text:
Hong Kong scientist behind Sophia the robot sets sights on artificial intelligence app store
Hanson Robotics chief scientist Ben Goertzel sets up Swiss non-profit to bring together AI and blockchain in cloud marketplace
One of the scientists behind the headline-grabbing robot Sophia is now focusing on creating an app store for artificial intelligence (AI).
Ben Goertzel, the chief scientist at Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics, the company behind Sophia, has cofounded SingularityNET, a Swiss non-profit that hopes to bring together AI and blockchain technology in a marketplace in the cloud.
The company aims to let AI developers upload their work to the cloud, where it can then be tapped by others for adding capabilities to robots such as Sophia. Blockchain is the technology used for verifying and recording transactions that is at the heart of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.
“It will be a decentralised app store for AI,” said Goertzel. “The idea behind it is that anyone can put their AI online, on our app store, and then any business that needs AI as a service can buy it from the store.”
As the site is run by blockchain technology, customers pay for the different AI applications using cryptocurrencies.
For instance, you are a children’s toymaker who has created a walking toy bear that you need to move around and avoid obstacles. Instead of taking on the costly task of developing your own proprietary AI code, you would turn to SingularityNET and purchase that piece of AI straight from the cloud.
Goertzel hopes to do for AI what Apple’s App store and Google’s play store did for smartphone apps.
Which is where Sophia comes in.
“She’s a test case,” said Goertzel. “If you ask her a question about something she doesn’t know about, she could [send a ] request to SingularityNET, which knows the answer.”
Sophia has addressed the United Nations on the benefits of artificial intelligence, and has been given citizenship by Saudi Arabia, becoming the first robot to receive the citizenship of any country.
Goertzel said German car maker Audi has been working with Sofia, so that she can be used as a salesperson in its showrooms.
Although billed by Hanson Robotics as true AI, analysts say Sophia is closer to a chatbot, piecing together phrases looking for context, rather than “genuine” AI – meaning the likelihood of it suddenly being in your local Audi showroom is still a few years out.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post last week, Sophia’s answers were hit-and-miss to say the least. When asked if she would engage in a game of rock, paper scissors it replied: “Well how many languages do you speak?”
“She is piecing together phrases according to their context,” said Goertzel, “but she doesn’t understand everything she’s saying.”


text:
09 August, 2023
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) have recently released the results of their annual crime survey. The survey, which was conducted between 13th February and 31st March 2023, examines the incidents and cost of crime experienced by convenience retailers over the past 12 months. Here’s what they found:
The vast majority of retailers surveyed (79%) say they believe the cost of living crisis has led to an increase in theft. More than 1.1 million incidents of shop theft were reported in the past year. Crime against convenience stores costs the industry more than £125 million, or £2,574 per store. Consumers are effectively paying a crime tax of at least 6p per transaction.
This figure doesn’t reflect the additional investment convenience retailers have made in crime prevention in 2022. More than £ 228 million has been spent on safety measures in the last year, or £4,698 per store.
Crime not only takes a toll on businesses financially; it can have a negative impact on their staff as well. As Jenny Alleyne, Co-op, Head of Operational Risk & Compliance, says in the report, “The increase in prolific and persistent offenders across retail is having a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of our colleagues as they strive to run brilliant stores in local communities. The fatigue from this persistent pressure from thieves leaves colleagues frustrated, helpless and feeling tense in their working environment.”
According to the report, there were more than 41,000 incidents of violence reported in the sector, including more than 8,800 incidents of robbery. 13% of these incidents resulted in injury. These incidents are often triggered by staff encountering shop thieves, attempting to enforce age-restricted sales policies or a refusal to serve intoxicated customers. 25% of retail workers believe that incidents of violence have increased in the past 12 months. Knives were present in 44% of all violent incidents, 55% other weapons (axes, syringes, hammers) were present, and firearms were present in 1% of all instances.
Incidents of anti-social behaviour are another area of concern. 87% of workers have experienced verbal abuse in the past year, and 759,000 incidents of verbal abuse were recorded in 2022. More than a third (34%) of these incidents were hate-motivated.
The report states while violent incidents have decreased since the pandemic, “levels of violence remain unacceptably high”.
Customers have been impacted negatively as well as 36% of customers have witnessed incidents of violence or abuse towards staff. More than a third of customers have stated they feel more anxious when they shop.
While a significant number of incidents are opportunistic in nature, 65% of retailers believe that incidents involving organised crime groups have increased in the past year as well. There have been more incidents of distraction theft (59%), gangs targeting local sites (36%), coordinated shop theft (27%), distribution fraud (14%) and theft from delivery vehicles as well (14%).
At the same time, not all retailers report crime. Only 16% of all retail crime is reported to the police due to the:
Many retailers are taking a proactive stance to protect their business. As the report states, “Every pound invested by a business in preventing crime increases the feelings of safety and positivity among local citizens about their communities.”
The top security measures implemented include:
The report makes several recommendations to retailers in order to manage crime, including:
Crimes against convenience stores are still increasing, including theft, violent incidents, and anti-social behaviours. Moreover, retailers are losing faith in the police when it comes to combating these incidents, taking a more proactive approach to protecting their cash, goods, customers and staff.
By installing physical security measures, investing in additional staff training, and adding security screens, alarms and CCTV, convenience retailers can decrease the risk of becoming a target for both opportunistic and organised criminals.
Safetell has decades of experience in the convenience retail sector and is a leading provider of state-of-the-art security solutions tailored for various sectors.
We offer materials and sizing options that cater to the specific needs of convenience retailers, ensuring a level of protection for staff while maintaining seamless day-to-day interactions between staff and customers and serving as a powerful visual deterrent against criminal activities, such as robbery and burglary threats.
In particular, SafeShield Specialist Glazing is a robust and secure product designed to provide high-level protection for counters and similar spaces in convenience stores. Its key features include a reinforced steel frame and fully welded joints and components, ensuring exceptional durability and strength. The glazing is available in various levels of attack resistance, providing customizable security options to suit different needs. The product boasts an aesthetically thin profile design, integrating well with the surrounding environment.
One of its standout security features is the inclusion of secure anti-tamper glazing beads, preventing unauthorised access and tampering attempts. The integrated security door, complete with integral closers and high-specification Digi locks, further enhances the protective capabilities of the system. A significant advantage of SafeShield Specialist Glazing is its versatility, as it can be easily fitted to both new and existing counters, making it a convenient and adaptable solution for enhancing security in a wide range of settings.
Convenience stores can also use SafeShield UL Security Glazing to protect their staff, cash and high-value products. SafeShield UL Security Glazing is a highly customizable and versatile security product designed to protect and enhance the security of counters in various settings. One of its key strengths is its ability to accommodate multi-tiered and uniquely shaped counterwork, making it suitable for a wide range of client premises with diverse corporate requirements. The product’s flexibility allows it to be tailored to fit almost any shape and size, ensuring a perfect match for specific security needs.
The glazing facilitates secure transactions through vertical or horizontal transaction gaps between the glazing base and the counter surface, ensuring a seamless interaction with customers while maintaining a high level of protection.
Although no security measure can guarantee the prevention of armed robberies or thefts, Safell’s solutions significantly reduce the likelihood of such events occurring. Thieves are discouraged from smash-and-grab tactics, preventing quick getaways with valuable merchandise. In addition to preventing merchandise or cash loss, Safetell’s screens create a safer and more secure environment for both employees and customers. This minimises the potential for violent incidents and avoids associations with violent crime.
If you believe that your store could benefit from security screens, partitioning, or doors, reach out to Safetell without delay. Our expertise in the industry enables us to provide top-notch solutions that meet your needs and deliver the protection you need. Let Safetell help you safeguard your business and assets effectively.

domain: news


text:
MUSCLE SHOALS — A retail incentive package originally designed to bring national chain stores to the Wilson Dam Highway area in Muscle Shoals may be expanded.
Gregg Pounders, president of Pounders and Associates, a commercial real estate firm in the Shoals, asked the City Council to consider applying the existing retail incentive package to his development project on Woodward Avenue.
The current incentive package allows for splitting non-education sales taxes generated by a national retailer or restaurant chain that locates near Wilson Dam Highway. Pounders is in the process of refurbishing the Save-A-Lot shopping center on Woodward Avenue to house a 13,500-square-foot Goody’s department store. There are two additional retail spaces that are currently not rented.
Pounders is seeking 50 percent of the city’s 3.5 percent sales tax on revenue generated by Goody’s as a developers incentive.
City Council President Jim Holland said the council would likely discuss expanding the incentive package to other retail corridors in the city instead of approving “spot zoning” changes.
“If we do anything, we need it to be citywide,” Holland said.
According to sales projections provided by Pounders, Goody’s is expected to generate $63,000 in sales tax revenue its first year. That would mean Pounders, as the developer, and the city would each receive $37,645 in sales tax revenue.
In the 10-year projection, Pounders anticipates receiving $344,916 from the sale tax incentives.
Councilman Joe Pampinto agreed the council should look at expanding the parameters of the current incentives to attract more national businesses to Muscle Shoals. Bringing a national chain restaurant to the city has long been a goal of city officials.
“How we are going to apply the incentives needs to be looked at,” Pampinto said. “There are too many empty buildings all over.”
The council will likely address Pounder’s request at its Jan. 22 meeting. Pounders said the Goody’s store would bring 20 jobs to Muscle Shoals.
Pounders and Associates purchased the four-unit shopping center during the summer from a New York real estate investment firm. Pounders said he plans to completely renovate the three currently unoccupied spaces.
“I refer to it as the old Kroger building,” he said. “I hope to never refer to it as that again, but until we refurbish it, it is going to look like a grocery store.”
Jennifer Edwards can be reached at 256-740-5754 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
The retailer or restaurant must locate near the Wilson Dam Highway corridor.
Retailers and restaurants must be part of a national chain and must provide the nature and history of their businesses, including the number of years in business, information about other locations, financial strength and projected employment.
The retailer or restaurant must have a minimum of $1.2 million in gross annual sales.
Credits will not exceed 50 percent of the sales tax generated to the city.
The total of all monetary incentives of a proposed project will not exceed $1 million over a 10-year period.
Source: Pounders and Associates


text:
The world of 3D printing materials alone is vast, wondrous, and inspiring—and it continues to expand in parallel with the exploration and innovation of users who often refuse to accept limits for their designs. High-performance polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyaryletherketone (PAEK) polymer solutions are materials being used more often for industrial applications too in additive manufacturing, adapted from their initial uses in traditional technology like machining and injection molding.
Now, the UK-headquartered Victrex, a leader in developing and supplying both PEEK and PAEK, has announced the release of VICTREX AM™ 200 filament. This PAEK filament will be distributed by INTAMSYS, China, as they continue to widen their range of offerings to customers engaged in using 3D design software and AM processes. As a manufacturer of 3D printers centered around using materials like PEEK and PAEK, INTAMSYS will be the first company to play a role in the Victrex filament fusion network.
INTAMSYS is known for working with clients in a variety of applications, to include the following:
- Oil and gas
- Medical sector
The new PAEK filament is meant to be versatile and able to hold up in rigorous environments, featuring:
- High-wear resistance
- High-temperature resistance
- Fatigue resistance
- Corrosion resistance to fluids and chemicals
- Design freedom
- Greater efficiency and affordability in production
Although Victrex has been a leader within the materials industry for almost 30 years, we have followed their dynamic process in research, enormous investment into new technology, and ongoing development of stronger PAEK materials. Over time, their goal has been to produce a new line of materials able to stand up to the needs of customers creating parts (not just prototypes) for critical applications where there often is no room for error.
“This new generation of Victrex additive manufacturing PAEK filament represents an important step forward for Victrex and we are excited now to work closely with INTAMSYS,” said Jakob Sigurdsson, Victrex CEO. “Due to excellent cooperation with companies and institutions that pursue innovation in additive manufacturing, such as INTAMSYS, as well as Victrex´s continued research, we have been making sustained progress toward creating truly innovative components based on the design freedom of additive manufacturing, combined with the high performance of PAEK polymers.”
Specifically optimized for AM processes, the PAEK material is meant for high-performance parts. And while previously PEEK material meant for injection molding may have presented challenges with bonding and adhesion, the new filament offers up to 80 percent greater strength and impressive FFF 3D printing adaptability.
“Our test results to date have shown that the VICTREX AM 200 filament has a better interlayer adhesion than other PAEK materials on INTAMSYS´ machines. Compared with unfilled PEEK, it is designed with slower crystallization, lower melt temperature, and a viscosity finetuned to the filament fusion process, such as easier flow in the build chamber after leaving the nozzle. Higher flow in open air (low shear rates) also promotes interlayer bonding and stability during printing,” said Charles Han, Founder and CEO at INTAMSYS.
“All of this contributes to an improved interlaminar adhesion, easier printing (less shrink and warp), and a better suitability for FDM 3D printing, compared to other similar options, based upon the testing we have done at INTAMSYS up to this point.”
Testing has been performed by INTAMSYS engineers on a variety of 3D printers, including the smart dual nozzle FUNMAT PRO 410 3D printer—able to print with PEEK, PEEK-CF, PEKK, PC, PC-ABS and other high-performance materials. See the data from the tests below.
You May Also Like
3 Key Indicators of Great Company Culture
Additive manufacturing is not immune to the thread that binds a team or company together. A thread better known as ‘company culture.’ Each business has one, each one is different....
3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup: March 21, 2021
We’ve got over ten different webinars, online trainings, and virtual events to tell you about in this week’s roundup, covering topics from 3D modeling and electroplating to 3D scanning and...
3D Printing Webinar and Virtual Event Roundup: March 13, 2021
From a new 3D printer and the future of industrial 3D printing to the hazards of AM fumes, a lot of different topics are being covered in the webinars and...
3D Printing News Briefs, February 27, 2021: Zortrax, Fictiv, Bluestreak I Bright AM, nTopology & KW Micro Power
In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, Zortrax announced that it’s lowering the price on one of its 3D printers. Moving on to business, Fictiv is welcoming two new members to...
View our broad assortment of in house and third party products.


text:
GM just officially dropped its support of a lawsuit looking to roll back emissions rules.
GM has abruptly dropped its support for a lawsuit challenging the authority of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to put forth its own vehicle emissions requirements, distinctly separate from those set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. CARB is the only organization with the ability to set its own emissions standards, although there are more than a dozen other states that have opted into following CARB's regulations instead of the EPA's.
The move makes some sense given GM's renewed focus on pure-electric propulsion, which calls for the introduction of multiple brand new pure-electric vehicles like the GMC Hummer and Cadillac Lyriq - vehicles that could give the automaker a leg up in meeting CARB's stricter emissions standards. A statement from the company, however, made it sound more like a simple change of heart inspired in part by the coming change in presidential administrations.
"We believe the ambitious electrification goals of the President-elect, California, and General Motors are aligned to address climate change by drastically reducing automobile emissions," GM's CEO, Mary Barra, said in a statement. "To better foster the necessary dialogue, we are immediately withdrawing from the preemption litigation and inviting other automakers to join us."
GM is just one of over a dozen automakers to have signaled their support for the Trump administration's lawsuit challenging the legality of CARB's arrangement - a list that also includes Toyota and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Apart from stripping CARB of its power to set its own emissions regulations, creating a single unified nationwide standard, the lawsuit sought to freeze national fuel mileage requirements at their current level rather than allowing them to continue increasing aggressively to 36 miles per gallon by 2025.
As proudly and often as GM touts its "zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion" mission, the company's support for the Trump administration's suit reflect the realities of where the company is today. Some of the hottest properties in the GM portfolio - trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado and SUVs like the all-new GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade - happen to be quite large, heavy vehicles with available V8 power. The small-block has gotten almost impossibly power-dense and efficient in recent years, but that hasn't stopped GM from consistently being one of the lowest-ranked major global automakers in terms of average fuel economy.


text:
In a move to step up competition in the tablet market, Microsoft (MSFT) is planning to launch a cheaper Surface tablet after failing to attract consumers with original Surface RT. However, it is still unclear how Microsoft intends to outrun other dominant players including Apple (AAPL) and Google’s (GOOGL) Android.
The Surface RT tablet was launched in 2012, but it failed largely as it ran Windows RT, which is a watered-down version of Windows. Not only was the operating system tremendously confusing, it also lacked enough apps. At a price tag of $499, consumers had better alternatives available in the market. Meanwhile, Surface Pro, which came with a full version of Windows, came with a higher price tag of $799.
Microsoft is currently mulling a tablet priced around $400, which is expected to hit the market in the second half of 2018, according to the Bloomberg. The tablet is likely to come with a 10-inch screen with 20% of the device’s weight cut down. It will also feature Intel (INTC) processor and graphics chips, LTE support, USB-C connectivity, better battery life, Windows 10 Pro, and 64 or 128 GB storage with 200 GB expandable microSD slot.
Microsoft is currently mulling a tablet priced around $400, which is expected to hit the market in the second half of 2018.
In comparison, Apple’s iPad comes with a 9.7-inch screen, iOS 11.3 operating system, A10 fusion chipset, 2GB RAM, 32 or 128 GB flash memory, LTE support, 8MP rear camera, 1.2MP front-facing camera, and 32.4 Wh Li-Ion battery.
Meanwhile, the Surface tablets, which can also act as mini-laptops, are expected to face stiff competition from Google’s Chromebook as well. Surface devices had a lackluster 2017 due to an aging Surface Pro line, which led to a lower volume of sales. For the past four quarters, Microsoft Surface hardware business made only $4.4 billion in revenue, while Apple iPad generated about $20 billion with about 44 million sales volumes.
Elastic N.V. (NYSE: ESTC), the company that pioneered enterprise search technology, has been thriving on the growing adoption of its products while innovating the portfolio. A steady improvement in revenue
Investing in the equity markets is not easy if you are trying to identify individual stocks for long-term gains. It is even more difficult if you are eyeing investments in
PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) reported second quarter 2020 earnings results today. Revenues declined 3.1% to $15.9 billion. Reported EPS fell 18% to $1.18 while core EPS amounted to $1.32. Due


text:
VIRGINIA CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY (CIT), UPS, DRONEUP, AND WORKHORSE GROUP TEST UNMANNED SYSTEMS FOR CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE
Herndon, VA, April 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) recently partnered with UPS’s (NYSE:UPS) drone delivery subsidiary UPS Flight Forward (UPSFF) and drone technology companies DroneUp and Workhorse Group (NASDAQ: WKHS) in tests designed to determine how unmanned aerial systems can assist medical professionals in their fight to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.
“I am encouraged to see so many private sector partners stepping up and thinking innovatively as we work together to combat COVID-19,” said Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. “Drones can be an important way to deliver medical supplies while people stay home to adhere to our social distancing guidelines. Virginia is well-positioned to be a leader in the unmanned system industry, and we are pleased to be part of this initiative.”
Press release here: http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/04/21/2019373/0/en/VIRGINIA-CENTER-FOR-INNOVATIVE-TECHNOLOGY-CIT-UPS-DRONEUP-AND-WORKHORSE-GROUP-TEST-UNMANNED-SYSTEMS-FOR-CORONAVIRUS-RESPONSE.html
CIT Press 2020-2021


text:
Top-of-the-page banner ads don't have the greatest reputation in terms of moving the sales needle, so why not see if they work better affixed at the bottom of the screen? LG has been testing GumGum's In-Screen Ads unit, which does just that (and is being announced today by the tech vendor). The appliance brand saw a click-through rate of 2.1 percent—or up to nearly 30 times higher than what's considered the industry average—during a nine-week campaign that ended last month.
The ads performed well to promote the company's TurboWash machine on dozens of sites and blogs such as The Daily Beast, Pretty Prudent, Gadget Review, and Happy Housewife, per David Vanderwaal, LG's director of brand marketing, home appliances. His company is now using the ad unit to push the LG G2 smart phone through the end of the month.
"In-screen advertising allows [our brand] to be near content that's highly viewable online and that consumers will take notice of," Vanderwaal said.
Utilizing responsive design technology, the GumGum's promos are assembled to display attractively across desktop and mobile devices. Though LG's effort is only running desktop-based ads at the moment. "We may explore using mobile and tablet versions in the future," Vanderwaal explained.
The user experience around In-Screen Ads is fairly interesting. When viewers scroll a page, the ad stays put across the bottom of the screen and can include multimedia functions such as video overlays. GumGum also offers audience targeting with the units.
"Though we don't have any research at this time that shows that these type of ad units have more branding power, in my opinion, I do believe that the unique positioning of the ads affixed to the bottom of screens of all sizes makes them significantly more noticeable and more memorable to users than a typical banner unit," said Mark Nester, director at MindShare, the agency behind the LG work.


text:
ORLANDO, Fla. - An Oviedo family blames a portable storage company for thousands of dollars in damages after it accidentally crushed their belongings.
Portable storage units are very popular now but the fine print in the contracts could really cost you.
Action 9's Todd Ulrich took their case to the company for answers and results.
Pod had crashed some 30-feet to the floor with their belongings inside.
“Everything was basically smashed,” said Efrain Rivera.
Rivera and his wife rented a portable storage unit from
Pods in Longwood. They loaded it and paid the company to move and store it at the Pods warehouse.
Later they received a call from
Pods about the forklift accident.
“When I saw all those pictures again, it broke my heart again,” said Lydia Rivera.
broken sofa table, broken plates and framed art. Six months later, the family claims the Pods insurance company only offered to pay $2,700 after they documented more than $8,000 in damages.
"My position is you dropped it so you should be taking care of it,” said Efrain Rivera.
He said a manager told him the insurance he purchased through
Pods had "minimal coverage" even when the company was at fault.
“The territory manager just stopped returning calls or emails,” said Rivera.
Pods does have an A rating at the Better Business Bureau but there are also more than 300 complaints, many involving disputes over damage and insurance.
Like moving companies, storage company insurance usually offers minimal coverage and the contract limits their liability.
“Consumers should be aware of what the insurance they are purchasing will actually cover,” said BBB President Judy Pepper.
Pods told Ulrich it has a consumer support team to review the complaints and customer satisfaction is a priority.
“They break our stuff and they don't respond,” said Rivera.
Three days after Action 9 contacted Pods, the company said Efrain Rivera will now be covered for the total amount requested.
With any mover or storage company, the basic insurance offers minimal protection. Consider an upgrade.


text:
Popular Retailer Could Close All Colorado Stores
Since the rise of online shopping, we have all noticed that major retailers are struggling to keep up. There have been discussions for many years about whether or not brick-and-mortar stores and retailers will survive through this transition period and the habits of Colorado shoppers.
Have you been to a mall lately? It’s a lot more empty and we continue to see stores shut down. Another store could be shut down in 2024 that happens to be an American staple.
Macy’s in Colorado: What Is the Future?
Macy’s is continuing to shut down locations and lay off their employees. Macy’s just announced that five more locations will be closing soon. The most recent shutdowns will not be in Colorado however, by looking at the rates of store closures, closure in Colorado is imminent.
I will admit that I do love online shopping, but I do appreciate the experience of buying clothes, household goods, and other things for my home. Hope these stores don’t shut down because it is a good experience.
Last year, the iconic Sears store at Foothills Mall shut down after 50 years and unfortunately, this is a growing trend across Colorado in the entire country.
History of Macy’s in Colorado
How many Macy’s are there in Colorado? There are 11 Macy’s stores in Colorado. Four years ago, 14 Colorado Macy’s stores either were shut down or revamped.
Will Macy's transition to online only? It is a possibility. Would you continue to shop at Macy's if it was online only? It would be interesting to see.
Big Brands Closing Locations in 2024
Gallery Credit: Billy Jenkins
We Asked AI to Recreate Popular Colorado Places. This it What We Got
Gallery Credit: Matt Sparx


text:
World demand for refrigerated display cases is expected to increase 4.2 percent per year through 2020 to $7 billion, according to a new research of the Freedonia Group.
Commercial refrigeration equipment is predominantly utilized in food and beverage-related applications, so anticipated growth in foodservice revenues and food and beverage manufacturing output will be the most important drivers of demand gains.
Regulations play a key role
Changing refrigerant regulations will play a key role in equipment sales going forward. Most of the world’s major markets will be at least moderately affected by a required shift in use to more environmentally friendly coolants. The utilization of new refrigerants impacts demand for both equipment and parts. Equipment sales are boosted when owners replace older products with units that operate on the new refrigerants, while parts suppliers benefit when existing equipment is retrofitted to be compatible with these refrigerants.
A number of new regulations are expected to take effect around the world by 2020, and investment in new refrigeration equipment will increase as owners begin to replace older units. Specific regulations coming into force include:

yearly reductions in the allowable amount of R-22 produced in or imported to the US, with the refrigerant being completely phased out in 2020

the elimination of HFC refrigerants with a global warming potential of 2,500 or more in the EU by 2020

the phased reduction in use of HCFC refrigerants in Article 5 (developing) countries of the Montreal Protocol by 2030

Developing nations see fastest demand growth
The fastest increases in refrigeration equipment demand will be recorded in the world’s developing nations. These countries typically have underdeveloped food and beverage industries and a low installed base of commercial refrigeration equipment. In addition, rising personal income levels in these countries will allow a larger share of households to afford refrigerators and freezers. Commercial equipment demand in food retail outlets will increase as purchases of refrigerated food products climb. More meals purchased outside the home will also increase the need for related commercial refrigeration equipment at foodservice establishments. Among developing nations, India, China, and Indonesia will record the fastest gains through 2020.

Source: www.freedoniagroup.com


text:
Zomato Faces Backlash in Tamil Nadu; #RejectZomato trending on Twitter
Autoplay Next Video
19 OCTOBER 2021 02:42 IST | ENGLISH | GENERAL AUDIENCE
Zomato has received backlash on social media after one of its Tamil Nadu customers was asked to learn Hindi, reigniting the Language debate in the country. Amid the incident, the customer sparked a Twitter storm yesterday. During a chat, a food delivery executive for the company allegedly asked the customer to learn Hindi because it is a national language. Meanwhile, Zomato clarifies that the employee was terminated due to a lack of respect for our diverse culture.
In Tamil Nadu, major political parties, including the ruling DMK, have also slammed Zomato for the incident.
To get the full story, watch the video.


text:
Samsung and Billboard are all set to have an immersive collab to reveal the Songs of Summer chart 2021, which will be returned to a billboard on its official website in 2022. The collaboration will take its wrap on July 9 with a virtual concert, and live stream on July 16 at 3 pm ET.
Summer tracks can swoon anyone over, be it a teen or old man, everyone’s eagerly awaiting the top-notch songs for this summer to gear up their summer parties. To make their choices even better and simpler, the Summer chart is all set to introduce 20 position songs for the Summer. The rankings will be based on cumulative performance on a weekly performance basis and many other factors like sales and play records. The results will be taken from memorial day, June 12 to Labour Day, September 11. In the end, the entire cumulation of the data will provide the top 100 hits for the Summer chart.
The virtual concert will be headlined by Saweetie and Justine Skye which is premiering on July 16 at 3 pm on Billboard .com.
Samsung Galaxy users have an edge over other users as they will have free access to the virtual concert, while others need to pay $10 for the same. Samsung users can use the video in their apps to get the access code and can stream on their devices or connected devices. Other users will get paid access to the tickets and can view the concert on any platform like desktops, TVs, or any other device.
The Billboard Hot 100 is currently ruled by Saweetie and has the highest success on the charts presented by billboard. Apart from that, Doja cat “Best Friend” is in the ranking of 14 and is also working on the recent album, ” Pretty Bitch”. Justin Skye is also set with her third album the Timbaland and is skyrocketing the charts of the Billboard in no time. The song was produced by Space & Time on June 25.
The concert will be a wrap-up party to the teamwork presented by Billboard and Samsung to bring forward the summer charts for the people. Samsung Galaxy owners did enjoy the early access to the charts and now can enjoy the virtual concert which is all set to break records.
Many songs made their debut on the charts of the billboard, but one that made their mark with over three weeks of constant success was BTS “Butter”. The song by BTS was at No. 1 position for almost three weeks with no sign of going downtown any earlier. This success marked the song as a 2021 summer hit after a rigorous tally.
For 2020, DaBaby’s ” Rockstar ” led the No. 1 position after the battle of 15 weeks. The song features Roddy Rich and stays as the hit for 2020.
So, get ready. Saweetie and Justine Skye are set to take the National Sawdust in Brooklyn, New York, on July 9. Viewers can live stream the concert which will be available free on July 16 for Samsung users. This celebration will be filled with exclusive rewards and immersive events followed by the virtual concert.


text:
The average teen sends and receives more than 3,000 texts per month.
Who says teens don't communicate?
They do. They just don't do it out loud.
Americans between the ages of 13 and 18 send and receive an average of 3,339 texts a month, according to research by the Nielsen Co. That's about six for every hour they're awake.
If your head is spinning, you may want to sit down. Teen boys apparently send and receive an impressive 2,539 texts a month, but the report reveals teen girls are almost twice as busy, sending and receiving an average of 4,050 texts per month.
More than 4,000 texts. PER MONTH.
Scholarships paid for most of the cost of attending a very expensive university. Here's how she found them and successfully applied.
I'm a graduate of the George Washington University, a school now known as the most expensive in the country. But when I graduated, my $160,000 education cost me about $4,000.
I walked away with about $9,000 in student loans and a check for more than $5,000 from surplus tuition payments from my senior year. Plus, I'd earned enough scholarship money to pay for graduate school. Twice.
How'd I do it? Let me tell you about how to make the most of scholarships for fun and profit.
Will we all be burned out by the time stores open their doors Nov. 26?
This post comes from Melinda Fulmer of MSN Money.
"Leaked" unceremoniously on the retailer's Facebook page, the ad promises early-bird shoppers 20% off and a free calendar with $30 purchase, plus coupons with gift card purchases. It's not exactly exciting -- and it's similar to what this retailer has done in the past -- but then the books are already heavily discounted to begin with.
Even if the books are $3.98, says Kathy Doyle Thomas, HPB's executive vice president, people still expect a big discount on Black Friday, especially after a couple of years of nonstop clearance sales and "Friends and Family" offers. "As retailers we have trained our customers to only come in when we have a big discount," she says.
And increasingly those big discounts are coming both before and after Black Friday, making those early morning runs less of a must-do for some consumers.
Free breakfast if you wear pajamas, plus free facials, frugal Halloween craft workshops and dining coupons.
Every food has its day, and some even get a week or a month.
Buca di Beppo says Oct. 25 is World Pasta Day. Don't argue, because if you purchase a small or large pasta or entrée, you'll get a free order of spaghetti with either meat sauce or marinara. At least one of my local restaurants declared last week National Pasta Week and offered specials, so stay alert for additional pasta deals.
In other festive dining events, Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes locations that offer breakfast are having a pajama party from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 17, with a free meal for kids who show up in their pajamas.
Protect Your Identity Week offers classes, info and free shredding.
How can you avoid being ripped off?
The price-to-rent ratio is a valuable tool when deciding whether the time is right to buy a house, and it works better than a Magic 8-Ball.
My friend and I recently got into a discussion at work regarding the housing market.
The big super unknown for my colleague, of course, was whether or not prices had dropped far enough to make it worth buying a house again.
"It's a good question," I told him, "We could ask my Magic 8-Ball, but it's in the car and I don't feel like making the long walk to the parking lot."
I know what you're thinking.
The pressure is on to stop all repossessing of homes until the document mess gets sorted out. But whom will it really hurt?
This post comes from Marilyn Lewis of MSN Money.
You've got to love David-and-Goliath stories. The little guy gets to poke a stick in the eye of the deaf, cold, rapacious bureaucracy and wins the day (if only that one day). Everyone cheers and we all feel better. Frank Capra made his career plucking this note on our heart strings.
But what if, in cheering for the little guy, this time we're shooting ourselves in the foot?
I'm thinking of the slow-motion train wreck of disclosures about problems that lenders and mortgage servicers have created by rubber-stamping legal documents in foreclosure cases. Homeowner advocates, foreclosure-defense lawyers and populist lawmakers are urging a national freeze on foreclosures until the problems can be sorted out.
A Haiti relief worker who took advantage of T-Mobile's aid offer faces a hefty bill. Proposed FCC rules would target such 'bill shock.'
Kerfye Pierre, a 27-year-old federal government employee, was visiting a pregnant sister in Haiti when the earthquake struck last January. When T-Mobile offered free phone calls to, from and within Haiti, she had a U.S.-based friend get her a phone so she could communicate with friends and relatives in the U.S. while she helped with the relief effort.
Imagine her surprise when she found out the service she thought was free actually cost $34,872.
Copyright © 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Morningstar Inc. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Morningstar Inc. Quotes delayed by up to 15 minutes, except where indicated otherwise. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by Morningstar Inc.
ABOUT SMART SPENDING
LATEST BLOG POSTS
Tired of your wallet taking a beating at the grocery store? Here are some creative ways to save big on food costs.
VIDEO ON MSN MONEY
BLOGS WE LIKE
MUST-SEE ON MSN
- Video: Easy DIY smoked meats at home
A charcuterie master shares his process for cold-smoking meat at home.
- Jetpacks about to go mainstream
- Weird things covered by home insurance
- Bing: 70 percent of adults report 'digital eye strain'


text:
How has COVID-19 affected Australian consumer behaviour?
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the business and consumption of Australia as a whole, this pandemic has enabled businesses and consumers to be more adaptive to the online world. Online trading channels are playing an increasingly important role. Major Australian distributors have improved their online services to meet growing consumer demand. During COVID-19, online trade has accounted for 10% of total retail business and is expected to increase to 20% in the next 12 to 18 months. The COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated Digital Adoption in Australia. Without this situation, the growth of online trade might have taken up to 10 years. Now the shopping model is likely changed to “Contactless Shopping” or “Click and Collect”.
With the adaptation of social distancing and telework practice, people are paying more attention to their health, which is behind the growth of health products, especially those made from natural raw materials and organic products, such as food, beverages, cleaning products, cosmetics and plant-based products. Based on the recent survey, 12% of Australians (approximately 2.5 million people) prefer to have plant-based food. By having spent more time working from home, Australians are also becoming more concerned about the hygiene and healthiness of their pets, and Australians have as many as 28 million pets. They will choose pet products made from natural ingredients that are healthier and more environmentally friendly.
Due to the restrictions and lockdown measures in Australia, people are more likely to spend their days in their homes than in the workplace. During the lockdown, there was a rising demand in home decoration items, DIY furniture, kitchenware, electrical appliances, gardening equipment and exercise equipment.
What kinds of Thai products are likely to succeed in the Australian market?
Food products are still rising in demand, especially rice and rice-related products. Thailand has long been a top rice exporter to Australia. Although Australia does grow some rice, it is still not an important crop compared with the 300,000 tonnes consumed each year, meaning there is steady import demand. Also, ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook food tend to be more attractive to Australians due to the hustle and bustle of modern life. This type of food will remain popular. The market share of ready-to-eat in 2019 was US$ 818 million and it is forecast that the market will grow to US$ 1.13 billion in 2024, an increase of 38.63%.
What is the trade value between Thailand and Australia, and what are future expectations?
In the first six months of 2020, total trade value between Thailand and Australia was US$5.2 billion. Of the total trade value, Thai exports value to Australia amounted to US$3.7 billion (a decrease of 8.26% YOY). Australia’s economic slowdown, especially during the pandemic period, play a big part in the decline in export value of Thailand over the period. Consumer spending behaviours have changed markedly and are less inclined to spend money on non-essential goods. This is not only affecting Thailand but also other major trade partners of Australia such as China, US, Japan and Germany. Additionally, the slowdown in new vehicle sales for 28 consecutive months in Australia affect the overall value of export because the vehicle, automotive components and accessories comprise over 50% of total export value of Thailand to Australia.
In contrary to the bearish automotive market, Thai products that are expanding are rubber products (rubber gloves and medical appliances), canned seafood, cosmetics, soap, skincare products, rice and pet food.
How does the Thai Trade Centre, Sydney promote Thai products in Australia?
Australia is not a new trading partner of Thailand. Australia’s trade and economic relationship with Thailand has grown stronger since the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) came into effect in 2005. The countries trade partnership has been fostered a closer relationship since, based on the statistic Thai businesses used 92% of TAFTA entitlement. Moreover, Australia confidence in the quality of Thai goods and production standards.
Due to the travel-restriction barring any face-to-face trade negotiation and promotion in combination with the digital adoption, trade and promotion activities in Australia have been moved toward digital platforms. Instead of promoting Thai products in fairs and conventions, which are currently on restriction, the advertisement and listing of Thai products in the e-Directory have been implemented. The Thai Trade Centre, Sydney Office has partnered with the organiser of Naturally Good Expo, an expo focusing on the healthy, organic and natural products, in promoting rice and rice-related products in their e-Directory. The initiative has been made under the “Think RICE: Think THAILAND” campaign. The aim is to promote rice and rice-related targeting importers and health-conscious consumers.
Thai SELECT campaign is another good example of the activities that the Thai Trade Centre, Sydney Office have been promoting. Thai SELECT restaurants are considered to be important channels in distributing and promoting Thai cuisine, beverages and ingredients directly to Australian consumer. The promotional activities have been carried out through various online platforms such as Zomato, a restaurant search engine and online review platform in Australia, and Asian Inspiration, a specialist online platform of authentic Asian foods in Australian market by providing Thai food articles and cooking demonstration videos by Thai SELECT’s chef.
Lastly, the health-conscious Australian consumers continue to grow every year. The Thai Trade Centre, Sydney office has launched the new campaign, Riceberry x Thai SELECT, to promote Thailand’s coloured rice in Australia market through Thai SELECT restaurant. This is in order to continue delivering a consistently good value and quality to consumers in line with the mindful consumption behaviour.
Words by Natthinee Ratanaprasidhi


text:
Even as malls go, the Beverly Center is no beauty: It's old, dark and a hulking nine stories high. Its competition includes Rodeo Drive and the Grove, a trendy outdoor mall with trolleys, lawns and a pond. By almost every mall-development theory, the Beverly Center ought to be ready for the wrecking ball.
Take a look at some of the Beverly Center's features.
Instead, Louis Vuitton is increasing the size of its store there by 25%, and Prada just opened a boutique near Gucci, Fendi, and Tiffany. Jimmy Choo and Yves St. Laurent are opening there this fall. Fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 opened a 50,000-square foot megastore at the 29-year-old mall last weekend, and watch maker Omega moved in—from Rodeo Drive—in December.
"We just didn't get the foot traffic," says Omega chief executive Stephan Urquhart. He expects better from the mall.
Often derided as obsolete, enclosed malls refuse to die. Even as small shopping centers struggle with high vacancy rates and shoppers heading online, big malls—particularly those that can attract wealthy shoppers like the Beverly Center—are going strong. Market researcher Reis Inc. REIS -0.39 % reports an average vacancy rate of 10.9% at small strip malls and shopping centers, while rates at larger, publicly traded malls are just 9.1%.
"People have been predicting the death of the mall ever since it was born, practically," says Bill Taubman, chief operating officer of Taubman Centers Inc., TCO 0.17 % a real estate investment trust that operates the Beverly Center, the Mall at Short Hills in Short Hills, N.J., and other long-lived malls. The first enclosed mall in the U.S., Southdale Center in Edina, Minn., is still rolling along. It opened in 1956.
In recent years, new malls have been built as open-air entertainment centers, with parks and community activities to draw people in. Rick Caruso, developer of the Grove, says people spend about 180 minutes on average at his property—about twice the typical visit to an enclosed mall.
But old-style malls often have good locations—the Beverly Center is located just east of Beverly Hills—and desirable stores. "People know there's some key tenant they want to go to," says Jeung Hyun, a portfolio manager who follows malls at Adelante Capital Management in Oakland, Calif.
In general, Taubman Centers' plan of attack involves going upscale and pressing for stores with high sales per square foot. The mall's movie theater was recently replaced with the Forever 21 store. In the U.S., theaters get only $95 in sales per square foot, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. Food courts, at $792 per square foot annually, have higher revenue than restaurants, at $459. Jewelry stores get $887 per square foot, on average, and Mr. Taubman wants more of them at the Beverly Center. He notes that Prada and Tiffany signed leases there in the depths of the recession.
To shuttle luxury shoppers directly to the stores of their choice, the mall built a valet parking stand on the ground-floor garage. Shoppers are greeted by uniformed valets who offer a car wash for $20. A carpeted walkway leads to elevators that whisk shoppers directly to the seventh-floor luxury area.
A Prada spokesman says the brand chose the Beverly Center over other locations in part because the mall is drawing luxury customers who are likely to buy the full range of Prada's products, from shoes and bags to ready-to-wear clothing. The Fendi store there draws "aspirational" shoppers who buy the brand's footwear, logo accessories, and men's goods, says a Fendi spokeswoman.
Mr. Taubman concedes that the 3.2 million-square-foot mall is something of an eyesore. Its first five stories are a parking garage. Escalators on the outside move about 14 million people a year from floor to floor. It is surrounded by heavily trafficked streets and the sprawling Cedars Sinai Hospital. "We're not defined by the beautiful outdoor environment," he says. "We're defined by the stores that we have."
Taubman Centers has tried to beautify the mall. Beverly Center got a facelift several years ago that replaced the Habitrail-like tunnels around the escalators with sheets of glass. Inside, the renovations never end as stores move in and out. Taubman keeps lease lengths to about seven years, shorter than the industry average 10 years, in order to keep the inventory of stores fresh.
The company doesn't release financial statistics for individual properties, but Mr. Taubman says that the Taubman Centers' average sales per square foot were up 14.5% in the first quarter and the Beverly Center is exceeding that. Industrywide, sales per square foot rose 5.6% last year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Mr. Taubman tries to shoo out retailers that aren't performing or don't draw customers who will shop at other mall tenants. "This was a mistake. It looks tacky," he said recently as he stared at Shiekh Shoes, a sneaker retailer that occupies an enviable position on the eight floor by the new Forever 21 store. "They sell lots of shoes and pay lots of rent, but it's not doing anything for the tenants around it."
Shiekh store manager Shavonne Cann says that the store's look appeals to an urban customer who buys Nikes, Converse and Air Jordans: "Our store is the right style for our customer."
One area of the mall that is coming up for a revamp is its food court, which features Sbarro, Haagen-Dazs and Steak & Potato Co. around a sprawling field of tables. Food courts feed shoppers quickly and get them back out spending, but the Beverly Center's version is dingy and dated. "This just isn't that nice," Mr. Taubman says. "We have to figure out what to do here."
However, he also says that it's important that the Beverly Center not try to do something it can't do well: "I love getting a cappuccino and sitting at the Grove as much as anyone," he says.
But "we are like a machine that's constructed to create an efficient, comfortable shopping experience."


text:
Here’s one thing I am worried about: if the rival commercial services keep attacking BBC’s online services in their own forums, the 800-pound gorilla may end up looking like an underdog…
Anyway, UK industry bodies including the British Internet Publishers Alliance (BIPA), Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television, and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), plus news body ITN, made submissions to Philip Graf, the former Trinity Mirror executive appointed to head the BBC online review.
They have called on the government to make 12 key changes to the BBC’s internet operations…They say the BBC is spending “at least £75m per year plus £25m in overheads“, runs websites with no educational value such as Celebdaq and Fightbox and has “completely undermined” commercial companies’ ability to compete in the marketplace.
They also suggest that BBC should link to its commercial rivals’ services instead of trying to replicate them, and the corporation should list all of its online activities separately in its annual report and accounts.
New Media Age: These industry bodies have also criticized the KPMG report: “It underestimates the BBC’s effect by at least three to five times,” IAB said. “It fails to consider the number of Internet media businesses marginalised to the point of bankruptcy because of BBC dominance in specific market niches.”


text:
Folks, get ready to start eating bugs for your protein.
Because our nation’s meat supply is under threat following a ransomware attack on JBS S.A., the world’s largest meat distribution company.
The cyber attack shut down the company’s five biggest beef plants in the United States.
Those plants process 22,500 cattle per day across the country.
But the attack doesn’t just affect the beef supply, the supply chain for pork also gets disrupted.
To put this to scale, roughly a quarter of the beef supply and a fifth of the pork supply in the United States has halted.
And this comes on the heels of Memorial Day weekend, where Americans across the country had barbecues and cookouts with family and friends.
However, it’s not just the United States that feels the brunt of this cyber attack.
Meat processing operations in Australia & Canada are also under siege.
If grocery stores, butchers, and restaurants can’t restock their meat, then the


text:
The International Coffee Organization announced that total coffee exports increased each year since 2010-11 with a new record reached in 2017-18 at 121.86 million bags, 2% higher than 2016-17.
With the goal of driving sustained, long-term and profitable growth in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) through strategic licensed partnerships, Starbucks intends to restructure its back-office support functions.
A fire broke out at one of Europe’s largest coffee roasteries.
Multinational coffeehouse chain, Caffè Nero, is giving away 10,000 complimentary coffees this October to celebrate 10 million stamps being awarded to customers through its year-old loyalty payment app.
As specialty coffee production and processing continues, Central America’s origin countries are developing their own iterations of specialty coffee to meet rising local demand.
Tea remains the preferred cup in the United Kingdom – at least that was evident at this year’s Tea & Coffee World Cup, which was held in Birmingham, England, 3-5 September – but the interest in and growth of specialty coffee is strong.
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has partnered with the Association for Science and Information on Coffee (ASIC) to host the 27th biennial ASIC conference in Portland, Oregon.
The Coca-Cola Company has agreed to buy Costa Coffee chain for $5.1 billion (approximately £3.9 billion) including debt to extend its push into healthier drinks and take on Starbucks Coffee and Nestlé in the global coffee market.
Nestlé and Starbucks Corporation today (28 August) announced the closing of the deal granting Nestlé the perpetual rights to market Starbucks Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Foodservice products globally, outside of the company’s coffee shops.
Ahlstrom-Munksjö reinforces its market position in the tea and coffee industry and modernizes its production platform in its Beverage & Casing business by purchasing a second-hand Voith paper-making line.
In many parts of the world, it’s summer, and for a lot of us, it’s been a particularly hot and humid one, which has been quite beneficial for ready-to-drink coffee (RTD) — be it cold brew or iced coffee (including iced cappuccinos and espressos).
Today, Starbucks Coffee Company announced it will eliminate single-use plastic straws from its more than 28,000 company-operated and licensed stores by making a straw-less lid or alternative-material straw options available, around the world by 2020.


text:
HOUSEHOLDERS are being offered the chance to save money on their energy bills before the weather starts to get cold.
Registration is open for the next Big London Energy Switch, a scheme that combines the buying power of thousands of the capital’s families to force gas and electricity companies to bid for their custom – with the guarantee of cheaper tariffs.
The ‘reverse auction’, overseen by London’s local authorities, takes place on October 16. People who sign up will receive an offer to switch contracts that outlines the prices they will pay. There is no obligation to accept the offer and change utility supplier.
Barbara McRae, 85, from South Harrow made a saving in the first round in April. “I decided to sign up because my bills are getting more and more expensive,” she said. “I was very pleased when I heard I had made a saving. It was very easy to switch.”
Almost 2,500 people from Harrow were among 30,000 people across London who signed up to the two previous auctions, in April and June. The average household saving was more than £100.
Households have until October 15 to sign up at www.biglondonenergyswitch.org.uk, or calling Harrow Council on 020 8901 2600.


text:
France provides a unique environment for dermo-cosmetics companies such as Pierre Fabre, Uriage, and Galderma to thrive in terms of the industry’s historical legacy in the country, abundant natural resources, and a tradition of openness and understanding of dermatology.
[France is] a unique environment for the growth of dermo-cosmetic brands. French dermatologists have a very strong background and understanding of how important the skin is and for this reason are open to prescribing their patients with the highest level of care and products
Sébastien Lucot, Uriage
France’s leading international position in dermo-cosmetics is unquestionable, given the renown of brands such as L’Oreal and Pierre Fabre on the global stage. Following a transitional period after the death of its founder in 2013, Pierre Fabre, France’s third largest pharmaceutical company behind Sanofi and Servier, is focusing on portfolio diversification and international expansion in the coming years to re-establish its position at the forefront of dermatological treatment. According to Eric Ducournau, CEO of Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetics (PFDC), the company is aiming “to further develop all our dermo-cosmetic brands beyond our flagship Eau Thermale Avène that currently represents 50 percent of PFDC turnover.” Ducournau goes on to say that “our number one goal is to create as many new formulas as possible to launch new lines and products worldwide.”
Pierre Fabre, though not unique in having both a dermo-cosmetics and a pharmaceutical division, does appear to have struck a particularly fruitful balance between the two. Indeed, according to the President and CEO of Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals Frédéric Duchesne, “diversity, complementarity and overlap are three key words to describe the interactions between the two businesses.” Additionally, having a separate dermo-cosmetics branch allows Pierre-Fabre to negate the sometimes negative effects of prescriptive French healthcare regulation, as Duchesne explains, “over 70 percent of our turnover is non-reimbursed, [meaning that it] is not affected by the shifting regulatory environment” and that “having two businesses has allowed us to compensate for the inevitable ups and downs.”
Like Pierre Fabre, Grenoble-based SME Uriage deal in thermal water-based products but, as a smaller organisation, does not have a dedicated pharmaceuticals division. General Manager Sébastien Lucot does not however see this as a weakness, as Uriage is able to be “a fully integrated company that manages all manufacturing and R&D of all of our brands.” This strategy seems to be paying dividends with double digit growth and EUR 100 million (USD 112 million) in revenues in 2015. Lucot sees France itself as a key contributor to the success of dermo-cosmetics companies, and describes the country as “a unique environment for the growth of dermo-cosmetic brands. French dermatologists have a very strong background and understanding of how important the skin is and for this reason are open to prescribing their patients with the highest level of care and products.”
Another important component common to all successful dermo-cosmetics in France is R&D. The Swiss dermatology specialist Galderma’s research facility in South-eastern France is actually the largest such operation specifically dedicated to dermatology in the world. General Manager Christophe Mosse sees the company’s investment in research as enabling Galderma to become “one of the few dermatological companies able to launch new products in the market,” and successfully navigate France’s sometimes treacherous regulatory framework. PFDC’s Ducournau concurs on the importance of research, explaining that “our clinical trials not only last four to six months longer than the average dermo-cosmetics line but we also dedicate 4.5 percent of our total revenue to R&D.” This intensive research has allowed PFDC to produce what Ducournau calls “truly revolutionary products … like the Avène Tolerance Zero line that uses Sterile Cosmetics technology” and stay ahead of the competition.
Writer: Patrick Burton


text:
UK: Kraft faces probe as Cadbury delisted
Cadbury shares were delisted by Kraft today
Kraft Foods is reportedly facing a fresh probe over its decision to close Cadbury's Somerdale chocolate factory in the south-west of England.
During the takeover battle for UK confectioner Cadbury, Kraft had said that it believed the factory – which Cadbury had planned to shutter – could be kept open.
However, shortly after the US firm had secured ownership of Cadbury, it announced that the site would be closed and production would be moved to Poland, in line with Cadbury's plans.
The announcement that the site would be closed has attracted widespread criticism, with MPs interviewing the company over the decision last month.
According to a report by the BBC, the UK's Takeover Panel has now launched an investigation into the move after it received a complaint.
Amoree Radford, who leads a campaign to preserve Keynsham's chocolate factory, told the BBC she had complained to the regulator along with the local Conservative Party candidate, Jacob Rees-Mogg.
"We know we can't get the jobs back, but we want the authorities to learn their lessons so it doesn't happen to another company later,” she said.
The news comes on the same day that Cadbury shares were delisted from the London Stock Exchange and Cadbury ADSs were delisted in New York.
Both Kraft and the Takeover Panel declined to comment on the reports when contacted by just-food.
PepsiCo this week announced it will have spent $400m between 2008 and 2013 in Vietnam as it looks to increase its manufacturing capacity, introduce new products and "strengthen" its existing brands in...
Lotte Group has been granted permission to acquire Polish confectioner E.Wedel by the Polish competition commission....
- US food next wave on display at Winter Fancy Food
- Does Kraft Heinz want to swallow Unilever whole?
- Focus: Nestle CEO plan to balance sales, earnings
- Comment: Meal kits in US - don't believe the hype
- Wessanen eyes growth in "resurgent" organic market
- Unilever launches operational review
- Kraft Heinz pulls Unilever bid
- General Mills issues profit warning
- Kerry operating earnings strengthen on slow sales
- Glanbia focuses on nutrition with Irish dairy spin


text:
NEW YORK — The 11th session of the Lingerie Americas trade show will feature a record 280 intimate apparel, sleepwear, daywear, at-homewear and swimwear brands.
Created in 2002, the fair is scheduled for Aug. 5 to 7 at the Metropolitan Building and Altman Pavilion in Manhattan. It will include a number of brands exhibiting for the first time, including heavy hitters such as Hanesbrands' Hanes, Playtex, Bali, Barely There and Wonderbra lines. There also will be major fashion names like Kenzo, Christian Lacroix, John Galliano and Lilly Pulitzer, as well as up-and-coming fashion brands such as Blanche Fleur, Bamboo Nights, Repose, Cyclamen Lingerie, Canat, Belita Intimates, Claudie Song, Mei-Do, VPM, Haut Les Mains and Kika Villareal. The new Natori line of men's sleepwear and loungewear will be unveiled, and the fair will also spotlight top French labels such as Aubade, Barbara, Chantelle, Huit, Lejaby and Simone Pérèle that have made inroads at major stores and specialty boutiques in the U.S.
Jonathan Colella, U.S. project manager for Lingerie Americas Inc., said, "The New York show is once again completely booked. We have many new resources such as Erin Rose swimwear, Ondademar lingerie and swimwear from Columbia [South America], and Wacoal will be returning as an exhibitor, as well as Badgley Mischka, which will be taking a larger presence at our show."
The show's format will encompass the two main floors of the adjoining Metropolitan and Altman buildings, as well as the fourth and fifth floors of the Metropolitan Pavilion.
Regarding the show's track record, Victoria Vandagriff, president of Bendon USA, which will show the Elle Macpherson Intimates, Bendon and Fayreform brands, said, "It's always a great show for us. My only complaint is there's not enough space for our booth and I have to turn people away."
Richard Gimble, chief executive of Va Bien, a shapewear resource, said he felt "very bullish" about the August show.
"I'm pleased to report that our schedule is full with appointments hosting the better-priced major retailers, including Von Maur, a major home shopping network and several major Internet accounts including barenecessities.com and figleaves.com," Gimble said.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


text:
To find out, contact firstname.lastname@example.org to register for your place at the next ESAN event to be held on Monday, 12 March 2018. BT is kindly hosting the event at the iconic BT Tower. With vulnerable consumers of essential services at its heart, the day is open to all sectors with similar interests in access, affordability and vulnerability issues.
The Banking Standards Board (BSB) has published a consultation seeking views on what good banking outcomes look like from a consumer perspective. BSB wants to develop a framework to help identify good practice that will benefit consumers, the economy and society overall. The consultation runs until 26 January 2018. ESAN members’ responses are most welcome!
On Wednesday 2 November, 18 speakers and 92 delegates came together at the iconic BT Tower for the ESAN Conference: How can the consumer voice be better heard in the regulation of essential services? “Fantastic speakers, great content, excellently chaired” #esanevent
The UK Regulators’ Network has today launched an advisory leaflet to help ensure vulnerable consumers get the help they need to access essential services.
Produced through a collaborative effort between Ofgem, Ofcom, Ofwat, the ORR and the CAA, the leaflet highlights a range of free support services offered by utility, telecommunications and public transport providers.
The UKRN website gives details of how to get braille, audio and large print versions of the leaflet.
BT has commissioned independent research to try to establish the social
value of digital inclusion activities in the UK. Find it here.
The value of being online to a new user is £1,064 per annum. This comes from having more confidence, making financial savings online, new job seeking skills and a reduction in social isolation. Other figures for more experienced users are also given.
The Keep me Posted campaign have carried out research with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) into the additional costs of being offline, which shows that people who are not online pay £440 more per year. Read more here.
• Households who do not use the internet pay an average of £440 more a year for their goods and services, equivalent to 4.4 per cent of their average household income
• This equates to 5.4 per cent of the average household income for older people aged 65 plus and the most vulnerable people in society
• Households that cannot take advantage of lower energy and telecoms tariffs for switching to online-only services miss out on a potential annual saving of £139
• 7 million people in the UK have never used the internet, with the vast majority (72 per cent) being the poorest 10 per cent in society
• Almost half (48 per cent) of those 65 years of age and over have never used the internet
The FCA said 45,000 customers of the UK’s biggest payday lender would be compensated after it found that letters threatening legal action from non-existent law firms had been sent to customers, in an attempt to boost collections by increasing the pressure on people in debt. In some cases customers had been charged for the letters.
The practice ended four years ago before the FCA had responsibility for payday lenders and credit, so it does not have powers to fine Wonga. Which? welcomed the tougher line being taken by FCA on irresponsible lending. The FCA stated that it “expects firms to pay particular attention to fair treatment of those who have difficulty in meeting their loan repayments”.
Shelter warns that almost 4 million families are living without any safety net.
Some 3.8 million families have only enough money to pay their rent or mortgage for a month if they lose their jobs, the housing charity has said.
Shelter, which surveyed 7,500 people, said high housing costs and stagnating wages meant many were living on a financial knife-edge.
Shelter’s findings were based on a YouGov survey of 7,500 adults who pay rent or a mortgage. It says 44% of working families with children under the age of 18 could be one paycheque away from losing their homes if they became unemployed because they have little or no savings.
Its researchers also found that 29% of families would immediately be unable to afford to pay for their home if they lost their income.
Read more here.
The FCA is concerned that customers are being charged high rates to contact financial services firms and will consult with industry, consumer organisations and consumers to ensure customer calls are more affordable.
According to FCA boss Martin Wheatley:
“We want to update our rules so that they best meet your needs as a customer. This means charges for both consumer helplines and complaint lines being capped at the cost of a basic rate call – so the same price as calling your neighbour or a family member on their landline”.
FCA will issue a consultation but wants firms to look at their practices in advance of this.
The FCA’s consultation will propose the standardisation of the rules so that charges for consumer help, and complaint, lines are capped at the cost of a basic rate call. In a letter to consumer group, Which?, the FCA said it believed that the introduction of requirements in the Consumer Rights Directive, designed to ensure firms no longer charge a premium for calls, should apply to all financial services firms. The Directive requires firms to offer basic rate numbers for enquiries but at present, this does not apply to financial services firms.
In the same consultation the FCA will also look at a number of proposals to improve complaints handling by financial services firms including looking at complaints reporting and responding to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards. The consultation will be published later this year.
Read more from FCA here.
The Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed the final rules that will govern the £200bn a year consumer credit market, which includes approximately 50,000 firms, from 1 April 2014.
The rule changes will give consumers additional protection from rogue practices and put the onus on credit providers to ensure that they treat customers fairly at all times.
The biggest changes come for payday lenders and debt management companies, including:
- limiting -overs to two
- restricting (to two) the number of times a firm can seek repayment using a continuous payment authority (CPA)
- a requirement to provide information to customers on how to get free debt advice
- requiring debt management firms to pass on more money to creditors from day one of a debt management plan, and to protect client money
Consumer credit providers will need to ensure that they give customers the right information to make informed choices, that their services meet consumer needs, and that people in difficulty are treated fairly. Read more here.
The FCA have also announced they will start a review of the market as soon as they take over responsibility on 1st April:
Payday lenders and other high cost short term lenders will be the subject of an in-depth thematic review into the way they collect debts and manage borrowers in arrears and forbearance, the Financial Conduct Authority announced on 12th March.
The review will be one of the very first actions the FCA takes as regulator of consumer credit, which begins on 1 April 2014, and reinforces its commitment to protecting consumers – one of its statutory objectives. It is just one part of FCA’s comprehensive and forward looking agenda for tackling poor practice in the high cost short term loan market. Read more here.
Money Advice Trust welcomed the rules saying:
We believe the transfer of regulatory control to the FCA will provide a boost for consumer protections. We especially welcome rules that require customers with high-cost credit in clear financial difficulty to be referred to free debt advice services. Nine out of ten people who speak to a National Debtline adviser say they feel more in control of their finances as a result.
The new two tier regime of regulatory scrutiny should help ensure consumers are protected from some of the worst practices in the industry. Mandatory affordability checks have the potential to prevent much of the harm we see in some credit markets, and so it is important these are rigorously enforced.


text:
Volvo is currently offering a nice deal you can grab, especially if you’re looking to buy a new plug-in hybrid car. As part of the company’s move to promote its electrified vehicles, it allows customers to get one year of free charging when they buy one of the brand’s plug-in hybrid cars.
Together with the launch of the pure electric 2020 XC40 Recharge comes the announcement that shoppers will get 12 months of free charging in the form of a refund at the end of the year based on the average electricity cost during the said period.
If you’re an owner of a plug-in hybrid car, you probably know that your vehicle doesn’t always need a full recharge. So it’s unlikely that the incentive will make much of a difference in vehicle operating costs. It would make a big difference if the incentive also applies for Volvo’s all-electric XC40 Recharge, although that would mean a deviation from the original promotion goal, which is to attract PHEV buyers.
At the moment, it’s more important for Volvo to push the sales of its plug-in hybrid vehicles. The Swedish carmaker has previously announced that half of its cars will go hybrid by 2025. And while the company also said about the other half going electric, it currently has more hybrids than pure EVs in its lineup. The XC40 Recharge itself is the brand’s first car to fully embrace electrification, and its sales haven’t been started yet.
From the outside, the 2020 XC40 Recharge looks the same as an ICE car. Those who don’t follow the news and are unfamiliar with Volvo models might not know that the Recharge is an EV. Under the skin, this newcomer has a powertrain identical to that of the Polestar 2, consisting of two electric motors delivering a combined 402 horsepower. The motors are electrified by a 78 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that offers a range of 249 miles on the WLTP cycle. Regarding the charging speed, the car can reach 80 percent in 40 minutes using a 150 kW fast charger.
In the future, Volvo plans to name its entire hybrid and electric vehicle lineup ‘Recharge’. The 2020 XC40 is scheduled to hit the European market late next year. We still don’t know how much it will cost as pricing details have yet to be revealed.


text:
SNS secretary Jonas Rönnberg has participated in a seminar about the Swedish forest industry’s agenda for future forest research.
Last week the Swedish forest industry held a seminar and launched its new research agenda: Forskningsagenda 4.0.
The research agenda is a summary of the forest industry’s research and development needs for the future. It pinpoints four areas where the industry sees a need for increased research efforts: increase growth in sustainable forests, strengthen the competitiveness of existing processes and products, develop new, bio-based products and increase industrial wood construction.
“We need a doubling of the research investments,” Torgny Persson, the research and innovation director of forest industry, says in the introduction to the research agenda (Forskningsagenda 4.0). He considers that size of increased investments in research are needed to make Sweden a biobased society.
SNS was present to get a sense of the industry’s future focus.


text:
Check Out How a Mountain of 134 PS4 Units Looks, and Get a Taste of The Next Generation
PS4 units are being delivered to warehouses around the world, and pictures are starting to appear on social media. Below you can see one of the most juicy shots, with 135 PS4 consoles to form a big and lovely next generation mountain.
Apparently the pallet held 135 boxes with Sony’s upcoming console, but looks like one has already been removed from the top. Maybe one of the warehouse workers couldn’t resist?
Update: added a second picture with the full pile untouched, just because I can…
Update 2: Amazon just tweeted the pictured at the bottom of the post. If you wanted to see a gajillion PS4 units, there you are.


text:
News - 19 Jun 2015
You can whack it with a hammer, attack it with a drill, or even stab it with a screwdriver. But try as you might, you won’t be able to tamper with a high-tech pill dispenser designed by...
News - 7 May 2015
IC Real Tech, a leader in disruptive video hardware and software solutions for enterprise and consumer applications, and Carl Zeiss AG, the Germany-based optics and opto-electronics giant, are...
News - 3 Mar 2015
Huawei today unveiled a series of wearable devices including the Huawei Watch, TalkBand B2, and TalkBand N1 for consumers to stay connected, on the eve of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015. At the...
News - 8 Jan 2015
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Fingerprint Sensors Market by Type, Material, Application, and Geography - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2014 - 2020" report to...
News - 5 Jan 2015
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "6 and 9-Axis Sensors Consumer Inertial Combo Sensors" report to their offering.
Value is moving to function delivery with embedded...
News - 16 Jul 2014
PocketScan has shot way past its initial funding goal on Kickstarter. The tiny wireless scanner with incredible powers allows you to scan anything from small snippets to large posters in just a few...
News - 10 Feb 2014
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global 6 and 9 Axis Sensors Market to 2018" report to their offering.
STMicroelectronics is the global leader in the inertial...
News - 6 Jan 2014
ConvenientPower today announced the debut of WoW Z, the world’s first magnetic resonance technology to wirelessly charge Qi mobile phones at distances of up to 18mm, three times more than...
News - 6 Jan 2014
Neonode Inc.,, the optical touch technology company, will be introducing and demonstrating its latest MultiSensing® solutions at the International CES 2014, which will be held in Las Vegas from...
News - 16 Nov 2013
Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: 6 and 9 axis sensors: consumer inertial combos
Combo sensors will almost triple from 2012 to 2013


text:
- PROJECT HELP
- WHITE PAPERS
San Francisco-based SpoonRocket, an on-demand meal delivery startup, has announced that it now accepts Bitcoin as a form of payment.
CarlJakaitis most recently served as CFO of McAlister's Deli where he was responsible for finance, accounting, legal and franchise administration for the 325-store chain.
The 1,140 square-foot store, located in the South Tower of the Wrigley Building, incorporates the building's vaulted ceilings and is designed with natural materials including honed Carrera marble counters, custom light fixtures and espresso-stained oak casework.
Contestants are invited to answer three Badger trivia questions for a shot to win a weekend pass to the Conference Basketball Championship Tournamentt from Jan. 26 to Feb. 22.
Diners ordered 9 billion serving of burgers in U.S. restaurants and foodservice outlets last year, three percent more than the year before. Meanwhile, sandwiches were down 2 percent and chicken dropped 9 percent.
The National Restaurant Association is predicting sales growth of $709.2 billion and a 3.2 rise in employment for the restaurant industry in 2015.
More than half of survey respondents said they wanted healthier food served at their Super Bowl party.
According to the National Restaurant Association's "What's Hot in 2015" list, artisan cheese is among the top food trends for 2015.
Popeye's is pushing it seafood to the fore during its Seafood Mardi Gras promotion, which continues through March 29.
Dunkin' Donuts is bringing back heart-shaped donuts, adding White Chocolate Raspberry Coffee and Lattes to its menu, and adding Snack N' Go Chicken Wrap to its permanent roster.
Brandon Morris' King's Hawaiian Fish Deluxe sandwich, available in Arby's nationwide through March, was the winner of the 2014 menu idea submission contest.
Polystyrene foam is not recyclable, and can interfere with recycling and waste reduction efforts by contaminating other recyclables.
Robin Seward previously served as VP of brand marketing for Arby's. Her team served up the timely and viral "Pharrell hat" tweet.
Church's Chicken plans to award $1,000 scholarships to 175 high school seniors from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Tennessee or Texas.
Grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 were awarded to 25 organizations.
Del Taco announced that it will enter into the Northeast region with the signing of two development agreements in New Jersey, slated to begin opening in 2016.
Troubles continue for the fast food giant, with global comp sales down 1 percent for the year and falling guest traffic.
The D-Lite Meals menu, which launched at the beginning of January, features Tilapia, Wild Alaskan Salmon, Shrimp Skewers, Grilled Chicken Breast, and Surf and Turf (grilled steak tips and shrimp skewers), all served on a bed of rice with a side of broccoli and green beans.
Most of those wings will be consumed in restaurants. The National Chicken Council estimates that of the wings eaten during the Super Bowl, 75 percent will come from food service outlets and 25 percent from retail grocery stores.
The three new products were all developed with an eye towards health.
© 2015 Networld Media Group All rights reserved.


text:
Where certain types of gambling were only permitted in the backstreets, hosted in dark, dingy rooms before the change, casinos (both online and offline) can offer more open approaches.
Now, thanks to the marketing of online gambling, the numbers have risen, and this has naturally seen an influx in revenue with figures rising from £4.9 billion to £7.3 billion by the end of 2015. The trend of online gambling is far from diminishing and only set to rise even further.
One of the biggest reasons behind the increases in profit and activity stems from the casinos being able to advertise and market their company more easily, through TV adverts and online ads. Although the BBC does not allow any adverts except for their own shows, you are most likely to encounter casino adverts during a mid-programme break on every other channel. Between 2005 and 2012 the number of adverts relating to gambling rose from 0.5% to 4.1%, which will continue to rise due to social media marketing and shareable content that is widely and easily accessible to a large audience.
Gambling is on the rise in the UK; Slots are becoming one of the most popular sectors of the gambling industry with a growth of 87%. Slots accounted for £11.4 million of the £19 million casinos brought in for their yearly revenue. This is due to growing accessibility as the online and offline casinos have encouraged growth in each other.
The EU gambling market is estimated to grow at a yearly rate of around 3%, suggesting the UK is not alone in this development. Casinos are now managing to “double up” their functionality by offering dining and drinking opportunities. This allows non-gambling patrons to utilise Casinos and bring in revenue through another means, such as room hire and functions.
People speculate that with the rise of smartphones and tablets, online gambling will also continue to increase before stabilising as the growth in the technology industry begins to slow down and plateau. However, this is yet to come to fruition as the surge in new technology is showing no signs of slowing down, especially with new developments in virtual reality which allow more opportunities for innovation and a fresh and exciting approach to the gambling experience.
With little to no signs of online gambling platforms diminishing in popularity, the public’s appetite continues to rise. This is confirmed in last executive reports of MrSmithCasino, which was the first online casino with a co.uk domain, that Casinos see considerate rises in their mobile activity. Betsson Group reported an increase of 46% in mobile revenue at the beginning of the last quarter of 2016, and there is no reason why the industry won’t continue to expand.
For as long as this is the case, the number of sites and opportunities will continue to grow as we can enjoy our casino games in the comfort of our own homes. You can bet on it!


text:
CSIRO turns eating veggies into a game with app
The CSIRO has turned to gamification to help make eating vegetables appealing.
Utilising technology, CSIRO scientists have created an app which challenges users to eat three different vegetables at dinner for 21 days.
The ‘VegEze’ app also sends daily reminders and rewards to help keep users motivated.
CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist, Professor Manny Noakes, said a fresh approach is needed to help improve Australian diets.
“Our research found two out of three Australian adults are not eating enough vegetables, especially as part of their evening meal,” Professor Noakes said.
“It’s time to find more engaging, effective approaches to help break these entrenched diet habits.”
The app is designed to help Australians overcome the barriers preventing them from overeating, including lack of time, awareness and confidence.
“To help people overcome these barriers, the VegEze app features educational resources such as a visual guide to specific vegetable serve sizes, vegetable recipes, nutritional information and motivational rewards,” the CSIRO said.
Data collected from app users will be used by the CSIRO to further understand Australian eating habits and whether similar apps could help improve diets.
VegEze was developed in partnership with Horticulture Innovation, an Australian produce growers owned research and development company.
Horticulture Innovation Chief Executive, John Llyod, said the vegetable consumption findings from the app will help Australian farmers cater to consumer needs.
“Consumer preferences are changing all the time – now it’s pre-packed convenience foods, as well as veggies such as kale and sweet potato. In the not too distant future it could be something else consumers are enjoying,” Lloyd said.
“Research such as that generated from this VegEze initiative helps growers stay ahead of trends, while also encouraging Australians to eat well using a wide selection of vegetable options.”
- Australia’s “below par” diet uncovered, 2016 CSIRO Healthy Diet
- Healthy diet measured by ‘nutritional geometry’, Uni of Sydney model
- CSIRO researchers find Australia’s ‘diet personalities’
Cherry production and cherry exports are booming in Australia and especially in Tasmania. In 2006-7 ...
A new food franchising group based in Brisbane is set for rapid Australian expansion in 2017.
Owner of Crust Pizza, Donut King and Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Retail Food Group, has experienced a sign...
Domino’s is giving away 20, 000 free pizzas to help launch its new ‘Quality Fresh’ menu.
German discount supermarket Kaufland has begun the new year expanding its Australian business by adv...
Allen’s Lollies has again decided to ask the Australian public to choose what its next new lolly var...
New Zealand’s Foodstuffs supermarket group is testing out new artificial technology that brings the ...
Anchor milk will soon be available to millions of people in Bangladesh with Fonterra signing a new d...


text:
It's a little known secret that many of the world's biggest designers make treks to Tokyo several times a year for 'vacation'. The history, the culture, the natural beauty and the over-the-top man made wonders of Tokyo are all obvious draws, but there is something else that beckons the world's biggest names to the area: fashion. From Harujuku Girls, to Shibuya Style to the ultimate luxury of Ginza, Tokyo has become a hotbed for breeding creative talent, and for inspiring fashion designers around the world. (a fact Women's Wear Daily pointed out in a recent article.)
Next week, Tokyo's big show will kick off with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2013 collections. Style Wylde will be there bringing our readers daily updates and images from the runways and the street.
Just a few of the labels we are excited to see at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo are:
Don't miss a second of Style Wylde's coverage of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo Spring 2013, check back with us every day starting Saturday, October 13th for run of show images and recaps direct from the runway!


text:
The tech giant Apple has announced its latest version of the operating system – iOS 13 at its WWDC Developer Conference in San Jose, California. The latest version of the operating system comes with a number of new features and improvements which includes a dark mode, revamped Apple Maps, and much more. The latest version of the iOS operating system is now available as a preview to the developers and it will hit on the devices of the general people by this Fall, and the public beta version will be available for the testers from later this month. So, let’s dig into the article to check out all the new features and improvements of the latest iOS 13.
Everything about iOS 13
Dark Mode – The latest version of the operating system comes with the native dark mode and this will be available in all the native applications. The company also allows developers to integrate the same functionality in their applications. Having said that, Google is also working on the native dark mode feature in it’s upcoming Android 10 and we already experienced in the latest developer preview.
Improved Photos App – iOS 13 has the improved Photos app and the company will use the advantage of the machine learning to organize the photos in the application. They will also arrange the complete library and highlight the photos which are the best also makes it easier for the users to browse and discover their beautiful memories. Furthermore, the company has also emphasized the image editing department of the latest operating system, it will use the gestures to easily edit the photos and it will come with the abilities like rotate videos.
Privacy – In the digital world privacy is the most important factor of every user, and the tech giant Apple knows this very well, to give the proper privacy, the company has implemented Apple ID authentication which will allow the sign-in experience across apps and website in a more secure and private way. The new Apple ID will give app developers or website publishers a random ID and keep the complete information of users safe with itself. The users of the latest operating system need to create random email ids and share that with the apps and websites and the company says that it won’t use such information to create profile users.
Apple Maps – The company made its Map application smarter, it comes with the ability to include more data including broader road coverage, better pedestrian data, and more precise addresses. The company also implemented a new feature called Street View-like Look Around and this will offer high-resolution 3D views of a city. The app also comes with the ability to share location with the near and dear one of a user which will allow them to easily access to the frequent places.
The revamped Apple Maps will available in selected cities and states in the United States and it will be available across the country by the end of this year, and Apple will expand the new Apple Maps to the other countries by next year.
CarPlay – The company has done the biggest update ever, and now it’s coming with a new dashboard to view music, maps, and more in one single view, it also has a new Calendar app and Siri support for Pandora and Waze.
Files App – It can now share folders with iCloud Drive and access files from SD cards and USB flash drives.
Other Enhancements – The latest operating system features the updated Reminders and Messages apps and that will offer a better experience, Siri Shortcuts with new ‘Suggested Automation’ and it gets a better voice. Notes and Health app are also getting new features as well. The tech giant also implemented the Quick Path to its keyboard app, which is similar to the swipe typing on Android devices. The latest version of the OS also has the new way to package apps, and that will reduce the app sizes by up to 50 percent and make app updates over 60 percent smaller. This will help the apps to launch in a faster way.
The tech giant Apple will bring the latest iOS 13 to the iPhone 6s and later devices, and it will be available on the devices of the general people by this Fall.


text:
HeidelbergCement India Thursday reported a more than two-fold surge in third quarter net profit on higher sales.
Net profit for the July-September quarter rose to INR270.5m from INR100.5m a year earlier, the cement maker said in a note to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Net sales of the company, formerly known as Mysore Cements Ltd., soared 75% to INR2.08 billion from INR1.19 billion.
HeidelbergCement India also announced it will increase cement production capacity from existing from 1.8Mta to 4.7Mta at its plants at Damoh (Madhya Pradesh) and at Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh).
The company has informed BSE that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on October 29, 2009, has approved the setting up of expansion