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Design Collective was excited to attend the 20th annual Chix with Stix last week, this all-ladies golf outing is for the Columbus Architectural and Design community and benefits The Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at The Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. Thanks to our team sponsor Trevor Cooke and the support of all of our sponsors, we have donated over $450,000 to the James in just 19 years!
Each year all the teams dress up in pink to support the cause and our DCI team played homage to Where’s Waldo? and decided it was time for Where’s Wanda?
Many thanks to Cambria for hosting one of our DCI Designers, and others from Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. The group toured Cambria's showroom galleries, manufacturing facilities, and their fab lab in Minneapolis. It was an incredible, immersive experience where we learned the history and process of what all goes into making such a beautiful and resilient, luxury product.
Check out highlights from our trip below:
Steelcase hosted the Design Collective team up in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the day. We covered a lot of ground and topics; seeing wood manufacturing first hand, a variety of product overviews (demountable partitions, furniture, fabrics/printing, etc.), a thought provoking lunch speaker, facility use tracking software and a first-hand look at an impeccable Frank Lloyd Wright house, the Meyer May House. Also, thanks to LOTH Inc. for accompanying us, and making sure our trip was fantastic!
Check out highlights from our trip below:
Live WELL - Work WELL - Design WELL
Congratulations to our very own, Debra Weaver, NCIDQ, for just receiving her WELL AP Certification. This places her among a group of leading professionals who are dedicated to supporting human health and well-being in the built environment. To learn more about the WELL initiative and how you can be more proactive in creating a more holistic office environment visit the following link(s):
By Teresa Gubbins from Dallas Culture Map 2.6.18 | 4:26 pm
Dallas-based upscale taqueria chain Velvet Taco is officially in expansion mode and one new neighborhood is the lucky beneficiary, with a location coming to the intersection of Preston Road and Forest Lane.
Construction will begin in March; the opening is penciled in for July.
The official address is 11700 Preston Rd., #600, on the southeast corner, in what was previously longtime tenant Fossee's Shoes, which closed in July 2017 after 31 years. Bye Fossee!
Velvet Taco president Clay Dover says that the branding elements at this new branch will be similar to the original store at Knox Henderson, but with some aspects that are entirely new. That includes a setup that facilitates orders of the "backdoor chicken" menu of rotisserie chicken with elote-style corn and tortillas.
"The store itself is 3400 square feet, but we are creating a spacious patio," he says. "In addition, we will have a pick-up window that can be accessed from dedicated parking for both the backdoor chicken and also to-go orders, which can be ordered ahead using our mobile app."
Velvet Taco first opened on Henderson Avenue in 2011. The chain's tacos explore multi-regional and multi-cultural boundaries, such as Indian-style tikka chicken, Mediterranean vegetarian falafel, Japanese ahi poke, and Cuban pork. There's brisket and flank steak and they do a fabulous "Nashville-style" hot tofu.
The chain does a weekly chef-driven taco feature, which has become kind of a Thing for customers, since it's not posted or announced ahead of time. This week's entry is the "return" of No. 16, which has a flour tortilla, cilantro rice, veggie mix with spinach, mushroom, and tomatoes, coconut curry shrimp, habanero pineapple relish, and Thai basil.
This will be the eighth location; other branches are in Fort Worth, Houston, Chicago, Austin, and Greenville Avenue in Dallas, which opened in 2017.
Today’s workplace is so much more than an environment in which to work. It’s a tool that can drive organizational change, improve performance and productivity, bolster employee engagement and attract, retain and motivate talent. It’s also a strategic asset that can communicate corporate mission, branding and cultural messaging.
Such a broad agenda makes the job of planning for tomorrow’s workplace that much more complex for designers who are charged with balancing business and real estate needs while creating solutions that align with corporate mission and deliver competitive advantage.
Recently Knoll hosted members of ONE Global Design, a consortium of owner-led interior design firms in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, to discuss some of the challenges they were experiencing, trends observed and current and future design needs of their corporate clients.
Leveraging the broad geographic diversity and deep expertise of the ONE Global Design network, our discussion goals were to better understand the changing nature of work, especially the global escalation of group-based work, shared-unassigned workspaces and how organizations are planning and allocating space and using furniture to support new ever-more casual workstyles.
Casual and Tech-Influenced are the New Normal
“Everyone wants to be cool,” was the general consensus about corporate clients today.
Aesthetics are strongly influenced by clients’ desire to model technology companies, an industry that many clients relate to. That identity, combined with a continued shift to groupbased workstyles and casual work environments, has given rise to a preference for a more hip design sensibility.
Even traditional legacy companies increasingly view themselves in a more modern context, and want their space to reflect that ambiance, even if they can’t quite articulate it. “We just did an insurance company that decided to call themselves a technology company. Everybody is a technology company now. They came to us and said, ‘We want an innovation center. We need a garage, a digital garage. What is that?’ They had no idea,” one designer recalled.
The Anti-Office Office
Today’s workplace is looking less and less like an office and more like a home or hotel, designers related.
Several reasons for the shift:
- The need to appeal to new and existing talent
- A more design-conscious employee base informed by consumer retailers like Target who “bring high design to the masses”
- A desire to not look like a traditional office
- Greater expectations for memorable experiences from clients and employees
- Fewer and smaller workstations, freeing up space for more and larger common areas
- A disappearing need for bulky bookshelves and file cabinets
Seeking a more informal aesthetic that encourages collaboration, and inspired by the hospitality industry, designers are bringing a more casual vibe to workspaces in numerous ways.
- Greater focus on amenities that elevate the basic musthaves – technology and coffee – to new levels of choice and access
- Incorporating a welcoming overlay, with bar-like settings and communal spaces for casual gatherings
- Bike parking and corresponding end-of-stay rooms with showers and changing areas.
The influence of the technology industry on office design cannot be underestimated, attendees noted. “Employers are lavishing amenities and providing a level of furnishings and services not only to visitors, but also to their staff.”
Trends and Challenges Affecting Workspace Design
Rapid and continuously evolving technology, new industry standards and tightened real estate priorities were identified as major challenges to creating effective and economical space solutions.
“We spend as much time programming and talking about the café and the pantries as everything else.”
An uncertain business climate requires a need for adaptation.
With markets in flux, rapidly expanding (or contracting) businesses, and workplaces in transformation, the need for flexibility and agility has never been greater. Designers shared solutions to respond to a client’s growing needs, such as testing new workplace changes prior to a wide rollout. “Bigger corporations with a large real estate mandate take a ‘chunk,’ rather than doing it across the board. They pilot it saying, ‘Let's try this out in 2% of my world and see how it takes off,” shared one designer.
Another strategy was an “incubated playground area” with inherently flexible furniture solutions that allow employees to shape their environment to match a particular need or posture. “The kit of parts is designed with flexibility so someone can take a component of the conventional workstation and turn it into what they need it to be,” another attendee explained, adding that following installation, clients frequently observe components being used in unintended ways.
Others expressed that in an uncertain climate, the flexibility afforded by freestanding furniture provided the most prudent and conservative survival strategy. “Unlike structural improvements, furniture is the one element clients can take with them when they move.”
Corporations are adopting coworking models.
Coworking is growing up, the designers concurred. Companies in search of innovation and employee engagement are rapidly adopting workplace designs inspired by coworking’s collaboration and community.
Models vary as well. In some cases, a company takes up residence in an existing coworking space such as IBM has done at WeWork. Other times, companies create their own coworking spaces as part of a new real estate strategy, as Verizon has done in an effort to monetize its dormant building spaces. Hybrids might incorporate an incubator, accelerator, university or other partnership.
No matter what the model, coworking success is contingent on community-building, one designer reminded the group, underscoring the need for spaces that support collaboration and event programming.
Industry standards present challenges and complexity.
Designers were in general agreement about how to address challenges with industry-wide standards, whether it was the long-established LEED for sustainability issues, or the more recent WELL building standard aimed at creating healthful environments.
“WELL needs to be part of culture,” particularly in light of the cost to do so. Compliance is typically more expensive per square foot than LEED, the group noted.
Expense and complexity have led to a change of mindset for LEED standards. “It’s become more about intent (or “LEEDlite”) than compliance,” as one participant suggested.
The cultural components must be addressed.
No amount of groundbreaking design can solve the less tangible challenges an organization experiences.
“Solutions must fit the culture,” one designer emphasized, as he shared an example of a project where open lounge seating was installed outside directors’ offices. It sat unused for its intended purpose, since company mores dictated that area off-limits to all but directors. “There’s often a disconnect with what the C-suite wants and what they think they want,” another participant pointed out. Frequently influenced by peers and industry news, “the C-suite is often too quick to jump on trends that don’t fit the organizational culture.”
The group agreed that one of the most important components of successful change management was modeling adaptation to the new workspace. “The C-suite’s job is to set an example and drive the behavior,” another designer added. If top executives don’t model the behavior, of say, working in an open office environment, the project “will be a waste of money.”
“Unlike structural improvements, furniture is the one element clients can take with them when they move.”
The New Math of Free-Address Environments
Getting the numbers right in designing a free-address environment is not a perfect science, designers concurred. Rather, it’s akin to the software 2.0 model, which focuses on getting to market first and making adjustments later.
In the case of workplace design, that often means doing a pilot study, then refining the design before rolling it out company-wide. Continual monitoring and tweaking elements to make sure they are working optimally should follow installation.
Determining the ratios right can be tricky business.
Free-address ratios are shifting from about 1:1 to 1:2 or 1:4, reflecting an increasingly smaller workplace footprint and decreased need for file storage. “It's getting to the point now where most of our clients don't even have ‘stuff,’ especially tech companies.”
Getting the size of rooms can resemble a Goldilocksstyle dilemma.
People tend to feel cramped or self-conscious in phone booths and single-occupancy rooms, while conference rooms for eight, twelve, fourteen, sixteen are considered huge space-wasters. “Because nine times out of ten there are two or three or four people in there.”
Spaces that can accommodate three or four people were optimal, since “everybody is much more inclined to use those spaces.” Building in flexibility via modular design and agile furniture is the best solution, since it allows an easy transition from one use to the next, such as small enclosed spaces that can be used as individual offices or meeting rooms, depending on demand.
Several key takeaways emerged from the afternoon to guide future success.
Know your customer. A thorough research phase to learn how your client works before you design the space is integral to project success. Equally important: make sure the customer knows what they want.
Test, revise, rollout, repeat. Start with a pilot area to make sure new strategies work for the client.
Conquer fear of change. One of the most effective strategies is to have clients learn from others’ success. Explore, visit, share knowledge.Use technology to optimize space. Cell-phone apps and sensors can track usage and availability of open workspaces, meeting rooms and locations for more accurate planning and optimal utilization.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the session was that there are no easy answers in workplace design today. Just questions. Some that were raised:
How to accommodate personal items in a free-address environment? Sure, people can look at their family photos on their phone or computer. But what about the latest artwork from their kindergartner? Or the treasured departmental award plaque?
Data drives decision-making. But at what price? Not everyone is comfortable being tracked by sensors that monitor their every move.
How to account for different reconfiguration needs? When cross-functional teams meet around a table, technology portability may not be an issue. On the other hand, some industries, such as gaming, necessitate that power, infrastructure and furniture be kept intact as the teams move around.
How do you address unassigned workspace issues? How can you best create a home-like environment in a deliberately anonymous setting? How do you accommodate large teams? What happens when people “camp out” in spaces beyond their reserved time? Where do people store their stuff? How do you provide individual space in an open environment?
How much more can the boundaries blur? Long-work days, remote workstyles and home-like offices blur work/life boundaries more than ever. Is it too much? What are the long-term effects?
Thank you to the ONE Global Design participants who shared their insights and ideas with Knoll:
FOX Architects, Washington, DC
Wolcott Architecture | Interiors, Los Angeles
SSDG Interiors, Vancouver
Partners by Design, Chicago
JPC Architects, Seattle
FOX Architects, Washington, DC
Design Republic, New York
Roy Enterprises, Los Angeles
FORGE, San Fransisco
Progressive AE, Grand Rapids
Progressive AE, Grand Rapids
Partners by Design, Chicago
Design Collective, Columbus
Design Republic, New York
SSDG Interiors, Vancouver
Acquilano Leslie, Denver
Design Collective, Columbus
JPC Architects, Seattle
SSDG Interiors, Vancouver
Acquilano Leslie, Denver
Visnick + Caufield, Boston
Visnick + Caufield, Boston
Wolcott Architecture | Interiors, Los Angeles
ZVA Group, Mexico City
By Tristan Navera – Reporter, Columbus Business First
The overhaul of Huntington Center is evolving, with plans now calling for a new lobby complete with "the largest greenwall in Ohio."
A host of design firms are helping with a multimillion-dollar refresh of the 37-story landmark tower downtown, with Houston-based owner Hines eager for a new look for the 33-year-old tower.
A fresh set of renovations were presented to the Downtown Commission Tuesday. The 907,010-square-foot building at 41 S. High St. is the ninth-most valuable commercial property in the area, valued at $91.3 million in 2015 according to the Franklin County Auditor.
Chicago-based design firm Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture Ltd. was brought aboard to oversee the renovations. The team also includes the Design Collective and MKSK as landscape and streetscape architect.
Gene McHugh, a principal at Design Collective, said designers have worked up plans over the years that include upgraded common areas, a renovated lobby, a business lounge, rooftop terrace and amenities for tenants on the 33rd floor.
"There's been a lot of advancement of the overall design impacting the overall project," McHugh said.
And then there are the "greenwalls" – a vertical artwork made of plants and grasses. A massive greenwall will line the two-story main lobby of the building.
Designers say these natural elements are beautiful to look at and help provide insulation and sound dampening. The planting will be predominantly grasses, shade and perennial plantings.
While the world is brown and gray outside in the winter, the lobby will remain green.
The building's outside will get some love, too, said Rick Espe, a principal with MKSK.
One of the front planters facing Capitol Square will be removed and ballards added to give it less of a busy look. Some of the initial plans for the outside of the building have changed as engineers now see there is a concrete roof deck just below the sidewalk that supports leased underground space.
"The big picture for the streetscape was to open the sight line to the capital," Espe said. "There's a lot of clutter in the front of the building and we want to clean it up."
Atop the building, a 10-foot wind screen will be installed along the rooftop patio.
Other upgrades completed or planned there include a lounge, bike storage area, and a co-working space.
Like other downtown properties, it has had to contend with a market that seems to favor new, suburban office buildings.
By DAN EATON of Columbus Business First
The Dublin-based restaurant chain expects to open its first barbecue joints in Atlanta and Chicago by the end of the year and between leases and letters-of-intent, it could have a pair in Atlanta and as many as five in and around Chicago by the end of 2018.
Just don’t go looking downtown.
“We’re not looking at Atlanta as Atlanta,” founder and CEO Rick Malir told me. “We look at it as Decatur, as Alpharetta. We want cities with good suburbs and communities.”
The only two locations he would specifically confirm were the Chicago suburbs of Downers Grove and Orland Park.
Though the growth is being fueled by a private equity investment from Los Angeles-based Freeman Spogli & Co., Malir said the new units thus far all have been in markets previously picked out by City Barbeque. The company has 36 restaurants today in four states, up from 28 when the investment was announced last summer.
Atlanta and Chicago will be the first new markets for the business since it went into North Carolina in 2013. That state, noted for its love of barbecue, is now home to eight City Barbeques with more on the way.
I asked Malir if success there gave him the confidence that the brand would translate elsewhere since barbecue can be a territorial taste.
“I’d love to tell you that I’m a genius,” he said. “The reality is Fresh Market (grocery store) sold our sauce and I was down in Greensboro and they told me I should open down there, that there wasn’t anything like us. So we went off some research, a little bit of gut. This wasn’t some grand test. I just thought it would work.”
With three dozen joints now though, Malir said they’re confident in where to look – suburbs with good demographics and traffic.
“We want our GMs to be metaphorical mayors of their towns,” he said. “We want to be a place that people can count on to help with the softball team or the local fire department.”
The chain was named to Restaurant Business’ Future 50 list this year with annual sales of almost $40 million, double digit sales growth and an average unit volume of $1.4 million, according to data from industry researcher Technomic Inc. It has come a long way from Malir’s days of smoking meats in his garage to converting an old donut shop at 2111 W. Henderson Road into his first restaurant back in 1999.
“This started with the intent of opening a great barbecue joint in Columbus,” he said. “That’s it.”
Now he’s in charge of a company with more than 1,200 employees.
Malir declined to share any other new markets at this time, but did say it would continue to grow in existing markets.
“We didn’t do this to stop it now,” he said.
From Business First Columbus
Aug 2, 2017, 10:55am EDT
Rendering of a BrewDog stand that will be featured in Nationwide Arena.
The Columbus Blue Jackets’ newest acquisition is more craft beer.
The team Wednesday announced a multi-year partnership with Canal Winchester-based BrewDog USA Inc., which will put the Scottish brewery’s craft brews on tap at two mobile stations within Nationwide Arena during hockey games and special events at the facility.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
It’s the first U.S. sports partnership for the company, which runs a 100,000-square-foot brewery in the Franklin County suburb in addition to a 10,000-square-foot brewpub, which is one of almost 50 bars it has worldwide.
“The people of Columbus are huge fans of their team and now we’ve been live in Ohio for a few months, we can really see why,” Co-founder James Watt said in a release. “The arena has incredible atmosphere and energy and the BrewDog bars will add to that with amazing craft beer to enjoy during the games.”
As part of the deal, BrewDog will host two Blue Jackets fan events at its DogTap restaurant alongside the Capital Area Humane Society, which will have its Mobile Adoption & Rescue Vehicle on site.
The puck drops on the Blue Jackets season Friday Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. against the New York Islanders.
Columbus Business First
Jul 25, 2017, 1:29pm EDT
Dan Eaton Staff reporter Columbus Business First
Grove City will get the next local Piada, but that’s far from the only new Piada.
The Columbus-based fast-casual restaurant is opening its first new Central Ohio site in years, but that Grove City space isn’t coming online until next year.
Piada has eight more restaurants opening in the next six months.
The growing brand is plenty busy in the meantime. Grove City is the eighth coming-soon location in the pipeline. Between August and November, the company expects to open seven new restaurants in four of its existing markets — one each in Houston, Dallas, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh and a trio in the Cleveland area (Akron, Parma and Chagrin Falls).
“For a company our size, that’s a really high clip,” Matt Eisenacher, vice president of marketing and brand development, told me. “We’re really focused on building out our core markets, building brand awareness, getting greater labor efficiency.”
Pittsburgh is the newest market for Piada, having opened its first restaurant there in the Oakland neighborhood in January with another opening in Northway in the coming months.
“That market has been above and beyond our expectations,” he said.
Piada maintains a low profile, though it still is drawing national attention. The company was singled out by trade publication Restaurant Business as one of its Future 50 fast-growing brands. Central Ohio-based Pies & Pints and City Barbeque also made that list.
Grove City will be the 44th restaurant for the chain, which was founded byrestaurateur Chris Doody in 2010. Fueled by a pair of private equity infusions from Greenwich, Connecticut-based Catterton Partners in 2013 and 2015, the chain has almost tripled in size since that initial investment.
The menu — built around the wrap-like piada and flanked with salad, pasta and its Tasca sandwiches — will go through another evolution this fall. Though the create-your-own model the company opened with still is an option, featured menu items now account for about 80 percent of sales, Eisenacher noted. There will be more options on that front, including some new creations.
“You’re going to see us start to do things outside these formats,” he said. “We want to bring some unexpected food and experiences to our customers.”
Eisenacher also said the company will test some operational tweaks at its Easton restaurant later this year meant to create more flexibility in the kitchen while not sacrificing any speed of service.
Design Collective is proud to announce the opening of Arbor Terrace at Morris Plains (New Jersey) - Designed in collaboration with our Philadelphia One Global Design partner - Meyer Design.
Check out the finished project below:
By JD Malone
The Columbus Dispatch
Posted Jun 27, 2017 at 2:30 PMUpdated Jun 27, 2017 at 3:18 PM
The new Cap City Fine Diner in Dublin’s Bridge Park has beautiful, dark wood tables, a handsome central bar with a white granite counter, big, soft globe lights and lots of booths with red upholstery.
There’s a bakery by the front door, a jukebox that plays customer selections over the restaurant’s speakers, and a mammoth dispenser filled with a rainbow of giant gumballs.
The third Cap City location — and owner Cameron Mitchell’s first return to the concept since closing an ill-conceived Cap City in Pittsburgh in 2002 — is something of a rebirth for the brand.
“We had a lot of fun designing it,” said David Miller, president of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. “It’s been 20 years in the making.”
The long lull between Cap City openings let the company take a new look at the concept and tweak a few things. Much of the look and feel could be repeated in the renovations planned for the Gahanna and original Grandview Heights area locations.
“We hadn’t done one in so long. This let us do Cap City 2.0.” Mitchell said. “It’s not quite as down and dirty (a) diner.”
Some things were too iconic to change, though. There are still the original chicken wings, and liver and onions on Wednesdays. And while the menu includes a lighter item or two, Cap City remains rooted in American comfort food or as Mitchell puts it, “it sure makes you feel damn good.”
“And the Seriously Big Chocolate Cake,” he said, “is still seriously big.”
The Dublin location opens July 11 in Bridge Park, a huge development along Riverside Drive in Dublin that features hundreds of apartments, a fitness center, other restaurants, offices and retail space.
The new development made a Dublin location for Cap City possible, as other locations he has scouted never worked out or were not available over the years, Mitchell said.
“We’ve wanted a Cap City in Dublin for about 15 years.”
As for additional Cap City locations, it is possible, yet unlikely.
Cap City, even after two decades, remains Mitchell’s busiest restaurant. It is also one of the hardest to pull off, he said.
“Everything is made from scratch,” he said. “It is a lot of work and attention to detail to run a Cap City.”
That makes Cap City less profitable than some other concepts in Mitchell’s wheelhouse. The brand also might not translate to other cities, because Columbus is the capital of Ohio.
“In Pittsburgh, no one understood what it was,” Mitchell said of the name. In Columbus that’s not an issue.
“It has an iconic reputation,” said Dennis Lombardi, principal of Insight Dynamics, a restaurant consultancy. “If you think about what makes a restaurant work — concept, location, consistency and you hit on all three, which Cap City does — you have a very successful restaurant.”
Dublin is a good fit for the brand, with its proximity to other northwestern suburbs, traffic density and more affluent population, thus a logical spot for any of Mitchell’s concepts, Lombardi said. In fact, there will be another Mitchell restaurant in the Bridge Park development — The Avenue.
Mitchell’s company, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, will have 29 locations after the new Cap City opens. Its sister outfit, Rusty Bucket, has 24. Mitchell now employs about 4,000 people.
Growth continues to be the company’s hallmark. Since opening the first restaurant — Cameron’s — in 1993, Mitchell has gone just one year without opening a restaurant. That was 2010. Even if there are no more Cap City locations, there will be more Cameron Mitchell concepts. The company will open three additional Ocean Prime locations in 2018 and two new concepts will open in the Short North as well.
Some companies stick to one concept, like Bob Evans Farms or Wendy’s. Then there is Mitchell, who fields a multitude of brands, including Marcella’s, the Pearl, Guild House, Hudson 29, M, Molly Woos. He admits it would be a lot easier and cheaper to stick to one or two concepts, but added that it wouldn’t be as much fun.
“We can’t not grow,” Mitchell said. “I love the action.
“I’ve said, my favorite restaurant is the next one.”
From Business First Columbus - Dan Eaton
BrewDog PLC is ready for its U.S. bar debut.
The Scottish craft brewer will open DogTap Columbus on Monday, but hosted shareholders and media members for a preview of its bar and restaurant Wednesday night.
It is the first U.S. pub for the company, which also is set to start brewing at its 100,000-square-foot brewery and U.S. headquarters in Canal Winchester. It is the 48th bar for BrewDog worldwide, which has taverns in 13 other countries.
The Central Ohio operation, however, has some special features. It joins the DogTap in Ellon, Scotland, as one of two bars attached to BrewDog breweries. At 10,000 square feet, it’s five times the size of the typical BrewDog bar.
It has 24 taps and will serve a mix of BrewDog brews and guest beers. The offering Wednesday night included BrewDog’s signature Punk IPA, Dead Pony Club pale ale, Elvis Juice IPA and Cocoa Psycho Russian imperial stout, all of which are being imported from the mother brewery for the time being.
Guest taps included Central Ohio offerings from Land-Grant Brewing Co., Rockmill Brewery and Seventh Son Brewing Co.
The Canal Winchester brewery will start with BrewDog’s four core beers and expand from there over time.
Brewer Gia Nigro said a five-barrel pilot system will be installed at some point and will make special and one-off beers that will be available only at DogTap. The taps will continue to be supplemented with some offerings from Scotland, too.
Food included standard bar fare like pizza, tacos and wings.
Dan Eaton covers retailing and restaurants for Columbus Business First.
Mannington Commercial, a leader in flooring for commercial interiors, has won a Best of NeoCon Silver award and a HiP Award for the Infused Collection, a sophisticated mosaic of coordinating graphic LVT patterns.
Van Gogh once said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” This quote was a touchstone throughout product development of the collection. Designed by ONE Global Design—a network of principal-led design firms in 18 cities across North America—the innovative collection is a modern interpretation of LVT consisting of five patterns: Bordado, Broad Street, Birds Eye, Hustle and Scratch That.
Guided by the concept that “more is more,” the colorful line is a love letter to Mexico City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta and New York. The five cities’ patterns are connected through line quality and shared colorways—a combination of brights and neutrals, infused with the bold and playful spirit of the vibrant cultures that inspired them.
The Infused Collection was created to be mixed and remixed, so that it matches the vision of any designer. Strong enough to stand alone, colors and designs also can be combined to make a bold statement for feature areas, or in tonal and sophisticated ways for quieter spaces. Each pattern is available in 9”x9” and 2.5”x36” formats, and is emboldened with a subtle luster, giving tiles a refined yet striking character that subtly shimmers and shifts as you move across the room.
With a 20-mil wear layer for affordability and durability, the collection is manufactured using patented Quantum Guard HP, an aluminum oxide topcoat cured by an ultraviolet process that enhances scratch and stain resistance, as well as slip-retardance. It is available with Mannington’s advanced underlayment technology, which meets or exceeds all IIC sound requirements. While applicable to any market segment, the Infused Collection is especially well-suited to retail, hospitality and corporate.
The Best of NeoCon® is sponsored by Contract magazine, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc., The International Interior Design Association (IIDA), The International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and The McMorrow Reports for Facilities Management.
Interior Design magazine’s HIP (Honoring Industry People) Awards recognize individuals in the design industry as well as product solutions. Winners are selected by popular vote online.
ONE Global Design is a network of principal-led design firms in 18 cities, from Vancouver to Mexico City, Atlanta to Los Angeles. Global reach, personal touch. oneglobaldesign.com
Wasserstrom Co. has acquired the site of its future headquarters, planning a multimillion-dollar investment in the 32-year-old Whitehall office building.
The restaurant products supplier closed on a $2.5 million purchase of the 50,572-square-foot building at 4500 E. Broad St., expecting to relocate by next summer from offices in the Brewery District, a shift of 225 workers that drew financial incentives from Whitehall. The value of the purchase wasn't disclosed in the summer when Wasserstrom made its relocation plans public.
Wasserstrom is moving its headquarters to this building on East Broad Street in Whitehall.
Financial coaching company Apprisen remains the building’s sole tenant through January, but Wasserstrom has begun planning for interior and exterior renovations.
“I’ve put in my mind (putting) $3 (million) to $4 million into the building, but not sure if it’s realistic. We have a list of needs and wants. ... I have to see how far my needs list is going to take us,” President Brad Wasserstrom told me. “We’re basically gutting the inside, or close to it.”
The skeleton of the building is a template by which Wasserstrom will customize its headquarters. Bathrooms won’t be relocated but will be equipped with new sinks, toilets and finishes, he said. Glass panels will replace drywall where possible.
Wasserstrom has hired Design Collective of Columbus, a frequent partner on restaurant projects, to help design the office space.
Brad Wasserstrom said, meanwhile, he has been selling his employees on the 11-mile move since plans were unveiled. And he has become a salesman for Whitehall.
“They are absolutely on a roll. We see a renaissance happening out there,” Wasserstrom said, pointing to projects by Continental Real Estate Cos., Heartland Bank and others. “I’m forwarding articles to my associates; it’s helping to soften (the impact).”
The company continues vetting proposals to redevelop its Brewery District headquarters at 477 S. Front St. It is handling that effort in-house.
Dan Sheeran and Mike Semon, both of NAI Ohio Equities, represented Wasserstrom in the Whitehall real estate purchase. The company’s president, Michael Simpson, represented Apprisen, which has not said where it is relocating.


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J. P. Morgan Chase is developing JPM Coin on a permissioned-variant of Ethereum blockchain dubbed "Quorum". It's designed to toe the line between private and public in the realm of shuffling derivatives and payments. The idea is to satisfy regulators who need seamless access to financial goings-on, while protecting the privacy of parties that don't wish to reveal their identities nor the details of their transactions to the general public.
This dramatic volatility attracted global attention with the mainstream media running near-daily reports on the price of Ether. The publicity generated has been a major boon for the ecosystem, attracting thousands of new developers and business ventures alike. In 2018 the amount raised through Ethereum-enabled ICOs reached almost $8bn, increasing from just $90m in 2016. While the price of Ethereum has faced extreme volatility over the years, it is this volatility which has driven interest. After every boom and bust cycle, Ethereum comes out the other side with a fundamentally stronger platform and a broader developer community backing it. These fundamental improvements would suggest a positive long-term outlook on the price of Ethereum.
^ The word bitcoin first occurred and was defined in the white paper that was published on 31 October 2008. It is a compound of the words bit and coin. There is no uniform convention for bitcoin capitalization. Some sources use Bitcoin, capitalized, to refer to the technology and network and bitcoin, lowercase, to refer to the unit of account. The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and the Oxford English Dictionary advocate use of lowercase bitcoin in all cases, a convention followed throughout this article.
Despite bringing a number of benefits, decentralized applications aren’t faultless. Because smart contract code is written by humans, smart contracts are only as good as the people who write them. Code bugs or oversights can lead to unintended adverse actions being taken. If a mistake in the code gets exploited, there is no efficient way in which an attack or exploitation can be stopped other than obtaining a network consensus and rewriting the underlying code. This goes against the essence of the blockchain which is meant to be immutable. Also, any action taken by a central party raises serious questions about the decentralized nature of an application.
While cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that are managed through advanced encryption techniques, many governments have taken a cautious approach toward them, fearing their lack of central control and the effects they could have on financial security. Regulators in several countries have warned against cryptocurrency and some have taken concrete regulatory measures to dissuade users. Additionally, many banks do not offer services for cryptocurrencies and can refuse to offer services to virtual-currency companies. Gareth Murphy, a senior central banking officer has stated "widespread use [of cryptocurrency] would also make it more difficult for statistical agencies to gather data on economic activity, which are used by governments to steer the economy". He cautioned that virtual currencies pose a new challenge to central banks' control over the important functions of monetary and exchange rate policy. While traditional financial products have strong consumer protections in place, there is no intermediary with the power to limit consumer losses if bitcoins are lost or stolen. One of the features cryptocurrency lacks in comparison to credit cards, for example, is consumer protection against fraud, such as chargebacks.
Lightweight clients consult full clients to send and receive transactions without requiring a local copy of the entire blockchain (see simplified payment verification – SPV). This makes lightweight clients much faster to set up and allows them to be used on low-power, low-bandwidth devices such as smartphones. When using a lightweight wallet, however, the user must trust the server to a certain degree, as it can report faulty values back to the user. Lightweight clients follow the longest blockchain and do not ensure it is valid, requiring trust in miners.
While it’s still early days, Mist, MetaMask and a variety of other browsers look set to make blockchain-based applications accessible to more people than ever before. Even people without a technical background can now potentially build blockchain apps. This is a revolutionary leap for blockchain technology that could bring decentralized applications into the mainstream.
Bitcoin (BTC) is a consensus network that enables a new payment system and a completely digital currency. Powered by its users, it is a peer to peer payment network that requires no central authority to operate. On October 31st, 2008, an individual or group of individuals operating under the pseudonym "Satoshi Nakamoto" published the Bitcoin Whitepaper and described it as: "a purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash, which would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution."
To understand the revolutionary impact of cryptocurrencies you need to consider both properties. Bitcoin as a permissionless, irreversible, and pseudonymous means of payment is an attack on the control of banks and governments over the monetary transactions of their citizens. You can‘t hinder someone to use Bitcoin, you can‘t prohibit someone to accept a payment, you can‘t undo a transaction.
To lower the costs, bitcoin miners have set up in places like Iceland where geothermal energy is cheap and cooling Arctic air is free. Bitcoin miners are known to use hydroelectric power in Tibet, Quebec, Washington (state), and Austria to reduce electricity costs. Miners are attracted to suppliers such as Hydro Quebec that have energy surpluses. According to a University of Cambridge study, much of bitcoin mining is done in China, where electricity is subsidized by the government.
An increase in cryptocurrency mining increased the demand of graphics cards (GPU) in 2017. Popular favorites of cryptocurrency miners such as Nvidia's GTX 1060 and GTX 1070 graphics cards, as well as AMD's RX 570 and RX 580 GPUs, doubled or tripled in price – or were out of stock. A GTX 1070 Ti which was released at a price of $450 sold for as much as $1100. Another popular card GTX 1060's 6 GB model was released at an MSRP of $250, sold for almost $500. RX 570 and RX 580 cards from AMD were out of stock for almost a year. Miners regularly buy up the entire stock of new GPU's as soon as they are available.
Various journalists, economists, and the central bank of Estonia have voiced concerns that bitcoin is a Ponzi scheme. In April 2013, Eric Posner, a law professor at the University of Chicago, stated that "a real Ponzi scheme takes fraud; bitcoin, by contrast, seems more like a collective delusion." A July 2014 report by the World Bank concluded that bitcoin was not a deliberate Ponzi scheme.:7 In June 2014, the Swiss Federal Council:21 examined the concerns that bitcoin might be a pyramid scheme; it concluded that, "Since in the case of bitcoin the typical promises of profits are lacking, it cannot be assumed that bitcoin is a pyramid scheme." In July 2017, billionaire Howard Marks referred to bitcoin as a pyramid scheme.
As of May 2018, over 1,800 cryptocurrency specifications existed. Within a cryptocurrency system, the safety, integrity and balance of ledgers is maintained by a community of mutually distrustful parties referred to as miners: who use their computers to help validate and timestamp transactions, adding them to the ledger in accordance with a particular timestamping scheme.
Nigel Dodd argues in The Social Life of Bitcoin that the essence of the bitcoin ideology is to remove money from social, as well as governmental, control. Dodd quotes a YouTube video, with Roger Ver, Jeff Berwick, Charlie Shrem, Andreas Antonopoulos, Gavin Wood, Trace Meyer and other proponents of bitcoin reading The Declaration of Bitcoin's Independence. The declaration includes a message of crypto-anarchism with the words: "Bitcoin is inherently anti-establishment, anti-system, and anti-state. Bitcoin undermines governments and disrupts institutions because bitcoin is fundamentally humanitarian."

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Cadillac Halo Model Still Being Discussed
Cadillac may have removed its range-topping flagship sedan that was being created, but the US brand isn’t showing the white flag.
The decision to axe its flagship sedan was more based on that vehicle’s specific style than anything else, according to sources close to the project. And though Cadillac is still going forward with a bigger sedan to compete with the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the brand is looking at other possible options for a halo vehicle.
More news on what Cadillac has planned is going to be presented at this year’s Concours’ d’Elegance where a high-end concept vehicle will make its premiere.
Noteworthy, one Cadillac insider told: “Before, we would have gone forward with this and only later realized we failed when we started dropping a lot of money on it.”


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Sean Kingston is celebrating his 30th birthday today and his mother, Mama Kingston got him the big gift ever!
Mama Kingston bought the Pop superstar a brand new white Lamborghini Truck, making him the second Jamaican entertainer to own one, behind producer Rvssian. Mama K made the announced via Instagram on Friday.
“Happy birthday my baby, you’re still my baby even though you’re 29 you’re still my baby, this is your gift, can’t wait for you to see it…. Lamborghini!,” Mama Kingston said while singing Happy Birthday.
The Lamborghini Urus is an SUV manufactured by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini. It was unveiled on 4 December 2017 and was put on the market for the 2018 model year.
The starting price for a luxury vehicle is $200,000 USD (estimated $25,528,000.00 JMD).


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The company's S-1 lays the groundwork for what is widely expected to be one of the largest initial public offerings of the year, second only to Uber's IPO in May. It's also...Technologyread more
Fraud investigator Harry Markopolos' accusations extended beyond GE's management to actuaries, auditors and analysts who he claims overlooked billions in liabilities.Marketsread more
Trump's tweet comes a day after Apple put out a press release describing the money it spends on U.S.-based suppliers and vendors.Technologyread more
CNBC combed through Wall Street research to see which stocks are still a buy after their earnings reports.Marketsread more
President Donald Trump held a call on Wednesday with the CEOs of three major U.S. banks, according to people with knowledge of the situation.Marketsread more
Despite aggressive strides, Waymo needs one thing before their self-driving cars become a seriously useful transportation system: people. We talked to the ones closest to it.Technologyread more
Scientists say the smoke plumes, filled with megatons of tiny, harmful particles, could travel to other areas of the world and cause serious respiratory problems for people.Weather & Natural Disastersread more
Some Weight Watchers loyalists applaud Kurbo by WW. But nutritionists worry Kurbo promotes an unhealthy relationship with food during an especially impressionable time.Health and Scienceread more
Benefits from what President Trump called "the biggest reform of all time" to the tax code have dwindled to a faint breeze just 20 months after its enactment, writes John...Politicsread more
Epstein, 66, was found in his cell in Manhattan federal lockup Saturday morning and transferred to a nearby hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.Politicsread more
Air travelers faced delays at U.S. airports on Friday afternoon after a computer issue snarled processing of international arrivals.Airlinesread more
-sources@ (Updates with pricing)
NEW YORK, May 9 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc priced its initial public offering on Thursday at the low end of its targeted range, raising $8.1 billion, two people familiar with the matter said, adopting a risk-averse stance toward the most high-profile U.S. listing since Facebook Inc seven years ago.
Uber's IPO comes against a backdrop of turbulent financial markets and the plunging share price of its U.S. rival Lyft Inc .
Uber is eager to avoid a repeat of what happened to Lyfts stock, which priced strongly in the company's late-March IPO, opened trading strongly, but has been falling mostly since. Lyft's stock slumped nearly 11 percent on Wednesday to a record closing low of $52.91, well below the $72 per share IPO price, after the ride-hailing company reported a $1.1 billion quarterly loss.
Uber, the world's largest ride-hailing company, is aiming for a valuation of between $80.5 billion and $91.5 billion in the IPO. That is as much as one-third below what the startup's insiders had hoped for last year, a sign of its more cautious approach in the wake of Lyft's struggles.
Uber priced its IPO at $45 per share, the people familiar with the matter said on Thursday, toward the bottom end of its $44-$50 per share price range. The IPO values Uber at around $82.4 billion.
A company spokesman declined to comment. Uber is due to price the IPO after U.S. markets close.
Some still consider the stock overpriced.
"Uber is basically Lyft 2.0. Good model, growing sales. But, yet again, here comes California math once more. It is still losing a ton of money," said Brian Hamilton, a tech entrepreneur and founder of data firm Sageworks. "If you buy, you are buying a bull market, not a company," he added.
In meetings with potential investors the past two weeks, Uber's chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, argued that Uber's future was not as a ride-hailing company, but as a wide technology platform shaping logistics and transportation.
The company is hoping this pitch, coupled with any fear of missing out what is expected to be the biggest IPO of 2019, will support demand.
The IPO pricing is a balancing act for Uber's team of underwriting banks, led by Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs & Co and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, to negotiate a good price while leaving some upside to ensure the stock trades up on its market debut.
Uber is aiming to sell 180 million shares in the offering to raise up to $9 billion, with a further 27 million potentially sold by existing investors for as much as $1.35 billion.
Uber lost $3.03 billion in 2018 from operations, and reported a net loss attributable to the company for the first quarter of 2019 of around $1 billion on revenues of roughly $3 billion.
(Reporting by Joshua Franklin in New York Editing by Leslie Adler and Matthew Lewis)


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More than 20 cities now have access to the full AT&T 5G network and the operator is forging ahead with its plans for many more cities in the near future.
But things aren't quite that simple.
That's because a while back AT&T has chosen to launch so-called '5GE'; essentially branding for a supercharged version of 4G that doesn't need a 5G handset.
In terms of full 5G, the network only has a hotspot and a couple of phones (the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy Note 10+). The 5G Service will be Included in AT&T Unlimited Extra and AT&T Unlimited Elite plans.
The network also said that it won't be offering 5G speeds much beyond 4G at present, which will be disappointing to a lot of businesses and consumers - the initial 5G network is based on lowband signals as opposed to the midband being rolled out by Sprint and the highband favoured by Verizon.
AT&T is rolling out the faster highband mmWave (millimeter wave) technology for its customers as well, so speeds will eventually be a lot higher - we've gone into a bit more detail about the kinds of speeds to expect below. This faster network will be called 5G+ by AT&T.
AT&T's senior vice president Chris Penrose describes the company's 5G network as a chocolate chip cookie. The main cookie dough represents low-band 5G while the chocolate chips represent the 5G+ millimeter-wave cities "sprinkled in across the country."
Penrose explains that the 15 new phones this year will have access to the “entire cookie’, whether it’s the low-band 5G or the super-fast “5G Plus”.
Whilst we don’t know what devices will support AT&T’s 5G or when they are coming, Penrose promised that prices will be "competitive in the marketplace."
So while the network is getting better all the time, AT&T customers can't really take advantage of the benefits of 5G yet. And to consumers, the network would rather market 5G and 5GE rather than 5G+ for now...
What is 5GE?
As we mentioned, AT&T is prioritising 5GE for customers, even though it's continuing to rollout its full-fat 5G network in the background. 5GE stands for 5G Evolution.
In some ways, this makes sense - consumers aren't really ready for full 5G networks yet in many instances, so why not give them a better service in the meantime before they're eventually convinced to go for a full 5G or 5G+ service.
The problem is that it could be seen as misleading - it's certainly pure marketing, any way you look at it. Other networks aren't keen and Sprint even took out a full page advertisement in the New York Times to say that "AT&T's fake 5G claims are deceiving consumers".
The issue is that 5GE is not really 5G at all - it's known as LTE Advanced from other vendors so, yes, it's still 4G.
AT&T says that 5GE is "the first step on AT&T’s path to 5G". It's available in over 500 US towns and cities already offering speeds double those of standard 4G LTE. But the critics are many; Analyst OpenSignal has even suggested that AT&T LTE is often slower than other networks with LTE Advanced.
Certainly AT&T's initial 5G speeds won't be much beyond 4G, with Kevin Petersen, senior vice president of AT&T Mobility, saying: "I think about it as the first step into the future. It’s something that will evolve."
AT&T 5G cities
AT&T has now launched its low band network in 19 cities, which is double what was promised previously - the network says it has now improved coverage for around 200 million people. AT&T is simply referring to this network as "5G" rather than 5GE or 5G+ (see below).
The low band 5G cities include Indianapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Alabama; Providence, Rhode Island; Rochester, New York; and San Jose, California.
As we mentioned earlier, the low band offering doesn't offer speeds much in excess of 4G - if at all. Indeed Kevin Petersen, senior vice president of AT&T Mobility, said that speeds on the low-band network will be "on par" with AT&T 4G LTE.
AT&T's faster millimeter wave 5G+ network is available today in limited parts of 35 cities including the newest - New York City and Las Vegas - although the network has currently announced plans for 30 cities in early 2020. As with other networks using millimeter wave, speeds on this network will reach in excess of 1Gbps.
The current list is Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Raleigh, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Waco.
We don't yet have a date for when the 5G+ network might get bigger. We do, however, know that Chicago, Cleveland and Minneapolis are part of the next phase of the rollout - those locations are already on Verizon's 5G network list, too.
AT&T has said that it’s working toward offering “nationwide coverage” in the first half of 2020 - but presumably this will be based around the slower low band offering.
AT&T Stadium - home of the Dallas Cowboys - has also been 5G-enabled with various experiences available on the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, which is available to try out at the stadium.
But before we dive into the AT&T's range, we'll bring you the best deals on the new 5G iPhone, which launched in October.
5G iPhone 12 deals
AT&T 5G phones
AT&T's 5G phone rollout has been very slow. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G was available in early 2019 for business users, only recently becoming available for consumers. It has now been joined by the new Samsung Galaxy S20 series.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, Chris Penrose, AT&T's senior vice president told Cnet that the company will have 15 5G phones during 2020, a slightly smaller figure than Verizon's target of 20 handsets.
These numbers are for phones only and don't include other 5G devices like 5G-enabled tablets, laptops or routers.
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
The Samsung S10 5G is the only common denominator between all US 5G networks.
The S10 5G is a large, 6.7-inch phone that's even larger than the 6.4-inch S10+. It's powered by Samsung's own Exynos 9820 platform and a Samsung 5G modem with the quad rear camera boasts wide, telephoto and ultrawide lenses.
The Business Unlimited Preferred plan includes 20 GB of tethering and a secure Private Wi-Fi app.
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
We didn't actually think the Samsung Galaxy S20 was coming to the US, but were proven wrong by AT&T choosing to offer it. It's available in cloud pink, cloud blue and cosmic grey in a 128GB version only.
With a 6.2-inch OLED display it's not a small phone, although is more pocketable than the others in the range. There'a s triple camera with 30x zoom (the main lens is a whopping 64 megapixels) and it can record 8K video should you really wish to.
Samsung Galaxy S20+
The S20+ carries over many of the features from the standard S20 but you get a quad-camera instead, again with 64 megapixel telephoto lens and 12MP ultra-wide cameras. The screen is half an inch bigger though at 6.7-inches.
Once again the phone is based around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 platform with a Qualcomm X55 5G modem.
It's available in two storage sizes - 128 and 512GB - and in three colours, cloud blue cosmic black and cosmic grey.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
The Galaxy S20 Ultra is a flagship phone in every sense. It's significantly more expensive than, say, the standard S20 and, while it has a lot in common with the S20+, it improves on the middle phone of the range quite significantly as well.
It's 0.2-inches bigger than the S20+, clocking in just shy of 7-inches at 6.9 and the 3,200 x 1,440 AMOLED display;ay absolutely sings. Like the others in the range it has super-fast charging and is based around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 platform with X55 modem.
But the real change is in the camera department. You get a quad-camera just like the S20+ but instead things are pushed to the limit. Instead of a 30x zoom, the S20 Ultra is capable of 100x, while there's a huge 108 megapixel sensor to go alongside a 48 megapixel telephoto. While the 100x zoom isn't hugely practical, you'll love zooming into far-off objects.
Again it's available in two storage sizes - 128 and 512GB - but only two rather dark colours, cosmic black and cosmic grey.
AT&T 5G coverage
Like other networks, AT&T has reported a massive upsurge in traffic around the coronavirus outbreak, largely driven by home working. AT&T has also announced it is relaxing data caps during the outbreak.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson told CNN’s Brian Stelter on the Reliable Sources programme that: "We’re seeing some signs of stress. We’re having to go out and do some of augmentation of network but right now the network is performing quite well.” Although he didn't go into details, 'augmentation' probably means opening up additional capacity.
Stephenson added that the network would “come out of this crisis" before saying it would also "continue to invest in 5G and new technology."
Interestingly, the AT&T CEO added that the pandemic will cause all organisations to reevaluate how they run things. "I think it’s going to cause every business to evaluate how [they] do business", clearly intending to include AT&T within that.
In the US the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has introduced a Keep Americans Connected pledge for networks and other organisations with the intention that they won't overcharge consumers and make hay from the coronavirus outbreak.
AT&T, Comcast, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and other big players like Comcast have already committed to the pledge which is aimed at ensuring that they don't terminate service for people who may not be able to pay and forgo late fees. The intention is also to open up public Wi-Fi hotspots.
In its statement on the development, AT&T says it "will not terminate the service of any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small business customer because of their inability to pay their bill due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic."
AT&T has also put forward $10 million to create a Distance Learning and Family Connections Fund with the intention to better connect students and teachers for distance learning during the next few months. Around $1 million will be going to online learning platform Khan Academy, which is a renowned source of educational materials. Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy said of the donation: "We’re grateful that they’re helping us respond quickly to school closures so everyone can keep learning at home.”
As for its normal 5G rollout, we already mentioned AT&T's foray into so-called 5G Evolution, or 5GE. 5GE shows as the network you're connected to - rather than 4G - and it essentially indicates an upgraded 4G network as we mentioned earlier.
While it's probably been a successful short-term policy, there's no telling how it will play out further down the track. In the future, it may backfire as people question the merit of upgrading to 5G when their phone already says they have 5G, albeit 5GE.
The standard 5G Service will be Included in AT&T Unlimited Extra and AT&T Unlimited Elite plans. As we mentioned earlier, this is based on a low-band network so speeds won't be that much better than 5GE.
AT&T is referring to its even faster 5G network as 5G+ and its this network that uses mmWave (millimeter wave) technologies like Verizon and T-Mobile in central city areas for now, although it is also working on a sub-6GHz network so that it can provide wider coverage as we move into 2020-21.
You should expect speeds around the 400Mbps plus mark although as we've seen with other networks there's often an appetite to talk about speeds which are unrealistic for customers to get consistently, at least in the short term.
AT&T 5G deals
The main low band 5G network we're seeing roll out in December is available on the AT&T Unlimited Extra and AT&T Unlimited Elite plans.
AT&T Unlimited Elite will give you 30GB of mobile hotspot data per line, HBO and HD streaming all for $50 a month per line on per line lines after autopay and paperless bill discount.
The network says that, in May 2020, customers who subscribe to HBO, including those who receive it as part of our current and future postpaid wireless plans, will be able to get HBO Max - the network's new streaming service - at no extra charge.
AT&T Unlimited Extra customers have 5G service included, as well as 15GB of mobile hotspot data per line for $40 a month per line.
AT&T 5G business and home internet
Unlike Verizon's 5G Home Internet and similar offerings, AT&T doesn't have a 5G home or business broadband offering as yet. However, the company has talked about having it in future.
The network is offering the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile hotspot, which is compatible with mmWave (what AT&T is referring to as 5G+) and uses Qualcomm's X50 5G modem.
AT&T 5G for business
AT&T says that 5G will "ultimately unlock use cases that are dependent on faster speed, wide coverage, and low latency". In other words, you'll be able to take the ultrafast connectivity you have in your home or business with you onto the street.
And, as we know this will create better experiences for customers and businesses as the 5G network spreads to more devices and industries - with the key benefit that you're better able to better serve the customer.
AT&T carried out a trial with Magnolia Silos in Waco, that provided an insight into how 5G can change retail, using 5G speeds of approximately 1.2 Gbps in a 400 MHz channel and latency of just 9-12 milliseconds.
“Businesses are leading the charge on the nation’s first mobile 5G network, and this is the next step in unlocking 5G’s full potential for those early adopters and innovators,” said Mo Katibeh, Chief Marketing Officer, AT&T Business.
“With mobile 5G a core tenet of our 5G strategy for businesses, we’re making this amazing new device available so that the business community can begin creating new experiences and drive the next industrial revolution through unprecedented mobile capabilities.”


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OptiSource Introduces its New ThinOptics Countertop Display
Bellport, NY: OptiSource International has launched a new countertop display for its exclusive line of ThinOptics readers. The micro-thin “Always with You” reading glasses now has an eyecare-professional-exclusive counter display. “The ThinOptics dealer program has been wildly popular with customers who became early adapters to retailing these viral reading glasses”, states Daryl Squicciarini, president of OptiSource. “ThinOptics are the only reader brand and style that doesn’t compete with frame boards and has a built-in loyal customer base”, adds Squicciarini. The display holds twelve pair of two ThinOptics styles in assorted powers. It also includes a try on pair and a demo pair shown attached to the back of a cell phone – ThinOptics signature use. Designed with a small footprint and high impact graphics on all sides, this countertop display will quickly catch patient’s eyes and create another revenue generating area in practices.


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Updated: 12/26/2013 5:14 PM
Created: 12/26/2013 3:25 PM WDIO.com
By: Travis Dill
Many Northlanders got shiny new gifts for Christmas, but holiday shopping didn't stop just because Christmas has passed.
A flood of shoppers hit Miller Hill Mall on Thursday to scoop up after Christmas deals and exchange those gifts that didn't pan out.
“Get up early so we can do our exchanges before all kinds of people show up,” Jacqueline Crackel said.
She needed to exchange some jeans for a better fit, and her daughter returned a bright new ring to cover the cost of a Kindle e-book reader.
“I wanted something because I'm going to college next year. Something that I can read boos on and stuff like that,” Lydia Crackel said.
Other shopper put their electronics to work to get even better after-Christmas deals. Nicole Huber didn't fuss with cutting coupons. She said a smartphone application got her discounts at just about any store.
“Yeah, you just have to redeem it and they can just scan it on their computers,” Huber said.
She said that stretches the gift cards she got for Christmas.
“They got us like almost $200 from different stores so it's been a big help,” Huber said. “Deals have been really good so that definitely helps on top of free money from gift cards.”
A rush of shoppers arrived after lunch, but the deal hunters said there was less stress at the mall after Christmas.
“I think that before Christmas it's such a rush to get everything done, and so today is just about relaxing and shopping and not having to worry about getting things at the last minute,” Kris Henry said.
Shoppers said they did find up to 70 percent off at some stores, but with smartphones those deals could be hiding right in the palm of your hand.
Authorities Investigating Possible Homicide on the Fond Du Lac Reservation
Authorities are investigating the death of a 31-year-old woman in Stoney Brook Township on the Fond Du Lac Reservation. The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office said Monday that they believe the death was an act of violence. One suspect has been taken into custody and authorities are asking for the public's help locating a woman who may have more information.
Duluth Man Pleads Guilty to Suffocation Death of 13-month-old Daughter
A 30-year-old Duluth man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the suffocation death of his 13-month old daughter. The St. Louis County Attorney's office announced Christopher Dennis Peterson's plea in State District Court on Monday.
No Criminal Charges for Superior Officer in Controversial Arrest
Superior Police Chief Charles F. LaGesse announced Monday morning the Bayfield County District Attorney has issued his decision about the actions of Officer George Gothner during the arrest of Natasha Lancour.
Proctor Police Searching for Suspect in Armed Robbery
The Proctor Police Department is asking for the public's help in their search for the suspect from an armed robbery Sunday night. They say the suspect robbed the Proctor Milk House at gunpoint at about 10:15 p.m.
Human Remains Near Pine City Likely Part of Historic Burial Site
Human remains uncovered at a construction site near Pine City last week are most likely connected to a historic burial site. The results of the investigation into the remains were released on Monday.


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Niti Aayog news
Kumar asked opposers of the Walmart-Flipkart deal to look at the definition of the term in light of two critical objectives — generating more jobs and high growth.
government on Friday said Walmart's acquisition of a majority stake in Flipkart was in line with the current policy on online marketplaces, where Amazon was already present.
Traders' bodies, including the likes of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch, have opposed the deal and alleged that this could further hurt sellers' business.
According to the committee, tax policies should be so designed that it enabled migration of the largely MSME sector to an organised sector.
1.36 lakh jobs were created across eight sectors, which account for 81% of the country’s total organised workforce, in the July-September quarter of 2017.
The group, which used to tweet its way to prominence to land meetings with ministers and top officials, has now restricted its activities to seller discussions and knowledge-sharing.
Indeed, revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia has explicitly stated that the duties have been levied, not to raise revenue, but to provide protection to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The Budget allocation for the handloom sector was Rs 710 crore in 2016-2017, but was reduced to Rs 604 crore for the year 2017-2018.
Union Minister Virendra Kumar said the use of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the government delivery processes.
"Amazing! With 150 crore gigabytes per month of mobile data consumption, India is now world's number one mobile data consuming country. Its mobile data consumption is higher than that of the USA and China put together," Kant tweeted.
CEA Arvind Subramanian exuded confidence that "we will soon come out from these two policy experiments" and regain growth.
FSSAI believes that this portal will prove to be a game changer by addressing food business concerns across the spectrum by ensuring ease of entry; reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade.
The economic growth slowed to 7.1% in 2016-17, the year in which 87% of the currency was demonetised, despite a very good show by the agricultural sector.
The prime minister had held similar meeting with 212 young entrepreneurs last week as part of the 'Champions Of Change' programme organised by Niti Aayog.
More than 212 entrepreneurs and startup founders from the financial, education and health sectors brainstormed on Wednesday, to chart out a plan for New India.
New Delhi [India], Aug 10 (ANI) Home Credit India has partnered with the country's largest mobile payments and commerce platform Paytm to enable customers to pay their EMIs in an easy, simple and convenient manner.
To create wealth in the country, entrepreneurship has to be promoted, Kant said adding the government has taken lot of steps especially for MSMEs.
Editor's Picks ›
Walmart completes the acquisition of Flipkart with 77% stake, for USD 16 billion / IMG Reliance launches fashion portal / Our positioning in India will be consistent to our global positioning: Lander Isasi, Guess / Regulating E-Market Places – the journey that lies ahead / Tablez to bring Chinese fast fashion brand YOYOSO to India / ASUS to invest $20 mn to expand PC biz in India in 2019 / Future Group partners New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra / Future Supply Chain Q1 net rises 38% to 18 crore / HUL to acquire Karnataka based ice-cream brand Adityaa / Manpasand Beverages Q1 net profit up marginally at Rs 36 cr


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Just in time for World Snake Day, Razer has released a pair of slippers featuring Sneki Snack’s adorable mascot. For $ 49.99, they come with slip-resistant soles and plush insoles that the company says will keep your feet comfortable and warm during long gaming sessions. They are also made from recycled materials. Before you dismiss slippers as fair another unusual product from Razer, we’ll point out that behind them is a cool story.
Slippers are part of Razer’s breeding Snacks Snack. It all started with a doodle logo that one of the company’s designers drew for his newborn baby. As these things usually go, Razer’s fans approached the mascot and started using it in memes. Some even got tattoos with Snack Snack. It all eventually led to where we are today, and Razer released one Snack Snack product after another.
Early in the process, the company decided to cooperate Conservation International to donate a portion of the proceeds from each sale of Snack Forest Snack. The company claims that each purchase will help save 10 trees in countries like Costa Rica, Madagascar and China. Razer hopes to eventually help save a million trees. With every 100,000 milestones, the company has released a new product, Snack Snack. Previous releases include adorable plush “Optimized for cuddling” ia head pillow which “fits most game chairs.”
You can buy Snack Snack slippers at Razer’s website.
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There are plenty of places around the Wiregrass where you can order a steak, but when it comes to finding the most flavorful filet or rib-eye, a couple of local restaurants are taking a bite out of the competition.
"I'd be very proud," says Conestoga co-owner Ted Toole of the potential acclaim awaiting his restaurant.
Conestoga, in Dothan, and McLlin's Steakhouse and Seafood in Daleville both competed for customers' Facebook and text votes last year.
They made the top five, but neither won the contest. Owners hope the new attention their restaurants earned after last year will catapult them to a new level of success.
McLin's Matthew McLin's says much of the appeal at his family's steakhouse is its authenticity. "What you see is what you get," says McLin. "We put a lot of love into what we do."
Both restaurants have a loyal- and growing- base of regulars.
"Everybody talks about how great it is. It keeps you coming back again and again," says Conestoga patron Tyler Ulrich.
Conestoga and McLin's put their own individual spins on rib-eyes, strip steaks and filets, and people are noticing. At Conestoga, it's the sauce that's got everyone talking.
Evan Ring says, "I get the eight ounce filet every time, medium well. My favorite part is the sauce and I always get extra because I like to dip my steak in it."
Over at McLin's, it's a special rub seasoning that goes into the beef. Customers say they don't need to know the special recipe from the kitchen just as long as they keep the steaks coming.
"I'm not sure of the cooking process whatever it is I'm glad they're doing it cause it's really quite good," says Steve Fata.
Now that the bracket challenge has started, It's up to customers to move the restaurants into the next brackets.
On Facebook or by texting BEEF to 20566
Once the vote is down to the final, "fiery four" restaurants, a team of secret judges will visit each finalist steakhouse in September.
They'll give their scores and will name a winner for Alabama's Best Steak Contest.


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NuKorc, the world’s second biggest synthetic cork maker, has filed for bankruptcy with estimated debts of AUS$4m.
Adelaide-based insolvency experts PPB have been appointed as administrators of the company, based in Pooraka, South Australia, and are attempting to sell the business as a going concern.
Founded in 1996, NuKorc enjoyed more than a decade of growth before being hit by the economic downturn, the global decline in wine sales and the strength of the Australian dollar.
The company opened subsidiaries in Napa, California, in 2004, and near Barcelona in Spain in 2005, expanding production capacity at Pooraka a year later to about 1.3bn closures a year.
Former BRL Hardy managing director and Constellation Wines CEO Stephen Millar is chairman of the company board, which also includes Australian wine luminary Wolf Blass.
Following an initial creditors meeting earlier today (5 March), PPB is inviting indicative offers to buy the company over the next week, with unconditional offers due to be submitted by 26 March.
NuKorc’s subsidiaries in Europe and the US are not under the direct control of PPB, but it is understood that those businesses are also up for sale.
Written by Richard Woodard


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By Sophie Nelson: The world‘s most famous tennis tournament is in full swing with its rich heritage and traditions proudly on show but look a little closer and you start to see how Wimbledon has transformed itself to appeal to The post Wimbledon‘s digital strategy gives them the advantage appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
Pop superstars, Little Mix, are looking for recruits to drive support for the England Women‘s team ahead of this summer‘s UEFA Women‘s Euro in the Netherlands. In a video featuring their hit-single Salute, football fans Perrie, Jesy, Jade and Leigh-Anne The post Little Mix looking for recruits to salute England‘s Lionesses appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
Unscriptd, the world‘s only athlete media publishing company, has appointed Pitch Marketing Group, the UK‘s leading sport and entertainment marketing agency, as its strategic communications consultancy. Unscriptd is leading a fundamental shift in sports media publishing, content creation, sponsorship and The post Pitch appointed by Unscriptd, the world‘s only athlete media publishing company appeared first on Pitch Marketing Gro
By Stephen Duffy: Whilst clubs releasing a new kit every season is obviously hard on supporters, who shell out enough to watch their heroes play every week, the annual roll out of new strips provide us with one of the The post A launch to remember for Chelsea and Spurs appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
By Saskia Collins: For the past seven weeks each night many of us have found ourselves gravitating towards our living room sofas like clockwork at 9pm to watch Love Island. The programme has had us laughing out loud and, at The post The Love Island Effect appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
Rebecca Lewin and Saskia Collins: On Tuesday, a brave teenager on work experience was tasked with the challenge of taking over the Twitter account for the UK‘s worst performing railway firm, Southern Rail. Interactions with @SouthernRailUK soon shifted from its The post Was it right to #AskEddie? appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
By Melissa Palmer: Tonight the England national Women‘s team, the Lionesses,take on Scotland in their opening game of the UEFA Women‘s Euro 2017in the Netherlands (hopefully you should know this by now!). Following a set of successful tournament The post We salute the Lionesses! appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
Leeds Building Society is partnering with parkrun UK to help bring people together, with events in 450 communities across the country, and more than a million runners now having taken part. Leeds Building Society partners with parkrun UK, with The post Leeds Building Society announces partnership with parkrun UK appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
Pitch Marketing Group, the leading independent sports and entertainment agency, has today announced the appointment of Lee Cheney as Head of Production. Lee will be heading up Pitch Productions, an in-house content division where capabilities extend to creative planning, video, The post Pitch Marketing Group appoints Lee Cheney as Head of Production appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
Whilst 360-video will provide one of the best revenue streams over the next year for agencies, VR is still very much a newborn with only 20% of consumers in the UK watching virtual reality once a week or more (vs The post Keeping it real‘. appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.
In the lead up to June‘s snap general election, we‘ve seen a new wave of unexpected political spokespeople grime artists. Whilst most have come out to show their support for Jeremy Corbyn‘s Labour party, they have also looked to The post Politics‘ ‘merky‘ new spokespeople appeared first on Pitch Marketing Group.


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Business News›Saama Capital
Petcare startup Supertails raises $15 million led by RPSG Capital Ventures
Bengaluru-based startup Supertails will use the funds for offline expansion, scaling up products, acquiring new customers and expanding its healthcare service, Supertails Pharmacy. The company plans to launch trial stores in a mix of metropolitan and tier-I cities like Bengaluru, Mysore or Ahmedabad.
MoveInSync raises $15 million from Bessemer Venture Partners
MoveInSync, a cab-hailing service provider to enterprises, raised $15M in a Series C funding round from Bessemer Venture Partners. The funding will be used to drive the growth of MoveInSync One, a product that offers cost-effective and seamless commutes for employees. The company's operating model helps optimize electric vehicle utilization for employee commutes.
Alia Bhatt-backed baby care startup SuperBottoms raises $5 million from Lok Capital, Sharrp Ventures
The company will employ the funds to expand offline with a greater store presence and include more products in the mom and baby care range.
Crypto gaming startup Kandle raises $1.7 million from Saama, others
Kandle, which already has a presence in Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia and Vietnam, as well as fast growing markets such as Nigeria and India, plans to expand its footprint across Asia and North America.
Legal tech startup Oddr raises $2 million in funding led by Saama Capital, Twin Ventures
The funds raised will be used to build Oddr’s flagship product – an AI-powered invoice-to-cash platform – for professional services (law firms, accounting firms, consulting firms & financial services firms).
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Sexual wellness startup MyMuse raises $1.2 million in funding led by Saama CapitalMyMuse plans to use these funds to grow its team, introduce a range of innovative products, strengthen brand positioning, and expand distribution.
Fashion discovery startup Shouto raises $1.6 million from Saama Capital, othersShouto aims to replicate the approach by US-based LTK, which raised $300 million from SoftBank’s vision fund
D2C lifestyle brand Damensch raises $16.4 million in funding led by A91 PartnersThe company makes loungewear and innerwear for men. It will use the funds to invest in technology enhancements, strengthen and diversify the product portfolio, the company said in a release.
Sunstone Eduversity raises $28 million from WestBridge, othersEdtech startup Sunstone Eduversity will use the funding to invest in learning and technology assets, build a network of colleges across multiple cities, and hire across different functions.
SleepyCat raises $3.8 million led by Saama CapitalThe latest funding is an extension to the Series A round of $1.6 million that the company had raised in 2019.
Paytm rejigs board ahead of its $2.2 billion IPOThe move comes ahead of its much-anticipated Initial Public Offering (IPO)
Deepika Padukone invests $2.6 mn in pet care platform SupertailsOther investors include Titan Capital, Sauce VC and Whiteboard Capital.
Lendingkart Finance raises $15 mn funding from Netherlands' FMOThis new influx of funds to Lendingkart will be utilised towards expanding the reach of financial products to the MSME segment through Lendingkart's digital platform.
Zeni raises $11.5 million in Series A funding from Saama CapitalZeni, a financial concierge for startups, says its services are used by over 100 startups across the US, and that it manages over $200 million in funds every month.
Riding the direct-to-consumer brand wave and tracking its future roadmapThe event comes at a time when there has been a rising interest in backing direct-to-consumer or D2C brands which use ecommerce as a primary channel of distribution
DaMENSCH raises Rs 50 crore led by Matrix Partners, Saama Capital, othersDaMENSCH sells through its own website and other major e-commerce retailers such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra.
Juice brand Raw Pressery on the block; ITC, Paper Boat, among others evaluating buy-outRaw Pressery had raised over Rs 200 crore in equity and debt from a clutch of funds including Alteria Capital, Sequoia Capital, Saama Capital and DSG Consumer Partners two years ago. But it is now facing headwinds as consumers in key urban markets downtrade and opt for cheaper juices, said one of the officials cited above.
The Moms Co raises $8 million from Saama, DSG, othersThe Moms Co works with experts across India, Australia and Switzerland to create products that are safe and natural, using ingredients that are globally accepted to be toxin-free.
Hotelogix, AxisRooms, RepUp merge to offer full-stack solution for hotelsAccel Partners, Vertex Ventures, Saama Capital and Seedfund amongst others are existing investors of the companies and are backing this merger.
Don't let H-1B suspension let you down. Kunal Bahl's US visa rejection story will inspire every aspiring, Indian entrepreneurAbout 13 years ago, Kunal Bahl's visa application was turned down in Seattle.
Wellthy Therapeutics raises $4 million from Saama CapitalApart from utilising this raise to deepen its product-suite and expand geographically, the company will accelerate the launch of its respiratory digital therapeutic portfolio, especially relevant in the current situation.
The Moms Co raises $5 million in Series-B roundThis is the third financing round for the two year-old company, having earlier raised an undisclosed sum in angel funding in 2016, followed by a $1 million round led by DSG Consumer Partners and Saama Capital two years ago.
PayU leads Rs 78 crore funding round in FisdomThrough this move, PayU is entering wealth and investments technology as it seeks to move beyond digital payments into broader financial services.
Shubh Loans gets $4.8 millionExisting investors Saama Capital, Beenext, SRI Capital and Pravega Ventures also participated in the round.
Kruzr gets Rs 9 cr as seed capitalThe funds will be deployed for expanding team and scaling up business.
Sixth Sense Ventures increases size of second fund on rising interest; close at Rs 500 croreThe fund has raised capital also from several marquee consumer companies, Indian pharma companies, family offices, and wealthy individuals.
Rs 81 crore for Chaayos from SAIF Partners, othersChaayos has over 52 stores across Delhi-NCR, Chandigarh and Mumbai, having added 25 stores just in the last one year.Load More
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PETALING JAYA: British American Tobacco (M) Bhd’s (BAT) shutting down of its facility here will help pave the way for the cigarette-maker to unlock the value of its land. The disposal marks a significant shift in strategy for the group’s operations in Malaysia, analyst reports said.
The exercise will be carried out in stages and is targeted to complete by the second half of 2017 and will affect 23%, or 230, or its 1,000 employees, according to reports.
The lot measuring 11.6 acres was last revalued in 1961 and has a net book value of RM57.48mil (or RM114 per sq ft), AmInvestment Bank said.
“Based on our channel checks and recent transaction price for land deals in the area, the price per sq ft ranges from RM350 for industrial land to RM500 for those approved for commercial use.”
The research house noted that BAT’s factory utilisation has been under pressure given the continuous contraction in legal total industry volume over the past decade.
“In an attempt to lower its operating leverage, the group had turned to contract manufacturing. This had worked back in 2012 to 2013 but export volumes soon declined due to weaker global demand for cigarettes and reallocation of volumes among BAT’s global facilities. More interestingly, we highlighted that BAT had stated its intention to sell the land on which the facility is located as well as all factory equipment and machinery – the former via a public tender exercise to be launched post the announcement and closing around May 2016, while the latter will be a transaction with BAT’s London-listed parent, British American Tobacco Group’s (BATG) units.”
BAT announced that the it is ceasing all its factory operations in Malaysia by the second half of 2017.
Its facility at Petaling Jaya has been catering to both primary (leaf processing) as well as secondary manufacturing (cigarette making) activities for more than 100 years.
BAT will obtain its tobacco products from the regional factories of BATG moving forward. BATG has 44 factories in 41 countries, with the nearest being Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
“BAT attributes its decision to the difficult domestic operating environment brought about by the continued growth in the illicit trade (reported to be 42% as at December 2015).”
Kenanga Research said the move was positive, but while it protected the company’s interests in today’s challenging business environment, the move was also indirectly sending a negative message.
It reaffirms Kenanga Research’s bearish and pessimistic view on the outlook of local tobacco sector, which has been severely dented by the high excise duty structure and significant illicit trade.
“Looking forward, volume growth is expected to be soft with the latest round of price increase. We do not think that another price increase is likely on the expiry of Anti-Profiteering Act in June 2016 in view of the fragile sentiment and threat of illicit trades.”
Hong Leong Investment Bank said it was surprised by the marked shift in business strategy. “The group cites that the high excise environment has led to a sharp rise in illicit cigarettes, resulting in significantly lower sales volume. Volumes has contracted 24.16% since 2011 (2011: 8.75bil sticks vs 2015: 6.636bil sticks).
The disposal would theoretically yield a potential disposal gain of about RM94mil to RM195mil, or 33 to 68 sen per share assuming the complex is disposed in its entirety, HLIB said.


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New Galaxy Note 4 reported specs contradict
Many readers will have been following the leaks and rumors so far for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 4, as this is a hotly anticipated smartphone. We’ve been keeping readers informed with all the news so far, but now some new Galaxy Note 4 reported specs contradict some of those previously leaked.
The Galaxy Note 4 is set to face tougher competition this year, as the iPhone 6 is rumored to be coming in a larger phablet size as well as a more standard size. Overseas reports recently said that Samsung is feeling the heat because of this and hopes to release the Note 4 as soon as possible.
A few days ago we also saw the Galaxy Note 4 with model number SM-N910L appear on a South Korean mobile operator listing. Although nothing has been confirmed, everything is looking promising for the expected launch of the phone on September 3rd, just before IFA Berlin kicks off.
As with any big upcoming product we’ve seen various rumored unofficial specs, and for the Galaxy Note 4 so far they include a Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor, a 5.7-inch display with 2560 x 1440 Quad HD resolution, 3GB of RAM, and a 16-megapixel rear camera featuring optical image stabilization. However the latest round of reported specs from China gives some different screen and camera info.
A 5.7-inch display has been widely rumored for some time but this new report gives the screen size as 5.5-inches. Although the size is different, it will still be a Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution and that will give a pixel density of 534 ppi. The Snapdragon 805 CPU and 3GB of RAM are also given, but not an Exynos 5 octa-processor variant, although this doesn’t mean it won’t also arrive.
As for the camera it was previously claimed that this would use a Sony sensor, but the new report says it will have a 16-megapixel ISOCELL rear camera sensor. Video capture is said to be 2160p@30fps and 1080p@60fps. It’s also claimed that the Galaxy Note 4 will launch running Android 4.4.3 KitKat.
It’s only a matter of weeks now until the big reveal of the Galaxy Note 4, and we’ll keep you up-to-date with further developments. What do you think of these latest unconfirmed specs for the device and the difference in screen size? Have you already got the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 on your wish list?


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Huawei today announced that the Mate 10 Pro won Best Smartphone at the Mobile News Awards, one of the most prestigious awards for the mobile industry. Awarded to the manufacturers who go above and beyond industry expectations, the win bolsters Huawei’s ongoing innovation and leadership in the premium smartphone category.
The Mate 10 Pro is the world’s first AI-powered smartphone, which is enabled by Huawei’s Kirin 970 chipset. By learning over time, its AI capabilities intelligently anticipate how the device will be used and when. Whether it’s pre-loading your favourite apps for the right time, or intelligently adjusting your camera settings to take the perfect photo on the Leica Dual Camera, the Mate 10 Pro offers a seamless mobile experience that enables users to devote more time to the things that matter.
On-device AI also underpins the performance of the Mate 10 Pro; intelligent resourcing of processing power provides 25x better performance and 50x greater energy efficiency, while the 4,000mAh battery offers superior battery life. It’s thanks to these AI-enabled capabilities and industry leading features that the Mate 10 Pro exceeded expectations for its market segment and took the top spot at the Mobile News Awards. The device has been incredibly well received across the globe – with media, influencers and consumers positioning it as a key contender in the flagship space, delivering best in class smartphone capabilities at an accessible price point.
“Today’s smartphone users expect a device that is reliable, inspiring, and personalised to their needs,” said James Jie, Managing Director, Huawei Consumer Business Group, UK & Ireland. “At Huawei, we believe that only AI has the power to do that. That’s why we introduced the Mate 10 Pro – a phone that doesn’t follow, it leads, and disrupts the status quo by enabling people to do and achieve more. Today’s award win is testament to the power and innovation that lies in the Mate 10 Pro, and we look forward to continuing to deliver a superior smartphone experience to more consumers across the globe.”


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Kerala’s largest B2B jewellery event to be held at Kochi
AKGSMA has announced the 2023 Onam edition of the 3-day Kerala International Jewellery Fair (KIJF), Kerala’s largest B2B jewellery event to be held at Kochi from 8th to 10th July, 2023 at Adlux International Exhibition and Convention centre, Angamaly, Kochi.
KJIF 2023 will be our 3rd event under the leadership of AKGSMA and the last year show was a huge success with an attendance of over 7,000 jewellers with the largest numbers being from home-state Kerala. There was significant attendance from the other Southern states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as well.
The response of the previous edition was impressive as most exhibitors reported receiving good orders. The larger and well-established players participating in the event reported striking deals with new upcoming businesses from fast developing towns. We are also proud to associate with United Exhibitions, Chennai as everyone appreciated for the professional manner in which the show was planned and executed by them. All visitors appreciated the smooth pre-show registration systems which were simple and functioned efficiently and expressed satisfaction with the arrangements at the exhibition venue itself.
Last year there were around 150 brands and this year we are expecting more than 250 brands to be participating in the show. Even this year’s KIJF will be a grand success as KIJF committee members are geared up to spread out across the state conducting road shows, organizing meetings and spreading awareness among the jewellers. It was an enriching experience for those who attended the show KIJF 2022 which is now an important milestone in the advancement of the jewellery industry in our state. Now, KJIF 2023, Onam Edition is awaited with much anticipation. With the huge success of our previous show, we have raised the bar ourselves to meet the participants’ expectations both in terms of visitors and business.


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Two Supreme Court cases have reshaped the way alcoholic beverages, particularly wine, can be marketed to consumers. And combined with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, breweries and distilleries may also become more involved in direct-to-consumer sales. Granholm v. Heald, decided Continue reading Multistate – SCOTUS Easing Path for Direct-to-Consumer Alcohol Shipping