAIN VIEW and
Dangerous new ransomware variant storms onto the scene using the anonymous TOR network, taking down systems and networks unlucky enough to be caught in its path. Tampa
Coalition Seeks to Move Beyond Singular Threat Reporting toward Large-scale Proactive and Cooperative Interdiction Efforts Against Threat Groups.
- An imitative word; an onomatopoetic word.


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2016 Chevy Suburban in Edmonton, AB
After 80 years of setting automotive industry class standards and an extensive redesign last year, the 2016 Chevy Suburban in Edmonton, AB will be returning to Don Wheaton with a number of technological and safety improvements. From a functionality standpoint, the 2016 Suburban will be offering all of the same dimensions for outstanding capacity for cargo as well as passenger comfort. By and large, the changes and updates made to the new 2016 Chevy Suburban are a concerted effort to bring the equipment available to Suburban owners into the 21st century and take advantage of the latest in safety technology to help prevent accidents from happening in the first place.
Like many other members of the 2016 Chevy model class, the 2016 Chevy Suburban in Edmonton, AB will be able to have greater use of available apps for users of Android devices and iPhones. The new version of the Chevy MyLink system will help vehicle passengers and drivers alike to get the most from the technology they use every day. For iPhone users this would mean more hands-free functionality with Siri and greater use of a number of different Google functions like Maps, Spotify and podcast players.
New features and equipment for the 2016 Suburban
Several studies over the years have pointed to keeping one’s eyes on the road at all times as an important measure for staying out of trouble. To help drivers of the 2016 Chevy Suburban in Edmonton, AB do just that, a new feature for the SUV includes an available heads-up display that will be projected on the windshield displaying information like speed and navigation. Also the traditional gauges on the dashboard have been replaced by a digital display that can be customized in many cases to show different information as needed.
Depending on which of the three trims, LS, LT and LTZ, of the 2016 Chevy Suburban in Edmonton, AB a potential customer of Don Wheaton will have some very impressive tools at their disposal. The second and third rows of seats can be folded down as needed to mix and match cargo and passenger-hauling needs as necessary. Some trims will even allow for this to be a powered feature. Some of the new safety features of the 2016 Suburban include Lane Keep Assist and IntelliBeam headlights which will automatically dim high beams when it detects an oncoming vehicle.
Performance of the 2016 Suburban
Like its predecessors, each of the three trim levels of the 2016 Chevy Suburban in Edmonton, AB is powered by the same engine. Under the hood of the iconic SUV is a 5.3-liter, V-8 engine that will make 355 horsepower with 383 pound-feet of torque and has a peak towing capacity of 8,300 pounds. Fuel-efficiency scores for the 2016 Suburban remain about the same as they were last year. Aerodynamic changes and fuel-saving technology like direct fuel injection have allowed for the Chevy SUV to be the most fuel-efficient version that has ever been produced.


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HOLLYWOOD—So many celebrities flocked to the red carpet at the Met Gala on September 13. Last year, you didn’t get a chance to see the beautiful, rich and powerful people wearing clothes we could never afford, since the 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic. Let’s not forget, the $30,000 price tag to get in. This year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual display of flamboyancy and feathers was back on this year.
The event’s previous themes have included punk, campery, Catholicism, technology, this year it was in America: A Lexicon of Fashion invited guests to celebrate the US, its history and its greatest designers. In retrospect, the Met Gala is the fashion industry’s equivalent of the Oscars, and sees designers, models, and Hollywood stars gather together to compete for the media coverage. The event raises money for the Costume Institute-the only one of the Met’s department that has to fund itself. We have seen the pictures of Kim Kardashian, Lil Nas X and Emma Raducanu.
Let’s look at some of the event’s eye-catching looks by some of the rich and famous; Justin and Hailey Bieber were very popular on the red carpet. Kim Petras surprised us with a light blue Collina Strada gown with a bright floral print. Are you ready? The dress had a giant horse’s head jutting out from the top of the gown. The German pop star, grew up riding horses and wanted to bring that to the event. Simone Biles gown was designed by Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk of Area, the three-in-one gown consisted of a hand-embellished skirt covered in Swarovski crystals weighing more than 80 pounds, according to published reports, a mini dress underneath, and a black catsuit decorated to look like a starry night’s sky.
Dan Levy, the “Schitt’s Creek” star wore a map of the world, embroidered to his outfit. The multi-pastel outfit featured an image of two men kissing inspired by the work of the late artist and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz. One of the hottest music couples-Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello made their Met debut. The night before the couple appeared at the MTV VMAs, and earlier this month the couple posed at the Miami premiere of Cabello’s new film, “Cinderella.” The beautiful singer wore a purple crop top and skirt from Michael Kors, complete with sequins and feathers. Shawn wore a Kors outfit-and looked every inch the 1980s American rock star by going topless underneath a black leather jacket.
The jaw-dropping outfit was none other than Jennifer Lopez. The 52-year-old singer and actress looked on fire. She wore a Ralph Lauren designed ensemble. Western-inspired outfit that included faux fur sleeves, a black cowgirl hat and of course a very revealing plunging neckline. J. Lo is romantically reunited with Ben Affleck, who went to the Met Gala with J. Lo but didn’t walk the red carpet , opting to head straight inside. He wore a standard black tuxedo.
Bennifer, however, did walk the red carpet together at the 2021 Venice Film Festival’s premiere of “The Last Duel.” Affleck wore a black suit, while Jennifer wore a white plunge dress by George Hobeika which she accessorized with Cartier jewelry, a bracelet, ring and earrings with radiant yellow diamonds. Cartier is the official jewelry sponsor of the festival.
No shortage of political slogans, Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known as AOC, took the opportunity to make a political statement on the red carpet. Her white gown displayed the giant words, “Tax the Rich,” in red on the back. Blondie singer Debbie Harry referenced the flag in her outfit.
Rose’s Scoop: Over 8 million people tuned in on September 11, to watch Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United since his $28 million transfer acquisition from Juventus.


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Stranger Things has been a hit ever since Netflix first released the show all the way back in 2016. Since then, all manner of Stranger Things games and crossovers have come out, and the latest is here for all the MOBA fans. SMITE x Stranger Things is now happening and players got a sneak peek at the themed Battle Pass in a teaser during Summer Game Fest 2021. Check it out below.
The teaser features everything we’ve come to love about Stranger Things. There’s ‘80s synth music, Eleven wrecking a Demogorgon, a look at the types of skins available for the heroine of the show, Chief of Police Jim Hopper, even the mighty Mind Flayer. These new additions will be right at home on the Upside Down map: an arena inspired by the TV series’ spooky alternate reality.
The Battle Pass, which features a free and prestige track, will be available on July 13, 2021. This is when the Stranger Things x Smite crossover is set to kick off. For the latest on Smite, and of course everything related to pop culture icons like Stranger Things, you’re already in the right place. Be sure to tune in over the next couple of weeks as announcements are made during E3 2021 and the Shacknews E5 2021 event.


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OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma State Credit Union Board has approved a recommendation from Bank Commissioner Mick Thompson for a 50-percent discount in the assessments collected from Oklahoma state-chartered credit unions with assets of $100 million or less and a 30-percent discount for those with more than $100 million in assets.
The commissioner presented a proposed budget to the board that reflected how the Banking Department can continue its efficient operation even with the reduction in assessments. This is the third year in a row that the board approved reduced assessment rates for state-chartered credit unions.
“These discounts are intended to reflect increased efficiencies that the department has achieved as well as a reduction in the regulatory burden on state-chartered credit unions,” Thompson said. “The savings experienced by credit unions can be redirected toward service to their members.”
NEW YORK – At a dinner McDonald’s hosted for reporters and bloggers, waiters served cuisine prepared by celebrity chefs using ingredients from the chain’s menu.
A Kung Pao chicken appetizer was made with Chicken McNuggets doused in sweet and sour sauce and garnished with parsley. Slow-cooked beef was served with gnocchi fashioned out of McDonald’s french fries and a fruit sauce from its smoothie mix. For dessert, its biscuit mix was used to make a pumpkin spice “biznut,” a biscuit-doughnut hybrid.
The event, held in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood, was billed “A transforming dining experience of ‘fast food’ to ‘good food served fast.'” Attendees tweeted out photos and the night was written up on various websites.
The evening is part of a campaign by McDonald’s to shake its reputation for serving cheap, unhealthy food. At a time when Americans are playing closer attention to what they eat, the company is trying to sway public opinion by first reaching out to the reporters, bloggers and other so-called “influencers” who write and speak about McDonald’s.
It’s just one way McDonald’s is trying to change its image. In the past 18 months, the chain has introduced the option to substitute egg whites in breakfast sandwiches and rolled out chicken wraps as its first menu item with cucumbers. Last fall, it announced plans to give people the choice of a salad instead of fries in combo meals. And in coming months, mandarins will be offered in Happy Meals, with other fruits being explored as well.
McDonald’s declined to make an executive available for this story, but CEO Don Thompson said early this year: “We’ve got to make sure that the food is relevant and that the awareness around McDonald’s as a kitchen and a restaurant that cooks and prepares fresh, high-quality food is strong and pronounced.”
The company faces an uphill battle, especially if the past is any indication. The salads it introduced more than a decade ago account for just 2 to 3 percent of sales. And the chain last year discontinued its Fruit & Walnut salad and premium Angus burgers, which analysts said were priced too high for McDonald’s customers at about $5.
The problem is that some people simply don’t consider McDonald’s a place to get high-quality food, in part because the prices are so low. And while McDonald’s has added salads and a yogurt parfait to its menu over the years, Americans are gravitating toward other attributes, like organic produce and meat raised without antibiotics.
“People just don’t think of McDonald’s as having that premium quality,” said Sara Senatore, a restaurant industry analyst with Bernstein Research.
In some ways, the image McDonald’s is battling is ironic, given its reputation for exacting standards with suppliers. Thompson has also noted the ingredients tend to be fresh because restaurants go through them so quickly.
“The produce and the products that we have at breakfast and across the menu are fresher than – no disrespect intended – what most of you have in your refrigerators,” he said at an analyst conference in May.
But even that reputation for supply chain rigor was recently tarnished when the chain’s longtime supplier was reported to have sold expired meat to its restaurants in China.
The rice conundrum
The low-cost burgers, ice cream cones and other food that made McDonald’s so popular since it was founded in 1955 have come to define it. And some people can’t get over the idea that low prices equal low quality.
“It’s the whole perception people get when you sell something cheaply,” said Richard Adams, who used to own McDonald’s restaurants in San Diego and now runs a consulting firm for franchisees.
Anne Johnson, for instance, said she eats at McDonald’s because she can get a burger, fries and drink for about $5. But Johnson, a New York resident, doesn’t think there are any healthy options there.
“Basically, it’s junk food,” she said.
Adding to its challenge, McDonald’s can’t seem to raise prices without driving people away. Pressured by rising costs for beef and other ingredients, the chain tried to move away from the Dollar Menu in 2012 with an “Extra Value Menu” where items were priced at about $2.
But customers are apparently righteous about the $1 price point, and the strategy was scrapped. Last year, McDonald’s changed its tactic a bit, hoping not to turn off customers. It tweaked the name of the “Dollar Menu” to the “Dollar Menu & More.”
McDonald’s low prices also are part of what keeps it from competing with places such as Chipotle, which is touting the removal of genetically modified ingredients from its menu, and Panera, which recently said it will eliminated all artificial ingredients by 2016. Such moves would be Herculean feats for McDonald’s, given its pricing model and the complexity of its menu.
Meanwhile, the company acknowledges that there are problems with how people perceive its food. “A lot of our guests don’t believe our food is real,” said Dan Coudreaut, director of culinary innovation at McDonald’s, in an interview last year.
Taking control of the narrative
The image of McDonald’s food is a growing concern for the company at a time when U.S. sales have been weak for two years. The last time McDonald’s managed to boost a monthly sales figure at home was in October, and the company warns that its performance isn’t expected to improve anytime soon.
McDonald’s has said it has other problems, including slow and inaccurate service at its restaurants. But improving perceptions about its food is also a priority.
After the dinner in New York last fall, the company hosted a similar event last month for reporters covering the Essence Festival in New Orleans. Beignets filled with grilled chicken and dusted with sugar were served alongside a packet of McDonald’s honey mustard sauce.
Other “chef events” in local markets are planned for coming months, according to Lisa McComb, a McDonald’s spokeswoman. She declined to provide details but said the events will be a spin on a recent contest between two friends to make a gourmet dish out of a Big Mac meal.
McComb said McDonald’s wasn’t associated with that particular contest, which was posted online.
The company continues to tweak the menu, too. The new Bacon Club burger McDonald’s is promoting comes on a brioche bun and looks more like something that might be found at a trendy burger joint. It costs $5 or $6, depending on where you live, making it the most expensive sandwich on the menu.
In Southern California, McDonald’s also is testing a “Build Your Own Burger” concept, with the patties being cooked to order more slowly on a separate grill.
Beyond the menu, the company is determined to take control of its narrative.
“We’re going to start really, really telling our story in a much more proactive manner,” said Kevin Newell, U.S. brand and strategy officer for McDonald’s said late last year.
He added that McDonald’s has gone too long in “letting other folks frame the story for us.”
How much is Tulsa-based Dollar Thrifty (NYSE: DTG) really worth? At this point, no one can be completely sure (with moving would-be-acquirers’ share prices and possible future bids in the works), but it seems that its value is signficantly higher than $50 per share as DTG shares closed today up $0.97 to $52.34 per share after Avis (NYSE: CAR) raised the cash portion (which represents about 87% of its total buyout offer) of its bid for the second time by 12% to $45.79 to outbid Hertz (NYSE: HTZ) once again.
You could look at today’s move as shrewd corporate gamesmanship by Avis exactly one week away from the all-important Dollar Thrifty shareholder vote to approve or not approve the proposed Hertz buyout of Dollar Thrifty.
As of the close of the stock market today, the score reads as follows:
Avis’s offer for DTG: $52.71 per share;
Hertz’s offer for DTG: $50.25 per share.
(Therefore, Avis’s buyout offer for Hertz is currently about 5% superior to Hertz’s as of close of business today.)
Ultimately, what this means is for the third time since the battle for Dollar Thrifty began earlier in the summer, Avis has outbid Hertz, but in the greater scheme of things will it really matter? Is Avis simply destined to be the odd-man-out in this process?
In short, probably yes.
Hertz will be forced to outbid Avis once again because if they do not then shareholders will ultimately not approve the merger; and, with so little time between now and the vote, it is highly likely that (unless Hertz makes a quick turnaround on a new, sweetened buyout offer) the shareholder vote will be moved back for at least a third time.
Today, Tulsa-based car rental firm Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. (NYSE: DTG) said it expects to post a third-quarter profit, one day after the company’s beleaguered shares slumped 22%, putting their 2008 decline at 97%. In turn, DTG’s shares soared by 149.35 percent from $0.77 to $1.92 per share. Seriously?!?
On a day all major U.S. equity market indicies declined tremendously (led by the S&P 500 Index which fell 6.10 percent), DTG, one of the weakest components of the New York Stock Exchange, made a killing by making an announcement that may have appeared on the surface as significant but when considered carefully was really not much more than an insignificant release posing as something worth noting.
Today’s “much ado about nothing” announcement was as follows:
“Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. today announced that it anticipates closing the third quarter with a profit. Additionally, the Company expects to end the third quarter with an unrestricted cash balance in excess of $200 million, up from $80 million as of June 30, 2008, as the Company benefited from a cash dividend from its vehicle finance subsidiary. The Company also reported that as of the most recent reporting date, September 30, 2008; it remained in compliance with all of its financial covenants under its various financing arrangements.”
I would like to point out three glaring weaknesses in today’s valiant attempt at a positive news release which at a minimum got some short-term profit seekers interested in shares of DTG stock (but the question remains will they still be buyers in the morning?):
1) One week ago, DTG replaced long-time CEO Gary Paxton with former CFO Scott Thompson and this was after the end of the quarter so no major changes could have been made by the new administration that would have been reflected in today’s report (or pre-announcement about the upcoming quarter ended report);
2) All of the bad news that has come out over the past three weeks (since the end of the most previous quarter) which had forced DTG shares to decline by more than 60 percent are just as relevant as ever despite a release filled with facts that are, frankly, after the fact and in some ways irrelevant given the company’s cash crunch and precarious competitive position;
3) Most obviously, the statement that it had remained in compliance with its various financial covenants is laughable at best as the company must assume that the internet has not yet been invented and/or every person following the company has a short-term memory problem as it was on September 30, the last day of the quarter, in which DTG announced“it modified its permissible debt for the next 60 days to maintain compliance with its debt convenants and said its third-quarter results have been hurt by lower per-day revenue, higher vehicle depreciation costs and the bankruptcy of one of its tour operators. This has prompted a need to reduce the company’s non-vehicle debt or modify its leverage ratio.”
To me, this sounds like the same old sad country song playing for the umpteenth time in a matter of weeks…….
(Jake Dollarhide nor Longbow Asset Management owns shares of DTG and does not manage shares for client portfolios.)
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The server giveaway is finally here! Look inside to see how to get a chance to win not only a HP MicroServer Gen8, but also the PS1810-8G managed switch to build your very own home server network!
...of Lumia flagships, Windows milestones, and Samsung's reminder to RTFM
Why the long wait for new Windows 10 Mobile builds?
One month on, what do you think of Windows 10 so far?
Windows 10 Insider Preview build 10532 rolls out
Samsung confirms devices it plans to upgrade to Android 6.0 Marshmallow
The Top 10 apps no Windows 10 PC should be without
Known issues with Windows 10 Insider build 10532


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Beet farmers at war with British Sugar
A fierce dispute between British Sugar and thousands of farmers is coming to a head this weekend.
Beet battle: farming households are up in arms, saying they are not paid for rising costs
British Sugar, part of the £6.2bn Associated British Foods empire, set a deadline of Friday evening for farmers to sign contracts to supply it with sugar beet next year.
But many farmers are holding out against the contract, saying British Sugar, which has a monopoly on refining British beet, has set a price that is too low to compensate them for the rising cost of energy and fertilisers.
And sources within the agriculture industry are forecasting that up to 40% of farmers will refuse to sign up, leaving British Sugar with far lower volumes to put through its four UK refineries than this year.
In 2007, sugar and agriculture businesses made profits of more than £200m for ABF, whose operations range from food and drink brands Ryvita, Twinings and Ovaltine to biofuels and the Primark discount clothing retailer. Besides its UK refining business, ABF also has sugar businesses in Poland, China and southern Africa.
British Sugar has already increased the price it is offering about 5,000 farmers for their beet harvest next year. The latest offer is about £27 a tonne, including a supplement to take into account increased transport costs.
But Lee Abbey, sugar adviser to the National Farmers' Union, said: 'Growers say they need at least £30 per tonne of sugar beet they produce.'
British Sugar refused to reveal how many farmers have accepted its terms. But a spokesman for the company said: 'We expect to be fully subscribed. Some farmers will decide to stop growing beet, but some will want to start growing.
'Over the past couple of weeks beet has become even more attractive for farmers compared with other arable crops as the price of wheat has fallen. We feel we have put an extremely good offer on the table.'
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Our busy schedules, our living conditions where sunlight is often a luxury, pollution as also social mores that frown upon exposure are collectively responsible, says Veenu Sandhu.
IMAGE: Television actress Sonarika Bhadoria soaks in Vitamin D. Photograph: Kind courtesy Sonarika Bhadoria/Instagram
In 2016, rapper Baba Sehgal released a song that was wacky even by his standards. He called it Vitamin D. It went something like this:
Go go go go go go outside
Kholo apni eyes wide
Sun bole lelo Vitamin D ki ride.
The gist of it was: Step outside; open your eyes wide; the sun's inviting you to take a Vitamin D ride.
Sehgal's songs aren't something one would ordinarily take seriously. But, this time around, the rapper was, in his own way, drawing attention to a serious issue: Vitamin D deficiency, which, if researches and doctors are to be believed, is assuming epidemic proportions, not just in India but even in the West.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 80 per cent of people across urban India suffer from Vitamin D deficiency.
The normal range, according to the way it is measured in India, is 75 to 185 nanomoles per litre.
Some pathology labs consider the normal upper range to be 200 nanomoles per litre.
"I find an increasing number of people who come to me with aches and pains to be deficient in this vitamin that is vital for calcium absorption as well as bone and muscle strength," says Dr Aashish Chaudhry, senior consultant (orthopaedics) and managing director, Aakash Healthcare, New Delhi.
The orthopaedic says that, at one point, his own Vitamin D level had plunged to 13.
A Vitamin D deficiency is ordinarily understood to impact women, especially those who are pregnant or are menopausal, or older people. But doctors are now observing a much wider population, including men and 20- to 30-year-olds, suffering from the deficiency.
"I find it even in children as young as six months old because the concept of giving the baby an oil massage while sitting out in the sun has practically died," says Dr Chaudhry.
In its most natural form, humans, like animals, receive the required daily dose of Vitamin D from exposure to the sun -- that too, the morning sun, between 7 am and 1 pm.
To get optimal doses, you need to sun yourself for at least half an hour with 40 per cent of your body exposed.
Despite living under the glare of the tropical sun, that rarely happens.
Our busy schedules, our living conditions where sunlight is often a luxury, pollution as also social mores that frown upon exposure are collectively responsible.
The melanin pigment in the Indian skin, which gives it a brown colour, also makes Vitamin D absorption difficult.
What's more, unless a person has visible signs of the deficiency, such as weak bones, osteoporosis or is of advanced age, the problem is likely to go undetected.
In children, you will see visible, and sometimes alarming, signs such as stunted growth, weak bones or a large skull.
"These are signs you cannot miss," says Dr Chaudhry. "But, as adults, we tend to think that the weakness or stiffness is because of lack of exercise."
IMAGE: Rediff Reader Aalap Sharma plays with the sun's light in Goa. Photograph: Kind courtesy Aalap Sharma
Several doctors have now routinely starting prescribing the Vitamin D 3 test for those they think might be deficient and are even recommending Vitamin D supplements.
This has happened particularly after the Indian Medical Association felt the need to sensitise doctors to the issue and raise awareness about Vitamin D deficiency in the Indian population.
The IMA did so through 'Rise & Shine," a D-deficiency awareness initiative.
There are reasons for the concern.
Often underrated and little understood, Vitamin D performs crucial functions.
Besides being critical for bone and muscle strength, because it is necessary for calcium absorption, it also impacts energy levels, cardiovascular health, brain functioning, fertility and the synthesis of red blood cells, which are the body's warriors against diseases. So, it also builds immunity.
A simple blood test called calcifediol, or 25-hydroxy Vitamin D, is used to determine how much Vitamin D there is in the body.
Some doctors, especially endocrinologists, may recommend the more expensive 125-dihydroxy Vitamin D3 test.
This is to check the active form of Vitamin D, which is in fact a hormone produced after Vitamin D has been 'activated' in the kidney.
This test is, however, not always needed. The 25-hydroxy Vitamin D usually suffices.
In the event of a deficiency, the doctor will prescribe a supplement because there is simply no other way of topping up the Vitamin D in the body.
Vegetables and milk don't give you any Vitamin D.
There are some foods such as salmon and egg yolk that do contain the vitamin, but the quantity is not enough to meet the daily need.
An egg, for example, contains barely 40 to 50 units of Vitamin D whereas the daily requirement is between 600 and 1,000 units.
Supplements come in different dosages as chewable tablets, sachets, capsules and also in liquid form.
As with medicines, these supplements should not be consumed without consulting a doctor. That's because, although rare, a Vitamin D overdose, or toxicity, can be as -- if not more -- dangerous as its deficiency.
Vitamin D toxicity causes a buildup of calcium, or hypercalcemia, in the blood stream.
Its symptoms include vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhoea, fatigue, dizziness and confusion. It can affect the liver, heart and brain.
What's more, too much Vitamin D is detrimental to bone health, leading to bone loss.
In extreme conditions, it can damage the kidneys.
IMAGE: Even the Gods soak in the sun. Rediff Reader Nitin Patil took this picture at Deskit Gompa, Nubra Valley, Ladakh.
However, given the high prevalence of its deficiency, there is one view that some foods such as milk and cheese should be fortified with Vitamin D.
A chocolate health drink aimed at children has, in fact, come up with a Vitamin D-fortified version.
Dr Chaudhry is for a top-down approach in the matter where he feels that "the government needs to intervene," the way it did when iodine deficiency became a serious problem in India.
"Today, you have iodised salt and fewer cases of iodine deficiency," he says, adding that countries such as Hong Kong, the US and the UK have Vitamin D-fortified products such as milk and cheese that can be bought off the shelf.
Shikha Sharma, founder of NutriHealth in Delhi, is, however, sceptical about adding the vitamin to everyday food items.
"I am anti-fortification of normal food. Then people will be oblivious to their Vitamin D intake and could touch dangerous levels," she says.
"Instead, fortify something that is obvious."
There are also stories of people reporting excessive levels of the vitamin in their body after taking a supplement.
"That is bound to happen if you get a test done a day or two after taking the supplement," says Dr Chaudhry. "Wait for four to six weeks after the last dose of the vitamin before repeating the test."
Though it is being talked about today like never before, Vitamin D has the medical community divided.
The right dose, the right duration of that dose and the right test -- many of these are questions that are still being answered.


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It’s been a while since I posted a fashion piece on Aurora Stories, but what better way than to start with a post about my favourite thing in the world, shoes.
I recently attended the Jimmy Choo press day, showcasing what was coming up for the brand later this year. From their 20 year anniversary shoe (above) to their classic killer stilettos, the collection touched on everything that was totally Choo. My personal favourites were the strappy summer heels that I could imagine wearing when the weather gets warmer and our toes are out again (I’ve clearly got itchy feet for Spring).
In other news, London Fashion Week is fast approaching and we are all getting ready to brace ourselves for the street style bonanza soon to hit the streets of our city. I’m sure we will see lots of these pretty Jimmy Choo designs tottering about running from show to show…I’m personally planning on attending a few shows myself, but more importantly getting my comfiest boots on and hitting the streets to capture the best style around. Watch this space for awesome LFW coverage coming you way very soon…!


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Gourmet food purveyor The Fresh Market, inked a long-term, 20,000- s/f retail lease at the iconic and high-profile shopping center Woodbury Common in Woodbury, NY.
Robert Futterman and Karen Bellantoni are shopping a flagship Soho retail space. The 11,000 s/f Broadway shop-front at 575 Broadway is adjacent to Prada, which
Healthy pizza, high-end grilled cheese and Cambodian sandwiches are all on the menu for the Building Formerly Known as the World Financial Center, now Brookfield
Retail Group of America (RGA), the U.S. operating arm of Fawaz Al Hokair Fashion Retail, the Saudi global franchise giant, has signed a 52-lease package
By Sarah Trefethen Online shopping may be all the rage, but retail’s biggest cheerleaders say don’t rule out the brick and mortar shops just yet.
Sabre Real Estate Group LLC has arranged a lease in New Hyde Park, NY for the first East Coast location of UFC Gym. The new
Winick Realty Group, the exclusive leasing team handling the retail at Columbus Square, announced that two of the project’s anchor tenants — Whole Foods and
Two new retail tenants on the once desolate strip of Eighth Avenue in Harlem are continuing the shopping makeover of the one-time ‘American Gangster’ neighborhood.
RFR, the company founded by developer and prlofic art collector Aby Rosen and Michael Fush, has completed construction of three high-end contemporary art galleries at
GFI Realty Services, Inc. has leased 20,000 s/f of retail space at the base of 144 North 8th Street in WIlliamsburg.


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If you’re interested in consumer technology, you’re interested in what’s going on in Las Vegas this week. After all, CES 2019 is upon us.
The trade show runs January until Friday this week, and there’s lots going on.
TVs and more TV
There’s always lots of television news at CES and this year is no exception.
- LG has a 4K OLED television that disappears when you’re not using it. It’s the Signature OLED TV R, and the screen rolls up into a box. You can also have a quarter of the screen exposed for smart home controls and notifications.
- Sony showed off 85- and 98-inch LED screens that have an 8K resolution (nearly 8,000 pixels horizontally; two times bigger than 4K) and can reportedly upscale 4K content to 8K; the company also has OLED screens in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes.
- Samsung, meanwhile, is updating its line of excellent screens, and adding something nobody thought possible: iTunes. Yes, you’ll be able to access your iTunes movies and TV shows on your Samsung television. You’ll also be able to stream content from your Apple devices to Samsung screens with AirPlay 2.
- While Samsung briefly showed a folding smartphone last November, the company did not have anything to say about the device during a briefing at CES. It was showing the device to select media behind closed doors, however. While no name has been announced, Galaxy Fold and Galaxy X have both been rumoured as possible. According to media who saw the device in Vegas this week, the Samsung folding smartphone has an outside screen that is 4.5 inches. When unfolded, the display becomes 7.3 inches.
- Royole FlexPai is actually in the wild already, and the company is showing off the foldable smartphone in Vegas. Reports out of CES are that the foldable screen is very interesting, but that the device itself is far from being ready for primetime.
Smart homes and digital assistants
- Almost all new smart home technology at CES is supporting Amazon’s Alexa. From cleaning robots to mesh networking platforms, from smart plugs to LED arrays to speakers, every tech company wants to work with Alexa.
- Google, meanwhile, is pushing its Google Assistant hard by creating an entire ecosystem for it, in the same way Amazon has with Alexa. And tech companies are creating products for Assistant to work with. Case in point is the Lenovo alarm clock which works with Google Assistant (and doesn’t have a camera).
Samsung profit down, too
Just a few days after Apple revised its earning guidance, Samsung revealed an estimated 30 percent profit drop leading from “stagnant” smartphone sales and weak demand for its processing chips.


text: Vegan company Beyond Meat’s plant-based Beyond Burger patty will be available starting this week at participating TGI Fridays locations in the greater Boston area. “We tested many concepts,” TGI Fridays chief marketing officer Stephanie Perdue said, “and the Beyond Burger was far and away the favorite plant-based burger among both our guests and chefs, making it the ideal addition to our popular Burger Bar.” Customers can request the new plant-based patty as a substitute to meat in any of TGI Fridays’ burgers. Boston-area restaurants—including Dartmouth, Mansfield, Attleboro, Providence, Seekonk, and Taunton locations—will be the first to sample the new burger option, while a nationwide introduction at TGI Fridays’ more than 470 locations nationwide is expected in early 2018. The Beyond Burger first debuted in the meat department at a Colorado Whole Foods Market last year and has since reached more than 3,500 points of distribution. Continuing its expansion into new distribution channels, Beyond Meat teamed with food service giant Sysco last week and announced its new partnership with meal delivery service Chef’d, which will now offer customers the Beyond Burger in two of its cook-at-home meal packs.


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We have heard that Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds will have a mobile version. This was confirmed by Tencent this week.
It is promised that the mobile version will have a similar PUBG experience as it has on PC, but it is still unknown how the company will put the shooter on smaller screens.
It is planned the game to launch firstly in China, but Tencent did not give a release date or even plans for expansion on other markets. It was pointed out in their press release that PUBG sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. So it is kind of expected to have a Western release.
Tencent is one of the biggest publishers in the industry. The company recently got its distribution rights to PUBG in China. But, local players may have to expect an altered version of the game. Stated by Tencent, the PUBG will reflect socialist core values, Chinese traditional culture and the moral rules also.
Hello, fellow readers! If you want to get in touch with us and participate in our discussion boards, make sure you visit our Forums. We are more than sure you will find something useful there, as most of the news are coming in there first. The forum is new, so be among the first ones to say Hello!


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Oklahoma's medical cannabis industry is grappling with seismic changes following the state's implementation of a "seed-to-sale" tracking system, leaving thousands of licensees facing fines and the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority locked in multiple lawsuits over the matter.
The legal challenges and frustrated licensees are just the latest hindrances to the state's efforts to use a statewide tracking system to crack down on black market sales and improve quality control.
Seed-to-sale tracking with Metrc software was initially delayed for nearly a year because of a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. Plaintiffs in that case reached a partial agreement with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority in May to let the tracking finally begin.
Despite assurances that the cannabis authority and Metrc would help businesses set up their accounts and troubleshoot problems, some owners have complained about confusing policies and hard-to-reach support staff that left fined companies for noncompliance.
To read the complete article, go to eu.oklahoman.com


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The closures come after several years of almost full occupation of retail premises in the centre of Midhurst.
Something Different, at the bottom of North Street, closed shortly before Christmas.
It was followed by the sudden closure on Tuesday, January 22, of the popular restaurant and bar Seven Fish, almost opposite.
Last week the Tuck Shop in North Street also closed.
The lease of the long-standing business was taken over from Ian Dummer by employee Steve Skeates and his partner Debbie in 2017. But around the same time the Post Office previously based there was moved to the petrol station in Bepton Road.
Caroline Cheshire, co-owner of the popular Fitzcanes café next door to Seven Fish, said: “These closures are a sad reflection of what is happening all over the country. All of our costs are rising at the same time as having fewer customers shopping in local high streets.
“Midhurst is lucky to have so many independent stores. But the fact they are still here during these extremely challenging times is a tribute to the resilience and determination of their owners. I look forward to welcoming and supporting new businesses in the town soon.”
Freya Parles, who runs Wizzbits Toyshop in West Street, added: “We are sorry to see these local businesses close – they were part of the Midhurst landscape and will be missed.
“It’s a scary time for small independent retailers but Midhurst is a community spirited town. At Wizzbits we had lots of customers telling us they were avoiding Amazon at Christmas and buying locally.
“I did all my shopping in Midhurst and Haslemere. Friends and family received more interesting presents and I had the lovely feeling of supporting my local towns – we need to make sure we all support our local businesses so they are still here next time we need them.”


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Seeing beyond the surface distinguishes fashion photographer Gianna Nicole from the crowd
When it comes to her subjects, professional photographer Gianna Nicole embraces seeing more than what the lens reveals.
The Scottsdale-based founder of Gianna Nicole Media has become an in-demand children’s fashion photographer — a specialty she’s been able to hone since launching her company in 2014 — with clients and projects worldwide. But her rise has as much to do with what cannot be viewed by the naked eye as what can be easily spotted on a magazine cover.
Typically, moms of young fashion models — aspiring or experienced — reach out to Nicole based on her reputation. Some because they believe her photographs will be an asset to their child’s portfolio, others because they hear from fellow parents that she wants to spend an extra 20 minutes with their kids just to talk about their lives rather than a cold just-the-photos experience.
“I try to create genuine relationships with everyone I shoot,” Nicole said.
Her media company’s portfolio runs the gamut from crafting models’ electronic press kits to enhance their digital and social media presence to providing guidance on clothing, hair and makeup styling. Her clients, ages 3-18, range from first-timers who may or may not have a shot to notable child actors and models, she said.
This highly visible side isn’t the only tool in the Gianna Nicole Media business box. About 70 percent of company revenue is generated by corporate clients for whom she does video production, marketing and similar work. Nicole could easily thrive alone on her corporate business, which is composed of Fortune 500 companies and other top-level executives, she said. But children’s fashion is a passion piece for her and in the process, she’s garnered a name for herself in that realm.
The formula has proved successful. Each year since launching, revenue has doubled, Nicole said. This year, it’s expected to triple.
Nicole also writes for and publishes NYFW Magazine, a fashion magazine that’s distributed to thousands of New York Fashion Week attendees.
In 2017, Nicole launched Fashion Passport, a program of annual trips for young models and their families. It’s a work-meets-destination adventure experience when kids attend modeling workshops, do exotic photo shoots, learn from motivational speakers and participate in philanthropic efforts — all while getting educated on how to build their own brand as they grow into this industry. This year, Alaska and Aruba are Passport destinations.
Tisha Morgan and her model daughters Temi, 13 and Tobi, 11, are planning to join the Alaska trip and have participated in previous ventures, including a trip to New York City during fashion week. Morgan liked that Nicole incorporates more than modeling in this trip by, for example, having kids participate in outreach that helped homeless there.
“She wants to make modeling and fashion not just about what you look like, but also self-confidence and seeing the bigger picture. It’s not just about wearing pretty clothes,” said Morgan, who lives in Phoenix.
Working with Nicole is her daughters’ first official relationship with a photographer and mentor in the business. Morgan said that since meeting a year ago, Nicole has gotten her daughters steady work, helped shore up connections in the industry and made sure that jobs are more than a paycheck.
“What Gianna brings is life-changing and broadens their horizons. It’s more than modeling,” she said.
Morgan said she and her daughters have not experienced the seedy side of the business, but has heard many stories from those who have. Although she and her husband were initially hesitant to let their daughters seriously pursue a modeling career, they found comfort and trust with Nicole. They don’t worry when Nicole calls about a job. They know it’s going to be a positive opportunity and safe experience.
“She’s kind of like the older sister to all of her clients. You get a sense that she really cares for the kids, like they are family,” said Morgan, who added that Nicole remembers even the smallest details about each one. “She makes each kid feel like, ‘I’m her favorite.’”
Part of Nicole’s desire to connect with her young subjects stems from her own three children, ages 11, 5 and 2, all of who have modeled professionally.
“My kids play a huge part in what I do,” said Nicole, 30, who often brings them along when she travels.
Not long after starting her company, Nicole quickly started to care about her young subjects beyond the lights and lens. She realized the largely-unregulated industry was rife with unscrupulous people yearning to take advantage of a child and wanted to combat that.
“The industry can be seedy. I really saw a need for somebody with a business background and passion for kids to start setting standards for what it should be,” she said.
Often, photos are lifelines to youth in angst. Nicole talked about receiving emails at 2 a.m. from parents thanking her, writing, “You have no idea how much these images have helped my kids.”
One specific situation sticks with Nicole.
In 2017, she met a girl who was in middle school and not built in the cookie-cutter model mold. She suffered with seizures and medical issues, and her social life at school was painful. After speaking with the girl’s mother, Nicole found out that even though the girl kept getting turned down for castings and didn’t fit in with the other industry kids, she saw this hobby as an escape from a miserable school life.
Nicole took her under her wing. She set up a photo shoot for her during New York Fashion Week and had a friend design her gown. She ended up being the subject of a magazine photo spread that was accompanied by an article authored by Nicole.
“It showed what the face of kids fashion can be if you elevate it to be more than a hanger for a piece of clothing,” Nicole said.
After it ran, the girl’s mother called Nicole in tears, overcome with emotion over the photos’ positive impact on her daughter’s professional and personal lives.
“Seeing her the way I see her helped create that confidence that helps her book castings and go out for more gigs. She’s made friends with other kids in the industry, too,” Nicole said of the model, now 14.
And in a fiercely competitive field that can be as cutthroat as it is glamorous, Nicole’s reward comes from intangibles beyond skin deep.
“I feel incredibly blessed to have a platform to affect little kids. For me, middle school was rough, so I can relate,” she said. “If I can play a small part in making their world exciting and happier… that’s all the payoff I need.”
READ MORE:Who's Next: 25 designers influencing Arizona from fashion to graphic design
Iris Van Herpen's Transforming Fashion at The Phoenix Art Museum
Program gives Valley high schoolers a taste of entrepreneurship
What: Gianna Nicole Media
Where: 7047 E. Greenway Pkwy., Suite 250, Scottsdale
Interesting stat: The fashion photography industry is expected to grow 4 percent between 2012-2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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A recent study conducted by NetNames found that in one month alone more than 430 million unique Internet users sought or downloaded copyright infringing music, movies, book, and other materials. This industrial scale theft chills creativity, innovation and investment by depriving creators of a market based return on their investments.. So how do these cyber-thieves steal music, movies, books, and other materials? One tool that is growing in popularity is the shadowy cyberlocker which is designed to sell, not store stolen content.
With so much attention to the “cloud” in today’s online world, it is important that we distinguish between the legitimate cloud storage services like DropBox, Google Drive and Apple’s iCloud, to name only a few. These services allow consumers to store, share, backup, and access data. The so-called cyberlocker business model is very different. Cyberlockers incent users to upload stolen files that are copyrighted and which they have no right to distribute, and then profit by selling subscriptions and advertising. The fact that they pay nothing for the product they sell allows them to enjoy profit margins approaching 90%.
The cyberlocker model is predicated on theft and distribution of stolen property. [Read more...]


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The makeup of the global PVC market is set to shift by the end of the decade, with China becoming more self-sufficient in meeting its own PVC needs.
By 2010, China will be consuming just over 22 billion pounds of PVC, after using up less than 16 billion pounds in 2005, according to Eddie Kok, a PVC market analyst with Chemical Market Associates Inc. in Houston. Kok spoke at his firm's 2006 World Petrochemical Conference, held March 22-23 in Houston.
China is on pace to add an eye-popping 14.3 billion pounds of PVC capacity between 2005 and 2008. China's largest projects will be in the cities of Shandong (1.9 billion pounds), Hebei (1.3 billion) and Fujian (990 million). In doing so, Kok said China is taking advantage of its use of low-cost acetylene - rather than ethylene - feedstock, as well as low-cost, coal-fired cogeneration energy.
At DeWitt & Co. World Petrochemical Review, held March 21-22 in Houston, analyst John Cunningham pointed out that a potential risk of reliance on acetylene is the large amount of electricity needed for such work, especially since China's electrical infrastructure already is spread thin. If electrical supply remains unsteady, China could remain a significant PVC importer through the rest of the decade and beyond, Cunningham said.
By 2010, CMAI's Kok said that China will be importing less than 1.8 billion pounds of PVC each year, an amount that's less than half of what the country imported in 2001. Imports in 2010 will cover less than 10 percent of Chinese PVC demand, he said.
Big importing nations like Korea, Japan and Taiwan don't want to be shut out of the China market, however. As a result, several firms from those countries - including Tosoh Corp., Formosa Plastics Corp., LG Chem and Westlake Group - are building their own PVC plants in China.
Chinese PVC plants, however, tend to be much smaller than their North American counterparts, Kok said. In 2005, the average Chinese PVC plant had annual capacity of about 190 million pounds, compared to 990 million for the standard North American plant.
In the short term, all of this new capacity will drop Chinese PVC operating rates from around 80 percent to about 70 percent between 2006 and 2008, when they'll begin to recover.
The wild card, of course, is the impact this rebalancing in China will have on global PVC markets. PVC no longer sold into China will need to find a home elsewhere around the globe, causing potential oversupply in other regions.
``It's not too much too soon for China,'' Kok said. ``But we'll have to wait and see if it is for the rest of the world.''


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Apple has reportedly been in acquisition talks with troubled mobile payments startup Clinkle amidst claims that seven of the company’s staff quit their roles last week following frustration with CEO Lucas Duplan. “This is only the latest bad news after years of ridicule for its massive $30m funding round despite lacking a publicly available product, and highly critical reports of Duplan’s leadership through repeated layoffs at Clinkle,” TechCrunch reports.
- Italian rail operator to pilot barrier-free transit ticketing
- XYZ to adopt finger vein payments at co-working cafe
- Manchester reports on open loop contactless ticketing adoption
- EMVCo to support eight-digit Issuer Identification Numbers from 2021
- MTA reports ‘much higher’ than expected Omny contactless transit payments adoption in New York


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Sources who attended the event said the hypercar will be using an evolution of the 8.0-litre W16 quad-turbo engine which is said to produce near 1,500bhp. It will allow the Chiron to reach 100 km/h from a standstill in just 2.3 seconds and do a 0-300km/h run in just 15 seconds. To put that into perspective, a Nissan GT-R which is hardly slow in anyway, needs nearly 36 seconds to do the same 0-300km/h sprint.
No word on top speed has been given but since the speedometer reads all the up to 500km/h, it is safe to guess that the new car will supersede the veyron's 431km/h record. No lesser than 15 radiators will be used to cool the engine and it will still use a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox like before.
Production will be limited and sources say that an estimated 120 customers have already placed an order for it.


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Dead or Alive 6 is a fighting game in the Dead or Alive franchise.
It is developed by Team Ninja, and published by Koei Tecmo Games.
After a very long road of DLC, indeed.
Warriors Orochi 4 also managed to ship 700,000 units since its launch.
The fighter will finally see online lobbies being added.
The recently released fighter now has a free version offering limited content on all three platforms.
Head to head graphics comparison between all leading versions of Dead or Alive 6.
Some farming tips for Dead or Alive 6.
Neither of them sold too many units, though.
Team Ninja's fighter has released worldwide.
Dead or Alive's newest entry is a great fighter – and still Dead or Alive.
Koei-Tecmo's fighting franchise returns after a hiatus- here's what you should know about the upcoming sequel.
Everything you need to know about Dead or Alive 6.
It's surprisingly demanding for a fighter.
King of Fighters' Mai Shiranui has also been confirmed as a DLC character.
Graphics options for prioritizing visual quality or performance will also be provided.
Director Yohei Shimbori promises it will release after the full game.
Check out the newest character Nyotengu and how the game's combat works.
Team Ninja is committed to delivering the "best Dead or Alive gaming experience".
Dead or Alive 6 director and producer Yuhei Shimbori talks to us about the upcoming fighter.
Game director Yohei Shimbori also talks about the injury mechanics.
The long-awaited follow-up in Team Ninja's fighting franchise isn't far off.
A new trailer introduces the new fighter Diego and a gameplay video showcases Diego and Rig fighting each other.
Releasing on Xbox One, PS4 and PC; more information coming on June 11th.
Is it finally time?


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30% of Americans intend to mail in checks to pay taxes that they owe.
23% will pay with electronic funds transfer.
12% will pay by debit card, and…
11% will use a credit card.
19% intend to get tax refunds via mail
71% will opt to receive it by direct deposit.
Source: ACI Worldwide


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Although the number one sales volume, but the loss is also gradually increasing. From 2016 to 2019, the total accumulated loss of Weilai automobile is 28.77 billion yuan. ]
some fell down, some were dying, and some survived temporarily. 2020 will be a difficult year for automobile enterprises, but it will be even more difficult for new automobile manufacturing enterprises without hematopoietic function.
“at present, no salary has been paid.” Mr. Zhang, an employee of byton automobile, said in an interview with the first finance and economics reporter recently. He said that employees of byton are generally in the state of no pay and stay. The company encourages employees to resign on their own initiative, which may make up the arrears of wages before, while employees who do not leave will receive zero wages, but the company will continue to pay social security and provident fund for employees.
since the beginning of this year, new forces of car making have been in danger. Because the financing plan was not completed on schedule and faced with great economic pressure, byton suspended its business operation in mainland China since July 1. During the shutdown period, only a small number of employees stayed on duty to maintain the most basic functions of the company.
at present, byton has burned 8.4 billion yuan, but it has not built a mass production car. In an exclusive interview with first finance reporter, a former global management of byton said: “the internal financial system of byton is chaotic, and there are indeed some problems in the overall audit mechanism. Often the money that should be spent is not spent, and the money that should not be spent is spent blindly. When I first joined in, a bill of 3000 yuan for two people for a meal appeared in the account of my department. In particular, there are almost no restrictions on reimbursement when going abroad. It is said that other departments have more ridiculous bills. Moreover, the authority of financial VP is too large, and they will deliberately prefer some familiar departments. Some departments will die of waterlogging and some departments will die of drought. ”
Dai Lei, CEO of Byron, once said in an interview with the media that startups need to spend too much energy to control costs. Cost control has become as important as making cars, and the company is unable to launch good products and push them to the market quickly.
but from today’s situation, byton has not done well in two aspects, and has initially tasted the bad results. Byton is a microcosm of many failed new car companies. However, the new forces of car making are not in a state of grief, but are beginning to polarize. The leading players have received assistance from the capital market to temporarily alleviate the pressure of “money shortage”.
according to the data released by the Travel Association, the top five enterprises of the new forces of car manufacturing in the first half of this year are Weilai, ideality, Weima, Nezha and Xiaopeng. Affected by the cold current of the new energy vehicle market and the impact of the epidemic situation, in addition to the ideal delivery at the end of last year, the other four companies all showed a year-on-year decline in varying degrees. Among them, the sales volume of Weilai, which ranked first, was only 14200, a year-on-year decrease of 32.35%.
with the recovery of the auto market, the sales volume of Weilai, Xiaopeng and other enterprises increased significantly in July. The sales volume of Weilai in July this year was 3522, with a year-on-year increase of 322.1%, reaching a record high in a single month, with a cumulative delivery of 17702 vehicles from January to July; the new car Xiaopeng P7 of Xiaopeng automobile achieved a monthly delivery volume of 1641 in July, becoming the fastest model of scale delivery and start-up among the new forces of car manufacturing.
Wu Hui, general manager of Research Department of Ivey Economic Research Institute, said recently in an interview with first finance and economics reporter that Weilai and other leading enterprises with an average monthly sales volume of more than 1000 vehicles are expected to occupy a place in the future automobile industry, but they are not profitable and need to develop through external financing, and they still lack hematopoietic function, so it can not be said It’s gone through the dark and can only be said to be profitable like Tesla.
data released by Soochow securities on July 28 showed that the financing amount of Weilai, Weima, Xiaopeng, ideal and Nezha were 33.1 billion yuan, 17 billion yuan, 15.5 billion yuan, 12.7 billion yuan and 6.27 billion yuan respectively.
Weilai and ideal have been listed in the United States in September 2018 and last month respectively. The market value of these two auto companies is more than $14 billion. Xiaopeng also formally submitted IPO documents to the US Securities Regulatory Commission on August 8. In July and August, Xiaopeng automobile completed the C + and C + + round financing respectively, with a financing amount of more than 947 million US dollars, in which Alibaba, hillhood and Redwood participated. Before IPO, Xiaopeng auto is expected to hold more than 8.5 billion yuan of cash assets, and its cash reserve is better than that before Weilai auto and ideal auto.
affected by the recall and other events, Weilai’s stock price plummeted in 2019, the capital chain was facing collapse, and the core financial personnel left. Weilai, who was in trouble, had to start a large-scale layoff, and even was once said to be looking for a catcher. However, Li Bin, the founder of Weilai, ran around to save the company, and soon carried out three convertible bond financing, raising a total of 435 million US dollars. In April this year, Weilai also received 7 billion yuan of financing from Hefei municipal government, and then obtained 10.4 billion yuan of comprehensive credit in July to further ease the company’s shortage of funds. It plans to continue to invest in R & D, market system establishment and operation, and base construction.
at present, the head enterprises are relatively given a chance to breathe, but many new car manufacturing enterprises are not so lucky. Beiteng, sailin and Bojun, which are also positioned in the middle and high-end markets, have been in crisis. From the perspective of financing amount, the financing amount of the above three enterprises did not exceed 10 billion yuan. At the same time, they were established late and had a long period of car manufacturing. So far, they have not launched mass production models. In addition, they lack experience in cost control, and finally got into trouble due to lack of funds.
“the new forces of car making must rely on capital to survive. The top priority is to solve the problem of capital.” Cao he, President of quanlian vehicle Investment Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd., told reporters that the new forces of car making should constantly raise funds to promote production and manufacturing. Now the financing of new forces of car making is in the initial stage, and the follow-up development still needs a lot of capital support.
from the perspective of the new forces of car making in the head, there are Internet giant platforms behind them. Among them, Tencent is the second largest shareholder of Weilai, and Alibaba is the largest external shareholder of Xiaopeng. After the ideal listing, Wang Xing and meituan held more shares than Li Xiang, so he became the largest shareholder of ideal automobile. And Baidu’s related parties have successively participated in Weima round B and round C investment.
in contrast, the financing parties of new automobile manufacturing forces such as Byron and Bojun are relatively single, and most of the financing comes from regional capital. For example, byton’s main investors are FAW Group and Nanjing municipal government, Bojun’s investors are mainly from Nanjing and Tianjin governments, and sailin’s major shareholder is state-owned shareholder Nantong Jiahe.
“the situation of the new forces of car making has changed. In particular, there have been some cases of failure. As a result, local governments have become more cautious about the new forces of car making, and some funding standards have become more stringent. Previously, the government’s enthusiasm for participating in a new automobile manufacturing force is eager to obtain manufacturing projects that can drive the investment of the entire industrial chain, so as to drive the local economy and employment. ” A senior manager of a new automobile manufacturing force told reporters from China first finance and economics that the management of the new automobile manufacturing force plays a decisive role in the development of the enterprise to a large extent, and the background of the founder is also very important in the eyes of investors.
it is worth noting that the founders of Weilai, idealist and Xiaopeng have Internet entrepreneurship experience. Li Bin, the founder of Weilai, is also the founder of e-Car, the first auto Internet company in China to be listed overseas. Li Xiang, the ideal CEO, started his business three times and went public twice. He Xiaopeng, chairman of Xiaopeng, was the co-founder of UC Youshi.
automobile is a capital intensive, technology intensive and long-term industry with long return on investment. “Burning money” is the only way to test the ability of automobile enterprises to reserve grain and grass for the long-term war of resistance against Japan.
according to the relevant financial statements and the prospectus, we found that although the sales volume of Weilai ranked first, the loss was also increasing gradually. From 2016 to 2019, the losses of Weilai automobile were 2.51 billion yuan, 5.14 billion yuan, 9.66 billion yuan and 11.46 billion yuan respectively, with a total loss of 28.77 billion yuan in four years, and the burning rate was even faster than Tesla. It is expected that the total loss will be 3.96 billion yuan from 2018 to 2019. Xiaopeng had a total net loss of 4.49 billion yuan last year and the first half of this year.
it is understood that the cost of new forces of car making is mainly reflected in R & D costs and sales costs (including operating expenses and personnel management expenses). In addition, some new forces of car making also spent a lot of money in order to “take land”. For example, singularity automobile has announced an investment of 8 billion yuan to build an automobile industrial park in Tongling, Anhui, an industrial park of 5 billion yuan in Zhuzhou, Hunan Province, and the Suzhou base being built.
and the main source of Weilai’s losses is the high sales and operating costs and R & D investment. For example, in 2018, the total revenue of Weilai automobile was about 5 billion yuan, but the cost of only paying employees’ salaries exceeded 4.1 billion yuan. At present, the head of the car manufacturing enterprises in the R & D investment is generally high. Among them, Weilai R & D personnel accounted for 50%, ideal R & D personnel accounted for nearly 40%, and Xiaopeng R & D personnel accounted for more than 60%.
according to a research report released by Soochow securities, the high management and R & D expenses affect profits. The revenue of Weilai bicycle is $51900, close to Tesla, while the management, R & D and depreciation costs are much higher than Tesla.
the above research report also pointed out that Tesla’s R & D expenditure totaled 46.8 billion yuan from 2010 to 2019, with annual R & D expenditure of about 1.5 billion yuan at the initial stage. Since 2014, the R & D expenditure has increased significantly, with an annual R & D expenditure of 9-10 billion yuan in the past three years. In 2019, the R & D expenditure of Weilai, a new domestic automobile manufacturing force, is 4.4 billion yuan, 2.07 billion yuan for Xiaopeng, and the ideal is 1.2 billion yuan. In the future, with the expansion of intelligent team and the research and development of new models, the R & D expenditure will further increase. From the perspective of capital expenditure, Tesla’s capital expenditure from 2010 to 2019 totaled 83.8 billion yuan. At the initial stage of domestic new car manufacturing forces, OEM mode was the main mode with less capital expenditure. However, with the increase of self built capacity of vehicle and tri electric system integration, capital expenditure will also increase.
the ideal car is very cautious about spending. Li Xiang once disclosed that 50% of the capital of ideal car is invested in R & D, about 30% in the factory, and less than 20% in personnel and marketing. In the second quarter of this year, the ideal gross profit margin increased to 13.3% from 8% in the previous quarter, while the loss narrowed to 75.2 million yuan from 77.1 million yuan in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, cash flow turned positive to 452 million yuan. On the one hand, the low R & D costs and on the other hand, it has strong cost control ability.
in an interview with the first finance and economics reporter, Zhang Yong, CEO of unison automobile, once said that the cost of car building is mainly divided into three parts: the first is the procurement cost of the supply chain, the second is the material system, and the third is the operating cost and amortization depreciation. “The procurement cost can only be obtained through the scale. The cost of material system can be reduced through technical means and design scheme, and through different product control systems.” Zhang Yong said the operating costs should be kept low enough.
it is worth noting that many new car manufacturing enterprises have experienced the stage of spending money like land in the early stage. A press conference of sailin was as high as 100 million yuan, and that of Weilai was as high as nearly 100 million yuan. In addition, byton branch is accused of spending 50 million yuan a year on snacks and thousands of yuan on a box of business cards for employees. First finance and economics reporter to verify this, but up to the time of publication has not been answered.
due to lack of funds


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Contactless Rupay Card / Union Bank launches Contactless Rupay Card
Two minute reads :
Union bank of India, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited have announced the launch of co-branded Contactless Rupay Card.
This card was launched at virtual event.
The UBI – HPCL Contactless Rupay Card users will get 16X reward points, which would be equivalent to 4 % cash back, on a fuel spends worth INR 500 and above at over 18000 HPCL outlets across the country
This is the first time a co – branded Rupay credit card is being launched with NCMC ( National Common Mobility Card ) feature.
This single card can be used for payments for all the requirements , thereby avoiding the need to have multiple cards.
This card aims to make payments more convenient and safer with no physical connection just a tap of your card and make all the payments.
This card will help strengthen RuPay’s customer base as it comes with various attractive benefits and rewards.
The launch of this card will also act as catalyst in re – defining retail shopping for customers by encouraging them to adopt cash – literally and contactless transactions.


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Employees have come up against new challenges since working remotely, from getting used to communicating via tech to working alone in their homes.
But it seems despite these challenges, workers are now feeling like they have grown closer to their colleagues as a result of the new way of working.
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With the holiday season in full gear, Microsoft is making sure that while the Xbox One isn’t getting anymore functional updates, it is getting new apps and games. On Thursday, Microsoft updated its app catalog with new major apps, and announced a new release of a fun game.
Many people, including myself, can argue that the Xbox One started off with a limited amount of games and apps. But, as the end of 2014 nears, Microsoft has updated its apps for the console, and giving its users a great set of tools and fun to enjoy on the Xbox One.
Pandora, Vevo, Telemuno and Bravo
What is more exciting than just one new app, is four of them. On Thursday, Microsoft announced four new apps for the Xbox One, and while all four of them are entertainment apps, they are some of the most widely used apps on the mobile entertainment platform. They are all available to download today.
Microsoft released Pandora as the major app for users. The music discovery service has millions of users, and is a needed app for the Xbox One. Vevo is the music video premier app for mobile users, and has thousands of videos to enjoy. Bravo Now allows for episode watching and Telemundo Now does as well. Popcornflix was also added to enjoy movies too.
Kalimba Joins Xbox One Gamer Universe
Kalimba is a brand new game that has launched exclusively on the Xbox One. It comes from the Press Play developers, and is a single player and cooperative playing game for users to enjoy. Players can join together to pair animated totems and help each other survive in the very artisic world it presents.
It’s a very well priced game at $9.99, and is available exclusively for now on the Xbox One. It’s meant for the casual gamer, and for those who like artistic and fun games. It’s got pretty images, has leaderboard achievements, and amazing gameplay. It’s available to try, and is a holiday treat on the Xbox One.
It’s good to see the Xbox One get late year updates. The apps are great, and the game is fun to play and enjoy.