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Dell Going High End
Dell is known for low prices, but they are trying to turn that image around, or atleast grab some new customers that don’t like the cheaper products Dell ships out.
And while expensive Desktops and Laptops are nothing new, Dell said its new XPS line would be sold at higher prices and larger margins than its Dimension and Inspiron lines. With laptops starting at $2,700 and desktops starting at $1,100 you will sure notice a big difference in your pocket. Let’s just hope the people that buy these machines notice a difference in gaming and other power hungry applications.
“This will be our Lexus,” said Will Townsend, a Dell senior manager who gave reporters an early look at the machines.
Mike George, vice president and general manager of Dell’s consumer business in the United States, said: “It will appeal to the real technology enthusiast who understands what a dual-core processor is. But it will also appeal to a growing market that we see as underserved – the technology-oriented family.”


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SSE, Innogy delay UK retail tie-up as price cap looms
10th November 2018 | Residential Energy
A deal to create the UK’s second biggest retail power provider has been delayed to beyond the first quarter of next year, with SSE and Innogy renegotiating merger terms after Britain’s regulator proposed a cap on energy bills. The merger, a major shake-up of the UK power market that would cut the dominant big six firms to five, comes after the government ramped up scrutiny of Britain’s big energy suppliers, which it has accused of ripping off customers.
SSE said the two firms were discussing changes to the terms of the planned tie-up of their British retail units, and that the deal was unlikely to be completed until after the first quarter of 2019. It did not five a new timeframe for when talks might be concluded. It said the talks were expected to take place over several weeks, with an update on progress to be given by mid-December, Innogy said adjustments could include additional financial contributions by each party.
“The impact of some recent market developments means that the commercial terms associated with the proposed combination will need to be reconsidered,” SSE said in a statement. Such developments include the potential impact of the regulator’s cap on the most commonly used tariffs on the new company’s requirement to post collateral against its credit exposure, and its ability to obtain and retain an appropriate credit rating, SSE said.
Regulator Ofgem proposed the price cap on default energy bills – those to which customers default once fixed price periods end – to save households about 1 billion pounds ($1.31 billion) a year. The regulator said it will cap average default electricity and gas bills at 1,137 pounds a year from January 1, a level well below the most-used tariffs set by the country’s big six suppliers.
SSE and Npower, Innogy’s British unit, won final regulatory approval for the tie-up last month, clearing the way for the creation of a new entity with around 23 percent market share, the second largest in the UK market behind Centrica’s British Gas, with 27 percent.
More information available on the website below

domain: news


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The Taiwanese tech company has shown off three new Windows 10 devices -- a convertible tablet, an all-in-one laptop and a 5.5-inch smartphone.
Messaging app shuts down Snapchat Channel, leading to the departure of some employees behind the original content effort, according to a Deadline report.
AT&T customers, rejoice; Wi-Fi calling is available on your iPhone with iOS 9. Here's how to enable it.
You might want to bookmark this for future reference -- there's a lot!
Burner Connections can connect your temporary numbers to outside services, leading to some IFTTT-like magic.
There's a switch you'll need to enable before you can get Cortana's attention from across the room.
Taking a stunning Live Photo can be tricky.
Follow along as we explain the iPhone's new interaction method.
If Harry Potter-like photos aren't your thing, here's how to turn off Live Photos.
The storage-hungry feature isn't enabled by default, and for good reason.


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(AKRON, OHIO) Dec. 19, 2018 - The Akron RubberDucks announced today a one-day "Shawshank Jailbird Special" flash sale for Thursday, Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the July 20 game, when the team is celebrating the 25th anniversary of "The Shawshank Redemption" with special guest Bob Gunton, who played the roll of the infamous Warden Samuel Norton.
The $60 package is only available by calling 330-253-5151 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday. The "Shawshank Jailbird Special" includes a ticket to the game vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 7:05 p.m., an all-you-can-eat picnic, and a RubberDucks hat. In addition, fans will receive a voucher guaranteeing a Warden Norton bobblehead and access to the exclusive meet-and-greet with Gunton when they will have the opportunity for autographs, photos, and more.
"Normally, we don't unveil our bobbleheads until much closer to the season, but we wanted to give fans a chance to buy something in time for the holidays," said RubberDucks General Manager Jim Pfander. "We are thrilled to have 'Warden Norton' coming and can't wait for fans to see what we have planned for July 20."
That night's game will also include post-game fireworks with a "jailhouse rock" theme and RubberDucks players will wear jerseys that will look like late-1940's style prison uniforms, which fans can win off their backs during the in-game silent auction.
"Shawshank Jailbird Special" One-Day Flash Sale Details - DECEMBER 20 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.):
When: Thursday, Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How to Purchase: The $60 package is ONLY AVAILABLE BY PHONE - 330-253-5151
Includes: 1.) July 20 Game Ticket, 2.) All-You-Can-Eat Picnic, 3.) Guaranteed Warden Norton Bobblehead Voucher, 4.) Pre-Game Meet-and-Greet with Warden Norton (Bob Gunton)


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“It’s never too late to retire early”
More than 30% of Americans say their new year’s resolution is related to their finances. Regardless of whether you have a resolution for the new year, getting your finances on track is never a bad idea. If you are saving for retirement, now is the best time to start.
There is never a wrong time to save for retirement, but the new year is an excellent opportunity to set new goals and create healthy financial habits. Even if you don’t have much to save, there are still ways to maximize your savings. Start with these three steps. You can supercharge your savings.
You do not want to miss this big change
“Big financial ‘Switch’ Coming” Three times before in history…
In 1913, 1933, and 1971…
Major changes were made to the U.S. dollar.
Now, it appears a 4th major “switch” is set to take place…
Already, popular businesses like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Whole Foods have taken steps to prepare…
And savvy insiders gearing up for “the switch” have benefitted from $57 billion in newly created wealth…
Now, it appears the full switch is set to occur on very soon.
And what’s coming next will catch everyone by surprise.
While many will suffer great losses…
A handful of smart investors stand to reap an absolute fortune.
Headlines you shouldn’t miss
It’s never too late to start saving,
Know someone who’d love the Never Too Late Investor? Be sure to send them to this link so they can get signed up: investinglate.com


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When Prabhakar Raghavan was teaching at Stanford University some 20 years ago, he was recruited by two grad students — Larry Page and Sergey Brin — to help run their search engine startup company. He turned down the offer. Raghavan's response to the young founders: "You'll never make any money."
Today, Raghavan is responsible for how Google— worth $700 billion-plus — makes almost all of its money: advertisements.
But Raghavan, who transitioned to his new role as ads chief last October after leading Google Apps for the company, finds himself in a tricky situation. At a time when consumer concerns over privacy are seemingly at an all-time high, Google's money-minting ads business is showing signs of sluggishness. On last quarter's earnings call, Google announced slower than expected ad revenues, signaling concerns to Wall Street and sinking its stock more than 7% in after-hours trading.
To boost business in a post-Cambridge Analytica climate, Raghavan knows he can't merely give advertisers more access to user information. Instead, he needs to find the right balance between advertiser demands and user privacy.
This week at Google Marketing Live — the company's annual event for advertising partners — Raghavan and his team unveiled several new ad and commerce products to help Google boost its business with advertisers while driving home the message that it's respectful of privacy.


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In the world’s fashion capital renting luxury clothes and handbags is beginning to catch on thanks to Instant Luxe, a new service that enables consumers to rent Dior, Gucci, Saint Laurent and other luxury brand handbags for as little as 10 euros ($11.65) per day. A 4,500-euro ($5242) classic Chanel black shoulder bag, for instance, can be rented for 25 euros ($29) a day, plus 20 euros ($23.30) in insurance to cover the bag.
In introducing rental options, Yann Le Floc’h, the founder and CEO of Paris-based Instant Luxe, an e-commerce site that already offers second hand designer garments and accessories to over one million members, said the site was responding to a new “pattern of consumption” where women see no shame in renting their wardrobe.
According to Mr. Le Floc’h, many women would rather use than own a luxury bag, which is why his company has begun renting out about “20 classic handbags styles for a minimum of four nights,” he told AFP. “Uber has changed transport, Airbnb accommodation and habits are changing in the luxury goods market too. We are changing our consumption habits from ownership to use. And people are not renting just for special occasions but to treat themselves.”
While France has long had a thriving market in second hand designer clothes and bags, fans of luxury labels have been much more reluctant about renting until quite recently, even as “the market has exploded in the U.S.,” he said.
Julie El Ghouzzi, the director of France’s Luxury Goods and Creation Centre, says the push towards renting garments and accessories marks “a real change in society. We have less need to possess things and greater need for appearances.”
Emmanuelle Brizay, co-founder of the Panoply City fashion rental site, said a whole new market was opening up. “More than 90 percent of our clients have never rented clothes before. We are in a period of education, not to say evangelization.” Since January, her site has rented out 4,000 items from the latest women’s collections from Marc Jacobs, Kenzo, Courreges and Sonia Rykiel. For 60 euros ($69.91) a month, customers can rent a different garment every week, while a 350-euros-a-month ($407.87) subscription gives them access to 10 outfits.
“Renting changes the consumer’s relationship with clothes,” said Brizay. “One continues to buy them but you also can have more fun. Instead of buying an umpteenth black coat for the winter, with the same money you can change the color every week.”
Even though the rental market for top-end luxury brands is still in its infancy, Brizay said the signs were very encouraging, and even the brands themselves are coming around, she said. “At the beginning, we had to convince them and now some of them are coming to us to make sure they feature in the selection.”


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Each week see Epic Games provide seven challenges, each one helping to unlock new tiers in the season 5 battle pass.
But those dedicated individuals who manage to complete all of them also get the chance at grabbing a secret hidden bonus battle star.
This will unlock another battle pass tier but is also part of something even bigger, the season 5 Road Trip challenge.
This replaced the Blockbuster challenge of season 4 but does pretty much the same thing.
By completing all the challenges put in from of them by Epic Games, they will unlock an exclusive in or after Week 7.
So that may help to explain why things are running a little differently this week.
These are usually released on Thursdays and will mean an extra 24hr wait for fans on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch and Mobile.
Commenting on the changes, a recent message from Epic Games confirms: “Patch v5.30 is right around the corner! It will release later in the week on Thursday, August 23.
“Week 7 Challenges will become available Friday, August 24.”
But while fans have to wait a little longer to get into the new Fortnite challenges, they should at least be prepared.
WEEK 7 CHALLENGES
The new week 7 challenges have been leaked online, meaning fans get a closer look at what’s coming next.
From what has been revealed this week, it looks like Fortnite v buck generator fans will be searching for chests in Lucky Landing and following a new Treasure Map in Pleasent Park.
They will also need to score SMG eliminations and search supply drops around the Battle Royale island.


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The $100 million, 1,400-acre retreat in Charlotte, N.C., will include an equestrian center, spa, golf course, private home rentals, an RV park, entertainment pavilion, and more.
A $100 million equestrian center and spa resort is opening near Charlotte this summer, the Charlotte (N.C.) Post reported.
Plans for the luxurious Tryon Resort, a sprawling 1,400-acre retreat, were unveiled on Wednesday. Upon completion, the newly announced project will boast the world-class Tryon International Equestrian Center featuring up to 10 riding arenas, 1,000 permanent stalls, stadium seating for 6,000, and elevated, shaded viewing decks and a large covered riding facility, the Post reported.
The resort will also include two luxury hotels, an RV park with its own clubhouse, a nature-inspired spa resort, spacious private home rentals in a gated-community, log cabin village, on-site Arnold Palmer Signature Design Golf Course, a 5,000-sq. ft. entertainment pavilion and a sports complex center (scheduled to open in September) with a health club, game room, sports bar, children’s playground, tennis courts, basketball court and large pool with private cabanas, the Post reported.
“We aim to create a destination that equestrian, leisure and group travelers from all over the world will visit,” said Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of Tryon Equestrian Partners, the developers behind the project. “Our goal is to create a special place that focuses on the passion and love for both horses and horse sport. We intend for individuals and families, whether they are participants or spectators, to enjoy a broad range of activities.”
Salamander Hotel & Resorts, the luxury hotel management company founded by Sheila Johnson, BET co-founder and part-owner of three professional sports teams in Washington, has been tapped to handle the resort’s hospitality and golfing operations, the Post reported.
“I have great admiration for the Bellissimo family and their vision,” Johnson told The Post during Wednesday’s unveiling. “I feel very honored that they have selected me and my company to be a partner with them in developing one of the finest hotels in North Carolina.”
Bellissimo said his vision is to create, “one of the most significant equestrian centers in the world,” the Post reported.
Johnson, whose company operates the Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, Va., and has three golfing destinations in Florida, said that in addition to Bellissimo’s vision, she was also inspired by his commitment to exposing a wider range of people from various income levels to horses. “I think that’s important,” she said.
“The goal here is to make it accessible and take away the elitism of the sport,” said Bellissimo. “There are so many young girls and boys who want to be around a horse but don’t have that luxury, and we want to try and change that.”
To reach his goals, Bellissimo said he plans to work with local public schools to provide more opportunities for students of all income levels to experience equestrian culture, the Post reported.
N.C. Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker attended Wednesday’s unveiling. She called the project “exciting” and said it will be a major job-creating engine with a big economic impact on the area, the Post reported.
Tryon Resort is expected to create hundreds of permanent jobs and contribute tens of millions of dollars to the local economy. Bellissimo said over 500 workers have been employed since construction commenced in January, the Post reported.
Tryon International Equestrian Center, will host its first event July 2—a multi-day, international-level equestrian competition in collaboration with the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, the Post reported.


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Mobile and online voucher company Vouchercloud has seen more than half a million downloads of its iPhone app since its launch just over five months ago on 4 February. Vouchercloud managing director Greg Le Tocq says the company is approaching 600,000 downloads, and estimates that Vouchercloud’s mobile vouchers have saved UK consumers over £1m over the past five months.
“Our average voucher for Pizza Hut, Zizzi, Prezzo and Carluccio’s saves the consumer £10 and we are seeing great redemption rates too,” he says. “Pizza Hut has a 9 per cent redemption on a 2-for-1 voucher that’s still running now.”
Le Tocq says that Vouchercloud is also looking to extend its offers beyond the iPhone via apps for other mobile platforms, and a mobile web version. He says the company currently has around 5,000 different advertisers, ranging from small, independent outlets, to national multiple retailers.
David Murphy writes:
Approaching 600,000 mobile app downloads in just over five months is an impressive performance by Vouchercloud. The UK appetite for vouchers in any format is widely accepted now, but Vouchercloud’s stats seem to suggest what a lot of people have been suggesting for some time: that vouchers and mobile are a perfect fit, particularly when you add in the location element. You emerge from the cinema, you want a decent meal, you’re not particular bothered where you eat, so you ask the app to find your nearest restaurant offers, and five minutes later, you and your partner are ordering two meals, for which you’ll only pay for one.
The other impressive aspect to Vouchercloud is the way it has managed to attract well-known high street brands. This owes a lot to the company’s heritage as a publisher of substantial, print-based voucher books in cities up and down the UK. This meant that the firm already had a relationship with many of these brands, who were looking for a national offering. As Le Tocq told me just now: “When we started out, we had a hit-list of brands we wanted to work with, and I think we are speaking with just about all of them.”
The other good news is the extension of Vouchercloud beyond the iPhone. Once the service rolls out to other platforms, those download figures could really start to fly.


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The latest stories from the Business section of the BBC News web site.
Updated: 57 min 1 sec ago
When is it acceptable to lean back at 30,000ft, asks Jon Kelly.
A profile of Walid Sultan Midani, the founder of Tunisia's first video game development company, and his plans for global success.
The Italian city that as been making violins for centuries
A letter signed by 130 firms says the business case for independence “has not been made”.
US stocks closed higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 index closing above 2,000 for the first time.
Burger King confirms that it plans to merge with Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain.
South Africa avoids falling into recession after second-quarter GDP figures show the economy grew by 0.6% during the April-to-June period.
China's corruption watchdog is investigating one former and one current executive at one of Volkswagen's joint ventures for "seriously violating the law".
The annual pace of US house price growth slowed in June, a survey indicates, continuing a long-term decrease in the rate of growth.
Recovery fears at heart of French government crisis
Investment in Zimbabwe more than halved in the first six months of 2014, the country's central bank chief announces as President Mugabe visits China.
With the planned launch of two spacecraft aboard a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana, Europe is pushing ahead with its Galileo network of navigation satellites.
Hassan Sadpara is a mountaineering hero but has found it difficult to turn his climbing success into a successful business.
Mozilla, a company best known for its Firefox browser, launches its first low-cost smartphone in India, retailing for 1,999 rupees ($33; £19.90).
Global advertising giant WPP sees profits rise in the first half of this year, but says it has been hit by the "ravages" of a strong sterling.
Service sector business growth slowed in the three months to August, a CBI survey indicates, although it says firms are planning "robust" investment.
Burger King says it is in takeover talks with Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain.
Travellers on Qantas and Virgin Australia will be able to use their mobile phones and other electronic devices during flights from Tuesday.
Clothing embedded with high-tech sensors that can detect epilepsy, breast cancer, a heart attack and monitor your general health and well-being - could your wardrobe save your life?
Entrepreneurs are trying to find ways to collect rubbish in Mali's capital city Bamako but they have nowhere to process it.


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The rapid switch to remote working prompted by the Covid-19 crisis has exposed many companies to new cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
"In the rush to get employees set up for home working earlier this year, mobile security may not have been front of mind, however as cybercrime continues to increase, securing employees' mobile devices has never been more important," says Ciara O'Reilly, head of product, propositions and operations at Three Ireland. "Company laptops are generally well protected but mobile is changing all the time, and often employers may not be aware of the potential risk with mobile."
Cybercriminals are always evolving to exploit new vulnerabilities, and the increased use of mobiles for work purposes is one of them
Three has responded to this increased threat level with the launch of its 3Mobile Protect security solution. "We have brought it to market in partnership with award-winning cybersecurity company Corrata and in conjunction with CWSI," says O'Reilly. "3Mobile Protect is a simple to use business mobile security solution that protects mobile devices from phishing and malware and prevents data loss on company smartphones and tablets."
It has been designed with employees’ privacy in mind, ensuring that their data and usage details are always protected, O’Reilly adds. Very importantly it blocks access to phishing sites, malware download servers, and unapproved content and services.
“Phishing is a really big issue,” she says. “Eighty-five per cent of phishing is now done on messaging channels other than email and people are not as alert to them as they might be. There was even one on LinkedIn a while ago and people wouldn’t expect that.
“The cybercriminals are always evolving to exploit new vulnerabilities, and the increased use of mobiles for work purposes is one of them.”
She points out that the Mobile Security Index for 2019 showed that enterprise users were three times more likely than personal users to click on a phishing link on their mobile.
“They may just assume that the mobile is secured because it is owned by their employer,” she notes. “It is quite interesting and shows how important it is to educate people as well as to secure the phones.”
Corrata chief executive Colm Healy highlights the increased risk posed by remote working. "The increasing prevalence of phishing, malware and network attacks against poorly secured mobile devices poses a serious risk to businesses," he says. "Mobile operators have the trust and expertise to identify the best security solutions for their customers. The 3Mobile Protect security solution is effective, easy to use and respectful of employees privacy."
One organisation already using the new solution is the Simon Community. With staff operating across Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan, mobile devices are essential to the charity's work.
Earlier this year, Simon noticed a surge in cybercrime activity. The leadership team had been targeted by SMS scams on their mobiles more often. There was also a spike in phishing messages appearing to come from banks, along with fraudulent emails designed to trick people into sending money to fake accounts.
"Covid-19 was the perfect timing for fraud; suddenly you had many more people working remotely, and they no longer had office firewalls and virtual private networks to protect them," says Martin Hannigan, Simon's head of finance and corporate services. "We could see the vulnerabilities we had on mobiles and our virus checkers and firewalls were showing an increase in potential attacks on desktops and laptops.
“You can’t hover over an email address on a mobile to see if it’s genuine like you can on a laptop. That was always a vulnerability, so to have that extra layer of security is essential.”
Security improved immediately and noticeably since Simon installed 3Mobile Protect, as it blocks any attempt to connect to a malicious site. “It’s prevented potential attacks that we never would have been aware of before,” says Martin.
Deploying the technology was easy and fast. “It’s so seamless: in a couple of clicks, you download the app, it’s on your phone, with no adverse effect on the phone’s performance, that’s one of the big advantages for our users,” Martin adds.
It runs in the background as a native application with no drain on the battery,” O’Reilly notes. “Users don’t have to set it up or switch it on for users. No company or personal is sent to the cloud for inspection. It only looks at data which is security critical.
“It can be downloaded straight from the app store or play store and is compatible with the mobile device management systems that some companies use. Feedback from the market has been excellent. It is a very affordable mobile security solution for businesses of all sizes at €3.95 per month per user.”


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Pizza has been in the spotlight lately with National Pizza Day being celebrated last week. Americans eat approximately 350 slices of pizza per second and there are approximately 61,269 pizzerias in the United States.
We know that America’s favorite pizza topping is Pepperoni, but what is our least favorite? Knowing is important because no matter how good the crust and sauce are, it doesn’t matter if a terrible topping is added to the pizza.
So to save yourself from finding out on your own, listen to your fellow pizza eating Americans! A new survey says that it has determined America’s least favorite pizza topping, according to a post on YouGov.com. The topping in question? Anchovies! 61% of respondents said that they don’t like anchovies on pizza, 52% also said that they don’t like eggplant on pizza. Artichokes were the third least popular topping, with 44% of respondents saying no to them.
Now you know- Now don’t make the mistake of ordering bad pizza!


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On the eve of a "major announcement" from rival Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com said it has sold more e-readers this quarter than ever before.
(click image for larger view)
On the eve of a "major announcement" from rival Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com reported that its latest generation Kindle is the fastest selling Kindle to date.
Amazon.com said Monday that it has sold more of the new Kindle since its release June 29 than it sold of the older Kindle during the fourth quarter of last year, which included the holiday shopping season, perennially the biggest shopping period of the year.
Holding to its policy on the Kindle, Amazon.com did not say how many of the e-readers it has sold. The retailer made the announcement the day before Barnes & Noble is scheduled to make what the bookseller is promoting as a major announcement. Industry observers speculate that Barnes & Noble will unveil a Nook e-reader with a color screen.
Indeed, bloggers reported Monday that a picture of the "Nook Color" appeared on Barnes & Noble's website for a short time before it was taken down. If Barnes & Noble releases a color version of the Nook, then it will be taking the device into closer competition with tablet-style computers, such as the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy.
How close will depend on the features added to the device, which today is based primarily on the E Ink digital paper display, which is better for reading than an LCD display used on laptops and tablets, but lacks color and touchscreen capabilities. The current Nook has a small color touchscreen under the E Ink display that's used primarily for navigation.
In announcing the latest Kindle update, Amazon.com also said that unit sales of digital books over the last 30 days surpassed that of hardcover and paperback books combined for the top 1,000 bestselling books on Amazon.com. Among the top 10 books, the electronic editions have been outpacing the physical versions more than 2 to 1, according the retailer.
The Association of American Publishers reported that e-book sales grew 193% during the first eight months of the year. Amazon.com says e-book sales on the site have exceeded that rate.
How Enterprises Are Attacking the IT Security EnterpriseTo learn more about what organizations are doing to tackle attacks and threats we surveyed a group of 300 IT and infosec professionals to find out what their biggest IT security challenges are and what they're doing to defend against today's threats. Download the report to see what they're saying.
Digital Transformation Myths & TruthsTransformation is on every IT organization's to-do list, but effectively transforming IT means a major shift in technology as well as business models and culture. In this IT Trend Report, we examine some of the misconceptions of digital transformation and look at steps you can take to succeed technically and culturally.


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New London presence to serve INETCO’s growing European customer base
INETCO Systems Ltd.(www.inetco.com),a leading provider of transaction monitoring and analytics solutions for the banking and payment processing industries, is opening an office in London’s Shoreditch—TechCity—area.Leveraging the support of the Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) initiative, a program that helps high-growth Canadian companies gain accessto global markets, INETCO aims to make it easy for retail banks and payment processors across Europe to access real-time transaction intelligence, resolve performance issues up to 75% faster,and deliver the most exceptional consumer experiences possible.
“As a global hub for finance and technology, London is a natural city for innovative Canadian firms to put down roots and establish their European presence,” saidGordon Campbell, Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, regarding the move by INETCO. “We prioritize creating opportunities here in the UK for proven, leading Canadian enterprises and are pleased to support our Canadian Technology Accelerator companies to do just that.Our CTA-UK program is tailored to support—throughunique resources and contacts—thosesmall and medium-sized businesses from Canada that have the vision, commitment and technology to expand into Europe and beyond.”
INETCO’s flagship software, INETCO Insight, provides retail banks and payment processors with visibility into the performance of every consumer transaction, including those originating from ATM, point-of-sale (POS), Mobile and Internet banking applications. Data revealed for each transaction includes application payload information such as card type and transaction amount; metadata such as terminal ID and transaction status; and network-level response and request timings broken down by various applications, service providers and authorization hosts.This software provides atruly unique, “one stop” window into theworkings of aretail banking or payment processingnetwork, as well as thetransaction-level statisticsneeded to understand consumer usage patterns so that business executives can make more profitable decisions.
“Having a physical presence in the UK will greatly expedite INETCO’s expansion within the European banking, payment processing, and retail markets,” said BijanSanii, President & CEO of INETCO. “INETCO Insight has already been adopted by European financial institutions such as TNSiandSinergia—we’reexcited to build on these initial European inroads with the support of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service.”
INETCO’s office space will be located in the vibrant Central Working club, located in the heart of Shoreditch—London’sown Silicon Valley. This latest Central Working club is expected to help over 22,000 digital businesses during the next 5 years.Other financially focused companies located in Central Working locations include Barclays, IP Payments and Aire. Fellow Canadian companies joining INETCO in Central Working include Analyze Re, ReFleX Wireless andPopulus.
Whether in London, in Chicago at the upcoming BAI Retail Delivery conference (Nov 12-14), or anywhere around the globe, email email@example.com learn more about how your organization can benefit from INETCO Insight real-time transaction monitoring and INETCO Analytics for ATM.
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Apple recently acquired a Hyderabad based company called Tuplejump which specialises in machine learning and processing and analysing big sets of data quickly. Apple bought the company to strengthen its artificial intelligence. However, the price paid for the deal wasn’t disclosed.
“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” – Colin Johnson, Apple spokesperson
Tuplejump was founded in 2013 by Rohit Rai, Satyaprakash Buddhavarapu and Deepak Alur and while the Rai and Buddhavarapu have joined Apple, Alur works as the engineering head at Premji-backed Anaplan.
Tuplejump helps other companies to store, process and visualise big data. The Tuplejump team was well versed with open source big data tools such as the Apache Spark processing engine, the Apache Cassandra NoSQL database, and the Apache Kafka distributed high-throughput publish-subscribe messaging system. The bootstrapped company reaped a profit of about INR 80,000 in 2014-15 on revenue of about INR 70 lakh, as per the company’s annual report. Experts predict more acquisitions of machine-learning and AI start-ups based in India.
The latest project they were working on a project was called “FiloDB” – an opensource project that Tuplejump was building to efficiently apply machine learning concepts and analytics to complex data; which Apple was particularly interested in.
This is the third artificial intelligence company Apple has acquired in the year. Last month Apple bought acquired Seattle-based company, Turi, which offered “machine learning platform for developers and data scientists.”
Previously in 2016, Apple had acquired Emotient, a San Diego-based company, which uses artificial intelligence to detect emotion from facial expressions.


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NAIROBI: Lack of improved seeds, use of obsolete technology, lack of access to credit, effects of climate change and cartel-like behaviour are some of the factors that have been blamed for the East African Community’s (EAC) low production of potatoes.
Last week during the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme’s (CAADP) regional Africa forum in Rwanda, which focused on the potato value chain in EAC, sector players called for collaboration with a view to sealing the gaps hindering high regional production.
Value chain players also faulted EAC’s governments for failing to allocate adequate funding for the production of seeds and value addition.
Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) CEO Stephen Muchiri said the current situation has seen major hotels and traders turn to Morocco, Egypt and South Africa to meet demand for the crop.
He added that there is high potential for a potato value chain in East Africa, but the crop has been neglected, despite Rwanda having one of the highest-quality produce in the world.
In Kenya, the potato sub-sector, which has an annual turnover of more than Sh50 billion, is largely dominated by cartels who dictate price and segment the market. Mr Muchiri added.
The crop is grown mainly by small-scale farmers, although some larger-scale growers specialise in commercial production.
“In major markets in the country, for example Wakulima in Nairobi, Karatina air market in Nyeri, and Kongowea market in Mombasa, the potato business is controlled by a few traders who bar new entrants,” said Muchiri.
“Potatoes are grown by over 800,000 farmers, cultivating 60,000 acres, but a majority are smallholders and only produce enough for household consumption.”
The potato is the second-most important food crop in the country, after maize.
However, it is increasingly being regarded as junk food as a result of the growing consumption of French fries and crisps. This has significantly affected its role in fulfilling standard dietary needs. Therefore, its potential contribution to food and nutritional security has been undermined, Muchiri said.
Still, according to the 2015 Economic Survey, the production of Irish potatoes in Kenya increased from 1.5 million tonnes in 2012 to 2.1 million tonnes in 2013 and 2.3 million tonnes in 2014.
However, the crop’s production is yet to reach its highest levels realised five years ago of 2.7 million tonnes.
“If well managed, potatoes can grow faster and produce higher yields than maize and rice. They are also suitable for small-scale cultivation and promote responsible land use,” said Muchiri.
With support from the European Commission, several EAFF member organisations are now implementing a series of activities aimed at strengthening farmers’ groups in their engagements in the potato value chain at national and regional levels.
One of the activities involves educating farmers on the causes of the crop’s low production and poor quality, such as recycling produce every planting season.
The farmers’ lobby also wants governments to manage the politics and cartels around the marketing and sale of the crop.
In an earlier interview, the acting managing director of the Kenya Plant Health Services Inspectorate Services (Kephis), Esther Kimani, said the seven companies registered to produce certified potato seeds are only able to produce 36 varieties, which meets two per cent of demand.
To bridge the gap, in 2012, Kenya signed a bilateral agreement with the Netherlands to import seed potato, which has since led to the release of 17 varieties.
EAFF is also encouraging the use of biometric departments to develop improved potato varieties for better yields.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying attends a press conference in Beijing, China, on January 21, 2021.
Carlos Garcia Rawlins | Reuters
BEIJING – China imposed sanctions on UK entities on Friday, saying Britain’s sanctions on Chinese people for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang were based on “lies and misinformation.”
The Foreign Office imposed sanctions on four UK entities and nine people who will be banned from doing business with China. Its assets in the country will also be frozen, the ministry said.
That’s a step up from previous Chinese sanctions on foreign entities. This week’s sanctions on European Union entities and US politicians in January focused on banning travel to China and doing business.
The new sanctions against the UK mainly target people involved with human rights, particularly Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.
Xinjiang is home to Uighur Muslims, an ethnic minority that the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom and others have identified as a repressed group.
The United States, the EU, the United Kingdom and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials on Monday, the first coordinated action by Western nations since President Joe Biden took office. The countries cited human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region, accusations Beijing has repeatedly denied.
On Thursday, Swedish clothing retailer H&M disappeared from major online shopping sites in China after a backlash on Chinese social media over earlier comments from the brand about alleged forced labor in Xinjiang. A similar statement from Nike prompted two Chinese celebrities to cut ties with the American sportswear brand.


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One of the most exciting announcements of June 2022 was the reveal of Street Fighter 6. Not only did Capcom confirm the fighting game's ongoing development, but it debuted a range of gameplay including allowing content creators access to a demo experience.
For the time being, no beta plans have been announced, but Street Fighter fans are anxious to see more footage. That may not be too far off, it seems, as Capcom has now confirmed that it will be showcasing Street Fighter 6 at an upcoming event.In a message posted on Twitter, Capcom confirmed that it's bringing Street Fighter 6 to the upcoming Japan Expo in Paris.
The Japan Expo in Paris is an annual convention celebrating Japan and its culture, including video games. Capcom will be attending the convention and is bringing demo stations of Street Fighter 6, making it one of the first public opportunities for fans to play the game.
The Japan Expo in Paris will run from July 14 through July 17.Street Fighter 6 Confirms Return of Guile and His Epic HairAs with the demo showcased for influencers and the media in early June, the demo being brought to the Japan Expo in Paris will be just a vertical slice of Street Fighter 6.Read more on gamerant.com


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On 26 November 2020, the European Commission ("Commission") announced that it had fined the pharmaceutical companies Teva and Cephalon EUR 60.5 million for agreeing to delay for several years the market entry of a cheaper generic version of Cephalon's drug for sleep disorders, modafinil, after Cephalon's main patents had expired, in breach of Article 101 TFEU (the prohibition of anticompetitive agreements). WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW - KEY TAKEAWAYS The decision completes the cycle of pay-for-delay pharmaceutical investigations launched with
The EU Commission fines pharmaceutical companies for pay-for-delay agreement (Teva / Cephalon)
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SAS Sails Into Uncharted Waters With New Reseller Program
Posted August 29, 2006 8:45 a.m. EDT
CARY, N.C. — SAS
is setting sail into a new channel for revenue, and for the first time its sales force is not SAS employees.
On Monday, SAS outlined its strategy for working with channel partners to sell software and services to companies with less than $1 billion in annual revenues.
It's the first time in its long history that the world's largest privately held software company has made such a move. And SAS does so only after hiring an industry veteran of channel sales to spearhead the effort, then building a management team to plan and implement the strategy.
"We have wanted this channel and the channel has wanted us for a long time," said Jim Davis, chief marketing officer of SAS and a top confidant of Chief Executive Officer Jim Goodnight, the firm's co-founder.
"We produced $1.68 billion in revenue in 2005, and virtually all of that was done through our employees," he explained. "Our direct sales channel is doing very well. We have increased direct sales globally 21.4 percent this year, and in fact we are increasing the number of direct sales people, so business is good.
"The reseller is not a move to downsize the direct channel, but to grow the company."
SAS already has 500 "quota carrying" sales people in the United States and 1,300 globally, Davis said. But SAS needed more people on the street, not only to support direct sales to large customers but to sell to smaller companies with which SAS has not dealt in the past.
Rather than add headcount, however, SAS worked months on choosing to embrace resellers.
Through its partners, SAS expects to have in short order another 1,000 people in the Americas alone. That's where the reseller program is being launched, with 27 partners already signed on.
"We're not talking about hundreds of people," Davis said. "We're talking about thousands."
International partners will come later.
"What we are finding with the growth rate of 21.4 percent is that there is a lof of opportunity out there," Davis said. "We're telling resellers they can sell into that segments of companies with less than $1 billion in revenue. We can't cover the breadth of that opportunity with direct sales."
SAS originally expected to have 30 partners signed on by year's end. The program has already proved to be so successful that SAS has lifted its target to 50 by year's end, Davis said.
As an incentive to partners, SAS is offering them an annuity stream rather than a one-time fee for a sale. The partners get 30 percent of the first-year sale and then 25 percent of ensuing subscription sales for services.
"This incents them to build relationships with customers," said Davis.
SAS works hard to develop customer loyalty and relives heavily on recurring revenues from services and upgrades to drive its growth.
In talking about launching the reseller program, SAS executives ruled out what Davis called a "dump and run" approach - make a big sale and then move on to new clients.
What SAS wants its partners to do is "build an ecosystem around what SAS has to offer," he added. That includes more than 200 products and services, with an emphasis on business intelligence.
Given what he described as a "shakeup" taking place among other business intelligence providers, SAS decided that 2006 was the "opportune time" to launch the program, Davis added.
Brought in to lead the effort is Miles Mahoney as vice president of alliances and channels. He joined SAS several months ago and has already hired 40 people. SAS also will hold a "summit" for its new partners on Sept. 19-20 at the SAS campus.
"Miles has done this before," Davis said of the former Borland and Business Objects executive.
SAS has set significant growth goals for the group, with 15 to 20 percent of new sales to come from Mahoney's organization by 2008, Davis added.
To make SAS solutions and services more appealing to smaller businesses, the company has also reshaped its product offerings. SAS for the first time is scaling its prices downward for a "per user" basis.
"We've never done this before," Davis said. "This is only available through the reseller channel. We're removing the barriers."
In order to position itself for the reseller program and to adjust its own internal organization to reflect a changing sales environment, SAS did make some job cuts earlier this year. However, most of the people affected found jobs elsewhere in SAS, and Davis said that SAS' overall headcount is expected to increase 3 percent by year's end.


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Businesses across sectors hope to emerge from this pandemic, stronger and better. To do so, they need to plan for future models, especially when technology is no longer a choice, but a necessity.
And this year, TechSparks, India’s most influential and highly-anticipated startup-tech conference, aims to help techies come together to exchange ideas, innovate for the future, and know which technologies will help propel the business forward.
India’s largest and most influential startup-tech conference will see technocrats from around the world gather virtually to celebrate Made in India startups, ideas, innovations, and brands that will power a self-reliant India.
For more than a decade, TechSparks has been instrumental in creating over 15 lakh connections, 2,500+ jobs, and more. The special 11th edition will be the biggest gathering of entrepreneurs, policymakers, technologists, investors, mentors, and business leaders.
Embracing the new normal, TechSparks 2020 is going to be an all-immersive, virtual, and global experience, beyond boundaries, potentially engaging with an audience of 100 million.
SaaS and innovation
India has become a hub for technology innovation, with the global success of companies like Freshworks, Zoho, and InMobi, inspiring hundreds of Indian entrepreneurs to build solutions for the world.
Indian startups bring a unique perspective to problem-solving, with cutting-edge tech development and disruptive solutions that can be scaled for the global market.
At TechSparks 2020, the SaaS track will see the biggest names in SaaS and cloud come together to discuss the future of the segment, the very latest market and customer trends, and the roadmap for the years to come.
Top tech entrepreneurs
In its 11th edition, TechSparks will bring not just the most coveted people in technology, but also a generation of techies who revolutionised the ecosystem.
For example, Karan Bajaj, Founder of WhiteHat Jr, a company offering AI courses to children between the ages of six and 14. Karan started WhiteHat Jr to solve a personal problem. As a father of two daughters, he was aware of the massive shifts caused by technology in every aspect of life, and wanted his kids to be at the centre of creating technology instead of just consuming it.


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READING, Pa. - An auction to clear out hundreds of unused and outdated items belonging to Berks County and several municipalities brought in more than $85,000 last month, county officials announced Thursday.
Trucks, air conditioners, portable outhouses, two paddle boats, a row boat and a golf cart were among the items put up for bid at the Reading Fairgrounds in Bern Township on April 5.
The county's profit totaled $31,946.92 after paying sales taxes and the auctioneer's fee. The remaining proceeds went to the participating municipalities of Brecknock, Caernarvon, Earl, Maidencreek, Pike, Robeson and Tilden townships and Shillington borough.
"We are very pleased with the results of this auction and may look to do another in the future," said Carl Geffken, county chief operating officer.
Some of the county's profits from the auction were allocated to departments from which the auction items came from.
The biggest winner was the parks and recreation department, which netted $12,794.88.
"The parks department is extremely pleased with the outcome of this auction," said Christopher Stress, acting director. "I want to report that the proceeds netted from the parks department items will go directly back into the improvement of the county parks."
At the bottom of the departmental list was adult probation, which netted 84 cents from the sale of a television cabinet, Geffken said.
Allentown, PA 18102


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An interesting article appeared in today’s Financial Times noting the failure of recently released 3D films – which may have implications for the take up of the next wave of consumer-focused innovation – 3D TV. Here in the double-dip threatened UK, 3DTV will follow hard on the heals of full HD TV sales.
The underlying message in the FT article is to beware of an unquenchable consumer thirst for the next technological innovation – that just might be a characteristic of the pre-recession world that may be lost for a decade – especially in respect of consumers in developed economies.
Time to revisit the business plan?
Garrahan, M (2010) Fears for future of 3D as films flop. Financial Times 15 August


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Jayco Inc. intends to begin building Class A motorhomes in a new factory in May of next year, according to Sid Johnson, director of marketing.
The dealer demand for Class A’s has softened considerably this year due to higher interest rates, but Jayco management believes the company needs to enter Class A’s to round-out its product offerings.
Jayco is a major manufacturer of towable RVs, ranking No. 4 in terms of retail market share during the first half of this year, according to Statistical Surveys Inc., a market research firm.
The company also builds Class C motorhomes, and it feels it needs to enter Class A’s to capture buyers who want to trade-up, Johnson said.
Jayco will produce Class A’s in a factory it will build immediately south of the Michigan-Indiana border, next to where the company currently assembles Class C’s. The facility for producing Class A’s will be about 100,000 square feet, as is its plant for building Class C’s. The site is about five miles north of Jayco’s main production complex in Middlebury, Ind.
The current plan is to build equal numbers of diesel and gas engine Class A’s, Johnson added.
The first day for Class A production is tentatively scheduled for May 7, he said.
Jayco believes entering the Class A market will increase the demand for its Class C’s, because the company would be in a better position to do business with dealers who want to inventory both Class A’s and C’s, Johnson said.
Jayco retailed 547 Class C’s during the first half of this year, according to Statistical Surveys.


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Airlines Dispute Advertising Restrictions
In protest of the US Dept. of Transportation's requirement that air travel advertisement should accurately reflect all charges associated with flight documents, including all taxes and fees, Dallas-based Southwest, Spirit Airlines and Allegiant, have asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to block the proposed rule.
In a June 3, 2011 Department of Transportation statement, “Under DOT’s recently adopted consumer rule that enhances protections for air travelers, carriers will be required, among other things, to include all government taxes and fees in advertised fares beginning Oct. 24."
“All Airlines for America members provide details on ticket prices and other charges prior to purchase today," says Steve Lott, vice president of Airlines for America, the Washington-based lobbying group for airlines. He continues, "We believe consumers should always know what they are paying for, including how much of their ticket prices go to taxes." He maintains that the objective should always be consumer awareness and best practices toward consumer price comparison, "We share the DOT goal of continuously improving the customer experience and our member airlines will implement the new rules as efficiently as possible.”
DOT said Wednesday that they decline to comment on the lawsuit, since it is pending litigation. However, DOT requires that advertising which includes a price for air transportation must state the full amount to be paid by the consumer, including carrier-imposed surcharges.
In apparent disagreement with the new requirements, a few carriers have been fined as a result of inaccurate or incomplete advertising. Says Southwest spokesman, Chris Mainz, that regarding air travel, the justification for consumer understanding of cost is not the issue. He says, in comparing prices online or anywhere else, "everything is advertised as the price of (an) item separately from the tax on that price. Forcing airlines to include taxes will also make air travel look more expensive when in reality it's not." More expensive than a flight with another airline? Or more expensive than some other form of travel?
Comparison shopping for your next flight should now be a little easier.


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The soda giant is now selling a sugar-free, calorie-free cola with added fiber. Though only available in Japan currently, Business Insider reports that the company spent over 10 years developing the sparkling Metamucil-inspired beverage: Coca-Cola Plus.
It contains five grams of fiber, which accounts for about a fifth of one’s recommended daily needs.
“We’re looking to add functional beverages,” Coke’s president and CEO James Quincy told reporters Tuesday.
The company is also rolling out a fiber-enhanced version of Canada Dry ginger ale, too.
But is this something consumers even want?
“I doubt it, although it depends on how it tastes,” Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University told Fox News. “People who like Coke don’t want it tampered with. People who don’t won’t care. Those seeking fiber can find other sources.”
Nutrionists aren’t sold on the new beverage, either.
Felicia Stoler, a registered dietitian nutritionist and expert consultant in disease prevention and healthful living, thinks that while the “functional beverage” space is hot, she’s not sure that a soda will help alleviate the substantial lack of fiber missing the average Western diet.
“I do think it is great that Coke has added fiber to its beverage,” Stoler told Fox News, “however, from what i can find, it is a corn-derived fiber… so not sure if this this the best option to meet their goals for all consumers.”
According to Stoler, the typical American gets less than 10 grams of fiber per day. She advocates for consuming more wholesome fruits and veggies.
Long thought to be healthier than sugary soft drinks, diet drinks may not actually be better for us after all. A study conducted by Boston’s University School of Medicine found that people who consume just one can of an artificially-sweetened soft drink a day were three times more likely to suffer the most common form of stroke compared to non-drinkers. The study, which examined 4,300 people over 10 years, also found that soda drinkers were also 2.9 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
It’s a worrying statistic that some extra fiber isn’t likely to fix.
“I do not believe the fiber would offset the negative consequences of what makes the diet soda diet– which is the non-nutritive sweetener,” says Stoler, who advocates against artificial sweeteners in general.
In today’s increasingly health conscious climate, it will likely take some clever marketing to convince consumers that a soda is actually healthy.
So who is Coke targeting?
“People who think Coke is bad for them and that this will make it better,” says Nestle, who added, “Good luck with that.”
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are both looking for new ways reverse declining sales. Though Coca-Cola grew its sparkling soft drink revenue last quarter, by volume, global soft drink sales fell by 1 percent for the company, says Business Insider.
Ultimately, as nestle believes, the product’s success will likely come down to taste. While Coke has had success with low-calorie and calorie free brands like Coke Zero and Diet Coke, when the company introduced the reformulated “New Coke” in 1985, it resulted in an epic brand identity crisis and ultimate sales flop.
The company seems to have learned from that mistake, however, and going forward isn’t looking to necessarily replace any of its most popular beverages, but rather give a sophisticated drinker more options depending on his or her mood.
“Consumers, even the same person… want less sugar at one point, more caffeine, less caffeine [at other times,]” Quincy said. Coca-Cola, he said, “can actually have multiple objectives in the same reformulation. You can… improve the taste, and reduce the added sugar, and add a new fruit juice or some other ingredients.”


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Another week, another round of digital trends and news. Here are the major developments in the digital world that have happened this week:
- Marketers are finally realizing the importance of Inbound Marketing.
- Empowers potential customers by creating content that people volunteer to utilize.
- Focuses on nurturing leads by gathering relevant information and gain insight into consumer needs.
- Can be used by marketers to create meaningful content for different buyer persona accordingly.
- Hubspot is a Marketing Automation tool that leverages Inbound Marketing to bridge the gap between Sales and Marketing and increase the overall efficiency of the company.
#2. Snapchat releases unique ad creation tool called Snap Publisher
- Advertisers need to create ads from scratch in order to facilitate the vertical nature of Snapchat.
- To mitigate this issue, Snapchat released a browser-based ad creation tool that can be used to create vertical snap-based ads.
- It enables advertisers to automatically turn any photo or video – including the horizontal kind – into a vertical video ad.
- It also has an option for brands to pull photos and videos from their websites.
#3. Amazon releases new social feed called ‘Amazon Spark’
- Amazon Spark is a rather Instagram-like service to facilitate an effective social shopping feed.
- The objective is to create social engagement on the Amazon app that will lead directly to product purchases.
- Users are asked to identify topics of interest from an extensive list.
- This list extends beyond product categories to various lifestyle areas and interests as well.
#4. Google launches new ad campaign i.e #OnGoogleMaps
- Google has quietly begun an ad campaign promoting its Maps feature, by using lesser-known figures and celebrities.
- Ads on Maps are meant for businesses that want to be more visible when consumers perform searches online.
- Advertisers can also place a brand logo on Maps or offer in-store promotions.


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Ballantyne RV sold to cross-town rival Wilkins RV
- RV dealer has been purchased by a competitor with plans to reopen 24-acre location in Victor.
- Sales of RVs continues to rebound with those ages 35-54 fueling the increases
A long-running RV dealer that recently ceased operations in Victor has been purchased by a regional competitor with plans to reopen the 24-acre property later this year.
Wilkins Recreational Vehicles, founded in 1936 as an auto detail shop, has purchased the former Ballantyne RV & Marine dealerships in Victor and Cicero, Onondaga County. Financials of the deal were not disclosed.
"From a strategic standpoint, this move allows us to better serve the eastern side of the Rochester market and provides us an entry into the Syracuse market," Brian Wilkins, president of Wilkins RV said in a statement. "We know they have a great customer following and we look forward to earning their business and provide them the service and support they need."
The purchase comes with annual sales of RVs having completed its best mark in 40 years, and its seventh consecutive year of increased sales, according to Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.
The group said nearly 431,000 units were shipping last year, a 15 percent increase over the previous year and significantly improved when sales took a nose dive during the Great Recession.
Those figures include both the large truck and van campers as well as the towable campers.
Ownership, meanwhile, continues to get younger.
The typical owner is married and about 48 years old, with more RVs are now owned by those 35-54 than any other group, according to a study commissioned by the association. Nearly 40 percent of those owners have children living at home.
Ballantyne, located on Route 96 in Victor, had closed in late January after Wilkins reached a deal to purchase its two locations. Those two locations employed roughly 45 people, with about 25 workers expected to remain through the ownership transition, Wilkins said.
The roughly 80-year family-owned Wilkins RV operates in Churchville and Bath, Steuben County. It plans to invest roughly $1 million over the next few years to renovate the Ballantyne properties, following various regulatory approvals.
Ballantyne's two former locations remain closed while Wilkins awaits license approvals from the state.


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The actress Maitê Proença has joined with Reload Beleza Positiva, a cosmetics brand created by Felipe Sabará in 2015. Maitê is involved in the cause of the planet’s preservation and has been producing its own toothpaste and creams in a clean and sustainable way for years.
Reload Beleza Positiva was born recycling packaging. With the adhesion of the actress and ecological activist company will begin to deepen the concept post-sustainable, reusing packaging.
“I am overwhelmed by a need to contribute consistently to this planet that we are dismantling in a physical and moral way,” said the actress in an interview with the newspaper O Estado de São Paulo. “The focus is to reuse plastic bottles that would otherwise go to waste, rivers or sea.”
She points out: “The products of our Reload Positive Beauty reuse plastic packaging to pack shampoos and biodegradable conditioners, without poison and without quality. Our practice is that of circular economy. “


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Now, it seems that the company is planning to launch the Project Linda along with a new Razer smartphone at the IFA 2018. The report highlights that the company might launch Project Linda laptop dock alongside its second smartphone. There are no specifications of this rumoured smartphone mentioned but we expect the company to adopt the Snapdragon 845 along with 10GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, bundled along with the latest Android OS.
The GoFundMe page shows that Tyga donated $5,000 under his legal name, Michael Stevenson, while Rob Kardashian donated $10,000. The family of Chyna's assistant set up a GoFundMe page to support Hernandez's medical expenses, and both Tyga and Kardashian reportedly contributed to the cause.
However, the " Alexa " voice command can only be detected when the shopping app is opened and not like "Ok Google" or "Hey Siri" hot words, which can be accessed from anywhere in the smartphone. However if you don't own an Echo speaker or an Alexa-powered device, then this could be a cheaper way of using Alexa on your mobile device. Amazon has officially confirmed that the Alexa app for Android now supports voice queries.
Back in January 2017, Honda Cars India had recalled 41,580 units in India, which included the Jazz, City, Civic and the Accord, which were manufactured in 2012. Honda Cars India on Friday said it would recall 22,834 vehicles in India as part of its global recall campaign to replace faulty airbags of Japan's Takata Corp.
According to the report , WhatsApp is testing up to 10 notification channels on the messenger app for Android Oreo . "WhatsApp Business will make it easier for people to connect with them, and vice versa, in a fast and simple way". The app can coexist with your regular WhatsApp app, so you can keep the latter for your personal communication over your mobile number and the former for your business messages over your landline number.
A small fragment of a large comet or asteroid is known as a meteoroid. When it enters Earth's atmosphere it becomes a meteor, fireball or shooting star. Finding an intact meteorite is a rare collection which can be acquired only when more people a motivated to look for it, explained Pitt. The event, seen by many in MI, creating a streak of light and a loud bang that could also be seen in other states and Canada.
In an interview with ABC News , Cook discussed a number of recent announcements by Apple, including their plan to invest $350 billion in the USA economy over the next five years and how President Trump's tax plan will help the US economy. "That cash has been getting dust overseas, and now they can use it". Furthermore, out of the 2 million jobs that Apple claims responsibility for, a quarter of them are not direct employments but indirect jobs through Apple's US -based suppliers.
As per GizmoChina, Gui Xian, President of Samsung for China recently revealed in an interview that the pricing of both the smartphones in China will be the lowest in the world. If you had to choose between one of these two concepts as LG's foldable phone design, which do you prefer and why? The same options apply to the home button: either a hole in the panel with a real physical button or the fingerprint sensor model.
Thomas will make his way to Mobile after playing in the East-West Shrine game in St. Petersburg on Saturday. With the college football season officially in the books, many prospects have started their preparation for the professional level, with numerous upperclassmen accepting their invitations to the 2018 Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
KGI cited a couple of reasons that the iPhone X didnt do as well. The analyst expects a super-cycle change to take place this September, with Cupertino discontinuing the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus , and the iPhone 8 for a whole new slew of bezel-less devices.
The next total eclipse will occur on July 27 this year. After all, the full moon will not only be subjected to a total lunar eclipse but will also be much bigger and brighter than the usual, otherwise known as supermoon . If you live in North America, Alaska, or Hawaii, the eclipse will be visible before sunrise on January 31. Australian Astronomical Observatory astronomer Fred Watson says a Super Moon is defined by a full moon occurring at the nearest point to the Earth on the moon's ...
They're not saying yet where this new campus will be built. With that initial focus on technical support, however, it should mean that Apple can build it anywhere in the U.S. Opponents to the new tax law predicted much of the money firms saved from the cuts would go to share buybacks and higher dividends. The move comes as another technology giant, Seattle-based Amazon , holds many North American cities in suspense over where it will build its $5 billion second corporate headquarters.
It's now undecided whether Epps, who was the flight engineer for Expedition 56/57 , will be a crew member on another ISS mission in the future. Epps, an engineer who has been training in Russian Federation for the flight, will be considered for future missions.
About 9.17 million shares traded or 2.13% up from the average. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has risen 62.48% since January 19, 2017 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 14.94% the S&P500. British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, a British Columbia - Canada-based fund reported 1.45M shares. Guggenheim Capital Limited Company stated it has 529,292 shares or 0.02% of all its holdings.
The team is gradually ramping up for a full-power test in mid- to late March. The reactor could power equipment to turn the Red Planet's natural resources into water, oxygen and fuel. This time around, engineers focused on building something small, dependable and relatively cheap using existing technology and readily available nuclear fuel.
The price of the remastered game is quite appropriate coming in at just $19.99. The Definitive Edition of the title will benefit from a jaw-dropping 4K resolution makeover, as well as throwing in multiplayer support through Xbox Live and local LAN.
According to Australian media, the couple had lived in the flat in King Street for several months and police believe Gurung murdered Ms Blake before killing himself. The body of Amelia Blake, 22, was discovered in a small flat in the suburb of Newtown on Friday, New South Wales Police said. "Police attended and discovered the bodies of a woman, aged in her 20s, and a man, aged in his 30s", police said.
The survivor was quoted as saying one gasoline container was kicked over near the cooker, igniting a fire that quickly engulfed the overcrowded bus and left most passengers little time to escape. "Asking you to convey my deepest condolences and sympathy to the families and friends of the victims, I wish the injured a speedy recovery", the top Armenian official said in the message.
The researchers hope that their work could eventually lead to a test that is simpler and cheaper than the intensive sequencing involved in some other liquid biopsies . This is a less than 1 percent false positive result. Nicholas Turner, professor of molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research in London, also told AFP that the one percent false positive rate " could be quite a concern for population screening ".
This update should be available to download now on the Xbox One X , and it is around 670 MB in size. Perhaps best of all, the update doesn't bloat the file size too much. You may be interested in a new Xbox One X vs PC graphics comparison video created by the team over at Digital Foundry , providing further details on frame rates you can expect from both the PC and Microsoft's most powerful gaming console to date the Xbox One X while playing Forza Horizon 3 at 4K resolutions.
The App Store Preview Web interface has essentially been revamped and it comes with prominent large icons, larger preview images, and a clean page layout. $1 out of every $4 generated from app stores, in-app ads, and mobile commerce comes from the Chinese market. While augmented reality (AR) has received a lot of coverage with Apple's and Google's new software development kits making it easier for companies to add AR features to apps, the technology hasn't taken off quite yet.
The creators will be creating Twitch-exclusive pre-recorded videos in a very similar vein to YouTube content, as well as regularly streaming from the platform. The announcement comes alongside the launch of Twitch's new Video Producer creator tools created to somewhat shift the site's focus away from streaming, and give creators "more options, more control, and more opportunities to find viewers, grow an audience, and make a living doing what they love".
United Launch Alliance, a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, said the problem was narrowed to a ground system at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad. Launch window: 7:48 p.m. The satellite joins three others in assisting Air Force missile-defense efforts. When complete, the constellation that will include a minimum of four SBIRS craft stationed in geosynchronous orbit and at least two infrared payloads in egg-shaped orbits aboard top secret National Reconnaissance ...
Huawei will soon commence the integration of Android Messages across their portfolio. HUAWEI is making it even easier for hundreds of millions of users to express themselves via mobile messaging by integrating Google's Android Messages across HUAWEI's Android smartphone portfolio.
Footage of the aftermath showed Dunn with a bloodied mouth, with many onlookers speculating that he had lost his two front teeth in the fall. He fell face first on the United Center floor and was unable to get back up on defense afterward. Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said Dunn is making a good recovery. He's being evaluated. Tough kid'. He is scheduled to be re-evaluated tomorrow.
It has launched a new multimedia format, dubbed Spotlight , which sounds an terrible lot like visual podcasts. Let us know what playlists and podcasts you find it in. On launch, the programming includes news, pop culture, sports, politics and music with additional series will be launching throughout the month of February.
Although encouraging specialists have said more research needs to be done. Although the test does not pick up every cancer, it identifies many that would likely otherwise go undetected. With an expected cost of US$500 (A$630) or less, the price tag is comparative to other cancer screening tests. "I suspect now you're looking at $1,000 or something like that.
As often as we share amusing videos and tweets with each other, I can't imagine a time in my daily life where I would want to set aside three minutes to watch one of those videos simultaneously with my friends in a Facebook Group while we spam silly reactions.
Many analysts are providing their Estimated Earnings analysis for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and for the current quarter 5 analysts have projected that the stock could give an Average Earnings estimate of $0.74/share. For the next 5 years, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.is expecting Growth of 20.11% per annum, whereas in the past 5 years the growth was 55.44% per annum.
Google pinky swears that it "will only store your photo for the time it takes to search for matches" when it takes the picture, but that's not enough to get around the laws in Texas and IL. You may have even downloaded the app to find out who your museum painting doppelganger is. This surge in popularity came as a result of the latest addition to the app that provided its users the opportunity to match their selfies to faces in notable artworks, allegedly, from around the globe.
In Senegal, President Macky Sall said he was "shocked" by the remarks , and said people in Africa deserve the "respect and consideration of all". The President sought to shift from the defensive by portraying Democrats as not truly interested in an immigration deal.
The upward trend in global temperatures marked by record-shattering warmth in 2015 and 2016 kept pace a year ago, with the United Nations weather agency warning Thursday that the continued pressure on the Arctic in 2017 will have "profound and long-lasting repercussions on sea levels, and on weather patterns in other parts of the world".
A few days ago we detailed a new iOS and macOS bug that crashes Messages when you receive a specific message. When talking about user reports , the bug doesn't work consistently. "Ashamed about the mess it gets itself in, Messages decides the least embarrassing thing to do is crash". In both 2015 and 2016, similar strings of text or dodgy web links caused phones to crash.
At the peak of the Tide Pod Challenge's virality, a GIF of Oprah Winfrey eating on stage was tweeted out and became a meme joking that she epitomised the feeling of eating a detergent pack. YouTube said any channel that receives a strike would have its access to the site limited for three months. " They should not be played with , whatever the circumstance is, even if meant as a joke".
The institutional investor held 45,924 shares of the industrial machinery and components company at the end of 2017Q3, valued at $5.77 million, down from 48,527 at the end of the previous reported quarter. The firm has "Buy" rating by Oppenheimer given on Tuesday, August 8. The market cap of 59.07B for American Tower Corporation (REIT ) in today's market indicated its current strength, making the company's shares a lucrative one.


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Lycra has gained new ownership, with creditors of its former parent company Shandong Ruyi Technology Group taking full equity control after the Chinese fashion conglomerate defaulted on a $400 million loan.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal aims to have the proposed free trade agreement between India and the UK completed before the festival of Diwali and is confident other nations will seek out FTAs with India.
From June 21 to 26, Men's Fashion Week is returning to Paris. The packed program will feature 40 physical fashion shows, eight major comebacks, three new names and numerous events, including the Marine Serre show.
The Milan menswear season finished Monday with a path-breaking, sprightly and jaunty Zegna collection unveiled before a giant vista of the Italian Alps, in a season longing for a return to this country’s roots.
Bombay Rayon Fashions Limited is facing insolvency proceedings with the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal but received temporary relief as the NCLAT has stayed the formation of the Committee of Creditors.
Online furniture, homeware, and home textiles retailer Pepperfry has opened its first brick-and-mortar studio outlet in Marathahalli, Bengaluru as it works to build an omni-channel business and penetrate niche markets.


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Here’s our second “ew ew ew ew ew ew ew” story of the day:
After five years in production and testing, that something new — a burger made out of billions of lab-grown cells — was cooked and eaten today in front of a large crowd in London. You can watch the video here, but a researcher who tasted the burger described it as “soft” with “some intense taste” but said it wasn’t “juicy” and that she missed the salt and pepper.
Not exactly a rave review for such an expensive piece of meat, but there is still a lot of work to be done. According to Cultured Beef, it will be 10 to 20 years before this burger is ready for mass consumption.
Beef comes from cattle. Its finest cut is the ribeye, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then grilled over fire.
You just can’t do that in a lab. Not now, not 20 years from now.
I mean… look at what Sergey Brin’s $994,200 hath wrought.
And then there’s this, which came off my grill a couple weeks back and cost eight or nine bucks.


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After announcing that the legendary actress would star in its next campaign, the French brand has presented three archival photos and a video featuring Marilyn Monroe and Chanel No. 5.
One of the most anticipated advertisements of the season, the new Chanel campaign, premiering this month, will star the iconic American actress, who died in 1962.
Monroe has been associated with Chanel's perfume in popular imagination ever since, when asked by Life magazine what she wore to bed, she answered: "Chanel No. 5." Nearly 60 years will have passed between Monroe's famous declaration and her first appearance as the face of the perfume in an official campaign.
Chanel discovered a previously unreleased recording confirming Monroe's words to Life magazine. The recording was made during an interview conducted by Marie Claire's editor-in-chief Georges Belmont in 1960.
The French brand presented two black and white photos linking Monroe to her favorite perfume. Taken by American photographer Ed Feingersh, the first shows the actress with the bottle of fragrance between her hands, delicately perfuming her chest.
The second image was taken by photographer Bob Beerman for an article in the October 1953 issue of "Modern Screen" magazine. The sensual and voluptuous blonde is seen in bed, with a bottle of No. 5 next to her on the bedside table.
The Chanel No. 5 campaign with Monroe will be released Nov. 17.Follow @CanoeLifestyle


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A Calgary man is accused of using his own blood as a means to pull off a series of frauds at big box stores around the city.
According to Calgary police, Rodney Arthur Brandt allegedly went into several stores last month, adding several "big ticket" items to his cart or basket. Police said he then cut himself with a razor blade he previously hid in the handle of his shopping cart or kept in his hand.
When the blood began to spill, he smeared it across an old receipt from a previous purchase or one found discarded outside the store. Claiming the cart or product cut him, he would give the blood-soaked, illegible receipt to the cashier, demanding a return on the items in his cart.
Story continues after the slideshow
The customer service representatives would tend to his injuries and offer him a refund, because they could not read the receipt through the blood, and, perhaps, were scared of a lawsuit.
“He bamboozled them with blood,” Lara Sampson with the Calgary Police Service told the Calgary Sun.
“He would say, ‘I was opening a box, and it cut me,’” Sampson said. “He would act so distraught.”
According to the Calgary Herald, the man hit up various grocery stores, hardware stores and department stores all over town. It wasn't until loss-prevention staff at one store grew suspicious that he was caught.
Most concerning to police however, is not the fraud, but the risk posed to others.
“He was not only committing fraud, he was also posing a danger to the public,” Sampson told the Herald.
“With the blood, if they grab the same basket or happen to grab the razor blades he’s implanted, they are also at risk.”
Brandt, 59, of Calgary (a.k.a. Arthur Brandt or Bill Bliss), has been charged with five counts of fraud under $5,000 and five counts of mischief.


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Stuff is cheap. Really.
Yes, a gallon of gasoline is far more expensive than it was last year, but adjusted for inflation it costs about what it did in 1981. In fact, lots of things, such as clothing, electronics and restaurant meals, are, by historical standards, inexpensive.
In December 1978, newspaper ads listed a VCR at Sears for $795, more than $2,500 in today's dollars. A basic five-cycle washing machine? Back then, $319.95, which translates to about $1,000. It's cheaper now to enjoy an eight-day vacation in Honolulu.
So why do we feel so squeezed?
It's the reality of our new world order: Stuff is cheap, but the things that truly sustain us are not. Globalization and efficiencies in distribution and retailing have cut production costs and consumer prices widely. Americans now spend about 10 percent of their income on food, down from 18 percent in 1958. But while prices have dropped for consumer items over time, so have real wages.
Average weekly earnings in the private sector in 2007 were 15 percent below the 1972 peak in real terms, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Along with falling wages, we are paying more for benefits. Health insurance premiums rose 78 percent from 2002 to 2007, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
And we're spending a lot more on education. Yearly total costs at some private colleges now exceed the U.S. median household income.
There's another side to the equation. As we earn less, we want more. In 1970, 36 percent of new homes were less than 1,200 square feet, the National Association of Home Builders reports. Today, 4 percent of new homes are that petite. One in 10 new houses was 2,400 square feet or more in 1970; 42 percent are that large now.
The want-more scenario is also the case with cars, which cost more even adjusted for inflation. A 2008, six-cylinder Honda Accord makes greater horsepower (268) than a 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera (247). The price of the Accord's power is gas mileage (19 miles per gallon in the city) that's not much better than that of the Porsche (16 mpg).
That's our world today. Because it costs less to produce things, and often costs less to buy them, many of us can easily afford items once considered luxurious. But things we once took for granted as affordable cost us dearly, and for many are out of reach.
Peter Y. Hong writes for the Los Angeles Times.


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Coles, Woolworths or Aldi: Best democracy sausage revealed
Coles, Woolworths and Aldi snags have gone head-to-head to answer the age-old question once and for all: Who has the best democracy sausage?
Leading consumer advocacy group Choice has compared several aspects of traditional beef sausages from Australia’s most popular supermarkets, and there was a very clear winner.
With an impressive 51 per cent of votes, Coles sausages were picked as the clear favourite with Aldi coming in second, and Woolworths placing third.
In a report of their findings, Choice wrote that “the golden ratio for a perfect sausage is 80 per cent meat to 20 per cent fat”, noting that each contender’s sausages had their own ratio-related characteristics.
Coles almost hit the target for meat content, with tests showing that it fell short of the “ideal” 20 per cent fat. But it’s slightly higher salt content won over the judges, with 725mg of sodium per 100g.
Silver medallist Aldi was found to sell the cheapest snag of the bunch, but judges were put-off by the packaging’s assertion that the snags contain “beef, lamb or chicken”. Aldi sausages were also found to have 21.4 grams of fat per 100g.
Woolworths’ third-place ranking was earned due to the lowest meat and sodium content of the bunch, while also having the lowest percentage of Aussie ingredients compared to its competitors.
Coles sausages are made with 96 per cent Aussie ingredients, while Aldi sausages contain 97 per cent Aussie ingredients.
Federal Election: Australia's biggest democracy sausage FAIL revealed
Man completes quest to eat a snag at every Bunnings in Australia
Coles boasts snag win
Category Manager for Barbecue and Local Ranging Aliette Errington said that Coles is proud to have been named as the Best Democracy Sausage.
“No matter how you choose to vote this weekend, we know the one thing Aussies can agree on is that Coles offers the best democracy sausage, taking out the top spot in the Choice People’s Choice poll!,” Ms Errington said.
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Wholesale used vehicle prices (on a mix-, mileage-, and seasonally adjusted basis) decreased 1.3% month over month in June, after record highs for four consecutive months. This brought the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index to 200.4, a 34.3% increase from a year ago and a 1.3% decrease from a high of 203 in May.
“After several months of record highs, all indicators now show that wholesale used vehicle prices peaked in early June and have started to decline,” said Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke. “In June, the Index hit a record high of 203, and we don’t anticipate seeing numbers in the 200s again for likely several years. Based on our data, it’s clear that supply and demand are more in balance and may be tilting slightly to favor buyers. There are still supply constraints and will be for some time, but we anticipate that substantially inflated used vehicle values will erode by 9% between now and the end of 2021.”
Manheim Market Report (MMR) prices saw weekly increases in the first two full weeks of June, but the remaining weeks saw accelerated price declines. MMR is a valuation tool used by tens of thousands of consignors and dealers to assess millions of trade-ins each month. MMR is designed to be highly stable and avoid overreacting to short-term market ups and downs while providing an accurate measure of vehicle valuations regardless of market conditions. Retail prices continued to rise, though at a slower pace, and are expected to peak later this month.
Over the last five weeks, the Three-Year-Old Index declined a net 0.7%. Over the month of May, MMR Retention, which is the average difference in price relative to current MMR, averaged 99%. The sales conversion rate, which peaked in April in the 80s, also slowed as the month progressed and ended the month at a level in the low 50s, much more typical for the month of June.
On a year-over-year basis, all major market segments saw seasonally adjusted price increases in June. Pickup trucks outperformed the overall market, while most other major segments underperformed the overall market.
Record Prices and Tight Supply Slow Vehicle Sales in June
According to Cox Automotive estimates, total used-vehicle sales were down 11.1% year over year in June. The used vehicle seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) estimate for June is 39 million, down from 43.6 million last June and down compared to May’s 40 million SAAR. The June used retail SAAR estimate is 21.3 million, down from 23.1 million last year and down month over month from May’s 21.9 million retail SAAR.
Using a rolling seven-day estimate of used retail days’ supply based on vAuto data, the used retail supply peaked at 114 days on April 8, 2020. Used retail days’ supply was down to 41 days by the end of June, below the normal level of about 44 days’ supply.
The estimated wholesale supply peaked at 149 days on April 9, 2020, when normal supply level is 23 days. It was down to 20 days by at the end of June. Supply is expected to modestly improve but inventory levels are not likely to return to higher 2019 levels until 2024.
June total new-vehicle sales were up 18% year over year, with the same number of selling days compared to June 2020. The June SAAR came in at 15.4 million, an increase from last year’s 13 million but down from June 2019’s 17.2 million rate.
Combined sales into large rental, commercial, and government buyers were up 63% year over year in June. Sales into rental increased 531% year over year in June but remain down 3% in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period last year. Commercial sales gained 13% year over year and are up 27% in 2021. Including an estimate for fleet deliveries into the dealer and manufacturer channel, the estimated remaining retail sales were up 15% year over year in June, leading to an estimated retail SAAR of 13.4 million, up from 11.6 million last June but down from June 2019’s 13.6 million rate.
Rental Risk Pricing Softens in June
The average price for rental risk units sold at auction in June was up 14% year over year. Rental risk prices were up 2% compared to May. Average mileage for rental risk units in June (at 87,000 miles) was up 100% compared to a year ago and down 1.5% month over month.
Originally posted on Vehicle Remarketing


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The Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) is building the core ICT regulatory framework for the UAE’s burgeoning knowledge economy. In particular, the TRA supports the UAE’s ICT sector by safeguarding competition to protect the interests of subscribers, enhancing the readiness of e-services, encouraging investment, innovation and development, whilst facilitating a broader ecosystem for human capital development.
The TRA regulates the sector according to the provisions of the telecommunications law and the TRA’s regulatory framework. Of direct relevance to this topic is the TRA’s Regulatory Policy governing Marketing Communications and Practices, which became effective on 1 February 2008. Clearly the policy has been in effect for some time and its provisions are well known to the licensees. The policy is published on the TRA’s website, thus the policy can be read by all stakeholders including licensees and consumers.
It is public knowledge that the TRA has instructed the licensees- Etisalat and du to be technically and commercially ready to launch the MNP service on 22 December 2013. Both licensees have declared their readiness to the TRA, and the TRA announced the licensees readiness to launch the MNP service by Dec 30, 2013. That service is intended to promote further competition in mobile communications in the UAE and it will enable consumers to switch between licensees whilst retaining their mobile numbers.
The TRA notes that each of Etisalat and du has embraced the TRA instructions and each has commenced a respective media campaign to promote awareness in consumers of the advent of MNP in the UAE. The TRA is generally pleased to see that both licensees are preparing themselves for the launch of MNP and that each is conducting separate media campaigns. Those media campaigns are complex and involve different marketing communications delivered by different media including newspaper advertisements, press statements, web pages, SMS marketing and video clips.
The TRA expects a healthy amount of competition between the licensees and the TRA expects such competition between the licensees to extend to their media campaigns. However, the TRA requires each licensee to conduct their respective campaigns in accordance with the provisions of the TRA’s regulatory framework.
Article 1.1 of the Marketing and Communications Practices policy provides: the purpose of this policy is to protect consumers from misleading, confusing, deceptive or otherwise inappropriate marketing communications and practices by telecommunications Licensees.
During the last few weeks the TRA has found it necessary to intervene and instruct each of Etisalat and du to remove certain material from their respective campaigns. The TRA took those actions as the TRA considered certain material (published by each licensee) to be in violation of the regulatory framework.
Both licensees have complied with the TRA’s instructions and respectively removed inappropriate marketing communications.
The TRA will continue to monitor the campaigns and will intervene again if necessary to protect consumers from inappropriate marketing material. However, the TRA notes that it is the responsibility of the licensees to comply with the provisions of the regulatory framework. Accordingly, the TRA urges each of Etisalat and du to continue their respective campaigns responsibly.
App analytics and market data company, App Annie, have released a new report that sheds light on Gen Z’s mobile behavior, in order to help marketers develop effective strategies to reach them. 98% of Gen Z report owning a smartphone, on average receiving their first at the age of 10. They are also part of […]
Experticity, the world’s largest community of influential category experts have released a new study that sheds new light on the importance of micro-influencers on the average consumer. The study was conducted with online interviews of more than 6,000 individuals from the United States drawn from Experticity’s micro-influencer network and the general population. In addition, more […]
Market research companies eMarketer and Global Web Index have collaborated together to release the 10th edition of the global media intelligence report. The report is a detailed compilation of data and insights about internet users’ traditional and digital media usage in 42 key markets worldwide. Communicate will be highlighting the key trends that are shaping the […]
Social Bakers, a global AI-powered social media marketing company has released the Q3 edition of their social media trends report. The report reveals where the industry is currently standing with regard to spending and engagement globally. Here are the key findings – ADVERTISING Worldwide ad spend increased by 56.4% in Q3 compared to where it […]