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Last year, we called 2019 a “roller coaster of ups and downs.” Hindsight is 20/20, and while many of us can’t wait to put 2020 in the rearview, the way the search industry’s biggest players responded to the new needs of businesses and consumers, brought on by the pandemic, will have lasting consequences for how marketers perform their duties.
From Google’s new organic Shopping listings to how SEOs rallied for gender equality and diversity to the upcoming Page Experience update, here’s our retrospective of the most impactful SEO news of 2020.
The Google algorithm updates of 2020
There was some early suspicion within the search community that major algorithm updates would be on hold during the pandemic — in retrospect, we can’t imagine that was the case. News Editor Barry Schwartz has already recapped 2020’s most important algorithm updates, so here’s a brief summary of what rolled out.
The core updates. Google got started early, launching the January 2020 core update less than two weeks into the year. It typically takes about two weeks for these things to complete rolling out, but the company said it was mostly finished four days later, on January 16th.
The dust was allowed to settle for most of the year (in terms of core updates, at least), until the December 2020 core update launched, right between the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping season and the end-of-the-year holidays. Based on some reports, this was the most impactful core update of the year.
BERT goes from 10% to almost 100%. During its SearchOn event, Google announced that BERT is now powering nearly all English-language queries.
In December, keen-eyed search professionals recognized that the much-publicized departure of AI researcher and diversity advocate Timnit Gebru from Google was inextricably linked to the potential risks associated with training language models using large data sets. Those potential risks include using datasets from the internet, which may contain bias against marginalized peoples, which could then conceivably manifest in the language models used in search engines.
Announced, but not live. Announced in May, the Page Experience update is not expected to roll out until May 2021. It includes a mix of existing search ranking factors, such as the mobile-friendly update, Page Speed Update, the HTTPS ranking boost, the intrusive interstitials penalty, and safe browsing penalty, along with new metrics for speed and usability, known as the Core Web Vitals.
We already know that the Page Experience update will only be applied to mobile rankings, at least initially. There may also be a visual indicator to distinguish mobile search listings that offer a good page experience. And, when this update goes live, Google will also lift the AMP requirement for its Top Stories section, opening it up to articles that meet its threshold for page experience factors.
Passage indexing was announced in October and slated to begin this year, but Google has confirmed to us that it is not yet live. To be clear, Google doesn’t actually index passages separately; it’s more “passage ranking” than “passage indexing.”
The year in SEO news
On March 1, Google’s new treatment of nofollow links arrived, bringing with it the new rel=“sponsored” and rel=“ugc” link attributes. SEOs were up in arms about the announcement last September, but that passion wasn’t reignited when the change actually occurred; the impending pandemic may have given marketers larger issues to deal with.
Structured data. Google announced the end of support for data-vocabluary.org markup in its rich results; the end was set for April 6, but the company postponed it until January 29, 2021, citing the coronavirus situation.
The Rich Results Test Tool was released out of beta over the summer, signaling the end of the Structured Data Testing Tool — or so we thought. Instead, Google decided to keep the Structured Data Testing Tool around, but migrate it to schema.org this coming April.
SEO documentation. Both Google and Bing updated some of their important SEO documentation: Bing revised its Webmaster Guidelines, providing details on how it ranks webpages. Google’s Search Quality Raters Guidelines only received one update this year; adding more detailed instructions for raters as well as a new section for dictionary and encyclopedia results.
The SERP. The search results page saw its fair share of changes this year as well. Google announced that it was “decluttering” the first page of results by deduplicating featured snippets, meaning that pages that earn a featured snippet no longer repeat as a regular listing. The right-sidebar featured snippet variant was also migrated into the main results column, as well.
In an effort to provide more direct answers to users, Bing employed pre-trained language models to answer queries with a simple “yes” or “no.” It also added snippet controls, giving site owners more flexibility over how their search result previews. Google made it easier to locate featured snippet text on the page it lives on by formally launching a highlighting feature that it had been testing for years.
Image and YouTube. The “licensable” badge in Google Image search results came out of beta at the end of August, and the company also added a usage rights filter to return only images that include licensing information. The “key moments” feature also rolled out more widely; it can now appear on multiple videos in mobile results.
COVID-related updates. People turned to search engines as the coronavirus went from being a foreign issue to surging throughout the US. In response, Google’s coronavirus-related search results page received a drastic overhaul between the end of February and the end of March, giving us a preview of how search results pages might one day look.
And, to help keep users informed, Google surfaced more local COVID news, opening up its Top Stories section to non-AMP, COVID content — something of a precursor to lifting the AMP restriction as part of the Page Experience update next year. It also began showing “travel trends” and “travel advisory” notices, displaying the percentage of flights operating to a particular destination, as well as adding a free cancellation filter to its hotel search.
Schema.org added COVID-related structured data types, which Google and Bing both adopted. The White House even urged private sector businesses to use the markup when appropriate. Features and resources were also made available to local businesses, which we’ll discuss in the local section of this article.
One highlight from this devastating period was the reaction from search marketers, who volunteered their services to help small businesses navigate the pandemic in a myriad of ways.
Industry news. In the EU, the Android search choice screen rolled out on March 1, but the smartphone supply chain disruption due to the pandemic delayed its impact, making it uncertain whether it produced a significant shift in search market share.
Early on in the year, Verizon Media launched OneSearch, a privacy-focused search engine that is more of a direct competitor to DuckDuckGo than Google. As the year unfolded, other search engines were announced, following a similar tactic and seeking to differentiate themselves from Google instead of taking it head-on.
Former Google ad boss Sridhar Ramaswamy announced Neeva, which, instead of bringing in revenue via ads, will charge a subscription fee. Former Salesforce chief scientist Richard Socher announced You.com; although less has been announced about it, it seems like it will be geared towards e-commerce.
With the backdrop of increasing scrutiny over Google’s business practices, both in the US and abroad, we asked the question: “What would it take for new search engines to succeed?” And, is the timing right for Apple to get serious about search and taking on Google?
The search industry is not shaped purely by Google, Bing, other tech giants or venture capitalists, though. Diversity and gender equality took center stage over the summer, and search professionals responded: The murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery drove us to find actionable ways to pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion within our own organizations.
North Star Inbound’s Nicole DeLeon released a study that found that more than 70% of SEOs in the US are men, who also make more on average than their female colleagues. Networking and allies remain critical to eliminating that disparity.
RELATED: 10 ways you can support women in SEO
Reporting and analytics
Google Search Console (GSC) received a number of updates in 2020, beginning with the launch of a new removals tool. The tool lets site owners temporarily hide URLs from showing in search, as well as showing them which URLs were filtered by SafeSearch and what content isn’t displaying in search results because requests have been made via the public Remove Outdated content tool.
One day before the Page Experience announcement, Google quietly swapped out the speed report in GSC with the new Core Web Vitals report. The current set of Core Web Vitals metrics focus on three aspects of user experience: loading, interactivity, and visual stability, in the forms of Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
The performance report was updated with a News traffic filter, giving site owners one more way to slice and dice their Google search exposure and traffic. A revamped crawl stats report was also launched to provide actionable data regarding crawling issues. A year after the old version of GSC was shut down, Google migrated the disavow link tool to the new version, updating its interface in the process. GSC users can now also download complete information, instead of just specific table views, from all reports, making them easier to analyze and manipulate.
In August, the company launched Google Search Console Insights, a new view of data “tailored for content creators and publishers,” as a closed beta. Search Console Insights blends Google Analytics and Search Console data to help content creators identify how well their content is performing, how people discover it across the web, what their site’s top and trending queries are, and what other sites and articles link to theirs.
And, users of the Google Search Console API received access to fresher data as well as the ability to query, add, and delete their sitemaps on domain properties.
Google Analytics 4. One of the biggest analytics announcements this year was the unveiling of Google Analytics 4, an expansion and rebranding of the App + Web property. It includes expanded predictive insights, deeper integration with Google Ads, cross-device measurement capabilities and more granular data controls. When setting up a new property, GA4 will be the default option; however, Universal Analytics remains available, at least for now, as new feature developments will be focused on GA4.
Bing Webmaster Tools. Microsoft revamped Bing Webmaster Tools this year; the overhaul was announced in February at SMX West and the migration was completed at the end of July. Unlike the Google Analytics update, the old version of Bing Webmaster Tools is no longer supported, but users of the revamped version are in for some new features.
The new Site Scan tool crawls your site and checks for common technical SEO issues. The backlinks tool enables you to compare your site’s backlinks to another site, providing site owners with competitive data without verified access to the competing site. The company also resurrected and enhanced the robots.txt tester, a feature that Bing first dropped about a decade or so ago. And, Microsoft Clarity, the company’s user experience visualization tool which came out of beta at the end of October, was also integrated with the new Bing Webmaster Tools.
Right about the time the January 2020 core update was rolling out, Google also announced the mobile Popular Products section for apparel, shoes and similar searches, signifying the first in a series of e-commerce strategy shifts for the company. The section is organic and powered by product schema and product feeds submitted via Google Merchant Center.
Also on mobile, Google extended the functionality of its related activity cards, with respect to shopping, job, and recipe-related searches. The shopping activity card may now show products that a user has been researching, effectively ushering them along their customer journey.
Google’s most significant pivot in e-commerce strategy this year (and perhaps in several years) was opening up its Shopping search results to unpaid, organic listings, after eight years of being a purely paid product. There’s still space for paid listings, though: ads now show up at the top and bottom of Google Shopping results pages. Retailers that want their items to show up organically must upload product feeds within Google Merchant Center. Those that choose to do so will also be eligible to have their product listings displayed in knowledge panels on the main search results page, as these slots have also gone from sponsored to organic.
As you might have expected, Bing made the same move from paid to organic with its Shopping results in August, just four months later.
On the social side, Pinterest rolled out a new “Shop” tab to its mobile app. It also integrated its visual search functionality directly into shoppable Pins to make it easier to find similar products. Shopify retailers can take advantage of these updates through the Pinterest app in the Shopify app store, which enables merchants to upload their product catalogs to Pinterest, potentially allowing them to get in front of Pinterest’s over 360 million monthly active users.
Maps. Google Maps turned 15 this year, and the company celebrated with a refreshed version of the mobile app. The 2020 iteration expanded the bottom tabs to five (“Explore” “Commute,” “Saved,” “Contribute,” and “Updates”) and the company also announced an expansion of Live View augmented reality walking directions.
The Maps updates continued through to December, when businesses using Google My Business (GMB) gained access to improved performance metrics, showing whether customers found them on Maps or through search, as well as expanded messaging via their business profile in Maps. Web search results also began showing in the Google Maps search results listings for individual businesses.
Apple also rebuilt its Maps app, adding or improving on features such as real-time transit schedules, sharable arrival time estimates, indoor maps of malls and airports, Look Around (its version of Google’s Street View), one-tap navigation for favorite locations, and more.
Google My Business. In February, there was a lot of chatter on Twitter about a new section on the Google My Business Help site that encouraged business owners to include relevant keywords in their GMB descriptions.
Google quickly backtracked on that guidance after local SEOs brought it to the company’s attention, and the messaging disappeared shortly after. Joy Hawkins, owner of Sterling Sky, has tested this advice previously, finding that the description field has no impact on ranking in the local three-pack.
As “buy online, pickup in-store” usage surged, Google announced it would be making nearby product inventory more discoverable via a more prominent “nearby” filter under the Shopping tab, adding new local store cards and increasing visibility for Curbside and In-store pickup labels. A few months prior to that, we learned that the company was expanding its Duplex tool to call local businesses to check for inventory availability; prior to this, Duplex was primarily used for appointment booking and verifying business hours. As online services continue to influence offline spending, these moves could help position Google to dominate the online-to-offline (O2O) economy.
The Google Guaranteed badge became available to non-advertisers through an experimental “upgraded” GMB profile for $50 per month — it’s not an organic feature, but the badge itself was spotted in Maps listings. If it becomes a permanent fixture, it may serve to distinguish the businesses that have it from the ones that don’t. Last year, Google fielded a survey and one of the proposed features was removing ads from your business profile — a small, whitelisted group of advertisers (Groupon, Seamless, and Caviar) were seen showing their ads on local business profiles. These ads can potentially redirect an order that might go directly to the business, and although it’s currently a small pilot program, there’s no way to opt-out or select the advertisers that appear on their profile.
Google said it saw a surge in searches for Black-owned businesses during the summer — more than 40% of Black business owners reported that they weren’t working in April, compared to just 17% of white small business owners, according to an analysis by The New York Times. To help distinguish these businesses, it introduced the “Black-owned” business attribute to local listings. Approaching the issue from the other side, Yelp announced a new “Business Accused of Racist Behavior” alert; when the alert goes up, Yelp disables new reviews for that business profile.
Google local support has had a less-than-stellar reputation, which the company is likely looking to recover from. In November, it introduced the Small Business Advisors program to help SMBs become more proficient with Google products. The program offers 50-minute individualized consulting sessions on topics such as GMB, Ads, Analytics, and YouTube. The program is $39.99 per session but there was no fee throughout 2020.
COVID. In the early days of stay-at-home orders, local SEOs called out multiple GMB problems, such as delays in posting new listings and updating hours and addresses, despite Google saying it would prioritize “open and closed states, special hours, temporary closures, business descriptions, and business attributes edits.” Local reviews were also temporarily disabled for both customers and business owners — review functionality returned about twenty days later.
To help convey the pandemic’s impact on businesses, Google enabled them to indicate that they were temporarily closed in Search and Maps. It later launched a feature to provide local businesses more flexibility with their hours of operation. Building on that, an indicator in GMB profiles now shows when business hours were last updated.
During this time, Google also allowed retail chains to publish COVID-related Posts at scale via the GMB API. Later on, that functionality was also extended to non-COVID posts as well.
Google wasn’t the only platform people turned to: Nextdoor rolled out Groups and Help Map. The Groups feature was in beta before the pandemic, but the crisis showed the company that it could help users overcome isolation. Help Map was launched to aid neighbors in need.
Yelp was the first to announce a fundraising partnership with GoFundMe, enabling local businesses to place a “donate” button on their Yelp profile. Not so long after, GoFundMe donate buttons became available to Bing Places for Business and GMB profile owners.
Consumer confidence over safety became a priority as the economy sought to reopen. TripAdvisor and Yelp both launched new ways for consumers to highlight how businesses are handling health and safety measures. On Google’s platform, GMB owners can now indicate health and safety requirements for their stores via attributes such as “Mask required,” “Staff get temperature checks” and more.
Just for fun
Search professionals know that our industry has the potential to drastically influence perspectives and affect business outcomes — every once in a while, the general public catches wind of that fact as well.
In February, Warner Bros. renamed its recently released Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) to simply Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey so that moviegoers (remember going to the movies?) would have an easier time finding tickets online.
And, while Netflix’s Tiger King gave many of us something to binge during that initial shift to being home all the time, the Tiger King himself used illicit SEO tactics to mislead users searching for his main competitor. He didn’t get away with it, and we certainly don’t recommend it.
And, Google helped us get closer to the answer of the age-old question: “What’s the name of that song?” Now, the Google app can tell you the name of a particular song, all you have to do is hum it for 10-15 seconds.
Looking forward to 2021
Make sure to look over your structured data as well; data-vocabulary.org markup will be ineligible for Google rich results on January 29.
And, the deadline for mobile-first indexing is upon us, again. It’s far better for Google to migrate your site over on your terms, when your site is ready, than it is to allow the deadline to lapse and have your site forced over.
This story first appeared on Search Engine Land.


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More than 100 McDonald's customers fall ill from parasite after eating SALADS at fast food chain restaurants across the country
- Customers across the Midwest are getting sick in a Cyclospora outbreak
- About 90 cases identified in Illinois and 15 in Iowa, health departments said
- Health officials drew a link between eating McDonald's salads and getting sick
- McDonald's said 3,000 stores affecting and it was replacing the salads
Dozens of McDonald's customers have contracted a third-world parasite after eating salads at stores across two Midwestern states.
At least 20 of the 90 cases of cyclosporiasis, caused by the Cyclospora parasite, in Illinois since mid-May became sick after eating salads at the fast food chain.
The Iowa Public Health Department said it identified 15 cases linked to the same illness and parasite who ate there in June and July.
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Dozens of McDonald's customers have contracted a third-world parasite after eating salads at stores across two Midwestern states (stock image)
Health departments in both states said there appeared to be a link between the outbreak and consumption of McDonald's salads.
Dr Patricia Quinlisk, Iowa's public health medical director and epidemiologist, said anyone with symptoms who ate a McDonald's salad should get tested.
'Anyone who ate these salads since the middle of June and who developed diarrhea, especially watery diarrhea and fatigue, should see their health care provider,' she said.
The departments said McDonald's was fully cooperating with state health officials, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration.
McDonald's said about 3,000 outlets, mostly in the Midwest, were affected and 'out of an abundance of caution' it was removing salads from those store until it could replace them with stock from other suppliers.
At least 20 of the 90 cases of cyclosporiasis, caused by the Cyclospora parasite, in Illinois (pictured) since mid-May became sick after eating salads at the fast food chain
'McDonald's is committed to the highest standards of food safety and quality control,' it said.
'We are closely monitoring this situation and cooperating with state and federal public health authorities as they further investigate.'
Symptoms of Cyclospora infection include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight, cramping, bloating or increased gas, nausea, fatigue, and low-grade fever.
People can become infected by consuming food or water contaminated with the microscopic parasite.
The parasite is usually found in developing countries but there have been several outbreaks in the U.S. in the past few years.
McDonald's said about 3,000 outlets were affected and 'out of an abundance of caution' it was removing salads from those store and replacing them with stock from other suppliers
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ASUS ROG Phone, the first gaming smartphone under the Republic of Gamers brand, will launch in India on November 29. It will be available in the country exclusively via Flipkart, according to the official announcement. The phone is touted to be the world's first smartphone with a 3D vapor-chamber
Switching to USB Type-C seems like a smart move, because most phone makers have also started ditching the headphone jack. Due to this, buyers are being forced to use messy connectors for plugging their old 3.5mm earphones. But wait, a decent pair of Type-C earphones can be the solution of all these woes
Incubated at IIT-Madras, AirOK has developed Vistar 550, a smart air purifier that uses patent-pending technology and has found application in the healthcare, real estate, hospitality, and IT sectors....
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) India's satellite communications (satcom) policy needs to be revised with the arrival of 5G connectivity and Internet of Things (IoT), said the Secretary for Department of Telecommunications (DoT) Aruna Sundararajan on Wednesday. Speaking at the "India SatCom 2018"
It has been 44 years since the Arecibo Message - a radio message beamed to space to draw the attention of any intelligent aliens - was sent, and scientists have deemed that it's time it gets updated. However, the contents of the new message will not simply be left to scientists, and you too can
Alexa app users can integrate and activate the new feature from the Settings menu in the Communications option where they can select the link to add a Skype account.
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], Nov 21 (NewsVoir): Months after opening office in India, OVH, on Wednesday announced its operations in the country. OVH is a global leader in cloud infrastructure. With business in North America, EMEA and APAC, OVH has drawn on its international expertise to offer a different
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The NZD/USD outlook is now bullish in the short term as it found traction during the New York Session on Friday. Although the price started the week on a positive note, it failed to maintain the bullish tone near a key level of 0.7100. The price closed the week near 0.7000 on most CFD brokers platforms.
The NZD/USD pair remained under selling pressure in the whole week as the Greenback got strength amid rising cases of Delta virus across Europe and Asia. However, the safe-haven appeal of the US Dollar keeps it underpinned.
However, this week’s Fed’s meeting minutes could not surprise the market, and we found no clear pattern. Fed’s members reiterated cutting bond purchases earlier. But, at the same time, they found out a slower economic recovery that could halt their tightening policy.
On the other hand, the rise in jobless claims figures weighed on the US Dollar, and it entered a bearish corrective mode across the board. Moreover, rising US Treasuries yields paused their way and started dropping from their peaks. The fall of yields on Friday gave a breather to the Kiwi and other peers. However, the relief rally may find it hard to extend the momentum next week.
The next week comes with some important economic releases, including US Core CPI, Retail Sales and New Zealand’s cash rate and RBNZ’s statement. We expect not much volatility from US Core CPI even as it seems like the market has already priced in the impact of higher inflation. However, the RBNZ statement and US Retail Sales can provide fresh impetus to the pair.
NZD/USD technical outlook: Bearish volume to stay intact
The NZD/USD pair found a rejection near 0.7100 level this week. The 200-SMA on the 4-hour chart lies in the same region. It has formed a double bottom around 0.6920 (previous swing area of 17 June). The rise from the double bottom is now near the congestion of 20 and 50 moving averages. This could be a strong rejection zone for the pair as well. Moreover, the volume of the pullback wave is not supportive as it remained low with a declining mode. Most forex signals have appeared with a selling bias.
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GALION — A refreshing breeze and sunshine greeted area residents Saturday who attended July’s Second Saturday in Galion Shop Hop in the downtown area. They spent 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday walking the Harding Way area and going in and out of stores and other venues. Some of them even got in a little holiday spirit. The shop hop was billed as a special “Christmas in July” event.
All were invited to take part in a holiday-themed scavenger hunt inside businesses.
Amanda Wiggins, who owns Flourish Boutique on Harding Way East, said this was the first Shop Hop that she was open for and said that business was stepping up.
“So far, so good,” she said. “It’s actually been really good. There have been a lot of people out and about. A lot of people have been coming in curious to the changes I’ve made. but others are stopping up and actually buying. So keep it coming!”
Miranda Jones, executive director of the Galion-Crestline Chamber of Commerce, added: “The weather is perfect and we’ve got a lot of people moving around. We have some events for this month … we added more rocks, Shop Hop Rocks.”
Jones said there were 10 painted rocks placed throughout the area which were also sponsored by DRM Productions. “When people find them, they can turn them back in for $10 gift card to any business they choose in the Historic Uptowne Galion area.
“We are also doing Christmas in July, so Santa and his reindeer are hidden in 10 business and people find them and fill in (a paper) on where they found them and turn that back in and then they can get a $5 gift card to DK’s Ice Cream or to Ralphies … whichever one they prefer.
“We wanted to add an event that got people moving around more and still maintain social distancing,” Jones noted. “Next month will be our Back-To-School Bash, because that’s the tax-free weekend in Ohio. We might hide (pictures) of school buses next month for people to find.”
Jones said businesses owners and employees really like the monthly Shop Hop event because they get more visibility.
“Many people don’t realize what we have until they are moving around and stopping in front of a store,” Jones explained. “We’re going to try to do another one in September — Sept. 12 — and try to get an organization to team up with us and do a car show. Typically, there is a car show in August or September each year put on by the Lutheran Church, but Mike Smith said they aren’t going to do that this year. So Sarah Capretta, who does the Pickle Run and Come Home to Galion, said she might help us organize that.”
Copper Horse Antiques was just one of many businesses open Saturday during the Second Saturday Shop Hop in Historic Uptown Galion. The idea, according to chamber leader Miranda Jones, is to get people to come to the area to make themselves more familier with the stores and venues and eateries and coffee shops open in Galion.
Uptown Galion was a busy place Saturday during the “Christmas in July” shop hop. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., special promotions were made available to entice shoppers to the area.


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Our national worry is over: Ralph Lauren announced on Tuesday that the clothing for Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics was made in America.
This may not seem like a big deal to many across this country, but the issue of where U.S. Olympians’ clothing was manufactured has been a contentious issue on the national stage in the past, even deserving an official comment from the White House.
During the 2012 Games in London, much of the clothing from Ralph Lauren was made in China. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., at the time came out strongly against this revelation:
I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again. If they have to wear nothing but a symbol that says USA on it, painted by hand, that is what they should wear.
When pressed, the White House wouldn’t lay blame on Ralph Lauren or the U.S. Olympic Committee, saying they were private companies. Deputy press secretary Josh Earnest explained further on July 13, 2012:
The president’s views on the high quality of American-made products is well known and something that he talks about quite extensively. That includes American-made clothing; that there are high-quality products that are made here in America. And maybe for future Olympics, those kinds of things will be considered.
In true White House press corps fashion, the line of questioning took a bizarre turn. “Does the president insist on wearing American-made clothes?” one reporter asked. Earnest responded coyly, “I haven’t checked the label on his wardrobe today.”
Following this debacle, New York Democrats Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Steve Israel wrote a letter asking that American Olympians’ outfits be made in the U.S. for future games. And it seems as if their pleas worked.
Ralph Lauren sourced these new outfits — which will be worn during the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as around the Olympic Village — through 40 different domestic manufacturers, the company boasts. Additionally, outfitter North Face announced it made the uniforms for the American freestyle ski team in California.
The 2012 Olympics was not the first time this was an issue. During the 2008 games in Beijing, Team USA’s uniforms were made in China. Before then, the Canadian outfitter Roots made the clothing for Team USA.
For those super-patriotic fans out there, you can get the new gear from Ralph Lauren on Nov. 15 before the Olympics begin in February. Take a look at the gear and how it was made:
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The Hollywood Reporter takes a look at a little-known intersection of politics and entertainment, in which Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon is still raking in residuals from Seinfeld. Here's the digest version: When Seinfeld was in its infancy, Ted Turner was in the process of acquiring its production company, Castle Rock, but he was under-capitalized. Bannon's fledgling media company put up the remaining funds, and he agreed to "participation rights" instead of a fee. "Seinfeld has reaped more than $3 billion in its post-network afterlife through syndication deals." Meanwhile, Bannon is "still cashing checks from Seinfeld, and observers say he has made nearly 25 times more off the Castle Rock deal than he had anticipated."
Donald Trump's "transition team will meet next week with representatives of the tech industry, multiple sources confirmed, even as their candidate largely has been largely shunned by Silicon Valley. The meeting, scheduled for next Thursday at the offices of law and lobbying firm BakerHostetler, will include trade groups like the Information Technology Industry Council and the Internet Association that represent major Silicon Valley companies."
Today in bad news for Donald Trump:
- Newsweek found that a company he controlled did business with Cuba under Fidel Castro "despite strict American trade bans that made such undertakings illegal, according to interviews with former Trump executives, internal company records and court filings." In 1998, he spent at least $68,000 there, which was funneled through a consluting company "to make it appear legal."
- The Los Angeles Times reports that at a golf club he owns in California, Trump ordered that unattractive female staff be fired and replaced with prettier women.


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U.S. Beer Sales Climb To Nearly $100 Billion On Strength Of Craft, Premium Brews
Total US beer sales rose 2 percent in 2011, to $98.94 billion, this was largely becasue of the demand for craft, imported and premium beer, according to statistics from the Beer Institute.
Beer sales were especially strong in bars and restaurants. Revenue grew 3 percent in that category, while so-called "off sales," at places like liquor stores, convenience stores and supermarkets, rose less than one percent. The Beer Institute said that 56 percent of the money Americans spent on beer last year was spent in bars and restaurants -- though higher prices on-premises meant that a full 81 percent of the total volume of beer was purchased for off-premises consumption.
The most sluggish category in the beer market was standard domestic beer, as it has been for several years. Things are rather dire. A September report by 24/7 Wall Street on the grievousness of the state of big box American brewers showed that sales of marquee brands plummeted by more than half between 2007 and 2010.
Tiffany Hsu of the LA Times attributed the disparity between mid-shelf sales and those for premium brews to the lingering impact of the recession on middle-income consumers, who have traditionally been the most enthusiastic consumers of domestic beer.
That -- or people realized, after tasting ethereal nectars like Victory Moonglow and Unibroue Fin Du Monde, that beer isn't supposed to taste like "soapy water."
~ HuffPost Food, Canada


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Danish toy maker Lego, known for its colourful plastic building blocks, added 1,355 staff in 2013 as the firm saw sales rise in all of its major markets.
Lego said its revenue lifted 10% over the year to 25.3bn Danish krone (£2.78bn, $4.5bn, €3.4bn).
Though revenue declined in the US and Japan, and was flat in Europe, it lifted in Lego's emerging Chinese market. Sales volumes were up across all of Lego's major markets, despite the revenue decline in some of them.
Its total headcount hit 11,755, up 13% on the previous year and its highest number ever.
"In less than 10 years, we have now more than quadrupled our revenue," said Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, president and chief executive of the Lego Group.
"Continually developing and innovating our consumer offering is a key to our success, and in 2013 we successfully developed and launched products that children put high on their wish list all over the world."
Lego said its best-selling lines in 2013 were Lego City, Lego Star Wars, and Lego Duplo.


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[Editor’s note: “The Electric Vehicle Revolution Is Here Thanks to the Forever Battery” was previously published in January 2022. It has since been updated to include the most relevant information available.]
The Electric Vehicle Revolution is in full swing right now.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has a market cap near 900 billion and opened its Texas gigafactory in April. Lucid (NASDAQ:LCID) recently rolled out its first cars with 500-plus miles of driving range. In November 2021, Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) had the biggest initial public offering (IPO) since Meta (NASDAQ:FB). Every legacy automaker — from Ford (NYSE:F) to GM (NYSE:GM) to Volkswagen (OTCMKTS:VWAGY) — is investing tens of billions of dollars into electrifying their fleets.
The Electric Vehicle Revolution has unequivocally arrived.
But here’s the thing: It won’t go mainstream until we make better batteries.
The reality is that batteries make things work. But today’s versions are keeping electric vehicles from working as well as they could.
Sure, it seems counterintuitive, but it’s true. And to understand why, we need to take a quick trip back to chemistry class.
Electric Vehicle Battery Breakdown
Batteries comprise three things — a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte. Batteries work by promoting the flow of ions between the cathode and anode through the electrolyte.
Conventional lithium-ion batteries are currently the dominant status quo in smartphones, smartwatches, electric vehicles, so on and so forth. They are built on liquid battery chemistry.
That is, they comprise a solid cathode and anode with a liquid electrolyte solution connecting the two.
These batteries have worked wonders for years. But due to the constraints of liquid electrolytes, they are now reaching their limit in terms of energy cell density. That means if we want our devices to last longer and charge faster, we need a fundamentally different battery.
Insert the solid-state battery.
With solid-state batteries, the name pretty much says it all. Take the liquid electrolyte solution in conventional batteries. Compress it into a solid. Create a small, hyper-compact solid battery that — because it has zero wasted space — lasts far longer and charges far faster.
Of course, the implications of solid-state battery chemistry are huge.
Solid-state batteries could be the key to our phones sustaining power for days and smartwatches fully charging in seconds. And, yes, they could enable electric vehicles to drive for thousands of miles without needing to recharge.
That’s why solid-state batteries are dubbed by insiders as “forever batteries.” And they’re the critical technology needed to propel the Electric Vehicle Revolution into its next phase of supercharged growth.
But making solid-state batteries is a complex and costly science. And no one has figured out how to affordably or sustainably do it…
Enter the Solid-State
Several promising tech startups have made significant technical progress over the past several years in the construction of viable, effective solid-state batteries. One of them — QuantumScape (NYSE:QS) — has basically solved the problem.
The biggest issue with solid-state batteries is something called dendrites. They’re small cracks that form in the solid electrolyte during charging and recharging. And eventually, they get so big that they short-circuit the battery. Thus, the big breakthrough in solid-state batteries lies in developing a solid electrolyte material that is dendrite-resistant.
About a year ago, QuantumScape said they had done just that and released internal testing data which illustrated as much. The stock soared from $10 to $130 in a matter of weeks.
But QuantumScape stock proceeded to collapse as investors began to question the legitimacy of the company’s internal data. After all, it had yet to be publicly verified by a third party. Maybe QuantumScape was exaggerating about its performance?
Such fears have disappeared over the past few months, though. Last year, QuantumScape released third-party testing data that validated its creation of small-scale solid-state batteries that work. And in its latest earnings report released in April, the company announced it has developed a16-layer solid-state battery cell. And it’s already endured over 500 charging cycles.
It’s truly incredible — world-changing, even…
The Final Word on the Electric Vehicle Revolution
The big picture here is that the technical progress being made in solid-state battery chemistry is not being overstated. It’s legitimate. It’s happening. And over the coming years, this emerging technology will transform the EV industry — and, indeed, the entire electronics world.
Some of the stock market’s biggest winners in the 2020s will be solid-state battery makers.
QuantumScape projects as one of those megawinners. But it won’t be alone. And in fact, it won’t be the biggest winner.
That title is reserved for a tiny unheard-of solid-state battery-maker whose stock is trading for less than $3 right now.
Less than $3 — and this company could change the world over the next decade.
The upside potential in this tiny stock is enormous — so big, in fact, that unlike QuantumScape, I can’t write its name in this post.
But I did just give a presentation about it at the landmark Hudson Theatre in Southern California.
And now you can have that same opportunity. Grab a front-row seat to learn about the stock at the epicenter of the biggest technological revolution of our lifetimes.
On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.


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Aritzia soars on TSX; shares up 10.69 per cent at close
The Canadian Press
Published Monday, October 3, 2016 11:27AM EDT
Last Updated Monday, October 3, 2016 6:37PM EDT
TORONTO - Aritzia Inc. shares began trading for the first time Monday, well above the price set in the run-up to the Canadian fashion retailer's initial public offering.
One-vote subordinate Aritzia shares (TSX:ATZ) were about 13 per cent above the IPO price of $16 after about 90 minutes of trading Monday.
At Monday's close, the subordinate shares were up $1.71, or 10.69 per cent, to $17.71 on 8.5-million shares.
The company -- which has a network of 75 stores and an online business -- won't get any of the money but its current shareholders are in line to receive at least $380 million after $20 million in fees paid to the underwriters.
Underwriters have the option to buy a further 15 per cent -- up to 3.75-million shares -- at the same price within 30 days, which could net Aritzia's majority shareholders up to $437 million and the underwriters up to $23 million in fees.
Boston-based Berkshire Partners and Aritzia founder Brian Hill will retain about 97 per cent of the voting power through multiple-vote shares, which weren't part of the IPO.


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What you need to know
- Samsung's early marketing material for the Note 10 mentioned a stainless steel frame for the phone.
- Today, the company updated its marketing to say it's actually "polished metal."
- In other words, the Note 10's frame is aluminum.
During its Unpacked event in New York this past Wednesday, Samsung introduced us to the Galaxy Note 10 and did everything in its power to get us excited for the new flagship. There's a lot going on with the phone, and in the company's marketing material and hype video that played during the keynote, Samsung mentioned that the Note 10 was made out of stainless steel. However, this no longer appears to be the case.
As spotted by Max Weinbach from XDA Developers, Samsung refreshed its website and marketing video for the Note 10 to now say that the phone's made out "polished metal."
We reached out to Samsung with that very question, and the company confirmed to AC that the Note 10 is, in fact, made out of aluminum.
Some of Samsung's early Note 10 marketing materials said the phone's frame was stainless steel, but it was refreshed today to say it's "polished metal."— Daniel Bader (@journeydan) August 9, 2019
Samsung just confirmed that it's actually made of aluminum just like every Galaxy since the GS6.
What caused the change in material? Samsung didn't provide a reason for the mix-up, but the mention of stainless steel on the company's website and in a video that was obviously seen by lots of people before being published indicates that the original intent was for stainless steel to be present on the phone.
As David Ruddock suggested, it's likely that Samsung switched back to aluminum to save money or ran into manufacturing issues. In any case, the retail version of the phone will feature aluminum.
Most people likely won't care either way, but it is interesting that Samsung decided to switch back to aluminum after making such a big deal about stainless steel being present on the phone. It would have been cool to have the more premium material present on a phone that starts at $950, but such is life.
An impressive flagship, even without stainless steel.
The Galaxy Note 10 is here, and even though it might not have a stainless steel frame, it's still more than worth checking out. It has a gorgeous display, powerful specs, and a promising triple rear camera system.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Everything you need to know about the Galaxy Z Fold 2!
The first Galaxy Fold was one of the most impressive smartphones of recent years, and now, Samsung's following up on it with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Here's everything you need to know about it!
The Pixel 4a is here, and we’ve rounded up everything you need to know
The Pixel 4a is now available, and we've rounded up all the reasons to be excited about this incredible budget handset. Here's everything you need to know about it!
Sony mislead its audience by not revealing which PS5 games are on PS4
Sony marketed several major titles such as Horizon Forbidden West as PS5 games, despite PS4 versions also being in development. We don't know if it's intentional or not, but it's bad for the consumer.
These are the best Galaxy Note 10 cases on the market!
The Galaxy Note 10 is a stunning, powerful, and shatter-prone smartphone. Keep it safe with one of these excellent cases!


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Sprint today announced a pair of new advertising campaigns that will replace those featuring Sprint’s CEO, Dan Hesse. The new ads will spotlight the breadth of information being exchanged over the network as well as highlighting value.
Analysts see the decision to remove Hesse from the ads as a response to dropping trust levels in CEOs given the current banking and insurance scandals.
In a recent interview, Hesse told Wireless Week that he hasn’t ruled out doing another commercial sometime in the future.
The new campaigns, “What’s Happening Now?” and “Why Throw your Money Away?”, will be launched in print, online and television spaces, including homepage takeovers on YouTube, Yahoo!, MSN and AOL. The first homepage takeover launches April 29, with others to follow.
“What’s Happening Now?” spotlights real-time information available to those on Sprint’s 3G and 4G networks. A widget spectacle unveiled at echoes the television ads and offers users arbitrary bits of real-time information such as the number of eggs currently being produce in tons and the amount of money being spent online.
“The idea behind the campaign is to demonstrate all the things that happen on the Now Network in today’s fast-paced world,” said Bill Morgan, senior vice president of corporate marketing for Sprint, via a press release.
The campaign also reminds consumers of the upcoming launch of the much anticipated Palm Pre on Sprint.
In another series of ads, Sprint emphasizes that individuals and families can save on their wireless bills if they switch to Sprint from AT&T or Verizon Wireless. The new chapter of ads, launched on April 3, plays on the idea of reality television, but with actors, and humorously chides people, “Don’t throw away your money.”
The absurdity of tossing away one’s money is demonstrated by mock situations in which onlookers witness money being disposed of in an exaggerated fashion. For example, one of the early ads shows a leaf blower vigorously blowing dollar bills in a neighborhood yard.
The new ads come as Sprint tries to regain market share lost to rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Hesse was brought in to rebuild the ailing carrier and while customer service has markedly improved under his leadership, Sprint still struggles to attract customers.
Last month, Sprint announced that it will launch 4G wireless broadband service in 10 new markets in 2009, including Atlanta, Charolette, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Chicago.


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While there’s no doubt that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has set back the automotive industry in what was to be a crucial year for the electric vehicles (EVs) market, EVs have an important role to play in reshaping the future as many people are already lobbying for sustainable ways to rebuild the economy when the pandemic ends.
Although the interest in EVs has been growing steadily in the last decade, many prospective car buyers still have misconceptions that prevent them from making the switch to electric. These misconceptions typically center around cost, performance, practicality, and the true environmental benefits of EVs. Here we take a look at the most common concerns that consumers face and review whether they are justified.
1. Are EVs as affordable as gasoline cars?
Some consumers have shied away from electric and hybrid models under the assumption that EV ownership comes with a hefty price tag. However, EVs are now much cheaper to buy and usually more affordable in the long-run. For instance, in Spain, SEAT’s recommended list price for its Mii electric is just €17.900 and the Nissan Leaf, one of the most popular EV models on the market, is available for €25.900. Moreover, you can save up to €6.000 on the purchase price thanks to several electric vehicle incentives available across Europe. This makes a lot of EVs cheaper than currently available fuel cars. Furthermore, EVs are also more economical to own than their gas counterparts. Research in the US shows that, on average, an EV owner saves $632 per year in operational expenditures compared to a fuel car driver. This means pricier EV models can still become more cost-effective than their cheaper gas counterparts within a few years (see graphic above).
So, what are the main drivers behind these savings? Well, besides the aforementioned EV incentives, it’s mostly fuel savings and lower maintenance costs. The first comes down to cheaper ‘fuel’ cost per kilometer, as electricity is cheaper than gas and EVs are more efficient than fuel cars. Second, the United States Department of Energy explains that maintenance costs are lower for EVs because they have fewer fluids (oil and transmission fluid) that need to be changed and far fewer moving parts that need maintenance or replacing. Finally, electric cars use a process called regenerative braking, which takes advantage of the kinetic energy that is usually lost and returns it to the battery. This also results in less frequent brake pad replacements over the years.
It’s important to note that the electric car’s heavier body and instantaneous torque mean that tire rotations and replacements may be required more frequently than with traditional cars. EV owners will eventually also need to replace their car’s battery, which can be costly. However, most EV batteries are expected to last around 10 years and reports show car battery costs will drop significantly by the time you’ll need to replace them. Keep in mind that repairing or replacing the motor of a fuel car can cost up to $10.000 and, all things considered, EVs simply require fewer visits to workshops and are much cheaper to own.
2. Are EVs as fast as fuel cars?
Many people associate power with the deep sound of revving engines and mistake EVs’ silence to mean they are lacking in speed and performance. In fact, the opposite is true. EVs accelerate faster than gas-powered cars and have more than enough speed for every-day usage.
The reason for this is that electric motors are much simpler than internal combustion engines. Therefore, EVs can provide full torque — the force that drives the vehicle forward — from 0 kilometers, resulting in instant acceleration. In comparison, traditional combustion engines take longer to get engine-generated power to the wheels and might need to rev up in order to reach maximum torque. With traditional fuel cars, the power also has to go through more moving parts, like the gearbox, making them less efficient.
That said, the simplified motor of electric cars also has a drawback. As most EVs operate on a single-speed gear, car producers must compromise between acceleration and top speed. You can compare this dilemma to having to choose only one gear level for your bicycle — the highest one would make it difficult to get started, the lowest one would make it inefficient to go faster. As a result, many EV models opt for a balanced approach, which often means lower top speeds compared to their multi-gear, gas-powered counterparts. Still, the top speeds of the most popular EVs are eclipsing maximum speed limits allowed in most parts of the world, making them fast enough for any normal usage. So unless you’re a racecar driver, the top speed of your EV will be more than sufficient.
3. How does EV range compare to fuel cars?
According to a recent survey, the most common concern for potential buyers is range anxiety as many worry about how far EVs can travel. However, this concern can be put to rest as many newer EV models already match the range of an average gas car as performance keeps improving.
For instance, while an average gas-powered car can reach up to 482 km (300 miles) on a full tank, most electric models have a range of 200-490 km (124-304 miles) on a single charge. Based on WLTP-measured data, newer EV models such as Hyundai Kona Electric (484 km), Chevrolet Bolt EV (459 km), and Kia e-Niro (455 km) already offer similar ranges to an average fuel car. To put things into perspective, this means you could easily go from Brussels to Paris (316 km) or from London to Liverpool (350 km) without any stops for charging. Moreover, luxury cars such as the Tesla Model S Long-Range can even go up to 610 km on a full charge, which puts a drive from Barcelona to Madrid in the range of a single charge. A report by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission shows that the average driving distance per day is between 40 and 90 km, making even older EV models capable of handling every-day distances.
4. Are there enough charging stations?
Many people are also concerned about whether the current charging network is strong enough to support EV driving. In reality, this question is actually less crucial than it seems. Most people drive around 40-90 km per day, meaning that they can simply charge at home overnight, without having to visit a public charging station at all. Since most gas-powered car owners don’t fill their tank at home, comparing the number of public charging stations to gas stations makes little sense.
Furthermore, with the amount of charging stations increasing rapidly across the world means this concern will only become less and less relevant over time. You can see these clearly in EV charging maps like Open Charge Map, PlugShare, Chargemap, or even Google Maps. Research also shows that while there were only 2.379 public charging stations in Europe in 2011, the number jumped to over 190.000 in 2020. Governments and businesses have been rolling out incentives and programs to ramp up the supply of charging points recently and this is set to continue. In fact, as our ‘How COVID-19 Is Changing Our Environment’ article shows, with governments currently looking to rebuild economies following the COVID-19 outbreak, there is a huge opportunity to reinforce the EV charging landscape and create a more sustainable planet.
5. Is EV charging fast enough?
Another common misconception amongst potential buyers centers around the time it takes to recharge an EV. However, with EVs giving you the option to charge at home, you can simply plug in your car when you arrive home and charge it overnight. This makes charging an EV much more convenient and means your vehicle is fully loaded each morning.
Additionally, thanks to developments in technology, charging times have also improved significantly in recent years. For instance, you can now charge a Nissan Leaf (30 kW battery capacity) with a 22 kW fast charger in about 90 minutes. Moreover, ultra-fast EV chargers with capacities of 150kW or higher are just hitting the market now, meaning you will soon be able to charge any EV in mere minutes, not hours.
6. Are EVs really cleaner & greener choices?
There has also been some skepticism over whether electric vehicles are really better for the environment. The short answer is yes, electrified transport really is ‘greener’ and paves the way for a more sustainable future. For instance, it has been shown that in terms of air pollution, the electric model of the average midsize car outperforms its fuel-powered counterpart.
As EVs are powered by energy, driving them is more environmentally friendly than using gas cars. Of course, it’s just as important that the energy used to power EVs comes from a clean source itself. As energy production from renewable sources typically varies by day or season, EVs offer another advantage. Smart charging technology allows us to align EV electricity consumption with renewable energy availability, which makes charging your EV even cleaner.
Another question focuses on the environmental friendliness of the EV production process. Research has shown that EVs produce far fewer emissions over their lifetime than gas-powered vehicles. However, the process of obtaining raw materials and manufacturing lithium-ion batteries does generate waste and harmful emissions. Thus, it will be important to continue making improvements across the entire supply chain, its processes, and how they affect all stakeholders involved to make EVs even more eco-friendly.
Some positive developments can already be observed, with lithium-ion battery production today creating less than half the amount of emissions it produced in 2017. There is also room for further improvements to be made by looking at production locations and processes. For instance, batteries made in Europe would have a smaller carbon footprint, as they use greener sources of energy to power their production facilities. Adopting better production methods and recycling processes would also reduce emissions significantly.
What’s more, initiatives are also being put in place to address post-life battery usage. For example, batteries at the end of their life can be repurposed as energy storage solutions and still deliver up to 70% of their output. Recycling processes are also improving, meaning more companies are able to extract precious metals from batteries for reuse: this will not only avoid contamination but help curb the growing demand for raw materials that leads to over mining.
All things considered, it remains clear that EVs are the greener, cleaner transport choice.
7. Is our grid ready for a full transition to EVs?
Some people are also wondering whether our grids are prepared to power all the EVs of the future. In reality, EVs won’t be a problem but a solution for grids, especially as we transition towards more sustainable societies.
Yes, more EVs will mean an increase in energy demand. However, thanks to two technologies, smart charging and bidirectional charging, the grid will still be able to handle it without requiring expensive infrastructure upgrades. For instance, as we’ve explained in our ’Benefits of Smart Charging’ article, grid operators can leverage smart charging to develop dynamic energy systems that are connected to electric cars. This would enable us to shift energy demand resulting from car charging to off-peak hours, meaning energy capacity doesn’t need to be upgraded. Our article titled ‘Why Electrified Transport is Key for The Climate Transition’ also shows that with bidirectional chargers, EVs can provide important storage capacities to actually support renewable-heavy grids. By combining the two technologies, we can reduce the stress on our existing infrastructure. We can charge our cars at night when there is less demand and then use them to power our homes or the grid during peak hours.
Electric vehicles are future-proof
Sales across all markets are certainly taking a hit due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, reports show that interest in electric cars is holding up despite decreasing car sales. In the UK, electric and plug-in hybrid car registrations rose significantly even though overall registrations fell by close to half the expected numbers. Consumers are showing a profound interest in making the move to electric, and not just as a choice for a private car. They are asking for more investments towards infrastructure, public transport, and changes to taxation. The public’s willingness to make these changes will play a fundamental role in phasing out fossil fuel cars in the long run. The choice is up to us, and the choice is easier than one might think. Electric vehicles can be just as convenient, cost-effective and a pleasure to drive as gas vehicles and, in many cases, even better. All whilst helping us move towards a more sustainable future.


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(Forbes) – Amid questions and speculation about China’s new central bank-backed digital currency termed DCEP, one thing remains clear: to the extent that China is working on digital currency, the main benefits would be to replace fiat cash with a layer of traceable digital cash,
ingesting another layer of data into the fearsome data machine that powers both government monitoring and the domestic machine learning industry — as well as providing enough “credible” decentralization so that the RMB could continue a digital ascent to greater internationalization and perhaps challenge the USD’s position as the premier reserve currency of the world.
This is a trend cryptocurrency holders and adherents must track: any potential ascent of a Chinese digital currency that “smells” like cryptocurrency may initially excite institutional investors and retail investors not deeply invested into the tenets of cryptocurrencies but rather their return on investment —
however, inevitably, a digital RMB will compete for oxygen with cryptocurrencies as they both seek to ascend and disrupt certain parts of the existing financial consensus. This will invite scrutiny from competitor states as well as allied states who may want to embrace this new model. READ MORE


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Dx Industry Faces Challenges Amid Microprocessor Shortage Despite Help From Biden Administration
With benefits of new legislation some ways out, developers continue to find workarounds to the lack of reliable microprocessor supplies.
VALID Act Divides Dx World as IVD Biz Welcomes Consistency, Flexibility While Labs Fear Red Tape
A panel discussion at the Next Generation Dx Summit this week provided perspectives on the bill from a variety of industry stakeholders.
A bill sponsor said he hopes to attach the act to other must-pass legislation while members of the Senate Health Committee have begun a detailed review of the law.
Biden Administration Details Expanded Testing as Part of Broader COVID-19 Action Plan
President Biden said he would use the Defense Production Act to expand manufacturing of rapid point-of-care and at-home COVID-19 tests, among other initiatives.
AdvaMed Partners With Dx Companies to Create National COVID-19 Supply Registry
According to the registry's first dataset, more than 65 million tests have been manufactured and shipped across the US.


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J. Crew CEO Jim Brett to step down after a short tenure, replaced by four exec
Jim Brett, who has led the company since June 2017, has now departed from his position. The company is now controlled by a group of three executives.
J. Crew loses its key executive. Jim Brett, until now CEO of the United States group, has left the company. The group, which for the last years has been through a complicated process of restructuration, has explained that his departure is produced for not reaching the predicted targets.
Jim Brett, who has led the company since June 2017, will be temporarily substituted by four of the company’s executives: Michael Nicholson, chief operating officer; Adam Brotman, chief experience officer; Lynda Markoe, chief administrative officer, and Libby Wadle, Madewell’s president.
J. Crew continues thus reshaping its team. Last June, the company signed Johanna Uuraskarvi, a former executive from Anthropologie, as design director. The company has carried out during the last years a restructuration process of its sales network, which entailed the closure of fifty stores in the local market.
The 30th of May 2018, the company operated with 228 stores owned by J. Crew, 121 property of Madewell and 175 outlets, besides having their own e-commerce platforms. This year, J. Crew will relocate its offices in New York which will be situated in Livery Street number 225, in Manhattan.
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When it comes to innovation, Best Buy continues to surprise me with with just how far ahead they are of every other big-box retailer. For example, they are currently the leading retailers of electric bikes and scooters, and have recently added Brammo motorcycles to the mix.
However, Best Buy’s long-term strategy includes more than adding a few two-wheeled EVs to their huge selection of computer, electronics and appliance products.
Read the complete article at:
Best Buy Wants to Become Top EV Seller
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text: Ocean Grand Holdings plans to spend $600 million to boost aluminium extrusion capacity, fend off competition and capitalise on growing overseas demand. Deputy chairman Herbert Hui Ho-ming said yesterday the company would expand capacity by 100,000 tonnes in three years to 145,000 tonnes with the addition of a new plant in Sanshui, Foshan. The new capacity would be devoted to higher-end products, mainly for export to the United States, Britain and Europe. The expansion plan also comes amid rising demand from overseas markets, which are growing about 3 to 5 per cent annually. The mainland market, meanwhile, expanded about 10 per cent to 15 per cent per year. 'We want to compete on higher-profit margin and higher-value products, but not on volume production,' Mr Hui said. The company's planned Sanshui plant will cover 600,000 square metres, or about 10 times larger than its existing production base in Nanhai. The first phase of production is scheduled to begin at the end of the year. Mr Hui said the investment would be funded by internal resources and debt.


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The global microchip shortage has been causing disruptions across various industries, from automobile manufacturing to consumer electronics. The latest numbers show that the shortage is still a major concern, with more North American companies announcing production cuts.
One of the major reasons behind the shortage is the increased demand for microchips as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As people spent more time at home, the demand for consumer electronics and other products with microchips increased. At the same time, the pandemic disrupted supply chains, leading to delays in the production and delivery of microchips.
The automotive industry has been hit particularly hard by the shortage, with many companies having to cut production. For example, General Motors announced in March that it would be temporarily closing several of its North American plants due to the shortage. Other car manufacturers such as Ford and Toyota have also been affected.


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European automakers, especially German brands Mercedes-Benz and BMW, could face punitive tariffs on their exports to the U.S. if Donald Trump gains another presidential term.
Trump is expected to address long-standing trade grievances with the European Union if he wins the U.S. election in November. The possible outcomes could be higher tariffs on imports from the European Union and China.
Trump has talked with advisers about excluding from the U.S. electric cars that have been manufactured in China or made with Chinese parts and then assembled in other countries, such as in Europe or Mexico, according to Bloomberg.
These measures would have repercussions for European automakers and suppliers, which strongly rely on the U.S. market for sales. European electric vehicle makers would be the worst affected by the negative repercussions, industry experts say.


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Football fans are finalizing their Super Bowl 50 party plans, which will undoubtedly include copious amounts of heart-clogging edibles and liquids that might be confused for beer.
At the same time, Audi is tapping its foot in anticipation. The automaker will air a 60-second Super Bowl spot in an effort to get the attention of those cod-lager-swilling football fans watching the game next weekend. The price of that 60 seconds of airtime: approximately 10 million bucks.
Volkswagen’s luxury brand Audi has escaped the diesel emissions PR backlash relatively unscathed — and has also been conspicuously quiet as of late. A little too quiet. That will change during the Super Bowl — and the automaker better have something good to say.
Like art cars, vehicles that have been turned into team-color-painted, sticker-bedecked sports-team fanmobiles tend to spend their lives just one minor mechanical problem away from that final tow-truck ride. This “whale” Caprice was, we can assume, the life of the tailgate party at freezing-ass Candlestick Park and maybe that new stadium that’s nowhere near San Francisco. (Read More…)
Chevrolet’s $600 million sponsorship deal with major football club Manchester United may have been a match made in heaven, but with Man U’s performance on the pitch as of late, the deal is now on the highway to hell according to Automotive News.
“Coach says I’m not allowed to leave you alone until you’ve bought a new car.” The game was up, apparently.


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MIUI 14, Xiaomi’s Android 13-based software program interface for its smartphones, will likely be launched on December 1. The firm’s upcoming software program replace will make its debut alongside the Xiaomi 13 collection on December 1. A pair of days forward of the launch of Xiaomi’s upcoming smartphones, the Chinese OEM has launched an early entry program for MIUI 14 in China, which is able to permit customers to strive the most recent software program earlier than it’s formally rolled out. Notably, this system is at present restricted to customers in China, however may very well be prolonged to different areas sooner or later.
According to a report by ITHome, Xiaomi is permitting customers to join early entry to MIUI 14 in China. The MIUI 14 testing program started on November 28, and can finish on December 28 at 11:59pm, as per the report. Users will likely be required to enroll with the Chinese smartphone maker to check out the upcoming software program replace.
A person can register just one Xiaomi machine — a pill or a smartphone — for the MIUI 14 early entry program, as per the report. Once a tool is enrolled, customers will be unable to enroll one other Xiaomi machine with the identical account.
The report says that early entry will likely be rolled out in a phased method. However, in the meanwhile, solely customers in China could have entry to this system, whereas customers in different areas must look ahead to the corporate to broaden testing to different international locations.
Xiaomi’s upcoming MIUI 14 software program replace is predicted to be based mostly on Android 13, whereas older Xiaomi telephones may get the MIUI 14 replace based mostly on Android 12. While the corporate is but to announce any particulars concerning options on MIUI 14, the replace is predicted to introduce core Android 13 options together with improved privateness settings, higher theming help, and an improved media participant notification.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi 13 is (*1*) to launch on December 1. The upcoming lineup will comprise two fashions: the vanilla Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. The upcoming flagship lineup will likely be powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The Xiaomi 13 lineup is predicted to run on Android 13-based MIUI 14 when it’s launched on December 1.


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2020/02/18 · Here are the Samsung Galaxy Fold specs, shipping date and price The first mass-produced folding smartphone led off the Samsung Unpacked event with a. Samsung Can't Confirm Galaxy Fold Ship Date Samsung emails customers who pre-ordered the Galaxy Fold and asks that they confirm they still want the smartphone before May 31. While AT&T previously. What the email confirms is that Samsung thinks it's very unlikely the Galaxy Fold will ship by May 31, but no firm alternative date has been provided. Galaxy Fold pre-orders have already been halted and Samsung recently asked for all the review units to be returned such was the. The Galaxy Fold has not only missed its original ship date, in a recent letter to those who pre-ordered the $1,980 device, Samsung now seems to have no idea when the Fold will actually see the.
Samsung Galaxy Fold pre-orders to ship on THIS date Samsung is all set to launch its much-awaited foldable smartphone 'Galaxy Fold' on September 6, and a new report originating at South Korean carrier KT says pre-orders of the. Galaxy Fold unfolded and laying face-up, with two batteries floating over each side of the screen. The batteries float down into position within the Galaxy Fold and the display appears on top with a scene from Netflix Original Series. The Samsung Galaxy Fold is an Android-based foldable smartphone developed by Samsung Electronics. Unveiled on February 20, 2019, it was released on September 6, 2019 in South Korea. The device is capable of being folded open to expose a 7.3-inch tablet-sized flexible display, while its front contains a smaller "cover" display, intended for. It appears the Samsung Galaxy Fold display issues have caused a launch delay, at least in a few countries right now. More may be coming. Update 1: Global delay confirmed Samsung has put out a. 2019/04/26 · Huawei might have some trouble competing with the Galaxy Fold in the US market 6 · 12 comments How many of you actually have pre-orders? I hope I'm able to get one but I missed thepre-order window. 4 · 4 ·.
スマートフォン世界No.1のGalaxyブランド。待望の折りたたみスマホ Galaxy Foldをはじめ、Galaxy Note10やGalaxy S10｜S10、Galaxy A30などの最新機種をチェック！docomo、au、楽天モバイル、UQ mobile、J:COMからご購入. TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Home News Samsung Galaxy Fold price and release date officially. AT&T has been emailing customers one potential answer to when the Samsung Galaxy Fold might ship — June 13th. That’s according to a bunch of screenshots we’ve been seeing on Twitter and.
Discuss: Galaxy Fold ship date postponed to June 13 Sign in to comment Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Samsung reportedly may be missing a July ship date for the delayed Galaxy Fold, seemingly denying rumors from earlier in June that the company was looking at a July release. 2019/07/25 · When the Galaxy Fold’s launch was delayed indefinitely due to durability concerns, many thought Samsung’s $2,000 bendable phone was dead in the water. Some folks like Apple enthusiast John. What the email confirms is that Samsung thinks it's very unlikely the Galaxy Fold will ship by May 31, but no firm alternative date has been provided. Galaxy Fold pre-orders have already been. Samsung Electronics said on Tuesday it cannot confirm the shipping date for its foldable device Galaxy Fold yet and apologized to its pre-order customers in the United States for the delay.
Samsung on Monday finally announced the official Galaxy Fold release date in the United States, which is a crucial first step to potentially putting this horribly embarrassing saga behind us. AT&T is sending emails to pre-order customers that the new Galaxy Fold release date is June 13. Both AT&T and Samsung haven’t commented on this yet so this may just be a placeholder. It’s possible that the carrier’s systems. Galaxy Fold price and release date The Galaxy Fold went on sale through AT&T and Best Buy on Sept. 27, as well as through.The Fold is one of the most expensive phones ever. It costs.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold was supposed to come out in the UK on May 3 Credit: Samsung Now, Samsung has announced the device will ship on an unspecified date in September. The Fold. With the Galaxy Fold release date having been scheduled for this Friday, April 26th, Samsung has undoubtedly manufactured quite a few handsets at this point. Our guess is the figure is well into. Samsung offers to cancel Galaxy Fold orders over ambiguous ship date Reuters May 7, 2019 5:20 AM The Samsung Galaxy Fold phone is shown on a screen at Samsung’s Unpacked event in.
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It is not only a new year, but it’s an entirely new decade. Most of us are trying our best to go to the gym and eat healthly.
Good news for those of us that are saying ‘screw it’ and just carrying on with our holiday treats: Krispy Kreme is adding mini-donuts to their menu permanently in 2020.
The mini-donuts have about 90 calories each and are available in four different flavors: original glazed, chocolate iced glazed, chocolate iced with sprinkles, and strawberry iced with sprinkles.
“Too many people bail on their New Year’s resolutions before they are even halfway through January. That’s no good,” Krispy Kreme’s chief marketing officer said in a statement.
“Sometimes a mini-indulgence, or cheat, is all you need to help you stick with it. So, we miniaturized our most popular doughnuts. A little Krispy Kreme goes a long way.”
The best part is that Krispy Kreme will be giving away thousands of these mini-donuts every Monday for the month of January in promotion they’re calling “Mini Mondays.”
All you have to do is show up at your local shop from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to get a taste.


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Apple Reportedly Plans to Kill the Beats Music Service
According to a new report, Beats as a brand is going to fade away as Apple plans to modify it over time and integrate it into its own music streaming service through iTunes. TechCrunch reported that Apple plans to eliminate the Beats Music streaming service, which it acquired in May.
Earlier, the reports said that the Cupertino, California based company will shutdown the service. However, Apple declined the reports saying, “Company (Beats) may modify over time, and one of those changes could involved changing the Beats Music brand.” It is still unclear what Apple is planning to do with the service. It seems quite possible that the Beats Music product could be rolled into iTunes rather than being shuttered.
If Apple rolls Beats Music into iTunes and removes the dedicated Beats Music app from the App Store, it might be the end of the service. Beats Music itself came from a rebranding MOG music streaming service it acquired back in its heydays.
Apple has been tight-lipped about its plans for Beats since it acquired the popular headphone maker back in May for $3 Billion. Prior to the mega launch event of the iPhone 6 and the Apple Watch, there had been rumours that Apple will include Beats earphones within the new white box. There was also nothing said about Beats Music during the Apple Watch reveal, even though the service could have worked well on the wearable. Seems like an odd decision on Apple’s part to simply eliminate or ignore a service they paid billions for.
Also, the iPhones which are recently launched did not come pre-installed with Beats Music, while several other Apple apps came loaded on the 6 and 6 Plus. All of these point towards the company’s plan to show red flag to the Beats. This, or they may be working on something and better for the to combine Apple services with Beats. Let’s hope for Beats sake, it’s the latter.


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Ola electric scooter has been making a lot of noise off late, hasn't it? Well, it is clear that at least the marketing is strong with this one. Or so you'd think. The company, honestly, seems it has yet another move to offer: home delivery of its scooters. Yep, word has it that the company will deliver the Ola scooter straight to customers' doorsteps. While this is obviously terrific for customers, it is not exactly an altruistic move; the company also stands to gain from this decision. How? Well, Ola gets to cut out the middleman, i.e. dealers. Simply put, Ola will reportedly use the direct-to-customers sales model in India.
What this means is that the entire process of buying the Ola scooter will be executed only between the company and buyers, thus doing away with the need for a traditional ecosystem involving dealerships, etc. Not establishing dealerships means Ola stands to save a whole lot of money. Word has it that Ola has also set up an individual logistics department to deal with this direct-to-customer purchase process.
However, that does not mean Ola will not have any physical presence at all. Reports claim the company will take some cues from Ather Energy and set up experience centres instead. So, what happens to service then? We mean what about when the Ola scooters will need to be serviced? There is not much clarity about the company's strategy in that regard yet, but doorstep service could be one way to go about it.
Ola electric scooter, expected to be launched in India rather soon, will likely be offered across two variants and with over four colour options.


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Today, we are all aware of the need to prevent food waste, so how do we do it? initiatives are being launched all over the world.
The french start-up "Une Fourmii Verte" is one of them. Clarisse Foissotte is CEO and one of three cofounders with Thomas Parat and Virgile Martinez. All three of them, they graduated from Sup de Pub in Paris. They are young, they have just finished their studies and had this crazy idea of prospecting in the streets of Paris to recover unsold food, but still safe to consume.
They visit, just before closing, bakeries, caterers, breweries and restaurants who accept to give them food and snacks. Everything is refrigerated and delivered to customers in the night. They delivers between 10pm and 6am, by bike, before the expiry date.
But who is the ideal customer? These young people wanted to target an urban population with limited financial means, but connected. They're students, night owls, partygoers, night workers. For ordering online, the team has developed a chatbot accessible from Facebook Messenger. Customers indicate that they are hungry and the delivery operation is started. But that's not all: unsold products during the night are given for food aid associations.
The idea was germinated in October 2016, after the purchase of equipment and a very slick marketing campaign, the first deliveries are made in May 2017. These are the numbers that have alarmed these young entrepreneurs - but why ?
The FAO of the United Nations, which keeps tabs on what's grown and eaten around the globe, estimates that one-third of food produced for human consumption worldwide is annually lost or wasted. The global wastage of French food production accounts for some 5% of annual Co2 emissions. The objective of Une Fourmii Verte is to reduce the food waste of its partners by 100%.
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To celebrate the release of Red Faction: Armageddon, SciFiNow has teamed up with THQ to offer one lucky person the chance to win an Xbox 360 and a copy of the game. Four runners-up will also bag a 360 copy of the game.
Red Faction: Armageddon is the fourth game in the Red Faction series and the sequel to 2009’s smash hit Red Faction: Guerrilla. Taking place two generations after its predecessor, Mars has been rendered uninhabitable after a decade of war; with the people forced to live underground, an enigmatic and deadly force has emerged that threatens their way of life. Players take on the role of explosive expert Darius Mason, leading humanity against this merciless alien force.
To be in with a chance of winning, just answer this simple question:


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2K took to Twitter to announce that a new and certainly this year’s first Mafia 3 trailer is due for tomorrow.
The trailer titled as ‘One Way Road’, will feature the game’s story obviously. It will go live on the official YouTube channel tomorrow at 1pm BST, 5am PST and 5:30pm IST.
— 2K United Kingdom (@2K_UK)
Mafia III will take place in New Bordeaux , a fictional version of 1968 New Orleans . The protagonist will be Vietnam War veteran Lincoln Clay , who suffers an assassination attempt from the Italian Mob and is then set to drive them out of the city to start his own criminal empire .
However, its release date has not been revealed yet.


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Netflix founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings announced Thursday that he would step down after more than two decades at the company.
While news of his departure comes as a shock, Hastings noted that Netflix has planned its next era of leadership "for many years" in the announcement, which was shared on the company's blog.
In 2020, Netflix named Ted Sarandos, who has long led content efforts at the company, as co-CEO alongside Hastings. At the time, Netflix characterized the change as formalizing the way that the company was already operating.
Netflix will maintain the co-CEO structure in Hastings' absence, promoting COO Greg Peters to the tandem role with Sarandos.
"It was a baptism by fire, given COVID and recent challenges within our business," Hastings said of Sarandos and Peters taking the reins.
"But they’ve both managed incredibly well, ensuring Netflix continues to improve and developing a clear path to reaccelerate our revenue and earnings growth. So the board and I believe it’s the right time to complete my succession."
Hastings will stay involved with the company as executive chairman of the board, following a precedent shared by other prominent major tech company founders, including Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Microsoft's Bill Gates.
The news came shortly before Netflix reported its fourth-quarter earnings. The company beat expectations in Q4, adding 7.7 million subscribers — well over the 4.5 million it anticipated. The company brought in $7.85 billion during the final quarter of 2022, extending its recent trend of slowing revenue growth.
Netflix credited the popularity of content it released in Q4 for the huge subscriber boost, including the "Addams Family" reboot "Wednesday," the stand-alone "Knives Out" sequel "Glass Onion" and the royals documentary "Harry & Meghan."
Like most of tech, Netflix's stock price has fallen well short of previous pandemic highs over the last year, but the company did recover from its midyear lows of $180 a share, trading at $315 before its Q4 report hit late Thursday.
The company introduced an ad-supported subscription tier in November and Thursday's report offered the first real glimpse into how that new product might shift the company's fortunes now that streaming's early pandemic boom times are over. In the report, Netflix called the launch of its lower-cost ad-supported tier a success for Q4 but noted that it had "much more still to do" around the new product.
At CES earlier this month, a Netflix ad executive noted the range of advertisers that the company has already attracted, describing that as a boon for consumers who are eager to offset their monthly costs with a Hulu-like ad-supported subscription.


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Huntley residents may have to wait a year longer than they originally thought to shop at a new Jewel-Osco location on the northeast corner of Route 47 and Reed Road.
In February, the Village Board approved a business development agreement with Jewel Food Stores for the construction of the new store, which was set to open by the end of 2019 at the cost of about $11.5 million, village documents show.
But after being advised of funding problems for new Jewel developments, the board unanimously approved an amendment to the agreement that would give the grocery chain until Dec. 31, 2020 to finish the building.
Dave Hene, senior real estate manager for Jewel-Osco, said during Thursday’s board meeting that there have been a lot of changes in the retail and grocery industries over the past few months which have required priorities to shift.
“What we were faced with was basically a scaling back of the capital available to build new stores,” Hene said.
However, planned renovations to the Jewel location at 13200 Village Green Drive, which also were included in the agreement at a cost of about $1 million, still are expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2019. All of the other terms of the business development agreement would be the same, including a provision that if the new store’s completion or the Village Green Drive store’s renovations weren’t finished by their target dates, the agreement could be terminated.
Although Hene said retailers such as Sears, which recently announced 46 store closures, have been under a tremendous amount of pressure, Jewel still is faring well.
“We all live in the same world, but I’m fortunate enough to work for a company that is still aggressive, is still growing and is going to be here for a very long time,” Hene said.