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HLB’s Inaugural Survey of Business Leaders
Live launch event on Thursday 16 Jan 2020, 4pm GMT
Join us on Thursday 16 January 2020 for the launch of HLB’s Inaugural Survey of Business Leaders. Through a comprehensive survey of CEOs, CFOs and C-suite executives from 50+ countries, we explore the challenges and opportunities businesses face as we enter a new decade. HLB CEO Marco Donzelli together with a team of international business experts share the findings during a live Q&A panel session
Latest insights, case studies and news from across the network
The Execution Challenge for a New Decade
HLB’s Survey of Business Leaders aims to inform and stimulate the debate on how businesses are preparing for the 2020’s. Findings show CEO’s face an execution challenge in the new...
Webcast Launch: HLB’s Inaugural Survey of Business Leaders
Through a survey of 368 business leaders from 50+ countries, we explore the challenges and opportunities businesses face in the 2020’s. HLB CEO Marco Donzelli reveals the findings of HLB’s...
Are Business Leaders ready for the 2020’s?
As a new decade dawns, we sought out insight into how business leaders see the future through HLB’s Inaugural Survey of Business Leaders.
Get in touch
Whatever your question our global team will point you in the right directionStart the conversation


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Apple has released a new iOS update for the iPhone that will fix some problems with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.
The update fixes a “bug” that would prevent the new iPhone from working with third-party apps, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The problem is that Apple’s iPhone SE doesn’t support third-parties like Spotify, Spotify Plus, and Spotify Unlimited.
The new iOS 7.1.3 fixes that.
Apple’s new update for iPhone SE will roll out over the next few days.

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The iPhone 11 series was released a few days ago and the pre-sale is set to begin on September 13th. Tmall officially announced that it will commence pre-sale of this device simultaneously as Apple on Set 13. As the only third-party online store besides Apple’s official mall, Tmall Apple’s flagship store has become an important point for the new iPhones. According to Tmall official data, there are currently over 1 million interests to reserve the iPhone 11 series.
Most of the interest reservations go for the iPhone 11 which is the cheapest in the series. From Tmall’s data, the booking volume is 200% that of iPhone XR. However, Tmall also emphasized that the popularity of these smartphones will not strain its availability. In other words, there will be enough stock of the new iPhone series to combat the demand.
Gizchina News of the week
In addition, Tmall also launched an hour of service for buyers in Shanghai and Hangzhou. If you live in any of these cities and purchase the iPhone 11, you will get the device within an hour. Furthermore, Tmall has a promo for Weibo users. According to the store, one lucky user will get the iPhone 11 Pro for free. However, you will have to forward the Weibo post to enter for the draw.


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The liberalization will be limited, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Wednesday, with exports capped at 15 percent of February production levels. It will also be temporary, with the lifting of the ban to end on Jan. 5.
With the termination of the scheme, customers can freely buy as many masks as they want at pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores and online malls. Mask prices will vary depending on the vendor.
Did a young French fashion designer predict the coronavirus pandemic? Not exactly, but she was well ahead of the game when it came to predicting the biggest fashion trend of the year so far — masks. During Paris Fashion Week in February, Marine...
GS Retail said Thursday it has started selling droplet-proof masks at some of its convenience stores for 500 won (42 cents). Individuals can buy up to 20 masks, or one box.
As more face mask options become available, customers are becoming increasingly picky. KF94 is so last month. Customers want that rating, and they want masks to tick all the other boxes: breathable, made in Korea, MFDS-certified.
Sales of thin masks have surged over the past week as people look for more breathable options as the temperature rises.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has created a new standard for protective masks designed to filter out small, airborne droplets capable of spreading coronavirus infections, while being warm-weather friendly.
Customers examine scarves that can be used to cover their faces at Lotte Department Store's Daegu branch on Wednesday.
Parishioners, wearing face masks, attend a service at the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Sunday.
Starting Tuesday, people won't be allowed to board Korean buses or get into taxis without a face mask. A similar restriction for subway and train users is being discussed as well.


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Watch Cardi B Join Wayne's World for a Super Bowl Commercial
Rapper Cardi B has joined Mike Myers and Dana Carvey for their much-hyped Wayne's World Super Bowl commercial. The Uber Eats ad, set in the studio basement of beloved 1992 film, encourages viewers to support local restaurants during the Super Bowl and after.
The 60-second commercial features Wayne and Garth filming their public access TV show in Aurora, Illinois, trying various gimmicks to get their audience to eat local. They try "subliminal messaging," choreographed TikTok dances, adorable mini-me babies, and a celebrity cameo from Cardi.
The "WAP" star said her reason for joining the commercial is to help struggling restaurants. "Y'all know I love to eat, and right now we have got to be supporting our local restaurants, like The Griddle Cafe in L.A," she said. "So many spots are struggling right now, and it's up to us to EAT LOCAL! That's why I teamed up with Uber Eats and my boys Wayne and Garth to help."
She also explained how Uber Eats is helping small businesses during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "Uber Eats is putting $20 million towards helping small businesses across the country, and they're even offering up free delivery," she said. "So it's time for y'all to support by enjoying some quality eats from your local faves this Super Bowl Sunday. I'll see you there!"


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With millions of active players per month, Roblox prevails as one of the most successful multiplayer experiences on the market. This has allowed great artists to approach the platform and hold digital events such as concerts, etc. For a renowned pop singer, this represented a unique opportunity to connect with fans and, incidentally, earn millionaire income.
Swedish star Zara Larsson, who is known for hits like Lush Life and Symphony, hosted a digital event on Roblox during May of this year, where users were able to enjoy an online concert, interact with other fans, and participate in a treasure hunt.
During the event, the singer sold cosmetic items such as glasses, backpacks, hats and costumes so that users could customize their avatars, as well as a skin directly inspired by her. Luckily, he not only managed to interact with his fans, but also found an extremely lucrative business model.
Zara Larsson breaks it on Roblox
In an interview for BBC News, the 23-year-old revealed that since she first dabbled on the platform, she has already raised close to £ 740,000 GBP, which translates to more than $ 1 million. This was possible thanks to the success of its digital merchandise.
“My jaw dropped when I heard it. I really didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t really the motivation for the concert. I just wanted to connect with the fans, “explained the singer.
In case you missed it: Roblox is working again; explain why you were inactive for days
Zara Larsson explained that obtaining that income through traditional platforms such as YouTube or Spotify would take a long time and millions of reductions. Thus, he recognized the value of Roblox and he assured that it is an opportunity for musicians to perform concerts during the pandemic time.
Finally, the singer commented with laughter that she is constantly recognized in social networks as “the girl Roblox”. She claims that it is incredible that she is known that way even though she has been in the music industry for about 10 years.
But tell us, did you attend Zara Larsson’s virtual concert? What do you think about it? Let us read you in the comments.
You will find the latest news from Roblox click herehttps://www.levelup.com/tag/Roblox.
Related video: Roblox: Wonder Woman – Presentation Trailer


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This follows the successful completion of the Institute’s proposal, under the Small Business Champions Initiative, to run a competition entitled the “Open to Export International Business Award” aimed at encouraging small businesses around the world to begin trading internationally.
During a session at the Public Forum, 12 finalists pitched their “Export Action Plans” to a panel of judges for the chance to win a package of financing and assistance from the Institute of Export and International Trade designed to help the winning small business implement their export plan. The competition was launched in May and attracted plans from small businesses worldwide. The Institute provided support, webinars and online tools to help the small businesses put together a “global growth action plan”.
Lesley Batchelor, CEO of Open to Export and Director General of the Institute of Export and International Trade announced that the winner of the competition was Dytech Ltd from Zambia.
Deputy Director General Yi said: “I would like to congratulate the Institute of Export and International Trade on the completion of their project. Developing the skills of SMEs and giving them the necessary guidance is essential if we want them to increase their participation in international trade. I would also wish to congratulate all the finalists for the great ideas they have presented today.”
Chris Southworth, Secretary General of ICC United Kingdom, said: “Making world trade more inclusive means enabling more SMEs to trade —like the 12 finalists of this International Business Award—and expand into global markets. In helping SMEs design and implement global growth plans, the Institute of Export and International Trade is playing an important role in bringing the indisputable benefits of open trade to a wider cross-section of companies and workers. Congratulations.”
Lesley Batchelor, CEO of Open to Export and Director General of the Institute of Export and International Trade, said:
“Running this competition and working with inspiring MSMEs from around the world has been both humbling and truly inspirational. Thank you to the WTO and ICC for supporting it.”
The 12 finalists were:
- Andean Beauty: exporter of salt-based soap – Peru
- Be Bi: bio soap producer – Viet Nam
- Bit Bait Infinity: organic pesticide producer – Algeria
- Crùbag: fashion inspired by marine biology – Scotland
- Dytech Limited: honey producers – Zambia
- For the Record: vinyl clock exporters – Trinidad and Tobago
- Hot Mama’s Belize Ltd.: pepper sauce products – Belize
- Lhamour (Natural Essentials LLC): manufacturer of skin care products – Mongolia
- Macedonia-Export: advertising and marketing services – former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Old Bridge: Winery – Armenia
- Sugar Town Organics: manufacturer of beauty and wellness organic products – Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Teenah.org – producer of cotton tote bags – Jordan
The panel of judges were:
- Lesley Batchelor, CEO of Open to Export and Director General of the Institute of Export and International Trade
- Arne Mielken, Young President of the Institute of Export and International Trade
- Yi Xiaozhun, WTO Deputy Director-General
- Nicholas Niggli, Head of the Economic, Finance, Science and Innovation Section at the Embassy of Switzerland
- Chris Southworth, Secretary General, ICC UK
- Shaun Lake, Senior Adviser: E-Learning, International Trade Centre
The ICC-WTO Small Business Champions initiative provides a platform for companies and private sector organizations around the world to propose innovative, practical ideas designed to encourage MSMEs to do business across borders. The call for proposals for the initiative was closed in December 2017.
The initiative is delivering projects with a range of business including Argentina’s Chamber of Commerce and Services and Mercado Libre, eBay and Brazil’s National Confederation of Industry. Once the projects have been successfully completed, the businesses will be recognized as ICC-WTO Small Business Champions.
Google was recognized as the first Small Business Champion in December 2017 following the successful completion of its proposal – further information is available here.
Read more about the ICC-WTO Small Business Champions initiative here.


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“Social Advertising”: why traditional television advertising is doomed thanks to CrowdEngage
CrowdEngage has published a blog post that outlines their vision for the future of social advertising.
http://CrowdEngage.com has a big vision, and this blog post outlines exactly why.
The 2 man team from outside of Philadelphia plans to disrupt the advertising space.
"Eventually this will solve the engagement crisis that is among us all, in this new social media space. Customers will be open and engaging about which brands they subscribe to, and then it will create a revolution that is going to disrupt traditional advertising."
When smart tv's become a normal household product, we will see a shift in the advertising world- and thats why the CrowdEngage team is preparing early, with a new "crowd-sourcing advertising platform" for brands of any size.
The bigger the brands, the more likely they will be interested in a product like this. Engagement of loyal fans is not a problem for companies like Nike, or McDonalds. They can now harness new tools (like cameras and social media) to tap directly into the heartbeat of their consumers.
Brands can host campaigns or hold contests, with video being the commodity given from the consumer. A highly engaging interaction between brands and consumers, CrowdEngage opens up doors to marketers who haven't been able to use social media to tap into their sales-funnel effectively.
On this new platform businesses of any size will be able to effectively source their existing customers for content, and hold sales. It's a must have for any marketer who is looking to expand engagement with customers.
The days of being locked inside a spammy world are over. This blog post outlines the vision that the founders of CrowdEngage, Jordan Coeyman and Thomas Depole, have for their company.
"I'm really excited to be launching later this month. We've got a few businesses lined up to use it, so we're just making the final preparations we can before it's ready to unveil" says Jordan, a self described "growth hacker" with a big imagination.
"CrowdEngage will be able to handle the same amount of traffic that any major video sites can. It's fully scalable" describes Tom.
They will be testing their product in the upcoming weeks, you can visit http://CrowdEngage.com to leave your e-mail and be informed when they open up to everyone.


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Vaping started out – allegedly – as a new way to quit smoking cigarettes, but e-cigarette products have become increasingly popular among young people – and may be causing them to suffer severe and unexpected health problems. Last week, NBC reported multiple cases linking vaping to lung damage and breathing problems. Doctors and health officials are investigating cases in at least eight states, many of which involve teens and young adults who have worsening symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, and coughing. These otherwise healthy people all have vaping in common.
It’s not news that certain vaping products are particularly popular among teens and young adults. In fact, kids and teenagers were likely directly targeted, through advertising, social media, and marketing campaigns that were designed to make vaping look cool. An analysis of JUUL ads shows that though the company claimed they don’t target teens, their marketing was “patently youth-oriented.” Just last week, there was a protest of parents and anti-vaping advocates outside the JUUL offices in Manhattan. They are pushing to restrict the company from selling flavored e-cigarette products, which they say further attract kids.
Vaping is touted as introducing fewer chemicals into users’ bodies than traditional cigarettes do, but they’re still dangerous. Are JUUL and other e-cigarette companies doing enough to warn the public (particularly young people) about their products’ adverse effects?
If manufacturers are not doing their due diligence, there is a possibility that we could see legal action much like the litigation against the tobacco industry. Newer tobacco lawsuits have focused on “light” cigarettes, for example, which plaintiffs argue companies advertise as being healthier than traditional cigarettes, when, in fact, they are no safer. They follow three waves of litigation against Big Tobacco dating back as far as the 1950s. Those lawsuits focus on tobacco companies’ inadequate warnings, negligent advertising, and more.
The youth vaping trend is now being viewed as a new public health crisis, and we’ll follow along to see where upcoming legal action may lead.
A West Point graduate where he served as captain and military aviator, John Bair continues his commitment to our country through his efforts within the settlement planning industry. He has represented families of victims lost in the Flight 3407 crash, offered pro bono services to the families of 9/11 victims and drafted the first consumer protection bill for plaintiffs (H.R. 3699).


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Top 10 tech cars of the 2017 Detroit auto show
Cars and car tech shift from Las Vegas to Detroit. NAIAS debuts include best selling vehicle (F-150) and car (Camry) and a five-day tech show, AutoMobili-D (get it).
10 almost-perfect tech cars to buy in 2017
The best cars offer the right driver assistance technology. Midgrade trim lines should include a color LCD standard (this is 2017) without forcing you to buy navigation: That's why Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are for.
Honda may team up with Waymo to make self-driving cars
Google and Honda are chatting about building a self-driving car, which could go into production around 2020.
By Ryan Whitwam
Robots are developing emotions, thanks to engineers at Honda
Honda aims to grant robots the gift of emotion with the development of an "emotion engine."
Consumer Reports announces most, least reliable cars -- with plenty of surprises
Asian cars (Korean and Japanese) are most reliable. Buick shocker: No. 3 overall. Tech complexity turns off some owners.
2017 Honda CR-V improves comfort, adds volume knob, loses LaneWatch
Safer, roomier, more driver assists, nicer interior finishes -- the 2017 CR-V could pass the Accord as Honda's sales leader.
Top tech cars for 2017
SUVS and crossovers replace sedans, turbo fours replace V6s, and many cars get more driver assists. You may even see multiple USB jacks, since automakers finally realize the CD player is dead. Here's the best of what's new.
Hands on with Cadillac's wide-angle, LCD rear-view mirror
Caddy's new midsize XT5 SUV and full-size luxury CT6 use a rear camera and show 4X wider view on the mirror's embedded LCD. It's great in crowded traffic, though drivers have to adapt to the shorter focal distance.
Ultimate tailgater: Honda Ridgeline embeds speakers in truck bed
In one of mankind's greatest technology triumphs since the beer cooler ice chest got wheels, the 2017 Honda Ridgeline pickup has turned the truck bed into a sound system with the addition of six speakers to the bed walls.
Honda designing new ASIMO-style robot for disaster response
Honda is working on a more robust ASIMO that could be deployed in a disaster to keep people out of harm's way.
By Ryan Whitwam


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China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) recently announced that the "Appliances to the Countryside" subsidy program will end in Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan on November 30. Beginning December 1, 2011, all eligible beneficiaries of the program whose official residence is located in one of the above three provinces will no longer enjoy subsidized prices on household appliances.
According to one source involved with the subsidy program, household appliance manufacturers have benefited from the scheme, which allowed several larger companies to increase production capacity and bringing a number of smaller firms into the industry. With the subsidy plan ending, however, the rural market will see a decline sales and potentially a supply glut leading to price wars.
Based on the original 4-year duration of the project, 14 provinces, cities and autonomous regions in China will continue to offer home appliance subsidies to rural consumers through to the end of November next year. The remaining areas are set to conclude the program in late January 2013.


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U.S. milk production in March was 17.7 billion pounds, up 4.2 percent from a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. First quarter output was also 4.1 percent higher than the same quarter last year — adjusted for leap day. This represents the largest quarterly growth since Q1 of 2006. Of course, this has led to a jump in NDM inventories; at the end of February, U.S. NDM stocks were 196.3 million pounds, up 59 percent from last year.
Meanwhile, market signals clearly indicate a growing global supply glut, according to U.S. Dairy Export Council analysts. Market CME spot NDM prices recently fell to their lowest levels since March 2010, GDT auction prices for SMP fell below $3,000/ton for the first time since August 2010 and Oceania SMP export prices are off nearly 30 percent from a year ago.
For the U.S. dairy industry, weaker market conditions are compounded by significant lost share in Southeast Asia, one of the primary destinations for U.S. powder, in the early part of 2012, USDEC says. In the January-February period, U.S. NDM/SMP shipments to the region were down 34 percent (again, adjusted for leap day) from last year. Suppliers to the region are pricing aggressively to clear current season production. Buyers will continue to seek SMP, while U.S. production is mostly geared for NDM.
“In our assessment, growing powder stocks will hang over the market for most of 2012,” USDEC analysts note.


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BRIDGE TO INDIA hosted a webinar on January 28, 2021 to discuss solar module technology landscape. The panel included Ms. Chris Liu (Technical Head, LONGi), Mr. Ivan Saha (Chief Technology Officer, ReNew), Dr. Nikhil Agrawal (AGM Technology, Mahindra Susten) and Mr. Sai Charan Kuppili (Technical Director, Jinko).
Module technology is undergoing significant changes with more efficient cell technologies such as N- and P- type mono, Topcon and heterojunction besides bigger wafer and module sizes as well us use of bifacial modules. Adoption in the Indian market, traditionally a laggard in using new technologies, is also accelerating. According to the panellists, the market has almost entirely transitioned to mono-PERC modules this year particularly because multi-crystalline modules are being phased out in China. Use of bifacial technology, backed by successful pilots by the larger developers, is also on the rise.
Ms Liu mentioned that bifacial technology has been making rapid advances because of its higher output and its use would become very common over next 1-2 years. But a 100% transition to bifacial modules is not likely. She believes that this technology would be selected by developers based on project specific considerations including location and ground conditions (soil texture, moisture content and albedo).
Mr Saha added that the company has already been running small-scale pilots with different module technologies to gain first-hand experience of different module types. The other panellists agreed that new technologies are accepted more readily in India now but delay in BIS approvals continues to be a challenge. However, that might not necessarily be a bad thing as per Dr. Agrawal, who explained that extra time provides a useful opportunity to developers and contractors to analyse various performance parameters and gain valuable knowledge about new technologies.
According to Jinko’s Sai Charan Kuppili, levellised cost of electricity (LCOE) trumps all other considerations when project developers make module purchase decisions. He mentioned that bifacial modules yield output gains of minimum 7% without trackers and up to 14% with trackers.
Because of tight polysilicon supply and shortages of other raw materials like glass, module prices have been volatile in the past few months. Though the supply constraints are gradually easing, the module manufacturers expect prices to remain firm over the next two-three quarters.
You can view the webinar here.


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General Motors announced recalls of more than 8.4 million vehicles worldwide, most of those for faulty ignition switches.
That amounts to the company's largest single day of recalls this year. In addition to the ignition-switch recalls, the automaker is recalling vehicles for faulty wiring and fasteners.
GM offered at least $1 million Monday to the families of those who died as a result of a defect in GM cars. The company has come under criticism for a decade-long delay in publicly revealing an ignition-switch flaw. Ref. CNN
GM issues six new recalls affecting 719,950 vehicles
The largest of the recalls involve Chevy Camaro, Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain, Cadillac SRX and Buick Regal and LaCrosse equipped with power height adjustable driver or front passenger seat structures. Ref. USAToday
Nineteen deaths have been linked to a flaw in ignition switches in General Motors vehicles, according to the attorney overseeing a compensation fund for victims.
"Already there are more deaths than GM said from Day One," Attorney Ken Feinberg told CNNMoney. "Of course there will be additional eligible deaths; how many is pure speculation, but there will be eligible death claims."
GM initially said 13 deaths were tied to the problem, which went unreported for a decade, years after company engineers discovered it. Ref. CNN
GM will pay $900 million to settle a criminal probe over its delayed recall of flawed ignition switches, according to court documents. At least 124 deaths are blamed on the problem. No GM executives have been charged in the probe. Ref. CNN


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Microsoft has just showcased the consumer edition of Windows 10, the latest in the firm’s flagship line of operating systems (OSs).
Amid the standard updates to the interface and visuals are several innovative features which will be key in enticing the company’s existing customers to upgrade. Here’s a roundup of the best of them.
1. Cortana on PC and tablet
Until now Microsoft’s voice-activated personal assistant Cortana, so named after a character from the video game franchise Halo, has been confined to Windows phones.
At the Windows 10 event yesterday, Microsoft announced that she would be moving onto both PC and tablet, albeit only in several as yet undecided territories initially. The tool functions as another way to navigate around a computer using text and voice commands, using machine learning to optimise a system for the user.
2. Project Spartan update for IE
Internet Explorer has long been the runt of the web browsing world, despite commanding a majority share of the market.
With Project Spartan (another Halo reference), Microsoft is hoping to shake off that image, incorporating an annotate feature and a simplified reading layout, presumably for the benefit of tablet owners. The browser will also link in with Cortana.
3. Office for Windows 10
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook will all be refurbished over the next few months, likely retaining much of their feel with the odd touch-related feature.
Among those mooted by the firm are "real time" annotation of slides during PowerPoint presentations, as well as touch controls for Excel.
4. Holographs for developers
Holographic apps have been a dream for sci-fi fans for years, and Microsoft tentatively unveiled a Minority Report-esque computer at the event on Wednesday.
Microsoft HoloLens projects sound and visuals around the user and takes in their movement to create a computer that can be controlled without keyboard, mouse or even a touchscreen. The firm also announced APIs that will allow developers to make apps that can function with any input, but has not said when it expects these technologies to come into wider use.
5. Xbox and PC integration
Microsoft’s plan to more closely link its entertainment systems with its desktops is another plank in its integration across all devices strategy.
The big draw for gamers will be the ability to play with friends on other devices, as well as record videos of their exploits and edit them on the desktop. Also included is the ability to stream games from the Xbox to the computer.
6. Collaboration with Surface Hub
The rise of bring your own device (BYOD) and remote working patterns has increased business appetite for more collaborative features, a trend Microsoft seeks to exploit with Surface Hub.
Ranging from 4.5ft and 7ft in size, the product is a combination of digital white board, remote conferencing, joint content editing and platform for large-screen apps, created to make the most of Windows 10, Skype for Business and Office 365.


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Ancha Creative Director A new studio Marvel game.
In the past few days, the US publisher Electronic Arts has been connected with two feasible Marvel titles, which go to studios …
The official Bloopes of Dr. Strange in the Multivrse of Madness are released.
This as part of the Blu-ray launch content.
With dying light 2 by publishing next year, one might think that all Techland’s efforts focus on the future.
But, surprised, he
Even if the game does not necessarily reached sales expectations.
Future Club seeks to start again while Lab Zero is no longer, a more recent and cool studio reborn from his ashes. Future Club is the new


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Swanson Hardware sells to brothers who own ACE
VINELAND – Swanson Hardware Supply serves its final customers on Monday but its third-generation owners see the store’s family feel and “helpful hardware” mindset moving easily into the hands of its new like-minded owners.
Smith Brothers Ace Hardware, a family-owned group of six hardware stores based in Absecon, takes possession of the 533 North East Avenue site on Tuesday, April 15.
Smith Brothers, which already has a store at Lincoln and Dante avenues, will reopen the store for the Memorial Day weekend in late May. The store will be renovated and restocked in the interim.
Swanson Hardware Vice President Russell Swanson said Monday the agreement caps a surprisingly short and easy process of finding the right owners for the right terms.
The business wasn’t advertised for sale and Smith Brothers was contacted only a few months ago. It was just the second potential owner the Swanson family had contacted at that point.
“Probably one of the quickest and easiest deals I’ve ever done,” said Swanson, who has operated the hardware business with his brother Wayne for more than a decade.
“I think we come from the same mold,” he said. “It’s kind of the ‘handshake’ philosophy. Just put your cards on the table and say what you mean and mean what you say. It’s been a real pleasure working with the Smith family and bringing this deal together.”
Joseph T. Smith III, vice president for Smith Brothers, said the opportunity seemed right for both families starting with their first meeting at Bain’s Deli in downtown Vineland.
“We had a really good feeling that we were both working toward the same thing,” Smith said. “We had a lot of shared views of the business that for us fundamentally it would be easy to come into and not have a big transition period.”
Smith said Smith Brothers, founded by his grandfather in 1936 as a locksmithing business, was looking to expand when Swanson contacted his father. Their first hardware store opened in 1986.
“We had a couple markets in mind,” Smith said. “But when this opportunity really came before us we made it a priority. We see Vineland as a key market for the convenient hardware business and for our model.”
Swanson expects his customers to appreciate the new owners.
“We wanted to know that our customers are going to be in good hands,” Swanson said. “My family has 56 years of servicing this community and we just want to know our business is being left in good hands and that’s going to happen with the Smith family.”
Smith said the store will be re-branded as “Vineland Ace Hardware East Avenue” to differentiate it from his company’s existing store here. Vineland Ace Hardware Lincoln Avenue is remaining open, he stressed.
“Obviously, Vineland being the largest square mile municipality in the state of New Jersey, we see that as a big opportunity,” Smith said. “And we also look at the opportunity to sell commercial and look at business-to-business relationships, which is a big opportunity for us that Russell and his team have done a good job at through their business model.”
Swanson Hardware opened on Feb. 28, 1958, expanding many times from the original 3,200-square-foot building to more than 20,000-square-foot.
It was a father-and-son partnership. Walter Swanson, a retired Kimble Glass Co. worker, and his son Robert, just out of the Army, threw in their combined savings.
At one point, there were three Swanson Hardware stores including stores in Millville and Bridgeton as well as four cellular phone sale stores around the county.
In addition to a standard retail hardware line, Swanson Hardware also relies on sales to local industry and commercial customers. It also rents equipment and has a small-engine repair shop.
“Bob” Swanson died on Nov. 6, 2012 at the age of 76. He had “retired” in 2003, passing operational control to sons Wayne and Russell but remaining a daily fixture at the store.
Swanson said he and his brother enjoyed working as a family, but that the hardware business was never a “passion.” He is retaining the associated cell phone business and concentrating on real estate interests.
“Wayne and I and Dad had talked for a long time prior (to his death),” Swanson said. “There is not another generation to take over, so this decision was going to be made at some point, sooner or later. I also knew that this was Dad’s love and we wanted to keep the business going as long as possible.”
Smith Brothers Ace Hardware, a family-owned group of six hardware stores based in Absecon, expects to reopen the store for the Memorial Day weekend in late May. The store will be renovated and restocked in the interim.


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The THIS world is usually transforming rapidly, forcing businesses to rethink their traditional business units and focus on new treatments. Increasing buyer power and new systems are making companies to study the customers’ demands more directly than ever before. Businesses are leveraging the big data movement to improve efficiency and buyer expertise. But , this kind of change is certainly not without risks.
The WWW includes existed for two years. Its user public is growing, with over 20, 500 business corporations having Web sites. In the last three months, this kind of number recieve more than doubled. Many sources predict that the WWW can be the business instrument of the future. Nevertheless , it is also anonymous early on to foresee exactly how quickly this technology will take away.


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IOC to be future-ready: Will offer hydrogen-spiked CNG, EV charging points
India's top oil firm IOC is remodelling business with an increased focus on petrochemicals to hedge volatility in the fuel business, while at the same time turning petrol pumps into energy outlets that offer EV charging points and battery swapping options besides conventional fuels as it looks to make itself future-ready.
In an interview with PTI, Indian Oil Corp (IOC) Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya said the intention is to become energy company of the country and not just be restricted to selling petroleum products.
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IOC, which controls over 40 per cent of India's diesel-dominated petroleum product market, recently introduced differentiated LPG for industrial users that gives flame temperature that is 80 per cent higher than conventional cooking gas, thereby cutting down cooking time and saving 5-8 per cent on fuel.
Also, the company has introduced hydrogen-spiked CNG that will give BS 6 (equivalent to Euro 6) emissions from BS 4 vehicles, he said.
"Eventually we intend to become energy company of India and not just be restricted to selling petroleum products," he said. "The world is changing. We intend to set up EV charging points and battery swapping stations at our petrol pumps alongside offering auto-LPG and conventional fuels. So it will be a bouquet of offering."
IOC has already set up EV-charging points at 76 petrol pumps and battery-swapping facilities at 11 outlets. It is also evaluating different advanced battery technologies and intends to set up a metal-air battery-manufacturing facility for EVs as well as for stationary applications.
Vaidya said being the biggest retailer, IOC faces the threat of losing market share to any new entrant.
"We understand that and so we are now focusing on the way we do retail," he said.
All the 29,800 petrol pumps of the company have been fully automated and their look and feel enhanced to match private-sector competition.
"Now, we are damn sure of giving Q&Q, that is quality and quantity," he said. "With automation done, we can guarantee that. And we now have look and feel to match anybody."
Public sector firms dominate India's fuel market but new entrants such as Nayara Energy have been chipping at their market share. Also, Reliance Industries has renewed its interest in fuel retailing through a joint venture with UK supermajor BP Plc. Adani Group too is eyeing the segment through a tie-up with TOTAL of France.
Vaidya said IOC has strong research and development (R&D) that is bringing to market differentiated fuels.
The company has got encouraging response for its recently launched differentiated LPG and will now go for expanding its reach, he said.
"We have launched a differentiated LPG with the brand name Indane 'Xtra Tej' last month for non-domestic customers. It will yield approx 5-8 per cent savings in fuel consumption over normal LPG," he said.
Also, the company has introduced CNG spiked with 18 per cent hydrogen that eliminates the need for replacing the old BS 4 fleet of vehicles as it gives emissions compliant with superior BS 6 grade, he said adding H-CNG is being dispensed from one outlet in the national capital and would soon be extended to others.
IOC has also established itself as the second-largest player in natural gas in India with a licence to retail CNG and piped cooking gas in 40 Geographical Areas. "We are also aggressively promoting the use of compressed biogas, 2-G ethanol, and biodiesel produced from used cooking oil, besides integrating our refinery processes with biofuels production," he said.
But the fuel business is prone to volatilities that squeeze margins. To de-risk the business, IOC plans to add petrochemical plants at all of its nine oil refineries, he said.
"This would de-risk the fuel business. We realise that the volatility of the market can be easily controlled by having a good footprint in the petrochemical sector," he said. "Petroleum fuels continue to be my main business as far as turnover is concerned, but profitability I intend to get from petrochemicals."
The petrochemical intensity - the percentage of crude oil converted into chemicals- is low at 5-6 per cent currently. "We intend to take it up to 10-12 per cent," he said.
The firm's newer refineries at Panipat in Haryana and Paradip in Odisha have the petrochemical intensity of 15-20 per cent which would be raised to 25 per cent, he said adding all-India average being targeted is 10-12 per cent.


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The Macau Tourist Price Index fell almost 4 percent in the second quarter from the prior year, due to a drop in hotel room rates and airfares.
The Philippines' Department of Tourism has given permission for 13 hotels in the national capital region to accept guests for staycations, including those within Entertainment City's integrated resorts.
Despite Covid-mandated travel restrictions, the number of new hotels will continue to expand in 2021 with 820 hotel projects and 190,332 rooms due to go live in the Asia Pacific region.
Galaxy Entertainment Group has signed an accord with Accor to bring storied hotel brand, Raffles, to Macau with the opening of an exclusive all-suite tower, Raffles at Galaxy Macau in the second half of 2021.
Thai hotel chain, Dusit Thani, has opened its first hotel in Singapore and said that there is strong local demand for "staycations" to support the property while borders are closed.
Hyatt Hotels and Genting Americas are planning a new 400-room, four-star hotel to be located at Resorts World New York City. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2021.
Universal Entertainment has confirmed its Okada Manila property will reopen at 30 percent of its capacity of table and machine games.
Centara Hotels & Resorts says it has signed three hotel management agreements for Myanmar, one of which will include a casino.
Genting Singapore is seeking to cut costs by about 20 percent to 30 percent after suffering its worst quarterly loss since it opened Resorts World Sentosa.
Genting Malaysia has seen reasonable growth in visitation since it began reopening on June 15 and Resorts World Genting has doubled its number of available rooms, according a research report from CGS-CIMB.


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Kim Bolton discusses Shopify
E-commerce stocks have been among Wall Street’s standout performers during the pandemic, but the group’s massive share-price gains could be at risk if their results fail to live up to elevated expectations, analysts said.
Online retail has seen a surge in demand as the coronavirus shut down brick-and-mortar rivals. As a result, many stocks have doubled, tripled or seen even larger gains since March, when shelter-in-place orders were issued across the U.S. Often, the rally far eclipses the degree to which analysts have been raising their expectations for sales growth.
“Many e-commerce companies are now priced for perfection, and while they have this fundamental tailwind, the moves have been based more on momentum than fundamentals,” said Brian Yarbrough, a consumer analyst at Edward Jones, in a phone interview. “People have piled into names that are seen as COVID safety plays, and the advances have been awfully fast and awfully big. I’m not sure how many will be able to justify the moves; you’d have to see very outstanding results for further upside.”
Among specific stocks, eBay Inc. is up 120 per cent since a March low, while Shopify Inc. has climbed 195 per cent and Etsy Inc. has more than tripled. Amazon.com Inc. is up about 80 per cent from its own March low, a rally that has added roughly US$660 billion to the company’s market capitalization — a gain that is by itself larger than all but five components of the S&P 500.
Other names have seen even more pronounced moves, with Wayfair Inc. up more than 800 per cent and Overstock.com’s rally topping 1,500 per cent.
For 2020, all have vastly outperformed the S&P 500, as well as retail overall.
There’s no dispute that the pandemic has been good for online sales. Bloomberg Intelligence calculated that the penetration of digital U.S. retail sales “could double by 2024,” a trend accelerated by coronavirus-related store closings. Citi also expects online retail will continue to gain share. While total U.S. retail sales “are expected to be only one per cent above 2019 levels” in 2022, “e-commerce is expected to increase 43 per cent” while brick-and-mortar retail falls four per cent, the firm wrote, citing eMarketer forecasts.
Despite that rosy outlook, Citi also cautioned about the rallies in names like Wayfair. Last month, it wrote companies that “benefitted from the shelter in place orders” are the group “that makes us most nervous.” Citi’s biggest question is: “will COVID-19 cause a large enough secular shift in demand to justify the multiple expansion?”
Wayfair is scheduled to report second-quarter results in early August. Currently, Wall Street is expecting revenue of US$3.87 billion for the home-goods retailer in the quarter, which would translate to year-over-year growth of about 65 per cent. While the consensus has risen nearly 40 per cent over the past three months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, the ratcheting up of expectations has not kept up with the stock. The average analyst price target for Wayfair is about US$186, or 13 per cent below its share price.
The average targets for Etsy and eBay are also below the share price. For Amazon, the degree to which the share price exceeds the average target is near a multi-year high.


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– Caught On Tape: Chaos, Multiple Fights Break Out Among “Black Friday Zombies”
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The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. – Benjamin Franklin
– America’s New “Trick”To Beat Black Friday Crowds: Wear Employee Uniforms:
US shoppers’ lust for Black Friday bargains this year has reached absurd new levels, evidenced by a viral joke that morphed into a disturbing new trend to help shoppers beat Wal-Mart and other big box store crowds by disguising themselves as temporary holiday employees. It started when Twitter user @OverlyLiked announcing he would be selling his Walmart vest for $100.
“I’m selling this Walmart vest for $100,” he wrote. “Use it to skip the line during Black Friday. You can even walk in, grab what you want, and walk out.”
I’m selling this Walmart vest for $100. Use it to skip the line during Black Friday. You can even walk in, grab what you want, and walk out??????????. pic.twitter.com/Q0UyDHUeU0
— 6’4 (@OverlyLiked) November 20, 2017
Although the tweet was reportedly meant as a joke, earning @OverlyLiked more than 30,000 retweets and almost 80,000 likes, it wasn’t long before he was being inundated with real requests to buy his shirt.
Read moreAmerica’s New “Trick”To Beat Black Friday Crowds: Wear Employee Uniforms
– Black Friday Sales Slump As Retail Tracker Admits Holiday Season “Off To A Slow Start”, Blames Warm Weather:
Sales and traffic at U.S. brick-and-mortar stores on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday declined from last year, as Reuters reports that stores offered discounts well beyond the weekend and more customers shopped online.
The National Retail Federation reports that spending per person over Thanksgiving Weekend this year was $289.19, down 3.4% from $299.60 in the same period last year.
Read moreBlack Friday Sales Slump As Retail Tracker Admits Holiday Season “Off To A Slow Start”, Blames Warm Weather
– Spending Was At An All Time Low For Black Friday This Year And Corporations Lost Billions:
For years, Black Friday brawls and rampant materialism on the day after Thanksgiving have become a sort of twisted American celebration. However, each year the excitement continues to die down as people reject the Black Friday antics and instead do their shopping online or on other days. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, Black Friday attendance was down over 3%, from 58.7% last year to 55.1% this year.
The survey noted that the average shopper was expected to spend $380.95, which was down from $407.02 the previous year. According to the group’s estimates, sales slipped from $57.4 billion to $50.9 billion.
Read moreSpending Was At An All Time Low For Black Friday This Year And Corporations Lost Billions
– Do You Remember When Black Friday Actually Still Mattered In America?:
Once upon a time, “Black Friday” was a major event in the United States. Yes, the mainstream media is still endlessly hyping it up, and major retailers are still rolling out their “incredible deals”, but it appears that most Americans are tiring of this particular gimmick. Or perhaps it is just that U.S. consumers don’t have as much discretionary income as they once did. As you will see below, retail traffic this Black Friday was “much, much slower” than anticipated. And expectations were not great anyway – the number of shoppers was down last year, and it was being projected that there would be another decline in 2015. Yes, there were still a few fights on Black Friday, but mostly the “holiday” was marked by giant piles of unsold merchandise sitting around collecting dust. The inventory to sales ratio in the U.S. has surged to levels not seen since the last recession, and so the truth is that most retailers were hoping for much more contrived chaos on Black Friday than we actually witnessed.
Read moreDo You Remember When Black Friday Actually Still Mattered In America?
– Video of the Day – If Black Friday Were a Movie:
Put aside 4 minutes of your day to poke some fun at America’s leading religion: Consumerism.
For last year’s year Black Friday post, see:
“An Unstoppable Zombie Holiday” – Humanity Shudders as America Exports Black Friday to the WorldIn Liberty,
– Black Friday Sales Tumble 13% On Thanksgiving Thursday Opening Scramble (ZeroHedge, Dec 1, 2013):
Update: more data trickling in from the NRF, and since it is not pretty, so expect much more blame to fall on the weather.
- U.S. consumers spent $57.4b over Black Friday weekend, down from last year’s $59.1b, National Retail Federation says
- Consumers spent avg. $407.02 (planned), down from $423.55 in 2012
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If somehow the scramble to open stores earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving day, until such time as the very Thanksgiving dinner had to be interrupted early for the annual rush out to the (un)friendly neighborhood Thug-Mart (Toys’R’Us opened at a ridiculous 5pm on Thanksgiving day) and punching people in the face just to get that 42 inch, 2010-model Plasma TV for $99, was supposed to boost overall sales instead of merely pulling them forward (see cash for clunkers), it didn’t work. According to ShopperTrak, total Black Friday traffic plunged 11% and total sales fell 13.2%, the second consecutive year of declines following last year’s 1.8%. The reason, as largely expected, is that a substantial portion of Friday shopping was pulled back to Thursday: as ShopperTrak founder Bill Martin said, “if retailers continue to promote Thanksgiving as the start of the holiday buying season, he thinks the holiday will eventually surpass Black Friday in sales. “We’re just taking Black Friday sales and spreading them across a larger number of days,” Martin said.”
Read moreBlack Friday Sales Tumble 13% On Thanksgiving Thursday Opening Scramble
– Black Friday: A Shameful Orgy Of Materialism For A Morally Bankrupt Nation (Economic Collapse, Nov 29, 2013):
It has been called “America’s most disturbing holiday”. Black Friday is the day when millions of average Americans wait outside retail stores in the middle of the night in the freezing cold to spend more money that they do not have for more cheap Chinese-made products that they do not need. It is a day when the rest of the world makes fun of Americans for behaving like “rabid animals” and “zombies” as we indulge in a tsunami of greed. It truly is a shameful orgy of materialism for a morally bankrupt nation. It is being projected that approximately 140 million Americans will participate in this disgusting national ritual this year. Sadly, most of them have absolutely no idea that they are actively participating in the destruction of the economic infrastructure of the United States. If you don’t understand why this is true, please be sure to read this entire article all the way to the end.
Read moreBlack Friday: A Shameful Orgy Of Materialism For A Morally Bankrupt Nation
Imagine what these people will do in a total economic collapse situation when there will be no food available.
– Mobs, Stampedes, Fights, Brawls, A Stabbing And Shooting: A Video Compilation Of Black Thursday 2013 (ZeroHedge, Nov 29, 2013):
That greatest of all American traditions – the Black
FridayThursday stampede, this year accompanied with a stabbing and a shooting, is back. A quick review of all readers may have missed by not lining up in droves outside of stores that were selling products at just above cost instead of the usual massive pre-Thanksgiving markup, via the Mail:
- The rush for Black Friday bargains has resulted in outbreaks of violence as shoppers clash over reduced price goods
- Police in Virginia have reporting a stabbing incident after two men got into a fight in the car park over a space
- Shoppers cutting in line sparked a Black Friday Brawl at another Walmart
- Some retailers opened their doors as early as 6am on Thanksgiving Day
Some details before we get into the documentary evidence:
A man has been stabbed in Virginia, a shoplifter has been shot by cops in Chicago and brawls have broken out across the nation as shoppers clash in a scramble for the best Black Friday bargains.
Read moreMobs, Stampedes, Fights, Brawls, A Stabbing And Shooting: A Video Compilation Of Black Thursday 2013
YouTube Added: 24.11.2012
– Retailers Blame Drop In Black Friday Sales On Black Thursday (ZeroHedge, Nov 25, 2012):
With all bad news on the tape now having a suitable “explanation”, be it a prior president, a tropical storm, the weather being too hot, the weather being too cold, the weather being just right, but never, ever someone actually taking blame for the fact that life is what happens when corporate CEOs (and sovereign presidents) are busy making “priced to perfection” plans. So it is with what is now a confirmed flop of a Black Friday, which according to ShopperTrak saw sales drop by nearly 2% to $11.2 from 2011, which in turn was a 6.6% gain over 2010 (and would be revised to far lower once all the refunds and exchanges to cash took place in the two weeks later). This occurred despite a 3.5% increase in retail foot traffic to 307.7 million store visits. The nominal drop in retail sales also occurred despite a nearly 1% increase in the total US population over last Thanksgiving, and a 2% Y/Y inflation. But fear not: the ad hoc excuse for this “surprising” loss in purchasing power is already handy: it is all Black Thursday’s fault, or the latest idiotic attempt by retailers to cannibalize their own future sales by diluting the exclusivity of Black Friday, and which will force all retailers to follow the sovereigns in a race to the bottom, as soon every day will be the equivalent of Black Friday. But at least retailers have another 364 years worth of excuses for the conceivable future to excuse any and all store weakness. Next year: it’s all Black Wednesday’s fault.
Read moreRetailers Blame Drop In Black Friday Sales On Black Thursday
YouTube Addded: 23.11.2012
This video documents the sad truth that Black Friday is just another globalist mega scam pointed at the ignorant and poor.
YouTube Added: 22.11.2012
Yes, except that the worst Black Friday will feel like ‘cuddling’ compared to the coming financial/economic collapse.
– Are Black Friday Riots A Preview Of The Civil Unrest That Is Coming When Society Breaks Down? (Economic Collapse,Nov 23, 2012):
If Americans will trample one another just to save a few dollars on a television, what will they do when society breaks down and the survival of their families is at stake? Once in a while an event comes along that gives us a peek into what life could be like when the thin veneer of civilization that we all take for granted is stripped away. For example, when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey there was rampant looting and within days people were digging around in supermarket dumpsters looking for food. Sadly, “Black Friday” also gives us a look at how crazed the American people can be when given the opportunity. This year was no exception. Once again we saw large crowds of frenzied shoppers push, shove, scratch, claw, bite and trample one another just to save a few bucks on cheap foreign-made goods. And of course most retailers seem to be encouraging this type of behavior. Most of them actually want people frothing at the mouth and willing to fight one another to buy their goods. But is this kind of “me first” mentality really something that we want to foster as a society? If people are willing to riot to save money on a cell phone, what would they be willing to do to feed their families? Are the Black Friday riots a very small preview of the civil unrest that is coming when society eventually breaks down? Once upon a time, Thanksgiving was not really a commercial holiday. It was a time to get together with family and friends, eat turkey and express thanks for the blessings that we have been given.
But in recent years Black Friday has started to become even a bigger event than Thanksgiving itself.
Millions of Americans have become convinced that it is fun to wait in long lines outside retail stores in freezing cold weather in the middle of the night to spend money that they do not have on things that they do not need.
And of course very, very few “Black Friday deals” are actually made in America. So these frenzied shoppers are actually killing American jobs and destroying the U.S. economy as well.
The absurdity of Black Friday was summed up very well recently in a statement that has already been retweeted on Twitter more than 1,000 times…“Black Friday: because only in America people trample each other for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have.”
It has gotten to the point where it is now expected that there will be mini-riots all over the country early on Black Friday morning each year. The following are a few examples of the craziness that we saw this year…
Read moreBlack Friday Riots A Preview Of The Civil Unrest That Is Coming When Society Breaks Down?
Wait until the food runs out during the coming financial/economic collapse.
– “Phones On Sale” – The Stampede Begins (ZeroHedge, Nov 23, 2012):
When Darwin conceived his theory of Natural Selection, he hardly had this in mind, but if it succeeds in eliminating the “less than viable”, well… so be it.
YouTube Added: 22.11.2012
– LAPD plans major presence for Black Friday (Los Angeles Times, Nov 21, 2012):
Black Friday is a day for burning off those Thanksgiving calories with some intense Christmas shopping. But for the Los Angeles Police Department, it’s become a day of surveillance, crowd control and crime-suppression tactics.
Helicopters will buzz above some shopping centers, and below, a cavalry of LAPD officers will patrol on bikes and horses. From store rooftops, officers will scan the crowds below looking for unruly behavior. Electronic signs near stores will warn customers about becoming victims of theft as they navigate the mass of humanity looking for bargains.
The deployments are part of a new strategy by the LAPD to deal with the retail roller derby that comes after Thanksgiving. In addition to stationing officers around shopping centers, the LAPD has been visiting stores across the city this week, talking to managers about the psychology of the frantic shopper.
Officials said the push was prompted by a series of incidents at Black Friday sales, notably one last year at a Porter Ranch Wal-Mart in which two dozen people were injured when a woman unleashed pepper spray during a frantic battle for some discounted video games.
Read moreLAPD Plans Major Presence For Black Friday, Deploys Helicopters & Horses
What will happen when the food runs out in the coming financial/economic collapse?
– Woman Pepper Sprays Shoppers To Get Xbox (ZeroHedge, Nov. 26, 2011):
It never fails. Every Black Friday we get yet another heaping helping of pure unadulterated ignorant mentally deficient bottom feeding fat-saturated sheeple mania. Every year it gets worse. And, every holiday season I am faced with the painful question of whether or not these people are actually worth saving. My answer so far has always been a begrudging “yes”. Many of them have been conditioned by a society on the brink of collapse, not just of economy, but also of conscience. That doesn’t mean, however, that I excuse this kind of behavior. Frankly, if some mongoloid Wal-Mart shopper tried to pepper spray me in the face for a video game, I would beat them into cranberry sauce and drink some delicious eggnog to celebrate. Is this a well balanced response? Probably not. But then again, they would likely think twice before pulling the same stunt on anyone else. Actually, in my humble opinion, at least half the population of this country needs a good a smack upside the head. Seriously……this situation is getting uncomfortably crooked…….
Imagine how these same people might act in the event that they not only get no Xbox, but no food due to financial instability. Imagine a 200 pound spoiled toddler with an addiction to immediate gratification being told “you are owed nothing”. The response would probably be similar to (or even worse than) a large portion of the American populace as featured in the videos below:
YouTube Added: 25.11.2011
YouTube Added: 25.11.2011


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Remember when Square Enix announced a date to announce the release date for Final Fantasy XV? Well, Friday Square Enix finally announced that date. The, uh, date to announce the release date not the actual release date.
Did you follow that?
For a good amount of time now we have been teased about a nebulous upcoming event in March, Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV was first announced by Director Hajime Tabata and Global Marketing Director Akio Ofuji during the January Active Time Report. Friday, February 5th, the information went out via social media and email.
March 30th, in Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium at 7pm. Tickets to the event are free and are only open to those US Residents 18 years and older. For more information please check out the official website. However, if you’re hoping to score some tickets, too late, tickets “sold out” in less than a day. Since the time is after work, wouldn’t surprise me if most of the tickets went to people in the Los Angeles area.
According to the announcement it promises to offer new information on the game as well as key surprises that speak to the full entertainment experience. As vague as that information is, according to the Active Times Report (the final 10 minutes or so) it has been promised they will unveil the release date, packaging, and pricing. In terms of hands on, there will be a playable tech demo, different from Episode Duscae, for those who attend. Furthermore, they are doing their best to stick to the 2016 release.
Now all there is to do is wait until the end of March, fairly positive very little, if any, new information will come out ahead of the event. For all of us that missed the window to attend, we can watch Uncovered live on YouTube and Twitch.
Follow Stephanie Cookies on twitter, here!
- Netflix Drops First Teaser for Upcoming Will Smith Movie, BRIGHT - February 27, 2017
- Finally, New Information Regarding the GREEN LANTERN Reboot - January 12, 2017
- Woody Harrelson Officially Cast in Young Han Solo Film - January 11, 2017


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Analysis by Julie Dautermann, Competitive Intelligence Analyst
This update helps automotive suppliers inform their legal and operational decisions to help address challenges and opportunities. Contact your Foley relationship partner, or Ann Marie Uetz, Vanessa L. Miller, or Nicholas J. Ellis, to follow up.
Foley & Lardner LLP’s automotive thought leaders and the Society of Automotive Analysts (SAA) are hosting a 2023 Automotive EV Outlook at the Detroit Athletic Club on March 21, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. Please RSVP to attend the discussion and reception focused on resiliency and other key issues in the electric vehicle supply chain.
Foley & Lardner announced the launch of its Auto Trends 2023 Series, which includes an ongoing discussion on topics including electric vehicles, cybersecurity developments, product liability, intellectual property, and more. Click HERE to subscribe to the series.
The average price for a new vehicle increased 30% since 2019, and households with an annual income above $150,000 represent nearly 30% of new vehicle purchases, according to analysis from JPMorgan and AlixPartners excerpted in Bloomberg.
The Biden Administration released final standards for a national electric vehicle charging network intended to receive funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The standards include the immediate requirement that the “final assembly and all manufacturing processes for any iron or steel charger enclosures or housing” occur in the U.S. In addition, at least 55% of the cost of all components must be manufactured domestically by July 2024.
Teslawill open a portion of its proprietary U.S. charging network to non-Tesla vehicles, and the company plans to significantly increase its nationwide network of Superchargers.
Fordwill invest $3.5 billion to build a battery plant in Marshall, Michigan in partnership with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL).The site will add a second battery chemistry, LFP, to Ford’s offerings, and production is expected to begin in 2026.This represents the automaker’s fourth U.S. production site being built with battery manufacturers, following locations in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Ford temporarily halted output at two plants due to a battery issue with the F-150 Lightning electric pickup and a quality issue with the 2023 Escape.
The European Parliamentapproved a law to require new passenger cars sold in the bloc to be zero-emission vehicles beginning in 2035.
PwC projects U.S. EV sales could reach up to 14% of new light-vehicle sales by 2025, and 35% of sales by 2030, according to analysis excerpted in Utility Dive this month. The analysis also indicates EV sales in California reached 16% of total new vehicle sales in 2022, and EV sales are approaching double-digit percentages in a number of other states.
Bloomberg reports cobalt prices have fallen 50% since May 2022, and its recent volatility demonstrates one of the challenges in establishing contracts for battery metals. The decline was attributed to reduced demand from the electronics sector, as well as a potential shift by some EV battery manufacturers to chemistries which do not require cobalt.
Industry analysts quoted in CNBC predict a copper shortage will impact global markets this year, due to factors that include increased demand and supply constraints in certain copper-producing nations.
According to a report in The Detroit News, CEO Jim Farley said Ford requires “fundamental change” regarding how its vehicles are engineered, sourced and built, in order to address a $7 billion to $8 billion cost disadvantage the automaker has compared to certain competitors. The cost disadvantage was attributed to a number of issues that include higher material and warranty costs.
GM and New-York based GlobalFoundriesannounced a long-term supply agreement intended to establish a “dedicated capacity corridor exclusively for GM's chip supply.”
BorgWarner expects its 2023 EV revenue to increase to $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, from $870 million in 2022.In December, the company announced plans to spin off its fuel systems and aftermarket segments into a separate, publicly traded company, to help advance its electrification goals and optimize its combustion portfolio.
GM will temporarily stop production the week of February 20 at its Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, due to an unspecified parts shortage unrelated to semiconductors.
Electric Vehicles and Low Emissions Technology
BloombergNEF estimates the cumulative value of global electric vehicle salesover the last ten years reached $1 trillion, with 50% of total EV spending occurring in the last 18 months.
PwC estimates the EV supply equipment market will be valued at $100 billion by 2040, and companies that install, operate or maintain charging stations will represent 65% of the market.
Redwood Materials received a conditional $2 billion loan commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy for the expansion of the company’s battery recycling and remanufacturing facility in Nevada. The funding is part of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program.
A new report from Polestar, Rivian and consulting firm Kearney predicts the transportation industry will fall short of decarbonization targets outlined in the Paris Agreement unless supply chain and manufacturing emissions decrease significantly and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are adopted aggressively and charged entirely on renewable power.
Bank of America will offer consumers the option of financing residential electric vehicle chargers as part of a new option for auto loans.
Bloomberg reports GM is considering acquiring a stake in Brazilian miner Vale’s base metals unit, which was created to pursue growth opportunities in metals such as copper and nickel. Last year, GM announced an agreement with subsidiary Vale Canada for the long-term supply of battery-grade nickel sulfate.
Hyundailaunched a short-term EV subscription program in the U.S. starting at $699 per month. The Evolve+ program is intended to introduce consumers to the automaker’s EV brands without the commitment of a purchase or longer-term lease.
CALSTART estimates 5,480 new full-size zero-emission transit buses were on the road, on order or funded in the U.S. in 2022, representing a 66% increase over the previous year. The clean transportation advocacy nonprofit indicates battery-electric buses remain more common than fuel cell electric buses due to factors that include cost, infrastructure, and owner or operator preference. The top five states for adoption of zero-emission buses are California, New York, Florida, Texas and Massachusetts.
ChargePoint Holdings and Stemwill use AI-supported energy management to lower operating costs and improve resiliency for highway corridor fast-charging networks.
Specialty vehicle manufacturer The Shyft Group intends to invest $16 million to produce all-electric delivery vehicles at its facilities in Charlotte, Michigan.
GM’s Cadillac brand intends to begin production of three new EV models during calendar year 2024, and more details will be announced later this year. The brand currently produces the electric Lyriq crossover, and the ultra-luxury “hand-built” Celestiq will launch toward the end of 2023.
Stellantis is accepting reservations for the upcomingRam 1500 REV battery-electric truck, and the vehicle will begin sales in 2024.
Automated, Autonomous or Connected Vehicles Technologies
Amazon’s Zoox began operating autonomous shuttles on public roads for the first time by offering its employees rides on a route between its Foster City offices during business hours.
Uber established cloud services agreements with Google and Oracle, as part of an effort by the rideshare company to focus on core initiatives and shift away from using its own data centers.
Two U.S. senators are urging the Federal Communications Commission to approve pending waiver requests to enable the deployment of cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology in the 5.9 GHz spectrum band, according to a report in Transport Topics. In 2020, the FCC reassigned a portion of the 5.9 GHz spectrum for unlicensed uses such as Wi-Fi content providers.
Market Trends and Regulatory
President Biden announced plans to nominate Ann Carlson to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Carlson has been acting administrator since the departure of Steven Cliff last year.
Consumer Reports’ annual ranking of top automotive brands listed the top ten as BMW, Subaru, Mini, Lexus, Honda, Toyota, Genesis, Mazda, Audi and Kia, according to The Detroit News.
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PASO ROBLES, Calif. Wild spring weather across California's wine country has been enough to drive a vintner to drink.
From killer snow in the Sierra Nevada foothills to dry-season downpours along the coast to a hard freeze in temperate Paso Robles, 2011 is proving a challenging vintage.
"That's what makes this business so damned interesting," said Jim Fiolek, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association.
It also can keep winemakers up at night.
Jason Haas, general manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard near Paso Robles, said winemaker Neil Collins has experienced many sleepless nights this spring.
"These people who envy the winemaker's lifestyle should drive around here with Neil at 3 a.m. when he knows it's freezing and there's nothing he can do about it," Haas said.
Vintners have long joked that the weather is just like last year - different. But people expect to find constants in the nation's premiere grape-growing state.
Rain is expected to taper in April and end by May, then not return until November. In those months, balmy temperatures awaken dormant vines from their winter slumber and buds start to break.
This year there has been frost and record rain in June. Sustained temperatures over 70 didn't hit until this week in most wine regions.
Now just days before the official start of summer it looks like early spring across California wine country. Buds are just emerging and the fruit is forming far behind schedule.
"This weather is causing all kinds of problems, but it's not the first time and not the last," Fiolek said. "Other products have a more ephemeral lifetime, but ours goes on and on and tells the story of the weather pattern."
While rain is good for some crops, late precipitation is not for California's $18.5 billion wine industry. Regulating water controls the intensity of grape flavors - and too much causes mildew.
The most recent deluge Sunday and Monday across Napa and Sonoma forced crews back into some fields, where they hope that removing select leaves will fight mildew by increasing airflow.
It's snow, not rain, that caused problems in mountainous El Dorado County, where leafing vineyards have been hit by the same spring snow storms that have some ski resorts dreaming of remaining open through July 4.
"There's nothing we can do about it, and we don't even know the outcome yet," said Josh Bendick, winemaker at Holly's Hill in the Sierra-Nevada foothills, where 4 inches accumulated May 15 on 6-inch shoots of viognier, an early blooming white wine-grape.
At Tablas Creek this week, Haas checked vines on the rolling 105-acres, where organically grown grapes are used to produce the critically acclaimed Rhone blends. Two all-night freezes in early April, which followed a warm March, wiped out the winery's entire crop of grenache, grenache blanc, viognier and marssane. They're key ingredients in the company's wine blends and 35 percent of its acreage.
"Of the blocks that were out (leafing) we had 100 percent damage," said Haas, adding that only the neighbors with overhead sprinkling systems were spared.


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Flexible OLED technology and VR headset developer Royole announced that it received a $80 million series Pre-D funding from the Warmsun Holding Group. Royole raised around $280 million since its inception in 2012 - and the current valuation is set at around $3 billion!
So what does Royole do to justify such a lofty valuation? A couple of months ago Royole launched its first product, the Royole Moon foldable VR headset - that uses OLED microdisplays to achieve a PPI of over 3,000. The $799 Moon also includes noise-cancelling headphones and runs on the company's own Moon OS.
Royole is developing flexible AMOLED technologies, and in 2014 the company unveiled a 0.01-mm thick bendable AMOLED prototype. That specific display had a bending radius of 1 mm. According to reports back in 2014, Royole technology centered on the backplane of the display.
Royole is also developing flexible sensor technology, and offers its IP for licensing. The company says it has over 500 patents (issued and pending) - in the areas of materials, processes, devices, circuits, software and product design.


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Soon-to-launch US streamer HBO Max has cost AT&T’s WarnerMedia over US$1bn in forgone revenue, the operator’s quarterly results have revealed.
By ensuring content such as Friends could exclusively be streamed on the service, WarnerMedia missed out on over $1.2bn in licencing revenue during the quarter. The service also cost Warner $500m in lost Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).
John Stephens, senior EVP and CFO of AT&T clarified during the company’s earnings call that the company had “made the strategic decision to give HBO Max exclusive streaming rights for top programs including Friends, Big Bang Theory and other popular shows. In the past, we would have sold these externally.”
The company clearly laid out HBO Max, which launches in May, as one of its key performance objectives. It reiterated that the service aims to be the “highest quality, premium SVOD that appeals to a wide demographic” with “high-quality content that is culturally relevant.”
AT&T COO and WarnerMedia chairman John Stankey said that HBO Max would be “the highest quality premium SVOD in the market with a great experience, better curation, and higher percentage of culturally relevant offerings than competing products.” He added that “a successful launch of HBO Max is critical to our plans in each of the next three years.”
The service will be available at no extra cost to over 10 million AT&T HBO customers, HBO Now direct-billed subscribers and AT&T customers who subscribe to the operator’s premium video, mobile and broadband packages. Stankey said that he wanted HBO Max to “have a positive and immediate impact on the stickiness of our wireless and pay TV and broadband offerings.”
AT&T is betting big on HBO Max to patch up its subscription business, with streamer AT&T TV Now dropping 219,000 customers and satellite service DirecTV losing 945,000. Year-over-year, AT&T’s video connections dropped 20% from 24.5 million at year-end 2018 to 20.4 million now.
The company also said that it is “pivoting” its linear strategy around HBO Max. As a part of this, the content on TNT will shift more towards unscripted shows, while TBS will, according to Stankey, “supplant hours” that “might have been more general entertainment-oriented content that you are going to see showing up on SVOD platforms like HBO Max moving forward.”
Both networks will focus on sports and “water cooler” television that requires concurrent viewing.
This is a continuation of a shift that started earlier this month, with WarnerMedia announcing that its Audience Network pay TV channel would be changed into one designed to market HBO Max. As a part of this, upcoming shows on the premium channel are likely to become exclusive to the streaming service. On the call, Stankey said that this strategy is all a part of “some pretty aggressive promotion” for HBO Max ahead of its May launch.
Overall, WarnerMedia’s Q4 revenue dropped by 3.3% to $8.9bn with operating income down 9.5% to $2.4bn.


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New augmented and virtual reality tools will hit the commercial market this year, says Alice Liao in a post on ARCHITECT. Virtual reality headsets and products such as Microsoft’s augmented reality HoloLens will be available for architects, builders, and developers soon.
Virtual reality tools are currently more widely used in architecture, and allow designers and builders to immerse themselves in simulations of unbuilt projects.
The platform [virtual reality] has had about 30 years to mature and “there’s more momentum happening,” says George Valdes, AIA, vice president of product at New York–based software developer IrisVR. Although VR has enjoyed wider adoption, many see greater potential in AR. With the HoloLens and future AR devices, some foresee the ability to create an initial 3D model of a physical space by simply scanning it, overlaying a truly immersive environment on top of a raw space, and editing digital 3D models in real time. Until then, White advises taking the plunge and experimenting. As AR and VR continue to advance, the technology will not be in its current form, but surely “it’s not going away.”


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Andrew Yang speaks to citizens on the Perry Perk espresso store all over a marketing campaign forestall in Perry, Iowa, January 28, 2020. (Mike Segar/reuters)
Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang dropped out of the Democratic presidential race on Tuesday as effects persevered to roll in from the New Hampshire number one election.
“I’m a numbers man,” Yang mentioned prior to addressing supporters in New Hampshire. “In a majority of these states, I’m now not going to be at a threshold the place I am getting delegates, which makes sticking round now not essentially useful or productive in relation to furthering the targets of this marketing campaign.”
Yang centered his marketing campaign on his proposal of a common elementary source of revenue coverage, which might give each American grownup $1,000 a month. In September, Yang debuted a take a look at release of the plan, the Freedom Dividend Pilot Program, and gave 13 American households $1,000 month for a 12 months out of Yang’s marketing campaign budget.
Yang has indicated that he’s now not ruling out a 2d run for president and might run for mayor of New York Town as neatly.


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Mitsubishi PH Turns Over Outlander PHEV, i-MiEV Units to DENR
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) recently turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) five units of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles) and five units of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV eletric car, along with four quick charger units, which the government agency will then distribute to its offices nationwide to be used for official business only.
The turnover ceremonies happened during the opening of the first ASEAN Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Summit yesterday, June 29, 2017, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City between MMC CEO Osamu Masuko and DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones. The deliveries reportedly form part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in February between MMC and the DENR as a "joint study into environmental load reduction using electric technologies" used by the two aforementioned environment-friendly models.
"The delivery of these vehicles and charger units is a vote of confidence in the electric technologies of Mitsubishi Motors," said Masuko at the turnover ceremonies. "We are pleased to be playing our part in helping reduce emissions in partnership with the DENR in the Philippines."


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LAWRENCE - According to new research, how you pay for new products determines how you perceive the product. Assistant KU Professor Promothes Chatterjee studied the spending habits of shoppers and found people who use credit cards find the benefit of the product important; whereas people who use cash find the cost most important.
“Beauty lies within the eyes of the cardholder,” said Chatterjee. Previous research shows consumers are willing to spend more when there’s a credit card in hand but Chatterjee’s research suggests a link between consumer perception of product and the form of payment.
The professor says marketers are well versed in consumer spending habits and the research might help shoppers get a better grasp on why they seem to overspend when using plastic. Chatterjee's research will be published in the Journal of Consumer Research, which comes out in April.


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Fiat (MIL:F) has completed its buyout of Chrysler, making the U.S. business a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Italian carmaker as it gears up to use their combined resources to ..
HP's decision to bring back Windows 7 for its PC due to "popular demand" could be another headache for whoever succeeds Ballmer as Microsoft CEO. ..
Leigh Drogen of Estimize has 3 earnings trades that investors need to watch this week ..
As the Fed chairman prepares to ride off into the sunset, the evidence continues to mount that he successfully averted disaster and outplayed his international central banking ..
U.S. stocks were mostly lower heading into midday Tuesday as investors assessed the latest round of company earnings. ..
Pollution from China travels in large quantities across the Pacific Ocean to the United States, a new study has found, making environmental and health problems unexpected side ..
NEW YORK (AP) — Hedge fund Third Point LLC said Tuesday that it has acquired a significant stake in Dow Chemical and wants the company to spin off its petrochemicals division. ..
BERLIN/DUESSELDORF (Reuters) - A break-up of sprawling German retail group Metro AG (MEO.DE) looks unlikely despite speculation that the planned sale of a stake in its Russian ..
Shares of phone maker Blackberry jumped 7% on Tuesday after the Pentagon said late last week that almost all of the phones and tablets connected to one of its new networks, 80 ..
An Oxfam briefing has noted that the richest 85 people in the world now own the same amount of wealth as the bottom half of the world’s population. That means about 7 dozen pe ..


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M&G has appointed a managing director to lead its UK wealth arm amid plans to grow the business.
Clare Bousfield, the firm's current chief financial officer, will head up the expansion of M&G Wealth’s retail and savings services in the UK, as well as oversee the overhaul of the firm’s Prudential-branded operations.
M&G said in March that Prudential Financial Planning - one of a number of acquired firms making up its UK wealth arm - would take on the M&G name as part of the company-wide re-brand.
Bousfield will hand over her responsibilities to M&G’s deputy CFO, Paul Cooper, who will act on an interim basis until the firm finds a new full-time CFO.
In her new role, set to start next month, she is also expected to step down from M&G’s PLC board, due to “expected time commitments” and “regulatory responsibilities” with respect to Prudential.
John Foley, M&G’s chief executive, said Bousfield will “bring fresh impetus” to the firm’s wealth arm - which was created last year and is yet to launch its hybrid advice service.
Foley continued: “This appointment and a number of other leadership changes I am making today position us well for the next phase of M&G’s ambitions and our strategy to return to sustainable growth.”
M&G announced its wealth management division, M&G Wealth, in September 2020, which comprises Ascentric, Prudential Financial Planning, The Advice Partnership and the M&G Direct funds business.
In August, M&G said the £800m net outflows from its retail savings arm in the first half of 2021 highlighted the need to grow M&G Wealth.
Bousfield’s retail and savings responsibilities within this arm will consist of M&G Wealth, as well as the Heritage Business, which includes Prudential-branded operations in both the UK and Europe.
Last month, M&G added to its wealth arm by acquiring Huddersfield-based adviser firm Sandringham Financial Partners, for an undisclosed amount.
Sandringham, led by chief executive Tim Sargisson, has 180 IFA partners and advises on assets of more than £2.5bn for 10,000 clients. It was established by Ken Davy in 2012.


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As the iPhone 3G hits stores this week, Apple is aiming to gain more users by offering it at reduced prices through carriers.
Apple has slashed the iPhone‘s price nearly in half, possibly attracting new buyers who balked at paying US$499 for the original 4GB iPhone. The new model will work on faster 3G (third-generation) broadband wireless networks for quicker downloads and come with GPS (Global Positioning System) capabilities.
In the U.S., AT&T will start selling the iPhone 3G on Friday, starting at $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model, each with a two-year contract. In the U.K., O2 will offer iPhone 3G for free with some contracts. The device will also bow Friday in 20 other countries including Germany, Japan and Australia; Apple hopes to sell it in 70 countries by year-end, including India, the Philippines, South Africa and Egypt.
Support for 3G networks will enable the new iPhone to download data up to 2.8 times faster than the earlier model, according to Apple. It will come with a 3.5-inch screen with improved battery life, talk time of five hours, standby time of 300 hours, six hours of high-speed browsing, 20 hours of audio and seven hours of video, the company claims.
The phone runs Mac OS X, weighs 113 grams (0.29 pounds), and is a hair thicker than its predecessor at 0.48 inch, or 12.3 mm. The new iPhone includes a standard audio headphone jack, which the previous model didn’t include.
The new phone has some shortcomings, such as the lack of a video camera, but the new features and low price points should attract buyers now that the iPhone is tried and tested, said Fareena Sultan, associate professor at Northeastern University’s College of Business Administration.
“The issue is not about the box, it’s about the service,” Sultan said. The carriers are assisting Apple in subsidizing the phones and ultimately hope to make money through higher-priced contracts and additional services, Sultan said.
The price drop and addition of GPS and 3G support are dramatic enough to boost consumer adoption, said Bill Hughes, principal analyst for wireless devices at In-Stat.
Dropping the price won’t hurt the iPhone’s enterprise adoption, but it won’t open the floodgates either, Hughes said. Enterprises are looking for mobile devices to handle back-office applications, and the iPhone 3G needs to prove itself capable, Hughes said.
There are also questions in larger enterprises surrounding the security and manageability of iPhones, Hughes said.
“It takes a courageous manager to justify the skeptics around them to prove the [iPhone] as a compelling device,” Hughes said.
The initial adopters could be small and medium-size businesses, Hughes said. It may take longer for the iPhone to make a dent in larger enterprises, where Research In Motion’s BlackBerry is widely used, especially for e-mail.
The phone may also face competition in the consumer space from iPhone clones, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. The original iPhone set a precedent for new devices like Samsung’s Instinct and HTC’s Touch Diamond, with touchscreens and similar interfaces to the iPhone, Gold said.
But Apple can’t keep innovating technologically, so it is developing a proprietary software ecosystem to deliver applications that could differentiate the iPhone from competing mobile devices, analysts said. The iPhone will come with iPhone 2.0, a new software platform that builds in support for Microsoft Exchange, allowing enterprises to push e-mail, contacts and calendars from Exchange Server to the iPhone.
Developers can write applications for the iPhone 2.0 platform and sell them through Apple’s online App Store, which will also launch on Friday and be accessible to users in 62 countries. Users will be able to download iPhone applications under 10M bytes over cellular networks, by Wi-Fi or through iTunes. Downloading applications larger than 10M bytes will require Wi-Fi or synchronization through iTunes on a PC. Users will also be able to distribute applications by syncing iPhones.
Markets in which the iPhone will bow Friday include Mexico, Hong Kong, Ireland, Austria, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Canada, Singapore, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The new iPhone will support 16 languages including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.


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IIMAK, a manufacturer of imaging consumables and coatings, has promoted Doug Wagner to president.
Wagner, who previously held the position of executive vice president of sales and marketing, will oversee the company’s global businesses. He reports to Dick Marshall, chairman and CEO.
‘Doug’s leadership will be instrumental as we build on our success in the core thermal transfer ribbon business, as well as focus on a strategy of expansion in adjacent markets with new products,’ said Marshall. ‘Doug brings a deep understanding of global businesses and proven success in driving business development in all geographies across diverse markets. I couldn’t be more pleased to have his committed leadership in place to oversee our continued growth and innovation.’
Wagner joined IIMAK in January 2007 as senior vice president, sales and marketing, for the North American and export TTR business, and subsequently expanded commercial responsibilities to Europe and niche businesses.
Prior to IIMAK, he spent nine years with Avery Dennison working in the company’s Retail Information Services Group (RIS) in various positions, the last of which was vice president of sales and marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Pictured: Doug Wagner


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Interest Square Enix, Yahoo! Japan to Launch New Game Project
posted on 2011-09-28 05:30 EDT by Egan Loo
The Yahoo! Japan website announced on Wednesday that it is collaborating with the game publisher Square Enix to present a new large-scale game. The details of the game will be announced on October 5.
Since last year, Square Enix and Yahoo! Japan have already been collaborating on Sengoku IXA, a browser game themed on the wartorn sengoku era of Japanese history. The two companies report that the game has over 500,000 registered users.
[Via My Game News Flash]
Available Now: BanG Dream! - Rewrite season 2 - Winter 2017 Shorts - Scum's Wish - Chaos;Child - Marginal #4 - Onihei - Super Lovers 2 - Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid - Kemono Friends - and much more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2017 Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our ...