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Sole of the City: Kansas City’s Got Sole
Written By: Brandon Kendrick
Photos By: Ryan L. Benjamin & Brandon Kendrick
From the souls in our hearts to the soles on our feet, KC Sole has taken the Midwest sneaker community by storm. KC Sole is an organization made up by young adults who are passionate about sneakers and the sneaker culture. KC Sole was founded in Kansas City, MO by President DeMarkus Coleman and five other sneaker enthusiasts in 2012. In the spring of 2013 the members, with the help of their street team and a few other promotional teams, hosted over 1100 attendees for the inaugural KC Sneaker Fest event. The success was major for the sneaker community in Kansas City because it was the first of its kind in Kansas City and those attendees braved the snowy conditions to support the event.
This year they came back for part two with more anticipation than a Jordan Retro 11 release date. The 2014 Sneaker Fest was held on Saturday, March 29th at the Municipal Auditorium. It is safe to say KC Sole repeated as the sneaker convention champions of the Midwest. Nearly 2000 attendees over, 75 vendors, and 160 tables sold. This event brought out the who’s who in Kansas City and the Midwest; from professional athletes such as Dontari Powe of the Kansas City Chiefs, sneaker legend Jumpman Bostic, and even the rapper Tech N9ne was in the building. The success is purely a product of hard work and dedication. In a city that has had its fair share of crime; it is truly a marvel to see a group of young adults put together a positive event for Kansas City. “We wanted to give our community something to look forward to instead of the violence that has plagued our community daily” said Coleman.
The Sneak Fest is forever evolving from Hypebeast to collectors of all walks of life; KC Sole has had a great impact on expanding the culture in Kansas City. KC SneakFest 14 was a huge success and the event continues to be the premiere sneaker expo in the Midwest. When asked about the evolution of the sneaker community in Kansas City Coleman replied, “I personally think it has changed, some for the good some for the bad. “ Coleman pointed out that due to the supply in demand many people are purchasing shoes not for the love but for the resell value and taking shoes that are sought by real sneaker heads. The positive impact is involving the teenagers with something that they can be proud of as well as showing the teenagers how to give back in a positive way to their communities.
With the success of KC Sole has achieved community involvement has remained consistent and they pride themselves in giving back to their community. They have held sole drives each convention and donated several hundred shoes. They have also mentored high school students and participated in back to school supply drives, and toy drives for the holiday season in the Kansas City area. The future is looking great for KC Sole and with plans in the future to expand to other cities; KC Sole will be taking the country by storm in no time.
For more info about KC Sole visit www.kcsneakfest.com
Follow @KCSole6 on Instagram & Twitter
Photos after the jump
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UUM ONLINE: UUM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dato’ Seri Dr. Mohamed Mustafa Ishak received a courtesy visit from Mr. Brian Wong, the Vice-President of Alibaba Group Limited. His visit was organised in conjunction with the six-day Training of Trainers Global E-Commerce Talent (GET) programme held at the EDC Hotels & Resorts, UUM.
Prof. Dato’ Seri welcomed members of the delegation from the Alibaba Group China at the Visitors’ Lounge. The delegation then proceeded to the Seri Delima Room for a luncheon.
Speaking at the event, Dato’ Seri Vice-Chancellor said, besides having entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alibaba Business School, UUM was appointed to host the first Training of Trainers Global E-Commerce Talent (GET) programme. This programme is a joint effort with the Alibaba Group.
Prof. Dato’ Seri added that, in order to become an Eminent Management University in Malaysia, UUM community can gain considerable knowledge and experiences from Alibaba, which has carved out a niche and created a worldwide e-Commerce empire.
"I hope that more collaborative activities could be arranged by UUM and Alibaba, and hopefully OYAGSB can identify constructive undertakings with Alibaba Business School," said Prof. Dato’ Seri.
Meanwhile, Mr. Brian Wong explained that the Training of Trainers Global E-Commerce Talent (GET) programme was Alibaba's first project with universities in Malaysia and UUM has been selected as the host of the programme.
He said, this milestone project was the outcome ensuing a discussion between the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma. This was then followed by the signing of the MoU between UUM and Alibaba Group.
He stated that, GET is a programme that trains young talents in e-Commerce through knowledge and experience sharing on the digital economy that will be the future of the world.
He expressed his hope that UUM and Alibaba would make full use of the bilateral cooperation and continue to work closely and diligently to foster the ties between both parties.
Translated by Nur Ida Faradilla binti Aziz
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION UNIT
UNIVERSITI UTARA MALAYSIA
TEL.: 04-928 3042/3047/3050
FAX: 04-928 3053
FACEBOOK: Universiti Utara Malaysia (Official FB)

domain: news


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We all hate robocalls! These annoying automated phone calls deliver recorded messages and usually promote products or services, or even a political party. Following users’ complaints, many tech companies decided to take action and develop solutions to prevent, detect, and filter unwanted robocalls. The newly-formed group is named Robocall Strike Force and the Federal Communications Commission is hosting its first meeting.
The Strike Force was formed after FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler suggested industry leaders to address consumer concerns regarding robocalls. This is the full list of companies that accepted to deploy anti-robocall solutions: AT&T, Apple, ATIS, Bandwidth, Blackberry, British Telecom, CenturyLink, Charter, Cincinnati Bell, Comcast, Consumers Union, Cox, Ericsson, FairPoint, Frontier, Google, Inteliquent, Level 3, LG, Microsoft, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, Silver Star, Sirius XM, Sprint, Syniverse, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, West, Windstream and X5 Solutions.
Members of the Robocalling Strike Force group will have to conform to VOIP caller ID verification standards once the group makes them available, adopt Signaling System 7 solutions associated with VOIP calls, develop a new “Do Not Originate” list if needed, find and implement solutions to prevent unwanted calls from reaching customers and help other carriers to adopt call-blocking technologies.
Windows phone users have long been complaining about robocalls, but unfortunately, Microsoft couldn’t do much to help them. Let’s hope the new Robocall Strike Force will reduce the number of robocalls. Truth being told, we doubt Microsoft and the other companies activating in the technology field will ever be able to stop robocalls altogether, but at least reducing their number will give users more peace of mind.
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UK speciality cheese company Norseland is launching a new cheese in its Ilchester range for Bonfire Night, as well as bringing back a Halloween-inspired cheese introduced last year.
The International Dairy Federation’s latest project – the development of a Global School Milk Knowledge Hub, is to be launched in early 2021.
Statistik Austria has published its annual supply balance for milk and milk products.
Delamere Dairy has launched its first website specifically dedicated to its Flavoured Cows’ Milk range.
Nutrition and flavour expert Carbery Group is introducing Carbery Dairy to markets in Europe and Asia.
News comes that Canadian cheese maker Saputo is exporting the UK’s own Cathedral City cheddar cheeses to not only Canada, but the US. It is good to know that more tasty cheddar will be available across the pond, but as specialist and artisan cheese makers know, it’s been there for a while, in both domestic and imported formats. At any rate, I feel that better cheese lifts all palates, to paraphrase a saying.
Arla Foods Deutschland has seen first half 2020 increases despite difficult circumstances, the company says.
German Berchtesgadener Land dairy surveyed 2,500 consumers about whether or not they paid attention to freshness and regionality of goods during the coronavirus pandemic.
Emmi increased sales in the first six months of the financial year, which was affected by the corona crisis, by 6.6% to CHF1.7bn (€1.5bn).


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In brief: Prime Day 2019 was also the fastest Prime Day ever as millions of items shipped in one day or faster using Prime Free one-day, Prime Free same-day or Prime Now delivery options. Did you experience anything beyond standard two-day shipping?
Prime Day 2019 will go down as the largest shopping event in Amazon history, besting last year's summer sale for the same distinction. It's no surprise, really, considering Amazon stretched Prime Day to a full 48 hours this year, but the results are impressive nevertheless.
Amazon on Wednesday said members purchased more than 175 million items worldwide, scooping up everything from devices and home goods to groceries and televisions. It was the biggest event ever for Alexa devices with screens, Kindle devices and Fire tablets. In the US alone, more than 200,000 TVs, 300,000 headphones and 100,000 laptops were sold.
According to Amazon, Prime members collectively saved more than a billion dollars during the two-day event. The company welcomed more new Prime members on July 15 than any previous day in history (and nearly as many on July 16), making them the two biggest days ever for new member signups. Of course, this stat likely includes trial memberships so not all will convert to full-time, paying members once the free period expires.
Amazon wasn't the only one to benefit from Prime Day. Large US retailers - those with $1 billion or more in annual sales - saw a 64 percent spike in online sales on July 15 compared to a typical Monday according to data from Adobe Analytics.
Masthead credit: Amazon Prime Day 2019 cardboard box by dennizn


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Fashion Scoops: Fifth Avenue Showdown … Au Revoir? … Here’s To You …
FIFTH AVENUE SHOWDOWN: Saks Fifth Avenue and Henri Bendel are going head-to-head in a war to unearth fashion’s next big designer. Saks announced in an advertisement in WWD on Thursday that it will hold "Open See Days" for women’s apparel...
FIFTH AVENUE SHOWDOWN: Saks Fifth Avenue and Henri Bendel are going head-to-head in a war to unearth fashion’s next big designer. Saks announced in an advertisement in WWD on Thursday that it will hold "Open See Days" for women’s apparel and accessories designers around the country, beginning Wednesday in New York, which ruffled the feathers of the folks over at Bendel’s, considering the store’s long-standing tradition of holding similarly titled events that helped give an early start to a lot of today’s big designers, like Anna Sui.
"Geraldine Stutz [Bendel’s former president] originated that term back in the Seventies," volleyed Ed Burstell, Bendel’s vice president and general manager, noting the store’s next open call will be held in Los Angeles in August. "Everyone’s entitled to try to find a new designer, but this is done exactly the same as ours, right down to the name. They could have at least called it something else."
A spokesman for Saks, which is hosting a five-city tour, spiked back, "Well, why didn’t they copyright it? Because you can’t copyright the word ‘beauty pageant,’ either. We’re calling it what it is." He also said Saks has been holding open calls for "a long time, too, but we just have not capitalized on the press opportunity. We’re going to make this the ‘American Idol’ of the fashion world."
Speaking of publicity, Saks has been welcoming the spotlight quite a bit lately, with Lil’ Kim dragging a camera crew into the store as part of her appearance on the upcoming series "Livin’ Large" and Jennifer Lopez filming several scenes of "The Chambermaid" there.
And as for the Lopez look, all the pictures in the tabloids of J.Lo filming "The Chambermaid" last week made a big deal of her Harry Winston jewels, but did not credit her dress. Even though it looks a bit like the Versace number she wore to the Academy Awards, Lopez is decked out in Bob Mackie, from a couple of seasons back.
AU REVOIR?: LVMH is searching for a new Paris-based director of communications for Céline. While it could not be learned at press time whether David Au, its international director, had already left the brand, sources said his departure is a sign of bigger executive changes to come.
HERE’S TO YOU: The people who run Hearst seem to be firmly behind Harper’s Bazaar, despite the ever-swirling rumors about its imminent demise. Cathleen Black, Hearst president, and Michael Clinton, executive vice president, chief marketing officer and publishing director, convened Bazaar staffers last Wednesday for a champagne toast in the Hearst courtyard. Black was said to congratulate Bazaar on its increase in ad pages as well as newsstand sales, and spoke of "Bazaar’s iconic status" in the Hearst fold. According to Media Industry Newsletter, Bazaar’s August ad pages rose 4 percent from August 2001, although year-to-date ad pages are down 21.75 percent from last year.
BUT DO THEY ACTUALLY EAT CHOCOLATE?: This fall, Giorgio Armani's avid fashionistas will be tempted in more ways than one by the designer's latest productions. On Sept. 15, Armani will open an Armani Dolci space in his Via Manzoni megastore in Milan: a corner where pralines and chocolates will be a feast for the eyes …and the palates. Pralines with the Armani 'A' will be wrapped in Japanese paper and pearl-gray boxes, sealed with a flower kept fresh in its own vial of water. Preserves, exotic teas and coffees will complete the selection. Let's hope it has sweeter success than the ill-fated Bill Blass candy venture many years ago.
“I think what’s so interesting about the #MeToo movement and this whole new wave of feminism in general, is that women are finally seeing, ’Oh I can start my own company, oh I can lear to code, oh I can leave my nine-to-five job and do the thing I want to do,” said @brooklyndecker ahead of her @sxsw talk for @createcultivate. The former model took the stage to share wisdom about networking and female-driven entrepreneurship. #wwdeye #sxsw (📷: @jgreenery)
“I was making the guacamole when my scout saw me,” says model @stuckinteenage on being discovered just six months ago while working at @chipotlemexicangrill. Since then Williams has signed with @dnamodels, walked in her first show at @calvinklein and landed on the cover of @vogueitalia – a high point of any model’s career. To read @lisajlockwood’s full interview with the model on her experiences thus far, head to WWD.com – link in bio. (📷: George Chinsee)
“I love the idea of dialogue, period. It’s where I’ve always gotten my inspiration from: hearing other women speak, their journeys and their paths,” said @hereisgina, who delivered the keynote speech at the @sxsw conference for @createcultivate, the online platform and conference series for women. For her two panels, Rodriguez chose female empowering, female-led and female entrepreneurs to focus on. Head to WWD.com to read more about her thoughts on Time’s Up, growing up in a family of women and why we “need a girls’ club.” #wwdeye #sxsw (📷: @jgreenery)
Leading luxury brand are shaking things up to keep up with streetwear. Case in point: the arrival of @mrkimjones as artistic director of @diorhomme. Jones, who succeeds @Kris_Van_Assche, is seen as one of the handful of designers who can actually straddle the luxury and streetwear worlds — which could lead to even more changes at established brands. What could this mean for the rest of the menswear landscape? Head to WWD.com to find out what experts predict #wwdfashion (📷: @franckmura)
“It’s like buying groceries. You’re going to buy the best mango, the best mozzarella, the best things. You have to, or others are going to take it all,” said @gabrielahearst on why she uses only the finest fabrics. Last week, Hearst received her first @cfda nomination for Womenswear Designer of the Year, and earlier this month she opened a permanent showroom in Paris. To read @jessiredale’s interview with the designer and find out why this is shaping up to be a big year for her, head to WWD.com. #wwdfashion (📷: @francoisgoize)
“It’s an interesting thing, playing a younger version of your mother. It’s an interesting concept. I adore my mom and love her in every capacity, but it was just something that had never crossed my mind,” says @anniemstarke on playing a young Joan Castleman in “The Wife.” The same role will be played by her mother Glenn Close. Read more about her growing up in the film industry as the daughter of producer John H. Starke and Close and what she has planned for the future #wwdeye (📷: @nataliamantini)
@asics is launching a new streetwear sneaker inspired by its latest ambassador, @steveaoki. The Hyper-Kenzen x Aoki, which will launch at @footlocker stores exclusively tomorrow, is a slip-on style that incorporates the brand’s proprietary Gel technology through beads integrated into the midsole for comfort and endurance. Read the full story on WWD.com.


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AT&T Mobility's (NYSE: T) Cricket Wireless prepaid brand said that as of yesterday it is offering unlimited voice and SMS messaging to and from Mexico. Later this month it will also add those features for Canada.
The new "roundtrip" international features will automatically be included in Cricket's Smart ($50 per month) and Pro ($60 per month) monthly plans for no additional charge, and customers will not need to add the feature to their accounts. Cricket's Smart and Pro plans will continue to offer unlimited mobile-to-mobile and landline calls plus text, picture and video messaging from the U.S. to Mexico and Canada.
After spending $4.4 billion to purchase Mexican wireless operators Iusacell and Nextel Mexico earlier this year, AT&T last month promised to spend $3 billion during the next four years to cover 100 million people in Mexico with LTE by the end of 2018. AT&T has said it is creating the "first-ever North American Mobile Service Area covering 400 million people and businesses in Mexico and the U.S."
Yet AT&T's new plan for Cricket customers comes just weeks after T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) said its MetroPCS prepaid customers would get benefits of seamless service in Mexico that T-Mobile has extended to its branded customers in Mexico and Canada.
MetroPCS last month launched "Mexico Unlimited," which expands MetroPCS customers' coverage and calling throughout Mexico. T-Mobile said MetroPCS customers with a $40 or higher base rate plan can add the feature at MetroPCS stores or online.
While in the U.S., customers get unlimited mobile-to-mobile and landline calls to Mexico as well as unlimited texting to Mexico. While in Mexico, MetroPCS customers will get unlimited mobile to mobile and landline calls to U.S. and in Mexico, unlimited texting to the U.S., and most importantly, unlimited data that gets deducted from MetroPCS customers' LTE data plans.
Earlier in July, T-Mobile had launched its "Mobile without Borders" offer, under which T-Mobile will let customers make calls, texts and use data as they do in the U.S. when they travel to Mexico and Canada.
What sets T-Mobile's offers apart from rival cross-border offerings is the ability to use data seamlessly while in another country Cricket's offer does not include data usage in Mexico or Canada.
T-Mobile has not revealed its roaming relationships or agreements in Mexico but said it has "partnerships with leading providers with the best networks" south of the border.
Meanwhile, América Móvil's U.S. MVNO, TracFone Wireless, plans to launch an offering in the next few months that offers customers seamless service, including data access, in Mexico.
- see this Cricket release
Chasing AT&T and T-Mobile, América Móvil's U.S. MVNO TracFone to also offer roaming to Mexico
T-Mobile's MetroPCS extends coverage and data service to Mexico
T-Mobile seeks to pre-empt AT&T's international expansion with free roaming to Mexico, Canada
AT&T to spend $3B to cover 100M Mexicans with LTE by 2018
AT&T adds unlimited calling to Mexico on $60 GoPhone prepaid plan


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Onida to manufacture television panels!
The company plans to register 10 percent revenues from this category.June 08, 2018 | comments ( 0 ) |
Onida, an Indian consumer durables brand has started manufacturing television panels at their Wada facility for captive and non-captive purposes. As the Government of India has increased customs duty on import of finished television panels for encouraging domestic manufacturing, the company has thought this is the right time to manufacture panels in India. The initial capacity of panels would be half a million units per annum.
The company is now focussing on non- captive manufacturing, which means, the company’s manufacturing facility could be used for other companies who do not own such units in India. In FY19, Onida is targeting 10 percent of its revenues from non-captive sales of finished goods of televisions and television panels.
The company has recently brought back its iconic mascot ‘The Devil’ and tag line of ‘Owner’s Pride” and has spent Rs 30 crore on advertising across all formats like television, print, outdoor, digital and for advertising during the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The company is targeting mini-metros aggressively for product push. As there is prediction of normal mansoon during the year and good GDP rate of 7.5%, the demand for consumer durables would go up.
Onida has presence across 4,500 dealers and is adding 1,000 dealers every year across India.
Commenting on this development, Vijay Mansukhani, Managing Director, Mirc Electronics Limited, said, “We have been getting inquiries from leading players from across the World for the manufacturing of televisions and television panels. We will work with some of these players and the results of this would be visible from Q2 FY19”
( By Shipra Srivastava)
- Jubilant FoodWorks appoints Coca-Cola official
- India hikes import duty on 29 products
- McDonald's has replaced plastic with biodegradable alternatives
- Geo-tags, local language shopping- Amazon all set to enhance customer experience
- DLF ties up with Uber once again for a superlative shopping experience
- UP Cabinet clears Patanjali's Rs 6,000-crore food park
- RapidRetail's new store in Ujjain aims to strengthens Patanjali’s brand connect
- Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd Brings American Eagle Outfitters to India
- Reliance Brands in talks to buy Genesis Luxury
- Gini & Jony partners with NucleusVision


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The United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union last week could have implications for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and EU, as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, according to experts at the Stimson Center.
The struggling South Korean shipping line plans to return 20 containerships and 18 bulk vessels when their charters expire this year and next as the latest step in its cost cutting and restructuring efforts.
A collection of maritime industry groups on Monday released a supplementary set of frequently asked questions to support smooth implementation of the container weight rule scheduled to take effect Friday.
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Recently purchased APL parent Neptune Orient Lines couldn’t cut costs fast enough to compete in an increasingly commoditized market, chief executive Ng Yat Chung said in a surprisingly candid interview with Singapore’s Straits Times.
An American Shipper report released Tuesday found that nearly three-quarters of shippers and forwarders believe they will have containers held when the new verified gross mass mandate kicks in July 1.
Maritime consultancy Drewry found that approximately 80 percent of shippers won’t shift any volume from ocean to air to avoid disruptions caused by the verified gross mass rule scheduled to go into effect July 1.


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words // Brandon Richard
Ahead of the most anticipated day on the sneaker calendar, Nike Sportswear teases an AF1 XXX Collection Black Friday release. Full details are unknown at the moment, but the teaser photo suggests a black-based style with unique translucent tooling. More details from NSW below:
30 years after it first hit the scene the Nike Air Force 1 remains a heavy hitter. Over 1,700 iterations have come to life through collaboration, customization, and infinite color and fabric combinations. As the 30th Anniversary celebration of an icon comes to a close, this week will mark the end of an era, but the beginning of a new future.
Anticipate the final installment of the “Ones.”


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Touting what it calls "direct push technology," Microsoft claims that Windows Mobile 5.0 will support direct wireless connections between mobile devices and Microsoft Exchange Server.
Microsoft Monday took the wraps off the push e-mail technology that includes capabilities that will compete directly with always-on e-mail capabilities from vendors such as Research In Motion and Good Technology.
The company said at the Microsoft TechEd 2005 conference in Orlando that its Messaging and Security Feature Pack for the forthcoming Windows Mobile 5.0 update will include what it calls "direct push technology." That technology will connect mobile devices directly with Exchange server without additional server software, the company said in a statement.
Support will include the direct transfer of all information managed by Exchange Server, according the company. In addition, users will be able to remotely look up contact information stored on Exchange Server, Microsoft said in a statement. That will enable third-party software vendors to create applications that access that information, according to Microsoft.
The built-in support will also enable transfer and view richly-formatted Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, according to Microsoft. Microsoft said the Messaging and Security Feature Pack also will simplify IT management of device security policies.
Microsoft initially announced the Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade last month. Devices based on the platform are expected later this year.
The Business of Going DigitalDigital business isn't about changing code; it's about changing what legacy sales, distribution, customer service, and product groups do in the new digital age. It's about bringing big data analytics, mobile, social, marketing automation, cloud computing, and the app economy together to launch new products and services. We're seeing new titles in this digital revolution, new responsibilities, new business models, and major shifts in technology spending.
What The Business Really Thinks Of IT: 3 Hard TruthsThey say perception is reality. If so, many in-house IT departments have reason to worry. InformationWeek's IT Perception Survey seeks to quantify how IT thinks it's doing versus how the business views IT's performance in delivering services - and, more important, powering innovation. The news isn't great.


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NORTHEAST OUTLAW PRO MODS AT MAPLE GROVE SUPER CHEVY SHOW PRESENTED BY CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE AND ORIGINAL PARTS GROUP
Comments Off on NORTHEAST OUTLAW PRO MODS AT MAPLE GROVE SUPER CHEVY SHOW PRESENTED BY CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE AND ORIGINAL PARTS GROUP
For over 50 years, Maple Grove Raceway has been a hotbed of drag racing action in the Northeast. With the Super Chevy Show coming up the weekend of July 20-22, that tradition continues as the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association will be tearing it up with their 240 mph sub five second passes down the quarter-mile.
Maple Grove’s stop has historically been the largest of all Super Chevy Shows on the tour in both attendance and participation and this year’s season is bound to be a record-breaker.
“Maple Grove is very proud to host the largest show on the national tour. The event has been well supported each and every year with over 650 race entries, 425 car show entries and over 250 swap meet entries,” said Maple Grove Raceway vice president and general manager Lex Dudas. “2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Maple Grove Raceway and the 26th time we have held a Super Chevy Show. We know the support we receive from our loyal Super Chevy customers has played a very large part in making Maple Grove Raceway what it is today.”
The Original Parts Group Inc. will be the presenting Sponsor of Maple Grove’s Super Chevy Show and is also celebrating a milestone this year, as it’s their 30th Anniversary of providing high-quality restoration parts for iconic GM musclecars. Their sponsorship will include a special car show plaque during the Class Awards ceremony for the Best “Chevy A-Body” Restoration of the Show.
Comments Off on AIRAID JOINS TRACK OWNED CAR SHOW AND DRAG RACE SERIES
(May 29, 2012) AIRAID Filter Company announced today that it has joined the Super Chevy Show, Fun Ford Weekend, and Mega Mopar Action Series as a sponsor. AIRAID, a manufacturer of cold air intake systems and performance filters for daily driven gas and diesel vehicles, muscle cars, and street machines is using the promotion to reach automotive enthusiasts of the popular domestic vehicle brands.
AIRAID’s participation in the three Series will begin with the Mega Mopar Action Series event at Bandimere Speedway in Denver, CO on Sunday, June 3. Bandimere Speedway, along with Maple Grove Raceway, Texas Motorplex, Bristol Dragway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Virginia Motorsports Park, Royal Purple Raceway, Castrol Raceway, Rockingham Dragway, Palm Beach International Raceway, Memphis International Raceway, and Gateway Motorsports Park own and operate all of the Super Chevy Show, Fun Ford Weekend, and Mega Mopar Action Series events.
David Edelman, Online and Event Marketing Manager for AIRAID said the Series provides a great fit for their customer base. “We have applications for basically every type of vehicle you see at a Super Chevy Show, Fun Ford Weekend or Mega Mopar Action Series event. Every day we are selling air intake systems and performance filters to owners of cars and trucks wanting more horsepower and increased fuel efficiency,” said Edelman. “Whether it is a participant in the car show that drove their car to the event to be judged for awards, or someone running in one of the bracket racing classes, our products offer a very cost effective and simple installation process to give them an advantage.”
In the month of June, fans of each of the “big-three” branded popular car show and drag race Series will see AIRAID promotions beginning at Denver, then moving to Maple Grove Raceway’s Mega Mopar Action Series event June 9-10; Virginia Motorsports Park Fun Ford Weekend, June 15-17; Gateway Motorsports Park Super Chevy Show, June 22-24; Bandimere Speedway Fun Ford Weekend, June 23-24; Bristol Dragway Fun Ford Weekend, June 29-30. Another fourteen Series events will take place in the U.S. and Canada from July through October.
Maple Grove Raceway track operator and president of the Super Chevy Show series, Lex Dudas, as well as the other track operators are excited to have AIRAID get involved in all three series. “I think AIRAID joining the Series events in a testament to the great shows we have already had this year. Outside of some weather at a few events, our shows have been growing ever since the tracks took over leadership in 2010. Our car counts for car show, drag race, and swap meet are up across the board for the Super Chevy Show and Fun Ford Weekend series, and the Mega Mopar Action Series just kicked off two weeks ago with a great event at the Texas Motorplex” said Dudas. “We can create a tremendous amount of exposure for AIRAID Filter Company and look forward to promoting their brand at all of our shows this season.”
Our friends at Chevrolet Performance always bring a fleet of unique specialty vehicles to the Super Chevy Show events that provide lots of eye candy for fans and enthusiasts. However, this weekend, attendees will get to see a unique Chevrolet First Responder Silverado that tells a compelling story by paying homage to the brave men and women who put themselves in harm


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Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) celebrated its 17th Foundation Day programme today through the digital mode.
Union Finance Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the programme via virtual mode in the presence of Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Senior Economic Advisor, DEA, MoF and other senior officials from Ministry and Director (HR) & Director (Finance) of SPMCIL.
Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala also launched the first colour souvenir coin on “Panchtantra” during the occasion.
Ms. Tripti Patra Ghosh, CMD, SPMCIL, in her welcome address highlighted the achievements and the innovative initiatives of the Company.
During the occasion, the Chief General Managers of the respective 09 Units awarded the meritorious employees for their outstanding achievements.
The Finance Minister in her address laid stress on upskilling and acquiring new skills, and upgradation to meet the technology driven economy. Further she emphasized on ramping up of quality of products and to brand SPMCIL as lead producers of currency and other sovereign products.


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Exports grew to 3,683 units last month as against 1,678 units in October last year, it added.
“There is a strong demand during the festival period with incredible response for our new model Elevate from our customers. We are actively working to meet the strong demand for the model,” Honda Cars India Director (Marketing and Sales) Yuichi Murata said. The City and Amaze models have also maintained their good performance, he added.
“As we near the auspicious celebrations of Dhanteras and Diwali, our dealerships are focusing on maximising deliveries to our esteemed customers,” Murata said.


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Overseas shipments blocked
British Post struggles with network problems
Trouble at the British Post Office. Network problems cause delays in sending shipments.
The packages accumulate in England: the reason is a network problem. (icon picture)
The British Royal Mail is experiencing delays in the delivery of mail after an unspecified network problem. International shipments are also affected. A statement said it was temporarily unable to ship export items, including letters and packages, to overseas destinations.
“We have asked our customers to temporarily stop sending export mail,” Royal Mail said. An investigation has been launched. “We work with external experts,” it said. The security authorities have also been informed. The background to the incident was initially unclear. (SDA/dept.)


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SPARX Group Establishes Space Frontier Fund
TOKYO, Jun 29, 2020 – (JCN Newswire) – SPARX Innovation for the Future Co., Ltd. (SIF)–a subsidiary of SPARX Group Co., Ltd. (SPARX; TSE1: 8739)–today announced that it established the Space Frontier Fund. The Fund primarily aims to support human resources and technology development in space-related industries, to foster Japanese space companies that are competitive on the world stage, and to contribute to technological innovation throughout Japan.
Casting technologies that “promote the exploitation of space” as core technologies of the future, the Space Frontier Fund invests in start-ups and other organizations that boast innovative technologies in related sectors. Even as COVID-19 continues to have a significant impact on life and society, the Fund helps accelerate the pace of innovation by financing companies’ and projects’ business development in technologies that will drive future growth.
Managed by general partner (GP) SIF, the Space Frontier Fund began operations in June with its initial total capital of JPY 8.2 billion financed through contributions from its limited partners (LP).
By December 31, 2020, the goal is to have gathered a total of JPY 15 billion in capital through additional contributions from investors that endorse the objectives of the new fund.
About Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.
Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com


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By Abigail Howe
This must be an age of reckoning for fast fashion. Except we already knew about Leicester.
National fast fashion retailer Quiz has dropped its Leicester supplier after allegations that factories are forcing employees to breach social distancing guidelines as well as refusing to pay the minimum wage – with those at the Morefray factory told to expect pay of £3.50 per hour. Fast fashion giant Boohoo (owner of brands including Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing and Nasty Gal) is the biggest buyer of clothes from the Leicester garment factories, their shares dropping 18% after the news broke while influencers distanced themselves from the brand.
The state of UK fast fashion
In January 2020, Andrew Bridgden (MP for North West Leicestershire) said:
These illegal businesses are not only keeping their workers in miserable conditions, they’re also undermining the marketplace for legitimate businesses to make a living in a very difficult market. I’ve seen the buildings where these workers are and it is shocking: the buildings are condemned – if there was a fire there then hundreds would die, and this is Britain in 2020. It’s a national shame.
In February 2019, an Environmental Audit Committee found that the Modern Slavery Act was not enough to prevent exploitation at UK clothing factories. The government, in fact, refused to implement their recommendations, which ranged from environmental guidelines to human rights safeguarding measures.
While the government was apparently unwilling to act, social media lit up with shock. But this isn’t just a British issue.
Whether it’s the 2013 Dhaka factory collapse, 2008’s Panorama episode ‘Primark: On the Rack’ or BBC Three’s Blood, Sweat and T-shirts, we know of the appalling conditions in garment factories across the world. We know that children are working long hours. We know that conditions are unsafe and pay is low. Workers, no matter which country they live in, have the right to work safely and be compensated appropriately.
Out of sight, out of mind
However, it’s often out of sight, out of mind. Global Labour Justice studied conditions across Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, countries which, according to a parliamentary report, produce “most of the garments sold in the UK.” It found that physical abuse, sexual harassment, poor work conditions and forced overtime were all commonplace in garment factories due to the demanding targets set by brands.
One of Philip Green and the Arcadia Group’s main suppliers is a company based in Bangladesh. Fashion Revolution found that 60% of Bangladeshi garment workers have faced sexual harassment, yet the President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association has insisted that sexual harassment simply does not exist in garment factories.
Some 94% of Cambodian factories investigated have violated overtime regulations. It is a harrowing thought, therefore, that garment manufacturing accounts for 80% of national export earnings, employing more people than any other Cambodian industry.
Complaining about the catastrophe on our doorstep is a step in the right direction. But there are equal, and even far worse, atrocities being committed just down the road.
How is fast fashion damaging the environment elsewhere?
Beyond labour abuses, the poor quality of garments means that they end up being dumped quickly. The fashion industry is, after all, the second biggest polluter after petroleum — every second, a lorry-load of used clothing is incinerated or thrown into landfill. Over a year, that’s enough to fill the Sydney Harbour. And which countries are affected? The same countries which produce these clothes in the first place.
What’s more, clothes don’t just cause environmental issues at the end of their lives, but form part of a far more long-lasting, damaging chain that fast fashion makes up.
The Aral Sea has become “more of a puddle now” as water is diverted to irrigate Uzbekistan’s cotton fields, with the fashion industry being the second-largest consumer of the word’s water supply. Furthermore, textile dyeing is the world’s second-largest polluter of water; what wastewater is left behind typically is dumped into ditches, rivers or streams. In China, 70 percent of rivers and lakes are contaminated by wastewater from the textile and dye industry.
This is clearly an environmental justice issue, impacting the same communities which are also exploited as workers.
Dr Mark Sumner has noted that the current fashion model means that consumers in the UK “are getting pleasure and enjoyment from fashion and that is coming at a cost to workers and the environment in exterritorial, overseas production routes as well as agriculture.” While climate change will eventually impact us all, for the moment the impact of fast fashion upon the environment can be reduced to out of sight, out of mind.
What does the future hold garment workers?
Between 2000 and 2014, clothing production doubled. Given that 60% of clothes are never even worn, it casts a troubling shadow over the future of the textile industry. And although the fashion industry’s contribution to global warming may not be immediately visible in the UK, it will reach us eventually. Even if UK shoppers cannot manage empathy for others, let’s at least be pragmatic about our own futures.
Cheap, unsustainable clothing was past its sell-by date long before the Leicester garment factories controversy arose. Once you start looking at the fashion industry’s impact, its glamorous appearance soon becomes as transparent as one of their poor-quality dresses. In a world where Topshop features 400 new styles every week and Zara releases 20,000 designs each year, it’s no surprise that quality is sacrificed for quantity.
But this goes beyond an unravelling seam or cheap fabric. Instead, the dignity and quality of life of factory workers are given up in exchange for a greater market share or to eek some extra cash from narrow profit margins. We have to act — for Leicester and the rest of the world.


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On February 15, 2018, Momentive announced that its Sealant’s Business Unit is raising its prices on certain silicone sealants products. Effective for shipments made on or after March 15, 2018, all sealant prices in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia are increasing by 20%, or as contracts allow. These price increases are being driven by a number of factors including escalating raw material, energy and other costs.
Momentive is a global leader in silicones and advanced materials, with a 75- plus year heritage of being first to market with performance applications that support and improve everyday life. Momentive delivers science-based solutions for major industries, by linking its custom technology platforms to allow the creation of unique solutions for customers. Additional information is available at www.momentive.com


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Summary List Placement
This week, Skydio became the first US-based dronemaker “unicorn” — valued at over $1 billion — but the company and its hot industry are no overnight successes.
“There was a lot of VC interest four to six years ago, which waned somewhat as the initial hype around drones dissipated,” Skydio cofounder and CEO Adam Bry told Insider. “And there were some high-profile failures of venture-backed drone companies.”
The company announced on Monday that it raised a $170 million Series D round led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz’s Growth Fund, bringing its total financing to date to more than $340 million. Andresseen, which also led Skydio’s Series A financing, was joined in this latest round by existing investors Linse Capital, Next47, and IVP — as well as a new investor, UP.Partners.
Bry told Insider that Andreessen Horowitz “moved quickly to step in and lead the Series D.”
As the Financial Times reported on Monday, Skydio’s funding announcement marks the first significant money-raising since the federal government placed China’s DJI, the global industry leader, on the so-called “Entity List” last December that bans US companies from supplying it with components. The move is expected boost the US drone space as it continues to evolve from its focus on consumer products to the business and government markets, the FT said.
But Bry believes Skydio was already delivering a major advantage to its Chinese rival — autonomy. While DJI’s drones are manually operated, Skydio’s rely on autonomous technology. “There’s a high level of trend-driving from the increasing autonomy from drones,” Bry said. “It’s changing the status quo from a joystick to whole drones smart enough for themselves applied across different industries,” said Bry, pointing to possible future uses in public safety, logistics, law enforcement and the military.
Skydio’s drones are already used in a variety of industries. Last month, the company announced that the US Army would be using its Skydio X2D drone.
But Bry said the company’s drones will never be weaponized.
“We’re not going to put weapons on drones,” said Bry, “It’s information-gathering, seeing what’s on the other side of a building or a hill before you make another move.”
Other drone companies that are weaponized include Anduril, also backed by Andreessen Horowitz.
“Drones are a pretty powerful tool to keep people safe with more information to make more decisions,” Bry said.
Skydio also sell drones directly to consumers with products starting at $999.
With the new funding round, Skydio said it will “accelerate product development and global sales expansion to support the rapidly growing demand for its autonomous drone solutions.”
Bry and fellow Skydio co-founders Abraham Bachrach and Matt Donahoe initially met as grad students at MIT where they helped develop autonomous drone technology. The three then went on to work at Google’s Project Wing before founding Skydio in 2014.


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It’s been a year since the introduction of the VAT….
11 December 2018| Last updated on 11 December 2018
You’ll never guess the number
Earlier in 2018, news broke out about the introduction of VAT – value added tax – on products and service in the UAE.
And it was in April that the UAE government announced that tourists will be able to claim their VAT on goods purchased in the country while travelling back.
According to Federal Decree-Law No. (8) of 2017 on VAT, as well as the conditions, constraints and procedures outlined in the Law's Executive Regulations, any tax incurred on a supply or import made by a non-taxable person conducting business but not residing in the UAE (or any other country implementing VAT) shall be refunded to the said person.
It was released on Monday the exact number of VAT refund transactions that take place in Dubai every day, announced by the Federal Tax Authority (FTA).
Coming close to 6,903 transactions being processed every day – 3,800 are digital while the rest is done in person.
In efforts to attract more and more tourists into the country and for the Expo 2020, which is around the corner…this tax refund scheme is functioning with high efficiency and is already seeing results.
How much is refunded every day?
If you’re wondering the money behind almost 6,903 tax refund applications then it comes close to AED925,187 per day in the UAE.


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Legislate has raised £3 million in funding to make startup contracts queryable.
Using its patented knowledge graph technology, Legislate provides companies with ontologies of legal terms, allowing anyone in the business to semantically search for information across an entire database of contracts.
The round was led by Parkwalk Advisors, with participation from Oxford Capital and several high-profile angel investors.
The company, which until now has focused on creating a solution for startups and scaleups, is using the funds to double down on UK sales and prepare for international expansion in 2023.
“For scaling companies, keeping track of terms across hundreds or thousands of contracts is a challenge that creeps up on you,” said Charles Brecque, Legislate founder.
“Searching for basic information like contract start and end dates, or nuances in confidentiality terms across entire databases of contracts is painfully manual, or impossible. Before working with us, we know that some of our customers would spend weeks doing this.
“By allowing companies to create their own ontologies of terms and making them semantically searchable, we enable anyone in that business to search for information in contracts, even if they don’t have a legal background.
“That’s incredibly powerful for scaling companies where business teams need to review terms across hundreds of contracts quickly to understand exposure to risks.”
With Legislate’s technology, contracts are first made machine-readable, this subsequently allows all business users to easily compare, create, query, and sign every contract without the need for outside legal involvement.
In 2022 the company announced it had been granted its second US patent for semantic document generation, further enhancing its patented knowledge graph technology – ultimately benefiting Legislate’s customers.
Customers primarily use Legislate for employment, consultancy, internal contracts, and terms of business agreements.
Claire Pardo from Parkwalk Advisors added: “Legislate has developed a unique solution to simplify contracting for SMEs and mid-market businesses in a way that scales.
“We’re confident that they are well-positioned to take a significant portion of the market. Their focus on making contracts machine-readable is particularly impressive and we believe it has the potential to be a game-changer in the industry.”


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Lime, the bicycle and electric scooter sharing service, is officially adding automobiles to its lineup of wheels.
After testing the concept, the company will kick off its new addition in Seattle, a metro where the company’s dockless bikes are a hit and other companies’ rideshare services are also enormously popular.
But, Seattle has also been a thorn in the side of Lime’s dockless scooters. The city has a city-wide ban on e-scooters from bike lanes or sidewalks, and Lime did itself no favors when it reportedly set up a “pop-up” stand in a busy city park where it invited passersby to try its electric scooters and distributed handouts asking people to email city officials and urge the approval of dockless e-scooters.
“LimePods, Lime’s car-sharing product line, a convenient, affordable, weather-resistant mobility solution for communities,” a spokesperson for Lime said in a statement to TechCrunch. “The ease of use of finding, unlocking, and paying for cars will be consistent with how riders use Lime scooters and e-bikes today.”
What kind of car and how much?
Lime likes to think of itself as “the leading micro mobility provider in the US,” and its car fleet will reflect the micro angle by incorporating the 2018 Fiat 500 as its cornerstone.
The company will reportedly start with 50 of those Fiats and, then, grow organically from there, with lofty hopes of having 1,500 cars in Seattle by early 2019, according to BloombergNews. If Lime hits that mark, it would make the company the preeminent free-floating car-sharing program in any U.S. market.
Similar to how Lime’s pricing works for its scooters and e-bikes, a trip in a LimePod will cost $1 just to unlock the car, then the meter starts charging 40 cents for every minute the car is in use.


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U.S. auto sales took a big turn to the positive side in October, as car makers posted double-digit gains amid strong demand for pickup trucks and luxury vehicles.
Continue Reading Below
Auto sales have continued to race ahead, lifted by pent-up consumer demand, low interest rates and a rebound among home builders and energy firms.
Manufacturers have also ramped up launches for new and refreshed models. Chrysler Group began selling the much-anticipated Jeep Cherokee last month, while General Motors (NYSE:GM) is heavily promoting its redesigned Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks.
“There’s a pretty serious amount of pent-up demand for pickup trucks,” Kelley Blue Book senior analyst Karl Brauer said. “Trucks represent a lot of registrations on the road. I don’t see sales falling off anytime soon.”
Car information providers Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com each projected new-vehicle sales across the industry would increase roughly 12% year-over-year, despite concerns the partial government shutdown would dampen consumer spending.
And in a positive sign for automakers’ earnings, Kelley Blue Book said the average transaction price for light vehicles was $32,184 in October, up 1.2% from September. Prices edged 0.2% lower compared to October 2012.
Chrysler’s U.S. auto sales jumped 11% in October amid the arrival of its Jeep Cherokee and booming Ram truck sales.
Chrysler met an estimate from Edmunds, while Kelley Blue Book was looking for 12.5% sales growth.
The Auburn Hills, Mich., automaker sold 140,083 vehicles sold last month, compared to 126,185 during the year-ago month. Sales declined 2.1% from September’s total of 143,017.
Chrysler and Ford (NYSE:F) bucked a downward trend for the industry in September by recording positive sales, as most car makers suffered declines since Labor Day sales were reported with August results.
October had 27 selling days, one more than in 2012 and four more than in September.
Truck sales continued to lift Chrysler, climbing 15% over last year. That outpaced a modest increase for cars, which were up 0.8%.
Brauer said consumers are being drawn to modern pickup trucks that are substantially better than older versions. There’s a good argument for upgrading based on financial reasons, he added, since owners of new, more fuel-efficient trucks will save money on gas.
The Ram brand led the way with a 22% surge, while Dodge sales were up 12%. The namesake line logged sales growth of 6%. Jeep sales increased 7%.
Chrysler said it finished the month with an 86-day supply of inventory.
On Wednesday, Chrysler reported earnings that were up 22% in the third quarter. The company had been under pressure from a delay in the launch of its revived Jeep Cherokee, as it pushed back delivery dates to resolve a transmission problem.
The 2014 sport-utility vehicle recently began shipping out to dealers, and CEO Sergio Marchionne said they should have adequate inventory of the Cherokee by mid-November.
Jeep sold 579 Cherokees in a partial month of sales for the SUV.
“After a choppy start to the beginning of the month, Chrysler Group sales accelerated in the second half of the month with renewed consumer confidence and the launch of our all-new Jeep Cherokee,” said Reid Bigland, Chrysler’s head of U.S. sales.
GM said its October sales were up 15.7% on gains across all brands, led by Buick.
The Detroit company sold 226,402 vehicles last month, up from 195,764 in October 2012. GM’s sales climbed 21% month-to-month after a sluggish September that saw 187,195 cars sold.
GM, the largest U.S. automaker, handily beat Kelley Blue Book’s expectations for an 8.3% gain. Edmunds was looking for 10% growth.
Buick, a luxury brand that is positioned below Cadillac, was the top performer for GM with 31% sales growth over October 2012. Chevrolet sales rose 15%, GMC grew 16% and Cadillac was up 9.5%.
“Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick-GMC all performed well in the month, and the sales tempo really picked up after the government shutdown ended,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president of GM’s U.S. sales operations.
Truck sales were also a boon for GM. Deliveries of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty pickups rose 10% and 13%, respectively. Combined sales were up 62% over September.
GM said the premium Chevrolet Silverado High Country and GMC Sierra Denali will hit showrooms this month, followed by redesigned heavy-duty pickups. New SUVS will arrive in the first quarter, and later in the year, GM expects to return to the market for mid-size pickup trucks with the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.
October retail sales were up 16%, while fleet sales rose 14%.
Earlier this week, GM reported a 6% decline in its third-quarter profit on one-time costs. Revenue rose 3.7% on stronger operating earnings in North America and a narrower loss in Europe.
Shares of GM rallied 1.76% to $37.60 late Friday morning. The stock was already up 28.1% on the year through Thursday’s close.
Ford sales grew 14% on a sharp increase in car sales and another big month for F-series trucks.
The Dearborn, Mich.-based manufacturer sold 191,985 vehicles, above last year’s 168,456 units and up 3.7% from September. Excluding heavy-duty trucks, light-vehicle sales were also up 14% at 191,267 vehicles.
The results fell short of expectations from Edmunds, which called for a 15.5% gain, while Ford scored a slight beat of Kelley Blue Book’s estimate of 13.7%.
Car sales were up 19%, while trucks grew 14% during the month. Utilities sales climbed 9.3%.
Ford’s namesake brand logged sales growth of 13%, while Lincoln sales revved 38% higher.
Brauer said an increase in leasing activity is of particular benefit to luxury brands, which still remain a small portion of total sales for the Big Three.
“It’s good that they’re growing,” he said, “but it emphasizes that volume brands are really important. When they’re successful, the companies are successful.”
The Fusion and Fiesta each set record October sales, posting gains of 71% and 9%, respectively. The all-new Lincoln MKZ premium sedan was up 80%. F-series trucks topped sales of 60,000 for the sixth-straight month.
Overall retail sales were up 15% to mark Ford’s best October retail performance since 2004.
Last week, Ford reported third-quarter revenue growth of 12%, although earnings fell 22%. The Fusion and F-series lineup helped boost sales in North America. The company also halved its loss in Europe.
Ford shares were down nine cents at $17.02. Since the start of the year, the stock had rallied 32% as of Thursday.
Toyota (NYSE:TM) trailed U.S. automakers with sales growth of 8.8% from a year ago, according to a preliminary report.
Bill Fay, general manager and group vice president, said consumers “showed resiliency” during the month, despite “headwinds caused by the government shutdown.”
Toyota shares ticked nine cents lower to $129.33.
Although Subaru sales rocketed 32% higher, import brands have largely been overshadowed by their U.S. peers. Toyota was well short of Kelley Blue Book’s estimate for a 15.9% increase in October sales. Honda (NYSE:HMC) also lagged behind the Big Three with 7.1% growth, while Volkswagen fell 18%.
There was a time when domestic brands saw volatile sales that ebbed and flowed with gas prices. But “they’re not dependent on low fuel costs and high-profit truck sales” anymore, Brauer said.
“I feel like we’re seeing real numbers now,” he explained, noting how a number of outside variables, such as the financial crisis and 2011 tsunami in Japan, impacted auto sales. “The market is much more competitive. The only real factor now is quality, and domestics are far more compelling now.”


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"We will destroy an idea of ??what should be the mobile device", - said the company tayvankaya ASUS Computer. We have learned that it had in mind and would like us to offer presented by companies. This is a hybrid smart phone and tablet-called PadFone.
Without waiting for the start of the international exhibition Computex 2011, ASUS has a press conference in Taipei presented a number of new devices, including smartfonoplanshet PadFone.
In web-quality photos are available PadFone, they appeared a week ago. In the photo, we see that the device also performs and functions of the docking station. At the rear of the case is PadFone compartment, which houses the smartphone.
It is known that the smartphone is equipped with a 4.3 inch screen, a display plate is 10.1 ". More detailed characteristics of the device will be known after its presentation at Computex 2011.


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Xiaomi could strike very hard from the start of 2021. The Chinese manufacturer would indeed waste no time in announcing its new range of smartphones: the Mi 11 (provisional name). A very early date, but one that seems to be becoming the norm among manufacturers for next year.
Xiaomi is not going to waste its time in 2021. The Chinese manufacturer does not intend to give way to competition and should very quickly reveal its new series of smartphones: the Mi 11. One way to establish itself very quickly in a year which will be particular in terms of the timing of smartphone announcements.
It is the Digital Chat Station leaker, close to production lines and manufacturers, which affirms that this new range should be announced next January. An early date for Xiaomi, which has always had the habit of unveiling its Mi products during the month of February. This was the case in 2018 and 2019.
Read also – Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G test: an entry level that only half convinces
Thus, Xiaomi could strike fast and hard in 2021 and completely shake up its habits. The Mi 11 range should therefore arrive only three months after the Mi 10 T. It would not be the only manufacturer in this case, the coronavirus crisis having completely turned down the cards at this level.
Samsung is also in ambush
Samsung could also get ahead with his Galaxy S21, or S30. While the Korean manufacturer generally relies on a presentation in February, or even March, for its flagships, this time it should take the bull by the horns and unveil its range in January. A way to start 2021 very quickly after a year 2020 marked by sales at half mast, for the causes that we know. OnePlus could also draw faster than its shadow with its OnePlus 9. The successor to the OnePlus 8 should be presented to it in March, against the month of April usually.
At the moment, there are no leaked features for the Xiaomi Mi 11, but we could bet on the presence a Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 processor. Response very soon.


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Pangolin scales, African elephant tusks, bones, and animal skulls were among the many items found in a container seized by Malaysian authorities. On July 18 the Royal Malaysian Customs Department said that they discovered the contraband after checks on a ship coming from Africa on July 10. The entire container of contraband was estimated to be worth around $18 million (or 80 million ringgits).
Illegal exports like these are often hidden in containers holding other items. This time they were tucked behind sawn timber. The seized items include: 55 pounds of rhino horns, 220 pounds of pangolin scales, 661 pounds of animal skulls, horns, and bones, and 13,227 pounds of elephant tusks. The rhino horns, pangolin scales, and ivory tusks are believed to have medicinal properties.
International trade of pangolins, which some experts say are the most trafficked mammal, has been banned since 2017, but the illegal trade still continues. There are eight species of pangolin, and exact population numbers are unknown, but the population seems to be in decline according to the World Wildlife Crime Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Estimates of the amount of pangolins that have been illegally traded is also difficult to calculate because of things like weight of pangolin scales varying between the species to incomplete seizure records.
International ivory trade has also been banned since 1989 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. A majority of tusk seizures have been made due to constant investigations, risk-assessments, and tip-offs. This process may be why Malaysia also happens to be one of the top three countries in the world that leads in ivory seizures.
Investigations will continue, the Royal Malaysians Customs Department said in a statement to AP News, and will look at the importer and the shipping agent, but did not provide further details. It is unclear if the contraband was also meant to be shipped to other parts of Asia.


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Designers and artists will be able to create 3D computer models
using their bare hands thanks to a new design tool
Current 3D modeling techniques obviously require the use of 2D
interfaces, like graphic tablets, mouse, and keyboards.
The new technology from Purdue University in Indiana, US,
however, uses a Microsoft Kinect to record hand gestures,
which are then algorithmically interpreted, allowing for the direct
manipulation of digital 3D shapes. Continue reading


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Posted on Dec. 2020 at 12:01
A good year. For the wealthiest, the results for the year are largely positive, supported by the euphoria of the financial markets. The wealth of billionaires is up 14% on average in Europe, 25% in North America and nearly 50% in Asia, according to data compiled by the Bloomberg agency. French billionaires have nothing to complain about, with an average increase of nearly 20% of their wealth in 2020.
An aberration ? As entire swathes of the global economy are threatened by business restrictions to fight the pandemic, billionaires continue to outnumber, and the amounts so high that they are becoming difficult to capture. The palm goes to Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla: his fortune has jumped 130 billion dollars in 2020, propelling him to second place in the world. The South African-born entrepreneur has benefited fully from Tesla’s surge of more than 700% this year, thanks to his approximately 20% stake in the manufacturer and compensation paid in shares.


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In a new video recorded at the Tesla Design Center in Hawthorne, California, Tesla Glass Director Mike Pilliod explains how Tesla has made its vehicle glass tougher, quieter, and safer from ultraviolet exposure.
Mike demonstrated the acoustic insulation performance by sliding up his Model Y glass, the noise from outside suddenly dropped to almost zero. He also shared two design sketches of the Tesla Model Y (interior and exterior) that introduced the concept of the full glass roof from the front to the rear of the vehicle.
Turning this concept into reality took a large amount of R&D effort at the Tesla Glass Technologies Center, “We spent a ton of time making sure that each glass position is the right curvature, is the right size and shape in order to give that seamless approach,” Mike explained.
Laminated Double-Glass Side Windows
Since Tesla, Inc. practices constant improvement and innovation across the company, the Silicon Valley-based automaker improved its glass technology over the years. The new laminated double-glass side windows are now implemented in the entire lineup of vehicles. Tesla Model 3 received this upgrade with the 2021 Model 3 refresh.
Tesla has placed an acoustic dampening layer between the side window glass outer and inner layers that reduce road and wind noise during drive. Even when the vehicle is stationary, the outer sound pollution is minimized by this new technology.
Owners of older Tesla vehicles had complaints about the noisy cabin, especially the Model 3. But with this new technology, Tesla has taken care of this complaint. In addition to this, the 2021 Tesla Model S also has Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) to make the vehicle cabin feel even quieter.
UV Radiation Protection
The expansive glass roof is the specialty of all Tesla vehicles, to protect the occupants from heat and UV radiation of the sunlight, Tesla has implemented multiple layers of films in the glass.
Antonio, a glass specialist at Tesla explains in this video (below), that a 2% tint film is combined with other different types of films that reflect solar radiation. A PVB (Polyvinyl Butyral) film combines all of these layers to increase the toughness and flexibility of the roof glass implementations in other areas of a Tesla vehicle.
A Tesla roof absorbs 99% of UV radiation itself. This makes the cabin amazingly safe even though the occupants have a large open experience inside the vehicle.
Tesla claims that the glass roof in its vehicles can withstand 4x the weight of the car. This has been practically demonstrated in several Tesla crashes we have seen over the years. Like a Tesla Model 3 rollover accident in China last year, the glass roof stayed intact despite the vehicle rolled multiple times.
Before putting the cars into production, Tesla extensively tests the toughness and safety of its proprietary glass with rollover and roof crush testing. After these tests, Tesla puts the glass through thermal tests, Mike further explains in this video.
Glimpse of the Giant Cybertruck Windshield Glass
Tesla also showed the giant Cybertruck windshield glass in this video for a few seconds. This must be one of the spare windscreens for the prototype Cybertruck that is under the use of Elon Musk usually.


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Customization will eventually be available to all Xbox One controllers, not just the Xbox One Elite controller coming next month.
In response to a question on Twitter, Microsoft's director of program management, Mike Ybarra, promised a rollout to controllers "soon."
As PCMag's sister site IGN speculated, we'll likely see the upgrade when the Elite controller arrives next month. It's welcome news for those who want to be able to remap their controls without paying $150 for the new controller.
We first saw the controller at E3, and Redmond then unveiled the Elite Bundle in August, which includes a matte-finish console with a 1TB Solid State Hybrid Drive and the controller. Built for competitive gamers using Xbox One and Windows 10, the sleek device comes with customizable features and functions, like interchangeable paddles and hair-trigger locks.
The $499 package will be available worldwide next month. U.S. customers can pick up the bundle exclusively at GameStop and Microsoft Stores starting Nov. 3; pre-order online now. The standalone wireless controller hits shelves on Oct. 27.
Gamers can also look forward to Redmond's "biggest update yet" for Xbox One. The November upgrade promises "a completely re-imagined Xbox One [which] bring the fastest and most social Xbox experience ever."
Ahead of the switch to a Windows 10-based UI and added backward compatibility for Xbox 360 games, the company last month upped its Party Chat limit, boosting it from eight people to 12. It also launched several new features in the New Xbox One Experience Preview.
Not all features will hit the next-gen console immediately, though: Microsoft recently announced that its digital assistant Cortana will not launch on the Xbox One until 2016.
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Cape Town Commercial Property Trends 2014
Property specialists early this year observed strong new interest in commercial property investment within the Greater Cape Town area. The current year has been marked by the completion of prominent new developments in the Cape Town CBD, V&A Waterfront, Century City, and Tygervalley. The case for the past few months, however, has been a shortage of stock in high-demand areas such as Marconi Beam, Montague or Killarney Gardens and Paarden Eiland for industrial space; and Century City, Milnerton, the CBD and Claremont for office space. The lease for industrial space now ranges from R38 to R65 per m2; while office space is renting from R70 per m2, topping at R180 in high-demand areas. Within Greater Cape Town, rent is currently increasing at 6-8% per annum.
Century City has proven to be an attractive location. Key attractions comprise the locale’s high-speed internet network; a clean office environment; convenient transport; access to a range of facilities; and excellent security. Another commercial property hotspot, the CBD this year has seen a series of corporate headquarters relocate from older premises to new developments. The 2012 State of Cape Town Central City (SCTCCA) Report provides valuable insights on the advantages of being based in the district.
- 88% of businesses indicated MyCiTi bus transport makes the CBD more accessible
- 93% say they are likely to remain in the CBD
- 83% view Cape Town CBD as the safest central city in the country
- 34% of CBD-based businesses are likely to expand their operations in the near future
- 77.1% of pedestrians use public transport to come into the city
- The CBD offers over 4600 beds in 57 hotels, 8 of which are five-star
Investors and prospective office space occupants can also capitalise on the City of Cape Town’s plans to rezone the area around the Greenpoint Stadium for commercial activities. The stadium itself has been estimated to have about 20 000 m2 of business space available for office, letting, retail, and mixed-use purposes.
Stay tuned for part 2 next week.


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Photo: David Paul Morris, Bloomberg
Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer and founder of Facebook Inc., demonstrates an Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) headset and Oculus Touch controllers as the gives a demonstration during the Oculus Connect 3 event in San Jose, California, U.S., on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. Facebook Inc. is working on a new virtual reality product that is more advanced than its Samsung Gear VR, but doesn't require connection to a personal computer, like the Oculus Rift does. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
After decades of false promises, last week marked a moment when virtual reality began to set in.


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Elon Musk's change of course on bitcoin is a threat to Tesla stock, Wedbush says
- Dan Ives of
Wedbushsaid Tesla's reversal on accepting bitcoinwas a "shocker, and that it could increase volatility for Tesla.
- The move will have a short-term negative impact on bitcoin and the crypto landscape as well, he said.
- Ives has an outperform rating on electric vehicle maker.
"For Tesla and the stock, not accepting bitcoin does not change the thesis or growth trajectory for the EV story, however, it does add to the noise and volatility around the name at a time in which risk assets are under enormous selling pressure on the Street with Tesla leading the charge," Ives wrote.
Musk's Twitter announcement saying Tesla has suspended vehicle purchases using bitcoin just came three months after the company invested billions in the cryptocurrency and accept it as payment for its electric cars.
Following news of
Ives said the move was a "shocker", and added that this could increase volatility for Tesla.
"Musk is now concerned about the use of fossil fuels in bitcoin mining and transactions, yet the nature of bitcoin mining has not changed in the last three months, which speaks to why backtracking on the crypto transaction three months later is a very surprising and confusing move to both Tesla and crypto investors," Ives said in a note Thursday.
In February, the electric vehicle maker announced that it invested $1.5 billion in bitcoin, sending the price of the cryptocurrency higher by 16%.
And as bitcoin rallied early in the year, Ives in February estimated that Tesla may have racked up paper profits worth $1 billion thanks to its investment.
Tesla's move was viewed by many as among the major catalysts for bitcoin's rally this year, and other corporations and financial institutions followed suit.
But for Ives, who has an outperform rating on Tesla, Musk's major reversal on Tuesday night may also serve as a catalyst.
"[The move] will have a short-term negative impact on bitcoin and the crypto landscape as the market digests this confusing news from one of its biggest supporters, Musk," Ives said in a note.
Musk clarified Tesla will not sell its bitcoin holdings, and instead, will use the digital currency for transactions as soon as "mining transitions to more sustainable energy."
- I'm a 56-year-old IT worker who got laid off last year and have been unemployed ever since. I have a hunch I'm not finding work due to ageism. How do I prove it?
- Germany relaxes Schengen visa rules for Indians
- Kanye West says he's selling Balenciaga, Adidas, and Gap hoodies for $20 after the companies all cut ties with him
- Government invites suggestions for union budget 2023-24
- India needs 1,000+ pilots annually, but training infra in short supply
- WhatsApp rolls out contact cards sharing on Windows beta
- FIFA WC: Lionel Messi doing well, says Argentina manager Scaloni amid injury concerns
- ADB, Wabag sign USD 25 mn debt facility for sanitation, water security in India


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And what do all these social media premieres mean for the humble Christmas ad?
Well, this year looks set to be the year that the Christmas adverts of our leading UK retailers get their ‘Super Bowl moment’.
No, nobody is accidentally revealing more than they planned. However, anyone who’s picked up a newspaper in the past week can’t help but notice that this year the ads themselves are making the news.
This is not something that is completely new to the UK. John Lewis realised the potential social media could have for a campaign long before its adored Snowman traipsed up hill and down dale to pick up a Christmas scarf for his missus.
In spring 2010, the retailer’s ‘Woman In A Red Dress’ walked through life to Fyfe Dangerfield’s version of ‘She’s Always A Woman To Me’ and the newspapers simply fell over themselves to write about the million views the ad achieved after first appearing on YouTube.
But what’s interesting about this year’s campaigns is the degree to which social media are being strategically used from the very outset to create a wider PR story about the television campaign.
A case in point is John Lewis’ latest offering, ‘Bear and Hare’. Not content with taking out the exclusive ad break of Saturday’s The X Factor for the television premiere (signed off by ‘X Factor supremo’ himself, Simon Cowell), the retailer was trailing the ad to its fans on social media long before Saturday’s warbling began.
It even went as far as to set up a Twitter feed for the advert’s creature characters, Bear and Hare (@JL_BearAndHare if you care to follow).
Within just four days of the ad’s online release, this separate feed has attracted more than 3,000 followers and the tag #bearandhare has generated 11,347 mentions to date.
Engagement figures from this preview have been used very effectively by John Lewis’ PR team (along with the eye-watering figures for the total cost of spend of the campaign) to create news about the scale of its Christmas ad campaign, which national press have been all too happy to amplify.
Other big retailers including M&S, Littlewoods and Debenhams have all cottoned on to the John Lewis template and have been building buzz with varying levels of success about their own Christmas campaigns, using Facebook and Twitter to launch teasers and previews.
However, none of these has generated the anticipation and online hype of John Lewis; M&S’ #magicandsparkle has been tweeted 1,455 times since its launch.
To continue the Super Bowl analogy, there is no doubt that the PR buzz generated by the social media engagement will have seen touchdown celebrations galore in the marketing departments of retailers up and down the country.
The results are indeed impressive: current views for John Lewis’ 2013 ad have already exceeded last year’s (3,663,279) and the number can only grow.
But despite the engagement and wall-to-wall coverage, we’re only just finishing the first quarter.
The question is how will these brands build on the success of this buzz and continue the momentum until the whistle blows, and what about the post-match warm down?
It’s too easy to be reductive and simply sing the praises of social’s effect on the buzz of these campaigns.
Bear and Hare may have been the stars of the half-time show and the media have willing shouted their praise from the stands, but what role will these two critters play in the lives of their Twitter followers in 2014?
Let’s hope they’re not confined to the bench once the season is over.
The question of longevity remains but ultimately what’s exciting here is how brands are using all aspects of their marketing arsenal to drive views.
The execution of a truly integrated PR campaign, where a genuine PR story powers buzz and excitement through print and online media about what is effectively just another ad launch, is surely what all marketing directors should have in mind when planning their Super Bowl line-up.
Tom Malcolm is head of consumer at Diffusion


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Odyssey offers 1st anchor alternative
Just two days after golf's ruling bodies proposed a ban on the anchored style of putting, the No. 1 putter company in golf announced it was launching a line of putters designed to work within the letter of what could be the new law.
"At Odyssey we were adamant about offering alternative solutions to golfers who might change their current technique based on the recent anchoring proposal," said Austie Rollinson, Principal Designer, Odyssey Golf. "We have more Tour players around the world playing and winning with Odyssey putters than any other company; we worked closely with many of them to dial in the new Arm Lock Putters to ensure they perform at the highest level."
A key element of the putter, which features a specially weighted 400-gram head, is a four-degree forward lean on the shaft angle. The idea is to put the hands and body in a position to make the putter an extension of the left arm.
The Arm Lock Putter ($190) is expected to be available at retail in January.


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Google (GOOGL) has brought a new type of ad that has been available on its other platforms to YouTube. The new Shopping ads will enable brands to promote their products in the YouTube home feed and search results by linking to brands’ shopping platform. Athletic apparel maker Puma is already on board for the Shopping ads.
Google expands YouTube monetization
YouTube has become one of those platforms consumers consult to discover products to purchase. Therefore, Google’s new Shopping ads should simplify product discovery for consumers, much like window shopping. For brands, Shopping ads could help them extend their digital reach, boosting sales.
From a business perspective, Shopping ads let Google expand YouTube’s monetization. And this move couldn’t come at a better time, for two major reasons.
YouTube Shopping ads arrive in time for the holiday shopping season
Google’s Shopping ads have arrived just in time for the holidays, when many people are shopping for gifts for loved ones. The ads are set to appeal to people shopping in the busy season and could help Google capture more holiday spending.
Google under pressure to defend its ad business
Google’s launch of Shopping ads could also be viewed as a defensive move. The company has been under pressure to defend its advertising turf amid a shift in consumer search behavior. Studies have shown consumers prefer marketplaces such as Amazon when it comes to searching for products to buy. We think Google’s Shopping ads could preserve some of its search ad market share.
Moreover, YouTube shopping ads come just as Comcast (CMCSA) is moving into a space long dominated by Google and Facebook. Comcast now lets brands deliver targeted ads on television. Google’s Shopping ads could help Google counter Comcast’s challenge and protect its advertising business.


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Newspapers have been reporting mid-year statistics from Pollstar that show the grosses on the Top 50 tours worldwide hit a cumulative $1.65 billion, up 11.2 percent over this time in 2010. But turn to the front page of those same newspapers, and the economic news is quite different.
The Federal Reser ve trimmed back its expectations for 2011 economic growth from the 3.3 percent predicted in April to just 2.7 percent. Meanwhile, unemployment rose slightly in June, to 9.2 percent. These, in turn, are just some of the factors affecting the Consumer Confidence Index, which declined in May to 61.7 percent, and decreased again in June to 58.5. Says Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, which conducts the Index, “Given the combination of uneasiness about the economic outlook and future earnings, consumers are likely to continue weighing their spending decisions quite carefully.”
With the economy doing so poorly, the concert industry’s upswing is all the more surprising, but tours and events are generally doing good business this summer, which in turn means the live sound sector is busy as well on both the national and regional levels. Major tours are packing ’em in at the sheds and arenas, while regional audio providers have been busy servicing local concert series and providing racks and stacks to an increasing number of national tours.
“People say that consumer expectations are down, but two and two aren’t adding up to four,” commented Jack Boessneck, executive vice president, Eighth Day Sound (Highland Heights, OH). With his company’s tours this summer ranging from Lil Wayne to Widespread Panic to Arcade Fire to Rihanna, he confirmed, “People are going to shows, and no tours have fallen off the road. Everybody’s out there, and they’re working—maybe not long periods of time except for a few— but everybody went out. When I read that consumer expectations are down, I wonder if they interviewed the wrong 300 consumers.”
To be fair, the jump up in concert grosses this year is based on a number of factors, such as the fact that the average ticket price has gone up a shocking $10.23 (13.6 percent) to $84.92—this after the disastrous summer of 2010, which found promoters holding fire sales for such dependable mainstays as The Eagles and American Idol. Another factor affecting grosses has been an industrywide reassessment of how much production to carry on the road.
“We’re getting lots of calls to subhire gear, which means to me that all the mid-level sound players are working, too,” said Boessneck. “Last year, many tours carried control and rented local stacks and racks, so all the mid- and lower-level sound companies were able to make a hell of a lot of money doing that.”
Don Lanier, head of Godfrey, ILbased Pearl Pro Audio, confirmed that regional providers are seeing a solid season. “Our phone’s been ringing and we’ve gotten several new customers either because someone’s moved up or closed shop,” he reported. “Our season’s off to a roaring start with both events and festivals, but also installs are coming on strong. We’ve actually invested in new gear and are considering hiring two people for sales, but we also have steady repeat business and a good reputation in the install market; that really helps us [in comparison to] other companies that may not be as diversified.”
While the economic climate and the concert industry’s current success might seem to be at odds with each other, the two may well cross paths by the second half of the summer, since the success of the early summer season was comprised of tours that had ticket on-sale dates in early spring, back when consumer optimism was considerably higher.
“I think there was optimism in the market at first,” opined Lanier. “It may be cooling though, as these budget talks reach a pivotal point. We need the government to get the price of fuel lower, and to give the American consumer some relief and reason to go spend discretionary money in our markets.”
Despite—or perhaps because of— the economy, festivals are becoming an increasingly important part of the live sound landscape, creating destination events that allow music fans to see numerous acts for a relatively low overall price. While new festivals have been popping up over the last few years, 2011 sees the debut of Kanrocksas (Kansas City, KS); Red Sky (Omaha, NE); Electric Forest (Rothbury, MI); Heavy T.O. (Toronto, Canada); and two indie rock fests in the toney Hamptons outside New York City—Escape to New York, and one week later, Music To Know (MTK).
While music is the heart of any festival, MTK founder Chris Jones sees his production as more of a curated event: “It’s gone away from people going out, listening to music and drinking lots of beer in a field; now there’s something for all your senses.” While the festival will serve up the likes of Vampire Weekend, Bright Eyes and Ellie Goulding, MTK will also present extensive fashion, lifestyle and food elements when it takes place August 13-14. Nonetheless, it’s still keyed primarily towards the music consumer. “We’re in the Hamptons where things are expensive and people go to fundraisers where they don’t think twice about dropping several hundred dollars,” admitted Jones, “but [MTK is] at a price point that allows everyone to enjoy it—we’re about 10 bucks a band over the course of two days, which is a great value. For many people on Long Island, they’ve never had the opportunity to experience something like this, so hopefully it’s a long-lasting memory, an enjoyable day out and they will hopefully become our customers for many years to come.”


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The Gear S smartwatch is incredibly popular, and serves as a viable alternative to devices like the Apple Watch that don’t interface well with Android devices. The smartwatch market continues to be dominated by Apple, but a recent Samsung Gear S4 rumor suggests that we could see something spectacular from the upcoming device.
We’ll preface the article by suggesting that you don’t get prepared for a dramatic departure from what we’ve already seen from the company. Samsung has proven with their devices that if they arrive at a formula that works that they’ll continue to do what has given them success in the past. While this is a good thing for fans of the devices, it can also backfire – as evidenced by the lukewarm sales of the recent Galaxy S9. With that said, the Samsung Gear S4 rumor points to the device being quite similar to its predecessors – but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an improvement.
As far as design goes, we expect that the watch will continue to use the premium materials we’ve come to expect from the manufacturer. The Samsung Gear S4 rumor points to stainless steel, aluminum and Gorilla Glass 5 making up the physical construction of the phone itself. The screen should also use OLED technology, just as we saw with the previous options. All signs support a relatively standard experience, but many are hoping that the company takes steps to offer a more premium model to match Apple’s Watch Edition. Whether we see something similar from the company remains to be seen, but the existing Samsung Gear S4 rumor suggests only that we’ll see a similar metal design. We also expect that the signature rotating bezel will be prominently featured on the device, as Samsung has made that a staple of the Gear line.
Additionally, the Samsung Gear S4 rumor suggests we might see a pretty unique decision from the company in a sub-display placed under the translucent bezel that will allow their users to access different menus on each rotation. This is all according to a recent patent filed by the company, of course. There’s always a possibility that these features won’t make it to the upcoming device, so take this Samsung Gear S4 rumor with a grain of salt.
Just like with the previous device, we should see water resistance that is IP68-rated and it should function in up to a meter of water for as long as 30 minutes. This isn’t complete waterproofing and may rule out a long swim, but it’s certainly a start and will save the device from any accidental drops in a puddle or the sink.
As far as the technology powering the phone, we should see a new chipset, which is to be expected. With advancements in research, we should see something that is a significant upgrade over the already-impressive Exynos 7270 we saw on the Gear S3. Once the watch is announced, we should see more information to confirm whether or not this Samsung Gear S4 rumor is true.
It’s anticipated that the Samsung Gear S4 will be announced in August, and will retail for under $400 – possibly around the $350 price point, which would make it a direct competitor to the latest generation of Apple Watch.


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Hulu Plus will be available on Nintendo 3DS and Wii before the end of 2011, the gaming company announced on Friday.
With the addition, users will be able to stream TV and movies from the subscription service, but they will have to pay $7.99 per month to be a member.
Also read: Why Hulu Got Yanked Off the Auction Block
Nintendo 3DS, a portable game console, will now also offer 3D video recording.
As VentureBeat points out, Wii has been an important platform for Hulu's chief rival Netflix. Hulu has lagged behind Netflix and other services in making its content available on mobile devices and gaming counsels.
Hulu was on the blocks for months, but its owners (News Corp., Comcast, Disney, but Providence Equity) abandoned those plans last week. Now it's on with trying to unseat Netflix from its throne or, at the very least, attempting to cut into its sizable market share.


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This article is re-published with kind permission of “www.airlinetrends.com”.
At airlinetrends.com we continuously monitor the global aviation industry for product and service innovations launched by airlines in response to cultural, technological, and economic changes that influence airline customers’ needs and expectations.
The top product and service innovations we have selected to be among the most innovative concepts that have been launched this year reflect how airlines are becoming more creative in the design of new products and services as more airlines are embracing hospitality, design and technology as ways to differentiate the passenger experience.
Many of the examples on our list contain a major digital component, as the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets, the option to be connected anywhere and anytime, and the self-service mindset of connected travellers, has created a huge momentum for airlines to come up with innovative products and services.
The Airlinetrends.com Top 10 Innovations for 2015
1. Netflix and Amazon inflight streaming deals are further proof of an IFEC revolution
By enabling passengers to stream content from Netflix and Amazon Prime onboard respectively Virgin America and JetBlue, satellite company ViaSat is also putting pressure on the current IFE content supply chain.
ViaSat’s Don Buchman explained: “There was evolution happening and now it’s revolution. It’s similar to how the iPhone changed the mobile market. Amazon and Netflix are not traditional IFE players, but things are changing.”
2. Ryanair wants to become the ‘Amazon of travel’
Ryanair said it wants to become the ‘Amazon for travel’, with its new website to leverage personal data to offer customers hotel bookings and TripAdvisor-style reviews.
Says Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, “We now have an opportunity with the new website to build Ryanair.com not just as the airline’s website but as a kind of Amazon for travel in Europe.”
3. KLM’s Happy Flow shows the future of the airport passenger process
KLM’s ‘Happy Flow’ aims to revolutionize the airport process and uses facial recognition technology as the basis of a single passenger token, removing the need for passengers to present their passport and boarding pass at multiple stages of the airport journey.
4. Finnair’s new A350 features a host of innovative passenger experience elements
Finnair has been the first European airline to take delivery of the A350 and has come up with a series of innovative features, such as a ‘Space Alive’ mood lighting concept, a ladies-only lavatory and free wifi in Business, duty free pre-ordering via the inflight portal and an IFE-based visual ‘flight stages’ timeline.
5. Brazilian ‘value carrier’ Azul goes long-haul with full-flat Business beds, SkySofas, walk-up bar and IFE-based ordering
Brazil’s Azul, which can be regarded as the Brazilian equivalent of JetBlue, recently launched its new A330 cabin, which includes a fully fledged Business Class cabin, Sky Sofas in Economy, a walk-up bar, and the option to order F&B via the in-seat IFE system.
6. TUI lets passengers order F&B and duty free inflight via their own devices
Netherlands-based leisure carrier Arke (part of the TUI Group) has launched a trial in which passengers can use their own devices to order beverages, snacks and duty free items.
Cabin crew receive the orders made by passengers on their tablet devices.
7. Transavia lets passengers download IFE content to their own devices pre-flight
Transavia allows passengers to download movies and TV programmes to their own electronic devices before their flight. As soon as the passenger boards the aircraft, the pre-downloaded content is activated and it is then automatically deleted at the end of the journey.
8. Pre-ordering of food and beverages is getting more popular with airlines and airports
In today’s always-on, on-demand economy the notion of pre-ordering food and beverages has evolved from a rather dull thing to do towards a smart move that is about convenience and getting the things you way you want.
Examples from forward-looking airlines and airport F&B outlets.
China Eastern has launched an airline-specific version of Microsoft’s ‘XiaoIce’ – an intelligent personal assistant – which on Wi-Fi equipped aircraft allows passengers to socialize with other passengers, contact the crew (who are equipped with tablets) and send post-arrival pick-up reminders to people on the ground.
10. Air New Zealand lounge guests can order their favourite coffee via their smartphone
Taking a cue from Starbuck’s, Air New Zealand now lets flyers order barista-made coffee via its smartphone app the minute they walk into one of the airline’s Koru Clubs around New Zealand.