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Rebranding signals that a brand has reached a new stage in its growth. Its success is often critical for the future of the business, but many companies have fumbled the project and ended up confusing their customers instead. Recently, three modern (but already iconic) brands—Uber , Airbnb, and Grab—redesigned their logos, with varying degrees of success.
Uber and Grab connects people to “gig-economy” transport services, while Airbnb does the same for accommodations. All three are easily accessed via mobile app. As their company logo lives on the homescreens of millions of users, their logo is an even more important marketing vehicle, fostering an even closer personal connection between user and brand.
Understand the Consumer’s Connections
Once a logo is released into the wild, it’s no longer the brand’s. People inject their ideas and feelings into the design that represents the company.
When Uber released its new logo, customers who depended on the service for their daily commute suddenly encountered a logo that was alien and unfamiliar. The sleek “U” logo was transformed into an unrecognizable geometric pattern. Worse, the new design was more difficult to pick out from the screen. Critics playfully tweeted that intoxicated people that need a ride home could never find the app now.
Be Aware of the Lowest Common Denominator
Airbnb wanted to create a new visual signature across all its marketing materials, and so their designers developed a symbol that was easily recognizable and effortless to draw.
Unfortunately, upon first sight, internet users declared it looked remarkably similar to an unmentionable female body part—an unfortunate connotation that became a joke Airbnb would never be able to shake off.
Communicate the New Brand Positioning Clearly
Proper communication with the consumer is the key to rebranding. In Uber’s case, the company wanted to convey its core as a transportation network by using geometric shapes in its new logo. Unfortunately, the execution was too abstract. In addition, the regrettable redesign was completely done in-house, led by self-taught individuals who might have benefitted from the advice of a mentor.
On the other hand, Grab wanted to convey the feeling of freedom, infinite possibilities, and the new journey the company is embarking with its customers. The new dual line design that was inspired by roadways transmitted that message clearly. It was also a very clear evolution of the transport service’s previous logos. It was simple, recognizable, and effective.
Rebranding is a difficult undertaking but with foresight and experience, it can launch the brand into new exciting decisions.
Do you have a favorite logo rebrand? Tell us in the comments.


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MobileIron (NASDAQ:MOBL), the company to introduce the industry’s first
mobile-centric, zero trust enterprise security platform, today announced
that it will release its first quarter fiscal year 2019 earnings (ending
March 31, 2019) on Thursday, April 25, 2019.
Conference Call and Webcast
MobileIron will host a conference call and live webcast at 1:30 p.m.
Pacific Daylight Time (4:30 p.m. EDT) to discuss the company’s results.
Interested parties may access the call by dialing 1-866-602-7050 in the
U.S. or 1-409-216-6455 from international locations and using the
conference ID #4868103. The live webcast will be available on the
MobileIron Investor Relations website at http://investors.mobileiron.com/.
A replay will be available through the same link.
MobileIron is redefining enterprise security with the industry’s first
mobile-centric, zero trust platform built on the foundation of unified
endpoint management (UEM) to secure access and protect data across the
perimeter-less enterprise. For more information, visit: www.mobileiron.com.
“MobileIron” is a registered trademark of MobileIron, Inc. in the United
States and other countries. Trade names, trademarks, and service marks
of other companies that are used in this press release belong to their

domain: news


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Change in gluten free definition concerns expert
Dr Geoffrey Forbes, a gastroenterologist at Royal Perth Hospital, says Coeliac Australia is making a mistake to lobby for an increase in the amount of gluten that food can contain and still be classified as gluten free.
Since 1995, Australian food has needed to contain "no detectable gluten" to be classified as gluten free, he says.
However, new technology has resulted in fewer foods passing the test, so Coeliac Australia and the Food and Grocery Council have lobbied Food Standards Australia New Zealand to increase the threshold to less than 20 parts per million.
Other countries have accepted the higher benchmark, but Dr Forbes says it will not be safe for all patients.|
"Some patients are more sensitive to gluten than others.
"I accept Coeliac Australia's point that as the sensitivity of food testing improves it makes it harder and more costly for a manufacturer to label food as gluten free."
However, he believes the


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“Apple is becoming a mass market company,” Merrill Lynch analyst Steven Milunovich said today. “The next perceptual change could be investor recognition that the company is building a sustainable consumer franchise. Although the current focus is music, look for Apple to go after video in the home with an emphasis on high definition.”
Shares of Apple surged today after the company reported its best quarterly profit ever and better than expected iPod sales.
The company’s positive results also gave a boost to the companies that supply components for the iPod.
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber has written an interesting article on Apple’s fast adoption of podcasting, noting that speed was of the essence with incorporating the new technology into iTunes.
Sony’s share for flash memory players rose from 4 percent in March to 27 percent in June. Apple’s share with the iPod shuffle in Japan has fallen to under 20 percent..


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Blackmores Wellbeing Oasis is a Premium Wellbeing Destination At The 2016 Australian Open
Date: 8 to 31 January 2016
Duration: All Day
Cost: Free entry to precinct
Venue: Grand Slam Oval
Open to: All Australian Open guests
Blackmores, Australia’s most trusted vitamin and supplement company*, will welcome thousands of tennis fanatics to their official Blackmore Wellbeing Oasis at the Australian Open, signaling the beginning of a four year partnership with Tennis Australia and their Summer of Tennis.
Throughout the Australian Open, the innovative double story consumer brand activation at Grand Slam Oval will offer consumers a complete wellbeing experience, including the newly launched Blackmores Wellbeing Check, a social activation to make your ‘I Will Be’ statement of intent for 2016, roaming massage angels, the Blackmores Superfoods bar, as well as daily prizes and take away goodies.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with what is undoubtedly one of the premier sporting events in this country. We want visitors to go on a journey at the Blackmores Wellbeing Oasis – we want to empower them to feel their best, become more aware of their personal health and inspire them to ‘Be a Well Being’ throughout 2016”, said Paul Di Vito, Chief Marketing Officer, Blackmores. “It’s our first year at the Australian Open and we’re going to be putting on a show!”
The Blackmores Wellbeing Check is an online interactive questionnaire offering consumers a personalised summary of their overall health and wellbeing. 10 key questions which focus on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, take the user on a personal journey to uncover a holistic view of their health. The final score provides users with a starting point on their journey to wellbeing and the opportunity to make their #IWillBe statement on social media.
Blackmores Global Health Ambassador and Australian Open 2014 champion Li Na as well as Blackmores Australian Open Ambassador Rachael Finch will be among the many sporting, health and media personalities who will take part in the Blackmores Wellbeing Check and make an ‘I Will Be’ pledge for their health and wellbeing goals at the Wellbeing Oasis during the tournament.
Also on offer at the Blackmores Wellbeing Oasis will be tasty beverages using the newly launched Superfoods range, comprising of six superfood products sourced with the highest quality ingredients and added nature boost (such as antioxidants). The range includes Vitality Super Greens, Coconut Water, Wild Blueberry Blend, Single Origin Cacao, Matcha Green Tea and Raw Chia.


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IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced Virtual Collaboration for Lotus Sametime, a service the company also calls “Sametime 3D.”
The service allows users to interact in a virtual environment. Think of it as an instant messaging conference call with virtual hair. “Today people use synchronous messaging for a variety of different business purposes,” Bob Picciano, IBM Lotus Software general manager told InternetNews.com. “Sametime 3D is the next evolution of that technology.”
He said that while people will plan and store project data on collaboration services such as LotusLive, they will use Sametime 3D for the kinds of brainstorming and troubleshooting for which business users already rely on instant messaging.
“They will get five or ten people together to look at five or six different things,” Picciano said. “They may even break off into side dialogs. You can do that in the environment.”
The audio is a surprising feature of Sametime 3D. It is designed to deliver directionality but also to increase in volume as avatars approach and lower in volume as they move away from each other.
Picciano said that 3D environments provide an opportunity to take advantage of more senses than most current user interfaces. He referred to John Seely Brown for inspiration, noting that Brown had said that Web sites should avatar in a business situation. “People have some anxiety about whether it is difficult to create and manipulate an avatar he said. “But the avatar doesn’t have to represent what you want to be like in Second Life.”
He added that once people arrive in the environment, they find it valuable. “There are multiple dimensions of collaboration,” Picciano said.
He added that the environment can serve to improve dialog, can serve as a big white board for brainstorming, can enable people to watch multiple presentations at once, and more. “People can move very quickly from having a chat to walking around and looking at parts or code.”


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Greensboro restaurant continues requiring masks for all customers
As COVID-19 numbers spike in North Carolina after months of stability, a Greensboro restaurant owner was hoping for some guidance from the government on what to do.
But Gov. Roy Cooper did not reinstate a mask mandate. Instead, Cooper recommended all residents wear masks inside and encouraged North Carolinians to get vaccinated, leaving the ultimate decision up to businesses.
Seafood Destiny owner Anthony Knotts has decided to continue the policy he's had in place since restaurants reopened: customers, vaccinated or not, must wear a mask inside the restaurant.
"Florida's numbers are up. North Carolina's numbers are up. It's going to be interesting to see if we choose profit over people," Knotts said.
Seafood Destiny opened in Greensboro over the summer of 2019, less than a year before the pandemic hit.
"We were set up for takeout when I started this business. So, all we had to do was get some buzzers and let people place their order and go from there," he said.
The restaurant also purchased a special, contactless system that allowed guests to put a code in and pick up their food from insulated lockers.
He doesn't fully agree with Cooper's decision to leave mask mandates up to individual businesses.
"We respect his authority, but to have that caliber of leadership, you have to think about the whole state of North Carolina and not a segment of people that are feeling it from an economic standpoint," he said.
Knotts hopes other restaurants follow suit and require all customers to wear a mask.
"We've got to make sure that we are smart and are also focusing on the safety of the people."


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DON'T SHARE NUISANCE.
Dell to focus on expanding sales capacity, emerging markets
Dell Chief Executive Michael Dell said he will shift from a quarterly focus to a "five-year, ten-year focus."
New York: Dell Inc Chief Executive Michael Dell said in an interview with CNBC on Friday the focus of the company, which he is taking private, will include expanding sales capacity and growing in emerging markets and tablets.
Dell, who won a battle with activist Carl Icahn to win control of the computer company, also said he will shift from a quarterly focus to a "five-year, ten-year focus."
He does not foresee a Dell entry into the cell phone market.
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BlackBerry 10.3.2 has started rolling out to our American BlackBerry Classic users on Verizon and T-Mobile networks today. Don’t worry AT&T customers and folks outside of the U.S.: the 10.3.2 update will be available in the coming weeks.
With this update, all U.S. BlackBerry users will get to enjoy a fresh look, improved features, even stronger security and anti-theft protection (BlackBerry Protect!), and access to the Amazon Appstore, with hundreds of thousands of Android apps. More power, more privacy, and even more productivity.


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Jane Goodall is not having it! Last week the American Association for the Advancement of Science was reprimanded by some of the world’s top conservation biologists, including famed primatologist Jane
Word on the streets is that Robert Redford’s Sundance Channel is seeking buyers. The network could be worth as much as $400 million dollars — which would make Redford’s 10%
Do you like my scare tactic title? You know you want ME answering the phone at 3am. But I digress. Bad news for tweens everywhere! Yesterday, the Center for Environmental
Yesterday Ecorazzi told you that Clay Aiken was helping UNICEF promote The Tap Project — a campaign aimed at providing safe drinking water to children around the world. Shortly after
Yes, Amy Winehouse is a bit off the deep end when it comes to her personal life, but the girl’s got a voice in her that’s unlike any other I’ve
Yesterday in Sydney, Australia, Bindi Irwin — daughter of the late Steve Irwin — became the fashion world’s youngest designer by unveiling her Bindi Wear International clothing line. As we’ve
Bill Nye is seriously one of the coolest television personalities ever to don a bow-tie. In a battle royale between him and Tucker Carson, Nye would kick some serious ass.


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NEW YORK, Nov. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkNewsAudio – Wonderfilm Media Corporation (WNDR.V) (OTCQB: WDRFF) announces the availability of a broadcast titled, “Entertainment Businesses Adopt New Approaches for Streaming Age.”
To hear the NetworkNewsWire Audio version, visit: http://nnw.fm/p5sVj
To read the full editorial, visit: http://nnw.fm/n7w3D
As video streaming grows to dominate media consumption, companies are on the lookout for new ways to profit from the burgeoning trend. The performance of the most-profitable streaming services, especially Netflix and Amazon, has drawn the attention of other companies. Apple’s background in technology and media distribution makes it a natural player in this arena. Older media firms are also leaping in, as they try to avoid hemorrhaging profits to upstart firms. The question now is which strategies will lead to success.
Media companies are expected to spend $107 billion over 2019 on content creation, with 22% of that coming from Disney alone. Do that math, and that equals hundreds of millions of dollars every day going to companies producing films and TV shows. Audiences have shown that they want more than just repeats on their streaming services, and that original content draws attention, awards, and most importantly subscription fees. With more companies going into streaming, the demand for new content is expected to escalate, fueling interest in and success from companies such as Wonderfilm Media Corporation (WNDR.V) (WDRFF).
About Wonderfilm Media Corporation
Wonderfilm is a leading publicly traded entertainment company with offices in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Wonderfilm’s main business is the production of high-quality feature films and episodic television. Global Content Creation leaders – the Wonderfilm team – has packaged, produced and delivered hundreds of profitable films with proven direct access to Academy Award Quality films and upside. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Wonderfilm.com.
NetworkNewsAudio (NNA) , a NetworkNewsWire (NNW) Solution, allows you to sit back and listen to market updates, CEO interviews and a Company AudioPressRelease (APR). These audio clips provide snapshots of position, opportunity and momentum. NetworkNewsAudio (NNA) can assist your company by cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNA brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is where news, content and information converge. NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a comprehensive provider of news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of journalists and writers, NNW has the unparalleled ability to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public with an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the nation.
For more information, visit: www.NetworkNewsAudio.com
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.


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Partnership to develop financial products and services to expand HSBC’s financing capabilities to China’s rural communities
HSBC, in partnership with Women’s World Banking (WWB), a network of microfinance institutions and banks, has launched a new “individual lending” product. Reportedly, it is an unsecured small business loan tailored to meet the financing needs of farmers and small businesses in rural China – reported The Asian Banker.
WWB is providing technical support to HSBC, training local staff in managing and servicing a portfolio of farmers and small businesses and creating tailored financial products and services to address the specific needs of the country’s rural areas. The new individual lending product relies on an analysis of an applicant’s business and cash flow, whereby the financial needs and repayment capacity of the client are considered when structuring the loan.
The new loan product has been piloted over the past three months at Hubei Suizhou Cengdu HSBC Rural Bank, HSBC’s first rural bank, which opened in December 2007. The product has since been launched at a second HSBC rural bank in Chongqing Dazu, with plans to roll the product out across all HSBC rural banks. As commercial operations, HSBC’s rural banks aim to be viable, profitable and sustainable businesses, while meeting the needs of China’s rural communities.
Vincent Cheng, chairman of HSBC, said: “We are very pleased to be able to extend our financial services to farmers and small rural businesses in China through the launch of the individual lending product. As the first international bank to enter the country’s rural market, HSBC is leveraging its international experience and partnerships to tailor suitable products and services for rural communities in China.”
Mary Ellen Iskenderian, president and CEO of WWB, said: “Expanding access to financial services for those who live in rural areas is vital to supporting rural economic development in China as well as empowering farmers to increase their productivity and ability to generate income. WWB has brought our international experience in designing innovative financial products and services to China and has welcomed the opportunity to support HSBC’s rural banking services on this initiative.”


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“Ocean’s 11” is now streaming on Netflix, with its first trailer premiering this weekend on October 4.
The original “Oceanic” film starring Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Chastain is about the titular crew of the International Space Station, which was sent to explore the outer reaches of the solar system after the original Earth-bound space station failed.
The new trailer will be available to stream this weekend starting at 9:30 a.m.
ET/PT on October 5.
“Ocean’s 9” and “Ocean 11” are available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download.


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Greenpeace has discovered illegal genetically engineered (GE) rice in a Heinz baby cereal product sold in Mainland China, the first time worldwide that illegal GE rice contamination has been detected in baby food.
A mother is feeding Heinz Baby food.
The same product, manufactured at the same Guangzhou factory, is also sold in major supermarkets and drug stores in Hong Kong. Greenpeace demands that Heinz recall the affected batch of products immediately and prevent the batch from being imported to Hong Kong. Greenpeace also urges the Hong Kong Government to implement a comprehensive and strict GE food control and mandatory labelling system now.
Greenpeace commissioned an independent laboratory to test 19 baby food and snack products sold in Beijing and found that Heinz's product contained GE rice ingredients.
"This result is truly shocking," said Fung Ka-keung, Greenpeace food and agriculture campaigner. "This is the first time that illegal GE rice ingredients have been found in baby food products, a category that should be subject to the most stringent controls."
Fung explained that babies are very susceptible to food allergies. In a 2002 report, The Royal Society, the independent scientific academy of the UK, identified babies as being particularly vulnerable to changes in the nutritional content of their food, and recommended that rigorous tests are carried out if GE ingredients are one day considered for use in infant formula. The Bt anti-pest rice found in Heinz's rice cereal contains proteins (Cry1Ac) that can kill pests. A Mexican scientist's research in 2000 shows that the protein may trigger an immune response inside a mouse's body and cause allergies. "This contamination case should be treated with the utmost seriousness. We cannot allow our children to be used as guinea pigs," said Fung.
This is the second GE contamination incident that Greenpeace has exposed within the past few days. On 12th March Greenpeace discovered that the Hong Kong Government had been distributing GE papaya seedlings to farmers., GE food is similar in appearance to traditional food. Without a comprehensive and strict GE food control measures and a mandatory labelling system, GE ingredients can contaminate the human food chain. However, the Hong Kong government's Health, Welfare and Food Bureau continues to ignore the risks and allows GE ingredients to pollute our food.
Responding to a similar GE contamination incident last year, Greenpeace issued a letter to the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food on 25th April 2005 asking the Government how they would prevent unsafe GE food from entering the Hong Kong market. The Bureau replied simply that "the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has a food monitoring system".. No concrete measures were mentioned.
"We have no time to waste. Dr. Chow Yat-ngok must stop ignoring the threat of GE food to food safety now," concluded Fung, "The Hong Kong Government should implement strict control and mandatory GE food labelling systems in accordance with the the Biosafety Protocol, the first international agreement to regulate the transboundary movements of GE organisms.."


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Mumbai: Brightcove has announced distribution partnerships with Bebo, Meebo, RockYou, Slide and Veoh, giving media companies new opportunities to expand the reach of their online video, while maintaining control over their content and advertising inventory. Now media companies using the Brightcove Internet TV platform can program and syndicate advertising-supported content into social networks, social media applications, and a leading online video destination.
"Our distribution partners represent the fastest-growing segments of the social Web and hold enormous potential for our media customers to grow online audiences and scale their advertising inventory," said Brightcove chairman and chief executive officer Jeremy Allaire. "To date, taking advantage of viral promotion and distribution through online communities has been tricky business for media companies who want to maintain control over the brand experience and advertising sales. Using our Internet TV platform to manage and monetize this distribution answers these dual requirements of reach and control."
Brightcove customers publish some of the most highly sought-after news and entertainment video on the Web. These distribution partnerships announced will make an exciting array of high-quality, premium video content available to be viewed on Bebo channels, shared through viral widgets from RockYou and Slide on Facebook and MySpace, included in instant messaging activities on Meebo, and viewed in full-screen at Veoh’s Internet Television portal.
Top media companies are already planning to tap into these new distribution partnerships:
"Social networks and video portals are becoming the first stop for people who want to talk about art, music, culture, and news," says VBS.tv co-founder and executive producer Eddy Moretti. "We’re excited Brightcove is providing an easy and effective way for us to leverage all our original video content across these communities to create and drive conversations."
"People think about weather constantly as they plan their day so we strive to make our content available on as many platforms as possible — extending our brand to social networks is a logical step for our brand," said The Weather Channel Interactive vice president of business development Cameron Clayton. "Brightcove enables us to easily extend distribution and our advertising reach into new audiences."
The distribution partners announced reach a combined audience of more than 300 million monthly viewers.


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Have you ever wondered if the supplement you’re taking has made someone sick? Thanks to a new database from the Food and Drug Administration, you can know with certainty that your supplement has made someone sick in the past.
The FDA recently made the database available via its website. The database is a collection of all consumer complaints filed to the FDA by the public.
After you file a report to the FDA, that report gets reviewed by the agency, then filed away into a database. For years, that database has been internally accessible, but it has never been available to the public.
That changed this past week, when the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) took an important step towards transparency, making all complaints available using this website.
For the first time, consumers, physicians, and manufacturers will be able to search for complaints about specific products. You’ll be able to see if that protein powder has given someone gastrointestinal discomfort before.
At the same time, the publicly-accessible database is expected to allow journalists and researchers to hold the FDA accountable. Journalists will be able to notice when a supplement has had multiple complaints in the past, and can ask why the FDA is not taking action against that supplement.
Consumer Reports quoted an industry policy expert in their writeup, saying,
“This additional transparency may help consumers learn about potentially dangerous food, supplements, and cosmetics faster than they would otherwise.”
Previously, journalists and the public could access this information through a Freedom of Information Act request, then wait weeks or months to get a response. Today, it’s all available to download for free online in a searchable spreadsheet.
How Many Reports Does the FDA Get?
Have you ever taken the time to file a complaint with the FDA over a problematic supplement? Probably not. However, tens of thousands of people have taken the time.
The FDA reports that their CFSAN received 56,574 “adverse event” reports between January 2004 and September 2016.
Of those reports, 26,840 were complaints about foods, 25,412 were complaints about dietary supplements, and 4,322 were complains about cosmetics (drugs are in their own category and have a separate reporting system).
Most of these reports do not come from individual patients or consumers. Instead, most come from medical professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses. Other reports are filed by individual consumers, including their family members and, in some cases, their lawyers.
What to Know Before You Use the Database
The database is far from perfect.
Obviously, consumers are not required to report complaints about foods, supplements, or cosmetics. That’s why you should not consider the list of complaints to be an exhaustive list of all potential problems linked to a supplement.
You’ll notice another trend on the list: some of the world’s most popular supplements have dozens of serious-looking complaints against them. You may be tempted to avoid these supplements because of a perceived higher risk. However, popular supplements will inevitably have more complaints simply because more people are using them.
One of the flaws of the database is that there’s no way to show what percentage of users reported the adverse side effects when using the product.
Another problem is that you don’t know the unique characteristics of the person reporting the problem. You don’t know if the side effect is linked to a pre-existing illness or a medical condition, for example.
Ultimately, all of these problems significantly limit the value of the database. Nevertheless, if you experienced adverse reactions to a supplement – or if you are worried about adverse reactions – checking the database isn’t a bad idea.
You can also report a problem with a food, supplement, cosmetic, or drug product here.


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Blizzard’s hero shooter continues to rise in popularity though total units sold is still a mystery.
Blizzard Entertainment’s hero shooter Overwatch continues to build its player base with the company announcing 35 million players in total across its three platforms. This is pretty much the registered player count and Blizzard hasn’t provided any information on how many copies of the game were sold or the daily active player counts.
Overwatch released to enormous fanfare in 2016, hitting 20 million registered players by November 2016 and doing so faster than any other Blizzard title till that point. The player base has been steadily rising in no small part thanks to the free weekends that the company has hosted, especially when major updates and events – like the recent Halloween Terror – go live.
Blizzard is also busy building the Overwatch League which will begin its inaugural season by 2017 end. This will expand the franchise’s esports influence beyond APEX, Overwatch Contenders and the Overwatch World Cup, thus providing professional players with stable incomes and benefits. We’ll see what the future has in store for Overwatch, especially with indications of a new project is in the works.


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STARZ has announced that with the June billing cycle, subscribers will see an increase in their monthly rate. It’s going up by a buck, to $9.99 per month. And it comes just in time for the new season of Outlander. It’s unclear if that is the reason for the increase or not, but it’s pretty likely.
It’s not a huge increase, but that is about $12 more per year if you[‘re on the monthly plan. That’s a whole other streaming service, when you think about it. STARZ does not offer an ad-supported tier of their service, so comparing it to Disney+ ad-free is appropriate here, and it’s still cheaper. Albeit by a buck. It’s also far cheaper than HBO MAX’s ad-free tier.
STARZ’s problem is their catalog
STARZ doesn’t have a lot of original content, with its biggest original title being Outlander. It instead, licenses a lot of shows and movies for its service. Which can be taken away pretty quickly. STARZ had been the home for Sony’s movies, like Spider-Man and Jumanji. However, Sony has recently entered into a deal with Netflix to put its movies onto Netflix instead.
The back catalog for STARZ is pretty lacking, and at $8.99 per month, it wasn’t too bad. It does have a ton of movies and series available, but if they raise prices much more, it’s going to be a tough sell. As most of their movies now are from Lionsgate.
So why raise the price now? Well, Outlander is their most popular series. And by raising prices just in time for the next season, it means that STARZ will get an infusion of cash, and it will also raise their average revenue per user. To help when it comes to announcing earnings. Outlander will premiere its first part of Season 7 on June 16. However, Season 7 is being split up into two parts, about eight episodes each. And the second part won’t air until 2024.
The post STARZ is the latest streamer to raise prices appeared first on Android Headlines.


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Africa’s free trade pact could deal blow to cartels
By Macharia Kamau | March 10th 2020
Local regulators have for long grappled with firms that have grown too big for oversight and whose success has at times been detrimental to consumers.
Some have tended to abuse their dominance by locking out new entrants while dictating prices and other industry issues for consumers who do not have alternatives.
Cartels, too, some aided by monopolies and government agencies, have proved a hard nut to crack for regulators, not just locally but regionally.
A recent study by the World Bank blamed the cartels and monopolistic behaviour by large firms dealing in food as being directly responsible for keeping more than 270,000 people in absolute poverty.
This is just one industry, and the numbers could rise sharply when anti-competitive behaviour is evaluated in other sectors.
Successful implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could deal a major blow to the cartels and monopolies that have resisted regulators in the past, according to a report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Uneca) and TradeMark East Africa (TMEA).
The report notes that AfCFTA’s opening up of markets will enable other firms from across the borders to bring in formidable competition to monopolies or duopolies that have a firm hold on East Africa’s economies.
The report published last week noted that East Africans stand to be major beneficiaries of the break-up of anti-competitive behaviour perfected by local firms and multinationals.
Such firms, it noted, have had a stranglehold on key industries and markets to the extent that they solely determine prices of products while fighting off competitors.
Cartels and monopolies usually fight back to frustrate efforts to make organisations such as the AfCFTA successful and it is not unthinkable that they can frustrate the same governments that will play critical roles in implementing the treaty.
“Ultimately, however, it is the citizens of East Africa who will be the principal beneficiaries of the AfCFTA,” said the Uneca and TMEA report.
“They (East Africans) currently suffer the effects of anti-competitive practices… (there are) several instances of anti-competitive behaviour in sectors such as telecommunications, beer, cement and foodstuff.”
“Through the reduction of import prices, the harmonisation of competition laws and the strengthening of regulatory rules, the AfCFTA can improve the protection of consumers and achieve a major reduction in the prices of common consumer goods and services,” it said.
The report noted that cement prices are 183 per cent higher, on average, than global prices, with consumers paying Sh250 billion more every year for the product compared to other regions due to a lack of competition.
It noted that a single operator holds over half the market share in both the telecommunications and transport sectors.
Other industries affected by anti-competitive behaviour include the beer sub-sector, which is controlled by four multinational players across Africa. They could “collude across national and regional markets to control both the market for the final product and the markets for agricultural inputs”.
The scenarios are all too familiar for Kenyans, who at times have to contend with one strong player across the industries who dictates prices as well as influences industry issues, including policy through strong lobbying aided by its deep purse.
“Certainly, higher price mark-ups have consistently been observed in African sectors with a high degree of market concentration (oligopolies), a low elasticity of demand (because of the lack of substitutes), and a prevalence of anti-competitive practices (cartels and collusive agreements),” said the report.
“By opening up domestic markets to more competition through trade, the AfCFTA may go some way to addressing these concerns.” The report warns that protectionist measures meant to cushion local industries and jobs will frustrate regional blocks across Africa.
Among the areas of action will be implementation of competition laws as well as putting in place necessary laws to support local implementation of AfCFTA.
“The benefits from AfCFTA may also be diminished in the presence of monopolies, oligopolies and cartels. It is, therefore, important that the AfCFTA Protocol on Competition is effective and ensures strong cooperation between national and regional authorities,” said the report.
The challenge will be addressing the diversity of competition regimes across African countries.
In the East Africa region, only a few countries, such as Kenya and Tanzania, have both competition laws and operational competition authorities.
Other countries have enacted competition laws but have not yet established a competition authority… (others) do not have any competition legislation at all.
In a 2016 report, the World Bank noted that tackling anti-competitive behaviour could bring about a 10 per cent reduction in prices of staples - lifting 270,000 people in Kenya above the poverty line.
It said Kenyan laws, and those of other African jurisdictions, are too lenient on players who exhibit anti-competitive and cartel-like behaviour.
“Despite their harm, fines allowed and imposed for cartels in Africa are not high enough to deter their formation. In Kenya, the maximum fine possible is approximately $100,000 (Sh10 million), and in the East African Community, it is Sh1 million ($10,000),” said the World Bank.
“Although the maximum fine imposed for cartels in South Africa is Sh11.6 billion on average, fines are only nine per cent of excess profits compared to 26 per cent in the European Union. Practical implementation of key anti-cartel enforcement tools needs to be strengthened as well.”
African countries are set to start trading within AfCFTA in July. Currently, 54 out of the 55 African Union member States have signed up for AfCFTA, promising to create the single largest trade bloc in the world with 1.3 billion people and a Sh250 trillion market.
Kenya is stepping up production of clothing and food processing to take advantage of the huge market.
“What we have done is to develop a national export strategy, which has identified products that we can competitively produce in Kenya and the different markets for those goods and services. Our focus areas, especially in manufacturing is textiles and apparels; a second area is agro-processing,” said Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina.
“We are also looking at improving logistics. It is one thing to produce goods in one part of the country but if you cannot get them to the market because of lack of infrastructure, you will lose that market.”
Local firms are also gearing up to grow their presence in the region.
EU plans one mobile charging port for all, in setback for Apple
SCI & TECH
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SHIPPING & LOGISTICS
- Matatus in Nairobi to pay more in seasonal ticket fees from Saturday
- What it takes to own a decent house at minimal cost and time
- MPs reject Treasury’s plan for new fund to repay costly loans


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Film and TV pump billions into economy
New Zealand's film and TV industry has risen to become one of our most lucrative - reeling in more than $3.23 billion last year.
The sector's contribution to gross domestic product was $2.78 billion, representing 1.4 per cent of New Zealand's total GDP, a PricewaterhouseCoopers report found. The sector also supported 21,315 fulltime-equivalent jobs.
Rick Friesen, the chief executive of Think TV, an advocacy group for free-to-air television, said the report would help advocating for further industry growth.
"Our screen industry is an adaptive and fast-moving sector which innovates and creates sustainable careers and jobs."
The industry compared favourably with the New Zealand wine industry, which contributed $1.52b to GDP in 2008.
Film and TV's gross earnings had risen by four per cent since 2008, the Economic Contribution of the New Zealand Film and Television Industry 2012 report indicated.
Film production made up a large share of total gross revenue, raking in $1.4b.
Film Auckland chairman Pete Rive welcomed the study as an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the local screen community.
He hailed Spartacus, Mr Pip, Emperor, starring Matthew Fox, and The Hobbit as examples of recent successes.
"We have built a global brand recognisable for its success in creating and producing world-class content," Mr Rive said.
"This report validates the work of more than 21,000 New Zealanders who are the bedrock of, and are supported by our screen industry."
Michael Hawkins, executive director of National Association of Cinema Operators for Australia and New Zealand, said the report was timely.
"Now is the time to improve legislation involving online infringement of films and television shows," Mr Hawkins said.
"It will not only protect our substantial existing industry but will allow ideas, creativity and business to flourish to their full potential over the next decade."
The New Zealand market for online movies and TV shows has increased by 55 per cent over 12 months.
Services like iSky and TVNZ Ondemand are rapidly gaining popularity, along with online movie services.
Overseas services available in New Zealand include Caspa, MovieFlix, Movieway, Mubi and Zune Video Europe-based services including Movieurope.
Quickflix New Zealandwas one of the latest to enter the market, in March, with a monthly pay-as-you-go model.
More providers are expected to enter the New Zealand market with the increasing rollout of ultrafast broadband, increasing competition and consumer choice.
"It will mean high definition broadband across multiple devices in your home," Quickflix managing director Paddy Buckley said.
"With an imbedded app you can join online and browse TV shows, movies and games from your X-Box."
A similar model, Netflix, accounts for about 30 percent of internet traffic in the US.


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Today’s Hot Topics: ESG and Sustainability
April 27, 2023
The terms ESG and sustainability have been floating around the corporate world for a while, but only recently have they gained significant prominence. The World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation defines ESG as a governance and investment framework that companies and investors use to address the “risks, impacts and opportunities” of environmental, social and governance issues. Sustainability is defined as an organization’s actions to achieve these goals, encompassing social and economic health and environmental longevity. Both ESG and sustainability have become crucial considerations for enterprises in today’s marketplace. According to Jim Gill of Hanzo, stakeholders place ESG at the forefront of corporate business agendas. Consumers, clients and employees are more interested in purchasing and working with sustainable companies. ESG issues such as climate change and social inequalities are intensifying, while consumers and stakeholders demand that corporations behave more responsibly and take meaningful steps to achieve sustainability goals. But ESG and sustainability aren’t just about responding to consumer pressure. Organizations that prioritize ESG and sustainability not only gain a competitive advantage, but they can also conserve resources and set themselves up for long-term environmental stability, lower their operating costs and self-regulate. And that is why ESG and sustainability are such hot topics today.
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Andhra Pradesh/New Delhi, March 27, 2019: Ten thousand smallholder farmers in Andhra Pradesh are set to benefit from the introduction of sustainable irrigation products and practices under a program offered by International Development Enterprises - India (IDEI) and supported with funding from the Walmart Foundation.
Providing a grant of US $750,000, the Walmart Foundation will help IDEI take its Integrating Smallholder Farmers Into Market Systems program to ten districts in the state. The program aims to introduce sustainable irrigation products and practices and create a complementary support ecosystem that will boost farm yields, reduce negative environmental impacts, and increase market access and smallholder farmer income.
The program is expected to generate an additional $7.4 million in annual farming income in the state at the end of the project period, with individual gains of $400 per smallholder farmer household per year1. Substantial water savings in agriculture are also anticipated, amounting to 33.4 million m3 of water saved for the state during the program2.
More than 62% of the population of Andhra Pradesh are dependent on agriculture3, and yet many farmers live in poverty and lack access to irrigation systems or other technologies to help them improve their productivity and income.
Sustainable agricultural products with practices are the keystone of the IDEI program. It will target smallholder farming families with irrigation interventions and support for market-oriented development. Introducing sustainable irrigation will help smallholder farmers increase the planting and harvesting window, increase yields, and enable greater crop variety and productivity, unlocking new market opportunities. It will also generate cost savings and reduce negative environmental impact by curbing excess water and Fossil Fuel consumption.
IDEI will also work to catalyze an ecosystem of entrepreneurs to provide access to affordable water-use productivity technologies and practices and for the maintenance and upkeep of these systems. These complementary activities can further enhance economic opportunities in the target regions of Andhra Pradesh.
“Income poverty affects 1.3 billion people around the world and is a huge challenge. But simple solutions, like affordable modern irrigation, can make a massive difference. We have already helped more than 8 million people of farming families improve their output and standard of living, and we are determined to now do the same for tens of thousands of smallholders in Andhra Pradesh,” said Amitabha Sadangi, Chief Executive of IDEI.
Angamuthu a smallholder farmer from Tamil Nadu installed a drip-type irrigation system. “Before we never had enough money for our subsistence, but now we have surplus money to educate our children because of increased yield with all the support rendered by IDEI promoted drip.”, he said.
The IDEI grant is a part of the Walmart Foundation’s commitment, announced in September 2018, to invest US $25 million (approximately ₹180 crores) in philanthropic initiatives to improve farmer livelihoods in India over the next five years.
With this commitment, the Walmart Foundation is focused on empowering Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to serve as sustainable intermediaries that can help smallholders grow their incomes and improve their livelihoods. It aims to support FPOs and their farmer members to develop sustainable farming practices, share business best practices, add value to primary commodities, and improve access to financing and markets. Under this commitment, an almost US $2 million grant to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, was launched in Andhra Pradesh last year with the unveiling of a groundnut processing facility.
“We are pleased to support organizations such as IDEI who have expertise and a solid track record in strengthening farmers’ agricultural skills. This approach helps to create sustainable livelihoods for farmers by increasing production and helps to preserve important natural resources for the future”, said Karrie Denniston, Senior Director, Walmart Foundation.
International Development Enterprises India (IDEI) is an Indian not-for-profit enterprise committed to providing long-term solutions to poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. It encourages the development of a sustainable and free market by creating demand for affordable technologies and ensuring a sustainable supply chain. IDEI has worked in 15 states in India. Over the years, IDEI has reached out to over 1.5 million smallholder farmer households impacting more than 8 million people.
Making small-plot agriculture more profitable and thereby reducing poverty remains IDEI’s guiding philosophy. IDEI’s technology is designed to be one-fifth the cost of comparable solutions and to scale down to fit plots as small as one-tenth of a hectare, enabling farmers to generate sales at unsubsidized market prices.
IDEI’s technologies include treadle pumps, and drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. These low- cost solutions are manually powered and simple and inexpensive to maintain, offering a high return on investment. On average, they help farmers earn an additional $400 in net additional income per year.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employing more than 2.2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Our philanthropy helps people live better by supporting upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where Walmart operates and inspiring our associates to give back.
To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit http://giving.walmart.com/foundation


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According to a report in the Houston Chronicle, the trucking companies are suing the local and four union representatives for allegedly violating federal antitrust laws. The suit claims that the union is illegally negotiating hiring agreements with competing companies. The agreements call for the competitors to hire the drivers as employees if the companies for which they currently drive refuse to recognize them as employees. The lawsuit says that would give the competitors an unfair advantage.
The lawsuit also said these activities violate the antitrust laws by trying to "restrict trade to their advantage by controlling the flow of goods and materials being trucked from the Port of Houston."
The suit prompted the union to call off a plan to "shut down" the trucking companies last Thursday. Union officials said 1,200 truck drivers had expressed an interest in participating in the organizing meeting and convoy.
Port drivers in Houston, like those nationwide, want better pay to help compensate for higher fuel prices. Many want to be considered employees rather than independent contractors so that they can legally join a union and get benefits like health insurance.


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Securing a significant investment
- 500-backed startup Lummo (formerly known as BukuKas) recently closed a US$80 million Series C funding round, and one of the participating investors is Jeff Bezos’s personal investment firm, Bezos Expeditions.
- The fresh capital will go towards hiring more technology, product management, and design talents to support their team in Indonesia and India.
- “The investment will strengthen Lummo’s efforts to further build on our direct-to-consumer product offerings and deliver greater value to entrepreneurs and businesses in Indonesia,” said Krishnan Menon, co-founder and CEO of Lummo.
- The startup plans to strengthen its product offerings through technological innovations such as chat commerce, custom domains and website, as well as personalized features for branding.
- Read the full story in DealStreetAsia.
Ringing in a new era of safety
- Over 22,000 people reported their electric bikes were stolen in the Netherlands last year. 500-backed insurtech startup Laka is on the case, striking a partnership with global sports retailer Decathlon.
- Together, they aim to beat bike thieves by launching an anti-theft system on Decathlon’s new connected electric bikes. The hidden GPS chip allows owners to connect their bikes to their smartphones and get the precise location of their bikes.
- Bike owners will receive a notification when someone touches their bike or when the bike is moving without their knowledge.
- Laka’s insurance covers the tracking and recovery of a stolen bike by a specialist recovery company. If the bike can’t be found, Laka will provide a full bike replacement to customers.
- Read the full article here.
Bringing innovators together
- A productivity community – that’s what 500-backed WORQ calls itself.
- “[Our] vision is to create a world where people and community prosper by working together,” says founder and CEO Stephanie Ping. “We are creating the largest and most productive coworking community by taking care of all your workplace needs and facilitating a deeper connection,” she added. “We believe that by improving the productivity of entrepreneurs, freelancers and businesses we can have a significant impact on the economy.”
- To maintain this sense of community in the age of a pandemic, WORQ launched the SPARQ app, which acts as a digital community manager that works 24/7 to connect people with collaboration opportunities.
- The app gives people access to a support system. “We believe in the power of leveraging networks, embracing diversity, and most importantly, the impact of genuine and lasting human connection,” Stephanie concluded.
- Read the full interview in TechNode Global.


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ASUS recently launched the newest whiz graphics card designed for small form factor PCs.
GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU Mini Series can be used for mini-ITX motherboards.
GTX 670 DirectCU Mini has a dual-slot with a length of only 17cm with NVIDIA GTX 670 [...]
Researchers from IBM managed to break the record by making the world’s smallest movie.
The film uses atoms as an actor in a movie called “A Boy And His Atomic” lasted 1 minute 35 seconds.
The film is made using stop-motion technique, [...]
The talk on social networking Twitter.
A photo cards appalling universe of cyberspace, especially on social networks. From the photo clearly visible a business card Apple Canada to that of a man named Sam Sung.
A business card is interesting when related [...]
Screen HD 1080p will most likely be a top-class smartphone trend in 2013. Currently the majority of upscale smartphones still use 720p HD display, call it the Samsung Galaxy S3, Nokia Lumia 920 or HTC One X +.
A source interviewed by DigiTimes saying [...]
Smartphone Sony Yuga is estimated by some analysts will be the mainstay.
A number of people have stated that Sony was preparing his most recent flagship smartphone, which is rumored to be a major competitor iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S III.
According to [...]
HTC launched its newest product to sail in 2013. This time, they introduced Android smartphone named HTC One.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Wednesday (2/20), one of the most highlighted features of the Taiwanese manufacturer is Ultrapixel camera.
Through these [...]
WhatsApp has been widely used by a number of platforms such as Android, Blackberry, Symbian, Windows Phone and iOS.
WhatsApp apprise that it’s quite fun for the users of the Apple iPhone 5.
Mobile instant messaging has proved its existence in many [...]
Linux developers, Canonical, claims a new version of Ubuntu 13.04 or so-called Raring Ringtail more efficient.
According to the Canonical claim, Raring Ringtail has improved performance. Among other uses fewer resources, faster boot times, lower [...]
This is good news for the fans of Nintendo games. Wii U, Nintendo’s latest console launched across the United States starting on Sunday (11/18) morning.
Wii U offers high definition clearer, innovative, and control tablet called GamePad. GamePad [...]
If you had to choose between Galaxy S4 or the iPhone 5, which one is your favorite?
This question may arise when someone wants to buy the iPhone 5, but curious to see what the Galaxy S4 and decided to wait for him to be compared directly.
For that, TechBoom tried [...]
Astounding number ready achieved by Apple. In the near future, the number of applications that have been downloaded from the App Store will touch the figure of 50 billion.
Quoted from Techradar, Saturday (4/5), Apple has already provided a gift for those [...]


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Metso wins the Quality Innovation of the Year award and is granted the accolade Recognized for Excellence
Metso Corporation Press release on November 13, 2008 at 7.00 p.m.
Metso has won the Quality Innovation of the Year award for 2008 and has been granted a top accolade in the Finnish Quality Award competition. These competitions are held by Excellence Finland.
In the Quality Innovation of the Year competition, Metso came out top in the major corporations category. The prize was given for Metso’s PowerDry Plus drying technology and for the related product used in drying paper and board coating. These were both developed by Metso Paper’s Air and Chemical Systems unit in Turku, Finland. The technology has been commercialized, and a resulting product has already been delivered to many customers in the paper industry. In its preamble to the award, the competition jury stated that the winning innovation in this particular field represents a significant advance for energy efficiency in the paper industry and will help the industry achieve its environmental goals…..more at Metso.com


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What you need to know
- Apple has fixed a USB 2.0 in macOS Catalina.
- Version 10.15.6 resolves the issue, which caused devices to disconnect.
- It doesn't look like Big Sur has received the same treatment.
Apple's latest macOS Catalina update seems to have fixed a USB 2.0 bug that was causing peripherals to disconnect intermittently.
As reported by AppleInsider:
The new macOS Catalina 10.15.6 update has successfully addressed an intermittent bug that meant 2020 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models would randomly disconnect USB 2.0 accessories.
The Catalina update "(resolves) an issue where certain USB mouse and trackpads may lose connection," says Apple, in its release notes. As is typical for a brief release note, there are no further details about the fix.
As mentioned, there is no detail beyond Apple having resolved the issue. As AI notes, the problem still persists in the beta of macOS Big Sur. The problem, reported back in June seems to be causing USB 2.0 accessories to randomly disconnect or stop working, in particular when connected to a USB hub. From the original story:
Apple's 2020 MacBook lineup seems to be having issues with USB 2.0 when used with adapters or hubs.
As reported by MacRumors:
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro owners who have one of the new 13-inch 2020 models released earlier this year appear to be experiencing problems with USB 2.0 accessories that connect to their machines through a hub or adapter. There are a number of complaints about the issue on the MacRumors forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Communities. Affected customers appear to be seeing devices connected to the Mac randomly disconnect
macOS 10.15.6 also brought with it big changes to Apple News, adding local news feeds for San Francisco, the Bay Area, LA, Houston, and New York City.
NJ Supreme Court rules you can be forced to give up your phone’s passcode
In a 4-3 decision, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Monday that the Fifth Amendment did not protect this particular defendant.
Ooredoo ONE subscribers can now get an Apple TV 4K with their TV plan
Subscribers to Qatari TV company Ooredoo can get a free Apple TV 4K with their ONE plan right now.
EU says it is 'aware' of Facebook Gaming and Microsoft xCloud concerns
The European Commission has said it is "aware" of concerns over Apple's App Store rules regarding recent news over Microsoft's Project xCloud gaming service and Facebook Gaming.
Defend your new 11-inch iPad Pro with one of these screen protectors
The 11-inch iPad Pro (2020) would be even better when paired with one of these screen protectors, available at various price points. Here are our favorite so far, but more will surely be on the way.


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Retailers can now closely monitor their customers’ shopping habits—how they spend their money and where—they can better position preferred SKU’s on the home screen influencing purchasing and they can set up subscription and other easy replenishment services to make repeat buying effortless. Meanwhile, consumers can more easily let retailers know what they want and, more importantly, what they don’t like. It does not take much for an unsatisfied customer to get their message out there—remember how quickly Amazon ended its first foray into diapers after a few parents posted concerns over their quality—and retailers are acutely aware of this.
The changing relationship between retailers and consumers has certainly shifted the power struggle between them. At last month’s Private Label Annual Meeting, one speaker stated that the pendulum has firmly shifted toward the consumers and in the next five to 10 years only the retailers and brands that put consumers’ needs first will survive.
And many say these needs are changing. Today’s consumers don’t trust big brands and major corporations but they crave the convenience these big players can offer. Therefore, to be successful, companies need to know what customers want whether it’s craft-style products that are local, natural ingredients or or other premium benefits like “clean” or “gluten free.”
As large retailers try to serving local consumers on a global scale, one major trend will be the demand for natural-based products. P&G is clearly aware of this. The company recently introduced a new baby care line, Pampers Pure, which includes diapers that are free of fragrance, lotion and chlorine, and wipes also featuring carefully selected ingredients.
There is no doubt that the entire diaper industry, if not the whole consumer goods market, is watching this launch closely. While natural diapers with few chemicals have impacted the North American diaper market, giants like P&G and Kimberly-Clark have not, until now, made a major play for this segment, targeting the 57% of parents who say they prefer natural products for their babies. It will be interesting to see how P&G’s efforts will fare against more traditional natural brands like Honest and Seventh Generation.


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Idai Nature, a Spanish biotechnology company member of Rovensa Group, has received the award as the best AgTech of the year in the Go Global Awards of the International Trade Council, which recognizes companies that boost the economy with their innovations, technologies, and strategies.
The Go Global Awards brings together hundreds of senior executives from manufacturers and exporters, along with representatives from government agencies, trade associations, venture capital firms, and financial institutions, endorsed by the International Trade Council (ITC) (www.tradecouncil.org). ITC is an internationally renowned non-profit organization serving government trade agencies, chambers of commerce, export councils, business associations, and corporations.
This organization, based in Washington D.C., is sponsored by companies and institutions such as Switzerland Global Enterprise or Business Finland.
Following up the European Business Awards as the Most Sustainable Company in Europe last year, Idai Nature has received this important intercontinental recognition.
Idai Nature is a Valencian biotechnology company founded in 2009 by Carlos Ledó specialized in the development and manufacture of products based on micro-organisms and botanical extracts with bio fungicidal, bio bactericidal, and/or bioinsecticide nature. Since 2018, it has been part of the Rovensa Business Group, leading its Agricultural Biocontrol unit.
For more information:


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Samantha Futerman is an actor that made videos on YouTube in Los Angels. Anaïs Bordiers is a fashion designer in London. One of Anaïs' friends came across one of Sam's videos on YouTube. Her friend sent her the video of Sam, and Anaïs contacted Sam through Facebook. They Skyped and found out that they not only looked identical, but shared the same birthday and were from the same part of Korea. These Korean adoptees were identical twins that had grown up in different countries. They wrote a book (Separated @ Birth) and are releasing a documentary (Twinsters) in 2015.
[Picture from Koreatimes article linked below]


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Snapchat might be growing fast, and steadily becoming one of the “big players” among giants like Facebook and Twitter, but it still lacks something. A proper way to make money.
Whatever you may argue, Snapchat has a really terrible (and almost nonexistent) ad offering. And although the company is billed to rake in almost $1 billion this year in revenue that’s just not good enough. So, if it wants to compete, Snapchat will have to come up with something good. Soon.
Apparently, part of that “something” is using its users’ information to serve them ads. So, you’d think that Snapchat is super privacy-centric? Just because it doesn’t save your snaps (it does)? Think again. Whatever else you do on the app is behaviour that Snapchat can use. And it intends to, apparently. What you do on Stories, Live stories, and everything in between, is behavioural info. Snapchat can target people based on that.
As Snapchat’s director of revenue operations, Clement Xue, explains, “behavioural targeting” is something Snapchat intends to roll out within Q3 of 2016. So, what accounts a user follows, what content one watches often, etc. will all play a part in displaying ads to them.
In June, Snapchat rolled out its first ever video ads. At the same time, it also launched its advertising API which advertisers can use together with third-parties to “better optimise their promotional content”. And despite the company’s general “aversion” to ads, they seem to be a necessary evil.
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Snapchat has announced a new curated entertainment platform that will surface the most entertaining Snaps all in one place.
Snapchat is introducing new features to let you create an Astrological Profile and see shared Astrological Compatibility with your friends.
Snapchat follower counts are now a reality as the platform turns on the feature for accounts with large followings.
Building on its full-body tracking technology, Snapchat has launched 10 new 3D body scan Lenses, that respond to your movements.


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Sanlipu (002876): Product price increases and production capacity of Hefei Plant is released.
Investment Highlights: Company Announcement: Release of 2019 Third Quarter Report to Realize Revenue10.
42 ppm, an increase of 61 in ten years.
34%, net profit attributable to mothers was 23.62 million yuan, an increase of 4.
01%, net profit after deduction of 14.53 北京夜生活网 million yuan, an annual increase of 29.
28%; of which the third quarter income4.
250,000 yuan, an increase of 86 in ten years.
27%, net profit attributable to mothers was 22.4 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 496.
Estimated net profit for 2019 is 4,985.
660,000 yuan, an increase of 80% -130%.
Slightly more than expected.
Revenue was in line with expectations, and profit grew significantly more than expected.
In 2019, the improvement in the quality of some of the company’s products and the release of Hefei Sanlipo Optoelectronics’ production capacity led to a significant increase in the company’s revenue.
The combined company ‘s Shenzhen production line has strong demand for small-size products, and the company has increased some of its capacity through technological transformation. In addition, the merger of the Hefei plant has begun 天津夜网 to realize profits. Large-scale products have been stably supplied to BOE, Huike, and the yield and capacity of the production line have been as much as possible.Maintained at a high level; third, the company’s products basically stabilized at the current level after the price increase in the first quarter.
From an industry perspective, there will be no new capacity launch this year, and we believe that product prices are expected to continue to maintain stability.
The company has a large number of orders and raised production lines to provide continuous growth momentum.
The company recently launched a non-public offering and raised less than 1.1 billion funds. At present, it has feedbacked once to build a new production line with a width of 2500mm. The product size has been extended from small to medium-sized to oversized with more comprehensive coverage.
With domestic 8.
5th generation and 10.
The 5th generation panel line was put into production, which brought a lot of demand for polarizer procurement. It is estimated that the demand for LCD panel polarizers from mainland panel companies (excluding the need to set up factories in mainland China) is 2.
With 700 million square meters, the global panel companies’ demand for LCD polarizers is about 500 million square meters. At present, the self-sufficiency rate of panel polarizers is less than 20%. Therefore, we expect that domestic polarizer companies will still face development space.
We expect that after the new production line is put into production, it is expected to start contributing in the second half of 2022. By then, the company’s TFT-LCD polarizer production capacity will reach 61 million square meters. From the perspective of product size, it will cover small to large sizes and 65 inches or moreSuper-sized polarizer products promote the maximization of production capacity and the bargaining power in upstream and downstream.
The demand for large-size polarizers has opened, driving the company’s performance inflection point, raising its profit forecast and maintaining the “overweight” level.
According to the company’s production line situation, the revenue and profit forecast are slightly raised, and the net profit for 2019-2021 is expected to be zero.
2.2 billion yuan (previous forecast was 0.
1.5 billion), the corresponding EPS is 0.
13 yuan per share, corresponding to PE of 77X / 30X / 21X, if non-public issuance of 20.8 million shares, completed in early 2020, it is expected that the fully diluted EPS in 2020-2021 will be 1.
78 yuan / share.
Risk warning: sharp fluctuations in raw material prices, increased costs caused by exchange rate changes, and the new production line is less than expected


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Low-income households and households of color are far more likely to spend a disproportionately high portion of their income on energy bills, according to a new report from The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The report comes as tens of millions of American households face possible utility shutoffs by the end of this month as protections enacted in the wake of the pandemic expire. Twenty-five percent of American households, but a full two thirds of low income households are described as having a “high energy burden”, spending double the national average on energy bills as a portion of their income.
Compared to White households, Black households spend 43% more of their income on energy costs, Hispanic households spend 20% more; and Native American households spend 45% more. Racist policies like redlining have made households of color more likely to live in inefficient housing with old, energy-guzzling appliances and HVAC systems, Earther reported.
Communities of color have been hit disproportionately hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and “between having to stay at home to be to protect yourself and to remain socially distant, along with increased heat from the summertime weather … we found customers will see an increased energy bill of up to $50 per month,” Joseph Daniel, a senior energy analyst with the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, who did not work on the report, told Earther. (SmartCities Dive, Earther, US News & World Rpt., Grist)


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Multiple Michigan Walmarts Had To Be Evacuated Over Bomb Threats
Can you imagine doing your shopping and then having to be evacuated from the store? This is what happened to several Walmart shoppers in Michigan on Monday.
Shopping At Walmart
My only real experience with an emergency at a Walmart was when I lived in Indiana and a tornado touched down nearby and everyone was escorted to a small area to take cover until the storm passed by. Other than that, all my shopping experiences have been pretty positive.
When you are shopping and someone says, hey, you are going to have to evacuate the store there has been a bomb threat. The first thing that would pop into my head is the picture above then how quickly I could make it out of the store and into my car without knocking anyone or anything over in the process.
Michigan Walmart Bomb Threats
Normally when you see a few cops at a department store it's usually a shoplifter who fought back and some reinforcements were called in to apprehend the alleged thief. At several Walmart locations in Michigan bomb squads and bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in because of a series of bomb threats.
What Michigan Walmarts Received a Bomb Threat?
According to WXYZ, there were bomb threats made at the 4 Michigan Walmart locations that included Canton, Coldwater, Rochester Hills, and White Lake. The Rochester Hills and White Lake Walmarts both received ransom requests to go along with the bomb threats.
In the picture above you can see Walmart employees and customers waiting outside of a Michigan Walmart while bomb-sniffing dogs were inside trying to locate the alleged explosives.
More Than Just Michigan Walmarts Targeted for Bomb Threats
It wasn't just Michigan Walmart locations that have received a bomb threat, on Sunday a Walmart located in Holland, Ohio near Toledo received a threat. There have been other threats reported around the country as far as California and Hawaii.
There is no word if this is the work of one individual, a group, or copycats, but it is a useless waste of law enforcement's time and it keeps them away from real problems. The FBI is now offering up its services to look deeper into who is making these useless threats.
The good news is, no explosive devices were found in any of the Walmart stores that were searched. If you would like to hear from a shopper who was at one of the Walmart locations check out the video provided by WXYZ.


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This is the week for big developers to take over the small marketplaces. First EA starts a mobile development studio and now this. Australian Indie game publishers are claiming that Microsoft has started giving more and more of its 35 XBLA game slots to major developers.
WAToday claims that the requirements Microsoft has placed on its acceptance of XBLA games favor big publishers, "with independent games rejected for being too similar to an existing title on the service, yet major publishers were able to flood it with retro remakes."
I hope we will see some relief in this arena when Australian Xbox owners get access to the Xbox Live Indie Games community, where anyone can develop games, including through Kudu, and publish them to the entire community. What do you think about major publishers entering the indie marketplaces?


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Michael Kors’ new smartwatches marry luxury with sporty good looks
Michael Kors, American luxury fashion brand, has announced a host of new products for men.
This follows last fall’s launch of MICHAEL KORS ACCESS, the brand’s line of smartwatches and activity trackers.
“It’s clear to me that the future of fashion will combine great design, personal style and innovative technology,” says Michael Kors, “and the amazing response to MICHAEL KORS ACCESS has confirmed that that future is now. We’re thrilled to be able to offer this next generation of smartwatches and hybrids.”
Touchscreen smartwatch: The Grayson
The Grayson, made to complement the 24/7 lifestyle of the modern man, combines luxury with sporty good looks, and has a full-round dial with a rotating crown for quick scrolling.
It will be offered in gold-tone, stainless steel, and blue and black ion-plate, with four interchangeable strap options.
The Grayson is compatible with both Android and iOS phones. The company it was made possible through a partnership with Google and the Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch platform.
The smartwatch also features Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 system-on-a-chip.
A significant expansion of men’s smartwatches
For Michael Kors, men’s smartwatches represent an important opportunity for the future.
In addition to the new touchscreen smartwatch, the brand is also introducing two new hybrid smartwatch styles for men and expanding the existing Gage hybrid assortment.
Together, these new options will offer the Michael Kors man a broad range of exceptional-looking smartwatch designs enhanced with the fitness tracking, sleep tracking and notifications he finds most useful.
The evolution of the MICHAEL KORS ACCESS micro app
The next iteration of the app will feature exciting, socially driven functionality, as well as new customizable digital watch faces.
My Social is a feature that allows the user to link to his Instagram account and set a personal post photo as a watch face. The app allows you to scroll through your Instagram feed, select a favorite image, and even apply filters, creating a watch face that’s as personal as your life.
By the end of 2017, the brand expects to have released 15 new digital watch faces, all with multiple customizable elements.
“MICHAEL KORS ACCESS display smartwatches have been extremely popular choices for users who wish to wear watches that are both stylish and functional,” says David Singleton, Vice President of Android Engineering, Google.
“We’re very excited to continue the partnership with Michael Kors to create beautiful new devices that let people express their style while staying connected through the latest features of Android Wear 2.0.”
“When we launched, we stated that we would grow our wearable technology line by listening closely to our customers,” says John Idol, Chairman and CEO of Michael Kors.
“They have made it clear that they love being connected, love the ease of notifications from their favorite apps, and can never get enough customization. We’re pleased to be introducing exceptional new smartwatches and software that deliver on those fronts and others, and in more markets than ever.”
MICHAEL KORS ACCESS touchscreen smartwatches start at AED1290 ($350) while hybrid smartwatches are priced at AED920 and activity trackers are sold for starting at AED350.


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There is less interest than expected tied to liner ownership in terminals as the new shipping alliances set up their port networks.
Overcapacity will exert significant pricing pressure on the container industry over the next two years.
Compensate carriers for good service and penalize them for rolled cargo, CMA CGM head tells TPM 2017.
Jeremy Nixon presented an update to the TPM 2017 conference on the merger of the container divisions of 'K' Line, MOL, and NYK Line.
A trial shipment completed last week between North Europe and the East Coast of North America is a sign of digitalization’s potential.
Container lines have been emboldened to seek higher service contract rates by a number of factors.
Hapag Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said the year is off to a strong start, after the container carrier reported a decline in operating profit in 2016.
The Port of Portland on Monday took its first step toward restoring container service.
No one wants wild swings in freight rates and the pricing model had to change, a panel of top executives tells attendees at TPM.
Jacobs said more ocean carrier consolidation is coming and more is needed.


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By Anna Caplan | Houston
HOUSTON–Faris Lee Investments has completed the $25.1-million sale of Westgate Market, a fully occupied, 80,690-square-foot shopping center in Houston.
The property is anchored by a freestanding LA Fitness, and is 91 percent occupied by regional and national credit tenants including The Vitamin Shoppe, Massage Envy, Panera Bread and Applebee’s, among others.
Nicholas Coo, Matthew Mousavi and Patrick Luther of Faris Lee Investments represented the seller, a Los Angeles-based private investor. The buyer, an Argentina-based private real estate holding company, represented itself in the transaction. The closing cap rate was 6.85 percent, a record-low cap rate for a health club-anchored retail center sold for in excess of $20 million in the state according to CoStar. [GlobeSt]
To view the full article visit Faris Lee Brokers Westgate Market Sale


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Now, consumers who want the benefits of a community-based, local auto insurance company, can also enjoy online quoting.
OMIA, the trade association for more than 40 mutual insurance companies across Ontario, and Kanetix SeaS have partnered to deliver leading-edge auto quoting solutions for Ontario consumers. OMIA manages their member companies' overarching brand, Ontario Mutuals.
In creating an on-line quoting solution for auto insurance shoppers, the goal was to make getting a quote from a local mutual as easy as possible and then moving interested buyers onto our agents and brokers for the expertise required to get the right policy.
It's a fast, convenient way for consumers to independently obtain mutual auto insurance quotes on their own schedule from a smartphone, tablet and/or desktop.
Ontario shoppers simply access www.ontariomutuals.com and click "Get a Quote" or visit any one of the 17 participating Mutuals' websites directly. The move to on-line quoting was spearheaded by 17 Mutuals that decided to get together and create an on-line quoting capability to appeal to today's more Internet-oriented consumer.
"Ontario Mutuals is thrilled to make the insurance process easier and more convenient for our customers," said Sharon Turnbull, Assistant Vice President Business Development.
"People lead busy lives, and they want to secure solid insurance coverage in a way that works for them."
"Through the launch of this solution, Ontario Mutuals is happy to be saving consumers time and effort, while providing our renowned service through our participating member companies."
This partnership leverages Kanetix SaaS' hands-on knowledge of how to convert shoppers to buyers, with Ontario Mutuals' generations of experience in insurance.
"We're very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Ontario Mutuals to provide their Member companies with a branded solution to bolster their online presence and provide their clients with a strong quoting experience," said Kathy Martin, Vice President, Kanetix SaaS.
"This project and partnership reaffirms our belief that Ontario consumers expect a quick, intuitive, quoting solution optimized for desktop and smartphones."


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By Maria Famakinwa
Shasha, is one of the popular markets in Akure, the Ondo State capital, located along Owo-Akure Express Way. The market has been in existence for almost two decades.
The Hausa community majorly operates the market with a spattering population of traders of Yoruba extraction.
Different foodstuffs ranging from pepper, tomatoes, yams and onions, to plantain, vegetables fruits among others are sold in bulk. Being the terminus of foodstuffs brought in from the northern part of the country, the availability of food stuffs in cheap and wholesale volume has made this market the most preferred in Akure.
Despite all these good points, this popular market could be a channel for infectious diseases that might cause epidemic outbreak if urgent steps are not taken to address the dirty state of the market.
When The Hope visited Shasha Market, it was discovered that sellers of vegetables and fruits are in the habit of washing them in a river within the market very early in the morning, before taking them to sell to unsuspecting consumers.
A carrot seller was sighted washing his carrots in the dirty river.
The problem with the river is that it stinks to high heavens as people defecate and dump all sorts of dirt in it. As you approach the river, you will immediately perceive the strong stench oozing from it.
Sanitation and hygiene are cost-effective approaches against infectious diseases. The relatively inexpensive way of preventing infectious diseases seems to be neglected at Shasha Market .
Unfortunately, this is an example of what obtains at other markets across the country.
Shasha Market is an example of the poor sanitation in Nigeria’s markets which should be a matter of greater concern to buyers, sellers and policymakers.
Some residents in the area and consumers who spoke with The Hope described the act as hazardous to the health and called on authorities concerned to take drastic steps against traders found in the river.
A resident of the area, Haruna, who revealed that people defecate in the river condemned in strong terms the practice of traders washing their goods in the same river and selling to innocent buyers.
He revealed that the dastardly act has caused him to desist from buying fruits in the market, although he also sells in the market.
He said: “Traders have been warned severally not to wash vegetables and fruits in the dirty river but they would not listen. As you can see for yourself, the river is smelling because people defecate and wash clothes in it. Yet, some traders still come to wash consumables there. It is not good for one’s health. It might be a recipe for epidemic outbreak if nothing is done to stop those in the habit of washing consumables in the stinking river.”
Another resident of the area, Mr Ope Olatunji, described those washing vegetables and fruits in the dirty river as wicked saying they must know the harzard that the dirty river can cause.
He added that he feared for consumers who buy these fruits and vegetables without knowing what it had passed through. The man who observed that majority of residents come to buy fruits and vegetables in the market because they provide healthy nutrients needed for the body to function properly, however advised that such items should be washed thoroughly before eating to guard against any health challenge.
He said: “To say that the idea of washing consumables in the river where people defecate is condemnable is an understatement. There is a need for those indulging in the act to be arrested. The obnoxious stench oozing out from the river is better imagined than experienced.
“Yet, Shasha is one of the popular markets in the state capital. Something must be done urgently to save the lives of innocent consumers who buy things in the market. We have talked to traders against going to the river to do anything but some still go there.
“Some of the traders go to the river very early in the morning to wash consumables there after which they sell them to consumers. Government need to address this because other sellers at different markets comes to Shasha to buy vegetables and fruits. It can cause outbreak of epidemic.
“The situation is simply pathetic because some buy fruits and start eating without washing. Washing vegetables and fruits in such a filthy river where people bathe, wash clothes and defecate exposes consumers to avoidable diseases hence dire health concerns. Personally, I get very skeptical about where to buy fruits from for fear of paying for contaminated fruits, which could lead to food poisoning. The market environment is also very dirty and unhygienic. We are appealing to the state government to take steps that will prohibit anybody from going to the river side for residents’ safety,” he said.
A woman who buy things at Shasha Market, Mrs Justina Friday, who lamented the dirty state of the market said that the stench oozing out of the river was enough for traders to keep enough distance not to talk of going there to wash fruits and vegetables.
The woman who want the market shut down said: “ It is only if Shasha Market is shut down for a while that traders will desist from such a dangerous habit. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that anyone with the right state of mind can wash fruits and vegetables in such a filthy river. Another thing is that meat sellers are also selling beside the river despite the offensive odour. All these need to be looked into for consumers safety.
“A market is where fresh foods and vegetables are sold, you cannot have all these side by side with cabbages. An epidemic is far worse than not selling your fruits for a couple of days. Some of us cannot do without coming Shasha market but if the situation remain unchanged, someone like me with have no choice but to shop elsewhere,” she said.
Also, a woman who came for shopping at the market, Mrs Idiat Adeagbo, lamented why traders could chose to endanger the lives of unsuspecting consumers by washing what people will eat in the river where they defecate. The woman called on the State government to take drastic steps against those washing vegetables and fruits in the dirty river to serve as deterrent.
She said: “ There were areas within the market where open urination is practiced regularly, and flies and other vectors of infectious diseases were seen perching and feasting on uncovered food items for sale. This is the sad reality of most Nigerian markets, and it contributes to the spread of infectious diseases and environmental degradation because poor sanitation provides an excellent breeding ground for many of the diseases that affect residents.
“To be sincere with you, people in charge of the market have warned traders to desist from washing anything in the river when it was discovered that some people were defecating in the it. I heard that some people were positioned in strategic locations around the river to arrest any anybody sighted in the river, but some traders still go to the river to wash their goods very early in the morning to evade arrest,” she said.
One of the Hausa leaders at the market, who did not want his name in print explained that people have been warned against going into the river including those selling vegetables and fruits but they would not listen.
The man who added that consuming vegetables or fruits wash in the river could cause serious health challenge said, “We have been warning traders against doing anything in the river because it is very dirty and unhygienic but some will still not listen. I wonder why they are going to the river when we have clean water around the market. We are going to take serious action against anyone caught in the river,” He said.
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A partnership in Scotland, between the RHA and logistics recruitment specialist, Driver Hire, is helping former workers from the off-shore oil and gas industry start new careers in road transport. “Whilst still a major employer in Scotland, the oil & gas industry has been shedding jobs for a number of years,” said Sharon Cumming, area manager for the RHA in Scotland. “At the same time opportunities in the road transport industry are growing, with an increasing demand for goods vehicle […]
It is now one year since Sir Mike Penning MP set up a new all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on road freight and logistics with three primary goals: to help ease the chronic shortage of HGV drivers; improve the image of the industry in the eyes of the public; and give logistics a higher profile within government.
Former RHA chief executive Geoff Dunning has said he does not expect to see “wholesale changes” to the way the traffic commissioners (TCs) operate after being appointed as a special advisor to a government review into their role.
The head of road freight and transport policy at the FTA has predicted a hectic final year ahead for Driver CPC, but believes the industry can ultimately meet the challenge.


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SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Indonesia’s PT Petro Oxo Nusantara (PON) will shut its 140,000 tonne/year 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) plant at Gresik on 10 June, a company source said on Friday.
The company plans to replace a component in the plant and will shut it for around seven days, the source said.
The plant is operating at 100% currently, the source said.
As a result of this shutdown, the source said that PT PON will have fewer spot cargoes for sale in both June and July.
Market participants said that this would have little impact on the key east Asia import market. However, it is possible to have an impact on the spot import market in India because the company is mostly selling cargoes there.


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Gembridge Launches Global Marketing, Education Campaign
The digital marketplace has also hired industry veteran Larry Schaffer as regional sales director of the Americas.
The campaign, #KnowYourGems, is designed to help sellers overcome challenges like packaging effectively for digital sales and helping buyers strengthen their colored stone knowledge to guide purchasing.
The tips cover gem characteristics, communicated in short, easily accessible soundbites with eye-catching visuals.
It also features podcasts, Instagram Lives, videos on YouTube, live education events, and articles and LinkedIn posts, all drawing upon the expertise of the Gembridge’s ambassadors and registered traders.
The campaign will be shared via Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, reaching millions of buyers and sellers through Gembridge’s social media channels.
Most of the campaign is available to everyone, though Gembridge said there will be some content made available exclusively to its members.
“By communicating bite-sized pieces of knowledge, created and curated by industry experts, Gembridge is demystifying the process of buying colored gemstones and helping potential buyers to make better decisions,” said Gembridge marketer Jason Hodges.
“A key insight that inspired #KnowYourGems was that new buyers were unaware of the questions they needed to ask about colored gemstones. Through these tips, Gembridge is opening up the market to a far wider global audience.”
Since it debuted in early 2021, Gembridge has rolled out other initiatives like Featured Stones, which were chosen from its inventory by gem experts, and collections like the Spring Collection and Mega Gems.
In other company news, Gembridge also announced the appointment of industry veteran Larry Schaffer as regional sales director of the Americas.
In the new role, he will be tasked with building partnerships and growing the digital gemstone and jewelry marketplace in the region.
Schaffer will also build ties between gemstone suppliers in the Americas and the growing online platforms selling to East Asian consumers.
“I am looking to develop a strategy in North America to build collaborations which will enable suppliers across the Americas to sell directly to the Asian online luxury consumer, a market that’s growing at 20% per annum,” Schaffer said.
“We will be signing on more gem dealing trade partners and uploading their inventory onto the marketplace to sell as loose stones and bespoke jewelry.”
Schaffer, who previously spent 15 years in Swarovski’s gemstone division, will serve as Gembridge’s lead representative at the upcoming JCK Las Vegas trade show.
Sponsored by AGTA
All proceeds up to $25,000 will benefit the It Gets Better Project, a nonprofit that supports LGBTQ+ youth.
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The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences aims to set a color standard for the trade name.
Kate Della Monica, a senior specialist in the Jewelry and Watches department, will relocate to the Sunshine State.
LVMH’s investment arm has taken a stake in Lusix, a lab-grown diamond company based in Israel.
Sotheby’s New York put a colorless diamond and a fancy deep orange-brown diamond up for sale last week, with mixed results.
Profits will help them recoup financial losses.
After suffering a professional setback, columnist Peter Smith reflects on our ability to bounce back even when the hits keep on coming.
Glatz owned and operated Glatz Jewelers in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania for more than 40 years.
The organization will present three awards at its annual dinner, dance, and gala in October.
The New York jeweler also made the pop star’s wedding bands.
It’s predicted to sell for up to $484,000 during the Bonhams Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite auction on June 22.
The recipient will receive up to $17,500 toward a tech-focused certification or program of their choice.
The alleged scheme involving fake “Love” bracelets, necklaces and rings was designed to circumvent Amazon’s counterfeit detection tools.
Its new collection with subtle swirl designs draws inspiration from the family’s Armenian roots.