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ZeroGen Apparel Teams Up with NASEFJun 26, 2020
North America Scholastic Esports Federation partners with ZeroGen to help members demonstrate their spirit with team apparel
(Orange County, CA – June 26, 2020) – The North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) and ZeroGen Apparel have teamed up to bring NASEF-branded apparel to educators and students throughout the organization.
NASEF has more than 800 clubs across North America with thousands of students involved, plus several international partnerships. Members are proud to be part of NASEF, and they’re eager to show their involvement to others. ZeroGen will provide NASEF-branded apparel to make that possible.
“We understand the importance your brand and identity brings when talking about a new program, and ZeroGen delivers products and designs that people are proud to wear,” said Darin Day, vice president and creative director at ZeroGen Apparel. “As a company, we're also dedicated to supporting the development of esports in every school. ZeroGen will offer insight and support for schools looking to setup a new program, whether through fundraising opportunities, design help, or educational content.”
“Students and teachers alike are proud to be part of NASEF and the international scholastic esports movement. Our regional and large-scale tournaments are a great place to demonstrate school spirit. Plus, it’s awesome to learn significant life and career skills through a favorite activity like esports,” said Gerald Solomon, NASEF founder and the executive director of the Samueli Foundation. “Members are excited to sport the NASEF name whether they’re in school, hanging out with friends, or streaming, and we’re grateful for ZeroGen’s partnership in providing quality gear.”
About the North America Scholastic Esports Federation
The North America Scholastic Esports Federation is working to ensure that ALL students possess the knowledge and skills needed to be society’s game changers: educated, productive, and empathetic individuals. NASEF is on a mission to provide opportunities for ALL students to use esports as a platform to acquire critical communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to thrive in work and in life. The Federation’s core values are intertwined through all aspects of education and play: learning, opportunity, community, diversity, and respect.
ZeroGen is the premier esports jersey and merchandise provider for high schools, providing both apparel and infrastructure for clubs around the country. Centrally located in the Midwest, ZeroGen is home to a 50,000 sq.ft. facility with the capability to produce all team apparel in-house. Whether innovating new products for teams to wear, or merchandise for fans and families, the ZeroGen team is dedicated to capturing your brand on every piece of apparel they ship out. Visit ZeroGenApparel.com.
Claire LaBeaux, [email protected]
Darin Day, [email protected]


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Digital TV News: Chad Lucien
CEVA acquires Hillcrest Labs
Jul 22, 2019 – CEVA (NASDAQ: CEVA) has announced the acquisition of Hillcrest Labs from InterDigital. Hillcrest Labs is a leading global supplier of software and components for sensor processing in consumer and IoT devices.
News categories: CEVA, Hillcrest Labs, Gideon Wertheizer, Chad Lucien, MnA, UX, Worldwide
LG renews license to use Hillcrest motion technology in its remotes
Feb 20, 2019 – InterDigital (NASDAQ:IDCC) has announced that LG has extended its license to use Hillcrest Labs' Freespace MotionEngine software in its Smart TVs. Freespace MotionEngine enables the point-and-click and motion control features of the LG Magic Remote.
News categories: Hillcrest Labs, LG Electronics, Chad Lucien, Digital TV, Smart TV, UX, Worldwide
Hillcrest Labs brings motion, gesture and cursor control to Skyworth smart TVs
Oct 6, 2014 – Hillcrest Labs has announced that Skyworth will use Hillcrest's motion software in a line of Smart TVs. Hillcrest's software will enable motion, gesture and cursor control of content and apps on Skyworth's Android-based TVs.
News categories: Hillcrest Labs, Skyworth, Chad Lucien, Meng Wang, Android TV, Apps, China, Digital TV, Middleware, Smart TV
Hillcrest motion, gesture and cursor control for Hisense smart TVs and set-tops
Sep 4, 2013 – Hillcrest Labs and Hisense have announced a strategic partnership by which Hisense will deploy Hillcrest's patented Freespace® in-air pointing and motion control software in its next-generation of Smart TVs and Pulse set-top boxes.
News categories: Hillcrest Labs, Hisense, Digital TV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart TV
Hillcrest Labs Brings Motion Control to Intel Set-Top Box Reference Kit
Mar 19, 2013 – Hillcrest Labs has announced that Intel's newest reference design kit for IPTV set-top boxes (STBs) and media servers will use Hillcrest's patented Freespace® in-air pointing and motion control technology.
News categories: Hillcrest Labs, Intel Corp, Digital TV, Middleware, Semiconductor, Set Top Box
Hillcrest Labs Selected by TCL to Bring Motion, Gesture and Cursor Control to Android™-Powered Smart TVs
May 23, 2012 – Hillcrest Labs has announced that TCL Multimedia (SZSE: 000100) is using Hillcrest's patented Freespace® motion software for TCL's Android™-based Smart TVs, including its flagship V7500 Android 4.03 Smart TV, and motion sensing remotes.
News categories: Hillcrest Labs, Digital TV, Middleware, Smart TV
Hillcrest Labs Unveils Low Cost, Embedded Motion-Control System for Connected TVs
Jan 5, 2011 – Hillcrest Labs has announced a new low cost, embedded motion-control system for TV manufacturers. The new turnkey solution is designed to support new motion pointing and gesture-enabled user interfaces. It will be showcased at the CES show.
News categories: Hillcrest Labs, Broadcom, CES2021, Digital TV, Middleware, Semiconductor
Hillcrest Labs Introduces Kylo™: The Web Browser for Television
Mar 22, 2010 – Hillcrest Labs has launched the Kylo™ browser - a web browser for TV. Developed for households that connect their PCs or Macs to the TV, Kylo lets users visit any site on the web with a browser that was specifically designed to be viewed from a distance.
News categories: Hillcrest Labs, OTT, Smart Home, Software
- izzi deploys Android TV custom launcher from Mirada
- Bedrock streaming technology powers Salto
- NEXTGEN TV launches on six local TV stations in Mobile-Pensacola
- Comscore ad marketplace for Connected TV goes global
- Foxtel selects TiVo to power voice search
- Applicaster technology stack accelerates video app development
- AT&T U.S. down 627k; Vrio up 229k video subs in 3Q 2020
- Q1-Q3 2020 Smart TV sales up 14% in Germany
- Technicolor teams with Google to promote hybrid Android TV devices
- Gamut selects iSpot ACR for TV ad measurement
- BitRouter releases ATSC3pro receiver software update
- Deutsche TV-Plattform launches CI+ 2.0 initiative
- Ultra HD Forum updates Guidelines and plans watermarking API
- WarnerMedia RIDE streaming comes to AT&T-connected GM vehicles
- U.S. has close to 300 OTT video services
- ENENSYS ATSC 3.0 solution deployed by SEI and VSatcast
- Sinclair acquires two TV stations in Washington, DC
- FreeWheel releases H1 2020 U.S. Video Marketplace Report
- Eutelsat selected by Kabelio for new Swiss HD platform
- RCN, Grande and Wave launch TiVo Stream 4K

domain: news


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$CSAL said it expects leasing segment revenue to be $676MM in 2016, including $21MM of non-cash straight-line and deferred revenue amortization. The company continues to expect Consumer CLEC business revenue of between $21-22MM with average adjusted EBITDA margins of approx. 21% for 2016.
$NFLX a monster move, going up. Expect making some money on Monday.
$AMD down more than 6% even after posting above consensus third quarter results.
$MCD stock rose more than 2% after it posted better than expected 3Q16 results, driven by global same-store sales growth. Meanwhile, earnings and revenue were lower than last year, hurt by refranchising efforts.


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Competition & Markets Authority
Sainsbury’s / Asda merger referred for in-depth investigation
The proposed merger between J Sainsbury PLC and Asda Group Ltd is being referred for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation.
In August, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened its initial (Phase 1) investigation into the merger and announced the companies had requested a ‘fast-track’ referral to Phase 2.
The CMA has now confirmed, through its Phase 1 investigation, that the deal raises sufficient concerns to be referred for a more in-depth review. The companies are 2 of the largest grocery retailers in the UK and their stores overlap in hundreds of local areas, where shoppers could face higher prices or a worse quality of service.
These concerns will be considered further in the Phase 2 investigation, along with other issues raised so far with the CMA – including those relating to fuel, general merchandise (such as clothing) and increased ‘buyer power’ over suppliers.
The Phase 2 investigation is a more in-depth review, led by an inquiry group chosen from the CMA’s independent panel members. This will be chaired by Stuart McIntosh, with the other members being Roland Green, John Thanassoulis, Richard Feasey and Claire Whyley. The group will gather evidence – in particular through multiple customer surveys and engagement with other retailers, suppliers and industry bodies – to inform its detailed analysis.
An issues statement, setting out in detail the issues that the inquiry group expects to investigate, will be published in the coming weeks. Members of the public and other interested groups will be invited to give their views on this.
The CMA’s full referral decision and expected timelines for its Phase 2 investigation will be published shortly on the case page.
- Merger assessment guidelines: CC2/OFT1254
- Merger remedies: CC8
- Mergers: How to notify the CMA of a merger
Latest News from
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The CMA will take Teletext Holidays to court unless the firm takes urgent action to improve how it handles refunds to package holiday customers.
CMA action makes funeral prices clear for grieving families16/09/2021 11:15:00
Funeral directors and crematorium operators have a legal duty from today to present clear and comparable pricing to customers, as a result of CMA action.
Leaseholders freed from costly contract terms15/09/2021 11:20:00
Following CMA action, leaseholders with Countryside Properties will no longer be subjected to ground rents that double every 10 or 15 years.
CMA publishes recommendations to improve PCR testing market13/09/2021 09:20:00
The CMA has published advice to the UK Government on ways to make the PCR testing market work better for consumers.
Sony’s purchase of AWAL raises competition concerns07/09/2021 14:20:00
The CMA has found that Sony’s completed purchase of AWAL raises competition concerns, following a Phase 1 investigation.
CMA launches next wave of action in PCR testing market07/09/2021 12:20:00
The CMA has launched the next wave of action in the PCR testing market over concerns that some companies may be breaking the law.
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The CMA has provisionally found JD Sports’ takeover of Footasylum could lead to a worse deal for shoppers, after reassessing the merger.
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The CMA has sent an open letter to PCR COVID-19 test providers warning that a range of harmful practices in the sector could breach consumer protection law.


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Paving the way for hoop courts
Patriot Ledger staff
The Merrymount Association is selling squares of pavement to raise money to fix the basketball courts at Merrymount Beach. Squares are being sold for $25 each and can be personalized with foot or hand prints or the names of loved ones.
For more information, contact Kathy Bell at (617) 773-4976, Susanne O’Neil at (617) 471-7083 or Karen Keohane at (617) 773-0451.


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WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. consumer protection agency, has asked nine companies that specialize in collecting and selling consumer data to provide information about their business practices.
Data brokers, usually companies that have no direct dealings with consumers, have come into the limelight in recent years because of the large amount of medical, financial and other personal information that they glean from online activities.
The FTC said on Tuesday it has contacted Acxiom Corp , CoreLogic Inc, Datalogix, eBureau, ID Analytics, Intelius, Peekyou, Rapleaf and Recorded Future.
The agency, which does not have the power to write rules on data collection, issued a report in March that urged Internet companies to voluntarily allow consumers to preserve some privacy online by giving them the right to say they do not want to be tracked as they move from website to website.
The FTC also called on Congress to pass broad privacy legislation that would allow consumers to see how their online data is collected, used and sold, and give consumers the ability to stop such practices.
The FTC inquiry announced on Tuesday is similar to one made in October by Senator John Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat. The senator’s probe is not yet complete, a spokesman said.
CoreLogic said it was reviewing the FTC request. “The company looks forward to working with the FTC to discuss the benefits of the appropriate use of consumer data,” said spokeswoman Alyson Austin in a statement.
The Direct Marketing Association, a trade group, said that the FTC probe would reassure consumers that their data was being treated responsibly.
“The incredible growth of ecommerce - with online spending on Cyber Monday soaring to $1.46 billion this year - is strong evidence that consumers are delighted with the results of data-driven marketing,” DMA executive Jerry Cerasale said in a statement. “E-commerce is exploding because responsible data-driven marketing is meeting consumers’ needs.”
Jeff Chester, director of the Center for Digital Democracy, said he hoped the FTC work would eventually give consumers a chance to see what information about them was available and correct it if necessary.
“The data broker business, which now comprises far-reaching partnerships between numerous small and large companies, should not be permitted to operate without ensuring transparency and control to the individual consumer,” he said in an emailed statement.


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The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has urged border convenience stores to “grab it while you can” as bargain hunters from the Republic pour in to capitalise on the favourable exchange rate.
The sector has reported up to a 70% uplift in some cases with great deals on cigarettes, alcohol, petrol and general groceries, c-stores reported.
Glyn Roberts, NIIRTA’S chief executive, said: “With the ongoing currency fluctuations, we are seeing significant business in cross-border shoppers from North to South.
“While I welcome this, with many members doing very well, there’s also recognition it won’t last.”
It was a case of “grab it while you can,” he said. “It’s very welcome this side of Christmas. Families from the South do a big shop and fill their cars up.”
“We haven’t had any reports of problems with stock or supplies. Hopefully that won’t materialise.”
Roberts reported anecdotal evidence of a 20%-30% sales uplift in some stores but one retailer, McCullaghs Classic Service Station in Omagh, told C-Store he had seen a 60-70% sales uplift although some of that was because of the business’s forecourt extension a month ago.
Darren Given, general manager at McCullagh’s, said a knock-on benefit of the pound’s decline had been that it had stopped a lot of Northern Ireland customers going South for their fuel which was prevalent four to five months ago when fuel was cheaper in the Republic.
“Our customers are staying local which is brilliant news,” he said.
Dolan’s Nisa Local, on the border, in Strabane, reported a 20% increase in sales – not just alcohol but on the forecourt and general groceries. General manager Alan Orr said kerosene sales had increased 40-45% because it was even more expensive in the South, where there was a carbon tax.


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Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The Brodhead Road convenience store has closed its doors.
Wednesday, April 3
Vacant buildings and unused storefronts are eyesores, but an empty storefront can also be an opportunity. You don't need to be a commercial developer or city planner—or have money to invest in a business project—to have the next great idea. The 7-Eleven convenience store at 998 Brodhead Road closed its doors at the end of March. Now we want to know: What business would benefit the Moon-area community? How could this space better serve you and your neighbors? If you had your pick, what business would move into this Brodhead Road property? Share your thoughts, ideas and concerns in the comments. Tell us what your vision is for this Moon Township vacancy.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Moon Township Police are investigating the holdup reported shortly after 2:30 p.m.
This article was updated at 5:50 p.m. Staff members and children at Arena's Performing Arts Centre, Kindercare and the West Hills Rehabilitational Center were on lock down earlier today while police searched for an armed robbery suspect along Brodhead Road. Employees of 7-Eleven on Brodhead told police just after 2:30 p.m. today that a white, masked male robbed the convenience store at gunpoint. Witnesses said the man fled through a wooded area behind the store after committing the holdup. Moon Police Chief Leo McCarthy said in a statement that the robber has not yet been found. Officers from Moon, Coraopolis, Crescent, Robert Morris University and Allegheny County searched the area for much of the afternoon, using a Findlay Police …
Friday, September 28, 2012
Get your caffeine on and celebrate with a free cup of coffee.
If the first words out of your mouth every morning are, “I’ll have a large coffee”—or if you can’t even speak until after you’ve had your java fix—there's a national holiday created especially for you. America will put staunch tea drinkers to shame on National Coffee Day on Saturday, Sept. 29, when coffee fiends can rejoice and celebrate their beloved coffee bean with free brew from national chains. Where can you get free coffee in the Moon and Robinson area? McDonald's McDonald's is giving away free, 12-ounce coffees today and tomorrow. No purchase is necessary, and coffee will be available in the drive-through or in the restaurants. Which McDonald's restaurants are in or close by? In Moon Township, McDonald's is located on Beaver Grade …
Thursday, September 29, 2011
With some fun coffee facts from Patch on the side!
Today is National Coffee Day, a day to celebrate the one addiction most of us seem to share — that need for a daily dose (or three) of caffeine. 7-Eleven, Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts, Caribou Coffee and other establishments are providing free or discounted coffee this morning. As you hunt down your cup o’ joe, here are five things every bean aficionado should know. 1. Is “I need a cup of coffee to start my day” part of your daily vocabulary? You’re not alone. Three out of five Americans think that about their first morning cup, according to a coffee consumption survey commissioned by 7-Eleven. 2. Your career could dictate whether you’re more likely to chug coffee during the day, according to a Dunkin’ Donuts/Career Builder survey. The …
Monday, July 11, 2011
A hot weather treat in honor of 7-11-2011.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Looking for a cold drink on a hot day? Here's your chance to get a free Slurpee. Monday is national free Slurpee day at 7-Elevens around the country in celebration of the gas station and convenience chain's birthday. Luckily for thirsty Moon residents, you won't have to go far to get your cool treat: There's a township location on Brodhead Road providing the free drink in a special 7.11-ounce cup. A total of 5 million drinks are expected to be given away in all, according to 7-Eleven. Here's where to go to get your free Slurpee: 989 Brodhead Road, Moon Township.


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The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is rumored to have a surprise camera downgrade.
This news has left many fans disappointed.
The downgrade is said to be a result of Samsung's decision to use a smaller sensor.
The S24 Ultra was expected to have a 200MP camera, but it may now only have a 108MP camera.
Some experts believe that the downgrade may be a cost-cutting measure.
Samsung has not yet confirmed or denied the rumors.
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TINA L. SCOTT
For the second consecutive year, Wisconsin Governor Evers made a “Shop Small Wisconsin” proclamation. This year, Nov. 26, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022, is designated “Shop Small Wisconsin” across the state. This initiative encourages Wisconsinites to shop local and support Wisconsin’s Main Streets and small businesses during the holiday season.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes recently toured a variety of small businesses, at various locations in the state to support small, locally-owned businesses, and kicked off the campaign.
Saturday, Nov. 26, was “Small Business Saturday,” a nationwide day drawing attention to small business owners and urging consumers to shop at their local small businesses.
And the Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce always advocates for residents to “Shop Local” whenever possible.
Small businesses benefit communities
All of these efforts remind shoppers that the long-term benefits to a community, as a result of shopping local and doing business with local companies, often far outweighs the short-term gratification of saving a couple of bucks by buying from the big-box stores or mega-sized online retailers.
Most small-town residents agree they enjoy visiting smaller businesses and shops, and that a thriving downtown business community with a lot of variety is important to them. When downtown businesses dwindle and residents are forced to drive to neighboring communities to shop, or when big-box stores or online retailers are the only option for shopping, they may grieve the loss of those small-town businesses with their personal touch and special connections, operated by their friends and neighbors, and the sense of community those small businesses provided.
With fewer options, the money saved by buying from big-box stores or online retailers can quickly get gobbled up by the cost of gas and shipping, the inconvenience of having to drive 20 minutes or more each way to shop, or waiting days or weeks for orders to arrive by mail, and the accompanying loss of their valuable time–which is certainly worth something, too. After all, time is the only commodity money can’t buy.
But the benefits of a thriving local small business community extend far beyond convenience.
“Thriving communities need healthy, successful business districts,” Hughes said. “Locally owned businesses not only provide jobs and investments in our communities, but they also help build a sense of place.”
“These businesses reflect the personality of their communities and give us places to connect and celebrate during the holidays and all year round,” she said.
That sense of place is critical to attract newcomers to a community. Many of these small, locally-owned businesses–whether boutiques, galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, or other attractions–are the community’s gathering places and help define the community’s culture. They may also offer more unique products and services, which also help define that culture.
Towns, cities, and neighborhoods–just like people–have a personality. And Merrill, like many other communities, is competing for those newcomers–for residents to live, work, and play here. Merrill needs newcomers who will own properties (and pay property taxes) or rent existing housing, to fill the needs of area businesses for more workers in almost every job field, to fill our schools and combat declining enrollment numbers, to frequent local businesses, and to become active, engaged, and vibrant members of our small city. It’s all interconnected and interdependent.
Main Street Bounceback Grants increase number of storefront businesses
Since they were first announced in April 2021, Main Street Bounceback Grants infused money into small businesses throughout the state of Wisconsin, including here in Merrill. At last count, more than 20 area businesses had received $10,000 Main Street Bounceback Grants to help fill Merrill-area storefronts and vacant business properties, helping to infuse new life into the area business community, and there are 5 more in the works, according to William Bialecki, Director of the Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation.
Across Wisconsin, entrepreneurs ready to take the leap into brick-and-mortar have benefited from the Main Street Bounceback Grant program. The $100 million program offers $10,000 grants to businesses and nonprofits that move into or expand into a currently vacant Wisconsin commercial property.
Originally announced in April 2021, the grant program has proven so popular that Governor Evers has twice added funding for the grants and extended the deadline for businesses to apply to Dec. 31. The grants are paid for by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
For many entrepreneurs, this was an opportunity to turn a hobby into a business or a dream into reality, and an opportunity they just couldn’t pass up.
“Nearly 7,200 storefronts in all 72 Wisconsin counties are filled with vibrant and unique small businesses and non-profits this holiday season with the help of the Main Street Bounceback Grant,” a press release from the WEDC said.
According to a press release from Gov. Evers’ office in late Nov., “A recent analysis of state allocations under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) demonstrated that, as a share of federal aid received by states, Wisconsin is the top state in the country for aid directed to overall economic development and the top state in the country for aid directed to assist businesses.”
But while the Main Street Bounceback Grants provided the funding to get some new businesses going and out into vacant storefronts where they could be seen, many of those businesses now require the support of local customers to keep them actively engaged and growing. That happens when residents keep their business local, utilizing those businesses for the goods and services they require. Many of these businesses will also be working hard to expand their marketing efforts beyond the borders of Lincoln County and to develop new and sustainable markets for their products.
Holidays are crucial for local businesses
The holiday shopping season is a critical time for these and other local businesses, especially those involved in direct retail to consumer transactions, since the timeframe between Thanksgiving and Christmas is peak time for retail sales. Holiday retail sales can make or break a business, making up a large percentage of their annual retail sales.
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Merrill, Wisconsin, and soon the community will be filled with the holiday spirit, as well. Why not let them walk hand-in-hand?
And for those folks who don’t want more STUFF to clutter up their homes, consider how you might combine supporting local small businesses with providing those people with a service they could use. Maybe they hate cleaning their house, or want to get into shape, or need a stump ground in the spring, or need help with their taxes or want to get their hair colored. Why not purchase a Merrill Chamber Gift Certificate in whatever denomination(s) desired that they can then use to employ a local service business to provide that service or use to put toward paying for that service with a local business anytime within the next year. Include a note outlining the purpose of the gift. Then the gift recipient can pick the Merrill area house cleaning service, or gym, or stump grinder, or accountant, or stylist of their choice and use it toward that purpose. And hey, even if they don’t like the proposed purpose of the gift, they can use it to buy coffee or baked goods or a snow shovel or a new outfit or whatever they wish at a Merrill area business.
Small businesses support communities
Small businesses support local and Wisconsin families, and those families make up our communities. In addition to supporting local businesses around the holidays, it’s also critical that local small businesses, non-profits, and service businesses receive ongoing, year-round support, if they are to stay in business and make it to the next holiday season, help the local community thrive long-term. and build and sustain a healthy local economy.
From retail stores and artistry shops, to restaurants and coffee shops, to small manufacturers and service businesses, small businesses employ nearly half of Wisconsin workers, according to Evers. And 2/3 of every $1 spent at a small business stays in the community, he said. Those small businesses are more likely to hire locally, buy supplies locally, and give back to our communities through their support of local youth, school, and charitable events and organizations, as well.
These are some things to consider when holiday shopping or doing business any time of the year.


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Top stories this week on just-style...
The most-read stories on just-style this week include M&S cutting around 525 head office jobs, El Salvador launching a 15-year growth strategy, US apparel imports for the month of July, and a look at how Cambodia's worker wages are being threatened by low garment prices.
El Salvador to launch 15-year apparel growth strategy
El Salvador's textiles and apparel industry will set out a 15-year growth strategy in December in a bid to lift its fortunes amid toughening competition from Asian nations and neighbouring Honduras.
M&S to cut 525 HQ jobs in efficiency drive
Struggling UK retailer Marks & Spencer is to cut around 525 head office jobs – around 15% of the total – in an attempt to remove duplication, drive accountability and "strip out unnecessary costs" across the business.
US apparel imports from China surge 23% in July
US apparel imports in July booked a double-digit increase on the month before as retailers stocked up for the back-to-school season – with the biggest surge being seen by China, by far the largest supplier of apparel to the US.
Cambodia worker wages threatened by low garment prices
As annual discussions get underway in Cambodia on a new minimum wage for garment workers, a new report warns significant further wage increases will be hard to achieve unless higher prices are paid by retailers and brands.
Cotton prices seen rising to three-year high this season
A downward revision to its forecast for global cotton stocks at the end of the current season has prompted the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to lift its estimates for average cotton prices to a three-year high.
Help test our new apparel sourcing tool.
- "Power of the many" drives change at Otto Group
- Hard hit Turkish industry is not knocked out
- China leads US apparel sources with falling prices
- US apparel sector braces for potential cost hikes
- Vietnam grows share of US apparel imports in 2016
- US Q4 in brief – Foot Locker, Nordstrom, Carter's
- JC Penney to close 140 stores amid lower sales
- Inditex and H&M boycott Dhaka Apparel Summit
- Macy's will "do the right thing", says Lundgren
- Bangladesh government steps in on labour crackdown
- When Things Go Wrong - A Practical Guide to Managing Common Problems in Apparel Sourcing
- Outdoor performance apparel 2016: A broader perspective
- Technical textile markets: product developments and innovations, December 2016
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
- Global market review of lingerie – forecasts to 2022


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New York State-based yogurt maker Chobani has revealed an image makeover and unveiled plans to diversify into new products.
The plans involve new packaging on its products and dropping the word Greek from its labelling, despite the fact the company is best known for Greek-style yogurts, a segment in which it is the market leader in the US with a 40% market share.
Chobani, which marks its tenth anniversary in February, has been working for more than a year on its makeover and is planning to emphasise its commitment to nutritional, environmental and social “wellness”.
New product offerings will start with Chobani Greek yogurt with a hint of fruit. It is blended Greek yogurt made with natural ingredients, including real fruits and spices.
Chobani suggested its plans will “position the company for another decade of growth in yogurt and beyond”.
Peter McGuinness, chief marketing and commercial officer at the company, said: “It’s a beautiful translation of our brand and our purpose that moves us closer to becoming a food-focused wellness company.”
The new initiative will be supported by an integrated campaign across online video, shopper marketing, social media and PR.


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By Luke Tugby2018-02-12T04:00:00
Footfall declined last month as the January Sales failed to lure shoppers to high streets and shopping centres.
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Apple Inc. (AAPL) reversed a policy that forced publishers to use its App Store to sell subscriptions, removing an obstacle that rankled companies aiming to put newspapers, music and movies on the iPhone and iPad治疗鼻塞咳嗽的药.
The developer guidelines no longer say that publishers offering their own subscriptions must also sell them through Apple’s iTunes-based applications store, where Apple collects 30 percent of the sales高烧后肌肉酸痛怎么办, according to a copy of the policy宝宝严重便秘. Apple also had required publishers to offer their lowest subscription rates through the App Store.
Companies that didn’t comply with the rules risked having their applications removed from the App Store. The policy has been criticized by publishers including the Financial Times and music service Rhapsody for making them share revenue with Apple. The U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission had begun examining whether the plan violated antitrust laws, people familiar with the inquiry said in February.
Tom Neumayr, a spokesman for Apple, confirmed the policy change. The company’s new guidelines were reported earlier by the website .
The rule had implications for companies that already offer their own subscriptions, such as magazine publishers and movie- rental service Netflix Inc. (NFLX), because it meant they would have had to offer a similar deal through Apple.
Financial Times App The Financial Times released a Web-based application on June 7, flouting Apple’s earlier guidelines, to let users of the iPhone and iPad access its content without using the App Store.
The new rules, set to take effect by the end of the month, still bar publishers from putting a link in an iPhone or iPad application that sends users to another website where they could buy a subscription. For subscriptions that are purchased through the App Store, instead of through a media company or publisher’s own website鼻塞头痛有何办法, Apple will still collect 30 percent.


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ActNow for Sustainable Fashion
When we think of industries that are having a harmful effect on the environment, manufacturing, energy, transport and even food production might come to mind. However, the fashion industry is considered to be the second most polluting industry in the world.
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), some 93 billion cubic metres of water – enough to meet the needs of five million people – is used by the fashion industry annually. As for carbon emissions, the industry is responsible for more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
Despite the grim statistics, producers and consumers of fashion are increasingly waking up to the idea that the industry needs to change. In this regard, the United Nations, with the aim of raising awareness on the issue and promoting lasting behaviour change when it comes to our fashion choices, is launching the #ActNow Fashion Challenge, starting on 6 August.


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classic game is back and better than ever before
Do games sell hardware? Intel thinks a partnership with Hasbro could be the nudge some fence sitters needed.
Fans vote for "geocache" to be added to the Official Scrabble Dictionary. Don't even try to get a double-word score for "twerking."
Don't expect any friendly banter from Victor. Carnegie Mellon University's moody robot plays Scrabble poorly and tends to insult his human opponents.
Selfie, noob, lifehack, or bromance could be a new word in Hasbro's official Scrabble Players Dictionary thanks to the Scrabble Word Showdown. May the best word win!
This RFID-equipped Scrabble board costs 10 times more than a good hit on a triple-word score.
"Is That a Word?" author David Bukszpan wanted to improve his Scrabble game, but didn't want to memorize the dictionary. CNET talked to him about the game's unique -- and surprising -- lexicon.
You can now get Scrabble on your Kindle for $4.99.
An England-only version of the game will allow proper nouns, backward words, and other nonsense. But the original continues to prohibit proper nouns. You can relax.
Most of the keys are made from real Scrabble tiles that were hand-beveled and built onto a USB, clicky, mechanical-switch keyboard.
Irritated fans assumed that inaccessibility of the game was due to server demand, but the manufacturer has said that it was the target of a malicious attack.


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Norway opens the world's largest DC fast-charging site. Emphasis on large.
This year's Electric Vehicle "Sociability Run," will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the original EV rally, about 65 miles northwest of the original site. This year, electric-vehicle enthusiasts will meet up in Charles Town, WV – and not Washington, DC – on June 7 to toast their slice of EV Nation and take to the roads. In fact, Ground Zero will be the American Public University System (APUS) Solar Parking Lot, which has 14 charging stations alone, all powered by the sun.
To put a spin on the old Civil War story, Atlanta indeed is burning. But in this case, it's a good thing because the heat is a reference to the city's demand for electric vehicles. Atlanta is where EV demand is growing faster in that city than any other in the US, according to ChargePoint.
It may not be "Mr. Musk Goes to Washington," but it's about as close has you can get. Tesla Motors has reached an agreement with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association that could get the electric-vehicle maker a couple of steps closer to opening its factory-owned dealership in the DC suburb of Tysons Corner, VA, according to Automotive News.
Think "supercar" and only a handful of countries are likely to come to mind. And most of them are in Europe: Italy, Great Britain, Germany... even Sweden and France have pitched in here and there with such notables as Koenigsegg and Bugatti. Consider examples like the Dodge Viper, Ford GT and Corvette ZR1 and you can deal America in on the action, and with vehicles like the Acura NSX, Nissan GT-R and Lexus LFA, Japan has lent its hand, too. But India?
DC quick-charge stations are robust units that promise to recharge plug-in vehicles from zero to 80-percent capacity in less than 30 minutes. While not required for EVs to work, these units make the concept of cross-country-capable electric vehicles believable and long distance electric-only journeys doable.
Formula One drivers have a relatively short career span. Sure, they're starting younger and younger, but few driving aces extend their careers beyond their early thirties, if that long. David Coulthard is one notable exception, retiring after 15 consecutive seasons in F1 at "the ripe old age" of 37.
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Zheng Chen and Darren H. S. Tan on Tech Xplore explain how designing batteries that are able to be recycled more easily will be beneficial to the environment and avoid a major waste crisis.
Today’s lithium-ion batteries are not designed to be recycled and contain hazardous materials. Other than third-party recycling companies, there is not a real financial incentive to recycle batteries. Unlocking ways to make it easy to recycle these lithium-ion batteries will help us avoid a waste crisis as more and more energy becomes battery powered.
“Creating pathways for battery manufacturers to build sustainable production-to-recycling manufacturing processes that meet both consumer and environmental standards can reduce the likelihood of a battery waste crisis in the coming decade.”
Read the full article here.


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Our hope with this EMS design, and so many others in our Cause Collection, is to celebrate the men and women who we all rely on each day and likely never have the opportunity to say thank you.
Gloucester, VA (PRWEB) November 07, 2013
How do you thank the Emergency Medical Services for being ready to respond at that potential moment in time most pray will never happen?
Peace Frogs is letting the frog do the talking.
This month, Peace Frogs, a Gloucester, Va.-based t-shirt, casual apparel and gifts company, launched its newest design in its Cause Collection – EMS, the POND’s first resPONDers.
“Our hope with this EMS design, and so many others in our Cause Collection, is to celebrate the men and women who we all rely on each day and likely never have the opportunity to say thank you,” said Peace Frogs President and Founder, Catesby Jones. “I know I wake up each day, go to work, spend time with my family and know the first responders are there if I need them. This is the least we can do to say thank you.”
Especially to the volunteers. According to the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, there are more than 840,000 EMS personnel in the U.S. Nearly a quarter of those who work in ambulance services are volunteers.
The EMS Peace Frogs t-shirt features the iconic frog thrusting the peace sign in the air with his hand, an emergency medial worker’s uniform and the Star of Life. It is available in a heather gray, 100 percent organic cotton unisex t-shirt. The back features a large screened design with a smaller print on the front left chest.
"Peace Frogs is not icons or products, but really a state of mind,” Jones said. “We don’t represent any form of activism; rather, we are aware that now, perhaps more than ever, the entire planet needs some positively peaceful feelings. We care about the environment, but we care about people, too.”
Peace Frogs has spent the last year continuously layering in original designs in their Cause Collection. Jones said the collection will continue to grow.
“When we think of causes we think of people who do incredible jobs that impact our world – like nurses and teachers – and organizations working to make people well – like the Alzheimer’s Association and the MS Society,” Jones said.
In 2013, among other designs, Peace Frogs launched the “Love Never Fades” and “MS Gets On My Nerves” designs.
Peace Frogs has also launched designs celebrating those who serve – like the military, police, emergency workers, teachers and nurses.
“You can’t really say thank you enough to those who volunteer to serve,” Jones said. “But we can show our support with something as simple as a t-shirt that celebrates their service.”
ABOUT PEACE FROGS:
Peace Frogs is named for the Native American symbol for peace. The mascot? An iconic frog thrusting two fingers in the air to form a peace sign. The mission? Live fun and do good.
The frog has proven so popular that the Gloucester, Va.-based company features t-shirts, sweatshirts, boxers, hats, and a variety of accessories.
Today, after more than 25 years since its founding, Peace Frogs is available online, in more than 800 specialty stores around the world, at 16 free standing stores, a Peace Frogs Frozen Yogurt shop in Nags Head, N.C. and with 20 licensees around the world.


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AstraZeneca and Aspen Group have inked a new partnership
Operating in over 100 countries, global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has signed an agreement with Aspen Group international (AGI) surrounding its residual rights to a number of its anaesthetic medicines. These medicines include Dipravan, EMLA, Xylocaine/Xylocard/Xylopract, Marcaine, Naropin, Carbpcaine and Citane.
The agreement will see the medicines enter markets outside of the US, with AGI gaining the remaining rights to AstraZeneca’s intellectual property and manufacturing expertise surrounding the anaesthetics. In addition, the company will pay over $200 million from 2017 to 2019 in performance related milestones based on sales surrounding the use of these products.
AstraZeneca will continue to manufacture and supply the medicines to AGI through a five-year transition.
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Mark Mallon, Executive Vice President, Global Product and Portfolio Strategy, AstraZeneca said: “AGI has shown that it is in a strong position to maximise the value and reach of the anaesthetic medicines through its extensive commercial network.
Disposing the remaining rights to the medicines allows both companies to benefit from greater efficiencies as AstraZeneca continues to focus our resources on our three main therapy areas.”
Under the terms of a prior agreement, AGI made an upfront payment to AstraZeneca of $520 million and agreed to make future Product Sales-related payments of up to $250 million (see first payment below), as well as paying double-digit percentage royalties on Product Sales.
AstraZeneca agreed to continue to manufacture and supply the medicines to AGI on a cost-plus basis for an initial period of 10 years.
The company has been selling off a large number of its intellectual rights surrounding the manufacture of a number of drugs, such as beta-blocker Toprol-XL, in order to further restructure its operations and resources, and implement a strategy with specific areas of focus.
With this in mind, the company is also selling its rights outside Japan to migraine drug, Zomig, to Germany’s Gruenthal, the company has previously reported.
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- Bayer to manufacture CureVac COVID-19 vaccineProcurement & Supply Chain


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For the UK and European aluminium sector, 2023 was a year defined by demand slumps, excess inventories, and the impact of ongoing sanctions on Russian metal.
But there are certain themes that look set to predominate for the industry over the year ahead, and those on the lookout for the most suitable extruded aluminium products in the UK and elsewhere on the continent may wish to inform themselves of those trends.
So, below, we have put the spotlight on just three of the major talking points that importers and distributors anticipate for the aluminium industry in the UK and Europe over this year.
The risks of sanctions on Russia increasing tightness of supply
Poland and the Baltic states urged the European Union (EU) to ban imports of Russian aluminium in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting a run up in the LME aluminium price over the year end.
Despite the price since falling back, the move highlights the market’s sensitivity to the outright ban of Russian primary metal. Following the removal of Indian metal from the LME, some 90% of aluminium on the exchange is now Russian, prompting two concerns.
The first is that the LME electing to follow national governments’ lead and banning the delivery of any further Russian metal into European exchanges would bifurcate the aluminium market with higher European premiums relative to Asia. The second is that the resulting tightness of metal supply would be seen as bullish for primary metal prices.
Having said all of this, the last nine to 12 months for the European aluminium market have been characterised by oversupply. Indeed, the whole aluminium supply chain has been carrying far more inventory than it is able to sell in a low-demand market, and is still trying to reach a balance.
A stronger emphasis on sustainability for UK and European aluminium, but little impact
There has been heightened talk in recent times about aluminium playing its part in growing the UK and Europe’s sustainable economy. However, the extent to which this connection goes much further than mere “talk” is open to question.
It is true that there are signs of “sustainability” initiatives creating demand for aluminium elsewhere in the world; however, to date, there has been little such impact in Europe.
What is largely happening instead, is that Europe is importing cheap Chinese solar panels, electric cars, and batteries. Half the EVs in Europe are imported from China.
Sustainability – whatever that is ultimately meant to mean – is benefitting Chinese manufacturers immensely, but there is still little evidence it is more than hot air here in Europe.
The knock-on effects of big regulatory changes in Europe
The UK aluminium industry will undoubtedly be significantly affected by the EU’s new carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which is already revolutionising supply-chain operations across every conceivable sector.
In the past, producers in the EU have benefitted from free allowances on the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). However, a drive to minimise “carbon leakage” has led to the phasing-out of these allowances; in their place, a new global system is being introduced with the goal of levelling the playing field as far as carbon prices are concerned.
These are requirements that thousands of the highest-polluting firms in the EU are forced to comply with; aluminium producers must now report on direct as well as indirect embedded emissions. With effect from 2026, there will also be a need for such producers to pay a levy on direct emissions, using European carbon pricing as a basis; a 2.5% rate will apply in 2026, increasing to 100% of embedded emissions in 2034.
The UK Government has confirmed its own version of CBAM will be introduced, which will entail the addition of a carbon import tax to products and materials entering the UK market. However, at the time of typing, information about this scheme remained difficult to come by. The scheme is also only set to be implemented by 2027, although a consultation on the UK CBAM’s “design and delivery” has been promised for this year.
The outlook for the UK and European aluminium sector during this year, then, indicates continued challenges in the form of geopolitical tensions and outright conflicts around the globe, as well as the ongoing management of supply-chain disruptions and ever-changing regulatory pressures. It is an industry, then, that is still operating in interesting times, and that looks set to continue doing so for the foreseeable future.
To learn more about MCA UK’s services and expertise in relation to rolled and extruded aluminium products in the UK in 2024 and beyond, please feel free to contact us.


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The 240W charger, the new step in the fast charger competition, has been registered by an anonymous manufacturer in China.
Not so long ago, in the early 2010s, we could see computers running on 240W power supplies. Over time, as new technologies came into our lives, the power requirement increased. While these developments were taking place, phone manufacturers did not stand still and pursued fast charging technology. Fast charging, which has reached higher and higher levels, this time brought the Chinese to develop a 240W charger.
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240W fast charger registered in China
We last heard that iQOO has developed a 200W charger in the country. This charger was developed to be used for the iQOO 10 Pro model. With this speed, it was possible to charge the phone from 0 to 100 percent in just 12 minutes. While iQOO has been boasting about this speed for a while, another Chinese manufacturer has registered even better.
Although the name of the manufacturer is not clear, rumors point to OPPO. The company announced its 240W SuperVooc charging technology in February. At the time of the announcement, the technology was only a prototype and it was not announced when it would be used in a smartphone. But testing may finally be complete. If the registered 240W charger belongs to OPPO, we may soon see a new announcement from the company.
Until a few years ago, you couldn’t see charging speeds above 15W, while today even mid-level devices have reached levels like 33W. Although these technologies can damage the battery, as a result of the work of engineers, the batteries have become less worn out in the same proportion. Although we are now used to seeing charging speeds of 100W in high-end phones, the competition for speed never ends.
No matter which manufacturer it comes from, we do not expect a mid-level phone to handle a charging speed of 240W. This technology will enter our lives with a flagship. So it’s worth keeping an eye out for phone announcements from Chinese companies.


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These five companies are producing phenomenal results in some of their markets.
Williamsburg, VA (PRWEB) February 21, 2012
Borrell Associates has identified five local media companies as top share-getters of online advertising in their respective markets. Each has several local properties that are getting at least 4x the average share of local online advertising compared with their peers, thriving in what Borrell Associates calls “The Green Zone” among the thousands of media companies it tracks. Some are getting up to 17 times the average.
Digital-media executives from each of the companies will be addressing Borrell Associates’ 2012 Local Online Advertising Conference in New York next month. They are among 58 speakers representing some of the largest and fastest-growing companies in the local online advertising space.
“These five companies are producing phenomenal results in some of their markets,” said Gordon Borrell, CEO. “They belong to an elite club – a handful of media companies that are quietly knocking the ball out of the park with their digital ventures.
“The average newspaper in a small market, for instance, might get 3.3 percent of all local online advertising,” Borrell added. “A best-practice paper would get 14 percent. In a place like Toledo, for instance, that would mean the difference between getting about $3.3 million this year versus $14 million. So getting into our Green Zone is no small feat.”
Borrell Associates selected the companies from its database of more than 5,300 local media companies it tracks through ongoing revenue surveys. It produces annual assessments of online advertising revenue growth and market share for entities such as newspapers, TV and radio stations, cable companies, yellow pages, and Internet pureplay companies. Its annual report, “Benchmarking Local Online Operations,” will be published next month.
One of the companies, Deseret Media , has grown its digital revenues so radically at its newspaper, TV and radio operations in Salt Lake City that Borrell has invited five of its executives – including CEO Clark Gilbert – to be featured in a 75-minute workshop at Borrell’s conference. The company’s telemarketing operations alone have garnered 15,000 online advertisers in Salt Lake City.
The others will be featured in a session entitled, “Who’s Leading the Pack?” They are:
- Christian Hendricks, vice president of interactive media for The McClatchy Co. McClatchy has several newspaper properties that achieved up to 17 times the share of local online advertising among peer-group newspapers.
- Mike Braun, vice president of digital sales operations for Gray Television. Gray has several TV stations that got up to four times the average share last year.
- Jeffrey Ulrich, senior director of digital sales and training at Cox Media Group. Cox had several radio properties that attained up to five times the share of online advertising compared with the average radio station cluster in similar-size markets.
- Mark Lane, vice president of sales for Morris Communications. Morris has multiple newspaper properties with up to 16 times the average digital share of its peers.
The Borrell Associates' Local Online Advertising Conference is held annually at the Grand Hyatt, in NYC, March 21-22. A pre-conference mobile ad-sales workshop, in conjunction with the Mobile Marketing Association, will be held on March 20.
A streaming video option will be available also. For more information contact Borrell Associates Executive VP Peter Conti.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook has set a deadline for new iPhone data-collecting rules—changes that have Ad Tech companies bracing for a profound shift in the way they collect consumer data.
The iPhone maker plans to roll out more aggressive privacy measures in its iOS 14 update. Tech companies and advertisers are expected to be the hardest hit as the changes limit the amount of data apps can obtain about their users.
The changes, which Apple says are coming in “early spring,” will introduce a mandatory pop-up prompt asking for user permission before an app can track users across different apps and websites. Apple announced the changes last year but delayed the rollout after pushback from developers. The new privacy controls will affect Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), which assigns a unique number to a user's mobile device. An app must obtain explicit permission from users through a popup for app publishers to use the IDFA to track them across different apps and websites, or to share that information with third parties.
The fight is no surprise to some. “Most organizations haven’t experienced a seismic shift in the way an industry works,” says Nii Ahene, chief strategy officer at Tinuiti, an online ad performance and marketing agency. The changes have been a long time coming, and were telegraphed early and often, Ahene says. “This is immensely frustrating for me since we’ve been talking about this since July.”
Apple’s move was praised by privacy-minded corners of the tech industry. “By putting it at the point of use, it gives you control on how to handle data,” says Kaili Lambe, senior US campaigner at Mozilla. “I think this is one of the first times the user is given control, and it’s on by default,” says Lambe. “It’s setting the standard for how users should have control over the data—it should be easy to use, easy to understand, and not complex to research.”
Some companies are trying to make the best of the situation. Ajit Thupil, chief product officer at Tapad, says some app developers are testing language for the prompt to see what wording will convince users of the benefits of accepting the changes. “If you are not prepared, and you use language that does not give you the best shot of people signing up, then you run into issues,” said Thupil.


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SIIA statement on Pallone, Rodgers and Wicker federal privacy legislation.
This statement can be attributed to Jeff Joseph, President, Software & Information Industry Association:
We applaud House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), on reaching an agreement on bicameral, bipartisan federal privacy legislation that endorses federal preemption and a limited private right of action for substantial and individualized harm.
SIIA has long advocated for a bill that would establish a uniform, comprehensive federal privacy standard. We believe this bill establishes a balanced perspective on preemption, which provides greater clarity and certainty for consumers and innovators alike, particularly in light of the recent uptick in state privacy laws. It makes a solid effort to protect the free flow of constitutionally protected speech. It recognizes the need to provide enhanced privacy protections for children and empower consumers with regard to the use of their data. We continue to support the need for regulatory parity across the digital ecosystem, which will promote and advance responsible, world class innovation for all companies, regardless of size.
We look forward to working with Congress to improve this important legislation and move it forward.


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Americans got ripped off during the financial crisis. Right? Nope! That began decades earlier when financial wizards invented a myth called the "efficient market hypothesis" based on Burton Malkiel's Random Walk.
The breakdown of S&P 500 returns by sector is once again telling us something. This time the breakdown is confirming what the incoming economic data over the past several weeks has been saying all along: global economic growth is slowing.
What effect did the NASDAQ's market "glitch" have on the bungled Facebook IPO? According to the academically popular efficient market hypothesis (EMH) developed by Nobel-prize winning economists, the answer is none. But that is probably wrong.
Netflix has a good business model and has been well-run in the past. Perhaps they will recognize that as their market gets competitive, they will need to offer more, not less, in order to be the most competitive.


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GNC Increases Conversion and Decreases Abandonment Rates With Commitment to Customer Service
Nearly 80 years after its founding, General Nutrition Centers (GNC) remains true to its mission of helping customers "Live Well" by providing both great products and customer service. The retailer works hard to recreate the in-store shopping experience online. With its expansive selection, knowledgeable customer service representatives, and reasonable shipping and return policies, GNC.com is creating a standard for fantastic customer support.
GNC recently put its customer service to the test. Mystery shoppers browsed the retailer's website across 300 customer service-related metrics. Every shopper touchpoint was evaluated, from the average time of an email response to the ease of returns. From these tests, GNC learned how it performed in the realm of customer service on a very detailed level. After the thorough analysis was completed, GNC was recognized with the EXCELLENT award from customer service ratings provider STELLAService.
A/B Testing Made Easy
Jeff Hennion, GNC's chief marketing officer, decided to test the value of having a STELLAService customer service seal on its website. "Being purveyors of health and nutrition goods, we certainly understand how important it is to have the trust of our consumers," Hennion said. "Just as consumers trust that we sell effective, high-quality products, we want them to understand that our service is nothing short of excellent. STELLAService's program seemed to be consistent with the message we wanted to deliver, so the only question left was whether the seal would deliver."
After Hennion and GNC's Vice President of E-Commerce Chris Dargis were on board with testing the seal, an important consideration was how to best gauge the seal's effect. The GNC team sought help from Monetate, a company that enables websites to run hundreds of concurrent A/B and multivariate tests. "Easily testing and targeting marketing campaigns like the STELLA campaign are exactly why we teamed up with Monetate," Dargis said. "We had the test up and running in no time."


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Registration takes less than 1 minute.
Murray Grindrod Sr., who worked at Grindrod Ltd. for 50 years, 21 years of which he served as chairman, died May 16.
Douglas Browning, a former high-ranking U.S. Customs official and executive at General Motors, has returned to international trade law firm ST&R.
The 2M Alliance partners will share space with G6 Alliance member MOL on two loops between Asia and the East Coast of South America.
The logistics roll-up company will raise the funds in both equity and the sale of senior notes to finance current and future acquisitions.
Move opens the door for full establishment of diplomatic relations and business opportunities between the United States and Cuba.
Ocean carrier United Arab Shipping Co. will enter the transatlantic trade via partnership agreements with fellow Ocean3 member CMA CGM and Hamburg Sud.


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Hyundai, Toyota, and Nissan Splurge on Incentives
General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler have traditionally spent the most on incentives among the top U.S. automakers, and continue to do so. But Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota are catching up in a major way.
Hyundai's incentive spending has increased 61% since 2007, from an average of $1,861 per vehicle to $2,998. Nissan's spending went up 19% since 2008, to $2,511 this year. And Toyota, which has especially been struggling in this market, jumped from only $853 per unit to $1,620.
But that's not the only good news for car shoppers. Chrysler's sales have decreased by 40% this year, so it also has to resort to making great deals to attract consumers. Its incentive spending is the highest from the top automakers this year, at $4,584 per car.
Now that Cash for Clunkers is over, car manufacturers are really pushing incentives as a way to get people to buy. Overall, they have spent an average of $2,797 last month - up from $2,474 in August - and the upward trend is likely to continue.
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid


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Impinj Launches UHF Tech for Item-Level Tags
Impinj today announced an extension to its GrandPrix line of Gen2 technology solutions that will allow UHF RFID technology to be used for item-level tagging applications. The Seattle, Washington-based company believes its new technology could prove game-changing for RFID adoption at the item level.
Feb 20, 2006—This article was originally published by RFID Update.
February 20, 2006—Impinj today announced an extension to its GrandPrix line of Gen2 technology solutions that will allow UHF RFID technology to be used for item-level tagging applications. The Seattle, Washington-based company believes its new technology could prove game-changing for RFID adoption at the item level. RFID Update spoke with Dr. William Colleran, Impinj president and CEO, about the announcement.
According to Colleran, Impinj decided to focus on developing tag technology tailored to item-level applications late last year after a company realization that item-level adoption had developed far faster than had been anticipated. "If you had asked me six months ago [when item-level tagging would take off]," said Colleran, "I probably would have said sometime in late 2007." The expectation had been that item-level tagging could become a reality only after significant case- and pallet-tagging adoption volumes drove down the cost of tags. But as it turns out, pharmaceutical mandates, demonstrable ROI in certain item-level applications (like apparel and CD/DVDs), and other factors have accelerated the process, causing end-users to "pull hard for item-level tagging." Now it seems that item-level tagging will not happen subsequent to case- and pallet-level tagging; it will happen in parallel. "This item-level tagging thing is starting to happen, starting to take on a life of its own," said Colleran.
In response, Impinj extended its existing Gen2 technology to support item-level tagging. Doing so meant, among other things, accommodating the special tag sizes and shapes -- "form factors" -- necessary for certain item-level applications. "We had to develop a whole series of item-level tags with different form factors," said Colleran. What varies from one to the next is not the tag's chip component (which stores and processes tag data), but the antenna (which receives and transmits the data using radio frequency). Ultimately, Impinj engineered six new antenna designs, each targeted at a particular vertical like pharmaceuticals, apparel, etc.
The new technology's wider import is its potential to tip the scale in an ongoing industry debate about whether high frequency (HF) or ultra high frequency (UHF) technology is best-suited for item-level tagging. Advocates for the former argue that HF technology is proven to work well for item-level tagging, HF readers are cheaper, and there is a widely-installed HF infrastructure in place already. Advocates for the latter argue that UHF is more modern and capable (Gen2 is UHF). Furthermore, UHF would allow item-, case-, and pallet-level tracking to all share the same RFID infrastructure; using HF would require supply chains with case- and pallet-level tagging to also deploy UHF, causing a messy, "duplicated" deployment. Also, UHF tags are fundamentally cheaper than HF tags because they require less material and one less manufacturing step. Lastly, UHF will work across all the global frequency bands in regions that are seeing RFID deployments.
Impinj's goal is not actually to sell the new antenna designs; rather, Impinj wants to sell as many of its Gen2 Monza chips as possible. By licensing the antenna designs to inlay producers at no cost, Impinj hopes to stimulate adoption of UHF-based item-level tagging, thereby driving demand for Monza. It will be demonstrating the new technology next week at RFID World in Dallas.
If Impinj and others in the UHF camp are successful, it could have a positive effect for the rest of the Gen2-associated RFID industry. Were UHF to become the technology of choice for item-level tagging, demand would grow for Gen2 technology, causing prices to fall and adoption to rise that much faster across the board. Watch for more on this theme as item-level tagging picks up and product releases like Impinj's draw ever more attention to the UHF vs. HF debate.
Read the announcement from Impinj
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Is it time to upgrade your smartphone to a 5G-capable handset?
New upgrades come out for phones every few years. With 5G being rolled across many countries, now might be a good time to think about upgrading your phone to one that is able to handle 5G. Here are some of the things to think about.
Much the same, slightly different
While 5G will be introducing better connections and faster speeds, it is important to remember that the introduction of this does not mean that there will be much in the way of a change of services. You will still be able to shop online at your favourite stores, for instance, whether you’re on 5G or not.
Though the goal will be to move towards 5G as a whole, this transition is likely to take several years to fully facilitate. As a result, you might be able to stick with 4G for quite some time. That being said, numerous industries and companies are in a position to leverage the upcoming developments with the existing products, and with updates they’ll be able to capitalise on once the 5G speeds reach desired heights. For instance, online gaming providers like Dunder Casino have live casino game selections which gamers will be able to put to full use out and about without Wi-Fi with 5G’s lower latency.
As with the rollout of 4G, we are likely to see 5G come to the major cities first. While the capitals of the world might be quick to introduce 5G to their public hotspots, the more rural areas are not going to be so quick on the uptake. It is a legitimate reason that you might not have to upgrade your smartphone if you do not live in an area that will be getting 5G.
Upgrading a phone can be expensive, even if you are on a contract. If you live in an area that is not going to get 5G for a while, there might not be much of a point in you getting the upgrade now. Therefore, it might be a better idea to take a look at the rollout of 5G in your country and make a decision based on that.
Of course, it is also worth noting that the most modern of handsets will come 5G-capable from the start. If you like to always have the latest tech, no matter what it might be, then you might very well be picking up a 5G handset soon.
Many of the big phone manufacturers and developers are beginning to turn out high-end models that are 5G-capable. Just as we saw a market shift from different handsets to the standard smartphone block a few years ago, so might we see a similar change as more developers introduce this style of technology.
So, is now a good time to upgrade your phone to one that can handle 5G? That really does depend on you as a tech enthusiast. If you like to have the latest of everything, then yes – it might be time for you to upgrade. However, the rollout of 5G is likely to be as slow as some of the other big tech moves we have seen in previous years. Though it will no doubt become the standard eventually, for now, we do not have to upgrade to a 5G-capable handset if we do not want to. The choice is yours.
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Following Fashion Philosophy’s first News article from last month, Tskenya-Sarah Fraser once again prepared a report of the biggest and most exciting news, this time from the month of June.
>> Graduate Fashion Week feels like it was a long time ago, but at the beginning of this month a few lives changed forever. Hannah Wallace (from Manchester School of Art), Melissa Villevielle (from Edinburgh College of Art) and Ella Nisbett (from Nottingham Trent University) found themselves sweeping the awards board, taking home two each. Wallace took home the big prize of the night, the George Gold Award which comes with a £10,000 reward. Congratulations! Great Britain is producing some serious fashion talent – go us!
>> Founded in London fashion retailer matchesfashion.com collaborates with Y-3 on the capsule collection. Both brands have collaborated on a limited edition three-piece collection inspired by ink drawings from Yohji Yamamoto.
#1 – Hannah Wallace’s designs at Graduate Fashion Week, photographed by Lucy Young and sourced from The Print Affair. // #2 – Y-3 and matchesfashion.com collaboration, image sourced from i-D.
>> “Call me Caitlyn.” – This month Caitlyn Jenner, previously known as Bruce Jenner stole the internet away from her step-daughter, Kim Kardashian, and her pregnancy news. Even though it’s great to hear that Kimye are expecting a second child, Caitlyn deserves all the coverage as she just helped break down a massive social barrier. With an ubiquitous Vanity Fair cover and record-breaking Twitter debut under her belt (breaking Barack Obama’s record to reach 1 million followers in the shortest time ever), Caitlyn Jenner has had an eventful month. The Fashion Philosophy team wishes her the best of luck!
>> Supermodel and philanthropist Tyra Banks takes on the scandal of retouching and jumps on the #nomakeupselfie bandwagon. Bank’s called out celebrities and important societal figures for misleading their audiences and followers who have used the hashtag #nofilter, but who have secretly been retouching their images. Speaking to her 2.9 million followers on Instagram, Tyra commented: “And there YOU are… looking at me, studying this picture. Maybe you’re thinking, “Whoa, she looks ROUGH.” And if you are, great! You deserve to see the REAL me. The REALLY real me. #RawAndReal”.
>> A ‘rogue’ model takes to protest on the runway during the Rick Owens S|S 16 Menswear show this June. Male model Jera Diarc – a regular on the Owens runway unravelled a piece of white fabric that read “Please Kill Angela Merkel – Not“. The statement was a commentary on the anti-capitalist protests that took place in Frankfurt and around Germany earlier this year. Diarc was later criticised by his agency for his attempt at freedom of speech.
>> Shouts for inclusion! Louboutin, one of the most popular shoe brands in the world has extended its Nude collection to match and fit all skin tones. Many fashion critics have argued that calling beige and peach items of clothing ‘nude’ is racist, but aside from the political and sociological issues, it’s a simply inaccurate way to describe a colour – thank you Louboutin.
>> Favourite childhood actors, now fashion designers and businesswomen, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, have scooped their second CFDA Award for their womenswear label The Row. The twin’s won the accessories prize last year, and the womenswear award in 2012 which was considered one of the most difficult categories. The category also featured designers such as Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs and Joseph Altuzarra. Congratulations Mary-Kate and Ashley!
>> Fashion legend Donatella Versace is the new face of the Givenchy A|W 15 collection. The news surprised most of the fashion community but the choice is proving to be a popular one. The campaign was shot by Mert & Marcus Piggott and styled by Carine Roitfeld.
>> The Martin Margiela documentary film is now streaming online, and it is called The Artist Is Absent and is already deemed a must watch by fashion lovers. You can see Margiela’s greatness yourself in the whole 12-minute film now.
>> Fashion house favourite Kenzo and cult director Gregg Araki are set to release a film together. Araki’s shoot for Kenzo, titled Here Now, will debut during Couture Fashion Week in Paris – the fashion community will have to wait patiently for now, counting down the months, days, hours and minutes. But we’re thinking it’s definitely going to be worth the wait!
>> Farfetch relaunches its collection with menswear at its forefront. You can see a snippet of the collections at Browns, South Molton Street. The indie online e-retailer has collaborated with celebrities such as Usher to a launch campaign curated by Swizz Beats for their beefed-up menswear offering.
>> Counterfeit goods have been rife on the fashion market for decades but June Unesco and Comité Colbert take a stand on fashion counterfeiting. As featured on style.com, in an interview they commented: “The ultimate goal is to promote culture and fight against illicit trafficking, and thus counterfeiting”.
>> Fashion and music idol Missy Elliot is making a come back! This June we were given major hints that she will be returning to the scene with a bang, after she was named as the Bestival’s Sunday headliner. Missy hasn’t released an album since 2005, so we are all eagerly awaiting new material.
>> Vanessa Snow and Jason Schwartzman come together to shoot Araks’ latest lookbook. The photo-book features a wonderful range of minimalistic lingerie shot by numerous close friends of the pair, using a disposable camera to add a more authentic and real element to the shots.
>> Dope, the latest movie to hit the box office with a bang is set to make all watchers reminiscent of the 90’s. The coming of age movie takes inspiration from what is considered to be one of the most influential decades of fashion, featuring celebrities such as A$AP Rocky, Zoë Kravitz and Chanel Iman to capture the scene.


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Farmer-chef partnership brings duck eggs to diners’ plates
Throughout California, farmers and chefs increasingly work in partnership to support and bolster one another’s professions. For restaurant patrons, this behind-the-scenes collaboration opens their palates to new tastes. Such is the case at Fisher’s Restaurant & Catering in Hollister, where chef/owner Mike Fisher features an egg of a different feather: the duck egg.
US duck farm competes for labour
It’s an exciting era for the Metzer family from California who produce day old duck chicks and eggs that are shipped all over the US and Canada. Demand for duck eggs from the food and retail sectors is booming.
Marc Metzer brings new technology to his family’s Olinday Farms
Marc Metzer is now the egg man. After a crack at the corporate world, his entry into his family’s third-generation waterfowl hatchery at Metzer Farms in Gonzales has him happily singing a quirky tune.
Business Chef Podcast with Shawn Bucher.
Olindays Farms’ Marc Metzer recently went on the Business Chef Podcast with Shawn Bucher.
Olinday Farms produces duck eggs for American consumers
A third-generation farmer explains how his family’s operation has increased its sales of ducklings and managed to sell duck eggs for human consumption.


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ProActive Sports and Aristo Cigars Signs
New Distribution Agreement
Cigars has a new distribution partner in the golf industry. ProActive Sports is
leader in the Wholesale golf accessories market. Aristo Cigars is excited to get into the golf
industry and we feel partnering with one of the biggest golf accessories
wholesaler is a key way to capture a new audience of cigar enthusiasts.
Sports was established in 1986 with one simple goal in mind: to offer the
finest products at the best possible prices, while still offering outstanding
customer service. Now over 26 years later, they have grown to one of the
premier golf accessory, awards and push cart suppliers in the golf industry.
With over 1000 sku's available, ProActive Sports has established itself as a
leader in golf product innovation, selection and distribution.
Sports will be debuting the Master Electronic Cigar at the ProActive booth at
the 2015 PGA Show in Orlando Florida on January 21st-23rd! The PGA
Show is the largest golf expo in the world and we are thrilled to see what type
of feedback the Master E-Cigar brings us.
Aristo Cigars is very excited to see where this new partnership will take us
and we look forward to a exciting 2015 and the release of the Masterello to
keep Aristo Cigars one of the leading companies in the ever changing e-cigar


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Baker is an award-winning investigative reporter.
Russ Baker, Borders Books, San Francisco, 2010, on digging deep
and making a difference.
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Read the original article on WhoWhatWhy. Copyright 2012. Follow WhoWhatWhy on Twitter.
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Taste of Wilson County annually offers the chance to sample the best Wilson County has to offer, from tasty treats to local boutiques and more.
This year’s event combined with the Batch and Bushel Farmer’s Market, a first year event offering local goods weekly.
About 30 of the more than 85 vendors were from Batch and Bushel.
“Now we’re taking all of the outside and then the inside,” said Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce CEO Melanie Minter. “We have people from all parts of Wilson County, so we have Watertown, Mt. Juliet and Lebanon.”
One of the special events of the evening was the grill-off. Grill masters face off for a team of judges who pick a champion griller.
“There will be a grill master tonight that will be the winner of the best grilling,” said Minter. “So, some of these grill masters have bought their own sauces to put with the meat we gave them.”
Many people came out to enjoy the event and sample the different foods as well as see the crafts that Wilson County has to offer.
“The turnout has been really great. We had a lot more presales this year than we’ve had in the past, but we tend to get a lot of people that we double that or triple that once they come,” said Minter. “We do put a lot of work into this event. We plan for it probably about six to eight months in advance. We just make sure that we have all the vendors. Every year we want to try to balance marketplace and food because people come out to try and get a true flavor of what Wilson County is all about.”


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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) —Your Fitbit may be tracking more than just how many steps you take in a day.
That's the warning from U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer who this weekend asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the use of personal fitness data gathered from bracelets and cell phone applications by the companies that sell them, saying it can be sold to advertisers or others without users' knowledge or consent.
There are no federal protections against such privacy intrusions, the companies' policies aren't clear, and consumers should have the ability to opt out of data tracking, the New York Democrat said.
Many Americans have started wearing monitors or using mobile apps to count their steps, measure their activity levels and calculate calorie burn. Schumer is asking the FTC in a letter to clarify that it's a deceptive trade practice when a company fails to clearly tell customers when their identifiable data may be sold.


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Sixty percent of Chinese who own a car or are planning on buying one would consider buying a plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle, according to a new survey (PDF) by the Ernst & Young’s Global Automotive Center.
That percentage is “nearly five times higher than any other country surveyed,” including the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan, according to the accounting firm. In the US, 10 percent of consumers said they would consider a hybrid or EV.
Sixty-five percent of the 1000 Chinese surveyed also indicated a willingness to help pay for public charging stations for such cars.
The result suggest that, when it comes to automobiles, the Chinese may be ready to leap-frog over older technologies, in the same way cellphones have obviated the need for China to build out its telephone infrastructure.
Only about 3 percent of Chinese own a car, by comparison 60 percent of Americans do (and 89 percent of households). As this survey suggests, by the time the gap between those two national statistics closes, the internal combustion engine could be a relic.
Mike Hanley, Ernst & Young’s Global Automotive Leader, said the survey result bode well for the Chinese auto manufacturers planning on introducing plug-in electric vehicles in 2010 and 2011. But the Chinese government has shown some hesitancy, delaying a decision on subsidies for private purchases of EVs, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
Chinese consumers are not oblivious to the short-comings of EVs, however. Battery driving range and access to charging stations were noted as areas of concern by respondents. “Range anxiety” has been cited as the number one obstacle to wide-spread adoption of EVs, along with the high cost of batteries.
Just last week, Deloitte Consulting released a study predicting electric vehicles would grab only 2 to 5 percent of the global market by 2020, but that hybrids could garner a 20 percent market share or more by then.
Said Hanley, “even if only a small portion of survey respondents who said they would consider a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle were serious, there would still be more than enough demand to sell out the 2010 and 2011 production runs of the major and new manufacturers, while buying crucial time to build out infrastructure and increase public awareness.”


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We’re barely into 2016 and already it appears the future of television will truly take off in 2017. After reports, and a confirmation, that Hulu would offer a broadcast TV package via online streaming in early 2017, Google’s YouTube appears to be gearing up to do the same thing. The new service will be reportedly called YouTube Unplugged and debut at some point in 2017, according to Bloomberg.
YouTube has yet to secure much in the way of agreements for actual content, Bloomberg says. Nevertheless, the company has met with major networks including NBCUniversal, CBS, and Fox, as well as Viacom the company behind channels like Comedy Central, MTV, and VH1.
It’s not clear what kind of service YouTube hopes to roll out in 2017. One hope is to offer a so-called ‘skinny bundle’ with the major networks and a bunch of other specialty channels. Unless YouTube can strike some unexpected deals, Unplugged will probably include something similar to Sling TV, with content such as AMC, CNN, the Disney Channel, ESPN, various Fox properties, the History Channel, TNT, and others.
Bloomberg says YouTube is hoping to offer a service with a price tag around $35 a month or less. That’s significantly higher than Sling’s $20 a month charge. Once you add specialty channel add-ons to Sling such as HBO ($15 per month), however, it’s quite easy to pay $35 or more for Sling.
Unplugged would be YouTube’s second subscription service following Red, the site’s ad-free experience, in late 2015. Red’s original incarnation was as a music streaming service known as YouTube Music Key.
The story behind the story: Reports of Google wanting to offer live TV packages have been around for awhile. However, with other companies such as Amazon and Apple reportedly looking to create their own TV packages for online streaming, YouTube’s effort appears to be getting closer than ever.


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The parade of fast-food companies promising to sell meat from animals that never received antibiotics just got significantly longer. Subway, the ubiquitous sandwich chain, is following the lead of Chipotle, Panera, Chick-fil-A and McDonalds, with its promise Tuesday that its meat suppliers gradually will go antibiotic-free.
In one respect, in fact, Subway is going further than McDonald's and Chick-fil-A, which have promised only to serve antibiotic-free poultry. Subway is laying out a timetable for its suppliers of beef and pork to go antibiotic-free as well.
Getting adequate supplies of such beef and pork, however, appears to be more difficult, and will take longer, than accomplishing the same task with poultry. According to Subway's statement, the "transition to chicken raised without antibiotics will be completed by the end of 2016." Beef and pork, however, will take until 2025.
The reason is simple. Antibiotic poultry production is now mainstream. Big poultry producers like Tyson and Pilgrim's Pride are gradually getting rid of antibiotics that are used in human medicine. (The use of medically useful antibiotics in agriculture is controversial because it increases the chances that bacteria will become resistant to those drugs, rendering those drugs useless against some infections.)
Perdue Farms, which has led the poultry industry's move away from antibiotics, says that 95 percent of its chickens already receive no human antibiotics, and more than half of its chickens receive no antibiotics at all.
Pork and beef, however, have been a different story. Most large-scale hog operations and feedlots still rely at least occasionally on the use of antibiotics.
Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


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GE has announced that it is selling its remaining lighting business — the GE Lighting consumer lamps unit — to Savant Systems. The company that was almost synonymous with the electric light bulb, and its inventor Thomas Edison, is now fully clear of the lighting business, although the more significant move was the divestiture of GE Current. Savant Systems is a smart-home specialist and GE Lighting does have some connected LED lamps, but the bulk of the business is in standard LED and legacy replacement lamps, with almost all newer products of the solid-state lighting (SSL) variety.
We first reported back in January 2018 that GE was shopping both what was then called Current powered by GE and GE Lighting — either separately or as a package deal. The company had previously moved the professional lighting business assets into the Current organization along with other energy businesses all looking to leverage industry movement toward Internet of Things (IoT) technology. It also sold off its GE Lighting EMEA operations in early 2018. GE subsequently trimmed Current back to a business focused on commercial lighting, including a heavy emphasis on connected lighting, and sold it to American industrial Partners (AIP) in November 2018. AIP has since changed the Current name once again to GE Current, a Daintree Company.
Clearly, the GE name will not disappear from the lighting landscape as both Current and Savant will have rights to use GE branding on certain products. Moreover, GE has licensed the brand to even other vendors in the past including Jasco that has sold consumer-centric LED-based products branded GE Lighting.
Given everything that has happened at GE in recent years, the sale of GE Lighting to Savant is a bigger deal emotionally than fiscally. GE has needed cash to try and right other parts of its business. And the company obviously projects more opportunity in the industrial sector.
“Today’s transaction is another important step in the transformation of GE into a more focused industrial company,” said Lawrence Culp, GE chairman and CEO. “Our GE Lighting colleagues will join a fast-growing leader in home automation that shares their passion for bringing the future to light. Together with Savant, GE Lighting will continue its legacy of innovation, while we at GE will continue to advance the infrastructure technologies that are core to our company and draw on the roots of our founder, Thomas Edison.”
Still, GE Lighting has scant presence in connected, smart lighting products. The company has launched wireless consumer products including LED lamps, controls, sensors, and more under the C by GE brand. At the CES event in Las Vegas back in January, GE said it was building a third-party ecosystem to grow the C by GE portfolio. But that portfolio wouldn’t seem sufficiently substantial to have garnered Savant’s interest, although the press release would indicate that it did.
“Savant’s mission from the start has been to create the number one smart home brand in the world, and I am confident that the acquisition of GE Lighting has moved us significantly toward that ultimate goal,” said Robert Madonna, Savant founder and CEO. “We are committed to ensuring that GE Lighting’s long history of industry leadership continues, while bringing exceptional value and reliability to retail partners and consumers as the number one intelligent lighting company worldwide. Never before has connectivity, security, intelligent lighting, and entertainment, all enjoyed within the comforts of home, been more top of mind with consumers.”
It may be primary control of the GE Lighting brand that most interested Savant. Or the real value may lay in intellectual property (IP). GE had a significant IP portfolio in the LED and SSL sectors, although the company has never revealed what parts of that IP went along with GE Current.
For up-to-the-minute LED and SSL updates, why not follow us on Twitter? You’ll find curated content and commentary, as well as information on industry events, webcasts, and surveys on our LinkedIn Company Page and our Facebook page.


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April 13, 2012. BLOWING ROCK — Local bartenders will duke it out during this year’s Bartenders’ Brawl on Thursday and Friday, April 12 and 13. The “Survivor” themed event takes place at Canyons and will feature original drinks with secret ingredients and taste samples will be available for purchase. Thursday’s brawls starts at 8:30 p.m. while Friday’s final event starts at 9:00 p.m.
Different this year is the “Survivor” theme. Local bartender competitors are encouraged to wear appropriate “Survivor” attire, and the bar will be decorated according to the tribal theme.
The first two rounds on Thursday night feature all bartenders, who are split into two tribes at random – the “Libations” and the “Elixirs.” Each tribe is expected to work together to prepare three cocktails. The first two drinks will be original cocktails devised by the bartenders or their establishment. The third will contain a secret ingredient to be announced at the beginning of round two, giving the tribes some time to prepare. Possible secret ingredients could include cranberries, cucumbers, or various syrups. Who knows?
Cocktails will be judged on taste, presentation and originality – with taste weighing more than the other factors. In addition to serving fully garnished and freshly prepared versions to be visually judged by the entire bar and the “Mystery Judge,” the tribes will make a large batch of these drinks available for patrons to purchase for sample.
The drinks for sample will be served without a garnish, so focus on taste first! Keep in mind that these sample drinks will be voted on by the patrons to determine the “People’s Choice” award. The tribe winning the People’s Choice award will win an “Immunity Challenge,” meaning that they will be able to keep an extra bartender for round two.
The Bartenders’ Brawl is hosted annually at Canyons as part of the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival events.
For more information, see www.canyonsbr.com or call 828-295-7661.