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Apr 30, 2013, 5:45 PM EST
Just a reminder (or, if you haven’t already heard, an announcement) that you can watch all three of tonight’s postseason games — Minnesota at Chicago, Los Angeles at St. Louis, Detroit at Anaheim — live on NBC Sports Extra.
NBC Sports Live Extra is NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets.
It will stream all Stanley Cup Playoff games that air on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and CNBC, including the Stanley Cup Final for the first time.
The vast majority of games will be live streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.
For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.
The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
- Roberto Luongo records the shutout in first game back with Panthers 13
- Steve Moore remains shocked, disgusted about Todd Bertuzzi attack 42
- Canucks’ Kassian gets three games for boarding Dillon 26
- TGIF: Why Lightning fans can be upset with St. Louis 31
- Goalie nods: Luongo’s first game back with Panthers, Neuvirth makes Sabres debut 12
- Report: Kuznetsov terminated KHL deal, headed to Washington 20
- Canucks’ Bieksa: ‘If this isn’t rock bottom, I don’t know what is’ 34
- Luongo has Twitter fun at Canucks’ expense 36
- Sabres spoil Callahan’s Lightning debut, Stamkos’ return 7
- Dealing with the Devils: NHL reverses Kovalchuk punishment 49
- Canucks trade Luongo to Panthers (93)
- BLOCKBUSTER: Lightning trade St. Louis to Rangers for Callahan (82)
- Kings make splash, acquire Gaborik from Columbus (72)
- Report: Canucks want center, top prospect and first-rounder for Kesler (68)
- Sabres announce Pat LaFontaine resigns as president of hockey operations (66)


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Financial powerhouses WesBank and First National Bank (FNB) are joining forces to sponsor a five-day Fuel Economy Tour of South Africa that will provide motorists not only with definitive car fuel consumption figures but also indicative travelling times between major centres in the country.
The event, for standard production passenger cars and light commercials, will take place from November 12-16 and will involve a five-day drive on major roads from Johannesburg to Cape Town via Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, and George, with a total combined distance of 2500km.
Fuel consumption in doubt
For many years there have been doubts about manufacturers’ claimed fuel consumption figures, which are obtained in laboratory conditions. WesBank and FNB are sponsoring an event dedicated to obtaining realistic fuel consumption figures over a significant distance on roads well-travelled by South African motorists and transport companies.
This data will be invaluable for potential vehicle buyers as they research which model to buy. It also ties in with the helping hand that WesBank and FNB always like to extend to their customers and potential customers.
High cost of petrol
The cost of fuel is a major budget item for all motorists and transport companies in South Africa as the country battles with an economic downturn and ever-increasing fuel prices – now the highest in history.
The effects of these rising fuel prices impact every person in the country, either directly or indirectly as well as on the cost of moving goods which in turn forces up prices.Fuel consumption figures are of growing importance when buying a new or pre-owned vehicle. However, manufacturers figures, which are obtained under controlled conditions in a laboratory, are not realistic for the everyday motorist.
What do you think of fuel consumption figures by automakers in SA? Do you think they're "realistic" and achievable? Email us
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Validity of fuel consumption figures
There have also been ongoing scandals for the past several years regarding the validity of fuel consumption and emission data supplied by manufacturers. A number of vehicle makers have been involved in these misrepresentations of important data.Disappointing fuel consumption from their new vehicles is the most common cause for complaint by South African motorists according to recent research conducted by Ipsos, which produces annual data on vehicle product quality and dealer service levels.
Perceived poor fuel economy was the number one complaint for 11 vehicle categories, from compact hatchbacks to pick-up trucks in their latest product survey.
Members of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) were supportive of this planned WesBank Fuel Economy Tour in partnership with FNB when it was presented at a meeting with their senior executives last year. Subsequently, many individual manufacturers and importers have given their enthusiastic backing to the project.

domain: news


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City Hall calls on Praguers to report Airbnb flats to municipal police
Prague City Hall is asking Prague residents to report Airbnb flats to municipal police officers and any connected problems, the daily Hospodářské noviny reported, according to Czech Radio.
If a property owner is not registered with a Trade Certificate, he or she may be liable to a fine of up to CZK 1 million (EUR 39,890).
City Hall has been trying for some time to get Airbnb to share the details on the owners of the flats who are believed to often avoid paying tax for renting out their properties.
Airbnb is one of the short-term letting platforms active in Prague, which has come under heavy scrutiny in recent years.
Critics say that such platforms have moved from the original idea of a shared economy to a purely business venture, with up to 15,000 flats in Prague being rented out for this purpose, blocking flats for long-term rent as well as often causing unease for local residents who have to deal with loud tourists, Czech Radio says.
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Northwest Cosmetic Labs was recently contacted by the Idaho Business Review about their recent growth. NCL, in the past four years has grown over 500%, and looks to continue that trend into the 2016 year. Because of the significant growth that NCL has experienced, the Idaho Business Review wanted to learn more about NCL's history, capabilities, and the current campus expansion project. NCL is building a fourth building on their already large campus to better serve their current customers.
The Idaho Business Review met with Dallin Draney, a Mechanical Engineer at NCL, and Riley Kurtz, the Marketing Coordinator at NCL, to discuss all of the aforementioned topics. Riley Kurtz said of the visit, "it was fun to talk about where we have been, where we are now, and the amazing future that is in store for Northwest Cosmetic Labs."
to read the full article....


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Mobile-health Company Grow Fit on 21 June 2017 raised USD 4.5 million in Series A funding led by Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG), the PE arm of Manipal Group.
Owing to this, Dr. Ranjan Pai, MD and CEO of MEMG will be joining the Board of Directors.
"Grow Fit has the right approach to reach the millions of Indians who can benefit from better nutrition and coaching. I was impressed by their novel approach, their investment in R&D and their technology platform. Indians need to make drastic changes to their health habits and Grow Fit makes it effortless for them. This is a huge opportunity and we are looking forward to unlocking it," said Dr Pai.
The company, which began operations in September 2015, is a full-stack health-tech company, committed to helping Indians achieve peak wellness through a combination of data science, medical expertise and personalised inputs. To help those who are at risk of contracting lifestyle disease, Grow Fit offers a comprehensive approach combining expert coaching, health foods and behavioral insights through their scalable technology platform.
With over 80 percent success rate, the company is poised to take its approach further with this funding. The Grow Fit mobile app has been downloaded over 300,000 times on Android and iOS platforms, with more than 150,000 diet charts generated for users.
The company uses data science and machine learning to identify and validate strategies for customer success. Grow Fit also expanded recently into the 'functional beverages' segment with the acquisition of Drink King, a nutritional beverage platform which started in early 2015.
"Grow Fit combines data science, medical science and behavioural insights to help people achieve their health goals and live their best lives. We are an outcome-oriented company and have always stressed a science-and-data approach. With this investment, Grow Fit now has the backing of one of the top medical groups in the country and we are excited about the next phase of growth with this investment," said Jyotsna Pattabiraman, Founder and CEO, Grow Fit.
Grow Fit's comprehensive approach addresses all aspects of wellness including nutrition, activity, skin/hair, sleep and mental wellness. Through their platform, users across India are connected with experts chosen based on their clinical or scientific background and experience with lifestyle diseases.
"Grow Fit has the ability to address both national and international markets. As prosperity increases globally, our nutritional habits have to compensate for our sedentary lifestyle and dependence on fast foods. Grow Fit has a relevant model that could address this gap and be effective anywhere in the world," said Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-Founder, Infosys and an early investor in Grow Fit.
This investment comes at a time when countries world over are grappling with healthcare costs. According to the World Economic Forum, in India alone, over six million lives are lost every year due to lifestyle diseases and the economic burden of lifestyle diseases has been estimated to be over USD 4.58 trillion by 2030.
Grow Fit's future plans include expanding solutions to fertility, joint health, stress management and more, all through the mobile.
The venture also plans to integrate different sources of data from wearable technology and medical reports in order to make the app a one-stop, comprehensive companion for wellness.


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Xiaomi is completing its eighth anniversary in India and to celebrate the occasion the brand is hosting an anniversary sale across select smartphones, laptops, smart TVs and more.
The sale kicked off on July 8 and will go on till July 13 on Mi.com and across Mi Home stores . Here is all you need to know about the 8 year anniversary sale and its offers, along with a list of top offers to look forward to.
Xiaomi will be hosting some sale activities, which we have seen the brand do on some previous sales. This includes ‘Jackpot Deals’ which will take place every day at 10am where select products will see big discounts on prices. At 12pm is the ‘Surprise Store’ which will offer daily discounts on select lifestyle products from the brand.
Xiaomi will also host a ‘Pick n Choose’ sale at 4pm every day where users can two products together with a discount. A ‘Happy Hour’ sale will let customers buy select products at just Rs 99 and Rs 8 at 6pm and 8pm respectively.
Xiaomi 8th anniversary sale: Top offers
Xiaomi: Xiaomi is offering the Xiaomi 11i smartphones (8/128GB) at Rs 26,999 and the Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge (8GB/128GB) at Rs 28,999. The Xiaomi 12 Pro (12/256GB) is being offered at Rs 66,999
Redmi: The Redmi 9A (3/32GB) is priced at Rs 7,799 and the Redmi 10A (4/64GB) is priced at Rs 8,999. The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ is priced at Rs 22,999 and Rs 24,999 for its 8/128GB and 8/256GB variants respectively.
Smart TVs: The Xiaomi OLED TV 55-inch will be priced at Rs 84,999 and the Mi TV OLED 4K 55-inch will be priced at Rs 56,999 during the sale. The Mi TV OLED 75-inch will also be priced at Rs 1,29,999. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Smart TV 5A 32-inch will be priced at Rs 15,499 and Xiaomi Smart TV 5A 40-inch will be priced at Rs 22,999.
Laptops: The sale will see the Redmi i3 8/256GB laptop be priced at Rs 32,999 and the Redmi 15 Pro i5 8/512GB priced at Rs 39,999. The Mi Notebook Pro i5 16/512GB is priced at Rs 57,999 and the Mi Notebook Ultra i5 16/512GB is priced at Rs 57,999.
Apart from these, we will also be seeing the Redmi SonicBass wireless earphones (Red) priced at Rs 1,099 and the Mi Super Bass Wireless headphones (black and red) priced at Rs 1,599.


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Routine crypto transactions have increased by 30 percent during Q2 in 2021, rising from £325 million in Q1 to £468 million during the second quarter in the UK, according to Coinbase records. Where UK’s crypto transactions have been record-breaking, Asian nations have overthrown everyone with a 44 percent increase in crypto transactions during Q2. Globally, there has been a hike of over 32 percent during the second quarter of the year.
Ethereum precedes Bitcoin
Bitcoin and Ethereum have seen an increase in demand during the second quarter. Ethereum’s daily trading volume exceeded Bitcoin’s daily trading volume by 80 percent in the second quarter and represented 57 percent of Bitcoin’s daily trade volume for the past three quarters.
Where Ethereum registered an increased trading volume up to 53 percent, Bitcoin witnessed a 14 percent decline in the second quarter. The price of Bitcoin and Ethereum touched $63,000 and $4,200 respectively during Q2 but dropped half of its valuation soon after, BTC is currently trading at $31,700 and ETH at $1,900.
“We continue to see significant interest in a range of digital assets from both retail and institutional customers, with Ethereum continuing to grow in popularity and cementing its position as the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization… Ethereum’s trading volume grew 53 percent from Q1 to Q2 while Bitcoin saw a 14 percent decline,” said Coinbase managing director, Marcus Hughes. “This resulted in Ethereum volumes making up over 80% of the traded volumes of Bitcoin in Q2, a significant increase on last year and testament to increased interest in digital assets beyond Bitcoin.”, Hughes added.
Crypto success despite Crypto crackdown in the UK
This increase in Crypto transactions has come at a crucial time in the UK, when the UK watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has initiated a nationwide crypto crackdown. Recently, FCA declared the launch of its upcoming digital marketing campaign worth £11m to alert the younger investors in the crypto community of the risks in the crypto market. This campaign followed the initial steps of crypto crackdown like, ‘red alert’ on crypto ads in the UK.
- OpenSea’s Meteoric Rise May Trigger An Ethereum Crash, Here’s Why
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- UBS Warns Of Apocalyptic Crypto Winter And The Cryptocurrency Prices Are Poised To Crash
- SOL Tanks 6% As Solana Faces Another 48 Hour Outage, Boom and Bust Moment for Solana?
- Fantom (FTM) Surpasses Avalanche and Solana as DeFi TVL Crosses $12 Billion
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- Mike Novogratz Bets To Pay Peter Schiff $1 M If Bitcoin Price Stays Below $35,000 After 2022
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- Binance And FTX Worst Hit Exchanges As Losses Climb Almost Two Billion Combined
- Bitcoin S2F Founder says Current dip cannot stop Bitcoin from Adding Another Zero
- Solana Creeps Higher, Looks To Revisit January Highs AT $177.0
- Ethereum Price Analysis: Fibonacci Retracement level 0.618 Triggers Recovery Rally In ETH Coin
- BTC Price Analysis: Death Crossover Brings Nightmares On Satoshi Street; Is This A Buying Opportunity?
- Bitcoin Death Cross Haunting Investors, Will BTC Make or Break?
- DOGE Price Analysis: Highly Influential Bearish Trendline Undermines Bullish Attempts; Buy, Sell Or Hold?
- Terra Price Analysis: Will LUNA Price Bounce Back at 0.382 Fibonacci Retracement?
- SAND Price Analysis: Sandbox Price Losses 50% Retracement Level, Good Time to Buy?
- LINK Price Analysis: Chainlink price reclaims 200-day EMA, Emerging trendline Suggests More Upward Price Movement
- Harmony Price Analysis: Rising Parallel Pattern Could Lead 30% Growth In $ONE Price
- Ripple Price Analysis: XRP Bears Struggle To Breach $0.7 Support Zone, Is A Reversal Next Move?


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Hyperinflation is the only way to describe the cost of building materials today.
That’s according to Tom Parlon, chief executive of the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).
He was speaking as the Banking and Payments Federation said soaring material prices would mean property prices would remain at Celtic Tiger levels.
It says the cost of building materials needs to be watched closely, after rising more than 18% in the year to April.
This is the second highest increase since June 2000.
Suppliers will also tell contractors this week that cement is up 10%, radiators are up 6%, cylinders are up 10% and fuel oil tanks are up 17%.
Mr Parlon said Pat Kenny several factors keep these materials at a high price.
“I know that we have had major problems since the Ukrainian-Russian war – but immediately after the construction sites opened and business opened up after COVID, there was an increase in demand for products.
“We know that [the] the supply chain was only affected by shipping and shipping containers and all that.
“Brexit is obviously a problem, because the normal supply chain here would have previously gone through the UK.
“And then, of course, we have the Ukrainian-Russian war and the massive increase in energy costs.”
Steel and wood
He says this has led to high inflation in building prices.
“In many building materials, very important products like steel and wood, have increased by 60% and 100%.
“I was talking to one of my members this morning: he said hardwood flooring, he’s just been notified that it’s going up 20%, he has to place an order 12 weeks in advance and collect at the ordered.
“So that’s the kind of difficulty people are having right now – pretty much every product is affected.”
He says “hyperinflation, I think, is the only description we can give to minute building materials.”
But in the future, he believes focusing on rebuilding Ukraine will also come with higher costs.
“Let’s hope that, with our fingers crossed for a resolution of the conflict, there will be a need for massive reconstruction in Ukraine.
“[This] will deplete building materials and construction labor.
“If you take steel, that famous Azol [sic] factory in Mariupol where Ukrainians hung around for months and months and months, it was the biggest steel factory in the world.
“It’s unlikely to produce steel again – so rebuilding that capacity for basic raw materials is definitely going to be a challenge.”


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The Sport Coupe Concept GTE that Volkswagen will display at the 2015 Geneva auto show combines new styling cues with cabin and efficiency technologies.
Maybe it's a little early to be getting in line for these gadgets, but they are coming.
CNET takes a look at the hottest cars we expect to see at the 2015 Geneva auto show next week.
Sporty and spacious, Kia's newest concept for the 2015 Geneva auto show is exactly what's said on the tin.
The ability to preview monthly updates before they roll out is currently available only for Xbox One users.
The first public preview build of the mobile version of the operating system is available for Windows Insider testers, but it only runs on certain devices.
Many phones won't make the initial cut for the early version of Windows 10, and some won't get all the features.
January's Windows 10 Technical Preview update adds Microsoft's virtual assistant and a few new apps.
Microsoft rolls out its first public preview of Skype's instant translation service, which is initially available on Windows 8.1 PCs and tablets.
Find out what that mystery button at the front of your dSLR really does.
The company is working on its next preview releases of Windows 10 for desktops, mobile devices and servers. Here's the latest from tipsters about what to expect when.


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Skoda teases its Vision C Concept before Geneva unveil
Skoda has released a teaser sketch of its Vision C concept. The concept will debut at the 2014 Geneva motor show next month.
From what we can make out of the sketch, Vision C is a four door coupe which has a look similar to the Octavia sedan. It has a sleek edgy styling with aggressive looking triangular LED headlamps, oversized wheels and a prominent line emerging from the head light assembly and running the entire length of the car. The bonnet has two lines at its centre with a slightly raised section between them which adds to the muscular quotient. The car is expected to be based on the MQB platform.
The Vision C also resembles the M6 coupe owing to its low slung design and swooping body. Not much has been revealed at this time but we are expecting further information at the Geneva motor show.
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Lisa O'Brien, owner of Underwired vintage clothing store in downtown Bethlehem, is focusing on keeping her prices reasonable and getting to know her customers by name as she tries to make it a personal experience in her shop.
Urszula Abolik, owner of Amber Connection fashion boutique on Hamilton Boulevard in Allentown, hosts events such as belly dancing demonstrations and recitals to draw a crowd with the hope they return to purchase some of her store's goods.
In the midst of one of the toughest economic climates since the Great Depression, retailers have been parched for profits as cash-strapped consumers continue to curb spending.
The lack of profits have sent some retailers like Reading-based department store chain Boscov's to file for bankruptcy protection last year and others going out of business like the nation's second-largest electronics retailer, Circuit City, and mall toy store chain KB Toys.
Surviving the tough climate has forced some retailers into consolidation of operations, store closures, layoffs, in addition to balancing a concept of enticing consumers with budget-friendly ideas like deep discounts, deferred payments and layaway plans.
With the retail industry more competitive and customers more scarce, Underwired and Amber Connections are among some merchants pushing the entertainment end of shopping to draw a sale at a later date.
"To maintain viability during these tough times is to stay with the customer no matter what," said Charles Marinello, chief executive officer of Retail Initiatives Consulting Group in Allentown. "If the consumer is having financial difficulties you have to be cognizant of that and find ways to make it easier for them, that being layaway programs and similar (methods)."
Marinello said retailers are also shifting to carry large quantities of basic necessities, adapting to consumers only purchasing their needs over wants.
Retail trade association National Retail Federation projects sales in 2009 will decline less than 1 percent as the nation continues to succumb to a recession.
"Most of the consumer behavior we saw in 2008 will continue well into this year," said NRF Chief Economist Rosalind Wells. "Shoppers will be seeking value and trading down to discount and off-price retailers in order to stretch their purchasing power."
The association projects that the first half of this year will show a continuation of the weak sales that plagued retailers in 2008. By July, the tides are expected to turn with slimmer losses as the economy is expected to strengthen, the report said.
In the meantime, Abolik said she is putting her efforts in advertising through word-of-mouth at her events, hoping to turn a sale.
"People do not have to spend money at the events, but I always hope they buy something and even come back with a friend as well," she said.
Underwired recently combined its operation with the Wired Gallery and Cafe in the same building on Main Street.
O'Brien said vintage clothes, which usually sell for less than new, are a good concept in a recession.
"Basically I am getting to know my customer to make this into a community place where people can come in, socialize and we get to know them personally," She said. "We need to focus on the community more and that is what I am doing."
Marinello said consumers are more savvy after learning how low retailers would go to stimulate sales during last year's lackluster holiday shopping season, which saw some of the deepest discounts on record.
Beleaguered regional department store chain The Bon-Ton, which has seven stores in the Lehigh Valley, has touted itself as a retailer focused on discounts during the tough economic times.
The retailer, which has been cited by some analysts as not being able to storm the nation's recession, recently laid off about 3.6 percent of its work force to keep pace with lowered revenue projections.
Boscov's, which has two stores in the Valley, has chosen to try some of its old ideas to combat the recession.
The bankrupt regional department store chain has the backing of $35 million in state funding and is under the leadership of Albert Boscov who returned as chairman and CEO late last year to try take the retailer out of bankruptcy and to regain its trust with customers.
Freeman Jewelers, a staple merchant of the region, shut down its store on Allentown's Hamilton Street to focus its resources on its mall locations. The company said if market conditions take a turn for the better, they would consider re-opening their Allentown store, which celebrated its 100th year of business last year. Industry experts said retailers will have to make sacrifices to weather the flurry of harsh economic conditions that could result in some merchants closing up for good.
"Retailers will need to keep their expenses in line, and that means not overspending if they can help it," Marinello said. "As long as they can follow that pattern they should be able to ride it out as long as they have the cash flow to maintain."


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The store is intended to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the doll which originally launched in 1959 and has been a firm favourite with children ever since. It has not been officially revealed exactly when the shop will open, although the store's publicity makes heavy reference to October 11, International Day of the Girl. Indeed, a lot of little girls' dreams will come true when the store opens its doors. The Barbie line is one of the most popular and wide-ranging toy franchises in the world, including a vast array of different dolls and accessories, from outfits to houses. Any young Barbie fan will be spoilt for choice, and with the Christmas shopping season approaching many parents will be looking toward the store in the hopes of bagging a treat. As well as toys, the shop promises to offer free activities, meaning that even families who cannot afford the latest Barbie figure might find something to enjoy when they visit.
The Barbie shop will be replacing the Fat Face on South John Street. It will not be a permanent fixture of Liverpool, and will instead be a pop-up shop designed to run for six weeks before closing. Will there be similar shops elsewhere in the country? This remains to be seen, but it is worth noting that October will see the launch of a temporary pop-up store in London devoted to Pokemon, another popular toy franchise. Toy brands like Barbie and Pokemon are beloved by children and also prompt nostalgic memories for many adults; a shop dedicated to selling a particular toy, even one designed to operate for only a few weeks, is guaranteed to work as an eye-catcher for the public. Perhaps we will soon see a time when many other toy brands, from Transformers to My Little Pony, will be seeing their own shops popping up in cities around the country. It seems safe to say that, if these ever become a significant trend, they will appear in clusters around the start of the Christmas shopping season.
News in the same category
Designer furniture brand Loaf is to open a new store in Bristol, their eighth outlet in the UK. Prior to October 2015 Loaf had been an online retailer, at which time they launched their first physical store in Battersea in London.
The Cornbow Shopping Centre at Halesowen in the West Midlands is known for having some of the biggest names in shopping under one roof.
A new collaboration between Moschino and H&M has brought an eclectic mix of weird and wonderful fashions to the high street store this November. Unusual items include a swimming costume with printed CDs and condom earrings with the Moschino motif.
It’s hard to believe that something can occur which can cause an entire London shopping centre to close down and stop doing business. Particularly in the UK.


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General Motors (GM) has used the Virtual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) taking place this week to unveil its concept for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. Although several pioneering manufacturers are moving forward with similar prototype vehicles, GM is the first major automaker to enter the race.
VIDEO: GM unveils eVTOL ‘air taxi’ concept at CES
Tom has edited Traffic Technology International (TTi) magazine and its Traffic Technology Today website since May 2014. During his time at the title, he has interviewed some of the top transportation chiefs at public agencies around the world as well as CEOs of leading multinationals and ground-breaking start-ups. Tom's earlier career saw him working on some the UK's leading consumer magazine titles. He has a law degree from the London School of Economics (LSE).


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Shearling coats, seventies peasant skirts and tapestry embroidered hooded jackets look set to be among the most highly prized pieces when the collection goes into stores in September. ??Melbourne International Film Festival Download for iOS Melbourne Market Navigator Melbourne Market Navigator is your personal guide to the new Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market at Epping. 77 million, ??280,000 more expensive than the Bugatti Veyron the car is not even roadworthy due to its extreme lightweight body made of carbon fibre.
Labour's London Assembly policing spokeswoman Joanne McCartney said the fall in numbers of special constables, PCSOs and regular officers was putting the Met under "immense strain". Rivera, with two other Florida political allies of Rubio, wrote an open letter saying Univision's news division was guilty of "extortion," arguing that the story on Cicilia was merely payback because Rubio refused to be interviewed by the network's star, Jorge Ramos. I suspect that for everyone commenting there will be a different proposal, with the only common factor being that when examined in details they all have deep flaws.
Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. Packt Publishing have achieved a great reputation for putting out books just at the point when they are going to be needed by more than just the early adopters of a particular technology. (Apologies for the deadly un PC joke, the barbarian got it only few minutes ago, it's one of about a dozen, most are much worse than this one, totally unsuitable even for the Wall).


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Is the Gauntlet Thrown? Zynga Japan’s CEO Says Facebook Will Never Be Number One in Japan
Posted: February 8th,2011 | By: doug.herman
With close to 600 million users worldwide, nobody can honestly question the dominance of Facebook Inc. as the global social network leader. Nevertheless, there are several significant regions in the world where Facebook does not reign supreme. For instance, in Japan, the second largest Internet market by revenue in the world, Facebook has long trailed the domestic social net leader, mixi, Inc. (TYO: 2121). While Facebook is likely to continue to fight to overtake the regional leader, CEO at Zynga Japan made a striking declaration:
Japan “is one place where Facebook may not end up being dominant. Networks are kind of funny, they get an imprint on them when they get designed and it’s pretty hard to change…They’ve [Facebook] been successful in most countries in the world, but Japan has to be different,”
– Robert Goldberg, CEO, Zynga Japan
Mixi has about 22 million customers in Japan compared to 2.2 million for Facebook. Although the company has almost doubled its subscriber base in Japan over the past six months the country ranked 49th in terms of total users registered for the service, with U.S. topping the list at 148.90 million.
According to an article in Bloomberg Businessweek the following reasons contribute to Mixi’s lead over Facebook among Japanese users:
- Concerns over privacy issues and early problems with Facebook’s site design and translation,
- Mixi’s superior control over access to their content and personal data,
- Mixi offers a Twitter-like message service that has no comparable Facebook alternative.
Zynga has clearly placed its bet on Mixi over Facebook in Japan. Just this past December the company released a Japanese version of its hit game “FarmVille” (renamed “FarmVillage” in Japan) on the Mixi network. The fact that they didn’t provide Facebook the localized version of Farmville is surprising since, according to researcher AppData.com, the game is Facebook’s second most popular title with 51.9 million users, after Zynga’s “CityVille” with 97.7 million.
Related Digital East Asia posts include:
- Does Zynga’s Expansion to Asia Means a Taste of Its Own (Knockoff) Medicine? -- September 10, 2010
- CONFIRMED: Zynga Acquires Japanese Social Games Developer Unoh -- August 6, 2010
- UPDATED: Zynga Enters JV with Japan’s Softbank; US-Asia Social Gaming Cos. Continue to Strengthen their Ties -- August 5, 2010
- Zynga Enters JV with Japan’s Softbank; US-Asia Social Gaming Cos. Continue to Strengthen their Ties -- August 4, 2010
- Zynga Turns Up the Heat in Asia; Raises Funds in Japan and Acquires Developers in China -- June 18, 2010


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New Lytro Camera Designed for the Pros
Camera company Lytro is trying to make its new camera, the Lytro Illum, appeal to the “prosumers” — the people who take photos for a living or serious hobbyists. Lytro made this decision after realizing that the customers buying the company’s previous camera were made up of this audience, Chief Executive Jason Rosenthal told the New York Times.
“We realized that our core audience was photographers, not just everyday people,” Jason Rosenthal, Lytro’s chief executive, said in an interview in San Francisco. “Photographers want control of their photos and the new Lytro — with the new hardware and new software — gives them control over every aspect of the image.”
While it’s not even been released yet, the camera could be competition to the Sony, Canon, and Kodak DSLR cameras many pros currently favor. Here are a couple factors that make this camera unique.
1. It shoots at f/2.0 aperture.
For those readers that don’t speak in photographer jargon, an aperture that low means the camera lens lets in more light than most cameras. Usually for it to be that low, the purchase of an additional lens is needed. That means the camera can be used in situations where the light is minimal without it looking too dark. This can also be a disadvantage in very sunny situations, making it easy for shoots to come out overexposed on a very bright sunny day.
2. The lens is 30-250mm lens with 8x zoom.
One of the hassles of photography is constantly switching lenses, especially when you want to get something in wide, mid-rage and close-up shots. The lower end of the lens, 30mm makes for a decent attempt at a wide angle shot. (Some wide angle lenses start as low as 10mm for reference, but are more commonly around 15-17mm at the lowest.) At the opposite end of the spectrum, that 250mm will allow photographers to get closer shots of further away subjects, making it a good option for a press conference or nature photography.
3. The backend has a touchscreen.
This feature is more proof that touchscreens are becoming more commonplace. Usually the viewer screen in the back of a digital camera is not a touchscreen, but it’s showing up more and more on cameras and other devices as the technology becomes more common.
4. It costs about $1,500 before sales tax and shipping.
If this price sounds high, that is because it is higher the base price of many Sony, Canon, or Nikon cameras used by professionals. However, as this price covers the camera and lens, it may be worth the investment.
While the Lytro Illum is still pending release it, it is difficult to tell how it will affect camera sales, but the entry of a professional level Lytro camera means that Sony, Canon and Nikon potentially have a new competitor among the professionals and serious hobbyists who keep them in business.


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Massimov discussed EU with German Ambassador 17 ноября 2011, 15:25
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Karim Massimov with German Ambassador Guido Hertz. Photo courtesy of flickr.com
Kazakhstan Prime-Minister met with new ambassadors of the U.S., Germany and Italy to Kazakhstan, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Karim Massimov’s Facebook.
In the meeting with German Ambassador Guido Hertz the parties exchanged their opinions about financial-economic situations in the European Union countries. Karim Massimov discussed development of strategic partnership and enhancement of trade and economic cooperation with the U.S.Ambassador to Kazakhstan Kenneth J. Fairfax. In a meeting with Italian Ambassador Alberto Pieri, Kazakhstan PM discussed development of trade and economic cooperation.


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A strategic investor, which aimed to pick up a large minority stake in a Mumbai-based owner of Baker Street brand but eventually limited its exposure, is set to bid goodbye to its six-year investment. Future Consumer Ltd, the food and FMCG arm of Kishore Biyani-led Future Group, is set to exit ......
Strategic investor set to exit firm behind Baker Street
By Debjyoti Roy
- 24 Jul 2020


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As expected, smartphone maker HTC has announced more layoffs, and the cuts are brutal.
The company will let 15 percent of its workforce go (over 2,000 employees), due in large part to falling revenues and profits. Last week the company reported shaky financial results, which it chalked up to worse-than-expect sales of its HTC One M9 flagship. It's also facing an ever-tightening smartp...
Also read: Kraft withdraws offer to merge with Unilever


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CONN. (WTNH) — If you get a call about making money just by driving your car around chances are it is too good to be true.
The Better Business Bureau is warning about a rise in “car wrap” schemes that have led to dozens of complaints to the state’s “Scam tracker.”
Officials say criminals will contact you trying to convince you to add a wrapper to your car – promoting a drink or food brand. It may sound like a great gig but the BBB says it’s a con and you could actually end up losing thousands of dollars.
The agency says to avoid becoming a victim to not respond to unsolicited messages.


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So what's new, you ask? Well, Armour Home has just taken on distributuion of all Scandyna products in the UK, including the firm's range of speakers and matching iPod-related electronics.
Scandyna loudspeakers range in price from £289 to £1200, the range including the aforementioned Minipod and the Drop. The company's latest innovation is the V Dock for iPod.
Armour's managing director, Glenn McClelland, says: "The iconic styling and sonic excellence of the Pod loudspeakers is already recognised worldwide, and Scandyna has recently added further innovative and exciting models."
Scandyna, which has been designing and manufacturing loudspeakers since 1967, produces all its models in high-tech factories in Denmark and designated OEM manufacturers in China.


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After importing World War II surplus jeeps from Europe and Japan, MD Juan diversifies into manufacturing of restoration parts for vintage vehicles
By Tina Arceo-Dumlao, Business Editor
Fears of catching the dreaded COVID-19 virus in enclosed spaces such as an airplane cabin have prompted many Americans to scratch their travel itch by getting into their vehicles and exploring the great outdoors.
This trend that emerged over the past two years – when the world struggled to get the COVID-19 spread under control – has been a boon to MD Juan Enterprises.
MD Juan is the pioneer in producing machine-pressed metal parts for both military and civilian jeeps in the Philippines. It recently diversified into the production of 4×4 automotive accessories for the Americans looking to soup up their modern Jeeps for “overlanding.”
MD Juan CEO Rommel Juan explains that overlanding is a new hobby that combines off roading with camping. It was embraced by many Americans who were eager to break free of quarantine measures that were necessary to control the spread of the COVID-19.
Juan says MD Juan, which was established in March 1967 by his grandfather, Maximino, was able to serve this new need because it listened closely to its customers with whom the company has had a long and fruitful relationship.
It was this relationship that enabled MD Juan, which was also hit hard by the lingering pandemic that cut its supply and export chain, to cope and expand its product lineup to include bumpers, roll bars, side bars and even trailers for 4x4s, thus better serving its market.
MD Juan has consequently done better in 2021 than last year as it adjusted to the “new normal.”
“As we are an export company, we experienced difficulties because of the worldwide shipping problem. But we were able to adjust this year by talking and planning with our cusotmers,” Juan said.
He shared that the core business of exporting restoration parts for vintage jeeps – primarily those that figured in World War II – also saw more customers in 2021 as more Americans started restoration projects in their homes instead of going on vacations.
M.D. Juan is the leader in this niche thanks to the vision of Maximino who saw the need for a rugged, light vehicle in the country.
Initially, he imported World War II surplus jeeps from Europe and Japan. Later, MD Juan ventured into manufacturing.
Filipino jeep lovers either refurbished their old jeeps using MD Juan parts, which were also sent to the United States, where many enthusiasts still drive or take care of their vintage jeeps.
Juan says that shipping to the United States, its major export market, remains a challenge because of shipping constraints.
Nevertheless, MD Juan has forged ahead, conquering the peaks and valleys and twists and turns of business, just like the hardy jeep around which it has built its beloved enterprise.


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The long anticipated Renault Alpine Vision Concept has been revealed at an event in Monte Carlo, ahead of it’s public debut at the Geneva motor show next month. The Alpine Vision will kick-start the Alpine brands revival looking towards its formal launch next year.
Designed to rival the likes of the Porsche Cayman, this concept is the latest reiteration for Renault’s sporty sub-brand, as they get closer to their final production model. The Vision concept is “very close to production” according to Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn, with just the wing mirrors and wheels being altered for the production version, which will be revealed later in 2016. Whilst not being a final model, Alpine and Renault bosses do still claim a 0-62mph time in less than 4.5 seconds thanks to it’s lightweight, mid-engined nature.
“High performance, elegant, lightweight car dedicated to driving pleasure in its very purest”, is how Alpine describe the Vision as they seek to put an emphasis on this lightweight, well engineered machine which offers true driving pleasure.
What also makes this concept different to previous iterations is that, for the first time, we are given a glimpse into the Alpine’s space-age cockpit. A blend of carbon fibre, aluminium, leather and fabric combines for a luxurious, sophisticated and modern cabin, which looks to immerse the driver in the experience. This notion is accentuated further with quilted bucket seats, which you are strapped in to with harness seat belts. The buttons and air vents are also illuminated in Alpine Blue.
Despite not going on sale for another year, plans are reportedly in the pipeline for a faster RS version, which means the 250bhp 1.8-litre turbocharged engine would be tuned by Renaultsport to push it past the 300bhp mark. Changes that differentiate the standard model from the hotter Vision include larger air intakes for cooling, larger rear wheel arches, alternate alloy wheels and crosshatched LED headlights.
The standard Alpine Vision is set to cost around £50,000 when it goes on sale in 2017 after its public display at Geneva next month and final production version unveiling towards the end of 2016.


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Chile has become China’s second-largest trading partner in Latin America and the second biggest source of imports.
At a forum hosted by Chile’s Foreign Investment Committee (CIE), Sky Solar director for Latin America Chen Hong revealed the company’s planned operations in Chile.
Trade between China and Chile was expected to hit $35 billion in 2012, boosted by China’s increase in imports and a comprehensive free trade agreement between the two countries.
Chinese ambassador Yang Wanming said Chinese companies are interested in investing in infrastructure and energy in Chile.
Wanming called for greater cooperation between the two countries in green energy and innovation.
China is Chile’s biggest trading partner.
Welcoming Chinese investments in Chile, CIE Vice President Matias Mori said Chile has begun to focus its investment promotion particularly on China since 2010.
Former Chilean President Eduardo Frei, now a senator, also hailed the development of political and economic ties between the two countries.
China and Chile’s FTA, signed in 2005, was effective from 2006, enabling more than 6,000 kinds of Chinese exports goods to have a zero-tariff policy.
With inputs from Agencies


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- Prachi Singh |
The board of directors of Macy's, Inc. has announced a regular quarterly dividend of 37.75 cents per share on Macy's, Inc.’s common stock, payable July 1, 2019, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 14, 2019.
With fiscal 2018 sales of 24.971 billion dollars, Macy’s operates around 680 department stores under the nameplates Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, and nearly 190 specialty stores that include Bloomingdale’s The Outlet, Bluemercury, and Macy’s Backstage. The company’s stores are in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Picture:Macy's media gallery


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JD Wetherspoon wants millions of Brits to start their days at the pub. That is not nearly as debauched as it sounds—the pub-chain operator is making a big push into coffee and breakfast. The company reckons it can triple sales of morning fare over the next year and a half.
Five years ago, the company pushed the opening time for many of its pubs to 7am, although they don’t typically start serving alcohol until at least 9am. The group’s 936 pubs now sell some 50 million coffees and teas, and 24 million breakfasts per year, according to chairman Tim Martin. That’s worth around £150 million ($221 million) in revenue for the group.
Starting next week, the company will “up the ante,” Martin told Reuters, by slashing prices by up to 20% for coffee and breakfast items—a filter coffee with free refills will go for 99 pence at 880 of the group’s pubs. Announced alongside a dip in half-year profit (pdf), Wetherspoon is taking aim at Starbucks (with around 700 stores in the UK), Pret A Manger (around 300), and other chains that derive a big chunk of their business from the morning trade. As Martin puts it, “we have large premises with better facilities than any coffee shop chain and we’re by no means full first thing in the morning.”
This is the latest skirmish in a long-running battle among food and drink purveyors to capture more “day parts.” Just as Wetherspoon pubs are trying to boost their earlier trade with coffee and croissants, Starbucks is trying to attract customers later in the day by serving alcohol.
The need to diversify is particularly important for pubs, as their traditional customers increasingly stay home and buy cheaper drinks from supermarkets, which are in the midst of their own bruising price war. But while asking friends and colleagues to grab an evening drink at Starbucks may sound weird, it probably won’t raise as many eyebrows as suggesting that the best way to get going in the morning is to head to the bar.


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Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill on Tuesday that will keep electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) from selling its cars directly to consumers in the state, home to the biggest U.S. automakers.
China said on Thursday it would punish carmakers by restricting their production and publicly naming them if they fail to meet fuel consumption requirements on passenger vehicles set for 2015.
General Motors Co's (GM.N) global sales rose 2 percent in the third quarter, driven by strong demand in the two largest auto markets in the world, China and the United States.
General Motors Co (GM.N) on Thursday said it is recalling 117,651 newer vehicles in North America because a possible manufacturing defect could cause an electrical short and increase the risk of a crash.
As it strives to energize its Cadillac brand that once led the U.S. luxury auto market, General Motors Co said on Friday it will begin production of a new "top-end, high-technology car" by the end of 2015.
U.S. car manufacturer General Motors Co is recalling hundreds of thousands of cars over a defect in the parking brake that could cause a fire, a letter by the top U.S. auto safety regulator showed.
Lear Corp, a maker of auto seats and electrical power systems, said it would buy automotive leather supplier Eagle Ottawa LLC for $850 million to strengthen its core seating business and boost its luxury seats portfolio.
Auburn Hills, US-based powertrain supplier BorWarner bought Esslingen, Germany-based exhaust gas and thermostat producer Gustav Wahler GmbH & Co KG for an undisclosed sum to strengthen its position in the market.
Boston, Massachusetts-based event management startup Attendware will be rebranding itself as Attend.com as it expands the scope of its solution to online management and analytics for business and university events.
China-based automotive glass supplier Fuyao Glass Industry Co will pour in a $200-million investment to build a manufacturing facility at the former assembly plant of General Motors (GM) in Ohio, US.
China-based car parts conglomerate Wanxiang has sweetened its bid for failed US electric car maker Fisker Automotive in a battle with its rival suitor, Hong Kong-based firm Hybrid Technology.
The officials of Caddo Parish's Industrial Development Board closed the deal on Friday afternoon to acquire the former General Motors (GM) facility from RACER Trust for $7.5 million.
As part of a $1.3-billion investment in five US plants, General Motors (GM) is pouring in $600 million in its oldest assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, to set up a state-of-the-art paint facility and other upgrades.
General Motors Co has not yet arrived at a decision on whether to exit manufacturing in Australia but said government help would be needed for its long-term survival.
The US government has finally sold its last remaining stake in General Motors, the largest automaker in the US in terms of sales, according to a Financial Times report.


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Gartner Group has been shuffling its tarot cards and reached the conclusion that worldwide public cloud services continue to rise, which will reach $260 billion for the year 2017.
The market research firm said that strong SaaS and IaaS performance is driving growth for the calendar year. The latest report projected the market to grow by 18.5 per cent year-on-year to total $260.2 billion, up from $219.6 billion last year.
Gartner research director Sid Nag said the final data for 2016 showed that software as a service (SaaS) revenue was far greater in 2016 than expected, reaching $48.2 billion.
“SaaS is also growing faster in 2017 than previously forecast, leading to a significant uplift in the entire public cloud revenue forecast.”
He said: “Strategic adoption of platform as a service (PaaS) offerings is also outperforming previous expectations, as enterprise-scale organizations are increasingly confident that PaaS will be their primary form of application development platform in the future. This accounts for the remainder of the increase in this iteration of Gartner’s public cloud services revenue forecast.”
SaaS revenue is expected to grow 21 percent in 2017 to reach $58.6 billion, as the acceleration in SaaS adoption can be explained by providers delivering nearly all application functional extensions and add-ons as a service.
The highest revenue growth will come from cloud system infrastructure services (infrastructure as a service [IaaS]), which is projected to grow 36.6 percent in 2017 to reach $34.7 billion.
Gartner still expects growth to even out from 2018 onwards, because it has obtained mainstream status and maturity. Gartner expects 70 percent of public cloud services revenue to be dominated by the top 10 public cloud providers through 2021.
Gartner is forecasting an uptake in public cloud spending and IaaS is going to be the main winner.
It looks like resellers that have taken the effort to specialise in infrastructure as a service (IaaS) are going to be laughing all the way to the bank for the next year or so.
Beancounters at Big G say that IaaS as the main area to benefit from a general upswing in customer spending on public cloud services.
They expect worldwide spending on public cloud services to increase by 18 per cent this year, which equates to $246.8 billion.
The IaaS market is expected to grow by 36.8 percent with SaaS not too far behind with a 20.1 percent. The SaaS market is expected to slow a bit quicker because it is further along in the maturity cycle and a lot of customers are already using HR and sales applications in the cloud.
Customer attitudes towards public cloud have improved as firms like Amazon have been successful at promoting the idea of putting data onto their platforms. Sid Nag, research director at Gartner said that while fears about security are still out there but there is also a pressure towards digital transformation strategies and an acceptance from most users that the public cloud will play some role in their future.
“The overall global public cloud market is entering a period of stabilization, with its growth rate peaking at 18% in 2017 and then tapering off over the next few years,” he said .
“While some organizations are still figuring out where cloud actually fits in their overall IT strategy, an effort to cost optimize and bring forth the path to transformation holds strong promise and results for IT outsourcing (ITO) buyers. Gartner predicts that through 2020, cloud adoption strategies will influence more than half of IT outsourcing deals,” he added.
Although he is not backward about coming forward at the best of times, Oracle Chief Technology Officer Larry Ellison has been talking up his outfit’s Cloud business lately, claiming it is doing rather well because if its SaaS presence.
Ellison claims Oracle’s cloud business is “defying conventional wisdom” by accelerating while it expands and this is because of its presence in the SaaS market where rivals are not competing.
“We think we have a fighting chance to be the first SaaS company to make it to $10 billion in annual revenue,” Ellison said.
Oracle is a number two SaaS vendor and had a total SaaS and PaaS revenue of $2.2 billion during fiscal 2016, up 49 percent from the year before. The top SaaS vendor, Salesforce made $6.67 billion in 2016 and expects its 2017 revenue to be $8.08 billion.
Public cloud IaaS leader Amazon Web Services said in April that it’s on track to hit $10 billion in revenue this year.
The cloud accounted for around eight percent of Oracle’s quarterly revenue, but this business to continue growing even faster in Oracle’s fiscal 2017.
Ellison also said Oracle is seeing “a huge amount of demand” for IaaS from its existing SaaS and database customers, which wish to avoid the data migration costs associated with AWS and other cloud vendors.
Oracle has made significant data centre efficiency advancements and can now offer lower costs, better security and superior reliability than any other provider in the market, he added.
The use of Software as a Service (SaaS) by enterprises is becoming “mission critical”, according to a survey by IT market research company Gartner.
Gartner said that cost and agility are the main reasons for SaaS cloud adoption by enterprises, based on a survey involving four countries in four regions around the world.
Joanne Correia, a research VP at Gartner, said that the most common reasons for using SaaS were to develop and test production and mission-critical workloads.
“We’ve seen a real transition from use cases in previous surveys where early SaaS adoption focused on smaller pilot projects. This is an affirmation that more businesses are comfortable with cloud deployments beyond the front office running sales force automation and email,” she said.
Of those surveyed, 44 percent thought overall cost reduction was the main reason for investment in SaaS. But CIOs and senior IT project managers rated adoption not only because of cost but because of operational agility and giving their businesses an advantage over competitors.
Gartner believes that few enterprises will completely migrate to SaaS and instead will mix that with traditional on premises deployment.
Outside of the USA, many enterprises still worry about security, privacy and “fear of government snooping”.
Traditional on premise deployments will shrink from 34 percent in 2014 to 18 percent by 2017.
A major Chinese IT player – Tencent Cloud – has signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate with IBM to bring Software as a Service (SaaS) for various industries.
Both firms will concentrate on emerging small and medium enterprises in healthcare and other fields.
Tencent Holdings is one of the major providers of internet services in mainland China, and its Cloud division sells to enterprises and developers a number of offerings.
Taosang Tong, a senior executive VP of IBM said: “Tencent has a stable and reliable cloud computing platform, while IBM has abundant industry expertise aimed at the enterprise.”
Nancy Thomas, a managing partner at IBM China said the two companies will bring scale and cost benefits of cloud computing to Chinese enterprises. “The industry dimension makes this especially appealing for businesses,” she said.
Financial considerations were not disclosed.
SaaS firm intY claimed that it has forged a “historic agreement” with the mighty Microsoft related to Office 365. SaaS stands for software as a service.
It will offer what it dubs a recurring revenue resale model to its high volume partners. That means, said intY that its partners can resell rather than just recommend Office 365 – meaning better margins and the ability to sell more services.
Chris Baldock, the chief executive officer of intT, said its major partners had problems with the referral only model. One sticking point was Microsoft’s billing relationship that prevented complementary services being offered by the channel on one invoice.
“This agreement puts our larger channel partners firmly back in the driving seat. They become a reseller with margin and value add.”
Customer adoption, added Baldock, is pretty much reliant on channel partners for migration, support and integration.
So the firm is adding Office 365 for resale in its CASCADE mix.
HP said that its distributor and partner Westcoast will use its Converged Cloud offering to woo the reseller base.
The investment is over £1 million and will mean Westcoast will offer its resellers cloud services, to manage Microsoft Lync, Exchange and SharePoint in the distributors’ IL3 data centre.
The move, said HP, means that Westcoast customers – that is to say its resellers – will be able to use current credit lines as well as take part in a partner programme which includes training and support.
Duncan Forsyth, Westcoast’s MD said that the era of onsite IT is becoming IT in the cloud. “We want to support both,” he said. HP Converged Cloud will let his company deliver IaaS (infrastructure as a service) and SaaS (software as a service) for resellers with a minimal need for capital investment.
The system will effectively be based on HP products including Proliant Bladesystem c7000 enclosures with BL460c Gen 8 blades using Intel Xeon chips. The system will also use SoreServ storage systems, HP tape libraries and HP 5400 Switch series.
HP exec Michael Clifford said that managing and using data centres “frighten many resellers” but using its systems will help resellers to see clearly through the mists of the cloud and offer quality cloud services.
Businesses needing to implement new processes and procedures across different sites may well be thanking their lucky stars today, after German software colossus Software AG unveiled something called Process Live.
Process Live is described as “a cloud based service integrating social collaboration with process improvement”, which loosely means that you can put things like your HR services (contracts, hiring and firing) in the cloud and make them available across different territories – rather than locking them away in separate systems where no one can find what they need.
Being software-as-a-service (SaaS), Process Live is intended to offer Software AG’s customers all the usual benefits of scaling up as well as down, instant switching on and off, and so on.
Singapore-based management consultancy firm, the Litmus Group, is using Process Live and Fabian Erbach, Partner at Litmus quoted by Software AG thus: “Process Live gives us the opportunity to start process improvement projects immediately and to dynamically scale them based on demand and maturity.”
“We are giving access to the speed and accuracy of a process driven business to departments and organisations of any size”, said Software AG CTO Wolfram Jost. “With a fully scalable investment model, business users have direct access to powerful process improvement tools when and for how long they need them – without having to involve the IT department.”
The launch of Process Live took place at Software AG’s user conference, Innovation World, which was held in San Francisco.
Market research company IDC has gazed in its crystal ball or inspected a set of entrails and has concluded that worldwide spending on public IT cloud services will be worth $47.4 billion this year.
And there’s more to come, according to the auspices. By 2017, spending will reach $107 billion meaning that between then and now sales will grow by 23.5 percent, compounded annually.
The analysts believe that cloud services are blowing into a chapter two phase where mobile, social and big data will become interdependent.
Chief IDC diviner Frank Gens calculates thus: “Over the next several years, the primary driver for cloud adoption will shift from economics to innovation as leading-edge companies invest in cloud services as the foundation for new competitive offerings. The emergence of cloud as the core for new ‘business as a service’ offerings will accelerate cloud adoption and dramatically raise the cloud model’s strategic value beyond CIOs to CXOs of all types.”
Virtual private clouds help to persuade organisations that the cloud is not dangerous but instead has a silver lining.
By 2017, according to Gens, public IT cloud services will account for seventeen percent of IT product spend. Software as a service (SaaS) will keep the biggest chunk of the pie, and account for 59.7 percent of revenues in 2017, while fast growing categories include the dreadfully named “platform as a service” (PaaS) and the almost equally gruesome “Infrastructure as a Service” (IaaS) with compound annual growths of 29.7 percent and 27.2 percent.
Cloud integration is one of the hottest tech trends around and spending on cloud-based services is set to continue for years to come.
Ovum predicts worldwide spending on cloud integration platforms will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 31 percent between 2012 and 2018. It is expected to hit $3.7 billion by the end of 2018.
Spending in America will grow at 27 percent, while EMEA should see a rate of 34 percent. Spending on cloud-based integration platforms in the UK and Ireland should grow even faster, at a CAGR of 36 percent, eventually reaching $170 in 2018. Other parts of Western Europe, such as Benelux and DACH regions will grow at 32 and 36 percent.
Ovum senior analyst Saurabh Sharma said the emergence of integration-as-a-service ushers in a new era – “middleware-as-a-service”. He pointed out that such services are focused on enabling faster SaaS integration at a lower cost of ownership, reports Cloud Pro.
“Integration-platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) is an extension of the functionality provided by [integration-as-a-service]. iPaaS solutions enable users to create, manage, and govern integration flows connecting a wide range of applications or data sources,” he said.
Sharma said most organisations originally adopted iPaaS as a tool to achieve SaaS integration, but eventually extended it to on-premise and B2B integration.
Michael Dell’s plan to spin off Dell Inc has hit a serious roadblock.
Last week Carl Icahn revealed he owned a big chunk of Dell and hit out at the original private equity proposal in conjunction with Microsoft and Silver Lake Partners..
And today, it seems, Icahn has stepped up the pressure by threatening it with legal action unless it accepted his plans to pump fresh cash into the multinational.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Icahn has signed a confidentiality agreement with Dell. But, the Journal said, the special committee that Dell set up to consider its future is reluctant to take the Icahn routemap.
Instead, it appears to be hoping that others will come forward to its aid. A number of partners has been slated including Dell rival Hewlett Packard – but it appears unlikely that HP will take a punt.
Meanwhile, business continues as usual, with Dell making a couple of product announcements. It is creating a mobile strategies division that will develop custom applications for corporations, and advise large enterprises about mobility needs.
And it continues to push into the cloud – announcing that Dell Boomi will offer a data management and integration system, using MDM tools based on software as a service (SaaS).


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Nutritional Products International Works With Domestic and International Health and Wellness Brands to Launch Products in the U.S.
Nutritional Products International, which helps health and wellness brands to launch products in the U.S., is building on its strengths for 2022.
NPI’s competitive advantage is its retail sales experience, e-commerce expertise, and innovative approach to product launches.
First, NPI’s CEO and Founder Mitch Gould, a third-generation retail professional, has decades of experience representing Fortune 500 brands and introducing products to American consumers.
“I first learned the retail industry from mentors, and then for more than three decades, I’ve worked with major brands and retailers throughout the U.S.,” Gould added.
During his 30-year career, Gould has expertise spanning several categories of consumer products, including lawn and garden, hardware, sports nutrition, dietary supplements, skincare, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, and beverages.
“There is not a lot in the consumer goods sector that I haven’t sold,” Gould added.
Next, Gould led a “Powerhouse Trifecta” that placed more than 150 brands and even more products with Amazon in the early 2000s when the online giant created a health and wellness category.
The “Powerhouse Trifecta” included Gould, Jeff Fernandez, who was on the team tasked to stock the new health and wellness category, and Kenneth E. Collins, then vice president of operations for Muscle Foods.
“I got involved with e-commerce early on when Amazon started expanding the retail categories that it sold,” Gould said. “Ken and I had contacts with high-quality health and wellness brands, which Jeff was looking to place on Amazon’s virtual shelves.”
The “Powerhouse Trifecta” worked great together, which is why Fernandez is now NPI’s president, and Collins is the company’s executive vice president.
Finally, Gould created a cost-effective and affordable way to launch products in the U.S.
“I developed the ‘Evolution of Distribution” platform, which brings sales, marketing, logistics, and regulatory compliance together under the NPI banner,” Gould said. “Instead of hiring an entire sales staff and a marketing agency, we provide our clients with all the professional services they will need in a product launch.”
This professional trifecta – retail sales experience, innovative approach, and e-commerce expertise – gives NPI’s clients a big advantage when they decide to enter the U.S. market.
“We bring more than 70 years of retail and marketing knowledge to our clients who have developed innovative products. They need NPI to help them figure out how to reach the American consumer,” Gould said. “We work through the day and into the night because our clients can be from anywhere in the world.”
Gould likes to say he wakes up to America and Europe and ends his workday talking to clients in Asia.
With 2022 just days away, Gould and NPI are ready to help brands on any continent who want to expand their distribution in America or launch their latest products.
“I’ve had a great career,” Gould said. “But neither I nor NPI is slowing down. We plan to make 2022 the best year ever.”
For more information, visit www.nutricompany.com.
MORE ON NPI AND ITS FOUNDER
NPI is a privately-held company specializing in the retail distribution of nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, functional beverages, and skin-care products. NPI offers a unique, proven approach for product manufacturers worldwide seeking to launch or expand their products’ distribution in the U.S. retail market.
Mitch Gould, the founder of NPI, is a third-generation retail distribution and manufacturing professional. Gould developed the “Evolution of Distribution” platform, which provides domestic and international product manufacturers with the sales, marketing, and product distribution expertise required to succeed in the world’s largest market — the United States. In the early 2000s, Gould was part of a “Powerhouse Trifecta” that placed more than 150 products on Amazon’s new health and wellness category.
Gould, known as a global marketing guru, also has represented icons from the sports and entertainment worlds such as Steven Seagal, Hulk Hogan, Ronnie Coleman, Roberto Clemente Jr., Chuck Liddell, and Wayne Gretzky.


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Real Handful, the healthy snack brand, has secured two listings with major retailers.
The Cheadle Hulme based start up has agreed to stock its products at Holland and Barrett for 330 of its stores across the UK from the end of February, and the snacks are also set to be listed by online giant, Ocado.
The news follows the successful round of fundraising, which saw Real Handful secure over £100,000 in angel investment.
The fund will allow to expand the team as the business gets set for its ambitious launch strategy.
Founder Joe Taylor said: ‘We’re going to be working incredibly hard to make sure each of customers has a successful launch. We’re particularly excited to be starting with Holland & Barrett: being stocked by such a respected name in the health and wellbeing space brings real credibility.
“Distribution on this scale means anyone across the UK can get their hands on a pack of Real Handful, so there’s a whole new audience for us to introduce the brand to.’’
Holland and Barrett will be stocking three lines from Real Handful’s 2016 six-strong range of fruit and nut blends including Mochaccino, Mixed Berry Crunch and Go-Go-Goji Berries.
Ocado is listing four products: Blood Orange & Dark Choc, Mochaccino, Go-Go-Goji Berries and Blueberry Blitz.
Getting the right mix and quality of ingredients has been a major focus over the last year for Joe, who has collaborated with product developers experienced in working for the likes of PepsiCo and Marks and Spencer.
He said: “We set out to really add value to the healthy snacking space. The final range has been built following extensive consumer testing.
“The message was loud and clear: people are looking for more healthy options but they are not willing to compromise on taste. In addition they’re looking for a more sustained energy boost and the nuts in our mixes help to deliver this too.”
Real Handful was created by Joe and wife and, Carly, who set up the business last May from their kitchen table.
Joe, who gained experience of launching new brands whilst working at innocent drinks, was inspired to start Real Handful following a trip to the Grand Canyon, where trail mix kept his energy levels high.
During the trip he saw that there was a real gap in the UK market for a healthy, balanced but enjoyable snack.
Joe added: “We’ve got great ambitions to make Real Handful available in as many places as possible so of course working with the big boys is something we’re preparing for, but our independent customers will always remain important to us.”


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New figures released by the Commercial Economic Advisory Service of Australia reveal the telemarketing industry rang up sales of $57.6 billion during 1998--up a staggering 75% from 1997.
The largest generator of sales from call centers is the finance sector -- selling banking, insurance and credit cards down the phone. The value of such transactions outstripped traditional call center users such as fast food home delivery services. Australia's Commonwealth Bank alone now handles seven million phone calls a month.
Telemarketing is fast catching up to traditional retailing, which has long enjoyed a firm grip on the nation's purse strings.
According to the Retail Trader's Association, the nation's department stores, boutiques, supermarkets and corner stores sold a total of $92 billion worth of goods during 1998. However, with annual growth of around 4% it's hardly boom times for shop keepers.
"The growth is largely due to the convenience factor--it's much easier to do your banking sitting at home using the telephone," says Peter Abbott, general manager of direct banking at the Commonwealth Bank. "For us it's a lot more cost effective than other forms of marketing. We like to use the call center in conjunction with other marketing tools, such as mobile bankers who go out and visit our customers after they've made a call to the bank."
"A lot of this has to do with the fact people's time is under a lot of pressure and the phone is a way to save time," Mr. Abbott says.
Copyright May 1999, Crain Communications Inc.


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Millennial-focused brand Vice Media is reportedly in talks to purchase Refinery29, a digital media company catered to young women, according to a July 26 report from the The Wall Street Journal.
It’s uncertain whether the outlets will strike a deal, though the merger would join “two of the largest venture-backed media companies in the U.S.,” the Journal‘s Benjamin Mullin reported.
Talks between Vice Media and Refinery29 are reportedly ongoing.
Refinery29 produces a diversity of written and video lifestyle content, including a short-film series titled Shatterbox Anthology, which is focused on increasing opportunities for women in film.
The potential purchase is poised to diversify audiences and revenue streams for the companies, both of which have struggled financially in recent years. Vice laid off 10% of its global workforce in February to focus on film, television production and branded content, while Refinery29 was forced to slash 10% of its staff in October 2018.
Representatives at Vice have declined to comment.


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Sam’s Club, Walmart Inc.’s warehouse store, is raising its entry-level membership fee for the first time in nine years.
The retailer’s basic Club membership will cost $50 as of Oct. 17, up from the current price of $45, Sam’s Club CEO Kath McLay said Wednesday in a message to members. The Plus membership’s fee will rise to $110 from $100, the first increase since that membership tier debuted in 1999.
Sam’s Club is raising the price of membership as customers flock to warehouse stores, which offer wholesale quantities of goods to everyday shoppers, amid the highest U.S. inflation in four decades. To soften the blow, the retailer will return the extra cost to members in the form of Sam’s Cash, its rewards program, for renewals made through mid-October 2023.
“We are mindful of the financial pressure on wallets right now,” McLay said in the letter.
Excluding fuel, comparable sales at Sam’s Club rose 9.5% in the fiscal second quarter, outpacing the 6.5% advance at U.S. Walmart stores. By the same yardstick, Costco Wholesale Corp. has also been making headway, with a 5.8% increase at its U.S. stores in July after double-digit gains the previous two months.
Speculation has abounded that Costco is poised to ratchet up its fees, which are currently $60 for basic membership, while the premium upgrade costs an extra $60. The company last increased the price in June 2017, and Costco has typically raised its fees approximately every five and a half years, chief financial officer Richard Galanti said in March. He didn’t say when the company would raise the fee again.
Brendan Case, Bloomberg


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Château Goulaine, the oldest winery in France and possibly in the world – has been put up for sale. According to the listing, the impressive Loire Valley castle – which hosted the likes of Henri IV and Louis XIV – was built between 1480 to 1520 and it was extended in 1630. The medieval fortress the current building was built on is 1,000 years old, as are the original vaulted cellars.
The château is just 240 miles – or a four hour drive – from Paris and 10 miles away from the city of Nantes. According to Wine Folly, Goulaine produces some Loire Valley white wines including Muscadet and Folle Blanche.
The 20-room building sits on 16 acres of grounds that feature multiple formal gardens as well as a museum and an aviary with butterflies and tropical plants. While its price is currently unlisted it’s safe to assume it’ll be cheaper than some of these New York City listings.


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China’s economic activity has been uneven in the months of January and February, following the reopening of the country after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the country’s industrial output grew by 14.8% in the first two months of the year, but retail sales fell by 5.7% during the same period.
The unevenness in economic activity can be attributed to a number of factors, including the ongoing impact of the pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and a slowing real estate market. China’s economic recovery has been strong since last year, but experts have warned that the country’s growth may start to slow down in 2022.
The government has been taking steps to support the economy, including increasing fiscal spending and cutting taxes. However, there are concerns that the country’s debt levels are becoming unsustainable, and that further stimulus measures could exacerbate this problem.
Despite the challenges facing the economy, China’s leadership remains confident in the country’s long-term prospects. In a recent speech, President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to continue pursuing economic reform and opening up, while also warning against complacency and the dangers of taking economic growth for granted.
As China continues to navigate the post-pandemic economic landscape, the country’s policymakers will face tough decisions about how best to balance short-term stimulus with long-term sustainability. The world will be watching closely to see how they manage this delicate balancing act.


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Realignment and repositioning in Stuttgart
Recaro opens a new chapter
Karosseriewerk Reutter & Co., an auto body plant founded by the Reutter family in Stuttgart in 1906. With the sale of the body plant in 1963, the company’s focus shifted from automobile exteriors to interiors and the seating specialist Recaro (short for REutter CAROsserie) was born. Today, the company is lead by Chief Executive Officer Martin Putsch, a member of the family’s fourth generation.
Through the years, several independent subsidiaries have developed under the Recaro umbrella, distinguishing themselves by their remarkable expertise in seating. Today, Recaro Aircraft Seating as well as Recaro Child Safety belong to the group and are united by Recaro Holding, which, until now, was based in Kaiserslautern. Recaro Holding also owns the worldwide rights to the Recaro brand and is a licensing partner of the company Recaro Automotive Seating, which belongs to the US automotive supplier Johnson Controls since 2011.
In 2012, the Recaro subsidiaries experienced growth over the previous year. The Recaro Group achieved group-wide consolidated sales of over 350 million euros and employed more than 1,800 people worldwide. With the move to Stuttgart, the company is opening a new chapter in its corporate history. “The move is more than just a physical one, but rather an expression of our new orientation as a brand company. The clear orientation towards the Recaro brand is now the fundamental core of our strategy”, explains Martin Putsch. “Stuttgart plays an important role in this. The city is marked by an innovative, internationally-oriented community of small and mid-sized enterprises and, as a major center of technology and design, is the perfect location for us. Last but not least, we are returning to our roots – during Reutter’s founding years, the city provided ideal conditions for innovative companies and for creating networks between business and science.”
Recaro Holding as a forge of ideas
In addition to carrying out the classic functions of a holding company, such as strategic, financial and legal affairs, in the future Recaro Holding will be a forge of ideas, active in brand management, design and innovation management, as well as in the development of new business fields. “We are systematically orienting the company around the brand – and a brand needs substance”, says Putsch. “That’s why we are specifically developing capacity in Recaro Holding, to further develop core Recaro competencies like design and ergonomics and to strengthen enthusiasm for the brand with innovative products.”
A Recaro design center is therefore being created within the holding company. The employees will lay the foundations for the brand’s design language and will support all of the group’s subsidiaries and future licensing partners in product design and development. Another new area within Recaro Holding will be innovation management, which will help ensure that the subsidiaries’ existing innovation management continues to expand, while enabling the entire group to utilize the resulting synergies.
Furthermore, the brand is to be consistently strengthened through the development of new business fields. Recaro experts from the holding company are already intensively working in this area. In a structured and comprehensive process, they investigate and analyze ideas using defined criteria, conduct market research, test market potential and carry out market analyses. Throughout this process, they strive to ensure that the potential business areas under consideration match the competencies and strengths of the Recaro brand. Preparations for the concrete implementation of one or several such new activities will already begin as early as late 2013.
The Recaro Group comprises the independently operating divisions Recaro Aircraft Seating in Schwäbisch Hall and Recaro Child Safety (child car seats) in Marktleugast. The Group’s consolidated sales amounted to more than 350 million euros in 2012. At the end of 2012, the Group employed more than 1,800 employees in 15 locations worldwide.


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Home Secretary John Reid is asking Apple and Sony, and other manufacturers, to join his crime fighting summit.
The summit will look at what manufacturers can do to add "anti-crime" features to their products.
A Blair policy review, released last month, raised the
red herring very clever plan of fingerprint-activated MP3 players - we explain why this is silly a great idea here. Street robberies rose slightly according to Home Office figures. iPods and expensive mobile phones are often blamed for fuelling this growth. iPods and expensive mobile phones are often blamed for fuelling this growth.
Reid, interviewed on Sunday AM, said new gadgets mean criminals move on to stealing new types of products. Which they might continue to do whether the Home Office legislates to make fingerprint-activation compulsory on mobile phones or not.
Asked for one peice of advice for young people carrying such devices Reid said: "The one piece of advice I'd offer is to manufacturers to help us in designing in features to reduce crime." Reid even name-checked the iPhone and said young people should, "Not just look at the call tones and the camera quality but ask how it can prevent people stealing and reselling it." Reid used the example of improvements in switching off stolen mobile phones.
A spokesman for the Home Office told Reuters: "We already have a close working relationship with mobile phone manufacturers. John Reid is likely to approach Apple and Sony in the coming weeks to join this summit."®


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Pac-Man turns 36 this year and they're celebrating the anniversary by bringing the venerable yellow chopper back for more video game action. A new game modeled after the mobile version called Pac-Man 256 will be hitting PS4, Xbox One and PC for Steam on June 21.
You've been given your assignment and the game Hitman expects you to carry it out. Here's the catch: You've only got a week to do it. If you haven't accomplished your "hit" by next Friday, you've failed.
A Battleborn Double XP event will be held from Friday through Wednesday at 8 a.m. Pacific time, for players to earn twice the experience points from all Story Mode episodes and Competitive Multiplayer matches.
With a new partner in tow, The Splashteam has announced their game Splasher will be made for next-gen consoles, as well as PC.
The new action occurs on a mysterious Maine island Fallout 4’s Far Harbor will be available for download worldwide on Xbox One, PS4 and for Steam on PC tomorrow, May 19. According to developer Bethesda Studios, "Far Harbor features the
It's funny how a game tends to be one thing when it is in fact another. One look at SUPERHOT, and you'd be forgiven if it looked like a stylized first-person shooter. Instead what is delivered is one of the
The makers of the Attack on Titan video game coming in August provided two new trailers and a number of screenshots, including the ones you see here. With all the extreme closeup shots they sent, we couldn't resist offering them to you.


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Acer seems to be working on a new tablet behind closed doors. According to Tech Radar, the latest tablet by the company may possibly be the Acer Iconia Tab A220, which is believed to be the tablet in benchmarks.
The tablet is set to be powered by a quad-core 1.3GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, and will run on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. While the benchmarks don't give any information about the screen size of the tablet, the resolution will be 1280 x 752, which hints towards a 7-inch tablet.
The Acer Iconia Tab A220 might be a 7-inch tablet
In October, it was revealed that Acer had delayed its Windows RT tablets. The company is taking its time to see how Microsoft's own tablet - the Surface - will fare. While Acer had initially planned to roll out Windows RT tablets early next year, it has now delayed the shipments till at least the second quarter of 2013, thanks to the mixed reviews for the Surface.
Launched in India in June, the Acer Iconia Tab A510 was launched in the US back in April for $449 that translated to about Rs 24,000. The A510 is competitor to high-end devices. With the Asus Transformer Prime coming in at Rs 50,000, and also featuring a quad-core Tegra 3 SoC processor, Acer just could get a leg up on the competition. The A510’s processor has been clocked to 1.3GHz and will also come with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) straight out of the box with the new ‘Acer Ring’ UI layered on top. It will have an onboard memory of 32GB, which can be further expanded with a MicroSD memory card. With 1GB RAM the tablet should also prove to be a speedy device.
Unfortunately the A510 doesn’t seem to have a standard USB port for thumb drives etc unlike its predecessor which could be a setback for some. Acer has incorporated Dolby Mobile 3+ audio engine with the twin stereo speakers for a better audio experience. The tab also has a 9800mAh battery, which should give users great battery life in comparison to other tablets currently in the Indian market.
Published Date: Nov 10, 2012 15:19 PM | Updated Date: Nov 10, 2012 15:19 PM


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Report: Online Fashion Industry in India Grew By 51 pc In FY21
The online fashion industry in India continues to grow amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with the sector an increase both in volume and value terms.
Ecommerce focused supply-chain SaaS technology platform Unicommerce, in a report titled Fashion E-commerce Report, stated that the online fashion industry continues to grow upwards with order volume growth of 51% and GMV (Gross Merchant Value) growth of 45% in FY21 as compared to the previous financial year.
It added that the growth of the segment is also because of the increased volume growth in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Tier-II locations registered 118% volume growth, whereas Tier-III and beyond destinations registered 192% volume growth.
Kapil Makhija, CEO of Unicommerce, said,
“Fashion segment is one of the biggest contributors to the ecommerce industry of India with the highest order volume. This report sheds light on the changing consumer buying patterns and preferences, rising adoption of D2C and omnichannel and new segments in the online fashion space.”
Online Fashion Report
The report revealed that the brand websites have reported 66% order volume growth and 77% GMV growth in FY 2021, compared to the previous financial year.
Additionally, marketplaces have reported 45% order volume growth and 33% GMV growth for FY-2021 compared to websites.
FY 2021 witnessed the domination of women wear in the eCommerce fashion market and accounted for 50% market share and 30% order volume growth in FY 2021 compared to the previous financial year.
The kids wear segment saw over 200% order volume growth with market share significantly increased to 17% in FY 2021 from 3% in FY 2020, while the menswear segment maintained consistent growth with 37% order volume growth and 33% market share in FY-2021.
The report added that websites are driving fashion growth as fashion brands are investing aggressively to build a stronger direct to consumer presence. The rising adoption of the D2C model amongst fashion brands has helped them build a strong connection with consumers leading to higher growth.
Need legal assistance for your startup? Just contact us.


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Nikkie reports that TSMC will manufacture a 1-inch OLED display for Apple AR devices. The company’s long term supply chain partner will develop the advanced display technology at a secret location, presumably, Apple’s labs in Longtan District in the northern Taiwanese city of Taoyuan.
Currently, Apple uses OLED displays in iPhone 12 line-up and reportedly will launch iPad Pro with new display technology by late 2021. And now the company is working on a micro OLED project which will take years to go into mass production.
Apple AR (Augment Reality) devices to ship with OLED display
Contrary to previous reports that Apple AR glasses and headset will be equipped with Foxconn’s semitransparent lenses, Nikkie claims that Apple has chosen the Taiwanese semiconductor manufacture to develop an ultra-advanced display for its AR devices.
“Panel players are good at making screens bigger and bigger, but when it comes to thin and light devices like AR glasses, you need a very small screen,” said a source who has direct information on the micro OLED R&D project. “Apple is partnering with TSMC to develop the technology because the chipmaker’s expertise is making things ultra-small and good, while Apple is also leveraging panel experts’ know-how on display technologies.”
Being developed at Apple’s secretive labs in Taiwan, the micro OLED display is at the trial production stage, but it is said that it will take a long time for the technology to go into mass production. And the TSMC will use some of its current “chip-production equipment and processes.”
Eric Chiou, a veteran display analyst at research agency TrendForce, told Nikkei that Micro OLED could be the most ideal display technology for next-generation AR displays as it can make a display ultra-small, reducing the overall weight of the device, but also comes with high-resolution. “The technology is a mix of semiconductor and display manufacturing know-how,” Chiou said.
“However, it is currently in its early stage of development. It is not likely Apple could immediately introduce its self-developed technology into its first AR products in one to two years,” the analyst added.


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Texas advertising firm jumps into the marijuana market
While they won’t be getting any customers in Texas, Smoke Signal Advertising, located in Tyler, plans to work with cannabis stores to help guide them through the onerous regulations surrounding advertising in the new industry.
“The advertising laws and regulations are very complex,” firm Principal Kamren Scott told WOAI. “They are different in every state and it is going to be very difficult for all these new businesses to get through all that, so that is our expertise.”
“There are a few other advertising companies that are doing this, but the field is so new there are not many,” she said. “They are just starting out, like we are.”
The four person firm is studying the various laws in both medical and fully legal states. Right now that means they can do business in 32 states, and Texas isn’t one of them.
In a state like Colorado, it is illegal to advertise on radio, television, online, and in most print publications, restrictions which are being challenged in court as a violation of the First Amendment, unless a company can prove that no more than thirty percent of the targeted audience is under the age of 21.
This does not apply to medical dispensaries though, only legal shops.
Listen to our podcast at txcann.podomatic.com
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- Seniors pack in medical marijuana forum in Sun City Texas - February 13, 2018


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ABN AMRO will give customers the option to pay with Google Pay via the bank’s app in the second quarter, the bank announced on Tuesday.
“With Google Pay, customers will soon be able to quickly and easily make purchases in stores, in apps and on websites via their Android phone within the ABN AMRO app, without additional costs,” said the bank.
According to the bank, customers are in great demand for mobile payment options that work on the Android operating system. Google previously announced that the need to pay digitally and contactless in stores has increased due to the corona pandemic.
Bunq, N26 and Revolut were the first banks to offer Google Pay in the Netherlands in November. Through these online banks, Google Pay can already be used in all shops that accept payments with Mastercard and Visa.
The Google Pay app is not yet available in the Netherlands. Instead, the payment service is integrated into the apps of the respective banks.


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EGT Digital’s games are live on one more of the top betting sites in Serbia: www.admiralbet.rs. Its visitors now can dive into the fascinating world of Bell Link, High Cash, Clover Chance and Single Progressive Jackpot.
Tsvetomira Drumeva, Head of Sales at EGT Digital, shared: “Thanks to our collaboration with Admiralbet we have the opportunity to present our high-quality gaming content to the customers of one of the most prominent online casinos in the country and strengthen our positions on the local market, while at the same time supporting the operator to gain even more popularity among Serbian players.”
Milan Djurmez, Head of Online Gaming at AdmiralBet Serbia, also commented positively the cooperation with the Bulgarian provider: “EGT Digital’s titles very quickly won the hearts of our customers and are currently among the most preferred on our site, which is not surprising given the success of EGT’s land-based products. We look forward to trying their next proposals.”