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That was the story for the year ended Oct. 31, 2010, too. According to data from SymphonyIRIGroup, a Chicago-based market research firm, AP/deo sales rose 2.74% to $1.27 billion in food, drug and mass merchandisers, but that total does not include sales at Walmart, club stores or gas/c-stores.
Thanks to the irreverent TV and internet spots featuring former NFL wide receiver Isaiah Mustafa, Old Spice High Endurance is the best-selling AP/deo in the U.S., with sales of $67.8 million. During the year, High Endurance’s sales rose nearly 4% to top Secret, another P&G brand, which had sales of $66.6 million, a gain of 1.82%.
The popularity of Old Spice began to grow in February 2010, when Mustafa became the brand’s pitchman with monologues such as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” and other humorous monologues. Thanks to YouTube, Mustafa’s career grew after a series of humorous Old Spice videos that were based on questions the public asked him on websites such as Reddit, Facebook and Twitter. Altogether there are nearly 40 varieties of Old Spice antiperspirants, not to mention 14 Old Spice High Endurance deodorants.
Following Secret, another P&G brand, here’s a look at the other leading AP/deos in the U.S.
Degree Men$60.5 million Secret Clinical Strength$55.4 million Old Spice Red Zone$52.7 million Axe Dry$47.9 million Mennen Speed Stick$46.0 million Secret Scent Expressions$38.2 million Ban$37.2 million Dove$34.4 million Right Guard Sport 3D$33.5 million Suave$28.6 million Degree Women$28.3 million Gillette$28.1 million Secret Flawless$22.7 million Axe Fresh$18.4 million Lady Speed Stick Invisible Dry$18.3 million Sure$17.0 million Secret Flawless Clear$16.4 million Arrid Extra Extra Dry$16.1 million
All of these brands cracked the Top 20, but some performed much better than others, according to SymphonyIRI. For example, sales of Degree Men rose more than 16%,Secret Clinical Strength increased 11% and Suave’s sales improved more than 10%. However, those gains pale in comparison to Secret Scent Expression (+61.85%), Right Guard Sport 3D (+89.78%), Gillette (+113.74) and Secret Flawless Clear (+66.98%). Even Axe, a brand whose popularity has slipped in recent years, posted a nearly 30% gain in sales.
At the other end of the spectrum are poor-performing brands such as Old Spice Red Zone (-10.67%), Dove (-11.32%), Secret Flawless (-10.50%), Lady Speed Stick Invisible Dry (-14.22%), Sure (-35.36%) and Arrid Extra Extra Dry (-10.73%).
Overall, unit sales in the AP/deo segment rose 1.7% to nearly 379 million units. The average price per unit was $3.35, an increase of $0.03, according to SymphonyIRI—which just goes to show you that cash-strapped consumers are still willing to pay more for some HBA products.
Last month, Swanson Health Products, which has offered discounted vitamins, supplements, healthy foods and homeopathic remedies for more than 40 years, added Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal to its site, including fragrance-free and fragranced roll-ons, spray mists, foot sprays and solid crystals.
“Swanson Health Products is all about bringing wellness to the world andreaching millions of health-conscious people through its online retail portal,” said Ted Alflen, chief executive officer and founder of Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal. “Like them, our brand has strived for decades to bring health, wellness and a natural alternative to customers across the globe, and we are pleased to have our products showcased on this esteemed retailers’ site.”
Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal’s all-natural ingredients provide 24-hour, non-staining hypoallergenic protection. It even feels like luxurious skin lotion—with a non-greasy, non-sticky formula.
Nearly a year ago, Colgate-Palmolive launched Speed Stick Stainguard and Lady Speed Stick Stainguard with Stain Defense technology, billed as a breakthrough line of antiperspirant deodorants formulated to help fight yellow stains and residue on clothes, while providing the 24 hour odor and wetness protection.
"In a recent study, consumers said that yellow armpit stains continue to be an issue for them” said Philip Durocher, general manager, U.S. personal care, Colgate-Palmolive.
According to Durocher, Stainguard line is “specifically formulated to help with the yellow armpit staining issue that men and women face, and provides a unique way to address one of the largest unmet consumer needs in the category.
As part of the launch, Speed Stick partnered with apparel company Hanes in which special packs of Hanes underwear T-shirts included a free trial of Speed Stick Stainguard.
"Many factors impact yellow staining, including the combination of sweat and antiperspirant ingredients that can create yellow stains. Stain Defense technology keeps more of the antiperspirant on your skin, helping to fight the appearance of yellow stains and white residue, noted Marie Johansson, personal care product development, global research and development, Colgate-Palmolive.
This year, Unilever is rolling out new and improved Suave formulas, with new products and a new look. The complete range is said to provide 24-hour effective odor and wetness protection and now the Suave 24-Hour Protection Invisible Sold line has a new formula that provides even stronger protection, according to the company.
In March, Suave will add new variants to 24-Hour Protection Invisible Solid in Cocoa Butter and Clinical Protection PROsolid in Wild Cherry Blossom.
And for the Kids…
As kids mature, they develop body odor—and they become less interested in taking their parents advice on matters ranging from friendships to hygiene. But until they hit those terrible teens, parents have great influence—and usually do the personal care shopping. That’s a point not lost at Unilever. To reach influential AP/deo customers—moms of tweens (8-12 years old)—Dove deodorant last Fall-Winter teamed up with author Rosalind Wiseman on her nationwide Girl World Tour. The tour brought together daughters and their moms for an evening of bonding with interactive discussions about confidence, friendships, sweat-inducing moments and common mother-daughter challenges.
During the two-hour workshops, Wiseman offered practical advice and tools to help set the foundation for open communication that is especially important as the daughters move from their tween to teen years and begin to face even more challenges and issues that could put a child's confidence at risk. While the topics were serious, she often used humor to help keep a low-key atmosphere. For example, at one sold-out stop in Ridgewood, NJ, girls had a great time when Wiseman asked moms to remain silent for one minute while their daughters showed them what they looked like when they were “freaking out.”
During the discussion in Ridgewood, Wiseman also took time out to thank the her sponsor. “Thanks to Dove and Unilever; they totally get it,” she said.
In connection with the Girl World Tour, Dove and Wiseman also created a special website—DontFretTheSweat.com, which offers expert tips, tools, money-saving offers and real-life stories about how parents are communicating and transitioning their tweens into confident and self-reliant young adults. Plus, there’s plenty of advice on the site to help parents find the right deodorant for their children (boys and girls), from Dove’s go fresh line of AP/deos and sprays to Degree Girl, which comes in three varieties Friends Forever, Just Dance and Love.
The Girl World Tour was expected to reach more than 4,500 mother-daughter pairs. Tickets were approximately $40, which included Rosalind's books "Queen Bees & Wannabes" and her new tween novel "Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials," as well as a gift bag from Dove deodorant and Unilever's Don't Fret the Sweat campaign—all of which helped reinforce the brand's sponsorship of the tour, which wrapped on Dec. 7 in Miami.


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While the GQ article is titled "Worst Dressed Men of Silicon Valley," some of these guys aren't actually IN Silicon Valley, however, tech guys they are and tech guys are notorious for dressing badly.
The men's fashion magazine has put together a list of the top 15 worst dressed men in tech.
15. Chriss Sacca - Founder and Principal of Lowercase Capital
14. Craig Newmark - Founder of Craigslist
13. Ron Conway - Early investor in Google, paypal, Facebook and Digg
12. Peter Chou - Co-Founder and CEO of HTC.
11. Blake Krikorian - Co-Founder and former CEO of Sling Media.
10. Ben Huh - CEO of iCanHazCheezburger
9. Howard Stringer - Chairman, President and CEO of Sony Corp.
8. Seth Priebatsch - Founder and CEO of smartphone app SCVNGR
7. Tom Anderson - Co-Founder of MySpace
6. Reid Hoffman - Co-Founder and Chairman of LinkedIn, investor in Digg, Flickr
5. Dennis Crowley - Co-Founder and CEO of Foursquare, Co-Founder of Dodgeball.
4. Shantanu Narayen - President and CEO of Adobe Systems, Inc
3. Bill Gates - Co-Founder and CEO of Microsoft
2. Steve Jobs - Co-Founder and CEO of Apple Inc.
and topping off the list of worst dressed men in tech:
1. Mark Zuckerberg - Co-Founder, President and CEO of Facebook.
Check out their bad wardrobe choices in the GQ slideshow here.

domain: news


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Korkers relaunches brand
- Erik Siemers
(Page 2 of 3)
Throughout most of the brand’s early years, Korkers’ products served more as accessories than footwear — a sort-of rudimentary sandle with spiked soles that strapped on boots.
It wasn’t until the last decade that the company began tinkering with the concept of adaptable traction.
Earlier versions of the concept featured an interchangeable sole that was strapped to a loop at the back of the shoe. A more recent iteration required a special tool to swap-out soles.
The technology has gained acceptance.
Korkers revenue this year will grow from $1.9 million to $2.4 million, with 80 percent of sales coming from the 250 specialty fly fishing retailers that carry the brand.
Now Korkers, under Director of Product Creation Matt Martin, has refined the technology even further with an eye on reaching a broader market.
Branded “OmniTrax,” the latest adaptable traction upgrade allows the wearer for the first time to swap out soles without taking off the boots.
Instead, the soles slide into a groove and snap into place. A strap on the end of each interchangeable sole attaches to the back of the boot for additional support.
The first products using the new technology are expected to hit specialty shops this month.
But the big change for the company will come with its assault on the larger outdoor footwear market.
Metaphorically-speaking, Korkers is moving from a pond to an ocean.
U.S. sales for all fly fishing gear reached just $658 million in 2007, the most recent data available, said Randi Swisher, president of the Denver-based American Fly Fishing Trade Association.
And it’s not a figure that appears to be growing.
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Pictures of what appears to be the Bruins’ new alternate jersey leak
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Thanks to the Internet and a pair of images leaked over the weekend, it appears that we have our first real look at the new third jersey the Boston Bruins will wear for the 2019-20 season.
Looks like the #NHLBruins new third jersey is the latest to leak, featuring elements from last season’s #WinterClassic sweater. #NHL #JerseyWatch— Icethetics (@icethetics) August 3, 2019
BLOG: https://t.co/DyTBZCKrNZ pic.twitter.com/rw3bVdEo9M
At first glance, the jersey appeared to be a cross between last year’s 2019 Winter Classic jersey worn at Notre Dame Stadium with the big block-styled ‘B’ and the color scheme of the sweater the Bruins donned for the 2016 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium (one of the worst games ever, but that’s for another day). But it would actually be a direct callback to the sweater worn by the Bruins from 1948 through 1955, before the team switched the iconic Spoked-B logo.
Overall, it’s hard to have any particular feelings towards this alleged leaked jersey.
It’s fine, but there’s really nothing all that unique or inventive about it. I’d argue that the Bruins would have been better off just sticking with the 2019 Winter Classic jersey, which honestly looked stupidly, ridiculously awesome opposite the Canadiens’ red sweaters during a 2019 matchup at TD Garden.
I also have to admit that I’d love to at some point see the Bruins go back to a gold jersey similar to the one worn by the Bruins during Bobby Orr’s rookie season. It’s a sweater that could honestly be worn at home or on the road, too, given the opponent’s color scheme, which would make it an interesting third jersey option.
Though the Bruins busted out the 2019 Winter Classic jersey away from South Bend last season, the Bruins did not have a designated third jersey in 2018-19, and last had a designated third jersey when they dubbed the aforementioned 2016 Winter Classic sweater as their alternate in 2016-17. Before that, the Bruins had a ‘blackout’ style third jersey from 2008 through 2016, which featured the team’s secondary logo (featured on the shoulders of their jerseys) front and center.


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Miss-K has been praised by fans after she switched her hair colour.
After almost two decades of being a blonde head, now Miss-K has unveiled her brand new hair do.
The Multi-Award Winner Artist & Fashion Brand Ambassador, former MTN billboard Model,who was also voted 1 out of 100 "Most Influential Women in the world" last year by W.A.W last year, has totally turned up the glam.
Deciding to go red with her complete curly locks.
Having been in hiding ever since New Year, Miss-K chose to take onto this transformation, bringing sexy back, ever since she re-appeared on Valentine.
Taking to Instagram,she explained why she decided to take the plunge: "I wanted to try the "Red", just for a change".
And fans have been quick to praise Miss-K’s new do, as one wrote: “This transformation is stunning.”
“Keep Rocking!,” said another, while a third added: “WOW you looks AAAAmazing! ”
And a fourth commented: “So Sassy!” (See pics below)
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Apple CEO Steve Jobs told former Chief Financial Officer Fred Anderson to backdate stock options, according to a statement issued Tuesday by Anderson’s attorney.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
reached a settlement with Anderson in the stock-options case, the SEC said Tuesday and soon after it officially announced that deal, the former Apple executive’s lawyer issued the statement on his behalf. The SEC also charged former Apple general counsel Nancy Heinen with fraudulently backdating options.
An internal Apple audit found that Jobs was aware of the backdating, but that he did not financially gain from it and did nothing wrong.
Anderson was told by Jobs in late January 2001 that Jobs had an agreement with the board of directors to grant stock options on Jan. 2, according to the statement from Anderson’s attorney. Anderson “cautioned” Jobs that the grant for executives would have to be priced based on the date of the board agreement “or there could be an accounting charge,” and also told Jobs the board would have to confirm it had given prior approval for the grant dates “in a legally satisfactory method.”
Jobs assured him that the board had given approval and Anderson “relied on these statements by Mr. Jobs and from them concluded the grant was being properly handled,” the statement said.
Anderson understood that according to Apple’s stock option plan and accounting rules, the grant date could be moved to a later date and there wouldn’t be any related compensation expense so long as the stock price was higher than it had been on the original date. He understood that the date was moved from Jan. 2 to Jan. 17 “to avoid any appearance of impropriety that might arise from a grant awarded just prior to the stock price rise that resulted from the Macworld exhibition and Mr. Jobs’ keynote speech” given there on Jan. 9 in which he offered details of new products.


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Featured Stores News - Inside Retail Singapore
Australian retail design firm Public Design Group and retail consultancy Fitch have collaborated to create a “retail experience of the future” for Malaysian telco Maxis.
Skechers in Singapore has opened the brand’s largest experience store in Southeast Asia, at Jewel Changi airport.
The new Lush Tokyo store opened on Saturday is its largest yet in Asia, a three-storey, 1240sqm flagship. Billed as “a global dest…
Italian menswear Stefano Ricci has opened a boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
Starbucks Singapore has opened its largest store yet.
Kipling Singapore is opening two new concept stores this month – one at the new Jewel Changi shopping centre, the other at Ion Orchard.
Doc’s Barbershop has opened in Chengdu, a stunning retail space that also features a cocktail bar.
The new MCM Beverly Hills store on Rodeo Drive marks the German luxury brand’s first global flagship outside Europe.
Singapore’s first smart spa, Porcelain Origins, has opened at Paragon.
Singaporean jewellery retailer Goldheart has opened its first concept store at Plaza Singapura.
Hybrid showroom, restobar, retail space and gallery Siri House has opened in Singapore’s Dempsey Hill.
The third Singapore Don Don Donki store – the city’s largest yet – is now open for trading.


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CBD is one of over 60 compounds found in cannabis that belong to a class of ingredients called cannabinoids. Until recently, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) was getting most of the attention because it’s the ingredient in cannabis that produces mind-altering effects in users, but CBD is also present in high concentrations — and the medical world is realizing that its list of medical benefits continues to grow.
In 1937, federal prohibition of cannabis as we know it today began with the Marihuana Tax Act. Some believe that the anti-cannabis campaign was a joint effort by Andrew Mellon, William Randolph Hearst and Pierre Du Pont to protect their business interests in petrochemicals, paper, cotton and nylon, all of which faced serious competition from hemp alternatives. Others believe that the crusade against cannabis was fueled by racism and the desire to demonize Mexican immigrants. In either case, the plant should never have been outlawed.
With the changing political and regulatory climate related to cannabis, hemp businesses are on the cusp of exciting new opportunities to expand their business, and to get into the cannabis industry. Whether you’re a farmer, hemp processor or manufacturer or another key link in the industrial hemp supply chain, you can position your business for accelerated growth with membership in the NACB.
HempWorx is a member of the Hemp Industries Association, and they are a highly reputable, transparent company. Their antimicrobial and gas chromatography tests plus current CoAs are readily available on their website. These positive brand features along with HempWorx’s high-grade, highly-reviewed, and affordable products have caught the attention of RevOffers.
In the USA the legal definition of “commercial hemp,” per Section 7606 of the Agricultural Appropriations Act of 2014, is “INDUSTRIAL HEMP– The term “industrial hemp” indicates the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of such plant, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”
It was a lung-busting 2017 for the North American cannabis industry, with marijuana executives stateside holding their collective breath wondering whether the new Trump administration would crack down on legal MJ businesses. Amid the uncertainty, Nevada’s new recreational marijuana industry opened in July with skyrocketing sales, while government officials and regulators in California and Canada […]
In my opinion Hempworx is not a scam. I have been using their 750 CBD oil for 5 months now and it is awesome. I have had bad knees for 10 years and had my right knee replaced 2 years ago. My left knee is not far behind, but with taking Hempworx CBD oil my daily pain is much more tolerable. I will also mention although I am not supposed to make income statements so I will keep it vague. I am making an income with Hempworx, Direct deposit to my acct every week.
And now that the updated U.S. Farm Bill has been passed which more or less legalizes hemp, we can expect to start seeing more and more very high quality CBD oils hit the American market in the coming years. HempWorx has been around for awhile, and they’re simply doing what they can from a business perspective in order to gain a foothold in the industry. In our mind, this should not take away at all from the quality of their products.


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There's no doubt that Black Friday is by far the more popular shopping day, but don't count out Cyber Monday as a fantastic opportunity to score deals that you perhaps missed out on. Black Friday hours will vary by location.
The Thanksgiving weekend will play a big part in the tradition. There's one big benefit to Best Buy's offerings, though: According to its Black Friday ad, many of these deals will be available both in stores and online on Thanksgiving day. The promotional prices then will return online again on Thanksgiving Day and in stores, which will open at 5 p.m. on the holiday. We've told you about each and every notable announcement ahead of Black Friday, and you'll be totally prepared for the onslaught of deals if you follow along with our Black Friday 2017 coverage.
However, store openings are optional on Thanksgiving - so some retailers may not be open. "There's also the RCA 37" Sound Bar with bluetooth which costs for only $29, was $48.
Deals mirror those in the Thanksgiving ad, including $125 off Apple iPad Mini 4; $99 Samsung Chromebooks; $150 off an LG 43-inch LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV for $279.99; $170 off a Dell 15.6-inch touch screen laptop for $359.99 and $220 savings on Beats Studio2 wireless headphones. It can also hold up to 66 lbs. Store maps will be available on the Walmart app beginning November 14, and will be available day-of in stores. It also controls your tv with your voice using Chromecast and Google Assistant.


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Gold jewellery, glass art ware and handicraft exporters will soon be able to claim credit for taxes paid on inputs, giving these crisis-hit sectors some relief and improve their competitiveness in overseas markets.
The government is considering expanding the scope of the existing tax refund scheme to include exports sectors that have been hit by demand slowdown in the developed markets. The finance ministry is soon likely to issue a notification in this regard. The government will also not lower the existing tax credit rates till the time these sectors show improvement, a government official.
A government panel set up to examine the drawback or tax credit rates has recommended that the existing rates continue despite a reduction in excise duties and service tax as a part of the stimulus measure earlier. Such reduction in excise duty and service tax rates, the benefit of which would be available to inputs used in production of export goods, would have in ordinary circumstances required a reduction in the drawback rates as well.
The government had reduced excise duties for most products as a part of the stimulus packages to stimulate the global slowdown-hit economy. It had reduced cenvat (median excise duty) and service tax by 2% in the interim budget announced in February 2009. Drawback is a reimbursement given to exporters in lieu of taxes paid by them on inputs. The expert panel was not in favour of changing the rates at this stage as exports sector is still recovering from demand slowdown in India’s key export destinations.
Besides, the sharp appreciation in the rupee vis-a-vis dollar is also expected to erode away Indian exporters’ competitiveness in these markets to an extent. The panel was chaired the by Planning Commission member Saumitra Chaudhuri and had has former textiles secretary S B Mohapatra and former joint secretary, finance ministry T R Rustagi as its members.
Export of gold jewellery had dipped 40% in October 2009 to $513 million as compared to $891 million in the corresponding month last year. While exports of handicrafts have started recovering in recent months thanks to the stimulus measures, the year-on-year growth still remains in the negative zone. “The panel has suggested a status-quo on rates with minor tinkering in value caps,” another government official privy to the panel’s recommendations said. Exports have been declining for the past thirteen months and the government expects export growth to turn positive only after January 2010.


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(Bloomberg) -- Google doled out more than $1 billion last year to U.S. mobile carriers to distribute its search engine, according to the landmark antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department.The DOJ suit, filed Tuesday, details several methods Google uses to make its search the default service on browsers, smartphones and other devices. That includes deals with Apple Inc. and Android manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics Co.Read the U.S. antitrust suit against Alphabet Inc.’s Google here.Google also cut hefty revenue sharing agreements with major mobile carriers to box out competing search engines and browsers, the Justice Department said. In exchange for placing Google search as the default on phones, carriers received a portion of search advertising revenue.“If a carrier or manufacturer does not renew its revenue sharing agreement with Google, the distributor loses out on revenue share not only for new mobile devices but also for the phones and tablets previously sold and in the hands of consumers,” the Justice Department said in the suit. “This provision is punitive to the carrier or manufacturer and helps to ensure that carriers and manufacturers will not stray from Google.”Last year, Google paid major U.S. carriers, collectively, more than $1 billion, the DOJ noted. A 2014 Google document in the lawsuit showed that Google paid $460 million for these deals, which are typically set for two to three years.The filing did not specify which carriers were involved in these deals, however the largest providers in the U.S. are Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile US Inc.Soon after the suit hit, Kent Walker, Google’s head of global affairs, rejected the complaint’s claims. “Our agreements with Apple and other device makers and carriers are no different from the agreements that many other companies have traditionally used to distribute software,” Walker wrote in a blog post.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- The Department of Justice filed its highly-anticipated antitrust case against Google Tuesday, focusing on payments Google makes to ensure its search engine is the default choice on millions of phones and computer internet browsers made by other companies.The payments are a little-known part of how Google does business. Cutting them off could disrupt a long-standing status quo that helps Google but also provides significant revenue to other companies.The biggest of those deals is with Apple Inc. Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. estimates Google pays around $8 billion a year to be the default search engine on the iPhone maker’s Safari mobile web browser. The lawsuit argues Google uses the massive cash reserves of parent company Alphabet Inc.-- some $121 billion -- to pay those giant fees, which would be out of reach for smaller competitors. Nearly 60% of all search queries happen in places where Google has a distribution agreement to be the default search engine, the DOJ said in its complaint.The agreements amount to a “web of exclusionary and interlocking agreements that shut out competitors,” Associate Deputy Attorney General Ryan Shores said on a conference call. “Google’s conduct is illegal under traditional antitrust principles and must be stopped.”Google immediately pushed back. “Today’s lawsuit by the Department of Justice is deeply flawed,” a spokeperson said in an e-mail. “People use Google because they choose to -- not because they’re forced to or because they can’t find alternatives.” Google will have a fuller statement later this morning, the spokesperson said.Google is willing to pay so much for the distribution deals because it’s confident it can make more money from the millions of queries consumers type into their browsers, iPhones and other devices. That’s because the company has packed the top of search results with advertising in recent years, increasing it’s ability to profit from users’ hunts for information.The distribution agreements also benefit the companies being paid to give Google’s search engine prominence. Even for Apple, $8 billion is a considerable revenue stream. Other big electronics makers like Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the world’s biggest mobile phone maker, benefit from them too. (Google and partners have not disclosed how much the company pays for these deals, but some details have occasionally leaked out through litigation or regulatory filings.)For some companies the payments can mean the difference between success or failure: Mozilla Firefox, one of the last remaining web browsers that competes with Google’s Chrome in the U.S. and Europe, relies on a distribution agreement with Google for search for much of its revenue.“The silver lining for Google, if those default search deals would eventually be ruled illegal by the courts, is that Google would no longer have to pay Apple a revenue share on search clicks that users would choose to make on Google,” said Colin Sebastian, an analyst with Baird. He estimates Google pays a total of $15 billion a year in payments on all of its distribution agreements.The case could take years to be resolved, and major changes would only be ordered by a court if Google’s activity is proven to be illegal, or if the company agreed to a settlement with the government instead.Google also gains a subtler, but potentially more potent benefit from these paid default deals. The company’s search engine gets better the more it’s used. When a query comes in, Google’s technology monitors what result people click on and how they behave after that. If a user clicks back to the list, that suggests they were unhappy with their initial result. The system logs this and adjusts future results, perhaps demoting that specific answer and raising up an alternative suggestion. This happens millions of times a day, helping to keep Google’s search engine ahead.Rivals, with less money to pay for big distribution deals, find it hard to keep up with a virtuous feedback loop that operates at such a large scale. But if the U.S. government prevents Google from paying to be the default provider in so many place, competitors may have more of a chance.In Europe, regulators have forced Google to give Android users a choice of which browser they want as their default. The rules, which require rivals to pay Google through auctions, haven’t made a major impact on market share yet. If people had to choose which search engine to use on all sorts of phones and browsers, some might switch to a competitor, but most would probably stick with Google, said Mark Shmulik, an analyst at Sanford Bernstein.That could result in a situation where the money saved from canceled distribution deals is greater than the loss of revenue from people picking other search engines, ultimately helping Google instead of curbing it.The biggest risk for Google is if regulators go further and devise rules that specifically give an advantage to smaller competitors like Microsoft Corp.’s Bing or DuckDuckGo over Google, Shmulik said.Europe’s latest remedy has been criticized for not giving consumers enough choice over search engines and forcing competitors to pay Google for placement.The focus on search hits Google in its most visible and important business, but also leaves out possible attacks that may have been more damaging or disruptive to the tech giant. Investigators had examined Google’s advertising technology business at length, and industry watchers had speculated the government could try to force the company to sell off part or all of the division completely. Other critics argued that the company’s biggest parts should all be split up, hiving off search, advertising technology, its browser and the YouTube video service.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Intel Corp. agreed to sell its Nand memory unit to South Korea’s SK Hynix Inc. for about $9 billion, a deal that allows the U.S. chipmaker to concentrate on its main business while shoring up the Asian company’s position in a booming market.The chipmaker will pay 10.3 trillion won for the Intel unit, which makes flash memory components for computers and other devices. The acquisition, which will take place in stages through 2025, includes Intel’s solid-state drive, Nand flash and wafer businesses, as well as a production facility in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian.The deal should shore up Hynix’s position in a business that’s boomed after Covid-19 drove demand for the chips used in everything from Apple Inc.’s iPhones to data centers. It whittles down another player in an industry the Korean company dominates alongside Samsung Electronics Co. and Micron Technology Inc., potentially buoying Nand flash prices. Hynix’s shares fell about 1.8% after analysts raised concerns about the price tag on its largest acquisition ever.“Hynix is now entering the hyperscale control chip business by purchasing Intel’s business. Although there is some skepticism about the price of the deal, I think this won’t be a burden because it will ensure solid long-term cash flow,” said Greg Roh, an analyst at HMC Securities. “The market consolidation is good news for Korean memory chipmakers, and will alleviate oversupply issues.”Read more: Intel ‘Stunning Failure’ Heralds End of Era for U.S. Chip SectorIntel has said for months it was exploring options for the flash group. Hynix however won’t be buying the Optane division, which develops chips that can permanently store data and read and write it faster than NAND -- if not faster than traditional DRAM. The product, which went on sale in 2018, was tested successfully by some large cloud providers and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. used the technology to support its massive Singles’ Day sales. Bob Swan, Intel’s chief executive officer, described Optane as “something special” last year.The Korean company said it will pay Intel $7 billion before the end of 2021, then the rest by March 2025. Citigroup advised Hynix, while Bank of America did the same for Intel. The deal could allow Hynix to surpass Kioxia -- a Toshiba Corp. spinoff -- in the Nand flash market, in particular, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Anthea Lai.What Bloomberg Intelligence SaysSK Hynix’s agreement to acquire Intel’s memory chip unit for 10.3 trillion won will help the South Korean chipmaker surpass its second-biggest rival Kioxia by NAND flash revenue, we calculate. The deal would consolidate the NAND market, with Samsung, SK Hynix and Kioxia commanding more than 70% of revenue share, aiding NAND price recovery and narrowing losses, in our view.\- Anthea Lai, analystClick here for the research.The acquisition also further streamlines Intel’s struggling empire. Since taking over in 2019, Swan has looked to sell several units that aren’t part of the company’s focus on processors for personal computers and servers.The Santa Clara, California-based company has delayed production of important upcoming chip lines and now lags behind some industry players in manufacturing technology. Its shares are down about 9% so far this year, while the benchmark Philadelphia Semiconductor Index is up almost 29%.Despite the delays, the company’s server group has been performing well. Shedding another non-core business could help Intel focus on fixing its chip technology woes.Intel unloaded its smartphone cellular modem group to Apple in 2019 and this year sold its home connectivity chips group to MaxLinear Inc. In July, the company said it was considering moving away from manufacturing its own chips, potentially benefiting contract producers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Samsung.Read more: Intel’s Latest Chip Push Suggests the Company Has a Short Memory(Updates with share action and analyst’s comment from the third paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.


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At this point, it’s starting look more and more likely everyday that Apple has a refreshed iPhone SE up its sleeve, likely launching sooner rather than later. However, over the past few months, there have been several contradicting reports as to what the so-called iPhone SE 2 will feature.
Read on as we attempt to make sense of all the iPhone SE 2 rumors and speculation…
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As is the case everyday, a number of news related items have emerged today in the tech world. Although, it probably does go without saying that the biggest news of the day is that Google has now become a smaller company within the much bigger Alphabet company. This news came through a blog posting from Google's Larry Page who advised of the new company and Google's role within Alphabet. That said, along with the announcement of the new company, a new website also popped up via the URL abc.xyz.
If you have yet to figure it out, this is the URL for Alphabet's new site and makes use of their new name in quite a humorous and imaginative manner. Well, Google…or Alphabet, is not the only company out there who has a sense of humor, as it now seems that Microsoft may have just decided to try and steal some of the attention away and get in on all the Alphabet action. Right now, the even more imaginative URL abc.wtf will redirect you right over to Microsoft's own search engine, Bing. Of course, this is not the first time Microsoft have taken aim at Google, lightheartedly (or not), with their infamous "Scroogled" campaign being the biggest headline grabbing attempt.
At the moment, it is not clear whether this is actually the work of Microsoft and likewise, it is also not currently clear as to how long the URL will remain in place and active. However, it is live and does take you over to Bing. In reality, it does seem much more likely that this is Microsoft's doing and not some third party contributor and on that basis, you can definitely see the funny side of what Microsoft has done. Not to mention, the "WTF" in the URL does seem to highlight that today's news of Google becoming Alphabet, has taken Microsoft by as much surprise as everyone else. Either way, if you want to check it out for yourself then you can by just hitting abc.wtf in your browser yourself and heading over to the Bing search engine. If you have never given Bing a try, then this is as good a time as any.


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Pikachu and Link will be among the first characters coming to "amiibo."
New 3D printing techniques have made it possible for just about anybody to fabricate fanciful plastic characters and sculptures, two new computational design methods developed by Disney Research Zurich are making it possible ...
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing an audio reading device to be worn on the index finger of people whose vision is impaired, giving them affordable and immediate access to printed words.
Is it possible to hold hands with a video game character? That is, in many ways, a ridiculous question, but is one posed by the developers of "Murasaki Baby."
Remember those molecule models made from sticks and balls you could assemble to study complex molecules back in school? Something similar has taken shape in the Interactive Geometry Lab at ETH Zurich. ETH-professor Olga Sorkine-Hornung ...
Violence in video games has been a topic on the political and media radar for decades. But research conducted by a recent graduate from Ithaca College examines the medium through different lenses: racial and gender bias.
Nintendo isn't allowing gamers to play as gay in an upcoming life simulator game. The publisher of such gaming franchises as "The Legend of Zelda" and "Mario Bros." said Tuesday it wouldn't bow to pressure to allow players ...
Buzz Lightyear, meet Captain America.
(Phys.org) —Scientists are investigating if children with certain character strengths are more likely to succeed academically.
Weibo Corp.'s shares are rising in the Chinese social media company's debut in the U.S.


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Research in Focus - Champenois Back US to Deliver Over Next Decade
In spite of much exciting talk about the growth of Champagne in Far Eastern markets, the country marked out by most observers as most promising export destination for Champagne over the next decade is in fact a resurgent US.
Indeed, if those criticising the economic policy choices of the UK government needed persuasive evidence that the path chosen by the US administration may have offered a quicker and less painful exit from the global downturn, the performance of - and prevailing optimism within - the Champagne sector might not be a bad place to start.
The rigours of the downturn aside, the relative buoyancy of the US market today could be seen as delayed fruition of the potential many have long believed this market to have.
As a new just-drinks/IWSR report, 'Global market review of Champagne – forecasts to 2016', suggests, the US has been a "source of some frustration" among Champagne producers as it has failed to live up to the promise of ten years ago or more when it seemed poised to take the UK’s position as Champagne's number one export market. The UK's comparatively sluggish and faltering recovery from the downturn appears to offer the US a renewed opportunity to gain ground.
While the economic recovery in the US itself may be fairly fragile, it has still led to a significant recovery in Champagne shipments, the report states. Volumes rose by more than 50% in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, shipments were up by around 2.4m bottles, although value growth lagged slightly behind this rate due to the impact of exchange rates. However, volumes remain "well below" the pre-recession levels of 2006 both in terms of volume and value.
However, it is the premium nature of the US market which makes its current resurgence particularly exciting for Champagne exporters.
Most significantly, the US market is dominated by the Champagne houses - the famous grande marque names such as Moët, Veuve Clicquot and Perrier-Jouët - as opposed to the cooperatives, which have built up a strong presence in other countries. While the cooperatives did increase sales by almost 55% in 2011 - from a small base and with a resulting drop in average prices - the 'maisons' still control around 93% of the US market in value terms.
Another indicator of the higher value of the US market is the percentage of the market represented by Brut non-vintage offerings, which account for 74% of the US market, well below the global export average of over 83%.
Higher-value rosé shipments have now reached a ten-year high at 2.8m bottles, matching the volumes in the UK. The US now accounts for almost 22% of pink Champagne exports.
Meanwhile, the US market for prestige cuvée Champagnes is double the size of the luxury segment in the UK at almost 1.3m bottles. Moreover, the report points out, prestige cuvées account for almost one fifth of the market in value terms and represent the fastest-growing Champagne category in the US.
"We have been used to numbers in the US which have not been good," says Bollinger president Jérôme Philipon. "When the crisis hit us in 2008, the first market to be impacted was the US. Shipments just stopped at the end of 2008. But 2011 was a very strong year for most of the differentiated brands with an image in the US, as was the beginning of this year, because the [distribution] pipeline was empty."
Another attribute marking out the country as a high-value market for Champagne relates to distribution. In the US, multiple retailers only account for between 20% and 25% of Champagne volumes, in comparison with almost 40% in the UK. Around 40% to 45% of sales are through specialist wine shops, with as much as 30% to 35% sold through higher-margin, higher-priced on-premise channels.
There are one or two less helpful attributes to the US market that may temper optimism slightly. For one, as the report points out, exporters to the US are subject to the vagaries of the country's "unwieldy three-tier distribution system and varying regulations in different states".
Champagne also suffers from the fact that domestically-produced sparkling wine can also call itself Champagne. However, on the positive side, the report points out that sparkling wine consumption has been growing strongly - by 14% between 2004 and 2010 - and traditionally Champagne does well in countries with a strong sparkling wine tradition. While domestic sparkling wine does have a 65% market share, around 75% of this is under US$7.50 a bottle, far below the level where it would be competing with any Champagne.
Overall therefore, with a stronger economic recovery and a generally favourable market profile, the US is expected to see a period of solid volume and value growth for Champagne over the coming five years.
The just-drinks/IWSR report predicts volumes will rise from a forecast 21m bottles in 2012 to 25m bottles in 2016. While the report does not expect the US to reach the volume levels of the UK in the near future - this in itself could be seen as positive as it reflects the premium emphasis of the market - it does forecast that it will overtake the UK in value terms by 2016, with value sales rising to EUR510m from a forecast EUR400m in 2012.
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It's not every day that a new computer mouse moves thousands of people to applause.
only happens once a year.
annual New York trade show kicked off Wednesday with a keynote address from CEO
. His presentation was met with the usual enthusiasm from the rabid Apple faithful, who greeted each new
color that was announced -- indigo, ruby, sage and snow -- with all the reserve of a college hockey crowd.
Product highlights included an oblong optical mouse that replaces the round device that many users have found awkward to operate, and a new line of
with dual-G4 processors. Jobs concluded his keynote by unveiling Apple's new desktop product, the
-- a G4-powered machine that's crammed, as its name suggests, into an 8-inch cube suspended in a clear plastic case.
Analysts were generally positive. "Apple did two things today," says David Bailey of
Gerard Klauer Mattison
, which hasn't done any underwriting for the company: "They hit a lower price point in the consumer segment with the iMac. And they addressed the need of high-end consumers with the G4 Cube, which provides people with a G4 processor and the ability to go to 17-inch or flat display without taking up much real estate on the desk."
Recent evidence suggests that consumers have been migrating back toward high-end products after last year's trend toward cheap or even free PCs. Low-end PC maker
has seen its stock sink more than 60% from its high after issuing an earnings warning.
Apple plummeted 8% Wednesday in the wake of an earnings report Tuesday that showed sales growing 17% in the second quarter from the year-ago period. Investors were spooked by CFO Fred Anderson's admission that sales of the company's flagship iMac computer were "relatively flat." (
story Tuesday about the earnings.)
To Bailey, Wednesday's product announcements should take care of any sluggishness for Apple. "I think this will really reinvigorate sales of iMacs and Power Macs going forward," he says. (Bailey rates Apple a buy, his firm's highest rating.)
PC bears, for their part, were scoffing at that notion. "Steve Jobs did a great job with translucent colors," says Fred Hickey, editor of the
newsletter. "What do you do for an encore? This is probably one of the weakest bits of news out of a Macworld conference that I've seen. I don't see this driving any big demand." Hickey has no position in Apple.
"They've done a nice job upgrading the product line," he continues. "The poor Apple customers who hadn't seen any decent products for years on end were ravenous to buy, and did. But what's going to happen now?"
This week seems to have put the burden of proof on Apple.


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Walmart Is Canceling Plans For A West Louisville Store
Walmart is canceling its plan to build a new superstore in West Louisville, more than two years after it first proposed the project.
The company had planned to build the store at 18th and Broadway. According to a tweet from Mayor Greg Fischer on Friday afternoon, Walmart is "backing away" from that plan:
Unfortunately, @Walmart is backing away from its 18th & Broadway plans. I'll address this further 4 pm; watch here for the live-stream— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) October 28, 2016
The $30 million project was expected to bring 300 new jobs to West Louisville and have an annual payroll of $6 million.
In a news conference Friday afternoon, Fischer said he expected the city would find another tenant for the property.
“As you’ve heard me say many times before, we’re not measured in the end by how we’re knocked down, but how we get up," he said. "And the bottom line is we’ve got a wonderful piece of property on one of the most important corridors in our city, so some good news will be happening on this piece of property at some time.”
Teresa Bridgewaters, whose development company owns the land at 18th and Broadway that formerly housed a Philip Morris factory, declined to comment on Friday afternoon. She told The Courier-Journal earlier on Friday that she blamed the Fischer administration for not bringing the project to fruition.
The project was also embroiled in a lawsuit from local preservationists who objected to Walmart's use of a suburban-style design -- dominated by a large parking lot fronting the street -- in the urban space. The suit delayed the project for months.
Fischer blamed that in part for Walmart's decision.
“And the frustrating truth is had it not been for the lawsuit brought by a very small group of citizens, Walmart would be open today," he said. "18th and Broadway would be a busy, active place.”
Steve Porter, an attorney for the preservationists, said Friday he believed market changes in the big-box business and the failure of local officials to nail down the deal were more to blame than his lawsuit.
"It's a tough day for those who wanted it, but I do not think my clients stopped the Walmart," he said. "I think the joint actions of the developer and the city stopped the Walmart."
But Anne Hatfield, a Walmart spokeswoman, issued a statement Friday that also implicitly blamed the lawsuit.
“After much deliberation and consideration of various business factors and the extensive delays to the project, we have decided not to pursue development of a new store in West Louisville at this time," she said.
She also praised Fischer's leadership on the project.
This is the second major Fischer administration project in West Louisville that has failed in the past three months.
The developers behind the $53 million West Louisville FoodPort, which was to be housed in Russell, canceled that project in August after a key tenant backed out.
Rumblings that a Walmart was coming to the former Phillip Morris factory site stretch back to 2013, but hopes for a major retailer to occupy the site go back even further.
Advocates for such a development have long argued it could revitalize the economically distressed area. But the plan to bring a Walmart to the corner of 18th Street and Broadway also drew critics.
Shortly after the plan was announced, former Metro Councilwoman Attica Scott, who is now a state representative-elect, said city leaders should demand “some real solid concessions” regarding hiring practices from the big box retailer.
“One being that employees coming into Walmart will be local workers from within a 2-3 mile radius of this big-box retailer, that Walmart will pay a living wage and Walmart allow workers to form a union,” she told WFPL News in 2013.
More recently, the project irked preservationists and some residents, who dismissed the development plans -- which called for a suburban-style superstore with a large parking lot fronting the street -- as unsuitable for an urban setting.
The city’s planning commission last year approved a series of variances that would allow the retailer to build further away from the street than city code allows.
A Walmart representative at that March 2015 meeting said the variances allowed for parking and access for supply trucks. If the variances were not approved, the retailer would have ended the nearly $25 million deal, the representative said.
The suburban concept led preservationists to file suit against Walmart, demanding the retailer change its design.
On Friday, Scott posted a statement on social media saying she hoped elected officials would demonstrate the "political will" to pursue "equitable economic development" in West Louisville going forward.
"While there were efforts to mischaracterize corporate and governmental accountability as opposition to jobs, the reality is that Walmart opposed respecting our zoning laws, opposed calls to respect the built environment in West Louisville, and continues to be heavily scrutinized for its ties to the gun industry and its labor issues," she wrote.
This story has been updated.


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Trends in fashion defy logic, and the latest evidence has surfaced in Shanghai, where a popular summer style has many people wearing pajamas out in public during the day.
Comfort and convenience are obviously the main attractions, but a certain social distinction seems to be in the sartorial calculus as well. Not everyone can afford pajamas in China, even at $5 a pair, and those who can afford them like to let the neighbors know.
As they stroll, shop and cycle on the city's crowded streets, the pajama- and nightgown-clad wear the proud demeanor of people in the know. The daring even wear their nighties to work, if they have a relatively relaxed employer or one who is already faddishly dressed.
An element of class distinction persists. For the more affluent in Shanghai, who like to see themselves as trend-setters, nightwear in public is still socially unacceptable.
But then pajamas seem to be one trend where the more sophisticated folk in Shanghai are lagging. After all, Hong Kong and Taiwan, where mainlanders often look for clues about what is hip in Chinese popular culture, went through their own pajama fads a generation ago. Ho-hum.
Shanghai residents may offer various theories about the new summer fad, but straight laziness should not be ruled out. The majority of those interviewed in a completely random sampling acknowledged that the pajamas they wore that day were actually the same ones they woke up in. SETH FAISONContinue reading the main story


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Violent bargain hunters bring chaos to £3billion Boxing Day sales as cut-price shoppers fight for the best of the day's reductions
- Early bird shoppers started forming queues outside Britain's biggest retail outlets from as early as 2am this morning
- Hoping to snag a Boxing Day bargain as stores nationwide slash their prices in the annual post Christmas sales
- An estimated 30 million people will forego a lazy Saturday today to hit the high street and spend more than £3bn
Savage bargain hunters wreaked havoc in this morning's Boxing Day sales when their aggressive jostling led to violent in-store clashes throughout the country.
Terrified shoppers reported being floored by hard-nosed customers desperate to snag the best of the cut-price sales.
Many were seen diving under metal shutters when the shops opened first thing before pushing those around them as they battled for prime bargains.
Thousands had waited in the cold and rain overnight just to get the prime pickings on sales of up to 90 per cent off.
Scroll down for video
Chaos: An estimated 30 million shoppers will hit the high street today to in a £3.74billion blitz on Boxing Day sales - with early bird bargain hunters, like those pictured here in Manchester, starting their day's shopping in the middle of the night
No holding back: The shutter covering the entrance to the Next store in Peterborough was only feet off the ground when these desperate shoppers burst in
And they're off: Early-bird shoppers rush for bargains as the Boxing Day sales got underway at the Queensgate Shopping Centre
Bag it up: The lucky first 600 people - all of whom arrived in the middle of the night - were given a raffle ticket to guarantee their place in the queue
Scramble: Some stores opened as early as 6am for those keen to grab the best deals, even after many big name retailers launched their sales online on Christmas Eve. Shoppers are seen here raiding the rails in Next's Edinburgh Princes Street store
Where next? Many queued behind the barriers shivering in hats, scarfs and fur boots and were armed with plastic carrier bags they planned on filling to the brim
Which one? Shoppers in London struggle with what handbag to buy as the long-awaited Selfridges sale gets underway
Form a queue: The famous department store was swamped with customers who had waited throughout the night to get inside
Are fifties okay? A man pays for his sales haul in Selfridges, London, by handing over a handful of crisp £50 notes
iWait: Shoppers are photographed queuing outside the Apple Store at WestQuay shopping centre in Southampton
And when the stores finally opened chaos took over.
Leeds shopper Brodie Lines tweeted: 'If I get pushed out of the way by another crazy Boxing Day shopper, I’ll punch them in the face,' while London user Tavleen posted: 'Everyone’s so aggressive in the sales.'
The desperate shoppers had been stood in snaking queues outside the likes of Next and Selfridges from 2am to ensure they were first in line at the start of Britain's £3.74billion Boxing Day blitz.
Analysts now consider December 26 to be the biggest shopping day of the year, with an estimated 25-30 million shoppers expected to hit the high street.
It is predicted they will fork out around £150 each on reduced cost goods, making the total national spend around £344million-an-hour, £5.75m-a-minute or £96,000-a-second over nine hours of trading, data from the Centre for Retail Research and online retail chiefs IMRG suggests.
Britain’s previous record was £342m-an-hour, set on December 27 last year
Order: Thousands of early-bird bargain hunters braved the wind, rain and freezing temperatures in the hope of bagging a bargain at the Next sale in North Tyneside
One at a time: Hundreds of others queue throughed the night in cold and wet conditions to grab a bargain at the Next Sale at the Silverlink Retail Park
Serious shopping: All those hoping to bag a deal had come prepared for the weather, wrapped up warm and huddled beneath umbrellas
Christmas presents not good enough? Less than six hours after exchanging presents, the Tyneside shoppers just could not resist heading out for more
Champion: One woman looks thrilled as she leaves the Silverlink store with three bags rammed with half-price clothing
New Look, same old carnage: Despite being queued right around the building, more people join the queue for the North Tyneside Next sale
The demand has been fuelled by department stores including Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty and House of Fraser all offering designer goods at a fraction of their usual price.
Next and Marks & Spencer have launched their own discounts of up to 50 per cent on sale items.
Having struggled to compete with online outlets in the lead-up to Christmas, the struggling retailers are hoping the predicted record footfall throughout today will make up for poor sales over advent.
Thousands of early-bird bargain hunters braved the wind, rain and freezing temperatures in the hope of bagging a bargain at sales across Britain.
Nightshift: A shopper yawns as she queues outside Selfridges in London ahead of the Boxing Day sales which began this morning
Exhausting: It is tired faces all round for those in London who waited desperately for Selfridges to open up and the sale to start
Free for all: Once inside it was every man and woman for themselves as the shelves and displays were quickly torn apart by shoppers
Selfridges: Shoppers pack the aisles in the famous London store in the hope of taking advantage of cut price deals
Spoiled for choice: Four women peruse the handbag section as they struggle to make a decision on which one they should each buy
Online discount: Two women - who have wrapped up warm after facing hours sat outside the store - size-up a potential purchase
This one, or maybe this one: It is big bargains that these shoppers seek as they look through the world famous brands on sale
Where to now? As well as Selfridges, Next in London was also a huge draw for bargain hunters, seen here queueing in their hundreds
Good to go: One shopper leaves the store with red bags full of sale goods bought at half price
In North Tyneside, a massive line of thrifty shoppers formed in the Silverlink Shopping Centre car park waiting for the Next's grand opening at 6am.
SHOPPING CENTRE'S EXPECT 1.7MILLION BARGAIN HUNTERS
More than 350,000 shoppers are expected to visit London's two biggest shopping centres - Westfield London and Westfield Stratford - over the course of today.
Cardiff’s St David’s centre expects to welcome 250,000 people, 230,000 will go to Birmingham’s Bull Ring, 160,000 bargain hunters will head to Bluewater, Kent and another 160,000 will spend their Christmas cash at Sheffield’s Meadowhall.
The Lakeside centre in Essex expects 130,000 shoppers, 100,000 will head to Bristol’s Cabot Circus and 80,000 are predicted to shop at London’s Brent Cross.
North of the border, Scotland's biggest malls will also welcome hundreds of thousands of shoppers: 120,000 are due at Braehead, 100,000 at Glasgow’s Silverburn and 80,000 at Aberdeen’s Union Square.
Many queued behind the barriers shivering in hats, scarves and fur boots and were armed with plastic carrier bags they planned on filling to the brim.
The lucky first 600 people - all of whom arrived in the middle of the night - were given a raffle ticket to guarantee their place in the queue.
Stacey Johnson, 29, from Blyth in Northumberland, was first to arrive at 3.15am, aiming to buy clothes for her five-year-old son Jenson.
The care worker said: 'I come here every single year because the discounts are excellent for such good clothes.
'I am heading straight to the children's section, I get all of Jenson's clothes here.
'I arrived here just after 3am, I was the first here so I was over the moon.
'I like how organised it is here with security and a ticket system. Before that when I started coming around three years ago it was bedlam, people were pushing in and running from cars in every direction.
'This way is much fairer. I've brought £200 with me and I know I'll end up with bags full for that amount.'
Another shopper queuing eagerly behind her was 31-year-old Gemma Moore, from Wallsend, Newcastle, who called the sale 'better than Christmas Day'.
Gemma said: 'This day is my Christmas, I absolutely love it.
'I have an early night the day before so I am awake and raring to go on Boxing Day. You get so much value for money I sometimes even hold off buying the kids clothes for Christmas because I know they will be in the sale today.
'There is nothing worse than buying something before Christmas and then seeing it in the Boxing Day sales!
Good morning: After a night in the dark, these bargain hunters were still waiting this morning to get into Harrods
We're in: Scores of people clamour into Harrods to make the most of their winter sale, which started this morning
Hot drinks: To ensure their shoppers were kept warm and awake, the famous store sent out waiters to serve teas and coffees to the queue
Take a load off: The waiting proves all too much for these two women who opt to sit down on the red carpet after hours on their feet
First footing: Oxford Street was relatively quiet this morning, but one sale that was in demand was at Footlocker, where crowds waited outside
No waiting around: As soon as the sports store's shutter began opening, customers were quick to make sure they got inside
'We came around half past three and I said to my friend if we weren't in the first section of the queue, there would be no point in coming!'
Pal Sarah Ford, 37, who is mum to Shay, 14, Danny, 10, and two-year-old Scarlett, said she was hoping to grab a bargain in the home department.
The civil servant from North Shields said: 'We get up early but I'll definitely be going back to bed later.
'This is our annual tradition and I'm hoping that I can get something for the house as the stuff here is lovely and even better at a fraction of the price.
Bright and cheery: Eager shoppers queue outside Next on Edinburgh's Princes Street which opened at 6am for a bargain from as early as 4.30am
Rummage: Struggling high street retailers are hoping for record footfall today as shoppers head out on what is forecast to be a day of mixed weather across the country
Pile them high: Eager shoppers (pictured) load up with items at Next on Edinburgh's Princes Street which opened at 6am for a bargain
Take my money: One day it was Santa's sack, now it is this Edinburgh bargain hunter who is spreading his own cheer with two packed shopping bags
Back for more: Scottish bargain hunters just could not get enough of the cut price clothing stock on offer
Job done: With shopping bags nearly ripping at the handles, two shoppers head back home having plundered the Next sale in Edinburgh
'I will probably buy things for the little ones if I see anything but my eldest is hard to buy for. I can sometimes find clothes that will last the full year for the younger two.'
Despite the stormy weather, spirits were high and as the doors finally opened at 6am, shoppers cheered and ran to the aisles to grab the bumper bargain goods, all of which were discounted to half price or more.
One of the first customers to leave the store with three bags packed to the brim was Stephanie Potts from Newcastle.
Stephanie, 28, said: 'I've spent around £200 on kids clothes and I've managed to fill all of these bags.
Miserable: Bargain hunters queued overnight in the rain outside Next at Manchester's Arndale Centre wanting to get inside first for the 6am start of the annual sale
Choice: They used clear bags in place of baskets as they shopped at the start of the annual winter sale
Good day's work: This Manchester shopper looks absolutely thrilled with his Boxing Day loot, which appears to include dozens of sale items
'It was definitely worth the wait, I've saved myself a fortune! I just grabbed what I could in the right size and then headed to the till - I've been in and out in less than half an hour.'
Minutes later, friends Stephanie Hayes, 25, from Blyth, and Vicky Hutchinson, 24, from Kenton, Newcastle, emerged from the store with bags weighing their arms down.
Vicky said: 'We will definitely be back next year, I have managed to find clothes that will last the whole season at the very least.'
Crowds in London also braved the wind and rain to queue up outside luxury department store Harrods, while eager shoppers poured through when the doors opened at Selfridges this morning.
Same outcome: A different city - Liverpool this time - but once again shoppers bombard the Next sale from the early hours
Rush: Both in the lines outside and up and down and aisles within the store's sales was just packed with people seeking a bargain
Is it really worth it? Despite the pouring rain, hundreds of weary festive revellers form a queue outside Next's Liverpool city centre store
Within minutes each stores' pristine displays had been torn apart as savage bargain hunters sought out the best reductions.
Experts claim foreign tourist shoppers will be behind the bulk of the big sales at London's priciest stores today.
Wealthy visitors from China and the Middle East are said to have a penchant for luxury goods like jewellery, watches and designer handbags - and spend on average four or five times the amount of their British counterpart.
As the doors opened at Selfridges' flagship store in Oxford Street at 9am, the overwhelming majority of shoppers dashing to snap up a discounted Mulberry handbag or designer jacket were Chinese.
Leicester: A queue is formed outside the Highcross Shopping Centre as bargain seekers try to be first into Next
Ready to go: As with other stores across the country, customers in Leicester were issued with transparent bags with which to shop
So much choice: One woman sifts through a railing absolutely full to the brim with different coloured tops, all on sale
Next stop: This group of four women walk through Highcross after making the most of the bargains available in the Next sale
Both hands full: One family look like they are struggling with the weight of their bags as they haul them through Highcross
I give up: Suzana Lezaj from Leicester sits outside a Next store at Highcross after making the most of the reductions
Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company, which represents retailers in and around Oxford Street, said: 'We are in the west end which is a huge international draw card, so we see a lot of international shoppers here - 50 per cent of our shoppers are tourists.'
Retailers across London's West End predict the massive sales rush will net them more than £100million over the next three days.
A number of Bond Street stores opened today for the first time in their history as a result of Boxing Day falling on a Saturday rather than a public holiday.
Steve Richardson, UK regional director at analysts FootFall, said: 'With Boxing Day on a Saturday, this means for most an extended Christmas break with the extra bank holiday on Monday.
Manic: Shoppers burst into Selfridges in Bimringham's Bull Ring shopping centre first thing this morning as the doors open for Boxing Day sales
If you don't buy a ticket: Those in the line were issued with plastic shopping bags and raffle tickets before being allowed inside
Long time coming: However, for many it had been a fair wait through the night, with hundreds joining a massive snaking queue
Up all night: The velvet rope marked waiting line was packed with early risers hoping they would get their hands on some cut-price goods
On and on: Despite stretching throughout the mall, the queue did not finish there. It ran all the way outside and down the shopping centre's pedestrian walkway
Still going: The queue from the door of the Bull Ring - which itself is still a distance from Selfridges - stretched for hundreds of metres
Never ending: It then weaved its way through the streets, round a statue and out the way of the shopping centre
Job well done: Two men stroll out of the Bull Ring having bagged dozens of bargains in the Next sale
'We anticipate the extra day will motivate shoppers to use this additional day off to seek out further bargains, spend Christmas vouchers and even return or exchange unwanted Christmas gifts, causing shopper traffic to rise 3 per cent year-on-year on Boxing Day.'
USDAW (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) general secretary John Hannett urged shoppers to respect store staff 'every day, but particularly during the Boxing Day sales when bargain hunting can turn into a frenzy'.
Westfield Shopping Centre in London is expecting almost 400,000 people to visit today.
Director Myf Ryan said: 'The annual Boxing Day sales remain a huge attraction for shoppers.
Until next year: Four women make the most of the discounts as they leave the Next sale in Birmingham loaded with packed bags
Happy with that: The women looked delighted with the bargains they have managed to snap up after an early rush to the store
Bursting: Shoppers leave Next at Birmingham's Bull Ring centre with red bags that look fit to rip open with the amount of goods they are carrying
Keep it quiet: A couple peruse the sales after picking up a number of bargains in lingerie outlet Victoria's Secret at the Bull Ring
'Last year we saw over 380,000 people come through our doors with large Boxing Day queues outside both our centres from 5am. This year we're expecting similar crowds.'
Shoppers were seen surging underneath the metal security shutters as they rose at River Island in Brent Cross, London, first thing this morning.
TECH BUFFS KEEP ONLINE GADGET SALES FLYING
Currys PC World said it expects to see a record number of shoppers snap up bargains in the biggest ever electrical sale.
The retailer said it saw shopping on Christmas Day peak online between 8pm to 9pm, while between 5am to 6am it saw a 13 per cent rise in online shoppers compared to the same time last year.
It predicts 11am to noon to be the busiest online shopping time.
In 2014, sales peaked at 266,000 sales per hour over the midday rush.
The mall's general manager Tom Nathan said he expects strong sales in luxury goods such as jewellery and watches, which are heavily discounted.
He said: 'You get the sense that people are really in for a bargain. Over the last three weeks people have been focusing on buying gifts and this is really "me time" now.
'It could be a record week, but it is too early to say anything other than that.'
In Liverpool, shoppers were also seen enduring rain as they queued outside Next in the city centre from 4.30am. By 6am, huge lines had formed around the block.
The scenes were similar in the likes of Birmingham, Leicester, Edinburgh and Manchester, where huge queues formed in the early hours - with witnesses claiming to have seen Cardiff bargain hunters queueing from 2am.
Steven Madeley, general manager of St David's shopping centre in the Welsh capital said he is expecting thousands of shoppers today.
He said: 'At peak times, we've seen Welsh shoppers spend around £2million a day at St David's, and over one million visitors a week.
'High tech gadgets and beauty have performed particularly well, and we expect savvy shoppers to get some great deals over the coming days. Some of our stores even closed early on Christmas Eve this year to prepare for a busy Boxing Day.'
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PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Farmers across South Florida have made quick changes to their business model to stay afloat amid the coronavirus.
Since there’s a low demand for produce from the restaurant industry, farmers have been selling boxes of produce directly to the customers.
SPECIAL SECTION: We're Open
Many farms have reported a spike in demand for curbside service as coronavirus concerns continue to mount.
This week, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried launched a website to make the connection between farmers and their customers even more convenient.
The "Keep Florida Growing" campaign is a one-stop online portal where farmers can post details about their surplus, location and hours of operation.
“With COVID-19 deeply affecting not only Floridians but also agriculture, our state’s second-largest economic driver, we’re launching a new one-stop page to support consumers and our agriculture community,” said Fried. “We’re bringing together Floridians and their food producers in one place to share state and federal resources, ways to buy and sell farm-fresh Florida products, and information on steps we’re taking to keep Florida growing.”
The website features a "U-pick farm locator" where farm-fresh produce can be found, reducing transportation costs for agriculture producers.


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Taonga Nyemba, Entertainment Reporter
Socialite and comedienne Felistas “Mai Titi” Edwards has opened a new shop at Joina City.
The 34-year-old said the shop had mixed undergarments which are accessible to anyone of different class.
“We have no target group or class, vanhu ngavauye vatenge zvemukati kwamai Titi.
“People must just look good especially women kwete kunaka kunze mukati musina kumira mushe, our prices are very flexible than anyone,” said Mai Titi.
The comedienne said being a public figure has made it easy for her to get sales on daily basis.
“We are making noise, it has been easy getting sales because a lot of people like me.
“Some come wanting to get pictures with me and they end up buying lingerie from my shop, I believe I am a game changer considering the current economic situation,” she said.
The businesswoman said she is looking forward to open as many shops as she can in Harare.
“I’m actually choosy on where to put another shop, decency and class matters because we are setting pace,” Mai Titi.
Mai Titi said it has been difficult trying to manage being a businesswoman, comedienne and musician.
“I come from a business family so handling business is not that difficult to me and I have a schedule that I abide to so it is easy for me handling anything and also being a mom,” she said.


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Carbine Studios’ sci-fi massively multiplayer online game, WildStar, will shut down on Nov. 28, the studio confirmed in an update posted to its website on Wednesday.
According to the studio, which owner NCsoft confirmed it was shutting down earlier this month, it’s “going to do everything we can to honor the WildStar community, and show thanks for your support.” That means a series of events running through the game’s termination in November. Here’s a rundown of what’s happening:
September 26–November 28
Double XP, Glory Days, Power Prestige and PvP, and Blessing of Essence will be on from now until shutdown.
Residential Renovation, with the Battle Chase reward set available during this occurrence.
October 19–November 2
Jack Shade is back to fright and delight in Shade’s Eve.
Protostar’s Gala Winterfest Extravaganza is back for one, last, shopping frenzy.
Take to the skies (or at least a foot off the ground) in the zPrix Invitational!
Join us in-game for the final few hours as we have some fun. More details to come!
In the meantime, Carbine Studios and NCsoft are being generous to existing players by increasing the drop rate of Omnibits, an in-game currency in WildStar, and giving players access to seasonal and rotating items through in-game stores. In-game purchases made with real money on or after July 1 have also been refunded.
“We are truly grateful for the vibrant community that grew around WildStar, and for all of your support throughout the life of this game,” the WildStar team said in its goodbye post. “Our hope is that in these last couple months we can all celebrate the great adventures you’ve had on Planet Nexus—and have some fun along the way.”
WildStar launched in 2014 as a subscription-based MMO. The game went free-to-play the following year, and Carbine Studios was later hit with a wave of massive layoffs. The studio was officially closed on Sept. 6.


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© Samsung (illustration purpose only) Components | May 31, 2021
Quarterly revenue of top 10 foundries breaks records in 1Q21
Owing to soaring demands for various end devices, manufacturers have been ramping up their component procurement activities, and foundry capacities, as a result, have been in shortage since 2020, with various foundries raising their wafer prices and adjusting their product mixes to ensure profitability, according to TrendForce.
Despite the result for 4Q/20 being a high base for revenue comparison and power outage incidents at some fab sites, the quarterly total revenue of the top 10 foundries rose by 1% QoQ to a record high of USD 22.75 billion in 1Q/21. Samsung and GlobalFoundries posted a revenue drop for 1Q/21 due to power outage and fab sales, respectively The ranking of foundries by revenue for 1Q/21 shows that TSMC maintained its first place position with a quarterly revenue of USD 12.9 billion, a 2% increase QoQ. TSMC’s main revenue drivers have been its 7nm and 16/12nm nodes. The revenue from the 7nm foundry service has kept climbing at a stable pace thanks to orders from AMD, MediaTek, and Qualcomm, registering a QoQ increase of 23% for 1Q/21. The revenue from the 16/12nm foundry service has also grown on account of the demand related to MediaTek’s 5G RF transceivers and Bitmain’s cryptocurrency mining machines, registering a QoQ increase of nearly 10% for 1Q/21. The revenue produced by the 5nm node, which is currently under the market spotlight, underwent a quarterly decrease mainly because Apple as the largest client for the 5nm foundry service entered the off-season for device production. Samsung posted a small QoQ drop of 2% in its foundry revenue for 1Q/21 to USD 4.11 billion. This February, a freak winter storm in Texas caused power outages in Austin and forced Samsung to temporarily shut down its fab Line S2 that was located in the vicinity. Line S2 finally returned to normal operation at the start of April. The suspension of wafer input at the fab for almost a whole month caused Samsung to become one of the very few foundries that posted a revenue drop for 1Q/21. UMC maintained a fully loaded capacity in 1Q/21 thanks to the robust demand for PMICs, TDDI, OLED DDIs, CIS, and Wi-Fi SoCs. Its shipments were also fairly brisk. Owing to the undersupply situation, UMC raised prices, thereby causing its revenue to jump 5% QoQ to USD 1.68 billion for 1Q/21. GlobalFoundries posted a QoQ drop of 16% in its revenue to USD 1.3 billion for 1Q/21. As GlobalFoundries had formally handed over its Fab3E (an 8-inch wafer fab) in Singapore to VIS, Fab3E stopped generating revenue for GlobalFoundries with respect to fulfilling the orders related to last time buy or backlog in 1Q/21. Hence, GlobalFoundries became another one of the very few foundries that posted a drop in revenue for 1Q/21. SMIC raised its revenue by 12% to USD 1.1 billion for 1Q/21. The growth was mainly attributed to the substantial increase in wafer input at the foundry from Qualcomm and MPS. Specifically, there was strong demand for PMICs made with the foundry’s 0.15/0.18µm nodes and for RF chips, MCUs, and Wi-Fi chips made with the foundry’s 40nm node. The wafer input also rose noticeably for DDIs made with SMIC’s 40/28nm HV process technology. At the moment, SMIC has been operating normally as before in all respects because it had built a very high level of inventory for production-related materials and equipment parts before it was placed on the Entity List last year. PSMC overtook Tower in quarterly revenue for the first time while total revenue of the top 10 foundries are expected to reach a new historical high in 2Q/21 Owing to rising ASP and high demand for PSMC’s 12-inch wafer foundry service from clients that input wafers for specialty DRAM, DDIs, CIS, and PMICs, PSMC’s revenue for 1Q/21 rose by 14% QoQ to USD 388 million, surpassing Tower for the first time. As for Tower, its performance in 1Q/21 was relatively on par with the result for 4Q/20, registering a QoQ increase of about 1% to USD 347 million. The main and stable demand drivers for Tower have been products made with the RF-SOI process, semiconductor components for industrial applications, and PMICs for automotive applications. Tower plans to invest an extra USD 150 million this year to expand its production capacity by a marginal amount, and the newly added capacity is expected to be activated in 2H/21. VIS posted revenue growth for 1Q/21 owing to the recovering demand for large-size DDIs, PMICs, and automotive chips. It also benefited from the rising ASP. Its revenue grew by 7% QoQ to USD 327 million. HHGrace raised its revenue by 9% QoQ to USD 305 million for 1Q/ 21. The gain was mainly attributed to the rising demand from clients that supply NOR Flash, CIS, MCUs, and IGBTs. The 8-inch wafer production capacity of the foundry is fully loaded on account of stable demand. While capacity expansion of HHGrace’s 12-inch wafer fab has been taking place ahead of schedule, the capacity utilization rate of HHGrace’s 12-inch wafer fab in Wuxi is also rising rapidly as the fab is successfully proceeding with the mass production of specialty ICs and other products. HLMC’s revenue fell by 2% QoQ to nearly USD 300 million for 1Q/ 21. On the technology front, HLMC is now developing its 14nm node, but the process is still in the quality acceptance phase. The foundry still mainly generates revenue with its 65/55nm nodes. It should be noted that HHGrace and HLMC, which came to 9th and 10th respectively in the ranking for 1Q/21, belong to Hua Hong Group. If the revenues of the two companies are combined together, then Hua Hong Group would have produced around USD 600 million in foundry revenue for 1Q/21, giving it 6th place in the ranking. If Hua Hong Group is listed in the ranking, then DBHitek would fill in the 10th place. DBHitek’s 8-inch wafer foundry business has benefited from the stable demand for PMICs, MEMS, and CIS. Its wafer ASP has also risen slightly. For 1Q/21, DBHitek posted a QoQ growth of 7% in its revenue to USD 219 million. The foundry currently has no plan to further expand its already fully-loaded production capacity, so its future revenue growth will be limited as it will be mainly driven by the rise in the ASP. With foundry capacity shortage expected for 2Q/21, TrendForce believes the rise in wafer prices will in turn further contribute to revenue growth. This is attributed to the fact that, while foundries have not been undertaking significant capacity expansions during 1H/21, there has been strong demand for most types of components in 2Q/21, meaning foundries will maintain fully loaded capacities going forward. On the other hand, governments of some countries have directly requested foundries to prioritize automotive chips in scheduling production. This will further tighten the foundry capacity allocated to chips belonging to other, non-automotive applications. On the whole, TrendForce expects the quarterly total revenue of the top 10 foundries to once again reach a historical high by undergoing a 1-3% increase QoQ in 2Q/21.
For more information on reports and market data from TrendForce’s Department of Semiconductor Research, visit their website.
For more information on reports and market data from TrendForce’s Department of Semiconductor Research, visit their website.
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