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Chevrolet trucks, backbone of GM sales, turn 100
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CLOSE Chris Woodyard talks to Ed Tucker and Rosie LoBrutto about their 1950 Chevrolet pickup painted up to be a tribute to John Deere.
DETROIT -- Forget the ’57 Chevy, even the Corvette or Camaro.
With 100 years of production and the auto industry’s oldest continually used nameplate, the archetypal hero vehicle for General Motors’ biggest brand is a Chevrolet truck, and it’s celebrating a century on the market.
Chevy trucks turn 100 this fall, just in time for the brand to capitalize on its hard-earned, hardworking reputation with new models in the hottest parts of... read more
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Wirecard technology to support Curve’s consolidated card
German payments firm Wirecard has collaborated with London-based startup Curve to launch next generation payment cards.
Curve allows users to connect up an unlimited number of bank cards into one physical payment card, accepted everywhere. It is supported by a mobile app that gives people a clearer picture of their payments.
Wirecard said that its technology will support the card and smartphone app solution, ensuring global usage of the Curve card and bank-level security protection.
The card is initially offered by Curve to small business users – the freelancers, solopreneurs, and micro-business owners.
Jack Harris, VP of sales Financial Institutions Europe at Wirecard, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Curve with its launch. The solution targets the SME market which is growing and underserved by traditional providers. It is that combination that makes this partnership exciting and supports Wirecard’s key strategy of empowering smart technology solutions and innovative business models.”
Curve CEO Shachar Bialick said: “Wirecard is a pioneer in the payment space, and an ideal partner for Curve to help us achieve our mission of simplifying the fractured payment space. We have designed Curve to help ambitious business users simplify their finances, without asking them to depart too far from familiar card payments. Curve customers are often on the go both at home and abroad, and together Curve and Wirecard can meet their needs.”
Curve supports the latest Chip & Pin, Contactless and magstripe technology. It works just like any other bank card. Users can connect all their debit and credit cards into the Curve app, which syncs them with the Curve card, so users can simply carry one card.

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Renowned Italian auto manufacturer, Piaggio unveiled the Aprilia RSV4 FACTORY at the Mumbai International Auto Show. The stunning superbike is on its way to India, and will be available in the showrooms in a few months’ time. The bookings for the bike have started in the meantime. The company also displayed the Vespa LX 125 scooter – the iconic retro styled scooter.
Confirming that Piaggio is indeed bringing the two vehicles to India, Mr. Ravi Chopra, Chairman and MD of Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd said “We are in the process of bringing our global lineup of highly successful superbikes to India.” Further, about the LX 125 scooter he said, “We are also looking forward to the launch of the iconic Vespa in the country soon.”
The RSV4 is a 999.6cc superbike which is known the world over for its racing pedigree. Pushing out 180 horses, the V4 engined bike tops the wishlist of most Italian bike connoisseurs. Although the price for the bike in India has not been revealed, it could sell for anything from Rs 14-20 lakh, depending on the variant.
Piaggio has set up its new plan in India at Baramati, which is good for an annual production of 1.5 lakh two wheelers. The company would utilize the plant for manufacturing the Vespa scooters from early next year. The plant will also make 1.0 and 1.2-litre diesel engines for the company’s commercial vehicles.


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Intel has struck separate deals in Taiwan to establish a Moblin development center and invest in a local Wimax operator.
One deal announced Thursday with Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will see the joint establishment of an 'enabling centre' for Moblin, Intel's open source software stack and toolkit aimed at developing apps for devices based on Intel's Atom processor.
Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini said the Moblin Enabling Center's laboratory and its engineers will train and consult to device and software vendors, helping them to bring Atom/Moblin-powered devices like MIDs and 'in-vehicle-infotainment systems' to market faster.
Intel will supply engineering talent, software development resources and software contributions from its Moblin web site to the center.
Meanwhile, Intel also said its global investment arm, Intel Capital, will invest NT$386 million ($11.5 million) in Taiwanese carrier VMAX to help it achieve commercial rollout of a 2.5-GHz mobile Wimax network within the first half of next year.
The investment is still 'subject to closing conditions', Otellini said in a statement.
VMAX, whose shareholders include Teco Electric & Machinery, Tecom and Vibo Telecom, received a license in July 2007 to offer 2.5 GHz Wimax services in North Taiwan.
Intel Capital says it has invested in 30 Wimax technology companies and service providers worldwide, including Malaysia's PacketOne and Japan's UQ Communications.


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The NFL Players Association has acquired a minority stake in SportsCastr, a live-streaming platform that lets viewers provide color commentary during events.
Current and former NFL players will use SportsCastr to provide live commentary during sports events.
“Fans are looking for new ways to engage with the game of football and us, the athletes. SportsCastr’s live stream platform is a cool and fun way for fans to add their own voice to games while engaging with players in a different way,” said NFL tight end Vernon Davis, a SportsCastr investor and advisor. “As players we see the value in sharing more of our personalities and unique content with fans and we’re excited about where this live stream tech is headed.”
ACE Media, the NFLPA’s content and production arm, will collaborate with SportsCastr to produce NFL player and other athlete-driven content.
In June, SportsCastr announced FanChain, a cryptocurrency developed for the multi-billion-dollar global sports market. FanChain allows SportsCastr users to earn tokens for participating on the platform, and those tokens can then be used to unlock premium NFL player content, purchase sports tickets or merchandise, and send virtual gifts to NFL players.
“SportsCastr enables fans to get authentic, real-time reactions and commentary from all sports fans and now, for the first time at scale, professional athletes,” said Andrew Schupak, CFO and head of strategy at SportsCastr. “We’re excited to partner with the NFLPA to accelerate adoption and work together to enhance the fan experience.”
The first NFL players will begin using the platform in the third quarter of 2018.
The investment was made via the NFLPA’s OneTeam Collective accelerator.
As part of this agreement, SportsCastr becomes an official licensee of the NFLPA in the categories of mobile apps and web-based platforms that allow users to discuss a variety of sports topics, including through video streams and chats
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Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.


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Amazon is suspending access to Prime Video for customers based in Russia amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine. In a blog post about the announcement, the company also noted that it has suspended the shipment of retail products to customers based in Russia and Belarus. Amazon will also no longer be accepting new Russia and Belarus-based AWS customers and Amazon third-party sellers. In addition, the e-commerce giant will no longer be taking orders for “New World,” which is the only video game it sells directly in Russia.
“Given the ongoing situation in Russia and Ukraine, we’ve taken additional actions in the region. As a reminder, unlike some other U.S. technology providers, Amazon and AWS have no data centers, infrastructure, or offices in Russia, and we have a long-standing policy of not doing business with the Russian government,” the company said in the blog post.
Last week, Amazon announced that AWS has been working closely with Ukrainian customers and partners to keep their applications secure. The company says it has been partnering closely with Ukrainian IT organizations to fend off attacks and is working with organizations in Ukraine to share real-time intelligence.
The announcement comes as Netflix said it’s suspending its service in Russia earlier this week. The move came after the company said last week it would not comply with a new Russian law that requires streaming companies to host 20 Russian propaganda channels. Netflix has also paused all future projects it had planned to produce in Russia.
Amazon is joining the growing number of companies suspending operations in Russia amid its attack on Ukraine. Earlier this week, several companies, including PayPal, Mastercard, Visa and more, announced that they were suspending operations in the country. Last week, Apple confirmed that it halted product sales in Russia. The hardware giant also pulled Sputnik and RT News from the App Store and disabled some Apple Pay services in the country. Google followed Apple’s lead and removed the apps of Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik from its mobile app store in the E.U. Google also paused its ads sales in Russia.


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More than 600 jobs are to be lost with the closure of desserts manufacturer Kensey Foods in Launceston, Cornwall.
> Read the full article on the Food Manufacture website
By Aidan Fortune
Source: Food Manufacture
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has announced the appointment of Frank Clyburn as CEO and member of the board of directors, effective 14 February 2022. Clyburn, who will step down from his position as executive VP and president of human health at Merck & Co, succeeds current IFF CEO Andreas Fibig
Jack Link’s-owned meat snacking brand Peperami has launched new chorizo five-packs to add to its extensive snack portfolio. The new chorizo sticks are made with 100% pork, packed with protein, contain 99 calories and are unpasteurised to maintain a fuller flavour — providing a shelf life of over six months.
While foam is certainly desirable in the bathtub or on beer, preventing foam – for example in industrial processes – is a much-discussed topic. A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research has now shown that so-called “superamphiphobic surfaces” can be used to prevent foaming.


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Chinese authorities have suspended Tencent Holdings updating your existing applications or launching new applications as part of a “temporary administrative orientation”Against the tech giant, reported Chinese media, including Chinastarmarket.cn, based in Shanghai. According to the report, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has ordered stores and app platforms to enforce the order against apps from Tencent Holdings starting Wednesday, November 24, 2021, in a harsh administrative punishment against the tech giant, which manages dozens of apps, including the super app Wechat, which has 1,200 million users. Tencent Holdings It said in a statement that it is cooperating with authorities in the inspection of its applications, indirectly confirming the report.
There are more than 70 applications published by Tencent Holdings that are active and there are more than 100 games published by Tencent Mobile Games, according to app tracking company Qimai. It is not known how long the suspension will last and the Chinese ministry has not released any information on the ban. «We continually work to improve user protection features in our applications, and we also regularly cooperate with relevant government agencies to ensure regulatory compliance. Our apps are still functional and available for download“, said Tencent Holdings in your statement.
The regulatory move comes amid Beijing’s continued scrutiny of the country’s tech sector. Beijing has accelerated its legislative efforts to regulate data in the country, having enacted the Cybersecurity Law in 2017, followed by Data Security Law this September, which requires companies to undergo a security assessment for approval before sending user data abroad. And in November China enacted the Personal Information Protection Law, one of the world’s strictest regulations on personal data security, with far-reaching implications for cross-border data transfers and the way companies operate within the country.
The Ministry has been regularly naming and exposing apps that it deems guilty of violating regulations or infringing on users’ rights. The applications of Tencent Holdings have been frequently singled out, among others from competitors such as Alibaba Group Holding and ByteDance. In the November 3 list of 38 apps named and publicly exposed by the Ministry for excessively collecting user data, three apps were developed by Tencent Holdings, namely, Tencent News, a karaoke app and QQ Music.
Source: South China Morning Post
Copyright © 2021 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.


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Are your legs too large for knee-high boots? Liposuction could be the answer: How women are undergoing calf-reduction surgery to fit into fall footwear
Women are turning to calf-reduction surgery in order to fit into knee-high boots for fall.
Dr Matthew Schulman, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York, told ABC News that patients have sought liposuction to slim their legs from the knee down and avoid 'boot bulge.'
'If the woman is an avid bike rider or runner and it's all muscle, the procedure isn't possible. There has to be at least a little fat there to perform the procedure,' he says.
Scroll down fro video
Great lengths: Women are seeking calf-reduction surgery to fit into knee-high boots
Dr Schulman adds that it's a 'tricky procedure.' 'You're using microliposuction to take out very small amounts of fat,' he notes.
Knee-high boots made quite a few appearances on the fall runways, with designers such as Alexander Wang, Gucci and Valentino offering creative takes on the season's staple - so it's no surprise that fashion fans are seeking ways to fit into the tall footwear.
However, Dr Schulman says that recovery time for the procedure can take up to ten months, so those who have surgery now may not be wearing this season's boots for a while. Most women are approximately 85per cent recovered after four or five months.
Fall trend: Tall boots were seen on the runways of Gucci (left) and Alexander Wang (right) this season
On the consumer review site RealSelf.com, Dr Elizabeth Morgan, an Atlanta-based plastic surgeon, said that patients are required to wear a snug compression knee-high stocking for at least two months after a calf reduction for swelling and skin adhesion.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the average cost of liposuction in 2013 was $2,815.
As for those women whose 'boot bulge' is from muscle rather than fat, a 2004 study in the journal Dermatologic Surgery revealed that Botox can be used to contour large, muscular calves - but many doctors warn that injecting large amounts of toxin into the leg muscle can be dangerous.
Leg up: Gisele Bündchen posed in thigh-high boots for luxury shoe brand Stuart Weitzman's latest campaign
Calf-reduction surgery gained popularity in South Korea before making its way to the U.S.
Micro, or precision, liposuction has seen a surge in recent years, making it possible to remove fat from areas other than those traditionally associated with fat-reduction surgery, such as abdomens, hips and thighs.
In 2006, Dr. Peter B. Fodor, a plastic surgeon in Los Angeles, told the New York Times that more sophisticated surgical tools were making the practice much easier.
'Because our equipment has gotten better, surgeons who a few years ago would not have touched areas like kneecaps, inner thighs, back rolls, calves and ankles have extended their practices.'


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THE GERMAN car giant Volkswagen will extend the production of its popular Polo brand, and Bratislava is in the running to make the cars.
The head of Volkswagen's board of directors, Thomas Schmall, said that the VW Bratislava facility had a great chance of gaining the contract due to the high flexibility of its employees.
However, the SME daily wrote that the eventual Polo production would not lead to the creation of new jobs, since Volkswagen has already hired about 500-800 new people for its extended production of the Audi Q7.
The Handelsblatt German daily wrote that Volkswagen was seeking a new place for production not only because of increasing demand but also because it wants to close down its Polo factory in Spain.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.


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The Definitive Guide to DJI Drones in Buck Creek IN 47924
As I mentioned previously, the Wellbots individuals had been sort ample to supply the drone. They are also giving a hefty hundred dollar lower price if you choose to purchase a Mavic Pro from them.
DJI’s very popular Phantom quadcopter array has dominated the market for purchaser digital camera drones but In addition they deliver superior-conclude hexacopters and octocopters which are capable of lifting heavier, Expert TV cameras.
Electronics Stores in Buck Creek, Indiana 47924
Drones for Sale in Buck Creek Indiana
Buck Creek IN - BingNews Search results
Steeple added at Buck Creek’s new sanctuary
Although it’s only been under construction for a few weeks, Buck Creek Baptist’s new location has seen improvement. “What we’re working on now is the walls on the inside. We’ve already got the air conditioning units inside,” Tyler Ingram, the ...
Baker Hughes GE to close Schertz facility, cutting 266 jobs
Meanwhile, BHGE cut other Texas jobs earlier this year when it closed its Buck Creek facility in Lufkin. The company was formed nearly a year ago through the merger of Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. and London-based GE Oil & Gas. The combined company has ...
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: Logic Film holding auditions in Bakersfield this weekend
To listen: Eric Pasley is performing at 7:30 p.m. at The Buck Owens Crystal Palace ... To swim: Join the City of Bakersfield for a Wacky Friday Fiesta from 1-4 p.m. at Silver Creek Pool, 7011 Harris Road. Admission is just $1. We've got some exciting ...
Duck Creek Quarry in Howard Ready to Keep Swimmers Cool This Summer
It's just before noon and swimmers like Izzy Gannon start to fill up the Duck Creek Quarry. All eager to hang out on the ... “It's a natural facility and what more bang for your buck can you get as a local government,” Farr said. Farr says the quarry ...
$1 deals: Inside the resale shop where you can get clothes for just a buck today
For over 18 years, ICM has been providing for those who hit a bump in the road in the Clear Creek and Friendswood areas by collecting donations and reselling them for pennies on the dollar. You can find anything from household goods, furniture, and ...


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TheStreet upgraded shares of ArcBest (NASDAQ:ARCB) from a c rating to a b- rating in a research report released on Wednesday morning, TheStreetRatingsTable reports.
A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on ARCB. SunTrust Banks upped their target price on shares of ArcBest from $25.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of ArcBest from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. ValuEngine lowered shares of ArcBest from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday. BidaskClub raised shares of ArcBest from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Cowen reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $39.00 target price on shares of ArcBest in a research note on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $31.33.
ARCB opened at $30.39 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.06, a current ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. ArcBest has a 12 month low of $13.54 and a 12 month high of $33.53. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $26.99 and a 200 day simple moving average of $22.99. The stock has a market cap of $767.65 million, a P/E ratio of 28.14, a P/E/G ratio of 3.41 and a beta of 1.60.
ArcBest (NASDAQ:ARCB) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The transportation company reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter. ArcBest had a net margin of 1.01% and a return on equity of 8.99%. The business had revenue of $627.37 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $638.73 million. On average, equities research analysts expect that ArcBest will post 1.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be given a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 6th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.05%. ArcBest’s dividend payout ratio is currently 11.11%.
Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of ARCB. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in ArcBest by 3.9% during the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 257,732 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $4,516,000 after buying an additional 9,768 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in ArcBest by 20.5% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,608,673 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $28,185,000 after purchasing an additional 273,374 shares during the last quarter. Stone Ridge Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in ArcBest in the second quarter valued at about $218,000. Man Group plc boosted its stake in ArcBest by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Man Group plc now owns 82,702 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $2,282,000 after acquiring an additional 986 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its stake in ArcBest by 17.0% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 978,939 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $17,151,000 after acquiring an additional 141,956 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 88.47% of the company’s stock.
ArcBest Company Profile
ArcBest Corporation provides freight transportation services and integrated logistics solutions worldwide. It operates through three segments: Asset-Based, ArcBest, and FleetNet. The Asset-Based segment transports general commodities, such as food, textiles, apparel, furniture, appliances, chemicals, nonbulk petroleum products, rubber, plastics, metal and metal products, wood, glass, automotive parts, machinery, and miscellaneous manufactured products through less-than-truckload services.
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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
The cola wars are bubbling up again and they're turning PepsiCo blue.
Yes, that's right. Blue cola.
PepsiCo (PEP: down $0.04 to $51.96, Research, Estimates), the second-largest soft-drink maker, unveiled its newest product Tuesday, a blue-hued, berry-flavored cola to be available commercially in August in 20-ounce bottles. The Purchase, N.Y.-based maker of Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Slice, Mug root beer, Frito Lay snacks and other products announced its latest offering one week before its larger rival, Coca-Cola Co. (KO: down $0.23 to $56.36, Research, Estimates), officially launches a vanilla-flavored soft drink.
Pepsi Blue was one of more than 100 concepts Pepsi tested. Two-thirds of teen-agers the company asked said they would buy it regularly, the company said.
"Pepsi Blue has the potential to reinvigorate the cola category," said Gary Rodkin, CEO of PepsiCo North America.
Though Coke has been No. 1 in soft drinks for decades, analysts have pointed to Pepsi's strong growth in recent years that has helped it gain ground on its larger rival.
Dave Burwick, Pepsi's senior marketing vice president, said in a statement that the company had been considering a "cola fusion" for months, and that the majority of teenagers polled said they would like to see a berry-flavored cola with a blue color.
Since it is aimed at a youth market, Pepsi plans to sample the cola at teen-oriented places and advertise it on the Internet and through outdoor postings.
Separately, Coca-Cola said Tuesday it has agreed with British beverage maker Diageo PLC (DGE: Research, Estimates) and French distiller Pernod Ricard (PERP: Research, Estimates) to acquire the Seagram's mixers business, adding to its line of carbonated drinks
Terms were not disclosed.
Coke said it signed a worldwide long-term license agreement with Pernod Ricard that will add Seagram's ginger ale, tonic, club soda and seltzer drinks to its beverage portfolio.
-- from staff and wire reports


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Good news for the KBB market as a new report from JKMR reveals that there has been "substantial growth" during the past year for sales within the contract kitchen sector. They also predict that this trend is predicted to continue in 2016. The message is loud and clear, if you can stand the heat, get in the kitchen market now!
The report states that the contract sector will 'absorb' more than £750m worth of fitted kitchen products in 2015, equating to a 21% share of total market value.
The contract sector is now “out-performing the retail sector on a number of key measures”, JKMR says, which has been driven by the rising number of new builds and improving market place, allowing the average client spend to increase.
2015 has seem the sector achieve its highest level of market spend since 2007, which reached £840m. Total contract sector spend then began to decline in 2008, reaching less than £600m in 2011 before improvements began to be seen in 2012. Last year, sector value reached close to £700m.
If you are looking for a Sales Job in the KBB sector, you can find out more here>>
Picture: From FreeDigitalPhotos.net “Modern Apartment Kitchen” by artur84


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The top ten ‘must photograph’ travel destinations for 2019 have been revealed by mobile phone brand Huawei, for the launch of its new P Smart 2019 device, by tracking over one million words and analysing over 1.3 million posts across multiple social media platforms.
The research was conducted by Huawei from September-January 2019, a period Gen-Zs typically make key decisions such as applying for university, starting a new job or taking a gap year, to help inspire travel destinations.
Ultimately these fearless, non-conformist travellers are going against the grain in wanting to tread unknown paths, with just under half (41%) of 18-25 year olds looking for places their friends haven’t been – over a third (34%) want to be the first to find new places, take the photo and stick it online. The mantra of ‘if it’s not on social it didn’t happen’ is very much alive, with 16% of Gen-Zs specifically choosing locations that are most ‘Instagrammable’ when planning their travels.
When it comes to where these camera-ready destinations are, the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, has been uncovered as THE ‘must-shoot’ destination for 2019. Isle of Harris in Scotland also made the list, proving that there are also hidden gems to be found closer to home.
These top destinations have been compiled using Netbase, an award-winning social media analytics platform that processes millions of social media posts daily to provide the latest up-to-date insight into how the world is really thinking. The data, analysed over 1.5 million mentions across 1.3 million posts throughout social media, blog websites and forums – from September 2018 to January 2019.
The top ten ‘must photograph’ travel destinations for 2019 have been revealed as:
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Kobe/Yokohoma, Japan
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
- Baden-Baden, Germany
- Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
- Kartarpur, Narowal District, Pakistan
- Wadi Rum, National Park, Jordan
- Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), US (Alaska)
- Isle of Harris, Scotland


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Funan, an integrated development located right in the heart of Singapore’s Civic & Cultural District, has scored another first with a one-of-a-kind experiential showsuite that brings to life a brand new live-work-play paradigm with cutting edge immersive virtual reality simulation technology.
Funan DigitaLife Mall which was closed in July 2016, is undergoing three years of redevelopment works at an estimated amount of S$560 million. The redevelopment is targeted to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2019.
At the launch of Funan showsuite on 27 April, CapitaLand Mall Trust gave updates of Funan’s latest developments, including the announcement of newly signed anchor tenants, as well as how it aims to inspire retail innovation and become the home of local creative talents.
To allow shoppers to get a glimpse of the new Funan, the two-storey experiential showsuite has been constructed at the junction of High Street and Hill Street.
This is also the first retail showsuite in Singapore that is open to the public with lifestyle programmes to engage and grow Funan’s community of fans, whom are affectionately referred to as the GEN F Tribe, more than two years ahead of its target completion in 4Q 2019.
W!ld Rice, Singapore’s leading professional theatre company, will build an intimate 380-seat theatre with an innovative thrust stage design.
Ivan Heng, Founding Artistic Director of W!ld Rice wrote on Facebook, “I am excited to share with you the news that W!LD RICE will be building a new 380-seat theatre at the new FUNAN mall. Located at the heart of Singapore’s civic and cultural district, it is exactly where a theatre needs to be – at the intersection of commerce, art, government and history.”
“This marks a milestone for W!ld Rice, and will make a significant contribution to Singapore’s theatre scene. For the longest time, we have been dreaming of a theatre to call our own, and we are thrilled to have found a partner in Funan, which is reinventing itself as a hub for local creative talents,” Mr Heng also said on the CapitaLand Mall news release.
Carrie K, an award-winning homegrown artisan jewellery label that has achieved international acclaim; and Keepers, a collective of Singapore designers – both founded by local designer Carolyn Kan – will set up a flagship store at Funan.
Former tenants that have helped to define Funan’s IT legacy, namely Newstead Technologies, AddOn Systems and T K Foto, have also confirmed their return with bigger and better offerings.
Newstead will form Funan’s largest IT anchor with multiple concept stores spread across 15,000 sq ft; AddOn will operate Singapore’s Lenovo flagship and service centre; and
T K Foto will have a dedicated test zone for drone videography and photography. Rounding up the list is supermarket chain FairPrice Finest, which will launch a brand new supermarket of the future concept that complements Funan’s digital edge.
Previously announced tenants that have signed with Funan include Golden Village, which will operate a multi-dimensional cinema; Climb Central, which will manage a 50-lane climbing facility; and Kopitiam, which will run a high-tech food court.
Mr Wilson Tan, CEO of CapitaLand Mall Trust Management Limited, said: “More than two years ahead of opening, Funan has received commitment for about 25 percent of its total retail net lettable area of 324,000 square feet, making this one of our most well-received developments to date.”
“What is even more exciting is that each of our partners has committed to push the boundaries in its respective territory and experiment something new at Funan,” said Mr Tan.
Championing local creative talents and innovation
The star attraction of Funan’s experiential showsuite is the immersive virtual reality simulation (IVRS) studio, which features a five-wall projection system (spanning the ceiling, floor, as well as the walls on the viewer’s left, right and front).
The fully immersive environment enables viewers, who don special goggles, to navigate and explore Funan in a full-scale, computer-generated world. They enjoy a high-resolution and stereoscopic threedimensional viewing experience far more superior than the realism offered by conventional two-dimensional images and videos displayed on desktop monitors and projectors.
Funan is one of the first developments in Singapore to adopt the state-of-the-art IVRS technology to market itself to potential business partners.
Located at the junction of High Street and Hill Street, the two-storey showsuite incorporates design elements reflective of Funan’s design centerpiece ‘Tree of Life’, a wood-and-steel structure extending from Basement 2 to Level 4 that houses a variety of open platforms and studios that promote new forms of retail, experimentation and social learning.
Mr Kevin Siew, Vice President, Retail Development, Funan, said: “We envision Funan as Singapore’s creative intersection where passion meets discovery, and the showsuite is its microcosm – an inviting space that serves as a platform for people to express themselves and be inspired. We are immensely proud to be working with some of the best Singapore talents, makers and entrepreneurs – both budding and established – to turn Funan’s showsuite into a living showcase of local creative prowess.”
Funan’s showsuite will be open to the public daily from 11am to 9pm, starting from 30 April 2017, which coincides with this month’s edition of Car-Free Sunday SG in the Civic District.
In conjunction with its opening festivities, visitors can expect a full day of activities at the Funan showsuite that include watercolouring and terrarium workshops, conversations with creative entrepreneurs, and an exclusive InstaMeet helmed by popular Instagrammer Yafiq Yusman, who is known for his unique perspective on architectural photography on the social media site.
The new Funan will also have a nine-storey tower of co-living apartment units, and two six-storey office towers, apart from the six-storey retail space.
Mr Lim Ming Yan, president and Group CEO of CapitaLand, said, “Co-working spaces are also being explored as possible tenants in the new Funan. This is important, not just for us, but for the real estate industry …”
“We are trying out new concepts from a piece of white paper on what a new shopping centre should look like,” Mr Lim said.


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India will not allow multi-brand retail by foreign firms, predatory pricing
Goyal also "asserted that predatory pricing will not be allowed and necessary action will be taken against defaulters," the statement said.
CAIT demands immediate roll out of e-commerce policy
The CAIT in a written submission said that e-commerce business in the country needs to b...
Cut down on contract labour: BSNL to circles
BSNL has been incurring losses for the last many years and except in 2014-15 where it had got an...
Walmart faces major India test over unit Flipkart's legal spat with startup
GOQii sued Flipkart last month , alleging its devices were discounted by around 70%.
Flipkart, GOQii battle on pricing intensifies
GOQii had sent a legal notice to Flipkart on May 18, claiming that the online retailer violated the FDI in e-commerce norms by offering heavy discounts on GOQii products.
No global company in multi-brand retail: Piyush Goyal
Representatives from Reliance Jio Infocomm, OLA, MakeMyTrip, Shopclues, Yatra and Snapdeal, among others, attended another meeting.
Piyush Goyal meets industry stakeholders on e-commerce, data localization
The meetings come in the wake of a draft policy on e-commerce in which the government has proposed regulating cross-border data flows.
Share details of all segmented tariff offers, Trai tells telcos
Trai also said it wants telcos to share details of segmented offers from April 2019 onwards within 10 working days from the last day of the month.
TDSAT junks Trai's predatory pricing order
Predatory pricing was at the centre of a bitter tussle between the older carriers, Trai and Jio.


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Transformers: Age of Extinction, the fourth entry in the Michael Bay directed series, won't even arrive in cinemas until July 2014. But it seems plans for a sequel are already afoot.
Transformer World 2005 has been poring over imagery from TF toy licence holders Vilsco Textiles, who are pitching their product line for the brand. You can get a detailed look at what the bots in Age of Extinction are going to look like - quite a refresh from previous movies in the franchise - and see their plans for extra items like headphones and a pretty nifty looking USB hub.
But the most interesting info comes when you look a little closer at some of the fairly dull looking posters. These give an idea of the release strategy, including tie in movie items from the 1st of May 2014 (ahead of the film's release), TF4 saturation in Q3 2014 and then the DVD release in Q4.
Then there's the big stuff - two animated movies in 2015 and 2016 and a basic looking logo suggesting that TF5 will arrive in Q2 2017.
The three year turnaround sounds pretty familar from the gaps between previous efforts. Obviously there's no word on whether Michael Bay will return as director (honestly, I'd love to see him working on other action projects) but its a safe bet the new cast including Mark Wahlberg and Nicola Peltz are in it for the long haul.
The Transformers franchise has made almost $2.7 billion worldwide to date. It's not going anywhere!
Transformers: Age of Extinction is coming to cinemas in June 2014.


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Long focal length, fast autofocus, optical image stabilisation. Thanks to the outstanding correction of all chromatic aberrations, the ZEISS Batis 2.8/135 is a high-performance telephoto … Read full story.
Canon has today launched a new innovative lens: the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM
Designed to capture stunning Macro and close-up photography, the EF-S … Read full story.
AZilPix will be making its NAB debut next month (South Hall SU9817), introducing US content creators to Studio.One, a brand-new innovative camera system for multi-angle … Read full story.
Hungry Eye Journal welcomes Luke Woodford to the team as Editor in Chief!
A bit about Luke…
After 23 years of life and constantly striving … Read full story.
An intensive 3-day programme aimed at Directors, Writers and Creative Producers with proven experience and who are adapting source material (novels, short stories, plays, blogs … Read full story.
Canon develops the key components featured in its interchangeable-lens cameras— CMOS image sensors, image processors and interchangeable lenses — in the pursuit of “Speed, Comfort … Read full story.
Fujifilm has a history of releasing firmware updates so significant that you feel like you’re downloading a brand new camera. The company has just announced this type of upcoming update to … Read full story.
A new display celebrating the life and artistic legacy of Olive Edis officially opens at Cromer Museum on Wednesday 29 March
The same day a … Read full story.


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French startups Bird Office and Kactus have merged to create a new event management tech company that aims to become a major player in the B2B sector. The merger will allow the newly-formed company to offer a complete tech solution to both larger corporate clients and smaller businesses, and will create an entity with €80m in revenue and 100 employees. As part of the merger, the companies raised €10m from investors including Eurazeo, Raise and BNP Paribas Développement.
Bird Office, founded by Arnaud Katz in 2014, and Kactus, founded in 2015 by Anne-Sara Budow-niczy and Thomas Cottin, both operate B2B marketplaces that allow companies to book venues for meetings and seminars. The companies have a combined total of 10,000 regular corporate clients and have secured 30 framework contracts, including eight with companies on the CAC 40, such as Danone, ENGIE and Bouygues.
With the merger and the injection of funds, Bird Office and Kactus aim to become the leading player in the French and European event management markets. The companies also plan to hire around 15 new employees within the next 12 months. This merger is another example of the consolidation trend currently taking place in the tech industry, as companies look to gain scale and increase their market share. The newly-formed company will have to compete against other players in the market such as Spacebase, which has raised €11m in funding, and Gaest, which was acquired by Airbnb in 2019.


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The aftermarket specialists at Gazoo Racing have recently announced their plans to introduce a custom Toyota GT 86 during the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon.
According to the tuning company, the Gazoo Racing Toyota GT 86 in question has received a supercharger on the 2.0 liter flat four-cylinder engine, which is helping the heart of the sports car pump out 330 HP and 431 Nm of torque. The GT 86 modified by Gazoo Racing is also getting an aerodynamic body kit which seems to be inspired by the Toyota Supra, along with 18-inch alloy wheels. More details on Gazoo Racing’s Toyota GT 86 will be announced in Tokyo.
As a quick reminder, the standard Toyota GT 86 is powered by the same engine as the Subaru BRZ or the Scion FR-S, which is the 2.0 liter four-cylinder petrol unit, borrowed by Subaru and fitted with the company’s D-4S direct injection. The petrol engine is developing a total output of 187 horsepower, at 7,000 rpm, and it has a peak torque of 205 Nm (151 lb-ft), available at 6,600 rpm. The unit is mated to a six-speed manual in standard, or to a six-speed automatic, which is available as an option. Prices for the sports car in Europe start at just under 30,000 euros.


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(Editor’s note: News releases are published as submitted, with no editing unless they contain factual errors.)
(PHOENIX) A new attack aimed at the rooftop solar industry has arrived on Governor Doug Ducey’s desk. A coalition of rooftop solar companies and Arizona’s industry trade group has sent the Governor a letter urging him to veto this anti-business legislation.
SB1417 places the state government squarely in the middle of the conflict between solar and utilities. It’s no secret that if you produce our own power, you buy less from the utility. The solar industry enables customers the choice to create their own power and are consequently the target of a bill that does little to protect consumers as it claims, but a lot to deter customers from installing solar and increasing costs to the solar industry.
The bill would increase costs for solar companies and customers, and likely increase the time it takes for consumers to get rooftop solar. It’s anathema to all Governor Ducey has stated since taking office trying to cut regulations that stifle innovation and make Arizona less-business friendly.
The bill could lead to even more Arizona job losses in an industry that has been under attack from utility monopolies. Arizona lost nearly 2,300 solar jobs since 2015 according to The Solar Foundation. Arizona used to be ranked second the nation in solar jobs with nearly 10,000. The state now ranks 7th.
The bill is not only anti-business, it also violates Governor Ducey’s moratorium on regulatory rulemaking. In reissuing that moratorium in February, Governor Ducey said, “Arizona is poised to lead the nation in job growth and I want to ensure government is doing all it can to get out of the way of business.”
A coalition of solar companies and the respected trade group AriSEIA (Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association) sent Governor Ducey a letter today urging his veto. The letter points out rooftop solar is already heavily regulated, the industry self-regulates with strict protocols, and the Attorney General is already empowered to penalize any isolated bad actors in the industry.
The letter goes on to say, “Your support of ride-sharing services, such as Uber, and your regulatory moratorium send positive messages to the marketplace that Arizona is open for business. Solar is part of a flourishing technological revolution nationwide that shows great growth potential right here in Arizona. Solar is ready to bring more good paying jobs, more state and local economic development, and more high-tech leadership to the state. Yet SB 1417 would have a chilling effect on businesses that employ a meaningful workforce of nearly 7,000 Arizonans.”


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They circle their struggling prey and pounce when their victims are too weak to defend themselves.
A health technology company founded by a former Dundee University medical student has won a £1 million contract for the further development of its "doctor on your arm."
Major pub businesses of Dundee businessman Jimmy Marr have gone into administration.
Balbirnie House Hotel in Fife fell into the red in the year it won a series of major awards and was congratulated in the Scottish Parliament for its performance.
Goodfellows of Dundee Ltd , the parent firm of long-established Broughty Ferry-based bakers Goodfellow and Steven, has appointed three new directors.
Owners of the Stack Retail Park in Lochee have unveiled fresh £5 million, 60-job plans for for a toy store and gym on the site.
Fife-based Kettle Produce Limited has strengthened its position as one of the UK’s leading fresh produce suppliers, during a successful 40th anniversary year.
Dundee-based Thorntons, a leading Scottish law firm, delivered further rises in turnover and profits last year.
Aldi has replaced the Co-op to become Britain's fifth largest supermarket.
The next generation of inspiring entrepreneurs from across Scotland’s universities are being sought.


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The deal allows the cannabis company to forge ahead in the lucrative market for cannabidiol (CBD), which is derived from hemp plants, as well as sell hemp foods and supplements.
“We’re excited to work with Manitoba Harvest to develop and distribute a diverse portfolio of branded hemp-derived CBD food and wellness products in the US and Canada,” said Brendan Kennedy, Tilray’s CEO, in a statement.
Under the agreement’s terms, Tilray, which is based in Nanaimo, British Columbia, will acquire Manitoba, which is based in Winnipeg, in a cash and stock deal worth up to C$419 million (US$317 million) pending the achievement of certain milestones after the closing of the transaction.
Tilray will pay C$150 million in cash and C$127.5 million in shares upon the closing of the transaction. Six months later, Tilray will pay C$50 million in cash and C$42.5 million in stock. Tilray will also issue an additional C$49 million in stock if Manitoba Harvest achieves performance milestones in 2019.
By leveraging Manitoba’s distribution network, Tilray plans to accelerate its expansion into the US and Canada, where legal, for CBD products. The passage of the US farm bill, which sanctions industrial hemp and CBD, represents a windfall for companies like Tilray that are eager to sell CBD products in the US.
Products in the Manitoba Harvest portfolio include Hemp Hearts, Hemp Oil, Hemp Yeah! Granola, Hemp Yeah protein powder and Hemp Bliss milk. Manitoba has plans to launch a line of CBD containing hemp extracts as well as a line-up of Hemp Yeah! Wellness bars this summer.
Tilray shares traded 6.6% higher at $82.11 in morning trade on Wednesday.
Contact Ellen Kelleher at [email protected]


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The CDC statement says: "Consumers should not eat and retailers should not sell any romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas, California, growing region. This includes all use-by dates and brands of romaine lettuce from this region."
Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic, says there are many strains of E. coli bacteria that may cause serious illness for those infected.
"E. coli stands for Escherichia coli, which is a type of bacteria that can cause food or waterborne illness in people," says Dr. Rajapakse. "It's a relatively common cause of illness. There’s a type of E. coli that people may have heard of called O157:H7. It's a specific type of E. coli that can cause bloody diarrhea and has been associated with a condition that can cause kidney damage, especially in young children." This form of kidney failure, which can be life-threatening, is called "hemolytic uremic syndrome."
Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites are in the downloads at the end of this post. Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network."
Foods associated with E. coli
E. coli also can be found in the environment, and in the intestines of humans and animals, so contamination of food can occur in multiple ways.
"Certain foods are at a higher risk for transmitting E. coli infection," says Dr. Rajapakse. "Most commonly, we hear about it in raw or undercooked hamburger meat. However, any type of food that comes into contact with raw or undercooked meat may lead to cross-contamination. Salads, fruits and vegetables can transmit, as well, and we do occasionally see outbreaks related to those types of products."
Other foods carrying a high risk of E. coli infection include unpasteurized milk, unpasteurized apple cider and soft cheeses made from raw milk.
Symptoms of E. coli
"E. coli generally causes relatively mild illness in otherwise healthy people. But in certain populations, E. coli can cause severe illness, especially in people who have weakened immune systems, people who have underlying digestive system problems, young children, the elderly, and pregnant women," says Dr. Rajapakse.
Antibiotics generally should not be used for treatment. In some cases, antibiotics may increase the risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome. Most people are better in about one week.
The CDC offers these tips to prevent E. coli illness:
- Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before preparing or eating food. Also, wash your hands thoroughly after contact with animals.
- Cook meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat that has been needle-tenderized should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Avoid raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products and unpasteurized juices.
- Avoid swallowing water when swimming or playing in lakes, ponds, streams and swimming pools.
- Prevent cross-contamination in food preparation areas by thoroughly washing hands, counters, cutting boards and utensils after they touch raw meat.


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After the e-tron electric SUV and the Sportsback, Audi plans to release a previously announced electric Sport e-tron GT in 2020.
Now we’ve learned that it will be based on the Porsche Taycan all-electric performance sedan.
The German automaker previously released the concept image above and said this about the vehicle:
“The four-door prototype Audi e-tron GT concept interprets sportiness in a new, progressive way. With its fascinating design and a purely electric drive, it leads our Audi Sport performance brand confidently into the future. The sporty four-seater will be manufactured at Böllinger Höfe near Neckarsulm as of 2020. It proves that high performance and electromobility do not have to be mutually exclusive.”
Now at the launch of the Audi e-tron this week, the automaker announced that they will use the Porsche Taycan powertrain for the vehicle.
As we previously reported, Porsche and Audi greenlighted a cooperation on a shared architecture for electric and autonomous vehicles.
That said, the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) that they are developing is not expected to be ready until 2020 or 2021.
Therefore, it has nothing to do with them working together on the Audi Sport e-tron GT.
Instead, Audi will benefit from Porsche’s work on the electric powertrain that they developed for the Taycan, formerly known as the Mission E.
Based on what Porsche released about the concept vehicle, it is equipped with a powertrain that can generate a combined power output of over 600 hp (440 kW) between two electric motors.
As for the battery pack, they are aiming for it to enable “over 500 kilometers” (310 miles) of range on a single charge.
Of course, it is also expected to be the first 800-volt battery system that will enable up to 350 kW charging in a production passenger car.
Now it sounds like Audi will be able to use the same powertrain with a different design.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Team 17, the studio that created Worms, Alien Breed, and Overcooked, is reportedly planning a stock market listing of £200 million dollars.
The Times has reported that the studio and publisher will be making an announcement shortly, and that it has stockbrokers working on the float at the moment.
If the listing goes through at that figure, then it would make Team 17 the largest publisher in the UK.
Lloyds Development Capital – which is a part of the Lloyds Banking Group – bought a stake in the company, paying £16.5 million, in 2016.
In the same year, Team 17 reported a loss of £37,686 after tax, after it generated £6.5 million in revenue.
Its efforts as a developer include hits like Lemmings, Worms W.M.D, and Superfrog. As a publisher, the studio has, especially recently, been prolific, with The Escapists in 2014 Yooka-Laylee last year, and Overcooked the year before.
In 2018, the studio has Planet Alpha, a platforming game scheduled for release on PS4, Xbox, PC, and Switch; and Raging Justice, a side-scrolling beat ‘em up, for the PS4.
Also on Thumbsticks
- Fortnite CEO says cross-play between PS4 and Xbox One is inevitable
- Brendan Greene offers sneak peek at new PUBG 4x4km map
- Sea of Thieves takes top spot in UK games chart
We hate to ask, but...
Thumbsticks has a couple of goals. We want to write interesting articles and cover games that most outlets won't, and we want to give opportunities to new writers and new voices. And right now, with the current state of online publishing? It's tough to meet those goals! We hate to ask, but if you want us to continue writing what others won't, or to keep covering weird indie games, or to be able to give opportunities to new writers – and only if you can afford it – then please consider supporting us on Patreon.
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Years after TV sets solved a similar problem, personal computers still make us wait—and wait—between the time we switch on the power and the time we can actually do what we sat down to do. This year — in anticipation of Vista, the new version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system — San Jose-based PortalPlayer has developed an “always on” subsystem for notebook computers.
Preface, as the product is known, stores information like address books, email messages, and calendar items. It hooks into a feature of Vista called SideShow, which supports auxiliary displays; since it uses its own processor, memory cache, controls, and operating software, you can access your address/email/calendar information without waiting for your whole notebook to boot.
Added benefit: reduced power consumption. “Everything that you do on this secondary subsystem uses much less power than the main CPU,” explains PortalPlayer vice president of marketing Arman Toorianis. “If you listen to music or do slideshows on a regular notebook, you can do that for four or five hours. With our subsystem, you can do it for 100 to 400 hours.”
Another product timed for the Vista launch is the hybrid hard drive, which uses so-called flash memory. Today’s memory standard, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), holds information only as long as it’s receiving power; whenever you restart your computer, all the information it needs to operate must be reloaded from the hard drive, while you wait. Flash memory, by contrast, doesn’t need power to retain information, so devices that use it — digital cameras, cell phones, handheld computers — power up almost instantly.
New hybrid hard drives use flash memory as a cache, so “boot times can be accelerated by a factor of three,” according to Don Barnetson, an assistant director of marketing for Samsung in San Jose. The flash cache will also save power and improve reliability, adds Barnetson, by reducing the time a system is reading and writing data to its hard drive.
The idea of using flash memory to speed up performance isn’t limited to hard-drive makers. Chip manufacturer Intel recently announced an initiative aimed at standardizing a method for using flash memory on PC motherboards.
Flash memory, though, may be only a bridge to more-exotic approaches, such as magnetic random access memory (MRAM). “The process of writing and erasing to flash wears out the memory, so you can really only write to it about 100,000 times,” maintains Bill Gallagher, an IBM senior manager in Yorktown Heights, New York. MRAM, he observes, doesn’t suffer from that endurance problem; on the other hand, it will be 5 to 10 years before it poses a commercial challenge to DRAM.
As for PortalPlayer’s Preface software and those new hybrid hard drives — both of which must await the arrival of Vista — they’ll have to remain on hold a little longer; Microsoft has pushed back the release of Vista until January 2007.


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The Nielsen ratings are not yet out for Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” debut, but the company is already seeing benefits after one game.
Amazon vice president Jay Marine, the head of Prime Video, told employees in an internal memo this week that the company’s internal numbers were promising.
Last Thursday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers produced more new sign-ups for Amazon Prime in one three-hour period than the company had ever seen.
It also set a company record for primetime audience in the U.S., according to Marine, though that figure was not released.
“Thursday Night Football” averaged 13.2 million viewers on Fox last year.
Amazon is the first streaming service to wrest exclusive broadcast rights for NFL games away from traditional TV networks. The company took pains to produce a TV-quality broadcast, with legendary play-by-play announcer Al Michaels teaming up with ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit on the call.
The Chiefs beat the Chargers 27-24 in Amazon’s first game. Week 3’s Thursday game will see the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Cleveland Browns.
–Field Level Media


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Tech giants threaten to leave Hong Kong over privacy law
Tech giants including Google, Facebook and Twitter have warned through an Asian industry group on Tuesday that they could cut their services in Hong Kong if Beijing goes ahead with its plans to impose new privacy laws.
The warning came in a letter sent by the Asia Internet Coalition, of which all three companies, in addition to Apple, LinkedIn and others, are members.
In the letter, the tech companies showed their discontent with the proposed amendments to current privacy laws which would see individuals hit with "severe sanctions" without specifying the possible penalties.
“Introducing sanctions aimed at individuals is not aligned with global norms and trends,” said the letter, whose contents were first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
“The only way to avoid these sanctions for technology companies would be to refrain from investing and offering their services in Hong Kong, thereby depriving Hong Kong businesses and consumers, whilst also creating new barriers to trade.“
Companies claim that it is not beneficial for them to remain in the area if the government is carrying out doxing practices (publicly releasing private or identifying information about an individual or organisation).
“We … believe that any anti-doxing legislation, which can have the effect of curtailing free expression, must be built upon principles of necessity and proportionality,” the AIC said.
Hong Kong saw an unprecedented wave of doxing during mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
At a regular press briefing on Tuesday morning, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, said the proposed law would only target “illegal” doxing.
“There is wide support that doxing should be legislated against,” Lam said. “The amendment exercise is to address the issue of doxing. The privacy commissioner is empowered to take action and carry out an investigation - that’s it.”


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Condé Nast on Sept. 3 announced the appointment of Kapoor as Vogue India’s head of editorial content.
Kapoor will lead Vogue India’s editorial team and oversee strategy while working closely with Vogue’s global editorial director Anna Wintour and Leslie Sun, director of Vogue APAC and editor-in-chief of Vogue Taiwan. She succeeds the publication’s long-time editor-in-chief Priya Tanna, who helmed it since its launch in 2007 and exited in May.
Kapoor founded and was the editor and creative director of Inprint magazine, and before that, fashion editor at Oyster Magazine. She currently resides in Sydney but will be moving to India in coming months.
More editors-in-chief are expected to exit the publisher as it streamlines its operations, putting its largest titles under global and regional leadership.


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In 2016, Iowa farmer Larry Angler cast his ballot for now-President Donald Trump. But now, according to Newsweek, Angler has promised to never vote for Trump again in the wake of Trump’s disastrous trade tensions with China.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Angler was asked if he supported Trump.
“I did! I’ll never vote for him again!” He responded confidently.
The Iowan told CNN that the trade dispute between the U.S. and China will cause his family to lose roughly $100,000 to $150,000. And Angler was not the only farmer that outraged.
“He’d better hurry up and start producing a little bit,” said farmer Greg Beaman. “Because this negotiation I’m seeing so far has not panned out.”
Robert Ewoldt, also a farmer, said that he needed to take on a second job as a truck driver to keep his farm afloat. “This is survival at this point. I mean, for a lot of operations it is a survival thing,” he said. Ewoldt told CNN that he voted for Trump three years ago, but regrets his decision.
In response to trade tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports and more tariffs on the remaining roughly $300 billion of imports coming, China, a major consumer of American agricultural products, announced plans to levy tariffs on agricultural imports.
Trump promised farmers that he would subsidize their products with money raised from the tariffs, which are largely being paid for by American consumers in the form of price hikes.
“Out of the billions of dollars that we’re taking in [from tariffs], a small portion of that will be going to our farmers,” Trump said this week. “We’re going to take the highest year—the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers, which is about $15 billion—and do something reciprocal to our farmers.”


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Citizens reported that the Citizens Business Conditions Index (CBCI) fell slightly to a mark of 57.1 in Q3/21 from Q2/21’s reading of 57.4. Despite the decrease, Citizens said the third quarter’s reading reflects continued strength in the recovery since COVID-19 stunned the economy and markets in 2020. The CBCI has been in expansionary territory (greater than 50) for four straight quarters.
“Business activity is incredibly strong and confidence levels are quite high,” Tony Bedikian, head of global markets at Citizens, said. “We haven’t fully exited the pandemic yet, but at this stage, most parts of the economy have established some normalcy given the benefit of vaccines and the fiscal and monetary stimulus that continue to provide support towards full recovery. Many companies are doing well and would be doing even better if it weren’t for headwinds such as supply chain disruption and labor shortages.”
Nearly all of the underlying components in the CBCI demonstrated strength in the quarter. The Institute for Supply Management’s indexes for manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors were notably robust. Monthly readings for the two measures continued to trend in the 60s through the third quarter, which was well above the index averages from 2013 to 2019, another expansionary period. Such high readings are often seen in the first wave of a recovery, but it is unusual to see them persist at that level for such a protracted time, according to Citizens. The ISM indexes capture sentiment along with activity, and these high readings demonstrate the confidence throughout the economy, Citizens noted, while adding that other measures of business activity were incredibly high, including the proprietary activity data of Citizens’ commercial banking clients, which is an underlying component of the CBCI.
The same trends were evident in consumer spending, which has been supported by continued improvement in employment (another underlying component of the CBCI). Spending on clothing, health care and gasoline has fully recovered since the pandemic began, though spending on travel accommodations and dining out still hover slightly below normal, according to an analysis of card transactions from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The CBCI is derived from multiple underlying components, almost all of which improved during the third quarter:
- As noted, the ISM’s manufacturing and non-manufacturing indexes both rose for the quarter, helping to lift the CBCI.
- Initial jobless claims dropped, which is another positive sign.
- New-business applications, another underlying component of the CBCI, was the only metric to reflect lower momentum in the third quarter. However, according to Citizens, the pace of applications can be volatile from one period to the next and Q3/21 data fell within a normal range.
- With rallying commodity prices, the energy and basic materials sectors led performance in the proprietary data among Citizens’ commercial banking clients, followed by consumer goods and services companies. Financials, government and healthcare companies were the laggards but not by much, as performance trends were healthy across all sectors in Citizens’ dataset.
According to Citizens, despite ongoing challenges from the pandemic, the third quarter was a period of strong demand across most sectors of the economy. With the continued support of low interest rates and fiscal spending initiatives, most sectors seem to have established a healthy trajectory of growth. Concerns over higher inflation have increased, and the employment sector still has ground to cover to reach pre-COVID status. Still, business conditions have benefited as the pandemic eases and the recovery matures.
The CBCI draws from public information and proprietary corporate data to establish a view of business conditions across the United States. An index value greater than 50 indicates expansion and points to positive business activity for the next quarter.


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US: Johnson Controls sees substantial revenue rise
Johnson Controls chief executive Steve Roell has told a US conference the battery, interiors and building controls specialist expects its auto revenues would grow "substantially" over the next five years as markets recover and developing markets expand, and as the company gains market share.
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China’s fastest growing automaker, GAC Motor, has been ranked seventh on the newly released 2017 J.D. Power China Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) in the mass market category, the highest place received by a Chinese auto brand.
The ASEAN Market of some 600 Million consumers in recent years has grown in importance, yet many Australian companies are yet to venture into let alone take advantage of this […]
1stin South East Asia and nominated as Most Valued Extended Stay Suites by The Malaysian Property Press Awards 2018
By Property360Digest – Gunaprasath Bupalan
Hyatt group’s extended stay establishment sits […]
It’s been […]
By Gunaprasath Bupalan
Ninety nine percent of us would have probably stayed in a hotel some time in our lives. Some of us may have taken back good memories from these stays while some may have horror stories to share. Which ever group you fall in, there is something new that […]


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Apple Moves Forward With Plans for New Paris Flagship Retail store As It secures Building Permit
Nearly a year ago, it was reported that Apple was planning a new flagship retail location in Paris on Champs-Élysées. Now, French news site Mac4Ever has uncovered Apple’s building permit for the location, further confirming the company’s plans to open the store...
The permit, dated December 20th, 2016, doesn’t offer additional details for the Champs-Élysées location, but it does confirm that Apple is moving forward with its plans.
Last year, it was reported that Apple had secured a lease for a 20,341-square-feet seven story building at 114 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, using the lower levels as retail and space and the upper levels for office space. The company reportedly signed a 12-year lease for the space at 12 million euros per year.
The location is expected to be designed by Norman Foster of the architectural form Foster and Partners, who is also responsible for Apple’s Campus 2 that should open this year.
Despite having secured a building permit, designer, and lease, the Champs-Élysées Apple Store isn’t expected to open until 2018 or 2019, according to last year’s report. Rumors of Apple opening a new Paris location have been circulating since 2013, but with singing of a lease, it looks like the rumors are now coming to fruition.
Apple’s Champs-Élysées location will mark its 20th location in France and will surely be one of the more iconic locations around the world.
- Apple Removes iCloud Activation Lock Status Tool From Website macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 Beta 4 Now Available Rumor: Apple Blocks Activation on iOS 9.0-9.3.5 Firmware Apple Releases macOS Catalina With Find My, Screen Time, and No More iTunes Apple Still Signing iOS 11.3 Beta 5/6, Downgrade to It to Jailbreak Your iPhone iOS 10.3 Jailbreak / iOS 10.3.1 Jailbreak How to Download Apple’s Official iOS IPSW with One Simple Step? Apple Acquires German Eye Tracking Firm SensoMotoric Instruments


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As Americans hunker down at home, many will have to venture out at some point to stock up on food. So how can you protect yourself while shopping and after you get home?
If you live in a place where you can have your groceries delivered, that's a great option because it keeps you away from other people in the store who could be carrying COVID-19. However, plan ahead because many delivery services are slammed, and of course, not everyone has that ability.
So, if, or more likely, when you venture out to the store James Rogers with Consumer Reports suggests going early.
"We also say bring your own disinfectant wipes," Rogers said.
- Sanitize the handle of your cart before taking off down any aisles.
- Stay six feet away from other shoppers, even if it means waiting a few seconds longer to grab your pack of toilet paper.
- Avoid touching your face while you shop.
- Experts say there's no need to wear a mask unless you're sick or caring for someone who's sick.
If you decide to wear gloves be sure to take them off without contaminating yourself, then wash your hands for good measure.
FOR CBN NEWS CONTINUING COVERAGE ON COVID-19, CLICK HERE.
And what about bags?
There's growing concern reusable bags contribute to the spread of COVID-19. Several states have already banned them in an effort to stop the virus.
However, there is some good news about the items you're placing in your cart.
"Right now we don't have any clear data that it's living on packages for a prolonged period of time," says Dr. Simone Wildes, an infectious disease specialist.
There's no evidence yet that coronavirus can be transmitted via food. So once you get your groceries home experts recommend washing your fruits and vegetables as you normally would under warm water. You can also use white vinegar or lemon juice. Items with firm rinds like melons or skins like potatoes can be scrubbed with a brush.
Glass or canned goods can be rinsed under warm water.
Once you put your groceries away throw away your bags and clean your countertops with an antimicrobial disinfectant.
And remember, the greatest risk while grocery shopping is exposure to people who may have the virus which is why social distancing remains so important.


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In an average of more than five million vulnerability attempts per day, cyber attackers tried to compromise Costa Rican public and private computer systems at least two billion times in 2022, according to the specialized firm Fortinet.
Despite this, our country is not on the podium of this study, which ranks Mexico as the most attacked country in Latin America, followed by Brazil and Colombia.
Regionally, attempts to damage servers and endpoints totaled more than 360 billion last year.
Among the most damaging techniques used by cybercriminals, is wiper malware, a class of malware intended to erase (wipe, hence the name) the hard drive of the computer it infects, which increased by more than 50%, while cybercriminal supply chains became more complex and sophisticated to counter defenses, the report added.
2023 Caribbean travel and tourism outlook is favorable
Despite global pressures such as high inflation, the war in Ukraine, the ensuing energy crisis, and an impending economic recession, the outlook for Caribbean travel and tourism is favorable, according to the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).
Delivering the region’s 2022 “Tourism Performance and Outlook Report” in Bridgetown today, Neil Walters, Acting Secretary General of the CTO, confirmed that […]
The largest tourism fair in the DR will be held from April 26 to 28
DATE is the country and the Caribbean’s most important tourism promotion fair for Dominican products. According to Andrés Marranzini, executive vice president of Asonahores, DATE is the stage where the industry’s main source markets meet the hotel sector and the local complementary offer. He stated that the event focuses on promoting Dominican tourism products in order to increase the flow of tourists […]
Point of View: Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival celebrates the world’s best tasting coffee this spring
Coffee lovers worldwide unite and honor one of the world’s most sought-after coffee beans at the 6th annual Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival. This year the festival marketplace takes place on Saturday 25th March in its usual home, the historic Newcastle Parade Grounds in St. Andrew, Jamaica.
Regarded as one of the best coffees in the world, Blue Mountain Coffee is grown […]
Urgently reduce global warming
World leaders need to listen to and act on solid scientific guidance to urgently reduce global warming, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video message at the opening of the new session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on Monday.
Underlining the “urgent need to end global heating with cold, hard facts”, he said the panel’s forthcoming report ahead […]


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The Holland Township board approved an application for a new microbrewer and small wine maker manufactuer license at their Thursday, Feb. 18, meeting.
The new microbrewery, Brewery 4 Two 4, is aimed to be an “every man’s brewery with a local neighborhood feel” said applicant David Miller.
“The 4 Two 4 comes from the last three digits of the zip code,” said Miller, who has lived in Holland Township for eight years. “We want a small, local spot for the north side, with some TVs for people who just want to do something like watch a Tigers game, hangout and have a beer. We’re going for almost more of a coffeehouse feel than a bar.”
The brewery will be located at 321 Douglas Ave., Suite 120. There would be seating for about 50. There is no room for a kitchen, but people will be allowed to bring food in.
Miller said the goal is to sell everything in-house, and independent distribution would be done if there are leftovers. Miller plans to produce fewer than 1,000 barrels a year.
“I’ll be the brewer and general manager, and hopefully I’ll be able to hire a couple of other brewers and we’ll grow from there,” Miller said.
There isn’t a firm opening date for 4 Two 4 yet, as local government approval is only one step in the license approval process. Miller said right now they’re aiming for opening in July.
— Follow this reporter on Twitter @SentinelErin.


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Target is opening a small-scale store on Hillsborough Street near NC State’s campus, October 2017. They are taking over 2512 Hillsborough Street where The Alley, an old-school bowling alley, is currently located.
The 23,000-square-foot store is much smaller than the average – 130,000 square feet and 175,000 square feet for Super Targets.
The “flexible-format” Target in Raleigh will feature groceries, meal solutions, convenience items, dorm and apartment essentials, clothing, electronics, and a CVS pharmacy.
Target’s senior vice president, Mark Schindele, mentioned how growth on college campuses and urban markets is a priority.
We’re thrilled to open our first flexible-format store in Raleigh and to join the Wolfpack community” – Mark Schindele


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Cybersecurity and threat news for Europe, the Middle East & Africa
These search results are from across the Techday network of sites
Personalisation more important than privacy for Gen Z
Gen Z doesn’t just use the internet to connect them, entertain them, sell to them, and build their digital brand, they expect it to.
06 Feb 2019
Adobe: Gen Z don’t feel prepared for a tech-driven workforce
93% of students and 78% of teachers agree that Gen Z would be better prepared for the future if they had a good understanding of technology.
22 Nov 2017
CommScope helps data centers become Gen Z YouTube ready
Video is king and data centers have little choice but to prepare for higher speeds and increased stress on their networks.
07 Nov 2017


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Thursday, November 15, 2007
GENEVA - An 84.37-carat white diamond touted by Sotheby's for its size and beauty sold at auction Wednesday to Guess clothing company founder Georges Marciano for just under $16.2 million.
The jewel — the largest top-quality, brilliant-cut white diamond ever to appear at auction — had been valued by Sotheby's at between $13.3 million and $17.8 million.
Marciano's winning bid, made by telephone, came to $16,189,769 including the buyer's premium. It was just short of the all-time auction record for a stone or piece of jewelry, a record held by the same Sotheby's branch in Geneva for a 100.1-carat diamond that fetched $16.5 million in 1995.
"We had interest from all over the world," said David Bennett, the auction house's chairman of jewelry for Europe and the Middle East. "This sale said a lot about the jewelry market internationally, especially the diamond market. It says great things about jewels."
The diamond has received the highest possible grading, Sotheby's said. It is D-color, or finest white, has flawless clarity, and its cut, polish and symmetry have all been graded excellent, it said.
Ron Cohen, the owner of the Los Angeles-based Clean Diamonds, was the seller of the gem. Cohen said he purchased it from Angola's national diamond company two years ago, and knew immediately he had found something special.
"The size and especially the quality of the rough material was extraordinary," he told The Associated Press by telephone. "I only hope I will one day come across another stone like that one."
The New York-based company is hoping the "Magnificent Jewels" sale at Geneva's historic Beau Rivage hotel will help it bounce back from the disheartening results of its Impressionist and Modern Art auction, which sent its stock tumbling.
The sale last week fetched $269.7 million, well short of estimates, and led some analysts to speculate whether the flight from risk currently gripping financial markets may be spilling over into the art world.
The company announced that it lost $14.6 million by purchasing paintings that failed to sell.
The white diamond already has been showcased in Hong Kong, Paris, New York, Rome, Los Angeles, London, Dubai and Bahrain. The auction Wednesday also featured other diamonds, colored stones and gems from the world's leading jewelers.


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Building links within the design community will top Professor Christopher Frayling’s agenda when he becomes Design Council chairman in April. But he has yet to reveal what form any initiative will take.
The Royal College of Art rector is also keen to boost public awareness of design, citing Channel 4’s Seymour Powell series Designs on your…, made with support from the Design Council, as a model.
Frayling plans to create an “afterlife” for Millennium Products after the Millennium Dome exposition and travelling shows end. “The Design Council’s role is to tease out what can be developed [as a resource],” he says.
Industry will be targeted via partnerships with bodies such as the Confederation of British Industry, while Frayling is keen to explore the design implications of e-commerce. On Government and design, he will “continue to spread the message”, and aim to raise the profile of design and technology in the National Curriculum for schools.
The honorary appointment was made by Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers. Frayling commences three years as chairman on 1 April, succeeding John Sorrell, who has done the job since January 1994. Frayling will remain at the RCA, but is resigning many honorary posts, including his seat on the Arts Council.
Sorrell says of Frayling: “He has real talent and vision and is just the right person to build on the considerable successes the Design Council has achieved.”
Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers has appointed four new Design Council members. They are Elmwood chairman Jonathan Sands; Deepend chief executive Gary Lockton; kitchen manufacturer Stoves’ chief executive John Crathorne; and retailer Thomas Goode chairman Rumi Verjee.


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This 8-minute video will make you think twice before buying bottled water.
When someone asks if you want bottled or tap water, which do you choose?
It seems like an innocuous decision — just a matter of preference. But there's actually a lot riding on that choice, according to " The Story of Bottled Water," an eight-minute video that's drawn millions of views since it was posted in 2010.
A 2008 Nestlé advertisement in Canada infamously read, "Bottled water is the most environmentally responsible consumer product in the world."
The bold claim by the world's largest bottled water company drew the ire of environmentalists across Canada. Nestlé never proved the claim, but they sent it to print, so it must have been true, right?
Well, as "The Story of Bottled Water" notes, the energy in the oil it takes to make the plastic water bottles sold every year in the U.S. could fuel a million cars.
The Pacific Institute, a water policy think tank, estimated that in 2006, bottled water production required 17 million barrels of oil and sent 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to record high global temperatures.
Since when was it "environmentally responsible" to burn huge volumes of fossil fuels?
But bottled water companies don't stop burning fossil fuels with production. There's also the fuel involved in shipping.
Michael Warhurst, who campaigned against bottled water with Friends of the Earth, a nonprofit conservation group, says bottled water transportation makes an already bad situation worse:
"It is another product we do not need. Bottled water companies are wasting resources and exacerbating climate change. Transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions, and transporting water adds to that."
It's tough to know exactly how much fuel is used for shipping bottled water, but with the industry showing consistent growth, it's safe to bet its fuel needs are, too.
Bottled water also takes a toll on the global climate long after it quenches our thirst.
Up to 80% of empty water bottles end up in landfills, where waste decomposes over time, releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. According to the EPA, landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions in the U.S.
Discarded plastic bottles that don't meet land or sea are sometimes burned in incinerators that release more heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.
Bottom line: Nestlé was wrong.
There's no known statement on whether Nestlé woke up to the fallacy of their claims, but it is clear bottled water is far from "the most environmentally responsible consumer product in the world." And we'd all be doing the Earth a favor by avoiding it like a planet-warming plague.
NOTE: Though we reached out to Nestlé Waters North America to see if the company's perspective has shifted on the environmental impacts of bottled water, they declined to comment.
Watch "The Story of Bottled Water" to learn more:
The Story of Bottled Water
Want to be a part of the solution? Here are a few ways to get involved:
- Don't buy bottled water. Get a reusable water bottle. The savings will add up.
- Rally your schools, workplaces, and communities to ban bottled water and other bottled beverages.
- Demand that your city, state, and federal governments invest in better water and recycling infrastructure — especially when it comes to how it interacts with fossil fuels.
- Sign this petition by the Natural Resources Defense Council to tell our world leaders to act now on climate change.
"Thank you in advance!" — Earth


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ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — E-commerce makes up 5 percent of Unilever’s $10 billion in sales in North America, which includes the company’s food, beverage and personal care brands. While personal care is more advanced in the category, management is refining a strategy to capitalize on the opportunity in food and beverage. During the company’s investor day, held Nov. 14, executives outlined the opportunity and their strategy for growing the business.
Fragmentation across digital business models is challenging consumer packaged goods companies (CPG), whether it is click-and-collect, ship-to-home or last-mile delivery. Each business model has its own attributes and creating a seamless environment that serves each is the goal of CPG companies.
“Each of these (models) is a strong signal about the way the marketplace is evolving, and it provides an opportunity for our brands to reach consumers,” said Ajay Salpekar, vice president of digital and e-commerce for Unilever, during the Nov. 14 presentation. “And then if you're a consumer, you can imagine that with every one of these launches and maturations of these formats, it drives further consumer adoption, which is something that's very key to our brands. And so that brings us to the consumer angle of this.”
Despite the differences in models, there are some commonalities. The first is most search and discovery is digitally oriented, whether it’s using Google, retailer web sites or mobile apps, according to Unilever.
“The second trend is the need for convenience is being expressed through consumer search activity,” Salpekar said. “So, the number of searches for same-day shipping has doubled in the last two years. And you can imagine what this means to consumers because that drives the decision on which format you adopt and which brands you go for.”
The sweet spot for Unilever is a consumer who shops in both online and brick-and-mortar formats, according to Salpekar.
“Shoppers who are engaged through multiple channels spend more, but also spend more frequently,” he said. “And it isn't by a factor of 5 percent or 10 percent or 15 percent; it could be a factor of 2x. And that also applies to our brands.
“So, when you put all this together, the role for our brands becomes very clear, which is that the way we win in e-commerce is not just for our brands to be there at every stage of the journey, but actually to use the equity of our brands to drive adoption of these formats.”
Using Unilever’s Knorr, Hellmann’s and Best Foods brands as examples, Salpekar said the products’ brand equity may be used to “bring meals together” in a click-and-collect format.
Unilever estimates that in five years the markets where it competes in the US will grow by $10 billion and over 60 percent of the sales will come from e-commerce, including click-and-collect, ship-to-home or last-mile delivery models.
The company’s personal care brands have made the most significant inroads into e-commerce, but digital models are becoming sophisticated enough to open doors for Unilever’s ice cream, mayonnaise and condiments brands. One such initiative is the company’s Ice Cream Now effort, which offers consumers delivery of the company’s ice cream brands.
“What immediate delivery of ice cream allows us to tap into is a whole new purchase occasion that may not be in the home,” Salpekar said. “It may be at an event, it may be at a party, and that's an additional usage occasion that we're interested in.”
In October, Baristas Coffee Co. Inc., Kenmore, Washington, partnered with Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brand to develop a network to deliver Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Baristas Coffee products to homes and businesses. The program is scheduled to roll out this month on Seattle.


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Search Ads on Google Play can provide consumers new ways to discover apps that they otherwise might have missed and help developers drive more awareness of their apps
BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | July 31, 2015
People turn to their mobile phones several times in a day for accessing information or making purchases through mobile. And in these intent-rich moments, they often turn to apps to get what they need. Search is one of the biggest drivers of app installs in the Play Store.
Keeping this in mind Google is investing in new ways to help people discover apps with Search Ads on Google Play and innovating on new technologies to simplify campaign management and improve measurement for developers.
Search Ads on Google Play
Search Ads on Google Play has begun rolling out to all advertisers and developers who use Search app install campaigns on AdWords.
Google Play reaches more than 1 billion people on Android devices in more than 190 countries. With such an extensive reach, Search Ads on Google Play can provide consumers new ways to discover apps that they otherwise might have missed and help developers drive more awareness of their apps.
Companies like Booking.com and Nordeus are already extending their app promotion strategy to include showing ads on the Play Store.
According to Tomislav Mihajlovi?, CMO, Nordeus, âSearch has already been a key component of our app promotion strategy to reach high-quality users. With new Search Ads on Google Play, we have an even bigger opportunity to connect with people in the moments theyâre looking for new apps to download. We are already seeing significantly more app installs from Search with the addition of Google Play inventory for our game Top Eleven.â
Improved conversion tracking for Android
Surojit Chatterjee, Director, Product Management, Mobile Search Ads, Google, said, âAs we expand the opportunities for developers to promote their apps, weâre also committed to providing conversion tracking tools that work seamlessly across channels and align with whichever measurement solution a developer chooses to use. Thatâs why weâre introducing Android first app opens, a new conversion tracking solution that measures when a user first opens an app after clicking on an ad and completing an Android app install.â
In addition to providing app conversion tracking across Search, Display and YouTube, this new solution also allows developers to better align the conversion volume they see in AdWords with the data they see in a third-party measurement solution. First app opens are the standard conversion type for third-party solutions, so Google is working with key partners like Tune, AppsFlyer, Kochava, Adjust and Apsalar to ensure data consistency and give developers the freedom to use reporting and optimization features across AdWords and third-party solutions of their choice.
In a few weeks, Universal App Campaigns will make it even easier to promote apps on Google Play and across all Google properties, including Search, YouTube, the AdMob in-app network, and the 2M+ sites on the Google Display Network.
Chatterjee added, âAs the apps ecosystem continues to grow, weâre dedicated to creating products that help developers get their apps to the users who will love them. From adding search ads to Google Play, to improving Android conversion tracking and simplifying campaign management with Universal App Campaigns, we hope these new tools will bring even more success to our app developer community.â