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Italian automaker Maserati on Thursday said that the company will bring the most powerful car in its range, the GranTurismo MC Stradale at Salon Privé event at Syon Park.
Maserati says the two-place GranTurismo MC Stradale was “inspired by” the Trofeo GranTurismo MC and the GT4 and is intended as a street-legal performance car that can also be driven on the track.
The special edition GranTurismo MC Stradale is powered by a 4.2 liter V8 engine that delivers 450 HP – an improvement over the standard 405 HP – while still offering the same fuel consumption as a standard Gran Turismo. The 0-100km/h drag is 4.6 seconds. Quick but in no way qualifying as a supercar.
This car also comes with an improved aerodynamic down force and will brake the 186 mph barrier. Around 80 per cent of the maximum torque arrives at just 2, 500rpm, meaning it doesn’t just perform near the 7,500rpm red line, it’s flexible enough for everyday use too.
The sports car will go on sale in the first quarter of 2011 at a price of 154,721 euro (around $205,000 at the current exchange rates). We’d let you know the US prices, but the MC Stradale won’t be available on our side of the pond.
For those who want to attend at the event – they need to know that tickets start from £175 + VAT and are fully inclusive of Pommery Champagne, Lobster Luncheon and afternoon teas as well as access all areas.
Tickets can purchased via the Salon Privé website www.salonprivelondon.com, or by calling the ticket hotline +44 (0) 808 100 2205.


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Giving Middle-Income Families the Credit They Deserve
Middle-income consumers aren’t getting what they deserve from financial institutions at a time when they need it most.
Despite doing their best, 54% of Americans are only “coping” when it comes to their financial health. American families are pulling out all the stops, all the time, in order to manage their finances, pay off debt, pay for childcare or caretakers, save for retirement, and so much more. This was the case even before the pandemic hit.
And big banks aren’t helping.
According to a new Harris Poll, more than three in five (62%) Americans say traditional banks do not offer middle-income consumers the same quality of customer service as they do the wealthy. And nearly four in five (79%) Americans feel that the wealthy have access to more programs/offerings from traditional banks than middle-income consumers.
These banks continue to target an affluent few while loading “gotcha” fees onto everyone else. They offer multiple products, but break up the money people earn, save, and borrow into silos, making it difficult to maximize their paychecks while burdening them with the added stress of multiple cards and accounts.
New banks, going primarily for digitally-native Millennials, are more narrowly focused on checking accounts and serving a set of consumers with less complicated lifestyles.
We believe it’s time to go back to the basics of full-service, relationship-driven banking while leveraging the power technology offers today. The best way forward is with a more empathetic, user-centered approach.
Back to the Future
One Finance is reimagining what it means to be a modern bank, by prioritizing and empowering middle-income consumers via a single platform with a best-in-class portfolio of offerings:
Their products and business model are aligned with consumer needs, starting with how they simply divide behaviors on the platform into:
- Save: Growing money through competitive interest rates when saving with One (without charging monthly fees, overdraft fees, NSF fees, or ATM fees).
- Spend: Debit and credit are wrapped into one account.
- Borrow: One is the first in the market to offer an integrated line of meaningful credit at lower rates.
- Share: One enables people to share expenses with friends and family (roommates, divorced parents, caregivers, and more) via pockets within their accounts without complicated transfers.
When this money is managed from one place, people save more, are charged less, and gain control. And unlike many platforms which compromise on a holistic customer service experience in an effort to minimize costs, ONE will remain focused on meeting its customers where they are — be it on the phone or via chat.
The team building this platform has helped shape the industry today, hailing from the C-Suite at PayPal, Intuit, and Personal Capital. ONE Co-founder and CEO Brian Hamilton co-founded Azlo and PushPoint (acquired by Capital One). Along with Sarah Elliott, the company’s GC and Chief Compliance Officer (previously Head of Compliance at Blend), they are assembling a world class team coming from world positive operations like Simple, Plaid, Slack, Google, and Change.org.
ONE is founded on the belief that banking should be designed for real life, and connect people to their money.
We’re thrilled to be on the journey with them.

domain: news


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A shape rise in gas prices may not be temporary and more energy suppliers could find themselves out of business within months, the chief executive of Ofgem has warned.
Jonathan Brearley admitted that “well above” hundreds of thousands of customers could be impacted.
“Have a look at the change in the gas price – it really is something that we don’t think we’ve seen before at this pace,” he said.
“We do expect a large number of customers to be affected, we’ve already seen hundreds of thousands of customers affected, that may well go well above that. It’s very hard for me to put a figure on it.”
Speaking to MPs at a Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select committee hearing, he added that it was difficult to put a figure on how many firms might go to the wall, saying: “We are going to want to have a ‘lessons learned’ after this.”
He added: “We do expect more (suppliers) not to be able to face the circumstances we’re in.”
And it emerged that Ofgem and the government were warned as early as two years ago about the fragility of the energy sector.
Emma Pinchbeck, the chief executive of supplier trade body Energy UK, said: “I took this job a year ago. When I was hired, the chairman of Energy UK said that your biggest challenge is going to be the vulnerability of the retail market.
“I know that for a year or more before that my team have been making the case to the regulator and the government that the sector is fragile.”
The taxpayer could have to pay tens of millions of pounds to subsidise a major US-owned fertiliser manufacturer to ensure the supply of CO2 for the food sector continues amid the energy crisis.
A deal brokered by Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will see the government provide “limited financial support” towards CF Fertilisers’ running costs to prevent a food supply shortage at Britain’s supermarkets.
The agreement will be in place for three weeks while the “CO2 market adapts” to the surge in global gas prices, according to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis).
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary George Eustice said the final details of the agreement were still being worked on but “it’s going to be into many millions, possibly the tens of millions”.
CF Fertilisers suspended production at plants in Teesside and Cheshire due to soaring energy costs as global gas prices spiked.
The CO2 produced as a by-product at the plants is vital to the food industry, where it is used to stun animals in slaughterhouses and to keep packaged products fresh.
Eustice defended the decision to pump tax money into the firm.
“The truth is, if we did not act, then by this weekend, or certainly by the early part of next week, some of the poultry processing plants would need to close, and then we would have animal welfare issues – because you would have lots of chickens on farms that couldn’t be slaughtered on time and would have to be euthanised on farms. We would have a similar situation with pigs,” he told Sky News.
“There would have been a real animal welfare challenge here and a big disruption to the food supply chain, so we felt we needed to act.”
It was “justified for the government to intervene in this way, in a very short-term, targeted way” because “if we didn’t, there would be a risk to our food supply chain – that’s not a risk the government is willing to take”, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.


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updated 11:05 am EDT, Wed August 27, 2014
Also gains new Text and Shape Cutter tools, Smart Edges
Corel has released PaintShop Pro X7, a major upgrade of its photo-editing suite. The biggest addition is said to be Magic Fill, a Photoshop-like "content-aware" tool that can erase an object and replace it with content that matches the background, even if that background is varied. Several other tools have also been added, including Text and Shape Cutters -- used to create objects based on underlying images -- and Smart Edge, which prevents brush strokes from crossing lines.
A new Materials Palette includes something called Color Harmonies, which can offer suggestions on colors to use based on preset options. Many of the changes in X7 are in fact enhancements of previous features. A new image dialog, for instance, makes it simpler to specify the parameters of a new file, and brush performance should be up to 30 percent faster. Layers can now be dragged and dropped between images, and a variety of effects tools have been redesigned, such as Selective Focus, Smart Photo Fix, and Digital Noise Removal. XMP data can be read and imported.
The software is available in two editions, standard and Ultimate. The latter includes special correction and retouching tools, as well as an assortment of brushes, textures, and premade backdrops. Standard costs $80 new, or $60 as an upgrade. Ultimate is $100 new or an $80 upgrade.


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Austin’s retail fundamentals have been holding steady in some metrics while exhibiting the impact of the pandemic in others, NAI Partners reported. As June ended, occupancy stood at 95.8%, unchanged from this time last year.
Of the 1.5 million square feet currently under construction, the availability rate stands at 52.3%. The Austin retail market has recorded 971,000 square feet of leasing activity—which is comprised of both new leases and renewals— down 39.2% from the year-ago period, according to NAI Partners’ Leta Wauson.
Additionally, the net amount of square feet absorbed stands at 557,000 square feet, with new supply delivering 615,000 square feet to the market year to date, of which 80.7% is occupied.
The average asking rent for retail space in Austin is at $21.87 per square foot on a triple-net basis, up 1.3% compared to this time in 2019, when it was $21.59 per square foot.
Paul Bubny serves as Senior Content Director for Connect Commercial Real Estate, a role to which he brings 13-plus years’ experience covering the commercial real estate industry and 30-plus years in business-to-business journalism.
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Venus Williams is a world-renowned tennis champ, but what we’ve learned is that she’s also a beauty guru who prides herself on having a great skincare routine, which includes applying sunblock.
The 39-year-old athlete has teamed up with The Sunscreen Company and Credo Beauty to offer a new inclusive option for women of color, just in time for summer!
Williams’ sunscreen line, made in a partnership between her activewear brand EleVen by Venus and The Sunscreen Company, launched at Credo Beauty on May 21. What makes this new offering exciting? It promises not to leave a visible residue, a long-standing issue for women of color when shopping for sunscreens. The sunscreen and sun serum products use 25% zinc oxide, a preferred clean beauty ingredient.
In an interview with Allure, Williams shared how her love of skincare products started at an early age. She also admitted that she didn’t always understand the value of protecting her skin from damage. “When I was younger, I was wild and too free, and I took it for granted that I had great skin,” she said. “But that is not the case now. I am covered from head to toe when I’m outside: long sleeves, long pants, and sunscreen. I try to protect my skin as much as I can.
On the brand’s Instagram page promoting the new line, the caption reads: “Stay protected against the sun’s harmful UV rays. Our new sunscreen and sun serum are clean, reef-safe, vegan, cruelty-free, made from naturally derived ingredients and are mineral (not chemical!) based. 💛”
The product is available exclusively at Credo and ELEVENbyvenus.com.
(Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
TRENDING IN STYLE


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Transatlantic eastbound chemical freight rates dropped slightly this week on a continued lull in the spot market, ICIS reports brokers as saying. It was the second drop in as many weeks. The latest SSY Base Oil Shipping Report noted that eastbound rates “took a tumble over the past week or two thanks to an injection of fresh tonnage.” SPI Marine’s most recent weekly report said the lull might signal a bigger slowdown and “embolden charterers to believe the beginning of a weakened state has just begun”. Freight charges on 2,000-tonne cargoes fell to $82-87/tonne from $85-90/tonne previously. And 5,000-tonne cargoes slipped to $63-68/tonne from $64-69/tonne previously. The transatlantic eastbound leg remains by far the strongest shipping route in the Americas, though. Much of the traffic includes chemical tankers headed from Houston to the port complex of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp (ARA).
All Asian shippers wil have to pay higher freight charges to European container ship operators from September 2012. From September 1, Denmark-based Maersk, the world's largest container line, will implement a general freight increase of 250 U. S. dollars per TEU and 500 U.S. dollars per FEU on all shipments from the Far East to the Indian sub-continent, including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Taking a cue from Maersk, Emirates too has announced a freight increase of 200 U.S
A former high-level shipping executive was sentenced today to serve 48 months in jail and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine for his role in an antitrust conspiracy involving the transportation of goods to and from the continental United States and Puerto Rico by ocean vessel, the Department of Justice announced on Jan. 30. This is the longest jail sentence ever imposed for a single antitrust charge. Peter Baci of Jacksonville, Fla., pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2008, in the U.S
Florida-Based Sea Star Line LLC Agrees to Plead Guilty and Its Former President Is Indicted for Price Fixing on Coastal Freight Services Between the Continental United States and Puerto Rico Sea Star Line Also Agrees to Pay $14.2 Million Criminal Fine. Sea Star Line LLC has agreed today to plead guilty and to pay a $14.2 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the coastal water freight transportation industry, the Department of Justice announced
Three former executives of ocean freight shipping firms have been indicted for participating in a long-running price-fixing conspiracy, the U.S. Justice Department announced. The executives – Yoshiyuki Aoki, Masahiro Kato and Shunichi Kusunose – have been brought up on felony charges for allegedly allocating customers and routes, rigging bids and fixing prices for the sale of international ocean shipments of roll-on, roll-off cargo to and from the U.S
CMA CGM informed its customers that the collection of Terminal Handling Charges (THC), which was introduced in Ghana on July 20th, 2016, has been temporarily suspended, effective October 4th, 2016. CMA CGM will communicate on the resumption in due course. Earlier, the transport ministry has suspended the implementation of the THC being proposed by the various shipping lines in Ghana. The Ministry stated that “no new service has been introduced by the
CP Ships Limited today announced unaudited operating income for third quarter 2004 of $41 million, up from restated $38 million operating income in third quarter 2003. Net income available to common shareholders was $31 million compared to restated $27 million in the same period 2003. Basic earnings per share was $0.34 compared with restated $0.30 in third quarter 2003. EBITDA(A) was $72 million compared to restated $67 million in third quarter 2003
DUBLIN, IRELAND, Mar 15, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --TBS International plc (NASDAQ: TBSI) announced today its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2010. Management Commentary: Joseph E. Royce, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President stated: "The TBS results for the fourth quarter 2010 reflect the ongoing downward pressure on dry cargo freight rates that have continued into the first quarter of 2011
Matson has announced that Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson) will raise its rates for the company's Hawaii service by $175 per westbound container and $85 per eastbound container, effective January 1, 2013. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board. In addition, Matson will raise its terminal handling charge by $50 per westbound container and $25 per eastbound container, also effective January 1, 2013
Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced that Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson) will raise its rates for the company's Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and Micronesia services by $275 for both westbound and eastbound containers, effective January 26, 2014. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Maritime Commission. The rate increase also applies to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands
Two container shipping lines, France's CMA CGM and Israel's Zim, have signed up with Alibaba to allow customers to book space on their vessels through the Chinese e-commerce giant, in a bid to boost sales as the sector battles a severe downturn.
The Asian Aframax market is currently stable but seems to be facing a more positive outlook on the back of short-term time charters as well as an increase in third decade cargoes. Rates for an Indonesia/Japan run basis 80 kt are hovering around w100 to w102
EU antitrust regulators will decide by March 27 whether to clear world No. 1 shipping company Maersk Line's bid for German rival Hamburg Sud, its first major deal for more than a decade. The deal, one of several in a sector seeking consolidation to offset low freight rates and oversupply
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Wednesday due to strengthening rates across all vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels
China’s product exports in December eclipsed yet another record set in November, up by 23.8 percent y-o-y and 10.3 percent m-o-m to hit 1.27 mmb/d. The surge in exports can be attributed to Chinese refiners’ attempts to fully utilize their leftover export quotas for the year
Robert Joore, the new General Manager of marine lubricants supplier Total Lubmarine, has laid out his vision for the company, focusing on developing a range of innovative solutions for ship operators operating in poor freight markets in a low-sulphur era.
The cargo handled by 12 major Indian ports in November and December (Post demonetisation period)has witnessed a significant growth by registering an increase of 11.2 per cent and 12.7 per cent, respectively, reports PTI. The Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh L
The Long Range (LR) 2 tanker market in the East of Suez has been languishing in the doldrums for almost two weeks. LR2 rates on the AG/Japan route, basis 75 kt, nosedived from w120 at the beginning of January to current levels of w80. Earnings for a round voyage on the benchmark route are hovering
Maersk Line reported a 2016 result that is USD 1,679 million lower than the 2015 result (USD 1,303 million). The overriding reason for the loss is a 19% decline in freight rates compared to 2015. Revenue was USD 20.7 billion, which is 13% lower than 2015 (USD 23.7bn).
Australia-China rates could climb on improved weather. Brazil-China rates to hold steady, fall on lack of charters. Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo vessels on key Asian routes could diverge next week with rates from Australia to China rebounding on improved weather
The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCI) has reported a net profit of Rs.7.25 crores for the financial quarter ended 31st December 2016 (Q3 FY16-17) as compared to a loss of Rs. 20 crores reported during the quarter ended 30th September 2016 (Q2 FY16-17)
The Intermodal Association of North America has created a resource center, available on its website, to provide a wide range of information for prospective intermodal users and those who are new to the industry. The Intermodal Freight Resource Center offers educational tools
Bloomberg quoted Robbert van Trooijen, APAC CEO of Maersk Line, saying that the current year (2017) will be more profitable than the last. Post-Hanjin, ocean freight customers now stressing stability and avoiding risk to supply chains, not just rates, he said.
Green Award, the quality mark for ships that meet the above-industry standards, expands to a new ship type. From 1st of January 2017 the Green Award certificate is available for inland passenger vessels. Green Award certifies sea-going and inland navigation ships that go beyond the industry
Greece-based Diana Containerships has reported a net loss of $8.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2016, compared to a net loss of $8.8 million for the respective period of 2015. On a per-share basis, the company said it had a loss of 92 cents


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WHERE TO WATCH
Why Ride-Sharing Flights are Soaring
July 10, 2017
Updated 1y ago
Wheels Up CEO Kenny Dichter shares how the private aviation company is nearly doubling its membership year over year with a subscription model.
IBM's Blockchain is Live and Bank-Issued Stablecoins Are On Their Way
Sep 26, 2018
Future of Air Travel with Vista Global Chairman Thomas Flohr
Vista Global recently acquired XOJET business aviation and commercial operations as part of a goal to further tap into the market for executive travel. Cheddar Contributor Tamara Warren spoke with the company's Chairman Thomas Flohr about how technology can transform air travel.
Oct 16, 2017
"Wheels Up" Is Flying High After Latest $200 Million Funding Round
Kenny Dichter, Founder & CEO of Wheels Up, discusses the company's recent $200 million funding round. He says that, with the money, Wheels Up is going to expand social aviation and the ways in which it can connect members. In addition, Wheels Up will keep pounding growth in North America; the company is going to add more planes to the fleet over the next year. He talks about the cost structure and what a flight to Seattle would cost...around $30,000! He says, "CEOs like us, but CFOs love us" because of the cost efficiency. The company allows customers to charter planes for flights anywhere in North America. Members can reserve flights within 24 hours, or even less if they're part of the highest tier. With the latest funding round, the company has a $1 billion enterprise valuation. Dichter says he's created a disruptive business model, considering customers as "members." And, he says, the membership economy is alive and kicking. Dichter says the recent funding round could also open the door to expand its business in Western Europe, where the typical flight is only 2 hours in length.
Mar 19, 2019
Will Lyft Convince Investors Not to Wait for Uber IPO?
Andrew Hawkins, transportation reporter for The Verge, weighs in on whether or not Lyft, set to go public on the Nasdaq later this month, can convince investors to open their checkbooks instead of waiting for Uber's IPO later this year.


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2018 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport pricing and specs
Safety kit added, looks tweaked
Mitsubishi has announced revisions to its Pajero Sport lineup for 2018, adding a more-expensive GLS trim to the five-seat range and rolling out active safety equipment across all models.
Forward-collision mitigation and adaptive cruise control are now standard on all models, and there are two new USB ports for second-row passengers on the Exceed.
Along with the new second-row plugs, a 150W/220V three-pin power outlet has joined the two USB ports in the Exceed's centre console, while the 12V plug has been moved to the back of the centre console. Across the range, Mitsubishi has added soft trim along the sides of the centre console.
On the outside, you'll be able to tell the 2018 update by its 18-inch alloy wheels in GLX trim, and the range-topping Exceed has gained a rear spoiler.
The GLS five- and seven-seaters are now offered in Pitch Black Pearlescent paint.
Regardless of trim, power still comes from a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four making 133kW and 430Nm. It's put to the road through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and there's low-range and a central differential lock for off-roading. The more expensive GLS and Exceed also get a rear-differential lock.
The new Pajero Sport will be in dealerships from tomorrow.
2018 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport pricing
- GLX – $45,500
- GLS – $48,500
- GLS seven-seat – $49,500
- Exceed seven-seat – 53,650
All prices exclude on-road costs.


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Britvic Soft Drinks has appointed media and art PR specialist The
Blak Agency to handle consumer PR for its Tango and Red Card drinks.
The agency, founded two years ago by former Lynne Franks account
director Beverley Luckings, was awarded the high profile brands earlier
Freud Communications, the incumbent agency on Tango, did not repitch for
the business. This is the first time that Britvic has invested in agency
support for its Red Card brand.
Blak’s PR campaign for the brand is likely to attempt to widen its
appeal beyond football fans to link it with all sports.
Luckings said that, despite Tango’s PR being closely linked to its
advertising in the past. ’there is potential for a stand-alone PR
campaign which still encapsulates all the irreverance and humour of the
The Blak Agency also handles public relations for Dazed and Confused and
Sleaze Nation magazines, as well as projects for the Barbican, the Royal
College of Art and Absolut Vodka.
Luckings worked on the launch of soft drink Snapple while at Jackie


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Google chief executive officer Sundar Pichai during his testimony before the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on December 11 said that his company had no intentions of launching a censored version of its search engine in China.
"Right now, we have no plans to Search launch in China," Pichai told the Congressional committee lead by chairman Bob Goodlatte.
Notably, while the Google CEO denied reports of his company planning to launch a tailored version of its search engine in the country, he did not rule out a future possibility. "Our core process right now is to provide information in China, which is a basic human right. We have no plans to launch Search in China," Pichai said while answering questions about the company’s project Dragonfly by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Pichai also told the Congressmen that Google would be "fully transparent" with the lawmakers when the company brings out such a product in future.
When questioned if any of the company’s employees were having project meetings about its product in China and if the company has had discussions with the Chinese government about the censored search engine, Pichai said that at the moment, project Dragonfly was just an internal project that was being undertaken by the company’s Search team. "Right now there are no plans to launch a search product in China," he reiterated adding, "It’s currently an internal project. It’s being undertaken by the company’s Search team. But it is a limited and a distributed effort currently."
Besides acknowledging working on a prototype search engine for China to see how Search would look like in China the Google CEO also said that, at one point, the project had nearly 100 engineers working on it.
Apart from project Dragonfly, the US lawmakers questioned Pichai on Google’s bias against the conservative voices and that the company tried to influence the outcome of the 2016 US elections. Additionally, the Congressmen also questioned Pichai on how the company collected location data and if the users’ location information was being sold to the advertisers. "We don’t transmit location data to advertisers. It’s imp that we give location protection," the Google CEO added during the testimony.


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It probably won’t be in stock for long, so if you need a Nintendo Switch Lite, it’s best not to dawdle. Inventory on the Switch Lite has been low for weeks, with retailers such as Amazon completely sold out. Why the shortage? The is largely to blame, with the pandemic affecting the global supply chain, plus the . But there’s more to it than that: Sleazy resellers have been using bots to scoop up what little inventory exists and then asking for hundreds over list price.
But as we approach the end of April, some actual, bona fide inventory has popped up at Amazon, Best Buy and Target. We’re collating available stock here at the MSRP of $200, but note that pricing and availability change frequently. Please double-check before completing a purchase. And no, you can’t connect this version of the Switch to your TV — that’s only the pricierthat remains out of stock nearly everywhere. But if you need more encouragement to take the plunge on the Lite model, you can read .
Out of stock
Or available at a higher price via a third-party reseller.
This article was published previously. It’s updated frequently to reflect availability.
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- Paul Rudd, world’s youngest 51-year-old, tells fellow kids to mask up
- Jonathan Majors to join MCU as villain Kang the Conquerer, report says
- TikTok ban won’t prevent employees from being paid, US says in filing


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The Detroit Zoo’s annual Wild Lights display and related events end after Saturday but those with unused tickets because of weather conditions can still use them.
The event, which began on select nights in November, features more than 5 million colorful lights on trees, buildings and over 200 animal sculptures.
Zoo officials said Tuesday that ticket holders are not required to select a new date or time to use their tickets.
“With southeast Michigan experiencing everything from extreme cold to record warmth and rain is recent weeks,” said zoo spokeswoman Patricia Janeway in a statement, “many ticket holders to the Detroit Zoo’s Wild Lights have been unable to attend the annual holiday light display.”
She said the zoo will honor unused tickets on the remaining nights of the event.
Thousands turn out each holiday season for the light event.
“We’ve had some extreme weather conditions on Wild Lights nights these past few weeks, so anyone with unused tickets is welcome to join us the remaining nights,” said Gerry Van Acker, Detroit Zoological Society chief executive officer. “We want everyone to be safe, warm and dry.”
Guests can stay warm by stopping at one of the five fire pits stationed along the Wild Lights path. Also, hot chocolate and s’mores are available for purchase at multiple locations.
The Edward Mardigian Sr. River Otter Habitat and Holden Reptile Conservation Center are open for guests to visit the animals – and warm up. The Jane and Frank Warchol Beaver Habitat is also open during the event.
Presented by Bank of America, Wild Lights features millions of LED lights, including animal sculptures on a trail through the front half of the Zoo. The event includes holiday entertainment, arts and crafts and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
The event also features “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4-D” for $5 with admission – or $15 for the Rudolph Package, which includes admission to Wild Lights and the 4-D Theater plus a red foam nose and glasses that turn the LED lights into snowflakes. Carousel rides, seasonal refreshments, holiday spirits and Wild Lights souvenirs are also available for purchase.
Wild Lights admission is $10 per person in advance and $13 at the gate for guests ages 2 and older (children under 2 are admitted free); parking is $6. The event is open from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at main admissions and are also available at Kroger stores. If the event is sold out, a limited number of walk-up tickets will be sold between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.
-Mike McConnell, Daily Tribune


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Finding out you’re a data breach victim is bad enough. But the process of canceling credit cards and checking statements for suspicious activity will likely be an even bigger headache.
Capital One is the latest bank to offer a possible solution to fraud and online shopping scams: merchant-specific virtual card numbers.
Virtual card numbers are temporary, randomly generated digits used in place of real account numbers. Because virtual cards don’t require users to share their actual debit or credit card numbers, they’re meant to make online shopping safer.
But whether creating a virtual credit card is worth your time is debatable. Some experts question whether certain virtual cards make shopping online more secure.
“If they’re billing this as a security solution, I don’t think of it as a security solution,” says Joseph Carrigan, a senior security engineer at Johns Hopkins University about Capital One’s new virtual card numbers. “I think of it as a convenient solution.”
Virtual cards struggling to catch on:
Virtual cards have been in the market for years. Citi confirmed that the virtual account numbers for its consumer credit cards have been around for more than a decade.
But consumer adoption of virtual cards has been slow. Originally, they were meant to help corporate clients avoid fraud. But eventually, virtual card numbers were offered to everyday consumers, says Brian Riley, a director at payments and banking consulting firm Mercator Advisory Group.
“The ones that were really big on this, in the beginning, were appropriately big corporate treasury companies,” Riley says. “It just moved over into the consumer side of the business with the online fraud that’s happened.”
Some of the card companies that started offering virtual cards to their retail customers — like Discover and American Express — ultimately discontinued them.
“As with any of our products, benefits or innovations, we are always listening to the consumer and want to provide our cardmembers with the best possible experience,” says Laks Vasudevan, Discover’s vice president of products and innovation. “In this case, our cardmembers didn’t find as much value in the virtual card and we adjusted accordingly.”
Where to find virtual card numbers:
Today, only a few big banks offer consumers virtual cards. Citi, Bank of America and Capital One customers can log on to their online accounts and create virtual card numbers for specific credit cards. Capital One’s virtual cards are available through its digital assistant, Eno.
A number of startups provide virtual credit cards, too. Token Payments lets consumers who download its mobile app create virtual payment tokens. Netspend, a subsidiary of TSYS, gives prepaid debit card users access to virtual card numbers.
Pay With Privacy, a New York-based startup offers two types of virtual debit cards. Single-use cards expire after they’re used once. Single-merchant virtual cards, on the other hand, can be used to send recurring payments to the same merchant. With merchant-specific virtual cards — like the ones offered by Citi and Bank of America — it’s often possible to set spending limits and expiration dates.
Deciding whether to go virtual:
Dealing with a data breach involving a regular debit or credit card can be stressful. If a thief has access to your account number and other personal information, you could be vulnerable to identity theft and fraud.
If you’re using virtual cards, you’ll have a lot less to worry about. In the event of a data breach, you could quickly pause your virtual card or delete the card number altogether, says Michael Reiff, Netspend’s vice president of product management.
Despite how wonderful virtual cards may seem, there are some downsides to using them. Not all merchants accept virtual cards. And depending on where you shop, returning an item you’ve purchased with a virtual card number could be tricky.
“I can find my way back into my statement if I need to do it,” Riley says. “But if I’m going to return something to Overstock.com, they probably don’t have the account number on file.” Typically, customers have no problems making returns when using his company’s virtual card, says Bo Jiang, co-founder, and CEO of Pay With Privacy. But to be on the safe side, you may want to hold on to your receipts. If you can set your card’s expiration date, it’s best to give yourself plenty of time to make returns before the virtual card number gets deleted.
Not a perfect solution:
No solution is foolproof, and virtual cards are no exception. Anything can be compromised, says Michael Amizade, vice president at an information security company called Trustwave.
Though the amount of damage that can be done may be limited, a criminal could get his hands on your virtual card number, especially if you find out about a data breach months after it happens, Amizade says. And paying with multi-use, merchant-specific virtual cards — like the ones offered by the banks — isn’t necessarily the best way to prevent fraud.
“No less secure than normal cards, by allowing the data element to be reused it is more open to being attained by the cybercriminal then re-used by them as the unapproved user,” Amizade says.
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One-time use virtual cards are a more secure solution for online shoppers, says Carrigan from Johns Hopkins.
Liability for unauthorized transactions is limited for debit and credit cardholders. Constantly checking your checking account and credit card statements is one of the best ways to protect yourself from fraud. If that seems like a hassle, creating virtual account numbers for your online transactions could give you peace of mind. Another option is to set up alerts so that you’re notified when your credit limit or checking account balance dips below a certain level.
If you’re skeptical about the benefits of virtual cards, there are other ways to add an extra layer of protection when shopping online. Use prepaid cards or a PayPal account, Amizade says.


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- A customer leaves an ATM at a Wells Fargo branch in Denver.
- Wells Fargo has been opening up APIs to enable consumers and commercial customers to bank the ways they want to bank.
- Wells Fargo has a startup accelerator investing in young companies focusing on technology such as interactions through natural language and the use of predictive tools.
- By the time the order is up, the customer can use a brand new Wells Fargo credit card to pay.
- 2) Artificial intelligence – Personalization in banking requires the use of sophisticated software to understand as much as possible about the customer in order to serve up recommendations and offers at the right time.
Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan lays out the five ways that technology is altering the face of financial services.
Continue reading “Wells Fargo’s CEO explains the five ways tech will change banking”


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Brose was named a GM Supplier of the Year winner in General Motors’ 29th annual Supplier of the Year awards.
GM recognized 122 of its best suppliers from 16 countries for performance in the 2020 calendar year. The annual awards highlight global suppliers that distinguish themselves by exceeding GM’s requirements, in turn providing GM customers with innovative technologies and among the highest quality in the automotive industry.
This is the 6th time Brose has received the award.
“As GM works to achieve a future with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion, we are proud to have innovative and dedicated suppliers around the world as partners in this mission,” said Shilpan Amin, GM vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain.
“Throughout a challenging year, our suppliers have showed resilience and dedication in working toward our shared goal of long-term sustainability for our planet and the communities we serve, while meeting our present needs,” Amin said. “We are pleased with what we’ve accomplished together in the past year and we are excited by the opportunity that lies ahead.”
The 2020 Supplier of the Year winners were selected by a global team of GM purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing and logistics leaders. Winners were chosen based on performance criteria in Product Purchasing, Global Purchasing and Manufacturing Services, Customer Care and Aftersales, and Logistics.
“The entire Brose organization takes great pride in being acknowledged as a GM Supplier of the Year for the fourth time in a row. This reflects our long-term strategy set forth a few years ago to become a preferred partner to General Motors,” said Wilm Uhlenbecker, President, Brose North America. “I am very proud of the Brose team’s dedication to customer service during a year filled with unforeseen challenges.”
About Brose North America
Brose has been a committed partner to the North American market since 1993. The mechatronics specialist now counts twelve locations across Canada, the United States and Mexico and employs approximately 5,000 people in the region. The entire range of Brose products is manufactured throughout the North American facilities, from window regulators and door modules to seat systems.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at www.gm.com .


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Nearly seven months after Pete Fisher announced his resignation as head of the Academy of Country Music, a new CEO has been announced. Damon Whiteside will exit his role as chief marketing officer of the Nashville-based Country Music Association to sign on for the top job at the L.A.-based ACM.
Whiteside will step in as CEO Jan. 6, assuming leadership from RAC Clark, who became executive interim director upon Fisher’s resignation May 20. Clark has produced the organization’s annual prime-time awards show since 1999.
Whiteside is only the third CEO the Academy of Country Music has had in its 55-year history.
“Damon joining the ACM is exactly what the Academy needs right now,” Clark said in a statement. “I’ve been part of the ACM Awards since 1979, and I can’t wait to pass along everything I can to Damon from my experience as an ACM board member, interim executive director and executive producer of the telecast.”
Whiteside has been in the music industry for 23 years, starting at the Walt Disney Company in 1996, where he worked on brand partnerships and retail strategies with the company’s music labels and TV franchises like “Hannah Montana” and “High School Musical.” In 2011, he formed the Nomad Entertainment Group in Hollywood, developing marketing and digital campaigns and brand strategy and partnerships for entertainment clients. He’d been at the CMA for six years, starting as VP of marketing and strategic partnerships before becoming chief marketing officer. He’s currently on the board of Nashville Cares, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and the TJ Martell Foundation.
“I am extremely proud of the monumental accomplishments that our dedicated team at CMA has been able to achieve these last six years, thanks to the support and guidance of the CMA board and Sarah Trahern,” Whiteside said. “It has been an honor to help shape the successes of this rich genre, and to be part of a respected organization like CMA and its mission to grow country music globally while shaping positive perceptions about the industry and its artists. … I am honored and humbled to now be given the responsibility to shape the future of the Academy.”


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The name change has been reported by the usually accurate Wall Street Journal, but not yet officially confirmed. The WSJ also suggests Project Aura is recruiting a number of new staff directly from Amazon. We expect to hear something official in the coming weeks.
Aura vs Ara
One reason for the name change from Google Glass could be to get rid of the G word from the project, in line with Google's recent restructure under the holding company Alphabet.
It's going to prove pretty confusing for consumers though, who could soon walk into a shop looking for a modular smartphone and walk out with a pair of glasses slapped to their forehead.
We contacted Google for more information, but it declined to comment.


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China, Singapore renew currency swap deal
China's central bank said Thursday that it had renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
The deal has a size of 300 billion yuan, or 65 billion Singapore dollars. It will be valid for five years, according to the People's Bank of China (PBOC).
The PBOC said that the renewal would help deepen bilateral financial cooperation, facilitate trade and investment, and maintain the stability of the financial market.
A currency swap sees the two parties agree to exchange a certain amount of foreign currency at a pre-determined rate, protecting against fluctuations.
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Apple's release of iOS 4.3 has caused some incompatibility problems for augmented reality company Layar. Some images and icons in Layar's client are displayed incorrectly or not at all, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday.
Last week, we informed you that iOS 4.3 had been jailbroken less than 24 hours after Apple released the new software. Apple then released the iPad 2, an guess what? It too has been jailbroken!
Although the x86 architecture is as dominant as ever in the server and desktop space, there's a small number of people rooting for ARM chips to move in on the territory.
Pricey Apple iPad challengers, including the Motorola Xoom, Blackberry PlayBook, and HP TouchPad, will be crushed by the iPad 2 in 2011, according to Forrester market analyst Sarah Rotman Epps.
Friday is iPad 2 launch day and that could mean bedlam for consumers eager to get their hands on Apple's new and improved tablet. At 4:00 AM EST, the iPad 2 became available for purchase online, but it carries an average shipping wait time of two to ...
Apple has started taking online orders for the iPad 2 tablet Friday morning and its stores will begin sales at 5pm EST today.
Hewlett-Packard CEO Leo Apotheker took a step out of Mark Hurd's shadow Monday, unveiling a new cloud computing platform that puts the company in competition with Amazon and Google.
Parts of coastal Japan have been so badly hit by earthquakes and tsunamis in recent days that the only communication about other possible dangers such as radioactive fallout from damaged reactors has been one way, coming to residents through portable...
Eleven months ago, Apple released the first iPad, a touchscreen handheld computer that redefined tablets, disrupting the laptop/desktop market just as the iPod did to music players and the iPhone did to smartphones. On Friday, 15 million iPads later,...
Taiwan will soon install its first system to sense undersea seismic movements that may herald earthquakes or tsunamis, it said Monday. The island is vulnerable to the type of offshore earthquake that ravaged Japan on Friday.
Taiwan's major semiconductor manufacturers, a crucial link in the global tech supply chain, scrambled on Monday to gauge how their access to raw materials from Japanese suppliers will be affected by the powerful earthquake in Japan.
IBM wants to see itself through the fisheye lens as it turns 100.
Verizon Wireless started pushing a Motorola Xoom software update today that includes support for Flash Player 10.2, which Xoom tablet users will have to download on March 18 via Android Market.
As the deadly tsunami generated by Friday's massive earthquake off the coast of Japan headed toward the United States, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Center for Tsunami Research tracked its progress in real...
Because Japan produces more than 40% of the world's NAND flash memory chips -- and 15% of its DRAM -- the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that hit today could seriously affect worldwide semiconductor supplies, according to research firms.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
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The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
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Google Pixel 4a design Information leak. Over the past few months, various rumours and data leaks about the Google Pixel 4a smartphone have begun to appear on the network more and more often. This device is an improved version of the Pixel 4 mobile phone released last year. The latest data leak is a few renderings of the Pixel 4a smartphone, which reveal the new design.
The first thing that catches your eye when viewing renders is the display of your smartphone. It is quite different from the one that was used in last year’s Pixel 4. Apparently, the company decided to equip the new mobile phone with a thin-frame display. Also on the renderings, it can be seen that the smartphone will receive a small hole in the screen for the front camera.
Judging by the fresh renderings, the Google Pixel 4a smartphone will be equipped with a 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones. It will be located at the top of the device, with USB Type-C installed at the bottom. In addition, the back panel of the mobile device is complemented by a fingerprint scanner.
According to previous leaks, the Google Pixel 4a will receive a 5.81-inch OLED display. The resolution of the display is 2340 × 1080 pixels, which will provide image transmission with a high level of detail. This device will operate under the control of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 chipset. A high level of performance news will provide 6 GB of RAM.
The operating system on Google Pixel 4a design Information leak will be Android 10. The new product will receive a 3080 mAh battery with support for 18 W fast charging technology. Most likely, depending on the model, this device will receive 64 or 128 GB of permanent memory. In addition, the mobile phone will be equipped with a security chip Google Titan M. According to the latest rumours, Google Pixel 4a will be sold in black and blue. The smartphone will go on sale on May 22, while its cost will be about $ 399.


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World Fairtrade Challenge
Also this year, being at its fourth edition, Caffè Haiti Roma will support and join the Fairtrade initiative dedicated to making citizens and consumers aware of the importance of fairly pay raw materials such as coffee, cocoa, fresh fruit, tea and sugar, grown with dedication by farmers from the developing countries.
“It makes us glad to see that Caffè Haiti Roma is taking part to the World Fairtrade Challenge, to arise awareness among consumers about the Fairtrade world. Reaching a wider and wider audience and thus contributing to sustainable development for the planet and to creating a better trade, this is our main goal: making an always growing number of people know and choose Fairtrade coffee, such as Biocaffè Superior Blend, means contributing to a real economic, environmental and social sustainability”, as explains Paolo Pastore, CEO at Fairtrade Italia.
Our technological revolution has significantly shortened the gap among the Countries in the world. And yet, there is a poor sense of the impact that our everyday choices have on the production chain. This campaign is a wonderful occasion for starting making conscious choices also when it comes to our most important habits, such as drinking a cup of coffee, aimed at supporting both the environmental and working ethics.
Join us! Find the closest activities around you at www.grandesfidafairtade.it, or with the hashtag #worldfairtradechallenge, where you can taste our Bio-Fairtrade Superior Blend, and become an aware consumer!


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Dior went into full court press in the first 48 hours of Paris Fashion Week – unveiling its new Cheval Blanc spa, feting its Dior Home and Kids creator Cordelia de Castellane, and unveiling a Miss Dior floral pop-up.
Paris’ big debut this season was Charles de Vilmorin at Rochas, the current enfant terrible of French fashion. He made his Wednesday debut with a striking fashion statement, each ensemble radically juxtaposed.
The Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition has announced its first-ever winner: Emily Omesi, a BFA undergraduate at FIT, New York, who beat almost 400 other participants.
AZ Factory reveals the names of designers participating in Alber Elbaz's memorial - like Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani and Jean Paul Gaultier, alongside Matthew Williams of Givenchy and Alessandro Michele of Gucci.
The Covid-19 pandemic was far from the minds of designers at London Fashion Week, whose shows set out a vision of a more colorful, optimistic, and dynamic mood than has been seen in the past several months.
The Bolingbrook, Illinois-based cosmetics retailer has unveiled the Muse 100, an initiative that recognizes and awards grants to 100 trailblazing Black voices working in different fields of the beauty industry.
London Fashion Week’s final day of major shows on Monday was the latest tour around the capital, from outdoor Hyde Park art centre to East End church with stops in Mayfair, from gentleman’s club to concept restaurant.
Italian fashion house Cavalli said on Monday it would open a $545 million ultra-luxurious skyscraper in Dubai in collaboration with real estate developer Damac Properties, aimed at reviving the luxury brand.
Television's A-list returned to the red carpet in high style for the Emmys on Sunday -- a more traditional display of sartorial savoir faire after the pajamas and hoodies seen at last year's mostly virtual event.
Halima Aden, the first supermodel to wear a hijab and pose in a burkini, has ripped up her lucrative contracts in an industry she feels lacks "basic human respect" and entered the world of modest fashion design instead.
French fashion house Balenciaga scored the biggest at the recent MET Gala, held on September 13, thanks to the influence of Rihanna and Kim Kardashian, whose outfits attracted significant attention and commentary.
On September 25, the down jacket label will unveil in Milan the new Genius collections by 11 designers, with pop star Alicia Keys headlining an online event staged concurrently in New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul.


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Santa Monica Lookout
|Santa Monica Sustainable Quality Awards Announced|
By Lookout Staff
March 19, 2015 -- A “conscientious” wealth management firm, a restaurant serving Northern Italian cuisine with local organic ingredients from farmers markets and an “eco-conscious” beachside hotel are the top winners of 2015 Sustainable Quality Awards, officials announced Wednesday.
Among the other winners are a local spa and such well-known names as Hulu and Red Bull.
The awards – now in their 20th year – honor businesses that make big achievements in the categories of sustainable economic development, social responsibility and stewardship of the environment, officials said.
“We are so proud to celebrate 20 years of the oldest and most rigorous sustainable business award in Southern California" said Shannon Parry, with the City of Santa Monica's Office of Sustainability and the Environment. "
She said 175 awards have been given to 131 businesses since 1995.
“These awards recognize businesses for their exemplary leadership and we hope to inspire other businesses to take action to further our Sustainable City Plan goals," said Parry.
SQA Excellence awards went to Alchemie Spa, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and Santa Monica Hybrid – The Hybrid Shop for stewardship of the environment.
In the category of Social Responsibility, Excellence Awards were won by Community Corporation of Santa Monica, Hulu, Le Meridien Delfina Hotel, Red Bull North America and St. Monica Catholic Community.
In the category of Economic Development, Excellence winners were Santa Monica Seafood and SP Plus.
SQA winners will be formally recognized during a special luncheon ceremony 11 a.m. on April 16 at Le Meridien Delfina Hotel in Santa Monica. Pre-paid tickets are $50 for Chamber members and $60 for non-members. Tickets also can be purchased by visiting www.smsqa.com or can be reserved in advance by calling 310-393-9825.
In addition, the Santa Monica Bike Center will pick up the tab for the awards luncheon for the first 35 registrants who pledge to arrive by bike. Last year, the Santa Monica Bike Center won SQA Excellence in Stewardship of the Environment.
|copyrightCopyright 1999-2015 surfsantamonica.com. All Rights Reserved.||Disclosures|


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Timing is everything – an elusive conductor orchestrating success on a grand digital marketing stage. Where every post competes for attention, an intriguing phenomenon has emerged – the deliberate pause. Imagine this: brands taking a strategic hiatus in their social media performance, much like a magician vanishing just before revealing the grand illusion.
This intentional breather is not a retreat but a calculated silence, allowing brands to reevaluate, recalibrate, and ultimately re-emerge with a more impactful presence.
Today, let's delve into the intriguing world of social silence, exploring brands that were on a break. Why, you ask? Well, that's where our story begins.
Bottega Veneta – Making Noise Without Social Media
In the world of Italian luxury, where craftsmanship meets allure, the sudden disappearance of Bottega Vinetta from the digital stage in November 2021 left the fashion world in suspense. Abruptly, the brand chose to black out its social media presence (Instagram, Facebook and X), raising eyebrows and stirring speculation about the silence. As the silence lingered, the narrative turned unexpectedly when Bottega Vinetta discreetly reappeared on Chinese social media after two years.
So, what really happened?
An air of mystery marked the brand's resurgence – obviously! But when you dig deeper, it becomes clear that it was a social media marketing masterstroke. An adage explains it the best – absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Lush – The Cosmetic Giant Turns Anti-Social
Lush Cosmetics boldly departed from the norm in a digital space saturated with curated beauty content. Their profile, once a canvas for beauty showcases, proclaimed, "Be somewhere else" – a phrase literally and metaphorically echoing.
Lush Cosmetics took a shocking stance against social media. Fueled by a commitment to their principles and the well-being of their primarily teenage audience, Lush decided to black out their Instagram and Facebook pages in November 2021.
Why? In 2021, a whistleblower, Frances Haugen, released Facebook files, exposing the harm the platform is doing to its users.
The brand took responsibility towards its teenage user base, and acknowledged that maintaining a presence on a platform could no longer be justified when it’s harming the teenagers.
Another reason stated by this brand was how the social media algorithms keep changing, and they want to avoid paying to be trending. The brand returned to Instagram in November 2023 but only to convey how these platforms are becoming a trigger to youngsters committing self-harm.
Balenciaga – X-presses Social Silence
The Paris-based luxury brand left Instagram in July 2021 without any explanation. Later, when Elon Musk took over Twitter (presently X), Balenciaga expressed its concerns and has stopped using the platform ever since.
Another interesting theory netizens have about it is that it was a well-curated social media marketing plan, well executed ahead of their fall 2021 collection launch.
But why? Was it a principled stand against a changing digital landscape, a strategic marketing ploy, or perhaps a bit of both? As the world anticipates Balenciaga's next move – one thing is crystal clear: the brand has left the audience wanting more.
The Whole Truth – Chases the Truth over Algo
“Our mission is to educate, not to make the algo happy”
Quite bold, isn't it – That's the whole truth behind the healthy food snack brand quitting social media.
This bold silence was more than just a disruption; it was a conscious rebellion against the ever-evolving algorithms that govern the digital world. Despite breaking stereotypes on Instagram and fostering massive engagement, The Whole Truth chose to walk away, challenging the status quo.
Why would a brand thriving in the spotlight willingly step into the shadows? The answer lies in the continuous changes to Instagram's algorithm, a force that can dictate content visibility and reach. For The Whole Truth, the decision to leave social media was rooted in their commitment to educating their audience about healthy food, unburdened by the constraints of algorithms chasing trends.
We, Too, Went on a Social Media Detox – The Yellow Seed Way
While our keyboards were clacking away, our social media pages took a good nap. Why? We were busy turning client dreams into content realities, shuffling through briefs like a deck of cards, and dancing the tango with creativity.
All this while, no bragging, but we quietly unleashed a whirlwind of productivity – our team invested formidable hours, dissecting clients' briefs and spent relentless minutes weaving words into existence to conquer the tight deadlines. We proudly tackled and dismantled innumerable briefs, each a testament to our commitment to excellence. We also managed to make time for an incredible and super-chill no-work day.
While we don't shout from the rooftops about our achievements, these numbers tell a silent story of resilience, craftsmanship, and a dash of creative rebellion that defines our agency's journey and makes us an uncommon commoner. And hey! We are just getting started.


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Electric delivery trucks may clear another speed bump to adoption after Ampol revealed plans to install commercial chargers for larger vehicles at its Australian service stations.
The petrol giant announced a partnership with local mobility firm SEA Electric on Tuesday, revealing the companies would also work together to build destination chargers and commercial depots to support the technology.
The deal is one of several announced by Ampol in Australia to boost its electric vehicle-charging network, which is due to reach 120 locations by the end of the year.
Ampol energy general manager James Myatt said the new AmpCharge announcement was designed to encourage Australian businesses to adopt zero-emission vehicles.
“We know our business customers are looking for lower emissions solutions and want to ensure their investment in commercial electric vehicles can be supported with efficient and reliable charging technologies,” Mr Myatt said.
“Ampol is committed to developing an open-access national charging network as well as home and business charging solutions to ensure vehicles can be on the road whenever needed.”
Charging stations developed under the deal will be located across Ampol’s 1900 Australian service stations.
The company has only rolled out five AmpCharge charging stations on its properties so far – in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia – but has committed to installing chargers at 120 sites by December 2023 in a program partly funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
The new partnership also arrives at a busy time for SEA Electric, coming just days after it announced plans to convert 8500 diesel utes into electric vehicles for the mining sector.
SEA Electric Asia Pacific president Bill Gillespie said the deal with Ampol would help address range anxiety for businesses and make the decision to invest in electric transport easier.
“Through this collaboration, we are shining a light on the fact that electric powered truck fleets can be operationally flexible by accessing convenient charging infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Gillespie said SEA Electric would also deliver roadside support and factory warranties to companies investing in commercial battery-powered vehicles to “simplify the transition to electrification”.
Electric vehicles made up 3.1 per cent of new vehicles sold in Australia last year, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, but the transition has largely been focused on passenger cars.
Team Global Express announced the country’s latest electric truck trial in December, however, adopting 36 medium and 24 light trucks for its delivery operations in Western Sydney.
(Australian Associated Press)


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PETALING JAYA: With no lorries allowed to transport flowers out of the farms, the lockdown has severely affected the livelihood of farmers as they are forced to throw away their fresh produce.
In Cameron Highlands, it is estimated that at least 40 tonnes of fresh flowers end up in the trash daily since the lockdown was imposed on June 1.
To date, flower farmers have been forced to discard more than 480 tonnes of fresh flowers, which include chrysanthemums, roses, daisies, carnations, marigolds and sunflowers, with losses amounting to over RM13mil.
Cameron Highlands Floriculturists Association deputy president Wong Seng Yee said the flowers were meant for the local market.
“Many of them were meant for the first day of the lunar month that fell on June 10, which coincided with the lockdown.
“With no means to transport them to wholesalers or sellers, they had to be destroyed,” he said when contacted.
Having learnt from the first movement control order last March, which saw 1,200 tonnes of fresh flowers being thrown away in the first three weeks with some RM33mil in reported losses, Wong said the 225 farmers in Cameron Highlands have since reduced their farm size by 40%.
Since the lockdown has been extended to June 28, Wong, whose farms are in Habu, Ringlet near Cameron Highlands, said many farmers have resorted to destroying the plants on their farms to cut down on their losses.
“Since we cannot sell these flowers, it is better to stop the farming process the soonest to cut down on input costs such as watering, pesticide, manpower and care.
“It is a bitter decision to make but farmers really have no other choice,” he said.
Association president Lee Peng Fo said local orders totally stopped since May 30 as the floral industry was not included in the list of essential services under the International Trade and Industry Ministry.
He added that 80% of flowers from Cameron Highlands were meant for the export market while 20% were for local buyers.
“However, demand in the export market has also gone down by between 40% and 60% this year because of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Lee, whose initial 20ha flower farm was partially transformed to grow vegetables, said many flower farmers had resorted to diversifying their farm produce to survive.


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Ad-blockers mark the death of conventional online advertising
The steadily growing popularity of ad-blocking software is triggering major changes to how digital advertising is done. These tools, which make the lives of internet users more bearable by hiding annoying flashy banners, are causing serious concerns among advertisers and forcing them to re-think how to sell their products. There are solutions already in play, such as disabling the content for those who use ad-blockers or hiding it behind pay-walls. However, the most effective long-term strategy we can expect from publishers is to start producing even more personal, relevant, and interesting content that will eventually lead to successful customer conversion.
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The sudden death of actress Brittany Murphy this week tied a morbid bow on a big 2009 trend — that of celebrities dying and falling from grace. According to Blogads CEO Henry Copeland, the unfortunate events provided advertisers on his network, at times, with a considerable amount of additional exposure at no cost.
Copeland said traffic was up by 40 percent on PerezHilton.com the day after Michael Jackson died compared to its average numbers, creating what he characterized as a big win for advertisers. “The biggest impact and value for advertisers is simply the increased brand footprint they [got],” he said. “An advertiser may have paid for 10 million impressions, but if the site sees a 30 percent uptick due to a celebrity event, they get 3 million impressions for free.”
Copeland’s firm runs ads on 3,500 blogs, most notably celebrity gossip or politics sites like PerezHilton.com, Dailykos, Wonkette, MichelleMalkin, Dlisted, and CuteOverload. While traffic in the blogosphere may have spiked a bit when the deaths of Murphy, Patrick Swayze, Ted Kennedy, and Walter Cronkite became public, nothing compared in 2009, news coverage-wise, to Jackson’s death and Tiger Woods’ car accident/extramarital affairs.
Though Copeland explained that his company could get campaigns “up and running in a matter of hours,” he said that Blogads didn’t receive any calls from marketers during the celebrity events. “Most major brand campaigns are planned weeks or months…ahead of time. So we haven’t had any ‘drive-by’ advertisers hop on a hot story.”
He continued, “We don’t anticipate this kind of demand going forward because of the way the ad agencies and their clients are structured… There’s just [too many] decision-makers and [too much] budgeting, time-lag, and iterative looping built into the process. A really agile and smart advertiser should jump into these stories; but the structure of the ad industry makes it almost impossible.”
ComScore doesn’t offer day-specific reports to support Copeland’s claim about the day after the Jackson’s death, but did show that PerezHilton.com’s traffic was noticeably higher during June and July — when the star’s death/autopsy/funeral storyline developed — than any of the previous 12 months. Year-over-year, according to the Reston, VA-based research firm, the gossip site’s traffic was up 3 percent for the two months.
Those numbers are intriguing considering that competitor TMZ.com broke the news of Jackson’s death. ComScore said TMZ’s traffic was 2 percent higher in June when compared to 2008, while seeing a 3 percent lift for July. Meanwhile, TMZ.com declined requests for internal data for June 25, when Jackson died, or the day after.
Interestingly, Copeland said that the recent Tiger Woods trail of scandals — which began on Nov. 27 — hasn’t produced nearly as many unique visitors or impressions when compared to the pop star’s passing. “Michael Jackson’s death has by far been the biggest news event this year for us,” he said. “Tiger’s impact on Perez Hilton’s traffic was negligible. Our impression is that men were a lot more interested in this story and 88 percent of Perez’s readers are women.”
TMZ.com and its advertisers appear to have fared much better during the Woods scandals. According to comScore, traffic to the site for the week ending Dec. 6 — the first full week after the scandals broke — was 53 percent higher than it was the prior two weeks’ average. The research firm shows that TMZ.com saw a 5 percent spike in traffic during November, compared to the same month for 2008.
The Los Angeles-based gossip blog may be trying to capitalize on the opportunity posed by celebrity sports scandals. Warner Brothers, which owns the site, reportedly registered the domain name TMZSports.com. While TMZ.com has a sports section, the site would not comment on speculation it is planning for a site dedicated to sports star gossip.
Businesses near ‘PokeStops’ are enjoying a huge surge in footfall due to the popularity of Pokémon Go, according to our first major ... read more
A new organization, The Coalition for Better Ads, has been launched to “leverage consumer insights and cross-industry expertise to develop and implement ... read more


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KOLKATA: Taking cue from various online retailers, Star CJ Alive, a home shopping channel, too plans to soon start mobile commerce.
It is further learnt that the decision of the company is subject to the board’s approval and as soon as the television company gets the nod, it will start mobile trading. The company is in the process of launching its mobile application also.
Star CJ Alive chief executive officer Kenny Shin says that the company is looking at mobile commerce as around 35 per cent of the traffic on its website comes from smartphones. “We are also developing mobile application for the customers who are keen to buy goods via their handsets,” he says.
He further adds that the channel that was launched around four years ago is one of the fastest growing shopping channels in the country. “The television shopping industry in India is pegged at around Rs 2,000 crore and Star CJ Network India enjoys a market share of around 30-35 per cent at present,” Shin claims.
On buying preference and trends, he says, “Looking at the change in the consumer behaviour in India due to the penetration of online shopping, we intend to strengthen our presence online and reach out to a wider consumer base.”
The channel known to offer an array of products ranging from fashion, lifestyle, home appliances, kitchenware, digital services and lots more, also plans to sell travel packages, insurance products in the next two years or so.
In the past as well, the TV channel ventured into the array by creating awareness for ICICI Lombard and Tata AIG products.
Going forward, the channel which has already crossed five million registered customer base, is looking at seven to eight million customers in the next two to three years, he concluded.


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It’s been reduction than a year given Instagram brought promotion to Instagram Stories — a format that a owners Facebook pronounced in Nov has some-more than 300 million daily users. Since then, it’s been operative to enhance those capabilities, like incorporating ad formats that were already determined elsewhere.
Today, Instagram is announcing skeleton to pierce a Carousel Ads into Stories. That means a ads in Stories are no longer singular to one square of media (which could be a print or a video) — they can now embody three.
Director of Product Marketing Susan Rose remarkable that this is something that users can already do with organic (non-ad) Stories, so it seemed like a healthy step to incorporate that capability into ads as well.
“It’s a underline that was requested from businesses and advertisers, given a energy that they’ve seen by organic stories with mixed pieces of content,” she said.
Why 3 pieces of content, not (say) 4 or five? Rose pronounced this is “just a starting point.”
For advertisers, these kinds of Stories ads aren’t only a approach to incorporate mixed forms of media. They also concede them to tell some-more a small bit some-more of a (small-s) story in their ads, rather than forcing them to fist their summary into one picture or video. And it gives them an event to incorporate other Instagram facilities like sketch collection and a ability to pin stickers in videos.
From a user perspective, we can correlate with these ads a approach we would with any other Instagram Story, pausing or swiping back when there’s something interesting, or swiping brazen when you’re prepared to pierce on.
Instagram says it’s starting to exam this with a handful of advertisers, including a Gap, Coca-Cola and Paramount, before rolling these capabilities out some-more broadly. You can see a representation ad from Gap on a Instagram blog.


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Articles for Bill Bernat
See David Lynch Stream
In an interview, filmmaker and Internet producer David Lynch talks with Tech Editor Bill Bernat about how TV is dead and his new number one passion is davidlynch.com -- the recently launched subscription and pay-per-view site, filled with streaming media and a great deal more.
MPEG LA Responds to Licensing Criticism
Larry Horn, MPEG LA’s vice president of licensing, responds to the flurry of criticism generated by last week’s proposed licensing terms for MPEG-4 Visual, and invites the industry to make its concerns known.
Proposed MPEG-4 Licensing Draws Fire
The MPEG LA has proposed initial licensing terms for the MPEG-4 Visual technology, and industry reaction is mixed at best, with Internet streaming media interests moving fast to have their concerns addressed. Technical editor Bill Bernat reports.
Anark Studio Goes Gold
At the Streaming Media East trade show in New York this week, Anark Corporation announced the availability of Anark Studio 1.0, a cutting-edge interactive media platform.
Pittman Says Internet Revolution Realized
In a keynote address at the co-located Streaming Media East/Internet World Conference, Robert Pittman of AOL Time Warner, tells how the Internet has arrived as a formidable commerce and marketing business, and the future of digital media to be found in networked households.
Microsoft Unveils Corona
During his keynote at Streaming Media East, Will Poole, VP at Microsoft’s Digital Media Division unveiled the newest version of its Windows Media technology, code-named "Corona". Technical Editor Bill Bernat and Senior Editor José Alvear spoke to Microsoft about Corona on Tuesday.
The Decoder: Is Windows XP Smarter Than You?
Technical Editor Bill Bernat ponders the intelligence of Windows XP.
StreamingHand Services Claims Streaming Cost Breakthrough
Anystream Agility Workgroup: Encoding Warrior
Video producers repurposing content for the Web — or dual-purposing it from the start — have a growing number of confusing choices for dealing with encoding issues. Associate Technical Editor Bill Bernat begins mapping the landscape by taking a look at Anystream’s Agility Workgroup 1.5.
ISMA Unveils MPEG-4 Specs
The ISMA unveils MPEG-4 interoperability specifications, calling it a "blueprint" for streaming media. But critics, like Microsoft, see MPEG-4 as an incomplete solution. Senior Editor José Alvear and Associate Technical Editor Bill Bernat report on what the specification means to the industry.
On2 Offers Up VP3.2 Source Code
New site provides development community structure — and the code for the streaming media codec.
Apple Responds to Dumping of QuickTime Support in Internet Explorer
Company is quick to offer solution to QT install base.
Microsoft Approves of Vividon's Appliance
Vividon says its streaming appliance received Windows Media compliance from Microsoft.
Express your Rights
New Napster Will Look Out For You
Napster’s service is temporarily down, and the world is watching to see what the new service will bring. Associate Technical Editor Bill Bernat asserts in this commentary that one thing is certain about the mysterious changes — the reborn Napster will be watching you.
Sorenson's SV3 Heats up Codec Battle
The new video codec, part of Apple's QuickTime 5, sports multiple new features designed to improve data efficiency and speed encoding times.
MPEG-4 Roars at Streaming Media West
The potential of MPEG-4 far outpaces what has actually been delivered, but several vendors at the show were indeed demonstrating actual, shipping, purchasable and implementable solutions.
Caching Appliances to the Enterprise WAN Rescue
At Streaming Media West 2001, vendors are showing proven, new, and upcoming caching appliances that will be of interest to any IT manager who hasn’t already implemented caching for corporate streaming.
Audio Balancing Act
Pros, Cons and the Bottom Line
Director: Solid Remote Management
Video Multicasting with Appliance Ease
Optibase’s MGW 2000 server makes intranet/extranet streaming nearly as easy as buttering bread, and saves your bandwidth with multicast capabilities. Associate Technical Editor Bill Bernat takes a look at this user-friendly appliance.
Osprey 2000 DV Pro Brings Welcome Improvements
ViewCast's latest capture solution has a voracious appetite for video and audio data, and it's omnivous, devouring everything from unbalanced analog audio to SDI video with embedded audio. Associate Technical Editor Bill Bernat takes a closer look at this follow-on release to the Osprey 500 DV Pro.
Agnostic Streaming Delivery
The Generic Media Publishing Service offers webcasters a soup-to-nuts streaming publishing solution that will easily support new formats and bit rates for all of your content, instantly. Associate Technical Editor Bill Bernat puts the service through its paces.
Supertracks: Breakthrough Sum of Common Parts
While the music industry and Web consumers grapple with the trade-off between an online music solution that won’t cost listeners a penny and one that is profitable for content owners, Supertracks has tossed its hat into the ring with a solution that caters to both needs.
Advanced Video Capture: The Beauty of Integration
ViewCast’s Osprey 500 DV Pro makes a great choice for advanced capture and processing — unless you also need to encode live in the Real format.
Sun Still Betting on Java Multimedia
Sun unveils new Java Media Framework with streaming built-in.


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Innovative iPhone 11 chip does not work in Russia
26.09.2019 0 Comments
U1 chip for establishing ultra-wideband connection in the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max does not work in Russia and other countries of the former CIS. This became known from the official site of Apple, on which Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan are not listed in the list of countries with the possibility of using the functions of the U1 chip.
The U1 chip is integrated into the latest Apple smartphones: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. It allows smartphone users to instantly identify devices nearby and to quickly transfer various types of data through the AirDrop function.
The functionality of the U1 chip has earned in the new iPhone models with the release of the iOS 13.1 update. The innovation has become available for smartphone users from most countries. For Russia and other countries of the former CIS, a restriction is currently imposed. For what reason, the U1 chip does not yet work in all regions.
Earlier, we talked about why iOS 13.1 should be installed without delay. The firmware is fire!
Put 5 stars at the bottom of the article if you like this topic. Follow us on VK, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Viber.


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Laptop PCs and cloud-delivered apps and services
A prototype is in use at a Boston food bank
Microsoft won't be reopening its retail stores... ever
It could be a while before they're lining the shelves again, though
Total Switch sales are predicted to reach 75 million units next year
Walmart hopes the test will slow the spread of Covid-19
Potential changes to the workplace await
But will people show up?
The post-pandemic workplace will look very different
Don't open those suspicious attachments, people
Cosy or claustrophobic?
Will pent-up demand make up for lost business during the pandemic?
Take group photos without getting too close
Follow the UFC's lead and remain as organic as possible
A good use of augmented reality
It's like you are really there... I guess
Packing heat. Literally
Bad news for BlizzCon fans
Some models are cheaper in China, too
No prizes for guessing why
Thanks to mobile OS updates from Apple and Google
Other drivers were suspicious from the start


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The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC) is completely exiting the solar energy industry, owing to the fact that the company’s solar energy business is “no longer economically sustainable,” according to recent reports.
This is in spite of the fact that the company recently unveiled a new CIGS module that now possesses the conversion efficiency world record for the class (16.5%).
All of the company’s thin-film solar manufacturing activity (at its manufacturing facility in Central Taiwan Science Park, Taichung) was apparently ended at the end of August — though, all product warranties will reportedly remain in effect. Also worth noting, is that the company is apparently making sure that all of the employees concerned get new position/job offers.
“TSMC Solar’s late entry to the market and lack of economies of scale led to a substantial cost disadvantage. After careful consideration, TSMC has come to the conclusion that despite its world-class conversion efficiency for CIGS technology, TSMC Solar will not be viable even with the most aggressive cost reduction plan,” is the way that the company worded it in a statement released at the time.
“TSMC continues to believe that solar power is an important source of green energy and that solar module manufacturing remains a robust and growing industry, but despite 6 years of hard work we have not found a way to make a sustainable profit,” stated Steve Tso, chairman of TSMC Solar and senior VP of TSMC. “Upon ceasing manufacturing operations at TSMC Solar, our most important concern will be the continued employment of our workers there.”
Interestingly, remaining solar module stock will simply be installed at the company’s remaining facilities for internal company use, rather than be sold — a sensible choice, especially considering that the stock in question will likely help the company to recoup some lost capital through electricity savings (over the coming years).
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Seven takeaways from the Web Directions South Conference
Developers, designers, entrepreneurs and corporate innovators gathered at the Web Directions South Conference in Sydney last week to hear about some of the big picture issues facing the technology industry.
Here are seven takeaways from the conference.
1. The network is the new electricity
The world is entering a new era, where thanks to the Internet of Things, everything is on “the network”, BERG co-founder Matt Webb told the conference. It’s a technological development that has the potential to be just as impactful as electricity was in the 20th century.
He says the network is not about Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth, the things that make up the Internet of Things, but it’s about relationships between people.
2. Communication is key for user research
Nokia product marketing team head dreamer Younghee Jung passed on some wisdom she learned during her time conducting user research in India for Nokia. She says given it can be difficult to judge whether or not testers are telling the truth about the products they’re being exposed to, it’s important for researchers to follow their gut instinct, and put their testers in the best possible environment for honesty.
For Jung, this involved ensuring her testers had tools to communicate that they were comfortable with, including chalk and blackboard and coins to help with value attribution. When confronted with extremely polite testers she manufactured a situation in which it would be socially acceptable for them to be critical of the product – a debate.
3. Be open to discovery
Building on the idea that it’s difficult to know exactly how accurate user research can be, Jung says it’s important to expect the unexpected. That ensures researchers become aware of, and open to hearing about, issues they might not have even known existed.
4. It is important to understand the concept of time and how that relates to the interaction of users with products
When working on products, designers should take into account both the measureable and unquantifiable aspects of time and how that influences users, Twitter senior UX designer Erin Moore says.
Moore came up with a handy formula to help designers and developers negotiate this topic: In order for people to feel (blank) > We must build an experience that (blank)> some ways we could achieve that are (blank) > and in order to do that we need to (blank).
5. There’s an opportunity for startups targeting the aspects of humanity that are “in flux”
Intel anthropologist Genevieve Bell says there are a number of stable and “in flux” attributes that make up what it means to be human. While many startups and technology have appealed to those stable attributes, those in flux attributes have been neglected to some extent, and that presents an opportunity for new startups.
Those in flux attributes include the need manage our reputations, a desire to be surprised and on occasion bored, a desire to be different, an ability to be forgotten and a need to feel time.
6. Trust amongst team members is essential to design great products
Google UX designer Jonny Mack’s had an interesting insight into team dynamics, when he was working on two projects, one with a large team that struggled with team work, and another smaller team of three where each individual went out of their way to make it work.
He says while designers tend to want to jump right in and get to work, it’s necessary to first think hard about how to foster a great team. One way to go about this is by tackling four separate stages. The first stage is forming, a period where the team get to know one another and the project and make decisions about high level goals. The second stage is storming, which occurs once the team has built up enough initial trust so as everybody feels comfortable speaking their mind. This ensures everybody feels their views of been heard, and helps them feel like stakeholders in the process.
The third stage is norming, where people have aired their grievances but have now committed to the direction the group has decided to take the project. The final stage is performing, where all members of the team are collaborating well and operating with less oversight from managers.
7. The concept of open internet is under threat
There’s a growing movement among entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley to avoiding using the phrase the internet, according to designer and futurist Tobias Revell. He says it’s important to remember and protect the idea of the internet as a great democratic, egalitarian platform not a “series of increasingly expensive walled gardens where you’re constantly spied on”.
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Fertiliser businesses have recently reported lower earnings in the third quarter this year due to rising input costs and decreasing consumption.
PetroVietnam Fertiliser and Chemicals Corporation (DPM) recorded net revenue of nearly VNĐ5.4 trillion (US$230.9 million) in the first nine months of this year, down 22.6 per cent year-on-year.
Post-tax profit touched VNĐ152 billion, down 73 per cent year-on-year.
The company attributed the decline in earnings to poor weather and a sharp drop in consumption volume.
In the third quarter alone, DPM's post-tax profit fell 61 per cent year-on-year, reaching VNĐ60.5 billion.
In a recent report, Việt Capital Securities said DPM may cut its profit target by 17.3 per cent in 2019 and 6.6 per cent in 2020-23 due to lower profit from its NPK fertiliser manufacturing plant.
Meanwhile Bình Điền Fertiliser JSC (BFC) reported revenue of VNĐ4.56 trillion, post-tax profit of VNĐ55.4 billion, down 8.8 per cent and 72.7 per cent, respectively, compared to the same period of 2018.
BFC said in the third quarter, Việt Nam's agricultural sector had been harmed by the bad weather conditions, plummeting agricultural prices and competition from imported fertiliser.
This drove BFC’s consumption volume down in the quarter.
To maintain market share, BFC had not increased selling prices while input material prices had risen, leading to gross profit in the first nine months falling by 25 per cent over the same period last year. These factors led to a sharp drop in after-tax profit.
The Southern Fertiliser JSC (SFG) reported a loss of VNĐ8.9 billion in nine months. In the third quarter, the company suffered a loss of VNĐ4.3 billion.
SFG said its third-quarter consumption volume was much lower than the same period last year, leading to a 19 per cent decrease in sales of goods and services, a 45 per cent drop in gross profit, which reached VNĐ18.1 billion.
SFG’s financial revenue fell 86 per cent compared to the same period last year, mainly due to a decrease in deposit interest.
Rising input costs
PetroVietnam Cà Mau Fertiliser JSC (DCM) saw a rise in revenue but a drop in profit. Its nine-month net revenue reached VNĐ4.95 trillion, up 6 per cent year-on-year and post-tax profit touched VNĐ308 billion, down 45 per cent year-on-year.
According to DCM, in addition to a slowing fertiliser consumption market, the company faced the problems of rising raw material prices, which made gross profit margin decline sharply.
Since the beginning of this year, the costs of raw materials increased by 71 per cent to VNĐ2.4 trillion. Gross profit margin dropped sharply, from 26 per cent in the third quarter of last year to 8 per cent this year.
DCM is working to find new markets and has exported 75,000 tonnes of fertiliser to countries in South Asia.


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Costco has submitted plans for its first location in Northwest Arkansas.
The warehouse store chain plans to open in Lowell at the southwest corner of Concord Street and Pleasant Grove Road, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette first reported.
Plans for the address are listed on the city’s agenda for the Board of Zoning Adjustment meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, May 15. The newspaper confirmed with Lowell Mayor Chris Moore that the plans are for a Costco store.
The location is less than a mile east of the Interstate 49 exit at Pleasant Grove Road, which is about 15 miles north of Fayetteville.
It would be the state’s second Costco location. The company opened a store in Little Rock in 2021.


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BENDIGO has lost another major central business district store with Warehouse Sales closing.
A sign on the door of the Mitchell Street business says 'Warehouse Sales Pty Ltd is closed due to liquidation'.
The Warehouse Sales website has also shut down.
The website has only a notice reading:
''Down for Maintenance.
''Warehouse Sales is currently unavailable due to maintenance. It should be available again very shortly.
''We apologize for any inconvenience caused.''
Bendigo Business Council executive officer Patrick Falconer said the news about Warehouse Sales was disappointing.
''It's obviously not good for the retail sector when a long standing business has to close,'' he said.
''Especially one in a fairly vibrant strip of Bendigo shopping area.
''Nobody wants any business to close down but unfortunately in a free market these things do occur.
''We can only hope that he might be able to trade out of it ... you don't know as there have been cases where people have been able to trade out.''
Mr Falconer said he hoped the Bendigo store could take an opportunity such as Reilly's who survived as a family business after the Retravision brand fell on hard times.
''It proves that the Bendigo population must always support local business whenever possible to keep these jobs in Bendigo,'' he said.
It proves the Bendigo population must always support local business