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India’s ESDM industry is going through a paradigm shift, empowered by newer technologies and the ecosystem becoming denser than ever.
As ESDM hardware demand projects to grow upto US$ 104 billion by 2020, the need is more than ever to grow electronics domestically. Industry experts and associations are putting in maximum effort to make that possible.
As highlighted by Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY, electronics has expanded into almost every possible domain, and what electronics has done till today is just tip of the iceberg.
At the much-awaited esteemed 43rd ELCINA – EFY awards night on 14 September 2018, chief guest Sawhney said, “Indian companies are at the helm of affairs in electronics. Most of the large companies of the world are in India today, not for our IT ITeS or Business Process services but for core design of electronics.” He emphasized on the importance of building innovative products utilising new technologies. “Innovation works best when there is pain in the system that needs to be addressed”. He pointed out the endless potential that untapped sectors like medical electronics, automotive electronics, defence electronics, telecom, robotics , and all the modern fields offer. “India has one of the best startup ecosystems. We have everything it takes to become the next manufacturing hub in the world.”
ELCINA President and Executive VP & COO of Continental Device India Limited, Pankaj Gulati addressed the attendees with the main goals of ELCINA, “One of our major aims is to promote alliances between Indian and taiwanese companies to build a stronger business ecosystem. We also aim to provide short term incentives of 5-7 years, to support Indian companies bring a strong base and stand on their feet by themselves. Our recommendation regarding schemes like M-SIPS it to provide them based on the value addition being done by the products”.
“The world is moving towards automation rapidly. In the new world order, there is a risk of people losing jobs. That has to be thought about as we move forward with these technologies” said Ramesh Chopra, Executive Chairman, EFY Group. He further added, “It is essential to encourage our young engineers and entrepreneurs. Each organization should give a free hand to their young workforce”.
The golden insights shared by industry dignitaries was covered under an enlightening panel discussion. The panel included eminent leaders like Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director of EESL, Sunil Vachani, Executive Chairman of Dixon Technologies, Sasikumar Gendham, Managing Director, Salcomp Manufacturing India Pvt Ltd, Col H.S.Shankar, VSM(Retd), CMD of Alpha Design Technologies Pvt Ltd and Pankaj Gulati, COO of Continental Device India Limited. The session was moderated by Vinod Sharma, Managing Director of Deki Electronics.
Talking on the future of India’s electronics industry, Vachani predicted that in the coming days, auto and auto components industry will witness a tremendous boost in the country accompanied by free trade agreement, venture capital and mutual funds gaining prominence in India. He predicted that over a period of 10 -15 years, India’s own electronics component production ecosystem will be in a position to compete globally.
Gendham, shared some growth strategies for entrepreneurs and businesses, “It is important to have a plan and a goal ahead – where one wants to be in the next five years. Put focus on sprints as well as the complete marathon towards the goal”.
Highlighting India’s journey on the energy efficiency program undertaken in the last few years, Saurabh Kumar stated that, at present India has the best quality LEDs globally that too at a much cheaper rate. Kumar was optimistic that 40 per cent energy integration in India will take place in the next 4 – 5 years.
The informative panel discussion was followed by the prestigious ELCINA-EFY awards ceremony. Awards were distributed across different categories including exports, quality, environmental management, R&D, entrepreneurial excellence among others. Special jury awards were also included in the ceremony.
At the sideline of the event, industry veterans shared their outlook on India’s electronics industry and their vision of the new wave of technologies that has touched upon the nation’s horizons which will pave the way to a sustainable and self-dependent manufacturing and R&D hub in the coming days.
Electronic Industries Association of India was established in 1967 as the first industry association supporting electronics hardware, when India’s Electronics industry was still in its infancy. Since then, Electronic Industries Association of India has established itself as an interactive forum for electronics and IT manufacturers. For more details, visit: http://www.elcina.com
About EFY Group
Over the last four decades, the EFY Group has become synonymous with information on cutting-edge technology. The EFY Group’s first magazine, ‘Electronics For You’, or EFY, was launched in January 1969, when the Indian electronics industry was still at a nascent stage. Today, it has grown into South Asia’s most popular electronics magazine. For more details, visit: http://www.efy.in.


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Dell and Elitegroup Computer Systems were declared winners of the Mobile Broadband Notebook competition at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona ths week. The competition, intended to stimulate a recently identified yet untapped mass market for notebook PCs with embedded mobile broadband, called for notebooks in the sub-$1000 price range. The winners came in at sub-$800 …
The GSM Association (GSMA), representing the global mobile industry, this week announced Dell and Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) as the winners of its Mobile Broadband Notebook competition to stimulate the recently identified – though currently untapped – mass market segment for notebook PCs with embedded Mobile Broadband (HSPA) connectivity. The competition was announced following the most extensive market research programme ever undertaken into the consumer market for mobile computing, published by the GSMA and Microsoft last year. The research revealed a potential 70 million-unit opportunity, worth some $50 billion in 2008. Originally calling for Mobile Broadband notebooks in the sub $1000 (USD) price range, the competition has resulted in two winning products both at a sub $800 price, bringing affordable Mobile Broadband computing a step closer.
‚We announced this competition last November to challenge the world’s Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to meet this demand for Mobile Broadband notebooks,‚ said Rob Conway, CEO of the GSMA and Member of the Board. ‚I’m pleased to announce Dell and ECS as the winners, as both have risen to the challenge and developed well thought-out notebooks offering the right price and out-of-the-box connectivity.‚
South Africa was included in the research project, with mobile network MTN playing a key role.
‚Through MTN South Africa’s relationship with the GSMA, we assisted in managing the South African leg of the world-wide research project. Internet access in South Africa is still underdeveloped and we believe that a mass market proposition is key in addressing the current market need,‚ said Ashraff Paruk, Head of Business Strategy and Business Development, MTN SA.
Dell, with its Inspiron 1525 device, won as the Best Commercially Available Mobile Broadband Notebook. ECS, headquartered in Taiwan, was chosen as a winner for producing a Best Pre-Commercial Mobile Broadband Notebook, the G10IL, an innovative design selected for its feature rich package, close match to consumer needs at an affordable price and a compact and light form factor. The Steering Committee, comprising supporting operators including Orange, Vodafone, Telefonica O2, TeliaSonera, Telecom Italia, Telstra, Maxis, DTAC, MTN and Turkcell, also recognised Fujitsu Siemens Computers for a high quality submission – the ESPRIMO Mobile V5555 – and for its commitment to mass-market Mobile Broadband computing. Those who took part in the competition included original design manufacturers (ODMs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Participants were asked to propose new notebook designs that would meet the needs of this new market opportunity. All were required to provide detailed specifications for their designs as well as time to market information, recommended retail price-points, support services and information on how they would work with operators to promote activation, configuration and ease of use. ‚Dell is very proud to be recognized by the GSMA as having the best commercially available Mobile Broadband notebook,‚ said Ron Garriques, president of Dell’s global consumer group. ‚Easy, affordable connectivity through built-in Mobile Broadband is a signature feature of Dell’s portfolio of notebooks, and the Inspiron 1525 embodies those industry-leading Mobile Broadband design and performance characteristics.‚ ‚We are delighted to have been selected by the GSMA and the panel of operators as one of the winners for our Mobile Broadband notebook design,‚ said David Chen, President of Mobile Product Business Unit, ECS. ‚We recognised this huge demand for mass market notebooks embedded with Mobile Broadband and invested sizeable resources to help make this opportunity a reality.‚ The Mobile Broadband Notebook competition is one of a number of GSMA led initiatives for 2008 that will stimulate mobile computing. Announcements concerning additional GSMA programmes supported by leading mobile operators, notebook vendors and other key stakeholders are anticipated before the end of March 2008. These initiatives will help consumers make better-informed choices when purchasing Mobile Broadband embedded notebooks and to benefit from an improved ‚out-of-the-box’ experience. This will all help to enhance the user experience, making it easier to enjoy the services and applications highlighted by in the research programme, such as communication and entertainment. ‚We’ve been encouraged by the quality of innovation and we look forward to seeing a swathe of new Mobile Broadband notebook devices aimed at mass-market consumers in the future. The GSMA will continue to encourage and nurture new developments that support the growth of this exciting new market segment,‚ added Rob Conway. However, MTN’s Ashraff Paruk struck a cautious note: ‚The design of the Mobile Broadband notebook whilst it goes a long way towards aligning our own commitment to wireless broadband, we still believe the OEMs have a few more bold steps to make to address this emerging mass market.‚
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Organisers at the Baltic Market have announced plans to expand the popular destination by adding a new mezzanine.
The expansion, which is due to be finished in December, will provide additional seating along with what planners hope will be stunning views of the city.
Co-organiser and founder ,David Williams, told JMU Journalism: “We opened our doors four months ago and just before we opened we couldn’t envisage ever filling it, but it’s been very apparent we’ve needed more space since the first day. Don’t get me wrong – it is a good problem to have.
“We had looked in to getting more space on the site but it was only when we looked up we realised we had so much space to play with. The mezzanine is not only going to provide us with over 100 extra seats but it also allows us to be creative.”
YouTube: Tim Spencer Tanfield
The redevelopment will feature changing themes throughout the year, with Christmas being the first. It is described as “the best adult grotto ever” on the official Baltic Market Twitter account.
On the expansion, Mr Williams added: “It will be so good for when live bands are playing and it will just add an extra element to the venue.
“The future of the Baltic Market is hopefully bright. We have some amazing plans to build more space and get different traders in. The idea is for the space to constantly evolve but for it to always be about great food and drink, great people and great local businesses.
“To think we’d one day be sitting in our own street food market watching all these local businesses do well, I wouldn’t have ever believed you. It is a humbling honour that motivates us to be the best every day.”


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Self-storage sector finds a foothold in Portland metro area
In the past decade, the self-storage market in the Portland metro area increased by 39%. A new report by RENTCafe reveals what fueled that growth.
The report points to the flurry of new apartments built in Portland during the past 10 years as the reason for the increased demand for self-storage facilities. From 2011 to 2020, the Portland metro area added over 38,600 multifamily units, a 31% increase from the area’s apartment inventory in 2010. The fact that most of the units were studios and onebedroom apartments, along with trends in downsizing and a desire to simply lifestyles, created a corresponding demand for more self-storage capacity.
Just how big was the call for self-storage space in the local market? RENTCafe’s data analysis indicates that 4.2 million square feet of self-storage space rose in the Portland metro area between 2011 and 2020. That brings the total amount of self-storage space in Portland and surrounding suburban areas to 6 square feet of storage space per person.
The self-storage boom during the past 10 years wasn’t limited to Portland, however. The time from 2011 to 2020 was the third most active decade in the history of the selfstorage industry. More than 295 million square feet went online across the country, a 20% increase over the inventory in 2010. As a result of that growth, there are currently more self-storage facilities in the U.S. than all the Best Buy, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart, McDonald’s and Subway locations combined, according to data compiled by RENTCafe.
Oregon beer marketing efforts crush global competition
When it comes to marketing craft beer, Oregon can hold its own against the competition.
Case in point: the recent 2021 Craft Beer Marketing Awards, which included several Oregon breweries, artists, and marketing firms as winners of “Crushie” trophies. Commonly referred to as the CBMAs by those in the industry, the awards were developed to recognize and honor the very best in all aspects of beer-related marketing across the world.
Organizers of the competition say the “Crushie” trophy design, which features a tattooed arm crushing a beer can, honors how “breweries across the world are ‘Crushing It’ with their unique and creative beer marketing, design, and branding.” Trophies this year were award at the Platinum and Gold levels along with a new Global Silver level.
Oregon-based companies and firms recognized with Crushies in the 2021 competition were:
Crux Fermentation (Bend): Platinum — best bottle design/22-26 ounce, Gypsy Coolship series.
Rogue Ales & Spirits (Newport): Gold — best bottle design/22-26 ounce, Santa’s Private Reserve; Gold — best can design/8-15 ounce, Colossal Claude Imperial; Gold — merchandise design/creative line, Dead Guy.
Sally Morrow Creative (Portland): Gold — best can design/8-15 ounce, New Hokkaido packaging ; Platinum — best can design/12-20 ounce, Mountains Walking Seasonal packaging; Platinum — best logo design/unique, New Hokkaido; Platinum — merchandise design/creative line, New Hokkaido.
Hoptown Handles (Milwaukie): Platinum and Global Silver — best tap handle design/sustainable, Taylor Seidler (creative director) and Snow Eater Brewing Co.
10 Barrel Brewing (Bend): Platinum best merchandise design/sustainable, Brooklyn Bell collab.
Ninkasi Brewing Co. (Eugene): Gold — wild cards/most creative signage, Steady Orbit Bubble Hut Giveaway and Starmaker Campaign.
Worthy Brewing (Bend): Gold — wild cards/coolest taproom, Worthy Hop House & Gardens featuring the Hopservatory, Bermuda Triangle, Star Bar and Drink Up Dream On Stage.
Branding Brews Podcast by Ryan Wheaton (Portland): Gold — wild cards/best beer-related podcast.
Portland named top city for business success for women
Which cities in the U.S. offer the best opportunities for women looking for career and business success? If you’re a woman in Portland, you may already be in the right place, according to SmartAsset.
SmartAsset, a tech company that provides online tools related to personal finance, recently compared data for 200 of the largest cities in the U.S. to determine which offered conditions that supported women in the business world. In ranking the cities, SmartAsset used metrics that included the percentage of women with at least a bachelor’s degree, the percentage of women-owned businesses and the percentage of income spent by women on housing costs.
When the numbers were crunched, Washington, D.C., claimed the top spot. Close behind were Bellevue, Washington, and Seattle in second and third places, respectively. And sitting solidly in the fourth spot was Portland.
Portland’s ranking in the top 2% of cities on the list resulted from some awe-inspiring numbers. Women entrepreneurs, for example, own 48.9% of the businesses in Portland, placing the Rose City 12th among cities included in the study for that metric. In addition, 55.95% of women older than 25 in Portland have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, the 18th highest ranking in the study for that metric.
Of course, not everything in the Rose City is rosy for women in business. Less impressive is the fact that women who work full-time spend 32.46% of their earnings on housing costs. That places Portland at No. 79 out of 200 in the area of affordable housing.


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Famed Silicon Valley “super angel” investor Ron Conway sees the crypto economy as the next multitrillion-dollar opportunity in innovation. The Silicon Valley legend likens Coinbase to Google after the company’s IPO via a direct listing on Nasdaq.
Crypto Is the Next Multitrillion Dollar Opportunity in Innovation
Legendary investor Ron Conway, who is often described as a Silicon Valley “super angel,” discussed the state of the crypto market and its future outlook in an interview with CNBC Wednesday. Conway, an early investor of Coinbase, likens the company to Google.
An American venture capitalist and philanthropist, who is considered the “Godfather of Silicon Valley,” Conway has placed more bets on Internet startups than anyone else in Silicon Valley. He was an early angel investor in Google, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Paypal, Airbnb, Square, and Pinterest to name a few.
Regarding the crypto market, the famed investor said: “If…


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Singapore’s Changi airport is known for being the best in the world. The airport has been the best in the world for five consecutive years, and it’s quite easy to see why. The airport has amazing facilities like a cinema, many incredible lounges like the exclusive Singapore Airlines Private Room, and the range of shopping outlets are very impressive.
The airport started construction on T4 in 2014, and it was completed in December of 2016, that’s pretty impressive considering how large the terminal is. Maybe the builders responsible should go over and help get Midfield be built quicker 😉
Anyway, yesterday Changi Airport shared photos of the brand new Terminal on Twitter, and it’s safe to say they didn’t disappoint, it looks pretty fantastic.
The airport has an abundance of natural light and seating which is brilliant to see. It’s said that the terminal will have around 80 or so shopping outlets which is fantastic news if you need to pick something up before you leave.
The new Terminal will be home to 9 airlines – Cathay Pacific, Vietnam Airlines, Korean Air, Cebu Pacific, AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, Philippines AirAsia and Spring Airlines. Australian Business Traveller reports this is where Cathay will open their new lounge this year.
The new terminal is set to open later this year which is fantastic to hear.
Overall, Singapore Airport has kept up their reputation with providing a modern and beautiful terminal. These are the only ‘real’ photos of inside the new terminal so far, but we should be seeing more soon. I’d love to see the outlets and other facilities the new terminal will house.


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- Rodale Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to organic farming, has partnered with smartphone app Makeena to offer discounts on organic and natural products. The organizations’ mission is to make organic food more accessible and affordable for more people, according to a news release.
- Makeena users can browse and select thousands of products offering promotional deals on their smartphones. After a product is purchased — whether in-store or online — users take a photo of their receipt and scan the product UPC, which triggers an electronic deposit to their Makeena account. When this account reaches $20, they can cash out using Paypal or Venmo. These deals can include an amount or percentage off the price, free trials or buy-one-get-one.
- Makeena founder Karen Frame and her staff curate the products and deals on the app. Brands already participating include Lundberg Farms, Bhakti Chai, Goddess Garden and Primal Pit Products. Brands pay for the cost of promotions and can target the offers by customer metadata, geographic area or retailer.
Makeena works similarly to the Ibotta app, which launched in 2012 and allows shoppers to scan their receipts for rewards. According to Forbes, Ibotta users spend more than $6 billion every year using the app. Shopkick is another similar rewards-based shopping app widely used by consumers. After a year of testing, Shopkick found that consumers spend nearly $30 more per visit than non-users. Traffic and engagement also increased among users, according to Retail Leader.
If the popularity of Ibotta and Shopkick-type apps are any indication of how well this interactive-rewards concept resonates, Makeena and Rodale Institute’s partnership should fulfill its accessibility and affordability objectives.
The timing is ripe for such an app, as demand for both organic and natural food continues to increase. Since the added cost of sustainable practices continues to be a hurdle for many consumers wanting to buy organic food, the rewards feature alone could provide incentive for usage.
The benefits of this app reach beyond consumers craving organic offerings. Gaming apps are appealing to marketers because they provide more control than channels that feature user-generated content. The Makeena app also includes real-time analytics to allow marketers to push promotions that are working and to target their offers based on consumer data, geography or retailer. This, the companies state, gives marketers “granular control over costs and a clear ROI.”
Although organic and natural foods make up a small percentage of the overall food and beverage market, this app — and its benefits for both consumers and marketers — should help move that needle a little more.


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More than 90% of British, German and Spanish business leaders interviewed for a survey of attitudes to contactless technology have already invested in contactless projects and expect that 10% of all transactions will be contactless within the next three years, a white paper now available to download from the NFC World+ Knowledge Centre reveals.
‘Contactless Business: The State of Play’ has been produced by Gemalto and shows that there is not yet a clear dominant payment option favoured among respondents, with contactless payment cards (52%), mobile (50%), wearable devices (43%) and contactless store/loyalty cards (42%) being the current leading choices.
The top three drivers for adopting contactless solutions identified by the study are faster payments (74%), being seen to innovate (43%) and cost-effectiveness (42%). Reputational benefits are also important — 38% believe it helps them to be seen as market leaders and 33% think that it differentiates them from competitors.
In order to overcome the technical aspects of the deployment stage, half of respondents believe they will need to outsource this to a trusted partner, with 12% saying they will outsource the entire process. 30% of participants are set to launch a contactless solution through their own brand and 33% plan to “partner with someone launching under their brand”.
“Our survey indicates that businesses are going all in on investing in contactless, which is reflective of today’s consumer demand for convenience, speed and choice,” says Howard Berg, senior vice president of Gemalto UK and Ireland.
“To get to a point in a few short years where businesses predict that 10% of all their payments being made via such a new channel is remarkable. This is testament to the benefits that businesses are already experiencing in terms of operational efficiency and reputational advantage.”
Readers can download this study free of charge here.
Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions


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A PAPUA New Guinean design and body painter was awarded the 2009 New Zealand Westfield Pasifika Body Art Fashion prize.
William Jakk was one of the nine finalists who showcased their amazing and creative body art work at the Victor Arena in Auckland last weekend.
Jakk’s traditional body paint featured a huge ‘snake’ with various traditional artistic features from every province in PNG.
Unlike the other body art on show, PNG paints and costumes were traditionally flavoured, which captured the crowd’s imagination.
Jakk’s assistant designer, Lesley Bola, reported that the main arena went silent for a few seconds when the amazing and scary PNG ‘snake’ took to the stage.
The audience was stunned to see this unique creature parading along the runway with its very creative movement.
This year is the first time PNG has participated in the Westfield Style Pasifika Premier Fashion Award.


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German machinery maker KraussMaffei AG is expanding its capabilities for polyurethane equipment in Asia.
The Munich-based firm said it will boost capacity in both China and Japan, in response to a growing PU market in both countries.
The expansion of KraussMaffei Machinery Co. Ltd.'s Shanghai facility, established in 2001, is aimed at growing its position in the PU insulation markets in China. It will provide more space for customer trials, production capacity and mold design.
KraussMaffei also said it is focused on China's automotive market.
At its facility in Okazaki, Japan, the company said the expansion will substantially increase production capacity and laboratory space. The Japanese market, which it entered in 2006, has far exceeded initial forecasts, the firm added.
The expansions also will provide more opportunity to export machinery from Germany, it said.


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By Christine Dupuis, Senior Director of Product and Conversational AI, Heyday by Hootsuite
Each year the holiday season sees organisations facing a monumental increase in customer interactions and spending. In the UK alone, consumers are expected to spend an impressive £8.71 billion over the course of the Black Friday weekend this year – one of the key drivers to holiday sales.
If there is one thing that will set retailers apart during what is likely to be one of the busiest holiday seasons, it’s their focus on digital customer service. But with many shoppers expected to return to in-store shopping this year, you may be wondering why.
While it’s true that many customers have returned to in-person shopping, retailers need to consider that a large proportion of holiday purchases will still be made via digital channels. Consumers continue to have an expectation that digital services will be available to them – with the same level of service as during the pandemic.
What’s clear in all of this is that social commerce – the process of selling products and services directly through social media – needs to be at the top of businesses’ priority list, and consumers need to be met with a superior digital customer experience (CX) on the digital channels they frequent most.
The power of conversational AI: personalised, always-on support for your customers
Striking a balance between offline and online channels isn’t easy, but there are innovative technologies at retailers’ disposal to help automate and personalise at scale.
With the holiday season on the horizon, one of the most powerful tools that will set the ‘good’ retailers apart from the ‘great’ retailers is the adoption of automated chatbots backed by conversational artificial intelligence (AI) – which have proven to drive e-commerce sales, deliver five-star customer service and deepen customer relationships.
The benefits of utilising automated customer service chatbots are many; to start, chatbots work 24/7, meaning customers can get an immediate response to their enquiries at any time of day, from anywhere in the world. Second, chatbots have built-in responses to simpler queries – such as traditional FAQs including store hours and locations, return policies and promotion overviews – eliminating the need for a brand’s human staff to respond and instead, focus their time on high-value customer interactions or more complex inquiries.
Additionally, chatbots have been proven to drive cost and time savings for retailers. Leveraging data from its top 11 retail clients, Heyday by Hootsuite found that retailers using Heyday’s conversational AI chatbot during the 2021 Black Friday season saved an average of 672 hours (28 days) from 26-29th November 2021, equating to £10,253.78 on average per organisation*.
However, despite these obvious benefits, conversational AI has not been fully embraced, even amongst organisations that already prioritise social customer service. In fact, Hootsuite’s latest Social Trends 2023 report found that only 26% of organisations that said they use social media as a primary customer service channel also said that they use chatbots on social and messaging apps – presenting a huge opportunity for the brands that can get it right.
Focus on social customer service
Consumers’ rapid shift to digital channels during the pandemic was not limited to e-commerce alone. In fact, there was still heightened demand for the two-way communication that the in-person shopping experience provided, with many consumers more willing than ever to engage with brands over social and messaging channels.
But with that shift came new expectations, requiring businesses to lean into social customer service to keep consumers engaged (or risk being abandoned), while also creating a seamless experience that feels similar to messaging a friend on a channel like Instagram or WhatsApp – a new reality that many consumers began to expect and demand.
While striking a balance between a strong digital commerce strategy and in-store experience have become increasingly important, organisations have been slow to adapt. In fact, the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index found that in July 2022, 17.3% of customers experienced a problem with an organisation – the highest level ever recorded in the UKCSI. And when looking at social CX specifically, only 21% of customers feel that organisations are doing a good job of servicing customers on social channels, according to a survey by the CMO Council and IBM.
This makes it evident that consumers are feeling neglected – but they don’t have to be. Brands need to remember that having a strong brand goes beyond a logo or promise. Brand loyalty is earned through the ability to spur emotion around a brand’s product or service — and the most powerful way to achieve that is through consistent quality interactions, at every step of the customer journey.
Take the chatbot advantage this holiday season and beyond
Looking beyond this holiday period and into 2023, it’s evident that businesses that keep their focus on digital customer service stand to win against those that don’t – and it’s as easy as integrating a chatbot into social and messaging platforms.
Chatbots present marketers with an unparalleled opportunity to provide top-tier social customer service – even during the busy holiday season. Thanks to advancements in conversational AI, chatbots can provide personalised, quality responses to customers (in multiple languages!) while also helping organisations save big on customer support costs.
The time is now to stop leaving customers in the lurch. By leveraging conversational AI, organisations will undoubtedly improve the digital and social customer experience – improving vital customer relationships in the long term and, ultimately, ensuring business success.
*Based on data pulled from Heyday’s top 11 retail clients which had the highest conversation volume between 26-29th November 2021, as well as an average estimated salary for sales representatives of $18/hour in Canada, under the assumption that agents worked 8 hours per day.


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Last night in London kilts and headdresses collided as two very distinct worlds united. Itís hard to imagine there has ever been a more amusingly incongruous marriage than Scotland and Brazil. Certainly the marketing minds behind†Ballantineís Brasil†have been having fun with the idea. Their accompanying cocktail creations include the Highland Samba and the Glen Coco.
Aimed at 25 to 35-year-old women, Echo Falls is the number three best-selling selling wine brand, says Accolade.
The brand has grown 11% in the UK over the last two years, according to Nielsen data.
The wine is priced at £6.70/ Ä8 for single varietals and £5.70/ Ä7 for blends.


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Elon Musk has started moving his businesses away from Delaware, following a judge’s decision in the state to invalidate his $56 billion Tesla pay package. In a post on X, Musk has announced that SpaceX has moved its corporate home from Delaware to Texas, along with a copy of the certificate of conversion it received from the Texas Secretary of State. “If your company is still incorporated in Delaware, I recommend moving to another state as soon as possible,” the executive added.
SpaceX has moved its state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas!
If your company is still incorporated in Delaware, I recommend moving to another state as soon as possible. pic.twitter.com/B7FLByL2dY
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 15, 2024
As Bloomberg notes, he also moved Neuralink’s business from Delaware to Nevada on February 8, shortly after he revealed that the company implanted its brain chip into a human patient for the first time. With that change in location, Neuralink joined another company Musk controls in the state: X, which he also moved from Delaware, when he changed its name from Twitter in 2023.
Back when the court’s decision to toss out his Tesla compensation package came out, Musk posted a series of tweets airing his grievances against the state. In one post, he polled people on whether Tesla should change its legal corporate home to Texas. “Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware,” he wrote in another post. “I recommend incorporating in Nevada or Texas if you prefer shareholders to decide matters,” Musk added.
Unlike SpaceX and Neuralink, though, it will likely take a while for Tesla to move its incorporation. Musk still has to take a vote from shareholders on whether the company should move its legal home. It’s worth noting that both Tesla and SpaceX already have a massive presence in The Lone Star State. Tesla moved its physical headquarters to Texas from California due to the latter’s COVID-19 safety measures. It also has a Gigafactory in the state, which produces the company’s vehicles, including the Cybertruck. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Starbase, a production and launch facility for its Starship vehicles, is located in Boca Chica, Texas.


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RGD cuts courier delivery services to some Kingston, Portmore communities
The Registrar General’s Department (RGD) says as of tomorrow it will discontinue the delivery of certificates and packages through contracted couriers to customers in some Corporate Area and Portmore communities.
The RGD says the changes will affect all customers living in Portmore, Kingston 6, 7, 11, 12, 19, and 20.
According to the RGD, these also include:
The RGD says currently, all customers are charged $100 as a partial recovery towards the delivery of certificates.
"As a result of the change, customers within the affected areas will no longer be required to pay the $100," said an RGD spokesperson in a release this afternoon.
Meanwhile, RGD's Chief Executive Officer, Deirdre English Gosse, says the decision will help to improve the quality of delivery service.
"Certificates/packages for the affected customers will now be disbursed at the Portmore, Kingston or Twickenham Park offices," English Gosse said.
"Customers should indicate to the Customer Service Representative, at the point of application, where they would prefer to collect their certificates/packages."
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COLOMBES, France–(BUSINESS WIRE)– SoftAtHome (Venetian 30-230 at CES 2017), a software provider for operator CPE devices enabling convergent services for the digital home, announced that its operating platform powered Swisscom’s launch last November of exciting new subscriber services including Internet Booster (DSL +LTE bundle) for those with restricted bandwidth, new ways to ensure the best possible Wi-Fi experience at home and increased bandwidth thanks to G.Fast technology.
The Swiss incumbent operator has just launched these innovations for its latest home gateway, the Internet-Box 2. Swisscom’s Internet-Box gateways are all powered by the same SOP platform from SoftAtHome. By unifying all software the operator can launch targeted and innovative features on its complete product line at a much-reduced OPEX level.
To ensure a better home Wi-Fi quality of experience, it embeds seven antennae and is powered by SSW, SoftAtHome’s Smart Wi-Fi solution. This solution delivers the best Wi-Fi quality of experience thanks to the new “11ac Wave 2” Wi-Fi standard that brings improved speeds, a wider Wi-Fi range and a better overall quality of service. SOP uses G.Fast technology to bring transmission rates up to 500 Mbps to the Internet-Box 2 on existing copper infrastructure.
“Thanks to SoftAtHome’s team and its SOP platform, we have been able to launch our new Internet-Box 2 gateway in a timely manner with appealing new services,” said Mr. Dirk Wierzbitzki, Head of Products and Marketing and member of Swisscom’s Executive Board. “SOP’s flexibility as a digital home platform made it easy for us to deploy innovative subscriber-facing features to our Internet-Box gateways with reduced OPEX.”
“Swisscom has placed its trust in our technology for four years now and we’re delighted to contribute to the launch of the innovative Internet-Box2,” said Frédéric Maizeret, CEO of SoftAtHome. “Swisscom is an agile operator constantly deploying new advanced services and features and we’re proud to play our part enabling this.”
SoftAtHome is a fast growing software company delivering leading connectivity, Pay TV and digital services for Operator devices in the home.
Swisscom, Switzerland’s leading telecoms company and one of its leading IT companies, is headquartered in Ittigen, close to the capital city Berne.
WolfPack Communications for SoftAtHome


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For many people, there’s a lot riding on this summer, whether that’s catching up with friends and family you’ve not seen for a year, getting out of the local area or going on a much-missed holiday.
But, as countries in Europe such as France and Spain continue to struggle with rising cases of Covid-19 and travel restrictions continue to be discussed, the UK government is being very cautious about permitting holidays abroad.
Ever the optimists, though, UK holidaymakers are already snapping up the most fabulous hotels around the country and getting stuck into staycation planning. Leaving one big question: where is the in vogue place to travel to this summer in Britain?
It depends, of course, on what you’re looking for. For example, some UK spots such as Bath and London have been compared to international cities like Paris and New York, making them an appealing choice if you’re dreaming of getting off Blighty.
But if rural living is what you’re after, you’re in the majority, as Airbnb reports that spiking numbers of Britons are booking countryside abodes and the data points to some areas of the UK being trending places for this summer.
This is great news if you love a hidden gem, as many of these places aren’t big names or busy cities. In fact, you may not have even heard of a few of them.
Airbnb’s general manager for northern Europe, Amanda Cupples, says: “As national lockdowns begin to ease, local hosts on Airbnb are ready to open their doors again to provide safe, clean and private stays for those looking to explore beyond their own four walls once more.
“Our trending destinations show that travel this year is likely to be a little different, with many using a summer closer to home to explore lesser-known rural destinations in addition to the well-loved favourites.”
At the top of the list is Saint Clears in Pembrokeshire, Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire and Clovelly in Devon. Keep scrolling to see the full 10.
1. Saint Clears, Pembrokeshire
2. Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
3. Clovelly, Devon
4. Bosham, Sussex
5. Primrose Valley, Yorkshire
Airbnb’s list of trending UK destinations for 2021:
- Saint Clears, Pembrokeshire
- Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
- Clovelly, Devon
- Bosham, Sussex
- Primrose Valley, Yorkshire
- Mullion, Cornwall
- Cawsand, Cornwall
- Noss Mayo, Devon
- Saunton, Devon
- East Wittering, Sussex
Images: Getty Images / Instagram


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Nu-Shakti leveraged mom groups, influencers and offline activations to raise awareness about food fortification to launch products in Chennai.
As a part of launching products in the Chennai market, Nu-Shakti initiated conversations on food fortification among mothers with the help of micro-communities, WhatsApp groups, Facebook Live sessions and other initiatives. Nu-Shakti also roped in actor Ramya Krishnan to be the face of the efforts, across platforms, with an intent to reach potential consumers in the Chennai market.
Nutritional deficiencies are high in India, with women and children the most affected. According to the National Family Health Survey, more than 50% of Indians eat an unbalanced diet. The pattern of daily food consumption has remained the same since 2005 – among both women and men. Also, reports highlight that anaemia due to micronutrient deficiency is a major public health concern and a great silent epidemic. Around 45-50% of children and women in India are anaemic.
This is perpetuated due to the lack of awareness and understanding of various micronutrients. The availability of affordable nutritious products designed to counter malnutrition remains limited. Addressing and assessing the severity of this issue required an approach targeting local food habits and behaviour. In this scenario, home fortification is one of the safest, most effective and affordable tools to enhance the nutritional value of staple foods for every household.
A brand of Royal DSM, Nu-Shakti has been designed to support better nutrition across India by increasing the power (Shakti) of everyday foods. The brand offers a range of daily home fortifiers formulated with essential vitamins and minerals to meet the nutritional needs of urban and rural consumers seeking healthier lifestyles.
Nu-Shakti’s product offerings include Powermix for Rice (fortified rice kernel), Powermix for Atta (atta/flour fortifier), and MixMe (fortified orange-flavoured beverage mix). Brand’s products offer nutritious, locally-relevant options enriched with essential nutrients and vitamins to overcome nutrition deficiencies seamlessly and conveniently. The benefit for consumers – these are easy to use with no change in dietary habits, taste or appearance of foods.
Nu-Shakti launched a campaign integrating both offline and online channels to introduce the brand as an affordable avenue of adding nutrition in daily meals. Through this campaign, the brand is driving awareness about the need for micronutrients in the daily diets of people, enabled via home food fortification. The campaign connects with its core audience, the family’s decision-maker — the mother.
The launch campaign aimed at creating awareness among consumers about making informed choices regarding their dietary habits while simultaneously providing them with an affordable and accessible option. The objective of the brand was to play a positive role in the country’s nutrition discourse.
- Generate awareness about the launch of Nu-Shakti, its products and benefits.
- Educate consumers about the need for various micronutrients and the concept of home fortification in filling the gap.
As a marketing strategy, the brand planned the awareness campaign for Nu-Shakti products and micronutrient requirements in five different ways.
Since the concept of home food fortification is new to the Indian market, the biggest challenge lay in ensuring mothers developed trust in the brand as well as understood the concept and importance of adding nutrition to regular meals.
The multi-phased launch plan leveraged offline-online integration. Consumers across the platform were educated about the concept of home food fortification and trained to foster brand advocacy. The brand entered households via the family’s decision-maker – the mother.
Truism/insight: Children don’t eat vegetables and compromise on their nutritional intake. Aware of this, mothers are constantly devising ways of adding extra nutrition in their child’s meals/snacks.
Solution: Empowering mothers with the message: “Making everyday meals more powerful”. A first not only for consumers but for nutritional categories too, the campaign reassured the mother about her ability to provide nutrition via simple products that could be incorporated in staples such as rice and atta. With Nu-Shakti, these staple foods don’t change in taste or look while children receive extra nutrition without even knowing it. This secret trick gives a mother the ability to manage the nutritional intake of her child and family. While launching their daily food fortifiers in Tamil Nadu, the brand utilised the power of maternal awareness in engaging and educating the mother’s community about food fortification.
- Door-door campaign with 100+ Chennai women spreading nutritional awareness: A team of 100+ women convincing other women and mothers about eating proper meals. The team explained every nuance of proper consumption habits as well as the need for a nutritious diet for women hailing from diverse strata of society and their families.
- Encourage trials: The initiatives include house-to-house and in-store sampling.
- School Activation – designating students as the ‘Nutrition Police’: Engaging with students of 100-plus schools in Tamil Nadu for understanding their nutrition levels and increasing awareness on the requirement by a gamification process.
- Building Trust: Popular actress and supermom Ramya Krishnan came on board as our brand ambassador, educating consumers about Nu-Shakti products through TV and print as well as digital formats. We expanded the conversation further by designing a peer to peer awareness model for micro- and nano-influencers from the community.
- Driving Conversations: Multiple experts, especially nutritionists and chefs, were co-opted to spread the brand messaging about building the ‘power of everyday food’. An Army of Moms (mom influencers), and Kids Nutrition Police (school outreach program) augmented the discussion.
- September 2019: Mega launch meeting engaging mothers community from Chennai.
- November 2019: On Iron Deficiency Day, a meet was conducted with Chennai mothers to make them aware of the deficiency and how to overcome it using food fortifiers.
- December 2019: Engaged with 60-plus nutritionists from Chennai, educating them about the products and their value proposition in improving nutritional levels of daily meals.
- January 2020: On the auspicious occasion of Pongal, mothers were invited to celebrate this festival and take a pledge: #WePledgeforRightNutrition. Besides experts on nutrition, celebrity chef Suresh Chinnaswamy was invited to make festive dishes using brand products. This was digitally amplified via all social media handles. Furthermore, a panel discussion was held with eminent nutritionists from Chennai.
For each meeting, the influencer mothers used their social network to spread the brand message to online cohorts. This was done via pre-buzz posts on Facebook and Instagram, FB Live during events and post-event pics and videos. Meanwhile, bloggers curated content after attending the meetings.
In further engaging the online mother’s community, the following touchpoints were activated:
- FB Live: Interactive live sessions with experts educating women about nutrition deficiency
- Closed & Open Micro-Community Program: Initiated conversations on food fortification and the brand in 45 closed and open micro-communities on Facebook
- WhatsApp Groups: 150 new moms recruited to seed content across 750 WhatsApp groups
- Influencer Program:
- 50 Instagrammers with 500-2,000 followers
- 5 Instagrammers with 10,000-20,000 followers
- 50 Facebook influencers with 1,000 followers
- 3 YouTubers with 30,000 subscribers
Within eight months of launch, there has been an extremely encouraging response for our products across markets, garnering awareness of 34% and an ad reach of 41%.
Achieving significant reach of more than two million, the campaign was a huge success, generating great buzz as well as tremendous interest. The digital campaigns by Nu-Shakti – ‘By Mothers for Mothers’ and #WePledgeForCompleteNutrition – increased awareness among Chennai mothers about the importance of food fortification in providing the right nutrition for their family.
Alok Kohli, Business Director – DSM India said, “The current way of life and our food habits overlook the importance of a well-balanced diet containing adequate nutrition. Therefore, awareness of nutrient deficiencies and measures to counter it are of paramount importance for everyone – in rural as well as urban India. To meet this objective, Nu-Shakti provides innovative, affordable and accessible solutions addressing everyone’s nutritional needs, thereby enabling a better, healthier future for all families.”


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SecuGen software, Xiaomi personal assistant, and Ping benchmark updates reflect biometrics adoption
A trio of updates related to biometric software indicate the growing scale the technology needs to work at, with millions of consumers and enterprise employees using biometrics for access control.
SecuGen has launched free software to extend its optical fingerprint technology to XenApp and XenDesktop users.
The SecuGen SDK Plugin for Citrix allows Citrix customers to operate SecuGen’s biometric readers on a local client device to authenticate to remote biometric applications through a Citrix session. This solves the problem of how to use a fingerprint reader with applications running in a remote desktop environment, according to the announcement.
“We are committed to innovation and the development of new products for our partners to meet their customers’ diverse needs,” says SecuGen VP of Engineering Dan Riley. “We are now able to provide our Citrix reseller partners the ability to use fingerprint technology to authenticate to applications being run in a Citrix environment.”
SecuGen also provides free SDKs for template extraction and 1:1 matching on Windows, Android, and Linux devices, among other free software offerings.
Xiaomi updates digital assistant
Xiao AI will soon be updated to support multi-turn voice exchanges, like Amazon’s Alexa, according to VentureBeat. The new Xiao AI 3.0 also features improved voice shortcut functionality and a feature to enable users to reply to incoming calls with a text message.
The digital assistant is already used by just under 50 million people each month, according to the report.
The new features will be available on select Xiaomi smartphones. The company is also updating its machine learning framework MACE, and say that its natural language processing platform MiNLP is now activated more than 6 million times a day.
Ping supports scaling deployments
Ping Identity says its technology has achieved a new set of scale and performance benchmarks, with the company reporting that a customer providing online mortgages handled over 75,000 authentications per second during peak demand after television advertising caused demand to spike.
The replacement of multiple legacy systems with Ping’s unified IAM ecosystem, meanwhile, is enabling HP ID to provide single sign-on (SSO) services for more than 150 million existing identities, and add thousands per day. As the Internet of Things takes off, HP has architected its identity infrastructure to manage a billion user and device identities with the Ping Intelligent Identity platform, according to the announcement.
“For enterprises today, providing fast and reliable service through digital channels is critical to their brands’ reputations,” says Andre Durand, CEO, Ping Identity. “We continue to invest in meeting the high scale and performance needs of the world’s largest global enterprises, so they can exceed customer expectations not only during the regular course of business, but also through periods of extreme demand.”


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US inflation in April advanced the most in nearly a year as Americans paid more for a wide range of goods and services, the latest report from the government on consumer prices shows.
Costs continued to climb for food and shelter, and picked up again for gas and other energy categories after three straight months of some relief.
US consumer prices rose 0.3% in April, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said Thursday, May 15, in its monthly accounting of the Consumer Price Index. The CPI measures changes in prices that American consumers pay for a select group of goods and services. The level marked the biggest one-month jump since June and follows the March climb of 0.2%.
"Inflation may be normalizing a bit faster than we thought," the Wall Street Journal quoted Laura Rosner, U.S. economist at BNP Paribas. "It’s still too early to assume this will persist, but it certainly raises the risks of higher inflation at year end than we are currently forecasting."
Food costs maintained their burdening weight to Americans’ paychecks, rising 0.4% for the third consecutive month. The price of meat was most painful, soaring 2.9% for the largest increase since November 2003. Fresh fruits rose 0.7% while dairy and related products climbed 0.5% for a sixth straight monthly gain. Prices of cereals and bakery products were unchanged. On a year-over-year basis, overall food prices rose 1.9% with the cost of meats, poultry, fish, and eggs jumping 6.4%.
Energy prices advanced for the first time since January, up 0.3% in April and 3.3% from a year ago. Within the energy grouping for the month, gasoline rose 2.3% and natural gas climbed 0.3% even as oil costs went down 3% and electricity prices fell 2.6%. The largest gain over the last 12 months belongs to natural gas, up 11.8%, while gasoline increased 2.4% and the electricity advanced 2.1%.
Core consumer prices in April advanced 0.2%, matching the previous month. This core reading excludes food and energy categories that are almost always more volatile. Core advancing items included:
- Shelter, up 0.2%
- Rent, up 0.3%
- Lodging away from home, up 0.4%
- Medical care commodities, up 0.3%
- Medical care services, also up 0.3%
- Airfares, up 2.6% for the biggest increase since November 2009
- New vehicles, up 0.3%
- Used cars and trucks, up 0.5%
- Tobacco, up 0.1%
Costs for clothing, household furnishings, and personal care were all unchanged in April.
US inflation increased 2% over the last 12 months, the quickest yearly inflation pace since last July. Annual inflation was at 1% as recently as October, which marked smallest 12-month increase since October 2009. Past inflation rates reported by the BLS for 2014 include annual increases of 1.5% in March, 1.1% in February and 1.6% in January.
Core US inflation picked up 1.8% in the year-over-year period ended April after rising 1.7% in March. Earlier core rates reported in 2014 include matching 1.6% gains in February and in January. The core annual rate has been stuck between 1.6% and 1.8% for 13 months in a row. It is the benchmark inflation figure monitored by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) as it helps in deciding where to set the key interest rate. While the 1.8% increase is the biggest gain since last August, it remains under the Fed’s rate of inflation target of 2%.
Found below are percentage changes of prices for consumer goods and services that are surveyed and analyzed by the Bureau of Labor Statistic of the US Department of Labor. The data periods are monthly from October to April and over the past 12 months.
October 2012 – April 2014 Consumer Prices – Gains & Losses in Percent
|Oct 2013||Nov 2013||Dec 2013||Jan 2014||Feb 2014||Mar 2014||Apr 2014||12 Month|
|Food at home||.0||.0||.0||0.1||0.5||0.5||0.4||1.7|
|Food away from home||0.1||0.3||0.1||0.1||0.3||0.3||0.3||2.2|
|Gasoline (all types)||-1.6||-0.8||2.6||-1.0||-1.7||-1.7||2.3||2.4|
|Utility (piped) gas service||-0.5||-1.5||-1.0||3.6||3.6||7.5||0.3||11.8|
|All items less food, energy||0.1||0.2||0.1||0.1||0.1||0.2||0.2||1.8|
|Commodities less food, energy||-0.1||.0||.0||-0.1||-0.1||.0||0.1||-0.3|
|Used cars and trucks||0.4||0.3||.0||-0.5||-0.1||0.4||0.5||0.2|
|Services less energy||0.2||0.3||0.1||0.2||0.2||0.3||0.3||2.6|
US Inflation data from the BLS is released monthly and normally available about two weeks into a month, published after analyzing the data collected by the end of the reference month. Data for May inflation, in the form of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and BLS summary report, is scheduled for release on June 17, 2014.
CPI data is used to calculate monthly and annual inflation rates and it is used by this site’s inflation-adjusting calculator. The US Inflation Calculator displays accumulated inflation and the change in buying power of the US dollar between two dates.


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Posted on July 14, 2017 21:44
Stunts, bike shows, the Buffalo Chip Superstore and more combine to make the CrossRoads a rally hot spot. Premium accessories and exclusive service perks include free Indian Motorcycle loaners while services are being performed.
Sturgis, SD (July 11, 2017) – The essential rally experience of shopping for motorcycle parts and accessories, and getting a tune up or a trick out has now become centralized to a one-stop shop with the opening of the all-new Buffalo Chip Superstore, located at the free-access CrossRoads at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip®. This new destination adds to the exciting and eclectic mix of events, attractions and entertainment at the CrossRoads, which includes acres of paved vendor shopping, plenty of free parking, OEM and custom bike displays, stunts shows, bike shows, bikini bike wash, live music tasty food, $2 beers and clean restrooms.
Mechanics, Wrenching and Free Indian Motorcycle Loaners
The Buffalo Chip Superstore will open for the first time on Friday, Aug. 4, offering parts installs, mechanic services and must-have motorcycle merchandise. Indian Motorcycles will be on hand to offer a free loaner to anyone left needing a ride while receiving a Spectro Oil change or having new Metzeler tires or Kuryakyn parts installed. Appointments for Indian loaner bikes are recommended. Shoppers will find a parts paradise at the Sturgis Rider Superstore and can run a dyno test at the Harmonious Dyno Center, or upgrade their rides with products from Extreme Audio. The Superstore offers free bike parking, easy access to entertainment, restrooms, food and beverages.
Those interested can get more information about the Buffalo Chip Superstore at BuffaloChip.com/SuperStore.
Bad Ass Bike Shows
A series of free bike shows will be offering a display of beastly beauties nearly every day starting with the FXR Bike Show and Dyna Mixer on Sunday, Aug. 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free, no-nonsense motorcycle event brings together riders and anyone who wants to talk motorcycles. Full Throttle Magazine will be offering free shows both Monday and Tuesday with registration beginning at noon both days. On Wednesday, Aug. 9, American Bagger and Urban Bagger Magazine in association with Strip Club Choppers present the Sexiest Bagger Show with multiple awards and a magazine feature for the best of show. The Granddaddy of all shows, the Rat’s Hole Bike Show, will bring together an impressive crew of international judges and builders on Thursday, Aug. 10.
Easy-Access Premium Fueling
Every biker on the hunt for super premium fuel at a convenient location will find 93 octane E10 gas from Renewable Fuels Association available 24/7 at the Buffalo Chip’s brand-new, self-serve Stop & Fuel gas station located at the east end of the CrossRoads. This high-octane fuel is approved by all American motorcycle manufacturers. Renewable Fuels will also be bringing back its popular “Free Fuel Happy Hour” where bikers can fill up for free 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8 – Thursday, Aug. 10.
BMW Demo Rides
For the first time ever, BMW Motorrad USA is offering free demo rides on its soon-to-be-released K 1600 B “Bagger,” and the company has chosen the CrossRoads as the place to do it. Ten of the highly anticipated new bikes will be shipped to the Buffalo Chip for the exclusive demo ride opportunity, along with a full stable of new innovative BMW motorcycle models.
Exhilarating Stunt Shows
Stuntman Clint Ewing, best known as the man who nearly died attempting to pass through a tunnel of fire at the Chip in 2013, is back with an even hotter stunt show, although it no longer involves actual fire. Clint’s toasty bike is on display on the upper deck. He and his crew of super bike manipulators will be performing at the CrossRoads Monday, Aug 7 – Thursday, Aug. 10.
Bell Helmets has invited the top stunt riders to come out on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 3:30 p.m. and go head to head in a stunt competition that will be judged by famed racer, builder and freestyle motocross legend Carey Hart, Wild Gypsy Tour founder Leticia Cline and some of their adrenaline junkie friends. The winner will take home $1,500, and second place $500 presented by Dualigans. Immediately following the contest, a Dualigans Party will take place. Join Bell Helmets, Carey Hart, Leticia Cline and friends at the CrossRoads.
New American Crew Barber Shop
Matty the Barber will be hanging his barber pole at the new Buffalo Chip Barber Shop sponsored by American Crew, offering straight razor shaves, trims, cuts and more. The Barber Show is located at the north end of the CrossRoads.
Easy Rider Originals and Traveler Information
With its 50th anniversary approaching in 2019, fans of the iconic biker film “Easy Rider” will be able to nab up hard-to-find original movie posters, photos and art all recently released from the collection of an avid fan at the Buffalo Chip Gift Shop. The Buffalo Chip Chamber will be open to assist all bikers with information, load them up with free swag and help them get entered into the Moto Stampede Bike Giveaway. Two lucky winners will take home an Indian Scout Sixty customized by Roland Sands or Carey Hart.
The Big Engine Bar at the CrossRoads opened July 1 with $2 beers and $3 well drinks, all day, every day through Aug. 12.
Those interested can get more information about CrossRoads at BuffaloChip.com/CrossRoads.
Find high resolution photos here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0undnYny2-TdXJOY0p5NXBDdlU


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Why the rise of Netflix has changed the landscape in the entertainment industry for producers distributors and consumers of content, and what has been Netflix competitive advantage that enabled it to disrupt a 100 year old industry.
SMT has positioned themselves as media incumbents' solution in the race to keep up with technology for sports broadcasting applications. This strategy has made SMT a winner!
Uber matches drivers and riders. An EdTech startup matches students in China with English teachers in North America via its live streaming platform.
When the disruptor becomes the disruptee: with the rapid rise of at-home streaming services like Peloton, will ClassPass be able to pivot and survive or will it go the route of Blockbuster post-Netflix?
Can you think of a market in which Apple and Amazon compete but aren’t the market leaders? There’s actually one industry where that’s the case. It turns out that when it comes to TV streaming platforms, it’s Roku that’s the […]
Description: Netflix was the first media company to capture a new consumer generation, “cord-nevers” and “cord-cutters”, via a robust online streaming platform, where it connects content providers and content consumers, building value for the whole ecosystem.
The fall of Blockbuster remains a classic example of digital disruption. Formerly a dominant player in the rental market, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010. The trends the led to the big B's demise are also challenging the media ecosystem today. Will we see more blockbuster failures? Will incumbents be able to adapt?
Roku has been able to stay relevant over the years by shifting its business model
Streaming video on-demand services may be claiming a new victim, and a massive one at that: the multi-billion-dollar National Football League.
Last night, I struggled to find a solid chick flick movie among several friends that none of us had seen. While scrolling through my Netflix account, there were specific recommendations based on other movies I had chosen. There were the […]


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With a growing number of countries around the world easing restrictions on travel, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched a new Tourism Recovery Tracker to support global tourism.
The new Tourism Recovery Tracker is the latest concrete action undertaken by the United Nations specialized agency as it leads the response of global tourism and guides recovery.
The most comprehensive tourism dashboard to date, the Tracker is the result of a partnership between international organizations and the private sector. Available for free, it covers key tourism performance indicators by month, regions and sub-regions allowing for a real-time comparison of the sector recovery across the world and industries.
The UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker compiles all the relevant data in one place, giving governments and the private businesses the ability to track the recovery of tourism at global and regional level, alongside information on the top destinations for international tourism The tracker includes data on:
* International tourist arrivals
* Seat capacity in international and domestic air routes,
* Air travel bookings,
* Hotel searches and bookings,
* Occupancy rates
* Demand for short term rentals
Available for free, the UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker is a collaborative effort by a group of partners including the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), ForwardKeys, STR, Sojern and AIRDNA.


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Jim Cramer drills down into the action of Hertz and Avis to figure out why car rental stocks have struggled.
Co-President Peter Nordstrom said the impact of Donald Trump's tweet was"not really discernible one way or the other."
Shares of Jack in the Box dropped after the fast food company reported disappointing quarterly earnings and guidance.
Retailers with pricing power will be able to pass on costs, but others will lose business and profitability, experts told CNBC.
Morgan Stanley upgraded Home Depot to overweight on Thursday, citing the potential for the housing market to continue to improve.
Board composition is coming under increasing scrutiny from investors and some industries are lagging behind, according to a new report.
Department store operator Kohl's reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by higher margins despite a 2.8 percent drop in sales.
Amazon has applied for a liquor license for its secretive drive-through grocery store in Seattle.
For a limited time, soft drinks of any size will cost a buck, while small smoothies, shakes and frappes will sell for $2.
Kohl's is looking for opportunities to trade in its traditional store for smaller locations.
The next time your kid asks you to buy a bottle of glue, you may have a hard time finding one.
Investors bolted from L Brands' stock Thursday, putting its shares on pace for the second-worst day in the company's history.
Shares of craft brewer Boston Beer slipped 5 percent after a disappointing outlook and continued weakness in key brands, including Sam Adams.
Tesla shares were down Thursday morning, but least two analysts who follow the stock have raised their price targets.
Tesla still needs to grow its fundamentals and earnings power, Oppenheimer senior analyst Colin Rusch says.
The overwhelming majority of traditional retailers still hasn't figured out how to profitably fill online orders.
McDonald's is giving customers cheaper drinks, in an attempt to lure more people to stores to buy more items, this analyst told CNBC.
Nissan Motor said on Wednesday it has appointed the company's co-chief executive officer, Hiroto Saikawa, as Nissan's chief executive.
He said Tesla is evaluating its options for raising more cash, but did not give any indication of when that may happen.
The "Fast Money" traders examined Tesla's stock after the company reported its fourth-quarter results.
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Cesar Sanchez says he had no trouble at all selecting a company to make all the signs for the Museum of Modern Art's temporary home in Queens, including the huge one on the building's front wall. He chose Manhattan-based Visual Graphic Systems Inc.
"VGS' bid was definitely not the lowest, but it was by far the most complete and thought-out," says Mr. Sanchez, an associate at Two Twelve Associates, the Manhattan graphic design firm that designed the museum's signage. "We wanted to use Corian, which is not really sign material. VGS figured out how we could adjust the design to make it work and look better."
Amid the 20 or so sign makers that compete for the high-end projects bid out by New York's design firms, VGS has a reputation for creativity and quality that make it a standout. That reputation is built on projects such as the signage for Radio City Music Hall and the recently reopened Winter Garden at the World Financial Center.
Interestingly, VGS' success has been aided hugely by its location.
The firm's 140 employees design and manufacture signs in a squat seven-story building on 10th Avenue between West 38th and West 39th streets. At a time when the city's industrial base is in a steep decline and City Hall wants to rezone VGS' neighborhood for office towers, the company is surviving as a Manhattan manufacturer.
Convenient for design firms
"Being located in midtown is definitely part of our `sell,' " says Joyce Healy, the company's chief executive. "The design firms are based in Manhattan, so our location is incredibly convenient for them."
Location has also helped VGS win clients in its fastest-growing business line: signs for the food service industry. VGS produces a slick-looking, easy-to-change, inexpensive menu board system, using a digital processing technology invented by founder and Chairman Don Healy. It sells the system to companies like Sodexho, the country's largest institutional food service provider, and chains such as Subway and Boston Market.
VGS went after its first food service contract 10 years ago. That side of the business now accounts for nearly half of the firm's $16 million in yearly revenues.
For VGS' food service clients, the Manhattan connection holds real allure. "We project a design-oriented, New York-cool image, and people always come away impressed when we give them our plant tour," says Ms. Healy.
Chuck Hodgkinson, vice president of marketing for Tulsa, Okla.-based Arby's, is one of those people-although he had his doubts at the outset. "I was shocked when I first heard they make the signs in midtown Manhattan," he says. "It made me nervous about how expensive it would be."
After visiting the plant, he became a believer. "Their facility and their people really impressed me," says Mr. Hodgkinson, who has tentatively awarded VGS a contract.
Taking a hit
Despite such successes, the past few years have been tough for VGS. After Sept. 11, several big projects were put on hold-including a $2 million-plus contract for the Continental Airlines terminal at Newark Liberty airport-and a couple of clients canceled orders.
"The first six months of last year were very slow, but we pushed hard and did a lot of business the last half," says Ms. Healy.
As a result, VGS managed to post a 7% rise in revenue in 2002; that compares with 15% average annual growth over the past decade. But last year's numbers still stack up well against those for VGS' peers. The sign industry as a whole was flat last year after registering 3% growth in 2001, according to industry publication Signs of the Times.
Life as a Manhattan-based manufacturer creates hassles as well as benefits for VGS. From rent to taxes to insurance, Manhattan's costs are exceptionally high, notes Ms. Healy. Space constraints and the logistics of shipments and deliveries also pose serious challenges.
"It's not as though we can just expand as our business grows," says Ms. Healy. Plant managers must constantly reconfigure the space to gain the greatest efficiency.
But, says Don Healy, the myriad headaches are worth it. "The city is where the best talent is when it comes to hiring designers and craftsmen, and the quality and creativity of our workforce is really what sets us apart."


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DISH Network (of Englewood, Colorado) is locked in a struggle with DirecTV and other television subscription services to attract and retain customers. And one of the key competitive features is HD channel coverage. DirecTV has a lead on this score, but a new satellite launched by DISH Network was intended to help the service catch up. According to reports, the Russian rocket used to launch the companies latest satellite on March 14 failed to reach the intended orbit.
The satellite is functioning properly, but will need to be moved to a higher orbit in order to serve its purpose. That can be done using the positioning rockets on the satellite, but this will consume a lot of the onboard fuel. According to some reports, this could shorten the useful lifespan of the satellite from more than 10 years to as little as two.
The press release on the DISH Network Web site does not address these issues directly, but does state that in spite of “the launch anomaly“, and indicates that the company “will increase its local HD offering by more than 60 percent” over the next two months.
This will still leave DISH Network in a catch-up situation, as DirecTV is extending its lead in HD channel coverage. DirecTV had a successful launch on March 19 that gives it the potential for as many as 150 HD channels, including HD coverage on 100 local markets. And consumers appear to respond to the additional choices; according to a Wall Street Journal Report, DirecTV added about 474,000 new subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2007, while DISH Network only gained about 85,000.
If you want to compare satellite service offerings, go to hdtvprofessor.com/SatelliteTVService/satellite-comparison.html.


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While running your own business can be exciting, there is a seemingly endless list of “little things” that go into it that aren’t as awesome as pouring your fresh new brew. Business cards, for example, are one of those things, but they can still be important to your business. A survey of more than 1,000 businesses reveals that contrary to popular belief, the business card is far from dead. In fact, the humble business card has a new lease of life: evolving in design and style, embracing new technologies and fulfilling a need for the wave of start-ups and entrepreneurs flooding the market place.
Research conducted by global crowdsourcing marketplace, DesignCrowd.com, found that almost 9 in 10 (87 percent) Americans still hand out business cards when they meet new contacts. Those receiving business cards also find them useful, with 67 percent either immediately entering the details into their smartphone or placing the card in a rolodex.
DesignCrowd, which helps businesses outsource or crowdsource business card designs and ideas from more than 150,000 designers, saw a 357 percent increase in business card design projects in 2013 alone.
Alec Lynch, founder and chief executive officer of DesignCrowd, said, “Business card design crowdsourcing is one of the fastest growing categories on DesignCrowd. While many are taking their business to the digital level, business cards remain an important marketing tool for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
“Aspiring entrepreneurs can now launch a business idea with a laptop and a credit card in just a few days,” Lynch continued. “You can crowdsource design ideas overnight and get your business card design printed and your website hosted and up and running for a few hundred dollars in just a few days.”
Lynch also observed that the way people use business cards is changing.
“The design is evolving rapidly; business cards no longer just have your job title, phone number, address and email. More are including their website, Twitter handle and even QR code.
“A business card should express what your company does and make it as easy for people to reach you – this is why more and more businesses are getting custom business card designs.”
Tech startup DesignCrowd.com conducted the survey in January 2014, canvassing the opinions of more than 1,000 small business owners in the United States, U.K. and Australia.


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- Zoom CEO and co-founder, Eric Yuan said on Friday that after the U.S., India is the company’s second-largest user base and looks to increase its global presence in the future.
Zoom CEO and co-founder, Eric Yuan said on Friday that after the U.S., India is the company’s second-largest user base and looks to increase its global presence in the future.
In a candid chat with Rajan Anandan, President, TiE Delhi-NCR and MD, Sequoia Capital during India ‘s Internet Day 2020 in partnership with Floor by 10Times, Yuan added that the new Bangalore office will help to gain more feedback from local Indian users and build a more friendly platform for them.
“India is our second-largest market and I want to thank all of the country’s users. The US is Zoom’s largest market led by India and then Japan, “he said.
He also stated that many of Zoom ‘s employees are of Indian origin including its COO Aparna Bawa, Velchamy Sankarlingam President of Product and Engineering, and Sunil Madan, Chief Information Officer of the company. WebEx co-founder Subhra Iyar has been his Zoom consultant and investor.
Yuan said his favorite use of Zoom in India is telemedicine and it is very impressive to have access to a doctor from any part of the country.
“The doctors can service any number of patients promptly from one area. The online class and online instruction from central universities, schools, and colleges is another possible use, people use zoom to continue their studies. In addition to this, there are lots of yoga and fitness classes in India through Zoom and they’re super interesting. I would add the wedding celebrations that are becoming so common in India over the Zoom. And everyone in India is using Zoom from young kids to grandparents and that’s exciting, “he said.
He also stated that marriages over Zoom are now legal in the US, and the feature is known as zoom marriage.
When asked what the future of video communications looks like as the world comes out of Covid-19, Yuan said work from home would become a popular working style for many even after the coronavirus epidemic has gone down.
“I think there are many companies that would let their workers work from home. The biggest challenge here is how to ensure that in an office environment, Zoom can give users a better and healthier experience than compared to that. Even today, people suffer from anxiety, depression from so many meetings, so how to make sure that you minimize those problems that offer a virtual face-to-face experience. We believe we should be in a position to deliver a better service at Zoom. However, we are not there yet,” he said.
Yuan said innovations like Artificial Intelligence might have some real translation problems in the future, sometime in 2040. “However, I want the other person to feel the connection through video interactions, to shake hands and feel the presence and these features will be there in the future. I can smell it from here in just one button, the coffee you have with you. I truly believe we’re going to live like that in the future, “he said.
Speaking about the future of Zoom Communications, Yuan said they’d like to become increasingly global. “Before the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus, most of the revenue came from North America, the United States and Canada, a bit from Europe. More international expansion is yet another opportunity for us to work on. Besides, we ‘d like to introduce more services. We launched a cloud-based PBX program two years ago, now we are going to add more tools for corporate customers or some new use cases, “he said.


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Get the latest industry news, press releases, and more.
In October, 2020, FCM announced the launch of its new innovative AI Reporting Tool, offering customers a unique way to visualize their data simply by posing a question using natural language.
FCM Travel Solutions is ramping up its safety-related offerings for customers, as companies prioritize traveler safety and duty of care post COVID-19.
The majority of organizations will take a phased approach to resuming domestic and international business travel over the next 12 months according to the first phase of a multinational ‘State of the Market’ study.
Plug and Play to host innovation workshops for FCM customers, in order to better leverage innovative technology to deliver a seamless travel experience for corporate travelers.
FCM is weathering the COVID-19 challenge and eyeing further growth opportunities globally.
FCM's SmartStay program delivers better value on business travel hotel stays and adds up to substantial savings corporate travel programs.
Fifty percent of organizations have begun traveling again, but with stipulations, according to the third phase of a global ‘State of the Market’ survey by Flight Centre Travel Group’s corporate brands.
At FCM Travel Solutions, equal rights are central to the way we operate. We are committed to having a diverse workforce and as a global player in the travel industry, we have the opportunity to lead the way and help bring about change to this sector.
I wanted to share with you the news that FCM Travel Solution’s parent company, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), has secured AUD $900 million in additional funding (through a capital raising and new debt facilities) to further strengthen its balance sheet and liquidity position and prepare for further growth once the prevailing business climate improves.
Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) Americas has announced that FCTG Mexico President Manuel Viñas will be retiring at the end of July 2020. Current Head of FCM Latin America, Maren Hanschke has been appointed to succeed him and will assume his responsibilities effective March 1, 2020. Viñas will continue to collaborate and assist with the transitioning, and various projects through to his departure on July 31st.
FCM Travel has made a minority investment in Shep, the award-winning browser extension technology that assists companies with better management of travel purchased outside of their corporate travel policies.
FCM Travel Solutions and parent company Flight Centre Travel Group have become the first global travel management company to achieve NDC Level 4 certification by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), currently the highest level of IATA’s NDC certification program.
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VIV Nanjing 2023 is an international trade show that aims to highlight the latest technologies and innovative products for the dairy, pig, poultry and aquaculture industries. The event will take place in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, from 6-8 September 2023.
Aimed to promote the global animal protein sector and advance an environmentally-friendly animal husbandry industry, this year’s VIV Nanjing will focus on business networking, innovations, new and existing policies, equipment and technologies, among other topics and trends.
Some of the conference’s highlights include a look at international grain and oil exports to China, Dutch low-carbon practices and the sustainable development of the animal husbandry industry.
Also included in this year’s event are various forums which cover topics including natural plant feed and animal health. Of interest to various sectors within the poultry, pig, dairy and aquaculture industries is the Technology of Feed Nutrition and Safety Seminar.


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Media Sales and Marketing, the UK’s largest radio sales house, has
appointed Radio 2’s marketing manager, Nick Button, as its first
marketing and sales support manager. The hiring comes in the wake of
MSM’s appointment to handle all of Emap Radio’s interests, as well as
London News Radio.
Mirror Group Newspapers has extended the role of Bridget Rowe, the
editor and managing director of the People, so that she becomes the
managing director of the Sunday Mirror as well. Colin Myler relinquishes
the position, but remains the managing director of the Daily Mirror. A
Mirror Group spokesman said the move was designed to bring Rowe’s
experience in the Sunday market to bear on the Sunday Mirror, sales of
which fell nearly 3 per cent in the six months to March 1996.
Attic Futura’s leading youth title, Sugar, is launching its first split-
cover promotion with Salon Selectives. The cover of the June issue will
feature a model with the line, ‘four steps to big hair’. By opening a
gatefold, readers will be able to see the same model with her haired
styled using Salon Selectives’ latest products.
The Radio Advertising Bureau has produced the latest booklet in its Best
Practice Guide series. Creativity and Radio Advertising - a Guide for
Advertisers aims to offer clients a greater insight into the medium.
Jeremy Bullmore, the non-executive director of the WPP Group, wrote the
Flextech, the company that recently acquired the Family Channel, is to
re-brand and reposition it with a view to a relaunch in September.
Airtime sales for the channel will now be handled by United Artists
Programming. Nigel Pickard, the director of programmes at the Family
Channel, has been appointed as Flextech’s first head of production.
Sainsbury’s the Magazine has struck a promotional deal with Radio 4’s
Woman’s hour to mount a special tape on women’s health on the cover of
its May issue. The tape is the first in a series of three promotions
that the magazine will run this summer. The June and July issues will
also carry supplements, one on summer entertaining, the other with new
Delia Smith recipes.
VNU Business Publications has launched a new business-to-business
magazine, B2B, that targets clients with consultancy, agency and in-
house roles within advertising, marketing and PR agencies. B2B will act
as a corporate communications tool for all VNU publications. It will be
published six times a year and is edited by the former Computing news
editor, Stuart Lauchlan.
Kerry Jonas, the head of Carat International’s European research
department, has joined the Register Group as head of research. Jonas,
who spent five years at Carat, will develop the role of research within
the Pearson-owned information and services company and act as a point of
contact for clients using advertising expenditure statistics.
Eurosport, the pan-European sports channel, has joined forces with Fox
Publishing to publish the official Eurosport guide to the Olympic Games
in Atlanta. Olympics 96 will be published in English and German and go
on general sale throughout most of Europe at an equivalent cost of
pounds 3.50. It will have a print run of 250,000. The German edition
will be produced in association with World Writers.
Banner, the leading information technology marketing communications
agency, has been appointed by the inter-networking company, Cisco, to
handle its pan-European account after a competitive pitch. An integrated
campaign will roll out shortly, comprising advertising, direct marketing
and interactive media. A major element of the drive will be to maximise
Cisco’s sponsorship of the Marlboro McLaren Mercedes Formula One team.