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C-CAMP InDx announces mass-scale availability of diagnostic kits and online MarketPlace for the same
These kits are now directly accessible through the CCAMP-InDx deployed marketplace platform, and connects kit buyers immediately with manufacturers.
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms or C-CAMP, on behalf of Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster, has enabled mass-scale availability of indigenously developed, ICMR/DCGI-approved COVID-19 diagnostic kits for government and private diagnostic labs that are facing any shortfall due to the increased number of cases across India.
The initiative is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, Indigenization of Diagnostics program or CCAMP-InDx in conjunction with the National Biomedical Resources Consortium (N-BRIC).
These kits are now directly accessible through the CCAMP-InDx deployed marketplace platform, which was designed pro-bono by TCS and connects kit buyers immediately with manufacturers.
The CCAMP-InDx Marketplace is up and running, and companies registered on the portal can register their products, and negotiate with suppliers.
“Over 200+ products have been registered on the portal, so far and CCAMP is inviting individual diagnostic labs, diagnostic lab chains, hospitals or pharma companies to join the portal,” a press release stated.
As reports of delayed diagnosis due to overburdening of labs come in, hospitals are facing a huge challenge due to cases arriving late with complications already setting in.
The need of the hour has aggressively ramped up testing so that symptoms can be controlled once under the healthcare regime. To achieve this, greater availability and accessibility to approved diagnostic kits is important.
The current waiting time for the manufacturing and assembly of kits is about 8 weeks.
CCAMP-InDx and NBRIC have been critical in indigenising the kit development process and creating a pool of globally competitive, Made in India diagnostic kit manufacturers with potentially faster turnaround times.
“InDx has about 115 registered MSMEs in the COVID molecular diagnostics space. More than 30 of them manufacture ICMR approved/validated and DCGI approved kits. The combined capacity of manufacture of this group of companies can jointly address the present demand of approximately one million tests a day,” it was shared in the release.
The kit developers are working with CCAMp-InDx for indigenisation, scale-up, quality and commercialisation.
For many of them, InDx has been instrumental in validation and quality control studies to achieve global and Indian regulatory approvals including ICMR and CDSCO.
Not only kits, but the availability of sufficient kit reagents and components is also equally important. The consortium’s comprehensive molecular diagnostics portfolio includes over 10 RAPID Antigen test kit manufacturers who can supply over 500,000-700,000 tests per day (immediately) with additional capacity for Viral Transport Media, Molecular Transport Media, Swabs, RNA extraction kits and Antibody tests for measuring vaccine efficacy.
As the country reels under this vicious Second Wave, CCAMP-InDx and N-BRIC can lead the fightback with resources for vastly improved availability of diagnostic kits and enhanced connectivity between the public healthcare system and Indian kit developers. The Indx-Market Place is now open for immediate business.
Both gold standard RT-PCR and antigen/antibody for serological surveys are available under these programs while the Marketplace is now open for access by all potential kit buyers.
Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta


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Boss Key Attending PAX East, BlueStreak Info Promised
Boss Key Productions announced in an email newsletter that it’ll be attending this year’s PAX East, on March 7th. The studio promises that it’ll be revealing more information on its Project BlueStreak, but didn’t specify as to what details would be shared. The developer’s panel at the event will also discuss how Boss Key Productions came to be.
Both Rohan Rivas, Cliff Bleszinski himself, and the studio’s chief operating officer, Arjan Brussee, art director, Tramell Isaac and senior gameplay programmer, Josh Parker, will be in attendance for Boss Key Production’s first PAX panel. Its hour-long panel, titled Turning the Key: What it Takes to Create a New FPS Franchise, will be hosted on Saturday, March 7th in the Bobcat Theatre from 2:30pm Eastern Time to 3:30om Eastern Time. The panel itself will cover Boss Key Production’s growth and how it came to be since it was first formed eight months ago, as well as what it took to “break away from big, ‘Triple-A’ franchises to bring a rag-tag group of experienced developers together to create something new.”
Bleszinski also teased in the newspaper that Boss Key Productions will soon be “[opening] the floodgates on Project BlueStreak as the weather starts to warm up” – sometime between spring and summer, possibly. Furthermore, he added that more information will be revealed on BlueStreak during the developer’s PAX East panel as well. Since the project was first announced, Boss Key has only been revealing concepts for BlueStreak, such as environmental art and character designs. While at the PAX East convention, which lasts from Friday, March 6th through to Sunday, March 8th, it’s probably that more tangible information will be revealed on the title. Ticket information for PAX East can be found on the official PAX website, but registrations are currently sold out.
Concluding the newsletter, Bleszinski revealed that Boss Key Productions is currently considering going to this year’s E3, but his tone suggests that gamers shouldn’t hold their breath for it. “The more we [at Boss Key Productions] think about it, the less likely it’ll happen,” he says. “E3 has become an event where traditional publishers overspend on existing franchises in order to impress retail and the disc-based world. Seeing as we’re PC and digital, this doesn’t align with our goals.” Bleszinski added that there may be the possibility of attending this year’s E3 primarily for networking purposes before affirming that it’s unlikely to see Boss Key productions and Project Bluestream at the summer event. Project BlueStreak is pitched as a post-apocalyptic free-to-play first-person shooter for the PC, and further information on the title can be found via the official Boss Key Productions website, which has recently been revamped.
Tags: Boss Key Productions, Pax East, PAX East 2015, project bluestreak
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The Latest in Teeth Straightening By Invisalign
October 9, 2014
Invisalign - National Orthodontic Health Month
October is National Orthodontic Health Month, so there is no better time to discuss the health and beauty benefits of having a nice smile. It is estimated that 30-40 million Americans suffer dental anxiety. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Join Orthodontic Specialist Dr. Margo Brilliant and several of her patients as we explore what’s new in teeth straightening from Invisalign clear aligners. It’s the latest on how teens and adults are creating more beautiful smiles easier and faster than before.
Ralph goes meatless! Watch as chef Ralph kicks off The Big Game with nutritious tailgating food using Lightlife Plant-Based Ground.
The Balancing Act kicks off 2020 with a football-themed extravaganza! Tailgate with Ralph on the Road, hear from football legend Michael Irvin, and more. First, Beth Troutman is on location at InnovAge in Denver, Colorado to learn more about their PACE program, which helps seniors live independently. Then, Ralph goes meatless! Watch as celebrity chef Ralph Pagano kicks off […]
Beth Troutman is on location at InnovAge in Denver, Colorado to learn more about their PACE program, which helps seniors live independently.


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With a focus on value-oriented private brands and faster deliveries, Target says it is expanding its company.
During the epidemic, the company’s stock price and revenues rose. As consumers return to malls, spend money on dining out, and face inflation, the corporation asserted Tuesday that it can keep generating growth.
Soars inflation. Ukraine’s turmoil is shaking the stock and oil markets. As Covid cases decline, consumers spend more on travel and dining out.
But Target, which has benefited greatly from the epidemic economy, believes it can accelerate its sales rise.
During the global health crisis, Target grew to $100 billion. The pandemic has emphasised the company’s recent efforts, from store renovations to turning them into fulfilment centres for online orders.
Target asserted on Tuesday that it can keep growing. It also gave a positive outlook for the coming year, with revenue growth in the low to mid single digits and adjusted EPS growth in the high single digits. Refinitiv said the prognosis topped analysts’ estimates.


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Electronics Production | April 12, 2007
Indian Mobile-Phone subscribers to<br>more than triple from 2006 to 2011
India in 2006 emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing wireless telecom markets, with the number of mobile-phone service subscribers in the nation growing to 149.5 million, up from 85 million in 2005.
And the number of new subscriber additions continues at a torrid pace. Monthly mobile subscriber additions averaged 5.5 million in 2006, and exceeded 6 million per month by the end of the year. iSuppli Corp. projects that the wireless service subscriber base in India will rise to 484 million by 2011, more than three times the 149.5 million in 2006. “A rise in per-capita income, the arrival of less-expensive phones, declines in tariffs, pro-industry and pro-consumer regulations enacted by the government and a host of other factors have been instrumental in driving this growth," said Dr. Jagdish Rebello, director and principal analyst for iSuppli. It must be noted that there has been one significant change in the way subscriber counting is conducted in India since March 2006: Per the Indian government's New Policy, fixed Wireless Local Loop (WLL) subscribers now are included as mobile subscribers. The penetration of wireless technologies remains high in urban areas compared to rural regions, where approximately two-thirds of the Indian population resides. As of December 2006, the urban tele-density had grown to more than 40 percent, compared to rural penetration of little more than 2 percent. The growth in wireless subscribers is fueling explosive growth in demand for new phones in India. iSuppli estimates that the number of total new legal handsets sold in India in 2006 was 69.3 million. As the subscriber base continues to expand, iSuppli projects that India will emerge as the second-largest market in the world after China for mobile handsets in terms of unit shipments. iSuppli estimates that in 2011, approximately 11 percent of the global mobile device unit shipments will be to India. The Indian mobile phone market in 2006 was dominated by GSM-enabled handsets with 51.7 million out of 68.9 million handsets being GSM enabled. iSuppli expects that GSM phones will continue to gain share of the handset shipments into India. A significant reason for this growth is that the major CDMA carrier in India, Reliance Communications, has made a strategic decision to put a cap on its CDMA subscriber base and shift to a GSM network. Entry-level handsets will continue to drive volumes in the market; however, medium-level and smart phones will outpace industry growth. The replacement cycle for mobile phones varies radically by the type of market. In India, handset usage is primarily a voice-centric affair. Therefore, the replacement cycle is longer. However, as handset features gain prominence, the replacement rate is expected to grow to 25 percent by 2011. The blended mobile-phone services Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for the Indian market was estimated to be in the vicinity of $7 in 2006. As growth picks up in the semi-urban and rural areas, there will be downward pressure on ARPU. iSuppli estimates the ARPU will drop to less than the $5 level by 2010. Data services are slowly starting to gain traction in India. However, iSuppli estimates that data ARPU in India will be extremely low for the foreseeable future. This is because although GPRS and EDGE services have been available in India for quite some time, they have met with limited success. GPRS service first was launched in India in February 2002, while EDGE commenced in July 2004. GPRS is widely deployed in India, while EDGE has been rolled out only in major metropolitan areas and in a few other smaller cities. In the years to come, EDGE subscribers will grow, but will remain a limited portion of the total subscriber base, iSuppli believes.


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LIVE FROM MEATCON13: Demystifying the Meat Case
Extensive research conducted by the National Pork Board and the Beef Checkoff Program indicates that today’s consumers are as confused as ever when it comes to purchasing fresh meat.
To drive purchase intent, retailers need to help consumers better understand how to shop for and prepare fresh cuts available in the grocery meat case. This cross-industry effort – unveiled Monday at the 2013 Annual Meat Conference in Nashville, Tenn. – was established to increase consumer confidence by working to simplify common names for meat and create consistent, easy-to-follow preparation instructions.
The results of consumer research have culminated in changes to the Uniform Retail Meat Identification Standards (URMIS) nomenclature, the development of better on-pack label information and other educational tools, all designed to help retailers stimulate meat case sales.
This new initiative was presented at the Meat Conference in a two-part educational session.
“We believe this is a real game-changer for our industry,” said Patrick Fleming, director of retail marketing for the National Pork Board. “The update to URMIS nomenclature will be more consumer-friendly by removing redundancies and using familiar terms that are more consistent across multiple channels. Pork will specifically benefit by the ability to utilize some consumer-friendly beef nomenclature, allowing customers to recognize cut names more easily.”
“Our goal is to simplify the meat case, and consumers told us that consistency is key. We now have an aligned perspective and consumer-directed approach that will make it easier for shoppers to buy and prepare beef,” said Jim Henger, senior executive director of B2B Marketing for National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. Every beef farmer and rancher and every beef importer contributes to a fund called the beef checkoff, which is used to support retail merchandising efforts.
(Henger, scheduled to present at the conference, was unable to attend due to the snowstorm out west that impacted travel over the weekend).
In the first conference session, Fleming and Michael Uetz, principal with Midan Marketing, which conducted the study, outlines the new qualitative and quantitative consumer research that identified key consumer issues with meat cuts and set the stage for the development of a more simplified, consumer-friendly URMIS.
New cutting edge in-store and in-lab eye tracking research results provide insights as to what draws consumers’ attention and motivates their fresh meat purchases. Online research results provide insights into effective message development for shopper communication, point-of-sale and more.
The goals, as outlined by Fleming, were to decrease consumer confusion and, as a result, boost their satisfaction along with meat sales. Focus groups conducted in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C., queried multiple generations of meat shoppers on how their ideal fresh meat package would look. As revealed in video footage of the focus groups, consumers are confused about the terminology for various meat cuts - such as “top,” “arm” and “mock tender” – as well as how to prepare it.
“URMIS was really designed to be a back-of-house system,” Fleming said of the 40-year-old nomenclature. “Across our own industry, we’re not consistent,” he added, noting differences among meat packages, store circulars and restaurant menus.
The study found that shortening the cut names was effective in improving consumers’ understanding, as well as utilizing terms common for beef to comparable cuts of pork, along with including preparation guidance on the label. “We can make it easier for them,” Fleming said. “If we don’t change, we’ll have fewer people eating our products.”
Uetz discussed the results of eye-tracking studies of consumers conducted in lab as well as in store, to learn what labeling elements capture the most “gaze time.” Study results showed that shoppers are attracted first by the product itself, then by the product label, followed by the cooking tip label.
“We have very little time to engage them and encourage their purchase,” Uetz said.
Overall, the new labeling techniques were found to “provide variety and confidence to shoppers,” Uetz said. “If you offer this in your store, you’re going to connect with your customers.”
The second session provided a detailed review of the new nomenclature and educational information and tools for putting it to use.


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By Tom Brand, business development manager at Pulsant
Taking a look at the IT landscape today and it’s easy to see why SaaS is proving to be such a popular solution for end-user customers. Its benefits include versatility, cost savings due to its pay-as-you-go model, and scalability. For vendors and service providers, adding SaaS to their portfolios is a natural step. Indeed, over the last few years ISVs in particular have spent tremendous time and effort in developing SaaS solutions.
Their success? Let’s just say that while some have made the transition well, there are also those organisations that are still undergoing this change, and yet more that are finding the process a little more challenging than anticipated. This shift is more than a move from selling an application to supporting a service — it’s a complete transformation in company culture, sales environment and in operation. One of the main obstacles is developing legacy on-premise code and architectures to suit this new model. In addition, SaaS also means a change in the way service is delivered, sales and marketing is carried out, revenue models and even remuneration.
The good news is that the potential in the market is definitely there — the IDC forecasts the market for SaaS and cloud software will exceed $100 billion in the next two years and SaaS will become the dominant model of application consumption for 80% of organisations by 2018.
So, in order to capitalise on this opportunity there’s a continued drive to develop or improve those SaaS offerings. But what should organisations be focusing on? What are their priorities? How can they maintain quality of service delivery? How can they ensure compliance? Why is it important to harness the power of big data?
We aim to answer these and other questions in our upcoming blog series aimed specifically at ISVs starting the journey, as well as SaaS providers who’ve already made the transition.


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Calling it a consumer-focused piece of legislation, the Quality Parts Coalition is backing the latest version of a bill to lower design patent lifespans for automakers so aftermarket manufacturers could copy parts sooner.
The bill was introduced in February by sponsors U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. A companion bill was introduced in the House by U.S. Reps Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. The QPC kicked off its publicity push in support Tuesday.
“It’s clear that independent auto parts are driving competition in the auto repair parts market and that consumers are reaping the benefits,” QPC Executive Director Ed Salamy said in a statement Tuesday. “That’s why it’s important to ensure the industry stays competitive and continues to pass along savings to consumers.”
“Having to replace a car part is frustrating enough; drivers shouldn’t have to pay artificially high prices set by car manufacturers,” Whitehouse said in a February statement. “This bill will preserve competition in the car-parts market and ultimately allow consumers to get safe replacement parts at lower prices.”
But the actual savings to real drivers — as well as whose wallets would really benefit from the move — may not be nearly as clear-cut as the QPC and bill sponsors make it out to be.
$19-$24 a year
The QPC cites CAPA price comparisons to estimate that “American drivers” have saved more than $363 million by using aftermarket parts. But that’s misleading, as insurers pay for at least 70 percent of auto body work, based on estimates in court documents — because consumers gave them money all those years in case such a wreck happened. If the customer doesn’t get in a wreck, the insurer gets to keep and invest the money.
So that’s a nonstarter. But let’s look at the savings insurers say actually could be passed on to policyholders — or not.
The QPC cites January 2013 Property Casualty Insurers Association of America data that loss costs could rise by $1.5 billion if aftermarket imitation parts were banned overnight.
That PCI report is a toned-down version of an earlier January 2013 report which states that without aftermarket parts, you could pay $24 more a year in premiums. The new version deletes that $24 statistic and scales down the “benefit to consumers” by nearly $1 billion.
Which means that you’d save even less. Since the PCI didn’t want to do the math a second time, we’ll try to do it ourselves using the same criteria as both versions of the report.
“This translates into a 2.0 percent increase in the combined liability and physical damage premium per insured car if non-OEM parts could no longer be used,” the PCI writes in the new report. The old one indicated it would be a 2.6 percent increase producing the $24 savings.
Using the most recent data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which involve 2012 premiums, the average combined liability/property damage bill (Americans who bought liability, comprehensive, and collision) was $927.58.
So your bill would rise $18.55 a year if insurers quit requiring aftermarket parts tomorrow. Man, with that savings, you could trick out your car with an … oil change.
Asked about the $24 saving estimated by the PCI, Salamy said other studies put that tally higher and mentioned offhand the $1.5 billion number from the PCI.
This of course assumes that insurance companies will pass savings to customers.
“Additionally, at the latest hearing held on this issue/bill, when asked directly if insurance premiums would be lowered as a result of this legislation, the insurance industry representative replied, ‘I would not expect premiums to go down as a result’,” a letter from the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers and other organizations opposing the bill states.
In fairness, insurers can’t completely predict the future, as good as their actuaries may be. A year with wildfires in the West, icy conditions across the Midwest and Northeast and hurricanes hitting the Southeast could be justification to raise rates, though that’s also just a risk of being in the insurance business.
But when we listen to Progressive and Allstate earnings calls and read GEICO’s financial documents, nobody is complaining specifically about the cost of parts as a reason to raise rates, though higher crash frequency is certainly a concern as gas prices stay low and miles driven increase, and parts bills do affect overall repair cost for each crash.
Progressive even estimates severity will decrease long-term for its book. As cars get safer, there’s also the potential for bodily injury claims — the really expensive area for insurers — to decrease, freeing up more savings for consumers.
Though the QPC is painting the PARTS Act as a victory for average Americans, it clearly benefits coalition members with a huge financial stake in the outcome — and not just insurance companies.
“Consumers save big when there’s a competitive marketplace,” Consumer Federation of America public affairs director Jack Gillis said in a statement. “Major car companies are trying to disrupt the status quo by limiting competition in order to grow their profits at the expense of the average American.”
Gillis’ company Gillis and Associates, however, manages the parts certification organization CAPA, whose existence requires aftermarket parts. Other QPC members include figures from the aftermarket and insurance industry, including the PCI and American Insurance Association, as well as the Consumer Federation of America. No body shops are in the QPC, Salamy said.
Of course, bill opponents (see list here) — the OEMs, other manufacturers and those with intellectual property — also have a big financial stake in the matter and play the average American card, citing safety even though theoretically we’re discussing purely aesthetic patents. (The lines do blur somewhat, though. More on this and the form-function patent distinction in another article. Stay tuned.)
Still, that’s a more legitimate concern than whether or not consumers will pay $18-$24 more a year, and their counterargument is more honest about discussing their own self-interest in protecting their intellectual property and brands rather than just crying “Main Street.”
As for a lack of competition (recycled and Opt-OE would still be in play, of course) driving up parts prices for consumers, Dan Gage, director of communications and public affairs for the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers, said other car companies keep things from getting too out of hand. (Of course, insurers’ insistence on aftermarket did seem to spur the entire auto industry towards “conquest” programs.)
If a car has a reputation for high repair costs, customers won’t buy it, Gage said.
“Why does government have to get into the business of winners and losers,” he said. “… It should be the free market that does that.”
Quality Parts Coalition, Dec. 1, 2015
Quality Parts Coalition via PRNewsweb, Dec. 1, 2015
Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers, March 23, 2015
Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, January 2013
Auto parts are shown in this graphic. (1971yes/iStock/Thinkstock)
This Quality Parts Coalition graphic citing CAPA data estimates differences in parts costs. (Provided by QPC)
A display at the 2015 NACE touts General Motors “Plug-n-Play” bumper sets. (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)


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Store-branded gift cards a better value than bank-sponsored prepaid cards, survey reports
That prepaid gift card you got during the holidays last year? You’d better get to using it, before fees eat up the balance like Thanksgiving leftovers.
According to the 2012 Gift Card Survey conducted by Bankrate.com, 75 percent of prepaid gift cards offered by financial institutions charge maintenance or dormancy fees if the card goes unused for a year or more. By contrast, just 2 percent of store-branded gift cards assess such fees — something that Bankrate.com credit card analyst Janna Herron said should make consumers reconsider what kind of gift cards they give.
“The key takeaway for consumers is that they’re going to get the most value from store-branded gift cards,” Herron said in a release. “The benefit of general-purpose cards offered by banks and credit card companies is that they can be used anywhere, but because of the fees, you would be better off giving cash.”
The survey found store-branded gift cards charged fewer fees than general purpose prepaid cards issued by financial institutions. Of 55 store-branded products surveyed, only 9 percent charged a purchase fee.
Each of the eight commonly held prepaid cards from financial institutions charged a purchase fee, meanwhile, that ranged from $2.95 to $6.95.
Cole Epley covers banking and finance; health care; law; insurance; and economic development. Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Historic photos show the OG Apple iPhone getting assembled in 2007
Do you remember much about January 9, 2007? That was the day that Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to the public and it would not be an overstatement to say that the world was never the same. Think about what life is like now. You walk down the street and everyone is looking down at their phone. No one carries a paper map these days and when something of importance happens, the whole world finds out immediately.
While the OG iPhone was introduced on that historic day in January 2007, it was not available for purchase until June 29th, 2007. Apple turned to third party contact manufacturers, like it does today, to assemble the device. And it just so happens that Bob Burrough, a former Apple Software Development Manager, recently tweeted several rare and historic photographs of the OG iPhone being assembled in a Foxconn factory in China during the Spring of 2007.
History is in the making at the Foxconn factory as the workers there assemble the first iPhone sporting a 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 320 x 480. The rear-facing 2MP camera was the only one on the device and there was a 1400mAh battery inside. The CPU powering the handset was a single-core 412MHz component.
The OG iPhone wasn't perfect. Instead of running on 3G, the first iPhone used AT&T's slow EDGE network, did not have video capabilities or stereo Bluetooth. Still, the iPhone was incredibly unique and was ahead of its time. This year Apple has released its first 5G iPhone, powered by a chip with 11.8 billion transistors. All of this was still 13 years in the future when these photos were snapped at Foxconn's manufacturing facilities in China back in 2007.


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Olympics 2021: Could more brands follow in Puma’s footsteps?
Mark Caddle, partner at Withers & Rogers, writes about what the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics means for brands who are seeking new trade marks.
Following the announcement that the forthcoming Olympic games would be postponed until next year, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) was quick to confirm that it would continue to use the name ‘Tokyo Olympics 2020’. However, this could attract opportunistic brand owners to register trade marks using next year’s date instead. Has the IOC made the right move or could it result in more legal disputes?
Keeping the ‘Tokyo Olympics 2020’ name could seem a questionable decision for a number of reasons. Firstly, the branding will not match the year that the event takes place. Secondly, unassociated brands may now have an opportunity to capitalise on the unused 2021 title, diluting the commercial value of existing trade marks as a result.
The IOC has already secured numerous big-name sponsors for the games, many of whom have already invested in branded merchandise and marketing campaigns bearing the 2020 name. Forcing sponsors to rebrand their activities would incur considerable cost.
From an intellectual property perspective, some of the trade mark registrations for the 2020 Olympics were first filed in 2012, and the name of the event has been widely used internationally since then. If the IOC had decided to change it, it would have had to go through the whole process of seeking new trade mark registrations, costing significant time and money.
Although these reasons make commercial sense, opportunistic trade mark filings by brands with no ties to the event are more likely as a result. For example, Puma was quick off the mark, applying to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for ‘Puma Tokyo 2021’ on the 24 March – the same day that the postponement was announced. On 31 March, Puma also applied to register ‘Puma Tokyo 2022’ in the US.
As Puma is not an official sponsor of the Olympics, it seems likely that this decision was an attempt to link its brand identity to the hype surrounding the event. By seizing this opportunity to promote its brand and obtain trade mark protection, it appears Puma may be seeking to be able to sell ‘Tokyo 2021/2022' branded items throughout the US and EU, without risk of attracting an infringement action.
On 24 April, the USPTO ruled that Puma’s applications were too similar to the Tokyo 2020 name, and it decided that the trade marks would not be registered. Following this rejection, Puma now has a six-month window to respond. It is often difficult to get around a similarity rejection. One tactic to do so is to obtain the original trade mark owner’s consent, which would be unlikely to be granted in this case. Puma's EU trade mark application will not be blocked by the EUIPO in this way. It will be for the IOC to oppose the application and the deadline for doing so is 16 July 2020. As yet, no such challenge has been made by the IOC.
To block more opportunistic filing activity, the IOC may have to consider extending its trade mark protection to include marks bearing the 2021 date too. On 23 March, importantly before Puma's US and EU applications, the IOC filed for a 'Tokyo 2021' trade mark in Liechtenstein, as disclosed on the EUIPO trade mark database. If granted, the IOC's registrations could give the organisation protection for marks bearing next year’s date across the EU.
The process of securing trade mark registrations can take more time in some countries than others. In Europe the system is more passive, so the IOC will need to step in and challenge filings when needed. On the other hand, the USPTO will uphold the rights of the original trade mark owner, as shown by its handling of the Puma application.
In what has become a fast-moving and changeable situation, the IOC recently announced that the games could be cancelled altogether if they don’t go-ahead next year. Although this will not affect any pending trade mark registrations – other than making them less relevant – brands that might be considering applying for 2021 registrations could be more hesitant to do so. While this could be positive for the IOC, cancelling the event could lead to further opportunistic filings once a new date is confirmed. Therefore, it is vital the IOC considers its IP strategy carefully, before announcing a new date.
When it comes to protecting a brand name or logo, it is always best to take early action. Doing so can help to prevent others from eroding your market share by coming up with something that is too similar or otherwise trying to profit from your marketing campaigns and initiatives. As the situation between the IOC and Puma has shown, if brands don’t act early, they may have to tackle unwanted disputes.
Photo Credit : Tokyo 2020


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The French government, Renault's main owner, immediately requested a replacement for Carlos Ghosn, and now the board of directors appears to have come to the government to meet. Thierry Bollore, Renault's Chief Operating Officer, is Ghosn's Duck and immediately takes over his duties, explains the sources. At the same time, Philippe Lagayette is appointed interim president.
On the other hand, the board avoided digging Ghosn in anticipation of further information about his arrest.
Ghosn was arrested once Airport in Japan on Monday. The police then joined Nissan, where he was the chairman of the board of directors, and he conducted an internal investigation to disperse the company's money, while hiding how much he actually earned.
In the Japanese media, Ghosn has reported roughly a half of its annual compensation for a total of ten billion yen (about 800 million) roughly a year.
Carlos Ghosn is one superstar of the automotive world, recently as Chairman of Mitsubishi and Nissan, as well as Renault's Chief Executive Officer.
Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa turned to Ghosn's back.
"Too much power was given to one person," Saikawa told a news conference, informing the media at Nissan headquarters in Yokohama.
"I have to say that this is the dark side of the Ghosn period, which takes a lot," he adds.
The partnership between Renault and Nissan began in 1999. Nissan then went bankrupt. Now, however, the Japanese company is leading a French-Japanese alliance that calls on giants such as Volkswagen and Toyota on the world market.
Heavy evaluators now warn that the alliance between Renault and Nissan may be problematic to keep alive without Ghosn on top as he is one of the architects behind him.
Read more: One of the world's biggest problems for widespread economic cheating


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Mercedes owners have been urgently warned to return their state-of-the-art cars due to a serious airbag design defect.
The recall notice warned that airbags could explode and kill passengers in the event of an accident, rather than saving their lives.
Eighteen privately imported Mercedes-Benz Class C and E cars need to be replaced with passenger airbags to eliminate the newly discovered defect.
The airbag inflator, intended to blow up the airbag, could break and throw metal fragments at the passenger, potentially killing them.
The recall of Product Safety Australia explained why the car’s passenger side airbag inflator could be damaged.
“As we age, a combination of high temperatures and humidity can degrade the airbag’s throttle,” they say.
“If an affected vehicle is involved in a collision that triggers the airbag, the metal housing of the inflator may explode or break at too high an internal pressure.
“If a defective airbag inflator breaks, the metal fragments may be propelled through the airbag cushion to the occupants of the vehicle, causing serious injury or death.”
The recall notice also urges those who are unsure whether the recall applies to their cars to contact Mercedes-Benz directly.
The luxury car manufacturer will require dealers to replace potentially defective airbags with new ones free of charge.
“Owners of affected vehicles should contact their local Mercedes-Benz retailer or Mercedes-Benz headquarters directly via the website to arrange a free replacement airbag inflator,” the statement said.
The affected coupes and sedans belong to the model years 2007 to 2015, according to Product Safety Australia.


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Rivaling DVD-RW (Digital Versatile Disc) and DVD-RAM drives already available, Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) said Monday its first DVD+RW drive will be in stores on Sept. 1.
The DVD-writer dvd100i, priced at US$599 in the U.S., will be the first commercially available drive based on the DVD+RW standard, HP said. Users will be able to record DVD movies that can be viewed on a typical home DVD player and store up to 4.7GB of data. Content can also be overwritten so the disc can be reused, HP said in a statement.
According to HP Australia, the writer will not be available here for another month and will retail for $A1199.
The dvd100i records in the DVD format at 2.4x speed and reads at 8x speed. Maximum CD-R writing speed is 12x, rewriting 10x and reading 32x, according to HP. Bundled with the device, which will be sold separately but also integrated in certain HP Pavilion PCs later this year, is video editing and data backup software, as well as other software.
HP and other PC makers that are currently weathering a slump in PC sales hope DVD writers will have the same effect as CD writers and lead to a rise in PC sales. However, the different technologies on the market could cause some confusion among buyers.
DVD+RW is compatible with home DVD players, allows data as well as DVD recording and is praised by proponents for its built-in defect management. Backers of DVD+RW, besides HP, include Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV, Sony Corp., Yamaha Corp., Thomson Multimedia SA and Dell Computer Corp.
DVD-RW, developed by Pioneer Corp., is technically inferior, according to the DVD+RW camp. DVD-RW doesn't include the defect management and is said to be less usable for data files. DVD-RW is compatible with DVD players. Compaq Computer Corp. is one of the companies that sells drives based on the technology. DVD-RAM has Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. as its main backer. CDs are packed in a cartridge and as such can't be played back in existing DVD players or drives. However, Matsushita's recently combined DVD-RAM and DVD-R (write once) technology into one US$600 device -- the Panasonic DVDBurner. DVD-R is backwards compatible. HP will sell its DVD+RW dvd100i drive in the U.S. and in Europe. The company will also sell media for the device at $15.99 per disc. Discs for DVD-RAM devices are sold for about $24 and DVD-RW media costs about $18


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The organisers of the Tiptree World Bread Awards USA, in partnership with Edible Queens, are delighted to announce the first-ever New York Bread Week (Thursday October 24 – Wednesday October 30 2019) to celebrate all things bread.
With the Awards at the heart of it – Judging Day is on Tuesday October 29 and Awards Evening on Wednesday October 30 at Landmark on the Park, Central Park West – it’s the week to enjoy all the wonderful breads available in the city.
World-famous Zabars will be hosting a bread and Tiptree jam-tasting in store and all sorts of other bread-related fun is in the pipeline, from cook book shops to bakeries.
Join in the festivities in person and online #I♥NewYorkBreadWeek
Bread is beautiful!
Cast of Men in Black: International enjoying bread from the 2018 Awards in Dumbo (credit: Henry Kenyon)


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Sir Martin Sorrell expects further admissions that brands have over-invested in some areas of digital after Procter & Gamble said it went too far in targeting consumers on Facebook.
WPP’s CEO Sir Martin Sorrell expects growth in digital ad spend to slow over the next few years as concerns over viewability, ad fraud and measurement impact budgets.
Speaking on the company’s earnings call this morning (24 August), Sorrell said brands are increasingly questioning their digital ad spend. He cited the example of Procter & Gamble, which is planning to cut investment in targeted Facebook advertising after admitting it went too far.
He explained: “What has really been happening is questioning digital growth. One of our major clients has talked about investment in Facebook and reducing that, not overall but investment on particular areas of activity.
“We have seen this before in arguments about viewability, ad fraud and measurement issues, not forgetting ad blocking. That is where the debate is.”
Bron en volledig artikel: MarketingWeek


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RECALL: RAW PACIFIC OYSTERS PRODUCED IN COFFIN BAY (SA)
SOLD FROM 4 SEPTEMBER 2021 IN COLES SUPERMARKETS, COLES LOCAL AND COLES ONLINE NATIONALLY (EXCEPT TASMANIA)
SA Health has issued an emergency order to recall raw Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) produced in Coffin Bay, SA, including fresh and frozen products.
The oysters have been available for sale direct from farms, seafood outlets, grocery stores and supermarkets in SA, NSW, ACT, QLD, VIC, NT and WA.
Coles withdrew oysters from sale as a precaution on Wednesday 17 November 2021, however they had been sold in Coles Supermarkets, Coles Local and Online nationally (except in Tasmania) in packs of six or 12 and as part of seafood platters in the deli and seafood sections from 4 September 2021.
All production dates from and including 4 September 2021 up to and including 16 November 2021.
The recall is due to microbial (Vibrio parahaemolyticus) contamination.
Food products contaminated with (Vibrio parahaemolyticus) may cause illness if consumed.
Consumers are advised not to eat raw Pacific oysters from Coffin Bay, including fresh and frozen products. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice. Consumers should dispose of the oysters or return the oysters to the place of purchase for a full refund.
For further information please contact:
(08) 8226 7100


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There was a time when the only place you could find Black Angus beef on a menu was at some of the nation’s finest steakhouses. But these days, Angus burgers are served at McDonald’s, Back Yard Burgers, Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, and Smashburger and are just one of many fine-dining menu items, ingredients, and techniques that were adopted by quick-service and fast-casual restaurants over the last decade.
Smashburger appointed four new members to its executive leadership team. The fast-growing chain's new leaders bring experience from some of the world's most successful companies and brands, including McDonald's, Blue Moon, Clorox, and Chipotle.
Craig Leonard will serve as executive vice president and president of international; Julie Reeves will serve as vice president of marketing; David Milliken will serve as vice president of marketing; and Chris Smith with serve as regional director of operations.
Smashburger took its Sin City Smashburger nationwide on January 17. Before, this burger was found only on Las Vegas Smashburger menus. The Sin City Smashburger was crafted with the Vegas “city that never sleeps” lifestyle in mind. It features a Certified Angus Beef Smashburger, placed on an egg bun, then topped with a fried egg, applewood smoked bacon, melted American cheese, grilled and haystack onions, and the signature smash sauce. The Sin City Smashburger will only be available at Smashburger locations until February 27.
Smashburger, a nationally acclaimed industry-leading Better Burger restaurant, presented its high-achieving franchisees with awards and recognition at its first annual franchisee conference held in November at The Westin Tabor Center Hotel in Denver. Smashburger’s rapid growth and consumer acceptance has been fueled by solid network of experienced, dedicated franchisees.
Some might say that the last three years have not been very, well, accommodating for the quick-service industry. With lenders and customers alike pulling their dollars off the table, the industry has been left to make due with the circumstances and struggle to stay afloat until the economic environment warms.
Although the recession created a fair share of hand wringing in quick-serve c-suites, the franchisees have been dealt the biggest blow; they’re the ones tasked with keeping the brand’s operational gears turning, and the slowing dollars, for them, means a slowing livelihood.


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Adams works into, out of jam NYY@PHI: Adams fans three to work out of troubleChance Adams pitches an eventful 4th inning, loading the bases but striking out three batters to avoid further trouble
The Pirates will face many questions in the wake of Starling Marte’s 80-game suspension for Atlanta Braves jersey wholesale testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. They Miguel Sano authentic jersey answered one quickly: cheap DeAndre Hopkins jersey Yes, Andrew McCutchen is moving cheap jersey back to discount mlb jerseys lowest prices cheap nfl jerseys China center field while Marte is out. McCutchen’s reaction?
You never expect to get sent down on Ryan Tannehill cheap jersey the day you get sent down, Renfroe said. But obviously, I had not played well up to that point. You never can take anything for Malcolm Butler jersey cheap granted.
The reason Schwarber missed so cheap jersey China much time was because he tore two ligaments in his cheap mitchell and ness nfl jerseys left knee in the third game of the 2016 season. He made a vintage nfl jerseys china miraculous recovery to participate in the World Series as the designated hitter, and this cheap mlb jerseys size 60 year was projected as the Cubs’ leadoff man.
Lindsay Berra has covered a variety of
sports, from baseball and hockey to tennis and the Olympics, since 1999. She joined MLB.com in 2013. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or cheap china nfl jerseys its top 10 mlb jerseys 2014 Minnesota Twins cheap jerseys clubs.
With the exception of Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, the Cubs have become a fascinating collection of moving parts.
Mariners: Veteran right-hander Yovani Gallardo will be looking for his first win in Tuesday’s 7:10 p.m. PT matchup against the Marlins. Gallardo is Gilliam Garry jersey wholesale 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA through his first two starts. The 31-year-old has pitched well against Miami in the past, going 5-1 with a 1.90 ERA in eight career starts.
Both cheap nfl jersey Goldschmidt and Altherr homered Sunday on Father’s Day, and also homered on May 14, Mother’s Day. They are two of seven players majestic mlb jerseys shirts for men in the Majors to hit home runs on both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cheap jerseys in 2017.
Kela last pitched Friday in Omaha and is available for Monday night’s series opener against the A’s.


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A leaked photo of a new, unannounced BlackBerry Curve model shows that Research in Motion will be highlighting its proprietary BlackBerry Messenger, otherwise known as BBM, network more to consumers. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 was shown in the latest leaked image with a dedicated button on the side that will specifically activate and launch the BBM chat functionality on the device without requiring users to scroll through the OS and menus to activate the chat service.
The BlackBerry Curve 9320 is still not yet announced by RIM, though preliminary leaked specs suggest that the smartphone will run BlackBerry 7 OS and have a 2.44-inch QVGA display that lacks touch-input. The device will have 512 MB of RAM with an unknown single-core processor. A micro SDHC card slot as well as a 3.2-megapixel camera also adorn the phone. The 9320 is expected to succeed the low-end BlackBerry Curve 3G.
RIM Plays Up BBM With Dedicated Button on Leaked BlackBerry Curve Photo


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beenz.com, which has developed a new e-commerce rewards system, announced an exclusive marketing alliance today with Excite U.K.. The joint venture between British Telecommunications and Excite@Home (Nasdaq: ATHM) will begin by offering bonus beenz to its first 100,000 registrants.
Shoppers at Excite’s online stores can earn ‘Beenz’ as they purchase products and can then use their ‘Beenz’ as currency at a variety of e-commerce sites. Participating businesses fall into categories such as auctions, books, home and garden, kids and teens, music and movies, sports, and travel. Some of the more well-known sites that are part of the beenz.com program include job recruiting site HotJobs.com and iCanBuy.com, which allows teenagers to make purchases with their own online bank account.
The six month-old beenz.com sees its currency as a way for sites to reward loyal visitors, as well as a marketing tool for e-commerce retailers. The company’s technology partners include Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Exodus. In addition, beenz.com has a strategic marketing agreement with Doubleclick.
“Beenz is an exciting young company with a compelling loyalty model,” said Evan Rudowski, general manager of Excite U.K..
Excite U.K. Also Receives Promotion
Meanwhile, Excite U.K. will be the preferred search engine of beenz.com. All searches done on beenz.com will include an option that will allow users to include search results from Excite UL. All beenz.com users who have registered through Excite U.K. will receive co-branded transaction statements when they check their account information at beenz.com.
In addition, beenz.com has developed an Excite branded “beenz counter” that links to Excite U.K. and its shopping channels. Beenz.com will also run advertising campaigns on the Excite U.K. Network.
Beenz.com launched its site in March 1999. The company was founded by current chief technology officer Charles Cohen, who worked in new-media marketing at Band & Brown Communications. Beenz.com employs approximately 40 people at its headquarters in New York and in its operational centers in San Francisco and London.
On August 16th, beenz.com announced that the millionth beenz transaction took place.


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Nearly 300 new dealerships have opened in the country so far this year following an exodus from Western brands, the data shows.
Chinese car dealerships have been opening in Russia at a record pace, RIA Novosti reported this week, citing analysis by Otkrytiye Auto. Since the start of the year, the number has increased by almost 300 to 936, according to the report.
“Russian car retailers have never seen such rapid growth in the number of Greater China car dealerships, which happened this fall,” Otkrytiye Auto experts said, noting that 185 showrooms opened from July to November.
The leading brand among new dealerships was Exeed with 48. A total of 47 new franchises of the new Omoda brand also opened, while Chery is now the top Chinese brand with 167 dealerships in Russia.
Geely also increased the number of its car dealerships by a third in just 10 months, with 44 new openings, bringing the company’s total number of dealerships in Russia to 133.
The number of FAW and Changan dealerships has also increased.
“Other Chinese brands that did not enter the top 10 include new brands Voyah and Skywell, which have already opened three new stores this fall, as well as GAC, with a new outlet,” says the report.
Moscow’s best-selling cars revealed
The popularity of Chinese automobiles in Russia has grown amid the exodus of European, American and Japanese brands. Many automakers have struggled to continue operations in the country due to logistical disruptions resulting from Western sanctions, after deliveries of cars and spare parts to Russia were halted.
For more stories on economics and finance, visit RT’s business section
You can share this story on social media:


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Need meth? A popular over the counter sports supplement called Craze contains a substance similar to methamphetamine according to USA Today. The supplement has been pulled from most shelves, but is still available at GNC and some other health food stores. A lawyer for the company who makes the product has denied the presence of the substance in the supplement in a statement and then said that the company “declined to comment.”
The meth-like substance is called N.alpha-diethylphenylethylamine, and it’s present in both the sports supplement Craze, produced by a company called Driven Sports, as well as in a pill called Detonate produced by a different company called Gaspari Nutrition. In a statement to USA Today, a lawyer for Driven Sports claimed “We have previously provided USA Today with a plethora of data from a DEA Certified Lab indicating the absence of any amphetamine-like compound in Craze. In light of USA Today‘s decision to ignore the data we have provided, we respectfully decline to comment for your story.”
The video below contains a review by Youtube users who say they felt “amped up,” that they “couldn’t sit down” and that they got “the jitters” after using two scoops. Under the video, a commenter states that after taking one scoop of the supplement, they couldn’t sleep for two days. (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE)
Despite what the lawyer for Driven Sports says, USA Today reports that it had the supplements independently tested in multiple labs and that the results came back positive for the substance, which may have the potential to cause serious health concerns, such as heart attacks and strokes. A study on the two supplements was published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis after undergoing peer review.
Harvard Medical School researcher Pieter Cohen seemed to indicate that ingesting the supplements is the same as taking illegal street drugs, but that the drugs can fly under the radar because they are being sold in the form on non-regulated sports supplements. “These are basically brand-new drugs that are being designed in clandestine laboratories where there’s absolutely no guarantee of quality control,” he said.
The video below contains a “warning” about Craze from a user who “loves” the supplement. “However,” he says, “this stuff will f*** up your sleep if you take it within even eight hours of sleeping.”
An executive at Driven Sports, Matt Cahill, is a felon who has already been convicted of “introduction of a misbranded drug into interstate commerce” along another charge of “conspiracy to commit mail fraud” according to official court documents. According to USA Today, some of the supplements Cahill has sold in the past have been linked to death and injury. Cahill is also actively under investigation regarding his involvement in another potentially dangerous dietary supplement.
While Cohen says that the substance in Craze is not as addictive as meth, it is even stronger than ephedra, a supplement that was banned after it was linked to multiple deaths. Cohen says he thinks that the supplement producer may be purposely adding pharmaceutical-grade drugs into the supplement and calling it something else. The manufacturer lists an ingredient on the label that it claims is derived from an orchid. Cohen says he doesn’t buy it, explaining: “It might be that manufacturers are not actually using the orchid at all, but rather using the name ‘dendrobium’ when actually placing pharmaceutical drugs into the supplement. It is very likely that some other supplements labeled as containing dendrobium contain this same new drug.”
In the video below, the reviewer says the supplement contains a “very, very, very strong neuro-stimulant” and that Craze is “a concentrated stimulent” that is “CRAAAZZY.” He says when he takes it, he is “flying for at least two hours.” He also warns against taking the supplement at night.
If you need meth, a similar substance is available in the sports supplement Craze, but common sense dictates that it’s most likely best to stay away from any supplement unless it’s approved by your personal physician beforehand and after reviewing all of the data and evidence available.
Disclaimer: Guardian Express does not endorse illegal drug use of any kind. Article title and language in article body are representing only “creative poetic license” and do not represent any actual or implied suggestion to use illegal drugs. All over the counter supplements should be approved by a licensed physician before use. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA and the effects of many ingredients in such supplements are unknown.
By: Rebecca Savastio


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Ethan Allen (NYSE: ETH) has announced the opening of its new state-of-the-art design center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., moving from its previous Palm Desert location.
Online furniture brand Whom Home has announced its new series of video ads to attract urban shoppers to its furnishings website. The 30-second TV spots will run in major metro markets beginning this month.
Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) has announced the conclusion of the company's eighth point-of-sale, “Give Big for Kids” fundraising campaign that benefits Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Amish furniture producer Fusion Designs has acquired Borkholder Furniture, an Amish casegoods supplier, for an undisclosed sum.
Retail software provider Storis has been named a Gold Medalist in SoftwareReviews' brand- new Retail Point of Sale Research Report. Storis is the only technology dedicated to the home furnishings industry to appear on the report and one of only four global vendors to earn the highest Gold ranking.
Mattress producer and retailer Brooklyn Bedding recently launched it new category of sleep solutions for RVing and camping, offering custom mattresses specifically for RVs, travel trailers, fifth wheels and more.
Providing more retailers an opportunity to floor its products, organic mattress manufacturer OMI has announced a partnership with Fundbox for a new business credit platform that will provide 60-day, interest-free financing on purchases up to $100,000.


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Sales still in bloom at Pacific Natural Foods
Fueled by double-digit growth almost every year of its existence, Pacific Natural Foods celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall with an efficient new warehouse and a happy dilemma.
It isn’t exactly sure why demand for its natural and organic food products is up roughly 15 percent this year.
“We’re asking that of our sales team all the time,” said Jonathan Gehrs, president of the family-owned Tualatin company.
Growth has come through every channel where its products are sold — grocery stores, club stores, mass market stores, drug stores, natural food stores and food service operations.
Pacific made headlines in May with the lease of 302,765 square feet of warehouse space in a former Nike Inc. building in Wilsonville.
The deal essentially fills the warehouse, which Nike left in 2009. It also gives Pacific an efficient new warehouse with easy access to Interstate 5 and makes a dent in Wilsonville’s market-leading industrial vacancy rate, which stood at 18.2 percent at the end of the first quarter.
Thanks to Pacific Natural Foods and several other leases, Wilsonville’s rate has dropped to about 10 percent, based on figures provided by Kidder Mathews.
The city of Wilsonville is thrilled to have the company and made sure its utility requirements were met. The city quickly signed off on permits needed to ensure it could accommodate the food makers needs. That included pulling up portions of the old floor to replace it with a sturdier, reinforced one that can handle the heavy pallets of soups and other water-laden food items.
“We’re very happy to have them,” said Mark Ottenad, director of government and community relations for the city.
Wendy covers sustainable business, food systems, manufacturing and law. Sign up for her SBO Dispatch newsletter to get the top energy, cleantech and green building stories twice per week.
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New Delhi: One of India’s leading B2B trade fair organizers, Messe Muenchen India concluded an exclusive show preview of the 9th edition of IFAT India at Jaypee Siddharth, Rajendra Palace, New Delhi. IFAT India 2022 will be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, on 28-30 September 2022.
IFAT India is one of the leading trade fairs in the country for environmental technologies. It is reputed as a high-powered platform for industry experts, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss regional strategies on pressing environmental challenges such as wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and recycling. The theme of the show preview in New Delhi is ‘Plastic Neutrality Through Circular Economy’ where many high-profile speakers emphasized on the importance of going plastic neutral through a shift in consumer mindset and behavior.
The high-powered panel at this show preview featured Sanchita Jindal, Former Adviser (Scientist G), Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC); Tusar Ranjan Pattnaik, Corporate Head – EHS, Dabur India; Dr K S Jayachandran, Member Secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Committee; Mahendra Singh Tanwar, Commissioner, Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation; and Chander Mohan Gupta, Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation. The vibrant panel discussion was moderated by Dr Ashish Jain, Director, Indian Pollution Control Association.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr K S Jayachandran said, “Delhi government is taking proactive measures to effectively reduce plastic waste from our ecosystem. 19 single-use plastics have already been banned and more will follow. This change should significantly reduce the existing 550-tonne single-use plastic waste per day. IFAT India has provided an unbiased and vocal platform which bring all the key stakeholders on one table. Events like these not only spread awareness amongst common people but also make the government and public sector commit for a better and cleaner environment.”
On the urgency of plastic neutrality, Dr Ashish Jain said, “There is a strong push from the government and MoEFCC towards creating a circular economy in India and to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics, effectively ensuring their circulation in the economy and out of the environment. Today, only a handful of stakeholders are following this path of plastic neutrality. There is a huge gap in consumption, collection, and recycling of plastic. Consumption of plastics has increased by 21% over the last five years, whereas barely 16% of plastic is collected and recycled. I am confident that IFAT India 2022 will create the right ecosystem for industry leaders to share their experiences and strategies and encourage stakeholders to take appropriate measures towards a plastic neutral economy. I expect that with such platforms, the collection and recycling rate will see a growth of more than 50%”.
On strategies for plastic waste management, Mahendra Singh Tanwar said, “As a part of our holistic approach, we are working on the concept of ‘beyond plastic’ in association with the Material Library of India which is a Centre of Excellence for material innovation. This is one-of-its-kind in the Indian sub-continent. We have also designed a formula of plastic credits which has the potential to manage approx. 30,000 tonnes of plastic waste, of which we have reached 15,000 tonnes over the past six months. We are happy to participate in IFAT India 2022 as this is the only premier event in this industry.”
Offering an industry perspective, Tusar Ranjan Pattnaik, Corporate Head – EHS, Dabur India said, “The previous two years have been revolutionary in terms of waste management. Single-use plastic has been banned from last month, and this is a good move towards the 3R approach for sustainable development. We can avoid plastics, but we can’t reduce it to zero. Therefore, making the FMCG sector plastic-waste neutral is a crucial first step. This shows our commitment as a responsible brand towards reducing our carbon footprint. Our commitment to the environment is much more than government mandates (25%-70% recyclability). We are crossing this threshold by going 100% plastic-waste neutral. At IFAT India 2022, we are delighted to share our plastic neutrality strategy, and contribute towards the nation’s target of Net Zero by 2070.”
On the need for a common platform for this sector, Bhupinder Singh, CEO, Messe Muenchen India, said, “Waste management is a complex challenge which needs cooperation and support from multiple stakeholders. Enabling meaningful handshakes among these stakeholders, unlocking business, and facilitating solutions in the real world is what we do best, and we are looking forward to exciting opportunities at IFAT India 2022. We have been serving the environment technology sector through IFAT India for over seven years now, and we are happy to bring this show preview to Delhi to connect with our partners, delegates, buyer community, and exhibitors.”
More information on IFAT India 2022 is available at www.ifat-india.com.


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The crowd of founders, investors, and press has finished eating lunch here at Y Combinator’s Summer 2014 Demo Day (quinoa, salad, some kind of beef stew thing, soda, and beer, FYI) and we’re back in the saddle for the third of four sessions of startup pitches.
We’re halfway through a historically big day as far as YC Demo Days go: There are 75 startups pitching onstage today in total, 66 of whom are presenting “on the record” (this YC class has a record 85 startups, meaning that 10 companies deferred their launch and opted out of taking the stage today at all.) The day is broken up into four sessions, with breaks in between.
If you want summaries of every YC startup that’s taking the stage with an on-the-record presentation, you’ve come to the right place. You can see our post on the first session of the day here, and the post for the second session here.
Without further ado, here are the startups from the third session of the day:
UPower: Building a small-scale nuclear fission reactor that can operate using uranium, thorium, or recycled nuclear fuel. While the company acknowledges that the regulatory process is an issue, the company avoids many risks in the process by working with regulators to “license by testing.” That is, they’ve simulated much of the nuclear process based on decades worth of data collected on nuclear reactions in plants already in operation — regulators just need to see that their process for removing heat works reliably to get to the next phase. Powers first reactor design will produce 2MW of electricity, enough to power a town with 2,000 homes, mining operations, and military bases.The company predicts that its first reactors will hit the market in 5 years’ time and that customers will be able to go 12 years without refueling. Read our prior coverage here.
Onename: Onename is positioning itself as the Facebook Connect of Bitcoin. Instead of typing in an extremely long public address to sends someone Bitcoin, you can just look for someone handle on OneName in the same way you’d look for someone on Twitter or Instagram. The company says it’s now serving 16 percent of Bitcoin wallets with payments sent in a single click. “We’re building fundamental infrastructure. Today we are the Facebook Connect for Bitcoin and tomorrow we’ll be the decentralized identity layer for the web,” said the two Princeton graduates Muneeb Ali and Ryan Shea, who are behind the company. Read our previous coverage of Onename here.
Roost: Roost is a company doing push notifications for websites. The technology is being added to nearly all the major browsers, which offers up a huge opportunity for publishers who wish to use notifications in the same way mobile apps do. The company has seen 10 percent sustained growth over the last several months, and it’s just the beginning since all those publishers and notifications today work just on Safari. In the future, however, Firefox and Chrome will add the same functionality, which will reach 14x the number of consumers who have access to notifications now. Check out our previous coverage of Roost here.
PicnicHealth: Rather than wait in line or deal with a bunch of bureaucracy, PicnicHealth provides a platform for secure online access to your own health records. The YC-backed startup chose to begin with medical records for what they say is a market with more than 50 million cancer patients. Co-founder Noga Leviner took to the stage to share her story about how her mom had to battle both breast cancer and a giant stack of medical records. This gave her the idea for the patient-focused company that aims to get people the help they need with medical record management. You tell PicnicHealth your problems and then it keeps your doctor informed. They try to send a physical copy. The cost is $500/year to help users avoid waiting in line in a medical office for their records. Read our earlier coverage here.
BlockScore: Positioning itself as “the new standard in identity verification,” BlockScore provides fraud protection and individual I.D. verification in a software as a service model for companies that perform online financial transactions. According to BlockScore, the currently dominant methods of I.D. verification don’t move quickly enough for the modern world, where more companies than ever are dealing in online financial transactions in which they must quickly verify that any given identity is for a real living person that’s safe to do business with. “We give companies one API that gives them global coverage that they can implement in minutes, not months,” BlockScore’s co-founder said in his pitch. During the YC program, BlockScore has grown its revenue by 22X, and it counts startups, companies, and banks as its customers. Read our earlier coverage of BlockScore here.
PersistIQ: PersistIQ says it increases sales for companies by making sure that sales teams don’t let leads fall to the wayside. It’s basically a task management system, keeping sales representatives from forgetting to keep in touch with potential leads, tracking each interaction by syncing with email and reminding users about relationships that haven’t been maintained. The company claims that early data shows a 10x increase in productivity among users, measured in the number of emails sent to leads in a given day. Our earlier coverage of PersistIQ is here.
Vatler: Vatler is trying to be the Uber of Parking. They are a valet service for the 200,000 or so workers that commute into San Francisco every day. They have built an app where you can request a valet at your office in one tap. They’ll take care of the rest by parking your car. After being in beta for four weeks, they’ve been growing at 40 percent week-over-week through word of mouth and are working with companies including Instacart, Tidepool and AdRoll. They say the market alone could be worth $65 million in San Francisco. If they were able to tap into the country’s top 15 cities including New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, they’d be able to tap a $1 billion opportunity. Read more on Vatler here.
Filecoin: The launch and growing popularity of Bitcoin has created an arms race among those who are trying to brute-force hashes because they are incentivized to do so. That’s led to the power behind the cryptocurrency surpassing that of the fastest supercomputer in the world currently. Filecoin created a way to incentivize people to store files on its network. The company enables them to rent out storage, earn Filecoin, and then cash out in Bitcoin.
ShipBob: ShipBob provides on-demand shipping on your smartphone. The main focus is shipping for businesses but it can also be for personal use. A ship captain will physically show up to take items to the post office and handle packaging and tracking for you. Launched in Chicago 8 weeks ago, the company is growing 28% week over week and it says 58% of customers plan to repeat use. It also claims to be growing organically. The startup claims every one of its customers has referred the service to at least three more customers. Shipbob now moves beyond Chicago and into the mainstream market. Read more on the company here.
Edyn: This is a “smart irrigation system” for gardeners and small farmers. Edyn has built a wireless and solar powered device that uses sensors to understand everything that’s going on with your plants and water them as needed. The system has a connected app that lets gardeners see what’s going on with their plants from anywhere in the world. If the company looks familiar, it may be because it’s been around and gathering popularity for months: The company first debuted under the moniker Soil IQ at the Disrupt San Francisco Startup Battlefield in September 2013. Since then, it’s renamed to Edyn, raised a bunch of money on Kickstarter, and locked down a production deal with device manufacturer Flextronics. Edyn says it is on track for a retail launch in 2015.
Naytev: This company offers A/B testing for social sharing. Much like Buzzfeed and Upworthy’s proprietary platforms, a publisher can submit a link with multiple headlines to Naytev’s software, and based on data gathered from social networks, it determines which will generates more clicks and shares and distributes that headline across platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Naytev claims that as it gets bigger, its algorithm will become more effective, as getting more customers means they can collect more data, which they can then turn into better optimization. Read more coverage here.
Neptune.io: Neptune.io is a company from some of the founding engineers behind Amazon Web Services. Their goal is to make servers “self-healing.” By that, they mean that their service will automatically fix some of the most common server alerts like when a process crashes, when a disk is full or when there is low CPU utilization. That will help those reliability engineers sleep more peacefully at night. The company says that the IT industry loses $26 billion annually on outages. Since launching two weeks ago, the company is supporting 60 servers and seven companies. They say they’ve been able to save 10 hours of down time for each company and charge about $10 per server per month.
Rigetti Computing: Rigetti Computing is on a mission to build the world’s most powerful computer. Led by a specialist from Yale and IBM, the company hopes to bring quantum computing to the masses. The problem to date has been that quantum computing was too expensive to build at scale, but it’s planning to build and launch its first product in the next 18 months. In 3 years it expects to have a 1,024 Qubit machine available and in 5 years it projects that it will have a machine that is 10x faster than today’s most powerful supercomputer. Read our earlier coverage on Rigetti Computing here.
Beep: Beep is a device that connects the music to every speaker throughout your home at the same time. It wirelessly connects to your speakers, receivers, and dock to play synchronized music in every room. Beep sells it’s computer to manufacturers and they integrate it into their speaker design. Pandora and Spotify have worked with Beep to integrate with the platform. It is also working with Nest so soon you’ll be able to control your home temp with your voice as well. Beep has 12 partners in the pipeline and is built on an open platform on iPhone and Android. Competitor Sonos is currently a 5% market but Beep aims to go beyond what Sonos does and create a smart computer platform on both software and hardware. Led by ex-Googlers Daniel Conrad and Shawn Lewis, Beep aims to put a platform in every room of your home. Read our earlier coverage of Beep here and here.
Local Lift: Built by a co-founding team with solid business and financial backgrounds, Local Lift aims to bring the crowdfunding power that’s been leveraged by thousands of startups through sites like Kickstarter to specifically benefit small local businesses. With the Local Lift platform, business owners are able to raise funds directly from their customer base and the community at large by running 30-day campaigns for small amounts of funding (campaigns are currently averaging around $7,000-$8,000, based on early trials.) The company has helped out small businesses such as local fitness studios, and provides much-needed support for companies that traditionally have only been able to rely on difficult-to-obtain small business loans from traditional banks. Local Lift debuted in late May, and currently is serving select beta markets including Austin, New Orleans, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Read more about Local Lift here.
Craft Coffee: Craft Coffee has a simple mission: to sell coffee online. While Starbucks and regional coffee shops have built lasting businesses by providing an option for getting coffee while on-the-go, Craft sees the $5 billion market for coffee prepared and consumed at home as a playing field without a clear leader in online sales. It wants to claim that mantle by providing consumers who don’t already have a clear idea of what they like guidance during the browsing process with a recommendation engine that points out beans that a user might like based on their responses to a survey about their coffee consumption habits. Read our earlier coverage here.
Shift: Shift is a Bitcoin debit card that lets you pay for everyday goods and services the way you would with a regular ATM or credit card. It connects to your existing Bitcoin wallets and deducts the appropriate amount for eating out, drinking, paying bills and making everyday purchases. “This card is the form factor that people want to use spend Bitcoin,” said co-founder Meg Nakamura on-stage. Users have spent more than $20,000 worth of Bitcoin in the last few weeks alone. “This Bitcoin card may seem like a simple idea. But it is really hard to produce. You have to work with a bank, card issuer, card processor and card network,” said Nakamura, one of Shift’s co-founder who added that the rest of the team has experience from Square and the Federal Reserve.
BillForward: BillForward is a highly flexible subscription billing platform that is designed to help businesses that are in that business online. The subscription economy is evolving and those businesses are entering a new world of sophistication. The goal is to solve the billing problems that those companies have. That has led the company to grow by 150 percent week over week processing growth as it seeks to go after the $33 billion subscription business market.
Immunity Project: Immunity Project is creating a FREE vaccine to end HIV and AIDS. Founder Dr. Reed Rubsamen says his approach is radically different. He says 1 out of 300 people has a natural immunity to the virus. Immunity Project created a sort of Trojan horse to get the immune system to recognize the disease and attack those infected cells. The team has already tested the vaccine out on the blood of Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham. His blood sample was given the lab created vaccine and then infected with the AIDS virus. Then a miracle happened. The vaccine worked! According to the National Institutes of Health(http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/hivaids/research/vaccines/Pages/default.aspx), there is not currently a working vaccine in the market. Dr. Rubsamen says during the course of his talk 7 people will have died of AIDS. He says this is the most important work we can do. Immunity Project now needs a little over $8 million to complete trials and move forward.
Sarah Buhr, Kim-Mai Cutler, Ryan Lawler, Kyle Russell, and Colleen Taylor all contributed reporting.


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New OS on the world’s most popular Android phone might be closer than you think.
The Galaxy S2 is currently king of the Android smartphone hill, what with it’s awesome SAMOLED display, HD video recording and ultra-fast dual-core processor. Now, rumors have it that Samsung is Read the rest of this entry
Industry insiders have revealed that four mobile computing giants, Acer, Toshiba, Samsung and Asus are working on notebooks built around ARM’s processor architecture.
A few years previously, similar ARM-based notebooks sporting Android went up for sale under the ‘smartbook’ tag, but flopped because of their shortcomings in comparison to regular laptops. However, the very same insiders say that now Read the rest of this entry


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Austin tortilla chip maker El Lago struggles to survive; move to suburb off
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The chips are down for an Austin-based tortilla manufacturer. El Lago Mexican Foods apparently never moved as planned into a new manufacturing facility in Pflugerville and prospects appear to be dim for the 30-year-old company.
In May it was announced that El Lago would move into that evolving surburban business park near Texas Highways 130 and 45 after operating for years at 1700 E. Fourth St. in East Austin. The Pflugerville City Council approved a $60,000 incentive to assist in the move in exchange for bringing 40 jobs to the area.
Floyd Akers, executive director of the Pflugerville Community Development Corp., touted the relocation as a big win for El Lago foods, which would have better access to highways and distribution networks.
But evidently, other issues were at play, and perhaps the move was forced. East Austin has seen intense redevelopment activity during the past several years and landowners have taken advantage of escalating property values, which real estate developers have been willing to pay. The property, which had housed El Lago’s manufacturing operations for many years, is near the pending Plaza Saltillo transit-oriented development, which will be built by Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group.
It’s owned by VJ 1700 Investment LLC, according to the Travis Central Appraisal District, but brokers have told me previously that the site was on the market. The latest appraised value for the 2.7-acre parcel, which includes a 52,000-square-foot building, is almost $2.6 million.
My inquiry to an email address on the El Lago website generated an automatic response, which said, “We are sorry to say that since we had to move from our old time location in central Austin, we are having big issues to go back in business. We are still trying to get the company up and running again soon. Thank you again and keep your fingers cross (sic),” the email stated. It was signed “Customer Service, S.G. Mexican Foods.”
A woman answered the phone at El Lago and recommended sending a message to another email address, but a response to that message had not been received. She confirmed, however, that the move was never consummated.
Akers was not available for comment. A public relations consultant for the organization said he was in Europe.
S.G. Mexican Foods purchased El Lago in 1997. At the time, it appears that the company owned the East Fourth Street property, but later sold it in 2001. The company has produced flour and corn tortillas and tortilla chips that were sold through Texas retailers and in restaurants. ABJ readers said they have been unable to buy the products for at least the past couple of months.
Jan Buchholz covers commercial and residential real estate, construction and architecture and retail and restaurants for the Austin Business Journal.
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E-reader price war breaks out as Asda takes on Amazon with a £52 device
Asda is offering the low price on a 5in View Quest Mediabox, which costs less than half the amount Amazon charges for its market-leading Kindle, pictured
A price war over e-readers – the so-called ‘iPods for books’ which hold up to 3,500 titles – has been declared, with some being sold for just £52.
As sales of the electronic library devices soar, Asda is offering the low price on a 5in View Quest Mediabox.
It is less than half the amount Amazon charges for its market-leading Kindle.
And it is feared the move threatens to hasten the demise of real books, bookshops and libraries.
The £52 media tablet features e-books, music and videos, as well as allowing users to use a voice recorder to make notes.
It lights up for night reading and has a power-saving mode to reduce eye strain and improve battery life.
However, the device lacks a link to the internet through the 3G mobile phone network, which would allow books to be downloaded anywhere.
The next cheapest device is another multimedia player sold by WH Smith, the £59.99 Imagin.
A Kindle without 3G comes in at £111, while the 3G version is £152.
An analyst at TechEye.net warned that while the £52 e-reader sounds great, there is ‘suspicion it is like comparing a steak to an Asda basic pork pie’.
But Asda spokesman Adam May said the store is hoping to provide ‘affordable literature’.
‘Unlike more expensive rivals like the Kindle, Asda’s e-book reader will also play movies,’ he said.
‘Once owners have finished reading a free Dickens classic they can watch a film adaptation.’
Amazon dominates e-book sales, with 500,000 titles available to buy in the UK and a million available free because copyright has expired.
The online retailer sells 115 e-books for every 100 paperbacks in the U.S..
It sold eight million Kindles – its most popular product – in the U.S. and Britain last year.
And sales of e-readers and e-books rose by more than 200 per cent to reach £557million.
Meanwhile, the number of real books sold
in the UK fell by 29million a year between 2007 and 2009 to 463million,
according to the Office for National Statistics.
The proportion of over-16s visiting
libraries also fell from 48 per cent to 39 per cent over the four years
to last April, the figures add.
New publications should be cheaper to buy as an e-book, given the fact there are no production, transport or handling costs.
But downloads are often at least as expensive as the real thing, suggesting huge profits are made
A festival goer uses a Sony e-reader. The number of real books sold in the UK fell by 29million a year between 2007 and 2009 to 463million
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VICTORIA, BC – Phillips Brewing has announced the release of a seasonal brand that offers a lighter-than-usual winter beer option for holiday enjoyment.
Scarfface Cranberry Orange Wit is a 5% abv flavoured wheat ale with the following description:
Scarfface is snow-packed with enough cranberry and citrus to make a bad guy feel good, and is a welcome break from the heavy winter ales. Pouring a soft melon orange colour with a pillow white head, aromas of fresh oranges and fruity esters lead to a sweet orange wheat body, that finishes with a crisp cranberry tartness.
Scarfface will be on sale for a limited time at select private liquor stores in BC. It will also be available to sample on draught during a launch event at the Phillips brewery this Thursday December 3rd from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.


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Frutura-branded Hass avocados will be on sale in North America from the third quarter of this year
Frutura-branded Hass avocados will be available within months as the global sales and marketing network advances in its plan to become a significant player in the category.
The California-based company announced today (23 May) that it will begin marketing avocados under the Frutura brand in North America from the third quarter of 2023.
Frutura said the shift will create a more vertically integrated, easier way for customers to source in-demand product. Several of its companies already have strong avocado portfolios and Frutura is one of the few avocado marketers to own its own groves in Mexico, Peru, Chile and Colombia.
This gives the company a high degree of leverage and control over a significant percentage of its volume.
Frutura’s Dayka & Hackett LLC (D&H) leads the company’s avocado marketing programme. That effort is headed by Stephen Fink, who joined D&H in 2022 as VP of avocados.
“In our earliest conversations, Tim Dayka (D&H’s CEO) talked to me about the potential of avocados and he’s the architect of our programme,” said David Krause, Frutura’s CEO.
“We’re pushing to accelerate volume by adding significant plantings, and by building relationships with several third party growers of premium avocados, that our team has worked with and respected for many years.”
Frutura said it is aligning its avocado programme with its sustainability mission, by making certain that a meaningful portion of its avocado acreage remains native timber.
Forests serve as a hospitable habitant for monarch butterflies, known to be among the planets’ most effective pollinators. Pollinators like monarch butterflies, play a vital role in the earth’s ecosystem and thus, the world’s food supply.
“Consolidating our avocados under the Frutura brand creates a more frictionless experience for our customers,” said Fink.
“Consumer demand for avocados shows no sign of abating and we’re in the process of positioning ourselves to serve our customers with reliable excellence. We’ve also added powerful bench strength by being joined by colleagues experienced in North American grocery retail, the Asian market, and the food service sector.”


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Maribeth Marsico wrote an article
As of September 2006, more than 5,000 dentists in the U.S. have purchased chairside CAD/CAM systems and...(more)
>What are the five words that send a chill down a laboratory owner's spine when spoken by one of his biggest dentist-clients? "I'm buying a CAD/CAM system." To date, more than 5,000 dentists in the U.S. have purchased Cerec chairside CAD/CAM systems, and many laboratories have reported a noticeable...
Overall, laboratory owners' sentiments on the topic of offshoring are still split; 55%, up from 31% in 2005, feel it's un-American and unfair to their employees, and another 30% say it's just part of the globalization of our economy.
LMT Original Research © 2010 - 2013


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Apple's latest iPhone models are struggling due to weak demand, but two major Asian suppliers picked up the slack and posted strong sales last month.
The iPhone XS and the iPhone XR can't generate significant sales. The mobile industry appears to be oversaturated, and consumers are hanging onto their smartphones longer than ever before. Still, that hasn't hurt two of Apple's longtime partners. Foxconn and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, according to Bloomberg, were able to generate a 5.6% rise in revenue during November. Both work with additional companies, too.
Meanwhile, other suppliers are downgrading sales estimates. It's a surprise since the last few months of the year are typically strong across the board, but Apple's flagship duo hasn't met expectations.
There might be another set of reduced orders for the iPhone XS and the iPhone XR if demand fails to turn around, and that could do damage on Foxconn's and TSMC's bottom lines.
Don't be too worried about Apple, though. In Cupertino, Tim Cook and high-ranking executives are unlikely to be too worried at the moment. Apple has plenty of cash on-hand, and its services generate a huge amount of revenue every quarter. Moving forward, Apple will continue leaning on services rather than hardware due to oversaturation in most categories.
Also, maybe it's the best time to purchase a new iPhone. Apple's running a trade-in promotion on the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS where, in exchange for your old iPhone, you'll get a steep discount.
It'll be interesting to see how Apple's Q4 2018 earnings report looks. Although unit sales are no longer part of the details, Apple should still discuss the trends for its entire lineup of hardware.


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Komori buys majority stake in Insight's Komori division
After solidifying its position in the Indian market via its representative, Insight Communication & Print Solution, the Japanese giant Komori Corporation is all set to set up a subsidiary in India. Recently, the company announced that it has purchased the majority stakes in the Komori division of Insight.
16 Feb 2018 | By Rahul Kumar
However, the monetary value of the deal and what the new subsidiary will be called were not disclosed yet.
According to reports, the new venture should be operational by 1 April 2018.
Sangam Khanna of Insight, said, “Komori wanted to get close to the Indian customers and provide better services, enhanced product reliability and provide information and communications technology (ICT) solutions aimed at improving productivity. Future plans include creating various products tailored to meet local requirements.”
Hirofumi Hoshino will be the managing director of the new venture. Hoshino, a mechanical engineer has joined Komori in 1977 and was involved in press design and production. He has served in Komori America and Europe. He is a core member of Komori Global Sales and Service Group and associate board director.
Sangam Khanna will head the marketing and sales duties of the new venture.
Insight has been the Indian distributor of Komori printing presses from 2007 and has installed around 300 presses in the last 11 years, retaining a leading position in the sheetfed offset printing presses market in India.
Ajay Aggarwal of Insight said, “The new organisation plans to adopt the best of both local and global, as the current team, comprising of 70 people, will handle the operations in India with enhanced support, investments and growth engines coming from Komori’s global presence.”
The aim of the Indian subsidiary will to penetrate the Indian market even deeper. “Not only does this move aim to boost sales of Komori presses, the acquisition is expected to help Komori and Insight engage in closer collaboration,” Aggarwal added.
Satoshi Mochida, president and COO, Komori Japan, said, “We believe that these initiatives will help local printing companies better utilise high value-added printing solutions and enhance the efficiency of their operations, thereby contributing to the development of India’s printing industry.”