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Alternative Airlines: taking a ‘contrarian’ approach to flight distribution
The MD of the flight search and booking agent spoke to Pamela Whitby about local strategy new partnerships, crypto payments and why being contrary might be positive news for air travellers
The clue, it would appear, lies in the word ‘alternative’. In the competitive travel market, where many companies continue to strive for ways to service the end-to-end customer journey, Alternative Airlines is, as MD Sam Argyle admits, taking a “contrarian approach”. The online travel agent (OTA) has decided to focus purely on flights and the reason, he says, is this: “We simply want to be the best in one area - flights. We have put technology absolutely front and centre of our business and we have really focused on the user experience.”
The 32-year-old, who left his job as an investment banker at Rothschild in 2015, saw the potential in the company that his father established in 2007, and says he has “always had travel in my blood”. He sounds excited, and may have reason to be. In 2019, the company was named one of the fastest growing in the UK by the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, and over the past three years has seen revenues rise from £3 million to £19 million. In addition, what was a two-man band has grown to a team of 43 people, a third of which, he says, is tech-focused.
We have put technology absolutely front and centre of our business and we have really focused on the user experience
Although the UK-based office sits at the end of a runway at Gatwick Airport, growth has been global with just 17% of revenues derived on home turf. And since 55% of bookings were made out of the US in 2019, where revenues rose by 185%, it is no wonder that by the second quarter of 2020 an office will open in Boston. “Every month we take bookings from 120 countries and so we see this as an entirely global business in the way we drive traffic to the site,” he says.
*Update 20/2/2020* Although not willing to release net income figures, Argyle says the company is profitable and will continue to target sustainable growth.*
Local love, payment power and partnerships
A central differentiator and focused aim is having a strong localisation strategy. “We are not necessarily competing on the mainstream stuff, more the remote destinations where people want to have an online offering that is relevant to their search,” Argyle explains. In other words, when people are searching for far-flung places the idea is for them to see the big recognisable carriers like BA, Virgin, Emirates but also those that “fly through the grass strips”. Think Skyward Express in Kenya, Precision Air in Tanzania, and Air New Guinea in Papua New Guinea. Currently, the group is connected to 600 of the estimated 900 airlines globally and is ramping up efforts to secure more partners that are off the beaten track. “We think there is an opportunity here because it is about giving people more choice,” he says.
Alternative Airlines accepts 160 currencies and 25 different methods of payment because "people have very different tastes in how they want to pay"
One of group’s best selling routes, for example, is Lima to Cusco, the starting point for expeditions to the Machu Picchu in Peru. The goal, as he tells partners, “is to ensure that we have local airline content on those types of routes as they are quite hard to book on mainstream sites.”
In any successful localisation strategy currency is centre stage, and Alternative Airlines accepts 160 as well as 25 different methods of payment; these include everything from Paypal Credit to Mastercard, Klarna and Alipay. If someone is coming to the site from Nairobi, or San Francisco or Sydney, Argyle understands that “people have very different tastes in how they want to pay”. And he wants to solve that problem.
Another differentiator is that it is working to allow customers to pay in instalments. Affirm, the brainchild of Paypal co-founder Max Levchin, which has raised $800 million to allow travellers to pre-qualify for loans to buy flight and other travel and non-travel products, is one of the partners the OTA is working with.
Over 80% of new followers in November could be attributed to the coverage about Utrust – the cryptocurrency payment solution
The belief that cryptocurrencies will play an important role in the future of commerce is another example of a forward-thinking approach. In November, the firm partnered with crypto payment solution, Utrust, which allows customers to pay for flights with a choice of several different cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, DASH, DigiByte and more.
According to Argyle, the firm is the only travel agency offering crypto payments and, in fact, even for many airlines this is not an option. Since October 2019, when it became possible to book using a digital asset, 0.64% of total bookings were made using cryptocurrencies and target of 5% is set for the next 12 months.
An added bonus was the uplift in engagement and exposure across social channels – over 80% of new followers in November could be attributed to the coverage about Utrust.
Onwards and upwards
By 2023, the company is looking for turnover of £100 million and is currently focused on ways to drive ancillary revenues. The recent partnership with Duffel, another fast-growing tech start-up focused on airline distribution, is part of the plan.
“We had been looking for a great partner to work with on NDC [IATA’s new distribution capability] as it is very clear to us that airlines are changing their distribution strategy. As a flight only site, we have to make sure that we are very much in sync with that,” he says.
Already, a number of airlines have started to push content through NDC channels, and the shift to unbundling of fares and ancillary products is accelerating. In fact, recent figures from airline ancillary consultancy IdeaWorksCompany and tech firm CarTrawler show that airline a la carte revenue in 2019 is estimated to be worth $75.6 billion worldwide.
To stay relevant companies like Alternative Air have to up the ante. Using Duffel’s API technology, Alternative Airlines will be able to plug into multiple airline reservation systems to make bookings based on live seat availability and also provide exclusive ancillary products and flight offers. From adding a bag at the point of purchase to quoting a range of fares, this is the current focus.
Unbundling of fares is exactly the right thing to do as customer want choice
Speaking about the importance of being focused on customer experience, Argyle says that the “unbundling of fares is exactly the right thing to do as customer want choice". However, it does make matters more complicated for OTAs and it will be crucial and incumbent on companies like Alternative Airlines to help the customer at the point of booking in a highly transparent way. This is one of the reasons that Alternative Airlines, rather than trying to do everything – such as hotels, car rentals, tours & activities – is staying focused on flights.
There may be stiff competition from big names like Expedia, Kiwi.com and e-Dreams, but as the planes fly over and shake the Alternative Airlines office at the end of a Gatwick Airport runway, it would seem that this UK-based company is doing some shaking up of the air industry.
If you would like to hear more about how other corners of industry are tackling customer experience, join us for next week’s webinar– Personalized CX in Travel Cross-Industry Panel


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Amazon to hand its British workers a raise following criticism of poor pay and 'horrendous' working conditions
Tens of thousands of Amazon's British workers are to be handed a pay rise after it bowed to criticism over low wages.
The online retailer said its staff in London would receive a minimum of £10.50 an hour from November 1, with those outside the capital earning at least £9.50 per hour.
It means some 37,000 will receive an increase of at least 18.8 per cent, the company said. In the US Amazon is also increasing its lowest wage to $15 (£11.50) per hour.
Amazon said staff in London would receive a minimum of £10.50 an hour from November 1, with those outside the capital earning at least £9.50 per hour
The pay rise follows criticism of pay and 'horrendous' working conditions at the firm's warehouses.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon's boss and the world's richest man, said: 'We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead.'
Under the changes, a share scheme will be phased out and replaced with a stock purchase plan, Amazon added.
Tim Roache, GMB general secretary, said: 'I'm glad Amazon has heeded GMB union's long-standing calls to pay people, at the very least, the minimum they need to live.
Though given their owner is the richest man in the world you'd think he could see fit to dig a little deeper – but it's a start.'
The statutory living wage for adults is £7.83 an hour, while rates recommended by the Living Wage Foundation are £10.20 per hour in London and £8.75 outside the capital.
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Since the launch of Apple’s latest smartphone, the famous iPhone X, more and more debates have appeared every day focusing on the type of screens that devices launched in the future should have. For most users of this type of product, the “U” shaped notch on the iPhone X seems both fresh and futuristic, although it should be noted that its user experience has some variations, of course, It is, depending on the person. Why do we bring this issue afloat? Well, the LEAGOO S9 could be the first notched Android smartphone in the style of the iPhone X.
If we take a look at the other devices that are available in the market, we can quickly see that none of these has the distinctive U-shaped screen, especially if you look at Android phones. However, we can see that, currently, the smartphone industry is not only led by Apple, so it would not be strange for a new company to make a device of this type. And yes, in fact, LEAGOO could be the first to take this step, presenting its new phone, the LEAGOO S9.
The LEAGOO S9 will open a great gateway to Android devices
According to some sources, this great Chinese company could be the one that would have the honour of launching the first Android smartphone with this type of world screen, as well as being based on Android 8.1. Also, this type of screen could easily be seen in the official trailer of LEAGOO S9 where, in addition to this important aspect, we can see the design that will count.
Something that not everyone knows is that, due to the great anticipation that is being given to this device, on the official website of the company a debate is taking place, where a LEAGOO S9 will be raffled off. If you are interested in joining, we invite you to click on the link that we will leave you below:
This great device will be officially presented at the MWC 2018 in Barcelona, Spain, and we will look forward to seeing what it will present to us.


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Getting mentioned in the compact-automobile section isn’t any simple feat, but the 2019 Lincoln Navigator is doing its finest. Squeezed into a class that incorporates nearly two dozen automobiles, including two recipients of our 2018 10Best Vehicles award. The 2019 Lincoln Navigator will look very familiar to anyone who was paying attention in 2017. The mannequin lineup noticed simply a couple of modifications this year: a new exterior shade called Satin Metal Metallic and the new availability of the prevailing turbo-diesel engine within the sporty-wanting hatchback mannequin.
After an entire redesign for 2016, They continued so as to add to the 2019 Lincoln Navigator portfolio. A new hatchback model hit dealer lots within the fall of 2016, and a diesel sedan adopted in spring 2017. Some individuals will tell you that every fashionable car is a winner, but some cars still have not mastered the fundamentals.
The 2019 Lincoln Navigator received refreshed styling, a new particular version, and a batch of active safety options that turned commonplace throughout the board. The entrance end was redesigned, and the interior acquired a revised instrument panel and climate controls.
Handsome, enjoyable to drive, and historically reliable, the 2019 Lincoln Navigator is a favorite amongst compact-automobile buyers for good reason.
Gallery of 2019 Lincoln Navigator New Review
Tags: #2019 lincoln navigator #2019 lincoln navigator black label #2019 lincoln navigator concept #2019 lincoln navigator engine #2019 lincoln navigator for sale #2019 lincoln navigator interior #2019 lincoln navigator l #2019 lincoln navigator price #2019 lincoln navigator review #2019 lincoln navigator specs


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Investment in automation services could be the key to boosting the growth of the manufacturing industry in South Africa. As a major contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP), the growth of the manufacturing sector will also bring benefits for South Africa’s economy.
While the industry is also a major employer and creator of jobs, automating manufacturing processes will improve product consistency and efficiency. Automation is the process of using machinery and assembly lines to produce products and components in any industry, also referred to as ‘Industry 4.0’.
Opportunities and challenges with automation
Automation does present huge opportunities for South Africa, according to Frikkie Streicher, the business development manager at the automation manufacturing business, Vega. This is especially true when it comes to cost-efficiency and output standards.
“Automation could address challenges across industries – boosting manufacturing production and reducing injuries on mines,” says Streicher. However, there are some concerns about the automation process and its impact on jobs.
“There are concerns about South Africa’s political landscape, concerns about potential job losses and their impact on labour forces, and infrastructure challenges. Large-scale investment in smart manufacturing won’t take place in an environment not perceived to be stable,” explains Streicher.
“South Africa needs to simultaneously create a stable landscape for investors, build out critical infrastructure and get our workforces up to speed to become globally competitive,” he states.
Building a world-class industry
Manufacturers in South Africa already export many of their products to all regions of the world. Automating processes can only improve the quality and consistency of these products, but the country also needs to consider transformation in its goals.
“We can put down intelligent sensors and cloud technologies, but unless a manufacturer is embracing world-class manufacturing models, eliminating waste and driving value flow, Industry 4.0 tools and technologies will not be truly transformative,” suggests Dave Wibberley, the managing director of Adroit Technologies.
While South Africa’s overall economic growth was reported to be 0.8% at the end of 2018, there are positive signs coming from the manufacturing industry. Manufacturing output increased by 1.6% in 2018 as compared to 2017. This growth will benefit the economy and will be spurred on by investment in automation.
Formex Industries is a metal forming and assembly company that supplies a variety of complex products to the local automotive industry and export market. The company is based in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole, South Africa’s foremost region for automotive manufacturing and export.
Formex specialises in producing components for the catalytic converter industry, as well as metal components and assemblies for the various vehicles. Formex aims to become one of the foremost suppliers for the South African automotive industry by 2035, aligning itself with the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) which takes effect in 2020.
Formex is a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier with over 80% black ownership, of which more than 40% are black women. The company is owned by Deneb Investments Limited – a subsidiary of Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited (HCI) – one of South Africa’s biggest true B-BBEE companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).


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Sony first-party video games weren’t so prominent in 2015. We had Bloodborne, The Order: 1886 and Until Dawn. 2016 is looking like a more exciting year for first-party exclusives. If none of the games get delayed until 2017, 2016 could be the PS4’s best year yet.
5) PlayStation VR
I know this is not really a video game, but the PlayStation VR is something new. VR has been in the spotlight in recent years, but will finally be at the hands of customers in 2016. Much like motion control gaming became a hit when the Wii came out in 2006, VR could set a new gaming standard in 2016.
Tons and tons of games have been revealed for the PlayStation VR already. What’s great about it is that games from many genres have been included. The new Ace Combat game uses it, as well as a fighting game like Tekken 7. Driveclub will utilize it with a spin-off of Until Dawn on the way too.
If PlayStation VR becomes a hit, it might change the way we see gaming in the future. The same can be said about the Oculus Rift too. The only barrier both devices might face is the price. We’ll worry about that later.
4) Uncharted: A Thief’s End
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will mark the final entry in the popular Uncharted series. Naughty Dog has been working on the franchise for over eight years now and wants the finale to end in a bang. The studio is renowned for pushing the limits of console technology and this newest game is looking like it could one of the best looking PS4 games to date.
Naughty Dog has delayed the game two times now, and this should be seen as a good thing. This means the studio doesn’t want to rush the game onto shelves as they want gamers to have a perfect experience. Naughty Dog has said in the past that they want the series to end on a high note. Let’s just say they want it to be the opposite of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
3) Gran Turismo Sport
Gran Turismo Sport marks the first time the iconic series will land on the PS4. When Gran Turismo 6 released on PS3, some people were confused why it came out a month after the release of the PS4 console. Because of the buzz of the new consoles, Gran Turismo 6 didn’t get as much sales as its predecessors.
It doesn’t sound like Gran Turismo Sport will be a fully fledged sequel, but it will be cool to see the series on the new console. The graphics are sure to be amazing and the only racing PS4 exclusive racing game out there now is Driveclub. Gran Turismo has always been a system seller so this new iteration is sure to bring back fans and maybe entice new gamers to try it out.
2) The Last Guardian
Ico and Shadows of the Colossus are two of the most beloved PS2 games of all time. Both games are unique not only in graphics, but in gameplay too. You wouldn’t think that the games are made by the same designer (Fumito Ueda). The Last Guardian was supposed to be a PS3 exclusive, but was never heard of again until 2015 at E3.
Thankfully, Ueda and Sony brought The Last Guardian back from the dead and the game is looking great. With many shooting games out in the market, this game might be a breath of fresh air when it comes out in 2016. There’s a reason Sony isn’t showing too much footage of the game as they don’t want people to get spoiled.
The only thing I’m scared about about is that there might be a chance this PS4 exclusive gets delayed until 2017. Hopefully the 2016 release sticks, but many games have been delayed in the past.
1) Horizon: Zero Dawn
Guerrilla Games impressed everyone when it showed gameplay footage from Horizon: Zero Dawn. It wasn’t just a small CGI teaser or anything like that – what we saw was actual gameplay running off of a PS4. What’s even more impressive is that the studio is taking a chance to make a new IP in a different genre.
Guerilla Games could have easily played it safe and made a Killzone sequel. Instead, we get what could be the best looking video game of 2016. The huge open-world environment looks gorgeous and the chance to fight off huge robotic dinosaurs has never really been done before in a video game.
This is why Horizon: Zero Dawn takes the number one spot. It’s not a sequel nor is it a remake either. The other thing that stands out is that it’s an action RPG too.
- This article was updated on:March 8th, 2018


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The interaction and entertainment elements in these online stores are turning potential browsing to completed transactions
by LYDIA NATHAN/ pic by TMR
ONLINE marketplaces are turning to shopping entertainment or “shoppertainment” to boost sales as selling products at a discount alone is not enough to woo millions to these digital stores.
Consumers to these digital stores do not only want to make a quick stop and purchase items. Instead, they also want to interact with the sellers and other buyers when making their purchases.
The interaction and entertainment elements in these online stores are turning potential browsing to completed transactions.
Lazada Malaysia chief marketing officer Diana Boo said data on consumer behaviour have shown that shoppers need to be entertained while they shop for goods, and reap the rewards during each experience.
She said Lazada has been winning over consumers by turning the site into a lifestyle platform.
“When we started last year’s Lazada 11.11 Supershow in November 2018, we invited consumers to tune into a star-studded show and participate.
“The show was on television but consumers could engage using the app. Some 4.5 million Malaysians tuned in for the 21/2-hour show. It was a variety-styled show with different vouchers to be collected for those tuning in — a first of its kind. We had a good overwhelming response,” Boo told The Malaysian Reserve in an interview.
Boo said live streaming is the next big thing in e-commerce and will be a key focus for Lazada’s business as more people turn to digital solutions for their needs.
She added that live streaming events offer many benefits, including more opportunities for real-time interaction with sellers, allowing consumers to engage and ask questions about the products.
“Sellers can actually answer questions or give feedback on the product. For instance, we’ve seen a female customer asking a seller who was actually a male to put on a dress so she could see how long it was. And the seller did!
“It was a great way for the seller to form a bond with his buyer,” she said. Boo added that a deeper and more authentic level of interaction helps build consumer trust which, in the long run, leads to consumer loyalty and retention.
She said an important way to help sellers on the platform is to assist brands expand the reach without forking out a lot of money for advertising and marketing.
“Some smaller businesses may not have a lot of funds for marketing. So this is a good way to reach a wider target audience and create brand and product awareness. Since Lazada already has the shopping audience on its channel, why not make the most of it,” Boo said.
Shoppertainment has been used in physical malls to draw consumers and families to boost footfalls as shopping complexes’ owners hope the mix of entertainment and shopping would translate to sales.
It is also a successful way to draw people to these physical malls.
Today, online marketplaces are mimicking the same concept but in the cyber sphere. Concerts and party streamed to the audience will draw the public to these sites and convert those visits into sales.


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Animal Crossing: New Horizons was scheduled to be released on March 20. The fans who pre-ordered this game on Amazon will not be able to receive their copies(for some countries) on its release date. But we have good news for New Horizons fans who belong to Australia.
Is animal crossing: New Horizons out in Australia?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is now available to play from the Australian Nintendo eShop. yes, you can buy it from there and play right now if you really want to.
One of the players of New horizons shared his happy moments saying ” I’m playing it right now and restarting the game trying to get peach trees”.
What if you already bought it from the US shop? Can you just change your region?
The answer is No, not that easy! You need to actually purchase it from the Australian eShop. In fact, They can ban you if you buy a game in other regions that is not yours! Be careful!


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Cushman & Wakefield PLC plans to buy Réponse in an effort to expand its service offering in France.
The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, is slated to close in early 2020.
The global real estate services firm said it will add Réponse's 110-member team to its project and development services skill line. Réponse President Christophe Gellé will continue to build the newly acquired business line in France.
Réponse specializes in the design and delivery of retail, commercial office, hospitality and healthcare projects.


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US: Del Monte Fresh Produce Announces “500 Sneaker March” PromotionDel Monte Fresh Produce announced today the launch of their “500 Sneaker March” promotion which begins March 1st and runs through March 31st.
The promotion, hosted on the Del Monte Fresh Produce Facebook page, will randomly award 500 sneakers to 500 Del Monte Facebook fans who enter the contest. All entrants will be encouraged to sign a pledge to exercise at least three times a week for thirty minutes and as the USDA recommends, make half their plate fruits and vegetables.
“We’re excited to launch this promotion and offer consumers the possibility to win a brand new pair of sneakers” said Dennis Christou, Del Monte’s Vice President of Marketing. “Del Monte Fresh Produce not only provides fresh fruits and vegetables which are key components in leading a healthy lifestyle, but now through this promotion, encourages consumers to exercise as well”.
Each week, during the entire month of March 2012, 125 randomly selected eligible US and Canadian consumers that enter the contest, will each be awarded a $75.00 gift card to Foot Locker to purchase a pair of sneakers.
For more information regarding the Del Monte “500 Sneaker March” promotion visit www.facebook.com/delmontefreshproduce.
For more information:
Del Monte Fresh Produce
Tel: +1 305.520.8395
Publication date: 3/1/2012
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May 06, 2019 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck
Macau casino developer and operator Sands China Ltd is dropping the Holiday Inn brand from its Sands Cotai Central casino complex, as part of the project to turn the latter into a themed resort called the Londoner Macao.
Work to revamp Sands Cotai Central started earlier this year via the Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central, where hoardings have been put up in an atrium area of the building. Once the revamp is completed, the hotel tower will open with the Londoner Hotel moniker, a spokesperson from Sands China told GGRAsia.
“The 1,200-key Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central will be converted to the approximately 600 all-suite Londoner Hotel,” said the person. But the other existing hotel brands at the property – including St. Regis, Sheraton and Conrad – will be kept after the revamp of the complex, the person added.
The company – a unit of U.S.-based casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp – has also changed the name of the St. Regis Tower Suites to the Londoner Tower Suites, as confirmed by the spokesperson.
In October last year, Las Vegas Sands Corp said the group would spend US$2.2 billion in investment in Macau, including the rebranding of the Sands Cotai Central. All of the Londoner Tower Suites will be managed by Sands China, the spokesperson told GGRAsia.
With the conversion of the existing 1,200 rooms into the 600-suite Londoner Hotel, as well as the development of the Londoner Tower Suites, the casino firm is seeking better to accommodate its so-called premium-mass gambling customers, a segment that industry observers say it has been expanding in the Macau market.
Robert Goldstein, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands, addressed the changes in the revamp of Sands Cotai Central during the firm’s first-quarter earnings call.
“The landscape in Macau has changed dramatically since 2014. This is a market driven by mass and premium mass… We have the scale and the quality of rooms, and suites, and retail and gaming and entertainment to excel in this environment,” said the executive.
Mr Goldstein said additionally that the name change to the Londoner Tower Suites was “more of a lifestyle brand decision … to focus on our own brand as part of the Londoner umbrella”.
He added: “We’re going to control 95 percent of the product there [Londoner Tower Suites]. Anyway, it won’t be for sale. It will be comped – if we’re successful – 100 percent of the time.”
Mr Goldstein mentioned the case of the Parisian Macao, where the company recently completed the conversion of 600 rooms into 300 suites: “It turned out to be a very good idea,” he stated on the conference call.
The executive said also that there would likely be some more construction disruption at the Sands Cotai Central starting “in the summer”, although he did not quantify such disruption.
Mar 29, 2023
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Mar 31, 2023Hong Kong-listed LET Group Holdings Ltd, an investor in a number of Asia-Pacific region casino projects, reported in Thursday filing an annual loss attributable to shareholders of just under...
(Click here for more)
”Efforts have pivoted to the construction of the hotel tower, with plans to launch a soft opening before the end of 2024 and a grand opening in 2025”
Casino investor LET Group
On the development of a casino hotel in Manila, the Philippine capital


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Google Gets "Last Chance" to Settle With EU on Antitrust Abuses
May 21, 2012 2:50 PM
Google stands accused of boosting its ad services while suppressing rival ad vendors
A host of small competitors -- including TripAdvisor (Mass., U.S.), Opodo (pan-European), Hotmaps (German), Foundem (UK), and eDreams (UK) -- have filed complaints against Google Inc. (
) before antitrust regulators in the European Union accusing the smartphone operating system and search giant of
manipulating search results to boost its own offerings
. Google offers a variety of services, which are monetized through advertising.
Microsoft Corp. (
), an online advertising rival of Google's, is the largest firm to have complained to the EU about the alleged abuses. Currently there are 16 complaints against Google.
Net Market Share
] both estimate Google to control roughly 81 percent of the search market. Microsoft's Bing is thought be in second place with nearly 9 percent. In Europe Google's market share is estimated to reach even higher -- approximately 86 percent, according to
, another online statistics service.
An EU antitrust probe against Google
was first launched in 2010, looking into the claims of search abuse. EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia says that like Google, the European Commission -- Europe's antitrust watchdog -- is eager to avoid fines or trouble from non-compliance.
The EU is concerned Google is abusing its dominant search position.
[Image Source: Google Images/Unknown]
The EU investigation found signs that Google did indeed abuse its dominant position. But the EU is willing to avoid formal charges if Google vows to change it ways and commits to a closely monitored program of compliance.
In a letter Eric Schmidt, Google's executive chairman, Mr. Almunia writes:|
Google Inc. has repeatedly expressed to me its willingness to discuss any concerns that the Commission might have without having to engage in adversarial proceedings. This is why I am today giving Google an opportunity to offer remedies to address the concerns we have already identified.
In this letter, I offer Google the possibility to come up in a matter of weeks with first proposals of remedies...
If Google comes up with an outline of remedies which are capable of addressing our concerns, I will instruct my staff to initiate the discussions in order to finalise a remedies package. This would allow to solve our concerns by means of a commitment decision – pursuant to Article 9 of the EU Antitrust Regulation - instead of having to pursue formal proceedings with a Statement of objections and to adopt a decision imposing fines and remedies.
David Wood, a lawyer for lobbying group ICOMP whose members include Microsoft, Foundem, and Hotmaps, explains that non-compliance or failure to respond convincingly will likely bring on formal charges. He
, "This is effectively the Commission demanding remedies, failing that there will be a statement of objections (EU charge sheet)."
EU regulators say this is Google's "last chance". [Image Source: LucasFilm, Ltd.]
Europe's antitrust laws allow regulators to fine up to 10 percent of a violator's global revenue. While the EU is best known for its massive billion-plus dollar
fines of Intel
) for persistent antitrust violations, the region's regulators have also made peace with other investigation subjects.
As Mr. Almunia points out in his letter/threat to Google, International Business Machines, Inc. (
) faced a similar investigation in 2011, but was able to
resolve it without formal charges
being filed. While Google disputes wrongdoing in the case, it may wish to follow IBM's lead in order to avoid painful fines.
IBM wisely avoided EU fines in a similar probe, while Microsoft and Intel
"did things the hard way". [Image Source: Reuters/Rick Wilking]
Even if Google settles, Mr. Almunia says it will still face some other probes, such as an investigation into complaints that Google
"snooped" on private communications on unsecured networks
, using its "Street View" cars.
Europa [EU Press Release]
"Google fired a shot heard 'round the world, and now a second American company has answered the call to defend the rights of the Chinese people." -- Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.)
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Cara Tse, a senior at Cal State Fullerton studying Public Relations, has followed through with her love for Asian fashion by creating her own online boutique called ToFebruary.
“I created it when I came back on a trip from Hong Kong. I realized I wouldn’t wear most of what I purchased and decided to sell it online,” Tse shared in an interview.
Her boutique had its origins on Soompi’s Selling and Trading Forum, a Korean pop culture website consisting of several public forums, where the South Korean pop group DBSK sparked her interest in Korean entertainment and culture.
At 18, Tse moved her boutique to her own domain, ToFebruary, but did not devote herself to marketing and branding until about two years after the website’s launch. Tse’s online boutique now has its own website developer, Idy Chiu, who maintains the website and creates its graphics.
ToFebruary specializes in Asian inspired apparel and jewelry. “I’ve always been into fashion and loved Asian inspired styles since they’re so bubbly, colorful, and cute,” Tse said.
So far, Tse has found great success with ToFebruary in being a giveaway sponsor on Allkpop, a Korean blog providing K-pop gossip and news. To date, he site has awarded several Allkpop winners with k-pop collectibles and fashion items.
The 22 year-old is hoping to expand and build her customer base and hopes that “one day ToFebruary will become someone’s first choice when they think of purchasing some cute and dainty clothes or accessories.”


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We’re in recovery from the worst of the pandemic and the economic havoc it wrought in 2020, but the recovery is not quite turning out to be as smooth as many predicted. The scale of the disruption to economies and industries, as well as the complexities for governments in dealing with an unprecedented public health crisis, have ensured that.
In the automotive sector, the rebound to overall sales and output as economies opened up again continued into 2021, until a number of bumps in the recovery path became evident and depressed vehicle markets – particularly in the second half of the year. A semiconductor shortage and subsequent supply-side impacts was compounded by the uneven progress – looked at globally – of vaccination strategies and the emergence of new Covid-19 variants that hit some regions (notably southeast Asia) more severely than others.
The chart below – showing the seasonally adjusted annualised rate of sales for the global light vehicle market – illustrates how the global market recovery petered out in 2021 after a sharp rebound in the second half of 2020.
At the time of writing, governments across the world are formulating strategies to deal with a new Covid-19 variant (Omicron) that has recently been identified and threatens to be more transmissible than its predecessors (Delta caused a new wave of infections and it looks like another wave from Omicron is arriving in time for the Northern Hemisphere winter). That could pose a big problem for health services and tighter restrictions on population movements – even in countries with a high degree of vaccination take-up – cannot be ruled out. It’s a big caveat to what follows in this article, a downside risk of uncertain magnitude. There’s a case for some upside risk if the Omicron variant’s real impacts are less serious than some initial reports have suggested. One lesson though, is that we’re not out of the pandemic and while we’re learning more on how to counter such a public health crisis through vaccinations, therapies and social controls, new variants or entirely new public health challenges could well be ahead.
All of that said, then, the outlook for 2022 is – broadly speaking – one of continued industry recovery, at least in terms of underlying demand. Forecasts for the global economy suggest it will cool down a bit in 2022, but still turn out to be well above average as economies continue to claw their way back to pre-pandemic levels of output. The IMF forecasts the global economy to grow by 5.9% in 2021 and 4.9% in 2022. Supply disruptions and the ongoing pandemic have caused the IMF to downgrade its outlook recently, but 2022’s 4.9% growth projection is significantly above a 3.3% annual growth level forecast beyond 2022 for the medium-term. Inflationary pressures are a concern, but price pressures are expected to subside through the course of the year, with interest rates staying low, central banks preferring a monetary policy stance that supports activity while the pandemic threatens the path of economic recovery.
Massive fiscal and monetary stimulus continues to stimulate demand in many countries – notably the US. Locked down populations have binged on goods, helping to drive shortages and supply-side problems. For those in work, savings have accumulated in the face of lower international recreational travel and hospitality spending. The global economy remains far from normal, distorted by the effects of the pandemic with consumer attitudes across the world in a fragile state.
Global automotive demand (and supply)
The auto industry is used to being demand-led, but supply-side issues will continue to shape the market in 2022 even as the situation eases through the course of the year.
The current lack of momentum in the global light vehicle market is expected to continue into H1 2022, but with build-back by OEMs mounting as we progress through the year and supply chain issues related to semiconductors ease. This is expected as automakers and major suppliers are finally able to benefit from internal actions such as structurally modifying electronic component requirements and product mix, combined with chip sector manufacturing capacity enhancements.
GlobalData forecasts that the global light vehicle market in 2021 will total 79.9 million units, just 5.5% ahead of 2020 (75.7 million), with the chips crisis and resultant supply shortages this year contributing to a market around 4 million units below where underlying demand suggests it should have been. For context, the global light vehicle market exceeded 90 million units during the 2016-2018 period (slowing slightly in 2019).
The outlook for 2022 is for the global light vehicle market to grow to around 84 million, but supply and demand issues – as well as ongoing pandemic risks – point to a continuing fragility to the auto industry’s recovery next year. At 84 million units we’re still not quite back to pre-pandemic levels, though.
And there are risks (besides the pandemic factors mentioned above and any associated downturn to consumer and business confidence) to even this moderate uplift. Pressures from energy costs and inflationary sources are rising and will hit businesses and households in the first half. This could bring a slowing in demand even before chip supply is realigned. On the flip side, fiscal stimulus is still abundant in many economies and personal mobility needs are high.
SAAR rates in first half of the year likely to remain subdued because of supply shortages, but if macroeconomic headwinds are light, the second half of the year should bring a stronger market. However, overall volume is destined to remain below pre-pandemic levels until at least 2023. By then, industry’s thoughts and concerns may return to worries over the rising share of ride-hail operators in mobility in urban and suburban areas. On that point, much will depend on how comfortable people are to share rides and whether or not the pandemic has permanently shifted attitudes.
There has been an interesting disconnect between lower-than-expected vehicle markets and automotive firms still able to post healthy profits in 2021. The smarter ones have adjusted their sales mix to take account of limited chips supply. It is not just the natural high-margin premium brands either – Ford and GM have enjoyed sales of high margin pickups and other trucks. Industry sentiment – something GlobalData tracks on a number of metrics – has been pretty robust. Indeed, looking at performance and pandemic impacts, automotive is seen as an industry in a relatively strong position compared with others.
The resilience of positive sentiment regarding autos is probably down to a combination of factors such as M&A activity and electric vehicle hype. The latter has been especially significant, led by omnipresent headlines involving Tesla and talisman Elon Musk. When he embarked on the Tesla project, his stated ambition was to lift demand for electric cars generally in the interest of environmentally positive goals. To achieve that, he wanted to introduce desirable electric car products and bring the industry with him. With Tesla sales around the world growing strongly and new manufacturing capacity coming on stream (in Shanghai and, in 2022, in Berlin) he has achieved considerable success.
Electric car sales will be a growth pole for the industry and momentum will continue in 2022, with significant new electric product coming to market (such as, for example, the Renault Megane E-Tech, VW ID.5, Cupra Born, BMW iX).
Momentum towards EVs now established – production to increase rapidly
GlobalData figures show that battery electric vehicles accounted for around 3.0% of all new light vehicle production in 2020, up from 2.3% in 2019 and a noticeable leap from 0.7% in 2016. By 2025, GlobalData expects global electric vehicle production to rise four-fold to more than 11.6 million units, accounting for 11.6% of global light vehicle sales by volume. By 2031, global electric vehicle production should hit 28 million units, accounting for 26% of the total light vehicle market.
In 2022, GlobalData forecasts world electric light vehicle production of 5.9 million units (versus an estimated 4.3 million in 2021).
By 2036, GlobalData forecasts global electric vehicle production of 45.0 million units, accounting for around 40% of total light vehicle production. So, while the direction of travel on EVs is clear, ICEs and hybrids have a role to play for some years yet.
Major regional issues
In the US, the rate of light vehicle market decline (at -16%) eased in November, but inventories remain tight – though there are signs of some easing of the chips crisis. Retail sales were below the 1 million threshold for the fourth consecutive month and fell to their lowest level so far this year, at an estimated 850,000 units. However, industry data shows that average transaction prices continue to break records and were above US$40,000 for the sixth consecutive month, adding additional risk to demand.
Analysts at LMC also said the pace of plant shutdowns in North America has slowed from previous months and it has reduced its expected production loss in Q4, due to chip shortages and other disruptions, by 100,000. However, it also said vehicle manufacturers are choosing to slow the daily build rate instead of shutting down the entire plant, reducing the visibility of output downtime. With the slight improvement, the 2021 production forecast remains at 12.9 million units, 6,000 units lower than 2020.
With some additional stability in production, the outlook for US auto sales has improved slightly for 2022, LMC said – from 15.7 million units to 15.9 million units, an increase of 6% over 2021. The improvement is expected to be more pronounced on the fleet side of the business, which is expected to recover to 15% of total Light Vehicle sales. Retail sales are also expected to improve next year but by just 4%.
LMC estimates that the US market in 2021 lost around 2.4 million units due to the semiconductor shortage.
In the US, some risk to the outlook derives from worries over the course of price inflation and whether or not the Federal Reserve Bank will decide to raise interest rates.
China’s vehicle market has been constrained by the chips crisis in 2021, but is on course for 25 million units in 2021 – slightly up on 2020. Some uptick is forecast for 2022, but the overall prognosis is for muted growth in 2022 – a market projected at around 26.5 million. China’s rate of economic growth has moved below trend, hit by supply-side bottlenecks across all industries. Further, concerns over the potential impact of new and more transmissible Covid-19 variants (such as Omicron) are especially acute in a country that has pursued a ‘Zero Covid’ strategy backed up by draconian population movement control measures.
Economic growth in China has slowed significantly in recent months due to weakening consumer confidence, reflecting major solvency issues in the country’s property sector, while supply chain bottlenecks and power shortages have also held back factory output.
There are also mounting concerns over China’s economic management and financial sector risks, especially concerning high levels of indebtedness in China’s economy built on real estate (typified by Evergrande’s $300bn debt). China’s real estate market is slowing and Chinese regulators have lately cracked down on excessive borrowing by developers. Lower asset prices and an overhang of supply, combined with an already lower level of economic growth in 2022 means that stresses could be felt across the banking sector in China, with broader fallout across the economy – which would hit vehicle demand. It’s a risk.
As ever though, expect Beijing to act quickly with stimulus measures if economic growth is seen to be too sluggish. In that eventuality, the automotive sector is usually an early beneficiary, sales and production sensitive to tax breaks.
Electric vehicles are where the action is in China’s automotive market and industry. The Chinese market for new energy vehicles (NEVs), comprising mainly electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, is set to more than double in size to over 3 million units in 2021 from 1.37 million units in 2020, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
The NEV segment has vastly outperformed the overall vehicle market so far this year, with sales rising by 185% to 2,157,000 in the January-September period while sales of conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles were just marginally higher at 16.4 million units.
Growth has been driven by the battery powered EV segment, which expanded by over 200% to 1,788,000 units in the nine month period, while sales of plug in hybrids were up by 138% at 367,000 units.
Chinese startups – like NIO and Xpeng – but also established companies like SAIC (through the MG brand) are now targeting export markets, especially Europe, with competitively priced electric cars. The big advantage for Chinese companies is that they have a huge domestic market base to lever for scale and lower unit costs. That can be especially significant in electric vehicles.
The SAIC-GM-Wuling Hong Guang baby electric car (at an estimated purchase price of around $4,500) has been very successful in China’s domestic market and is being prepared for export to Europe. Electric startups NIO and Xpeng are also eyeing European exports. On the flip side, Tesla has become a top selling brand in China’s high‐end EV sub-segment now that its Shanghai plant has ramped up to full capacity (and it is now exporting in significant numbers).
In Europe, attention is firmly focused on the path of the pandemic and the impact of variable infection and vaccination rates across countries, but the regional economy is performing relatively strongly, supported by a tight labour market and robust consumer spending. Demand-side issues have been eclipsed by supply-side problems over the past year, markets constrained well below where they should be – a trend that worsened in the autumn months, with the Big Five light vehicle markets down almost 30% in October. GlobalData forecasts the total West European light vehicle market at 12.37 million units for 2021, a near 1% decline on 2020’s pandemic ravaged level. The first half of 2022 is likely to see concerns over chip supply as well as inflation (especially via higher energy prices) keeping the vehicle market generally subdued in the first half. The second half of the year should see demand accelerate and some ‘rebound’ sentiment as consumer and business confidence picks up – if the public health crisis and macroeconomic background allows.


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Bank stocks have taken a pounding in the past week – collectively the big four are down more than 10% (a correction) on fears of rising bad debts – and for now the market seems to be ignoring the positive impact rising rates have on bank revenues, earnings and net interest margins.
More than $50 billion has been wiped from the value of bank shares in the past few days.
Analysts and investors fear a rise in bad debts as more recent home owners suffer from rising rates and falling prices. That ignores the repayment buffers and 21 months of home owner and business prepayments in bank balance sheets which has left the national savings ratio around 11%.
Investors also worry commercial property will feel pain as well as home lending. Commercial property is usually one of the first sectors to be impacted with conditions of high inflation, rising costs and interest rates.
And the panicky selling reminds of what happened from early 2020 in the depths of the first wave of the pandemic when it looked like everything was collapsing, except unemployment which was tipped to soar to 10% or 15%. It didn’t it topped out at 7% and has quickly run down as millions of new jobs were taken up or created and filled.
2020’s bank panic didn’t happen and the billions in extra loan loss provisions were not needed and returned to bank P/L accounts in 2021 and early 2022 and used to boost earnings, dividends and help finance billions of dollars in buybacks.
Many investors still don’t understand that banks these days have to try and anticipate bad debt growth and construction their provisions accordingly, rather than wait for the loans to go bad and start boost loan loss provisions.
That’s why the decisions from banks like the Commonwealth and Bendigo Bank in their August reports for the June 30 year will tell us a lot about how realistic their views are for bad debts in the next year.
Banks are more realistic about rate rises – the NAB sees two 0.50% rises in July and then August and the gloomy Commonwealth sees at least half of a per cent in July.
But they all realise that there’s only so much the Reserve Bank can do to control inflation – it can slow; it can temper; but it can’t stamp it out, as it could if the problem was being by too much domestic demand.
If it tries bashing inflation lower, it risks putting the Australian economy into a period of stagflation then a bitter recession.
The easiest way to curb inflation would be for Vlad Putin to withdraw from Ukraine. That obviously is not going to happen.
The big factors behind the first round of inflation are supply constraints – reflecting the continuing impact of the pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Australian floods and heavy rain earlier this year.
RBA rate hikes won’t boost supply but they will start forcing consumers and business to lower their expectations for future inflation- although that can be a dividing issue for economists and analysts seeing ordinary consumers quite often have inflationary expectations that are consistently higher during periods of low inflation, as we had to 2015 to 2021.
The second round of inflation now emerging is home grown, but with strong drivers to be found in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It’s still a supply issue, but with an overlay of high domestic demand for oil, gas, and electricity (being our winter for much of the country).
The direct drivers for these surges can’t be controlled by an increasingly worried central bank.
Seeing the RBA forecast only last month that inflation will increase to 6% by the end of 2022 – a level not seen since 2000 and well above the bank’s 2-3% inflation target – it’s no wonder the central bank and its governor are getting antsy.
“While inflation is lower than in most other advanced economies, it is higher than earlier expected,” Governor Philip Lowe said in the bank’s post meeting statement on Tuesday.
“Higher prices for electricity and gas and recent increases in petrol prices mean that, in the near term, inflation is likely to be higher than was expected a month ago.
“The size and timing of future interest rate increases will be guided by the incoming data and the Board’s assessment of the outlook for inflation and the labour market. The Board is committed to doing what is necessary to ensure that inflation in Australia returns to target over time…the Board will be paying close attention to these various influences on consumption as it assesses the appropriate setting of monetary policy.”
Note that all references to wages growth have been dropped except in some discussion about growing upward pressure on wages and inflation – in other words, wages growth is now in the minus column of the RBA’s economic checklist.
But while wages growth looks increasingly like it will get to 3% later this year or early next year but that will still be well short of inflation, so it will be another couple of years of real wage falls – which definitely goes on the positive side of the RBA’s checklist.
The RBA will be watching every scrap of data in coming months before deciding on the size of the rate rise each meeting.
Many economists and analysts are forecasting half a per cent rate rises in July and August, which a 0.25% rise for September, to out the cash rate well over 2% well before Christmas. The National Australia Bank is one forecasting a double lift in July and August – the Commonwealth is a single double for July and then a single (0.25%) for August.
Every bit of data will be examined by the RBA and its squads of economists in what sounds like Alice Through The Looking Glass – when the data is good, it will be bad (higher rates) and when it is bad, it will be good (take pressure off rate rises)
The first thing this month will be the size and structure of the Fair Work Commission’s decision late this month – 5.1% has been asked for lower paid workers will get it. Could the increase be split – it has in the past. That will be because of inflation. It’s a logical but a cynical approach and will attract criticism if it happens. The Commission likes to be ‘loved’.
The first week of July (and every month after) sees the quad of major data drops – monthly house prices from Corelogic, monthly retail sales, building approvals, housing approvals from the ABS as well as new car sales from the industry.
The trade data can be ignored and shunted to the back of the data queue of importance except for imports which will be examined closely to see just where demand is growing – consumption goods, investment related goods, petrol and energy – and where it is easing. That can be a good early indicator of changes in domestic demand.
The RBA will want to see monthly house prices weaker across the entire country, not just in Sydney and Melbourne; building approvals are already down 32% in the past year, so they haven’t much further to fall.
But the bank will like to see it continuing at current levels, taking pressure off the cost of a wide range of building products – listed building products companies like Boral, CSR and Brickworks are in the firing line here.
Housing finance data shows a fall of 0.3% in the year to April, with a 12.8% fall in the number of owner-occupied loans but a 37% jump in loans to investors in the 12 months.
This is where investors are getting worried about the future revenue and earnings for the banks, hence the sell-off this week.
Data from the RBA itself on private credit (released on the final day of each month if it’s a business day), along with the lending indicators from the ABS (for data on personal credit in addition to the housing finance data) and the RBA’s monthly figures showing credit card transactions, will be closely watched to monitor consumption trends.
The retail sales figures each month (the first release is just before the end of the month, with the final report in the first week or so of the following month) will be vital for the RBA.
The figures will be watched like a hawk to what people are buying, where and how much – with the quarterly volume data to be watched extremely closely and compared to the monthly price-based sales data.
The RBA’s credit card data and survey data from the major banks will also be scrutinised as well – it is increasingly possible for the RBA to see near real time transaction data through the new payment platform.
The CPI at the end of July, along with producer price data at the same week and export and import indices will also provide valuable data – but a bit historical. That will be used as the base for the national accounts two months later. The bank will pay more attention to the trimmed mean and weighted median measures of core inflation.
Finally, remember that the RBA wants to see lots of negatives in the data, with signs of slowing growth or falls in retail sales, housing and personal finance, car sales.
After the retail sales and similar data, the RBA will watch closely the monthly labour force data and quarterly releases on wages and the more granular business data the ABS is now producing.
Both lots of data will be the primary indicators of whether the central bank is slowing demand by enough to pull inflation down, as supply constraints (hopefully) ease here and offshore.
This would normally be ‘bad’ economic news (for Alice) will become ‘good’ economic news for the RBA – but don’t tell the worryworts in the business media and among analysts and economists.
Listed and private companeis opeerating in the doemstic economy ahd better get used to slow or no growth in revenues and especially earnings from July onwards. Shareholders had better get used to slow or no growth in dividends and superannuation fund members and others retiring in the next year or so face low or no growth in final payouts.
Like the oil shocks of the 1970’s this inflation has causes that will persist for years. There are no easy ways to fix it but there are ways of easing the pain.


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First look: 27-story tower planned on Broadway
Whole Foods among possibilties for property at Broadway and 12th
- Developer wants more of the tallest part of the building to face Broadway and 12th Avenue North.
- Endeavor Real Estate Group is known to have a close relationship with fellow Austin-based company Whole Foods Market Inc.
- The developer has selected Turner Construction to handle pre-construction work.
An Austin, Texas-based developer's plans for the former Nelson Mazda dealership on Broadway near Interstate 40 calls for a 27-story mixed-use tower.
Endeavor Real Estate Group's filing with the Downtown Code Design Review Committee seeks a modification that would permit more of the tallest part of the building to face Broadway and 12th Avenue North.
The request to be considered Thursday also mentioned the developer's plans to create ground-floor space that would be attractive for an "anchor retailer."
Although no specific tenant was identified, Endeavor's Managing Principal Jamil Alam previously has mentioned grocery stores and restaurants among possibilities. And the developer is known to have a close relationship with fellow Austin-based Whole Foods Market Inc., which has reportedly been scouting areas near downtown Nashville for a location.
In Austin's Cedar Park suburb, Endeavor is the developer for a commercial project to be anchored by a new 365 by Whole Foods Market concept store for cost-conscious shoppers.
A grocery store on the former Nashville dealership site at 1200-1222 Broadway, next to The Tennessean, would be music to the ears of constituents of downtown Metro Councilman Freddie O'Connell.
"That would completely change the picture for that part of town," he said. "Whole Foods obviously has a reputation sort of like Turnip Truck where it's not going to be the universal grocery option, but it certainly enhances what's on the table."
Under the Downtown Code, Endeavor could by right build 20 stories on half of the site. The developer, however, is giving up much of that ability and asking that more of the tallest part of the building face Broadway and 12th Avenue.
In another sign of Endeavor gearing up for the project on the 1.6-acre site, the developer has selected Turner Construction to handle pre-construction work.


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Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Alibaba Pictures, the separately-listed film investment and distribution unit of China’s tech giant Alibaba behind recent box office hit “Lost in the Stars,” is to buy Damai.
The target company is a major provider of live entertainment in the country that is currently controlled by the Alibaba parent company.
The transaction is valued at $167 million, according to a regulatory filing on Tuesday, and will be paid for by the issue of new Alibaba Pictures shares.
Damai is involved in concerts, musical festivals, live house performances, plays, sports events and exhibitions in China. It “engages in the full life cycle of live performances, including production, promotion and ticketing,” and has served over 1.8 million events with over 100 million registered customers cumulatively, Alibaba Pictures said.Read more on variety.com
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The Upper Peninsula is not part of Wisconsin–while that may not be news to the people of the U.P., Mountain Dew seemed to be a little confused when they included the region as part of our neighboring state in their recent “Dewnited States” campaign.
To make up for that mistake, representatives from Mountain Dew were in Marquette over the weekend to pass out free bottles with a specially designed label featuring the U.P.
Mountain Dew Vice President of Marketing Nicole Portwood apologized for the mistake. “We accidentally included the U.P. as part of Wisconsin in one of our stylized maps,” said Portwood. “The people of the U.P., being as proud as they are and their awesome place, called us out on it. It was an honest mistake but it was a mistake nonetheless.”
Yoopers quickly caught on that something was wrong when the bottles were released and Upper Peninsula Supply Co. owner Bugsy Sailor was among those to take their beef onto social media. “So about a month ago, I sent out the first tweet to send this whole thing viral,” said Sailor. “Little by little, that number of retweets and likes kept popping up pretty fast and it was incredible to watch.”
There’s nothing Mountain Dew can do about the bottles already out there, but several people were treated to the limited edition UP bottle. “We engaged with(UP Supply Co.) to design a custom Upper Peninsula Dewnited label,” said Portwood. “We made those bottles and we’re here today to give them away and thank the people of the Upper Peninsula for being so awesome.”
This isn’t the first time the UP has been stiffed, but North Iron Church assistant pastor Travis Ryan says at least Mountain Dew was willing to own up to it. “I thought it was really cool how they recognized that they made the mistake,” said Ryan. “It seems like that happens pretty often that the U.P. is forgotten, but they owned up to it. They came up here, they made some pretty cool stuff and gave that away to people so I thought it was pretty cool that they did that.”
Sailor agrees. “It’s no secret to us that we are left off the map frequently or associated with Wisconsin or Canada,” said Sailor. “So it’s awesome to see Mountain Dew participate in a fun way to give back to the community.”
Only 906 of the limited edition bottles were made and some will be available at the U.P. State Fair, but don’t expect to find them on store shelves.
You can view the video along with the original story from ABC-10’s Tyree Smith at https://abc10up.com/2019/08/12/mountain-dew-apologizes-with-merchandise-and-new-bottle-design/


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Bandai Namco Entertainment America has recently released a trailer for the upcoming second DLC Pack and free update of the Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 game, titled “Hero of Justice.” The trailer showcases Orange Piccolo, a new character included in the DLC pack, along with the free update’s latest addition, Cell Max, the new raid boss from the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero anime film.
The video teaser indicates that the updates will be available for the game shortly, though an exact release date has not been announced yet.
Read More: The Quintessential Quintuplets: Goto Pazu Story Game’s First Trailer Released
Last fall, Bandai Namco Entertainment launched the “Hero of Justice DLC Pack 1” for Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. This DLC pack features Gamma 1, Gamma 2, and Gohan from the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero anime film as playable characters. Since its release in October 2016, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 has gained immense popularity among gamers. The game was initially released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in North America and Europe, followed by a launch for PS4 in Japan in November 2016. In September 2017, the game was made available for Nintendo Switch in Japan and the West, and in December 2019, it was launched on Google’s now-defunct Stadia gaming platform.
The first game in the Dragon Ball Xenoverse series was launched in February 2015 for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 in Japan, Europe, and North America. The game also debuted on PC via Steam in the same month. Since then, the series has shipped over 10 million copies globally, making it one of the most successful anime-based game franchises to date.


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Home All News
The final funding amount was not disclosed by the companies involved.
This puts the Series B round for the AI solutions provider targeting advertising, HR and influencer marketing at a total of US$24.1 million.
The fresh funds will be used to accelerate the company’s APAC expansion.
PACE Development Corporation has sold its 50 percent stake ownership in Dean & DeLuca Japan to Welcome Co Ltd.
The insurance startup thus aims to make financial inclusion a reality in Southeast Asia.
Haier is allowing global users to enjoy better smart home scenarios In 2019, Haier initiated its global smart home strategy, its cluster of 7 brands...
The move will further increase its grip on Coway and allow it to resume control over the water and air purifier maker.
Singapore based healthtech social media platform for medical professionals successfully raises US$11M for their series B fund.
The capital proceeds will be used to fund the R&D for its knowledge graph technology.
Kalpha plans to use the proceeds to grow the business, expand the team, and market its product.


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Cantab ready to agree £80m takeover
The agonising wait for shareholders of Cantab Pharmaceuticals looks set to end in the next two weeks with the company poised to agree a near £80m takeover. Cantab is thought to be close to finalising an agreed takeover by the UK drugs company PowderJect Pharmaceuticals at about 180p a share.
Traders reported a flurry of institutions trading in Cantab shares last week on hopes that the deal was imminent.
While PowderJect is the favourite to clinch a deal, it is thought that rival US bidder Targeted Genetics has not yet given up hope.
Cantab chairman Simon Duffy appointed Credit Suisse First Boston two months ago to handle a sale of the company after it suffered a series of blows to its share price.
In mid-October its development partner SmithKline Beecham pulled out of drugs trials on a vaccine for genital warts. A week later Cantab's chief executive, Jurek Sikorski, resigned. Finance director Nick Hart took the reins as acting chief executive. The announcements slashed the value of shares to just 75.5p. The shares peaked earlier this year at 723p each.
Cantab is thought to have received initial approaches from up to 10 drugs companies in the UK and America when it was put up for sale, helping shares to stage a partial recovery. Bid favourite PowderJect specialises in preventative drugs and is the world's sixth largest vaccines company.
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A recent spear-phishing campaign is actively targeting Microsoft Office 365 users in an effort to steal user credentials, while another is spoofing Microsoft Exchange Online Protection.
December 16, 2020 - Recent spear-phishing campaigns are again targeting Microsoft Office 365 users in an effort to steal user credentials, while one campaign spoofs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP), according to recent reports from IRONSCALES and Abnormal Security.
Nearly 200 million O365 users across the globe and particularly in the healthcare, insurance, financial services, manufacturing, utilities, and telecom sector, are being targeted by the spoofing campaign, IRONSCALES researchers explained.
The well-coordinated attacks were first observed about two weeks ago and is deployed using an exact domain spoofing technique. The method refers to an email sent using a fraudulent domain that precisely matches the domain of the spoofed brand.
For the latest campaign, IRONSCALES detected emails that appear highly legitimate in an effort to take advantage of a recent O365 capability allowing emails to be reclaimed that have previously been marked as spam or phishing emails.
“Specifically, the fraudulent message is composed of urgent and somewhat fear-inducing language intended to convince users to click on what is a malicious link without hesitation,” researchers explained.
“As inferred by the message, the link will redirect users to a security portal in which they can review and take action on ‘quarantined messages’ captured by the EOP filtering stack, the new feature that has only been available since September,” they added.
If the user interacts with the link, they’re asked to input their O365 credentials into the fake login page designed to appear as a legitimate Microsoft online site. The hackers are harvesting credentials to likely obtain confidential information, launch financial fraud attempts, for online sales, or to steal proprietary data.
Exact domain spoofs are not entirely sophisticated attack methods for email gateway controls to detect, and researchers explained that both non cloud-native and legacy email tools may efficiently stop some of these attacks.
“The reason why SEGs can traditionally stop exact domain spoofing is because, when configured correctly, this control is compliant with the domain-based message authentication, reporting & conformance (DMARC), an email authentication protocol built specifically to stop exact domain spoofing,” researchers noted.
“To the naked eye, the most suspicious element of this attack would be the sense of urgency to view the quarantined messages or the unusualness of receiving this type of email solicitation,” they added.


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The Era of the Mobile Web
IBM recently released a new study titled, "Go mobile, grow... Should mobile internet services be the next big growth gamble for mobile device makers". The IBM Institute for Business Value surveyed nearly 700 consumers in the United States, Japan, India, China and Germany on their current satisfaction and preferences of the mobile internet.
Only 20% of consumers surveyed indicated that they were "very satisfied" with their current mobile services, the remaining 80% of consumers were split between "somewhat satisfied (40%)" and varying levels of dissatisfied (17%) and non-users(23%). When asked "What stops you from using mobile Internet more often than what you do today?" 50% of consumers indicated it was too expensive, 40% indicated the connection was too slow, 37% indicated they didn't find it convenient and 17% indicated they had tried it but didn't find it useful.
Despite the low level of satisfaction with the current state of the mobile Internet the study estimates that the number of mobile Internet users worldwide is projected to approach 1 billion, a 191 percent increase from 2006 and a compound annual growth rate of 24 percent.
The market forces feeding this growth include:
- A growing number of mobile Internet users:
The next generation of "digital natives" is leading the way, these are users who have grown up accustomed to using mobile devices to access digital content and applications on the mobile Internet. Their expectations of the mobile internet are much higher than any generation before.
In mature markets, the study predicts users will increasingly use the mobile Internet to extend their personal computers. Microsoft for example is looking to capitalize on this trend through a new service called Microsoft Mesh which provides a set of personal Internet services and software creating a seamless connection or mesh between the desktop and the consumer's mobile devices.
In emerging markets like India and China, consumers are skipping the PC and going straight to high-end mobile platforms that deliver the same services they might have found in their first PC. A significant percentage of the world's population may first experience the Internet on a mobile device.
- A growing number of internet ready mobile devices:
The next generation of mobile devices coming onto the market today can support mobile internet applications, especially rich internet applications which use the back-end computing power of the internet "cloud". According to the study Smart phone shipments are expected to grow at about 25 percent annually and reach 150 million units by 2009. These new devices have the increased computing power and storage capacity needed to extend the desktop.
- Faster wireless broadband networks anytime, anywhere:
Connection speed and convenience were major road blocks to mobile Internet usage according to the study. The increasing ubiquity of faster wireless broadband like 3G and WiMax will play a major role in the increase usage of the mobile Internet.
- Improved, easier to use human interface:
Innovations like rollable screens and nano projectors are driving to make the "Fourth Screen" a reality ( the first screen being the movie screen, the second the television screen and the third the PC screen.)
Combined with other innovations like virtual keyboards, voice recognition and multiple touch screens the human interface to the mobile internet will diminish as another major road block to adoption.
- More reasonable pricing for using the mobile Internet:
The competition for the mobile Internet is fierce and includes some of the world's most prominent brands, such as Google, Apple, Vodafone, Nokia, RIM, Yahoo and MSN in addition to the plethora of other network providers and mobile device makers. Competition for market share will require competitors to provide attractive pricing that creates a strong value proposition for customers. The study predicts that a transition from volume-based pricing to flat rate data tariffs will kickstart an upward cycle in mobile Internet usage which will in turn make the mobile Internet more attractive to content providers.
- More applications, more choice, more customization:
A key finding in the study reveals 80 percent of consumers would prefer a service provider that gave them more choice in the applications and services available on their mobile devices, and 69 percent of consumers going further to state their preference for devices that are open to personalization and configuration of applications. An interesting note according to the study, three of the top five ranked mobile internet service offerings are from companies focused on software, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, the remaining two are mobile device makers Nokia and RIM.


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Industrial manufacturer Toyota Industries Corp. is getting into the logistics business, and it’s buying Indianapolis-based Bastian Solutions LLC for $260 million as part of that plan.
Japan-based Toyota Industries—which is separate from Toyoto Motor Corp., the well-known maker of passenger cars—announced the purchase Friday. It is expected to close in April.
Bastian, which was founded in 1952 by Elgan Stark, provides material handling automation, supply-chain software, industrial controls and robotics. Stark’s son-in-law, Bill Bastian Sr., bought the company in 1962. The company is now led by Bill Bastian II.
Bastian has 589 employees, including 120 in Indianapolis and 85 in Greenfield. The company also has facilities in St. Louis, Louisville and several other countries. It posted about $225 million in sales for 2016.
Bastian will become part of a new Toyota Industries division called Toyota Advanced Logistics Solutions.
Bastian "has superior expertise in the development of software to control and manage materials handling systems at logistics centers and is a leader in combining hardware and software, system development, networking, and maintenance into optimal end-to-end solutions," according to a press release from Toyota Industries.
Toyota Industries, established in 1926, operates more than 200 companies, including Columbus, Indiana-based Toyota Material Handling North America, a forklift manufacturer with factories in Columbus, New York and Iowa. Toyota Material Handling has more than 8,000 employees and more than $3 billion in annual revenue.
Brett Wood, CEO of Toyota Material Handling, said Toyota Industries wanted to get into logistics because it is in industry awash in change. He said areas of opportunity include e-commerce; labor management and labor cost issues; logistics consulting; automation; and custom robotics.
“It’s quite the shift, really in our industry. We realized we wanted to be part of that,” Wood told IBJ.
Toyota Industries decided that acquiring Bastian would be the quickest way to jump into the sector, Wood said.
“We could grow organically, but that would take longer than desired. This acquisition of a leading company like Bastian Solutions just puts us into that market as quickly as possible, with a market leader.”
The CEO of Toyota Advanced Logistics will be Mike Romano, currently the CEO of Associated Integrated Supply Chain Solutions in the Chicago area.
Wood said Bastian will keep its name and top leadership. Bill Bastian II will remain CEO, and Aaron Jones will continue as president, Wood said.
Wood also said “it’s very unlikely there will be any changes in staffing levels” elsewhere within Bastian.


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With a Microsoft reorganization plan expected to be announced on Thursday, investors at this point must be wondering: will it matter?
Shareholders of Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) have only recently gotten a glimmer of hope. Microsoft stock had languished in the $25-$30 range for more than a decade until this year, which has seen MSFT pop about 30%.
Although extremely profitable, Microsoft under the leadership of CEO Steve Ballmer has struggled to move beyond its core products of Windows and Office, which still deliver nearly all of those profits.
What this new Microsoft reorganization plan needs to do is reorient the Redmond, WA-based company toward future engines of growth, such as the mobile wave of smartphones and tablets, cloud computing and big data.
Insiders say Ballmer intends the new structure to provide "functional coherence" and will align the company into divisions based on services and devices.
But given Ballmer's spotty track record and Microsoft's unwieldy size (98,000 employees), it's not a given that any major structural overhaul will do much good in addressing the company's real problems.
As one worried Microsoft insider told The Wall Street Journal's All Things D: "If this is all about an org chart and not how to build great products, it does not matter what org chart Ballmer presents. Consumers buy products, not management structure."


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Updated to include video 11/20:
Worthington, OH – 11/18/2014
Prosper Insights & Analytics, a leading provider of advanced business intelligence, released the Holiday 2014: Retailers to Watch at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference today. Pam Goodfellow, principal analyst for Prosper, presented unique findings about select retailers along with emerging holiday trends.
Overall, spending plans are up this holiday season likely due in part to consumer confidence being at a seven year high, consumers edging off heightened practicality caused by the recession, and gas prices easing immediate pressures on budgets. However, it’s not smooth sailing for every retailer. Shoppers will still be looking for sales and big discounts and spending only what they have to, making waves for retailers to navigate this year.
Holiday 2014 Retailers to Watch: Holiday Spending Plans* and Quick Hits
Amazon Shoppers: Holiday spending plans up 9.9% year-over-year
- The online behemoth continues to grow their customer base by courting younger, more affluent online shoppers.
Nordstrom Shoppers: Holiday spending plans up 7.5% year-over-year
- The only shopper group to place quality (76%) ahead of sales/promotions (74%) when holiday shopping.
Walmart Shoppers: Holiday spending plans up 5.3% year-over-year
- These shoppers have more confidence, are happier and in a better savings position than they were last year. Also, they perhaps are the most likely to benefit from easing gas prices.
Costco Shoppers: Holiday spending plans up 5.2% year-over-year
- This warehouse club’s shoppers tend to be a little older, but those are this year’s big spenders.
Kohl’s Shoppers: Holiday spending plans up 3.0% year-over-year
- Kohl’s draws a big Boomer crowd of shoppers who love the stores heavy discounts and promotions.
Best Buy Shoppers: Holiday Spending plans up 1.3% year-over-year
- Their biggest challenge is getting their shoppers to spend money with Best Buy this year, rather than the online competition.
TJX: Holiday Spending plans up 1.3% year-over-year
- One of the most mobile-savvy shopper groups, TJX customers may shop around for that perfect, specific gift.
Target: Holiday Spending plans up 1.1% year-over-year
- Perhaps attributable to last holiday’s data breach, Target shoppers have gotten younger and are more likely to pay with cash—which restricts spending.
Macy’s Shoppers: Holiday Spending plans down 1.8% year-over-year
- From a demographic standpoint, Macy’s shoppers aren’t too different from Kohl’s shoppers. Although they earn about 5% more, Macy’s shoppers plan to spend 14% more on holiday than their Kohl’s counterparts. Could be a case of keeping up with the Jones’ that’s wearing budgets a little thin this year.
Source: Prosper Insights & Analytics™
*Holiday spending plans include gifts, décor, cards, food, flowers and self-spending
“Millennials are generally considered the hot consumer segment, but it’s the retailers who are heavy in Boomers and Gen X’ers that we are seeing pop this holiday season,” said Pam Goodfellow, Principal Analyst and Consumer Insights Director for Prosper. “Combined, Boomer and Gen X shoppers are expected to account for 67% of total gift spending this holiday season, and the year-over-year holiday outlook for these shoppers has improved, while Millennial spending intentions have remained relatively flat.”
To download presentation materials, click here.
Prosper Insights & Analytics™
Prosper Insights & Analytics provides advanced business intelligence using sophisticated analytical software to examine big datasets and provide answers to executives via its cloud-based InsightCenter™ platform powered by Prosper Technologies. By integrating a variety of data including economic, behavioral and attitudinal data, Prosper Insights & Analytics delivers insights for executive decision making. Further, it is continually identifying unique insights through analytics to enable marketers to make knowledge-based decisions rather than relying on intuition. To learn more: www.ProsperDiscovery.com
Chrissy Wissinger, Director, Communications
Pam Goodfellow, Consumer Insights Director


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Ford (F) has been quieter than its competitors on the subject of self-driving cars, but on Tuesday the automaker announced plans to have a fully autonomous car in five years.
By 2021, a self-driving vehicle could be available to ride-hailing services, Ford Chief Technical Officer Raj Nair said. A version for consumers could be available by 2025.
Separately, Ford and Baidu (BIDU) are investing $150 million in Silicon Valley's Velodyne to help develop automotive lidar sensors, which use lasers as a type of radar system -- a key system for autonomous vehicles.
Ford shares closed down 0.7% in the stock market today. Baidu, which has its own, separate self-driving car ambitions, edged up 0.2%.
Ford Chief Executive Mark Fields told CNBC that the company was doubling staff in Palo Alto, Calif., to 300, to work on self-driving cars. Ford has been somewhat behind in autonomous cars.
Earlier this month, General Motors (GM) said it was testing self-driving cars in Scottsdale, Ariz., with human backup drivers. GM shares fell 0.5% Tuesday. In May, ride-hailing company Uber tested self-driving cars in Pittsburgh.
Tesla Motors (TSLA) is upgrading its Autopilot system with a front-facing camera and more radar functions, according to an Electrek report, another step towards a fully self-driving vehicle. Tesla has come under fire over recent a high-profile fatal accident in which the driver was using the company's Autopilot feature. Shares edged 0.9% lower.
IBD'S TAKE: Mobileye's shares plunged after announcing the split from Tesla, but its stock found support as it pulled back to its 50-day moving average after reporting quarterly earnings. The shares are now in a follow-on buy area.
Alphabet shares ended down 0.6%, while Apple shares slipped 0.1%.


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Walmart said on Thursday that profit fell about 8 percent last quarter, and it lowered its sales forecast for this year, citing a strong dollar and the costs of a plan to close more than 200 stores worldwide.
Walmart, based in Bentonville, Ark., has been fighting for a firmer footing in a retail market increasingly dominated by the online behemoth Amazon.
13:48 Wells Fargo Profit Falls 5.4% as Mortgage Revenue Declines24
10:27 India's Tata Consultancy third-quarter net up 10.9 percent, beats estimates20
12:23 Sterling volatile as market speculates on ‘hard Brexit’; investors await May's speech15
12:08 Bank of America Profit Rises 43% on Trading Gains, Cost Cuts23


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Prof. Joaquín Gómez-Miñambres featured in WalletHub article on spending
Joaquín Gómez-Miñambres, assistant professor of economics, was featured in WalletHub’s recent piece about holiday spending.
He responded to questions about celebrating Christmas on a budget, the biggest wastes of money, and money-saving tips for holiday travel.
“Do not fall into the trap of thinking that you will save money by buying a product that it is at a huge discount,” he says in the article. “It is irrational to consider the original price when you make a shopping decision, only the current price and how much you like/need the product is relevant. It is always a waste of money to buy something that you do not need, regardless of the discount. Remember that not buying is always at 100% off.”


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Layoffs are reportedly underway at Dell Technologies, where cuts of redundant supply chain and administrative positions had been anticipated since shortly after the finalization of last year’s record-setting merger between Dell and EMC Inc.
The $60-plus billion deal represents the largest-ever tech acquisition.
A day after the deal went final on Sept. 7, Dell founder Michael Dell reiterated that the merger was about accretion, but acknowledged that a small number of the combined firms’ 140,000 workers would be trimmed.
“There are some overlapping functions and that sort of thing – that’s not the primary feature of this, but there is some of that," Dell was quoted as saying at the time.
There has been wide speculation for weeks about where and when the layoffs would occur.
News of the current round of layoffs was first reported Thursday by U.K.’s The Register technology publication, citing an unnamed company spokesperson and posts to an unauthorized blog about high-profile layoffs.
The Register report claimed nearly 80 workers had been let go from the company’s Hopkinton, Mass., facility. That report contained addresses of a number of EMC facilities in Northern California that posters also claimed are being considered for closure.
The Register also conveyed that the layoffs would occur over three rounds.
An unidentified Dell Technologies spokesperson was quoted by The Register as saying:
“While streamlining is never our first alternative, and we strive to minimize it as course of action, in a merger of this size it is necessary given some overlap in functions. Over time, we expect revenue gains will far outweigh any cost savings, and revenue growth drives employment growth.”
Previous published reports have said the new company is seeking to eliminate redundancies and realize any possible savings in the wake of the record purchase.
“Most of the cuts will come in the U.S. and in areas such as supply chain and general and administrative positions, as well as some marketing jobs,” Bloomberg reported in September, citing unnamed sources. “Dell is looking for cost savings of about $1.7 billion in the first 18 months after the transaction, but is largely focused on using the deal to boost sales by several times that amount.”
Update: Dell Technologies spokesman Dave Farmer has confirmed to the Austin American-Statesman newspaper that layoffs are underway. Dell Technologies is headquartered in nearby Round Rock, Texas.
"As is common with mergers of this size, there is a need to manage some overlapping job functions," Farmer is quoted as saying. "We hope to minimize the impact on jobs and expect that revenue gains will outweigh resulting cost savings, with revenue growth driving future employment.”
This article first appeared here, on MSPmentor.


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We would like to inform you that LLC “Plast-Box Ukraine” will participate in the International exhibition of packaging industry PACK FAIR 2020, which will take place from 23 to 25 September in the “International Exhibition Centre” (Kyiv, Brovarsky Prospect, 15, Ukraine)
International exhibition PACK FAIR is a major exhibition event of the packaging industry in Ukraine which offer the target audience the newest packaging equipment, technologies, packaging materials, finished system solutions for food and food processing industry, medicine and pharmaceutics, chemical industry and also wholesale and retail trade, warehousing and logistics etc.
At the exhibition you will be able to evaluate our company produced plastic packaging which can be used in food and chemical industry. All our products have quality certificate guaranteeing the safety of the packaging in contact with the food product.
For more information about the products, which will be presented at the exhibition, can be found on our website: www.plast-box.com.ua
We invite you to visit our stand № 1A212