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The car of the future is electrified, autonomous, shared and connected – welcome to the age of revolutionary change in the automotive industry.
To explore what the future holds for the concept of the car and how innovation is driving change, Business Leader and SETsquared, the global number one business incubator and enterprise partnership, gathered together a select group of academics, technology experts and scale-up business leaders for an in-depth roundtable debate.
- Dan Martin – Elmtronics
- Professor Liana Cipcigan – Cardiff University
- John Baker – Simply Do Ideas
- Auroskanda Vepari – IPFT Fuels
- William Hartley – Asirius
- Ralf Kernchen – Accelogress
- Charlie Alexander – Ultraleap
- Parvez Akhtar – Institute of Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems, Bath University
- Florian Wagner – Clean Cold Power
- Jack Withinshaw – Airspeeder
- Colin Stakem – Sector Lead for Advanced Manufacturing, SETsquared Scale-Up Programme
In many ways, the acceleration of technological change in the automotive industry is being directed by environmental concerns. There is pressure to create a sustainable future with a transport system that creates no emissions and helps reduce congestion. In the UK, the Government has proposed new plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2035, and directives like these are quickening the evolution of cars powered by electricity.
For this to happen, a widespread infrastructure for electrification needs to be in place. During the debate, Dan Martin of Elmtronics, the UK’s largest independent supplier and installer of electric car chargers, explained the current situation:
He comments: “We’re starting to see a lot of private investment for electric charging points and we’re now over that tipping point, which was based on when electric cars (EVs) became a viable model. We’re now seeing a lot more EVs on the roads, hence why there’s now a growing number of charging stations available across the UK.
“This means you can drive from London to Newcastle in the very near future with complete confidence that you’re not going to run out of charge and get stuck anywhere. Trust in the electric infrastructure is certainly growing, we’re starting to see higher uptake from businesses operating with commercial fleets, as part of their commitment to sustainability.
“There’s still a lot of technological development needed but there’s increasing investment into charging technology and without the charging, electric and autonomous vehicles aren’t going to work.”
There is another form of electrification being developed which is built into our highway infrastructure. Professor Liana Cipcigan from Cardiff University is involved in the advancement of wireless dynamic charging on the road, in partnership with the National Grid:
She comments: “We’re working on decarbonising transport through electrification to create a transport hub, as part of an EPSRC Network+ project. It’s a whole system approach, with interconnected infrastructures requiring different transport sectors working together, including road, rail and aerospace. It’s difficult to solve the challenges involved with decarbonisation without forming integrated solutions.”
John Barker from Simply Do Ideas supports greater collaboration to solve the infrastructure challenge.
He says: “The prevalence of autonomous vehicles is reliant on the development of other supporting technologies and that’s everything from advanced battery technology, electrification through wireless charging and dynamic grid systems and the 5G network to run their connectivity.
“Collaborative solutions need to be found by joined-up thinking among diverse innovators working together digitally to drive interoperability, rather than leaving it to hopefully fit together like a jigsaw. I think this is a concern but also an opportunity for the industry.”
Auroskanda Vepari from IPFT Fuels is involved with the convergence of the utility sector and automotive technology in a project to develop dynamic grid charging:
His thoughts are as follows: “It’s a really interesting time. The supply chains involved have never interacted with each other and they think very differently, but they’re now coming in contact and working together in a way they’ve never done before. We’re focusing on efficiency and how to bring enhanced integration. The utility sector is a very low-margin business so we think efficiency will be the big driver.”
Regarding the future of the car, there is also a view that the innovation is evolving faster than the policy to oversee it.
“The UK is certainly near the front of vehicle-to-grid technology, but the regulations and incentives need to catch up so the technology and the policy can be married together,” said Russell Fenner from Hanger 19, which provides a chargepoint back office and supporting hardware and software solutions for EV and smart city markets.
“The ability to accelerate the technology needs to go in line with the regulations. We could really steam along and have perfect solutions in autonomy or vehicle-to-grid, but if the regulations make the business case harder, it’s trickier to get the extra investment because those people want to see that they’re going to get ROI before they support the technology.”
Regulation is a strong theme with regard to the safety of driverless cars. This is a well-documented ethical debate about autonomous vehicles (AVs) ‘playing God’ and how they will make valued judgements regarding human lives while on the road. William Hartley, Director of Asirius and an independent automotive consultant, said:
“The legislation for autonomous vehicles needs to be defined so that the software can be optimised for what’s acceptable in different scenarios. I think there’s a reticence about being the first government to decide; instead, they want to wait for someone else to do it first and see what happens before jumping on the bandwagon – which isn’t necessarily the best way to fill the world with autonomous cars! If you’re the first, you get the kudos of being first but if you’re first and it goes awry, you’ll always be the one who got it wrong.”
There is the race to get the charging infrastructure in place and we need governance for it and also for how AVs are going to behave, and this is a key part of convincing people that they are safe. The need to change mindsets is happening now. Many car manufacturers have massively invested in hybrids and electric cars, but there is a concern that the British public is not snapping them up.
“Leonardo DiCaprio bought a hybrid Toyota Prius in the 2000s and it made news headlines; everyone said he was an environmentalist saving the world,” said William Hartley.
“These days people are not perceived as geeks if they buy an electric car, they’re instead seen as leaders and revolutionaries who’re interested in driving exciting cars made by cutting-edge brands like Tesla. But people are still not willing to compromise on the convenience of petrol. Consumers are savvy enough to realise that going electric gives them performance, it’s clean, green and efficient BUT you can’t charge it in 5 minutes at a petrol station. This need for convenience is driving forward innovation for rapid-charging systems and advanced battery technology.
“The engine is no longer what sells a vehicle; the powertrain is just the inconvenience that happens to push the vehicle forward. The vehicle is really just a means to transport people in a way that they want to be transported, with an experience that they want to feel, and so the powertrain needs to become invisible in terms of size, cost, inefficiency and so on.
“The future is about the transportation experience. The mentality behind how a car is used needs to change; how to get people away from driving their car in the morning, driving it in the evening and the car just sitting in a car park all day and their driveway at night. Once there’s progression, you can then apply the driverless vehicles and the car sharing schemes to the world,” said William Hartley.
Car AI technology has also become more prevalent. Haptic alerts play a role in driver assistance and that kind of safety-inspired technology is becoming integral inside all new cars. Level 3 autonomous cars are already on sale, whereby the driver starts the journey and then takes their hands off the controls and relaxes into a more passenger experience. Ralf Kernchen from Accelogress, a UX Design coding business involved in transport software, said:
“I think progress with AI technology and its adoption isn’t as far ahead as hoped. As a result, the industry is concentrating on autonomous driving functions that people are more familiar with, like the autopilot from Tesla which introduces assistive auto driving for safety and convenience, and these interim measures will help smooth the transition to autonomy.”
Ultraleap is developing advanced cabin technology and is very much at the forefront of what is being developed for the car of the future. Charlie Alexander is from Ultraleap:
He says: “Why would you buy a Porsche when you can’t drive it? The question we’re posing to the premium automotive brands is how do you plan to differentiate yourself and enrich the travel experience? An obvious way is through providing richer media systems in the rear of the vehicle, where the passenger could interact with a 3D interactive film or receive video conferencing or engage with a 3D object where they can reach out, hold it, feel it and interact with it.
“There’s a huge advantage to being able to operate objects in midair, not by holding a wand or a joystick but actually by reaching out and holding an object which you can then feel, using our haptics technology, and then rotate and engage with it in the same way that you might in virtual reality. We can add associated technologies like holographic screens and augmented reality to create a truly connected experience.”
Today’s emerging share-centric transportation heralded by Uber is poised to alter vehicle ownership economics forever. Some reports estimate there will be more than 11 million shared driverless vehicles operating on the roads globally by 2030, serving an average of 64 users per shared vehicle.
Ralf Kernchen from Accelogress has been researching how to further support this future shared economy by designing solutions that make public transport more efficient:
He says: “Public transport is the most sustainable way to travel. What we’ve been working on is how to help people get out of their cars and onto public transport. For us this is developing apps that interconnect different modes of transport to provide real-time travel information, so people can plan their journey better and have a seamless user experience.”
At the heart of all of this development is the drive for zero emissions – but what technology can be developed in the meantime to act as a bridge between combustion engines and electrification? Parvez Akhtar from the Institute of Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) at the University of Bath has extensive knowledge of vehicle development:
“Right now, I’d like to see a semi-autonomy for conventional fossil fuel-powered vehicles that essentially controls the car’s ability to achieve better fuel economy and therefore less pollution. This would be another step in the right direction for zero-emissions and full Level 5 autonomy, which I can’t see coming within the next five years.”
Another way technology is supporting sustainable transportation is through reducing the impact of fleets on the environment. Florian Wagner from Clean Cold Power is developing refrigeration that is powered by air – without fossil fuels or air pollution:
He explains: “Refrigerated fleet operators have a substantial impact on the environment and there’s no ready-made solution that is affordable and practical to replace the use of diesel-powered refrigeration.
“Our refrigeration units are powered by sustainable nitrogen from the air and not only do they reduce emissions, they’re also quieter, reach cold temperatures faster, and have more precise cooling control than conventional systems.
“We’re offering our technology to supermarket chains and food producers and we also see our solution being used as air conditioning on buses and other forms of transportation,” said Florian Wagner.
So far, we have focused at ground level but there is a whole future for the car in the sky. Jack Withinshaw from Airspeeder, the world’s first electric flying car racing series, explains how the future of mobility can be forged through motorsport:
He says: “Flying cars is something that was promised for 2020 but they’re on the horizon. We expect it to be a $1.5 trillion industry by 2035 and there’s a lot of investment being pushed into this sector. Uber is leading the way and the early application is likely to be flying taxis. Toyota has invested about $600m into designing their flying autos and Daimler and Hyundai have also entered the sector. Those brands view their design as being about mobility rather than automotive.
“The reality is there’s a ton of regulatory issues on the ground, let alone in the air, and other hurdles to overcome relating to battery power, noise, certification and autonomy. But what we do with racing is a starting point; it’s a test bed and an opportunity to see this form of mobility in action.
“Formula E racing has progressed the technology behind electric cars, boosted public awareness and pushed electric car performance into a state of acceptance.
“Through racing, we can advance our mobility technology and ensure that after a few years, it is at its best state for public use.”
Many challenges lie ahead for the automotive industry – technological, industrial and legislative – but its transformation is well on the way and there is much opportunity for those able to support the transition.
SETsquared is establishing a network of ambitious companies in the automotive industry who want to scale-up and raise investment for their R&D. Colin Stakem, Sector Lead for Advanced Manufacturing from the SETSquared Scale-Up Programme:
“The Scale-up Programme is a partnership between the universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey and it offers funded support to help develop collaborative R&D bids. It starts with a series of one-day innovation workshops to enable SMEs to further enhance their business model and establish relationships with our university partners.
“The Scale-Up Programme is linked to an investor network and we have an online platform of investors, which forges links to individual projects. Throughout the year, we organise investor showcase events to give innovative SMEs the opportunity to meet and pitch to investors. This is further supported through a series of focused networking opportunities at industry events with leading speakers.”


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In an effort to outdo itself, BlueStacks is announcing the GamePop Mini for the cube-averse. The biggest difference between the Mini (seen above on the left) and the cube (the... uh... cube above) isn't the form factor; it's in pricing. Where the regular GamePop is $129 (unless you act soon) the Mini is "free" after a 12-month subscription of $7 per-month, or $84 total. At this price, it costs less than an OUYA, but slightly more than a GameStick. "If you keep it more than 12 months, you keep it forever," BlueStacks' Head of Marketing and Business Development John Gargiulo told us. Of course, there's not much to do with the Mini without a subscription. "It'd be like if Netflix did it this way and had hardware -- the unit would be useless without the subscription," he added. Additionally, if you return the Mini inside of 12 months, there's a $25 restocking fee.
The subscription gives users access to a plethora of games from 500 "popular mobile game partners." Those partners include the teams behind Jetpack Joyride and Fieldrunners. "Getting the kind of developer support we've gotten, it sets us apart," Gargiulo said. "We saw what happened with the Dreamcast and we saw what happened with the Wii U. You need to have good launch titles; there needs to be games everyone recognizes and wants to play."
To make GamePop more enticing to developers, BlueStacks created Looking Glass -- proprietary tech allowing iOS-only apps to run on its Android-4.2-based console. When an iOS app makes calls to Apple's hardware, Looking Glass interprets those calls and translates them to the GamePop Mini's hardware. Of course, a few changes within the code are necessary. "[Porting is] not easy, but I would submit it's not hard, relatively speaking," Gargiulo said.
BlueStacks isn't ready to divulge the list of currently iOS-only developers it's courting, but those it's working with are allegedly impressed. "I've had many developers call our engineer or chief tech officer because they haven't built their games to run fullscreen on big screens without pixelation or loss of quality." According to Gargiulo, no custom work is needed for the games to look how they do on a TV.
"If you're a developer and you've built your app and put it on iOS, it's your app. You built it, you own the bits and you own all the intellectual property. If you apply Looking Glass' layer, you can put [your app] on a TV with us," he said.
Perhaps what sets the GamePop Mini apart from its Android-console competition the most is its target demographic: kids. "We have 7-year-olds in our office that know every single title that we're bringing onboard, but couldn't care less about Call of Duty, Shadowgun or that kind of stuff." However, Gargiulo is quick to add that there's no reason preventing BlueStacks from putting games like that on its console. "It's not that we're only going to have Wii-styled kids titles, but that's definitely a demographic we're focusing on because they play a lot of games."
Kids are also why BlueStacks is choosing its business model. Gargiulo posits that paying a lump sum up front for a console and then paying X amount of dollars per game isn't how kids experience games anymore. "They have 150 games on their phones. If they paid $10 each for those, they wouldn't be so psyched [about gaming]. We want to give all-you-can-eat access to all the best games for a small monthly fee," Gargiulo said. We'll see how the company's strategy fares "this winter" when it's slated to launch.
GamePop Launches 'Forever Free' GamePop Mini
First ever free hardware with subscription; GamePop service to be available across multiple form factors
Palo Alto, CA June 28, 2013 – Mobile company BlueStacks has announced a second vehicle to deliver its new GamePop mobile gaming service, the GamePop Mini. Like the recently announced $129 GamePop, the new device will also run Jelly Bean 4.2, connect to TV via a supplied HDMI cable and include a curated group of 500 popular mobile game partners. Announced partners include HalfBrick (Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride), Glu (Blood Brothers), #1 Kids app developer Intellijoy and more. BlueStacks says the 6.99/month subscription will include access to over $200 in paid games for free.
"We have always planned on having a free console option," said BlueStacks CEO, Rosen Sharma. "The biggest value of the GamePop service is its content – not the box. Hardware costs have come down so fast that we're able to undercut the rest of the market. With the free promotion we've been doing in June we're already seeing a ton of adoption. That volume then attracts more developers and therefore more and better content. It's building momentum."
In addition to announcing a lineup of several popular Google Top Developers, BlueStacks also came out with its "Looking Glass" technology earlier this month. Looking Glass will allow iOS-only developers to easily launch on GamePop. Titles such as iOS's first major franchise the Fieldrunners series will be able to come to TVs this way.
"We want to make things as easy as possible for app developers to come on board," said Ben Armstrong of the company's developer relations team. "There is a virtuous circle between great content and volume that we're having a lot of early success jumpstarting that so far. The launch titles a service comes with are critical." Pre-orders went on sale May 9 for GamePop at Gamepop.tv and while not releasing specific numbers, the company reports they are stronger than expected. The free promotion for the GamePop console will end June 30, when it will go back to its regular price of $129. The GamePop Mini will be available for pre-order July 1. It is slated to ship this winter.

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The Nintendo Switch provides a very interesting gaming experience, but the hybrid console still suffers from the lack of a Netflix app. Present on PS4 and Xbox One, the SVOD service is still not available on Switch. A Netflix executive says Nintendo prefers to focus on games and leaves video aside for now. But he doesn't rule out Netflix's arrival on the Switch in the future.
The Nintendo Switch is a great console, but it still lacks some services and features to be really complete. Notably, Netflix is not available on Switch, whereas it has been available for a long time on PS4 and Xbox One. During a Question and Answer session, Scott Mirer, Netflix's vice president of ecosystem for partner devices, explained the lack of the SVOD platform on the hybrid console.
Nintendo Switch: Netflix may be available in the future
"Inthe case of the Switch, they [Nintendo] were very focused at launch on the gaming aspect and not on the video aspect, which was not a priority for them,"he said in remarks reported by the mobileyrup website. "Ifit evolves over time, we have a great relationship with them and we may be interested in a Netflix support on Switch…. It could happen." It is therefore understandable that at the moment nothing is planned but that the arrival of Netflix on Switch is not excluded.
For Netflix, the ball is therefore on the side of Nintendo, which seems for the moment obsessed with its offer in games. At a recent Nintendo Direct, the publisher announced a plethora of new games for the Switch. A Super Smash Bros is in the works, Mario Tennis ACES is coming soon, and we will also have the right to many portages of cult games: the trilogy Crash Bandicoot, Hyrule Warriors, Dark Souls Remastered or South Park: The Annal of Destiny.


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Fast-style manufacturers are taking steps to ease up their act.
It’s no mystery that, via nature, fast style isn’t doing the surroundings any favors. For years, manufacturers like H&M, Zara, and Forever 21, and, greater currently, the Fashion Novas and Boohoos of the world, had been creating an income by taking runway tendencies and quickly recreating them for the mass market at a fraction of the cost. Their products are designed to be worn a couple of times after being thrown away, contributing to the already significant amount of clothing discarded.
Roughly eighty-five % of textiles end up in landfills, in keeping with the United Nations. But as more youthful purchasers shift their cognizance to manufacturers that remember radical transparency and environmentally friendly practices, like Reformation and Everlane, speedy-fashion brands are having to backpedal and assume more remarkable about the effect they’re having on the arena. There’s been a one hundred thirty% increase in Google searches on sustainable fashion in the closing yr, so there’s honestly a growing hobby in this vicinity.
That’s a part of the motive speedy fashion goes in conjunction with the general tone — due to the fact they must. That’s the manner the patron is pushing them,” stated Diana Smith, Mintel associate director of retail and clothing. In 2017, H&M pledged to use one hundred% recycled materials and other sustainably sourced merchandise to make all of its products by 2030. At the end of 2018, fifty-seven % of the materials utilized by H&M had been recycled or sustainably sourced. On the other hand, Zara pledged to stop sending new textiles to landfills by 2020 and started using a few sustainable materials in 2016.


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Cannabis on the menu: Envisioning the future of infused foods in Canada
When the federal government introduced regulations surrounding cannabis edibles in December, few people were playing closer attention than those in Canada’s restaurant industry.
Already adapting to the recent legalization of recreational bud and oil, industry stakeholders are already preparing for the legalization of edibles in October and they anticipate it being a boost for business.
Once edibles become legal, they are expected to make up a sizeable chunk of the recreational cannabis market. A report issued by the accounting firm Deloitte in June 2018 indicated that more than 60 percent of likely cannabis customers in Canada will choose to consume edible products. This forecast is hardly surprising given that in US jurisdictions where edibles are legal, sales of cannabis edibles have exploded.
Big brands are already preparing for the introduction of edibles into the Canadian market.
Constellation Brands, an American-based producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits, has invested $5 billion in Canopy Growth Corporation, a licensed producer based in Smith Falls, Ont. Also, the Canadian unit of Molson Coors Brewing Company has forged a partnership with Hydropothecary Corporation, a cannabis producer based in Gatineau, Quebec, to develop infused drinks.
“Cultural norms are definitely shifting, and demand and interest is growing around cannabis.”
To be sure, Canadians probably won’t be able to order cannabis-infused dishes at their favourite eateries as soon as edibles become legal. “I don’t think it will be allowed at the outset. There are just too many variables, like cross-contamination. The science surrounding edibles has to become more sophisticated,” says Chad Finkelstein a business lawyer who is a partner at Dale & Lessmann LLP in Toronto.
Packaged Goods Coming First
But Finkelstein, who specializes in the restaurant and retail industry, predicts that pre-packaged edibles will be sold at authorized retail locations—and he sees this as an opportunity for restaurant chains.
While restrictions on the marketing of edibles will make it difficult for cannabis producers to develop brand loyalty with consumers, many restaurant chains already have brand loyalty and will be able to leverage it to sell their own retail products in much the same way Tim Hortons has leveraged its brand to sell packaged coffee, tea and hot chocolate in grocery stores.
Finkelstein cites Denny’s, a South Carolina-based chain of diner-style restaurants, to explain. “Would a consumer be more likely to buy maple syrup produced by a company they don’t know or one produced by a restaurant chain that has a massive footprint in North America?”
Shanna Munro, president and chief executive officer of Restaurants Canada, a non-profit association representing more than 30,000 food-service professionals, adds that a 2017 study conducted by researchers at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, found that 46% of Canadians would try cannabis-infused food products if they were available on the market.
Edibles on the Menu… Eventually
Finkelstein and Munro envision restaurant chains offering items on menus at cannabis lounges one day and Finkelstein predicts that high-profile chefs might end up benefiting from endorsing cannabis-infused products. He says some licensed producers are already looking to form partnerships with popular chefs.
Many industry observers also anticipate a spike in cannabis tourism after the legalization of edibles, and both Munro and Finkelstein believe that would benefit the restaurant industry. Curiosity about cannabis could lead residents of other countries to visit Canada, says Munro. “With more visitors comes increased revenue for restaurants and bars.”
The increased foot traffic would increase property value, adds Finkelstein, pointing to Denver real estate numbers as a case in point.
With the legalization of edibles just 10 months away, Restaurants Canada is helping the industry prepare by educating stakeholders—through updates on policy, legislative and regulatory developments—and by providing them with access to experts on the subject.
The organization recently collaborated with George Brown College in Toronto to launch the Infused Innovations Initiative, a public-private partnership committed to educating and supporting cannabis entrepreneurs in the food and beverage sector.
Restaurants Canada, which is also based in Toronto, is consulting with government officials about issues related to cannabis edibles and is participating on various advisory committees.
“We might see only pre-packaged cannabis food and beverage products available at the outset, but with strong consumer demand, chefs might be able to incorporate cannabis into dishes not too far around the corner,” Munro says, looking ahead. “Cultural norms are definitely shifting, and demand and interest is growing around cannabis.”


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If you thought that 700,000 daily Android activations was an impressive number, you’re in for a treat. Andy Rubin has just announced via Twitter that there were 3.7 million new Android devices activated over the Christmas weekend. To put that in perspective, that number is two and a half times higher than the average day. Unfortunately, the numbers are not broken down by OS version, so we don’t know how many of those Android devices are tablets vs smartphones. We’re hoping that the holiday season will help give Android tablets a slight surge and help Android gain some market share in the tablet segment.
Speaking of tablets, because of the way Google reports activations, we also don’t know how many non-carrier branded devices such as the Kindle Fire were activated over the holiday weekend. Since the Kindle Fire was the #1 selling (and most gifted) item on Amazon this holiday season, it’s possible that activations were upwards of 5 million on Christmas weekend alone.
Flurry has also released some numbers of their own, seemingly confirming Andy Rubin’s handset activation claims. They even went a step further and revealed that there were more than 392 million application downloads between Android and iOS over the same Christmas weekend, nearly double the 108 million baseline daily activations reported by Flurry in December.
Were you one of the lucky people to activate one of the 3.7 million new Android devices or are you impatiently waiting to see what manufacturers unveil at CES in a few short weeks?


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The Centre for Science and Environment’s Pollution Monitoring Lab recently carried out a test on leading ‘energy’ drink brands like Red Bull and Cloud 9 and to everyone’s shock found high levels of caffeine in 44 per cent of the samples. The amount of caffeine found in the samples tested by CSE violate the safe limit of 145 parts per million (ppm) of caffeine prescribed by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954.
These drinks claim to have major health benefits but instead would harm the body of consumers, mainly the youngsters. The drinks also flaunt to help increase alertness of the mind and improve concentration, stamina and athletic performance, but in reality the high caffeine content can lead to severe health impacts. An excess of caffeine content in these drinks can lead to complications like hypokalemia (low potassium levels), hallucinations, increased intracranial pressure, cerebral edema, stroke, paralysis, rhabdomyolysis (muscle fibers in blood), altered consciousness, rigidity, seizures, arrhythmias, or could even be fatal.
After the caffeine test done on these energy drinks, the inference drawn is:
- 38 per cent of the samples breached the limit mentioned on the label.
- 25 per cent did not mention the caffeine content on the label.
- 44 per cent breached the caffeine limit of 145 ppm.
According to CSE, these drinks are often confused with sports drink and are consumed in excess by athletes or people engaged in physical training, eventually causing health hazards. The energy drinks are taken to rehydrate the body but unknown to people, if these drinks are taken in access could leave body dehydrated leading to other complications.
The study also claimed that caffeine is a psycho-stimulant and it could be doing irreparable harm to the body, which could lead to seizures, strokes or even death.
Currently, the caffeine content in these drinks is unregulated. Ignoring public health concerns, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the apex food safety regulatory body in the country, is considering a norm of 320 ppm, while the government has set 145 ppm as the safe limit for carbonated beverages.
As per an amendment in Rule 37-A(2) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, ‘energy’ drinks were to follow the caffeine cap of 145 ppm, as is applicable to carbonated beverages.
However, this was contested in the Madras High Court by Red Bull; the court put a stay order on the amendment. 'Energy' drink manufacturers like Red Bull want 320 ppm of caffeine to be allowed as the limit in these drinks -- more than double the limit allowed on carbonated beverages.


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A lady begins Netflix on a TV inside her house.
Artur Widak | NurPhoto | Getty Images
Netflix shares surged 16% Thursday following a promising quarterly earnings report.
The streaming large reported a number of victories, together with a 70% bounce in its new ad-supported subscription tier.
As for general subscribers, Netflix added 8.76 million subscribers for the third quarter, considerably larger than the 5.49 million Wall Street estimated. It’s the most important bounce in subscribers because the second quarter of 2020, when Covid-19 stay-at-home restrictions drove new sign-ups.
Wednesday’s report prolonged a return to progress for Netflix — after the corporate in April 2022 recorded its first internet subscriber loss in over a decade, creating fears that the market had been saturated — and a number of other analysts celebrated the constructive information.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley upgraded the inventory to chubby and raised its worth goal to $475.
“We believe Netflix will deliver the objectives it set out a year ago, accelerate revenue growth back to double digits and expand margins,” Morgan Stanley mentioned in a Thursday analyst be aware.
Truist analyst Matthew Thornton mentioned in a Thursday be aware that the password-sharing crackdown may proceed to propel subscriber progress into the subsequent 12 months. The agency additionally upgraded Netflix to a purchase score and raised its worth goal from $430 to $465.
“We upgrade to Buy with our thesis predicated on ongoing password sharing benefits (into 2024), advertising ramp (long-term), and share buybacks ($10b added), with top 3 tent-poles by 2025 (Squid Game, Wednesday, Stranger Things), with video games a free call option, and with optional growth levers available to NFLX,” Thornton mentioned within the be aware.
Netflix inventory chart after third-quarter earnings.
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In an exclusive interview with Goltune, Dian Pelangi describes Asia’s first Islamic fashion week as a platform for designers to showcase their modest collections.
Here, Dian explained the importance of collaboration among stakeholders. She encouraged designers, photographers, fashion lovers to share inspirations and experiences with designers of other countries.
In the last part of the interview, Dian concluded that ‘there’s also rules in Islam for modest fashion’. Even though there are limits to comply with modest fashion in line with Islamic principles, yet, the creativity part should not to be neglected,” she said.
The iconic fashion designer, Dian believes that modest fashion is a rising trend among well-known brands worldwide; therefore, greater collaboration is needed to make this phenomenon more successful.


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ARSS Infrastructure recently came out with an IPO at a price of Rs.350. The issue was well subscribed and listed spectacularly at Rs.650. Currently the price is around Rs.1300, up more than 300% , so what’s the buzz?
To start with, the IPO pricing was done wisely and it left a lot on the table for the investors. The company recently declared the current year’s earnings and is well within market expectations. They have done about Rs.60 earnings per share and current price it is well priced at 20 times.
So moving forward, the company is expected to do about an EPS of Rs.110 for FY11 and considering at the industry average P/E of 15 times, the stock is more or less priced in.
Hence one can book profits in ARSS Infra considering its sharp run-up from 700 to current levels of 1300 and wait for substantial correction before re-entering this stock.


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Canada’s largest auto parts manufacturer cut its full-year financial outlook on Friday as the General Motors strike in the United States and lower global vehicle production dragged sales down.
Magna International (MG.TO), which reports in U.S. dollars, saw sales fall three per cent, or $299 million, to $9.32 billion in the three month period ending Sept. 30. The Aurora, Ont.-based company cited the 40-day labour strike at GM – one of Magna’s largest customers – as a key contributor to the sales decline.
“While a new labour agreement was ratified and production resumed starting on Oct. 26, our sales to GM, and profits derived from such sales, declined as a result of lost vehicle production,” the company said in a financial filing.
“The collective impact of the GM strike and a potential strike at Fiat Chrysler’s operations in the United States could have a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability.”
Magna also said it now expects its full-year sales to be between $38.7 billion and $39.8 billion, down from its earlier expectations of between $38.9 billion and $41.1 billion. The company expects its net profit range to be between $1.8 billion and $1.9 billion, down from between $1.9 billion and $2.1 billion.
“We have made some adjustments to our outlook largely to reflect estimated lost volume related to the GM strike and higher launch costs,” Magna’s chief financial officer Vince Galifi said in a statement.
The strike by nearly 50,000 members of the United Auto Workers union reverberated throughout the highly-integrated automotive industry, with many automakers and parts manufacturing companies forced to lay off employees as production came to a halt.
Magna is not the only auto parts company that has been affected by the GM strike. Linamar CEO Linda Hasenfratz said last month the strike was costing it as much as $1 million per day.


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Telkom has formed a standalone company dedicated to esports, called VS Gaming, effectively replacing its Digital Gaming League (DGL) operation.
According to a press release sent to Gearburn, the new company is led by Cambridge Mokonyane, who had previously served as Telkom’s head of brand for more than three years.
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“Telkom pioneered esports in South Africa, but with its tremendous growth, we realised that it needed to be a stand-alone entity to give it the focus, energy and attention it deserves. This new entity will have the backing of Telkom to further expand esports in South Africa,” Mokonyane was quoted as saying.
“The aim of VS Gaming is to grow the esports market while working together with other organisations to make it inspirational, profitable and professional. We continue the work of DGL to provide gamers of all levels with professional platforms to grow, learn and attract international exposure.”
Telkom has created a standalone company, dubbed VS Gaming, to handle esports in SA
Telkom and VS Gaming confirmed that existing tournaments and the Masters league would continue as before.
VS Gaming also used the opportunity to announce a FIFA 17 tournament at Gallagher Estate on 22-23 July. In fact, the company says it will be the “largest football e-tournament in Africa”.
The new company also revealed a partnership with Supersport to broadcast VS Gaming’s upcoming CS:GO and Dota 2 tournaments.


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BioGuard is Australia and New Zealand’s most trusted supplier of premium, innovative and affordable commercial water treatment systems and chemicals. BioGuard offers a comprehensive range of…read more
New research shows benefits of exercising in groups
The Exercise Association of New Zealand (ExerciseNZ) has highlighted the latest research from the USA that confirms the extra benefits of socialising in group activities.
Commenting on the findings of new research from Iowa State University, ExerciseNZ Chief Executive, Richard Beddie pointed out that nearly 40% of regular exercisers participate in group fitness classes in the USA, recalling that, before the Coronavirus pandemic, the American College of Sports Medicine predicted that group fitness would be one of the top three fitness industry trends in 2020.
Beddie, who works regularly with the World Health Organization in Switzerland and who is helping other countries regarding exercise emerge from their COVID lockdowns, says in that in the modern world, connection with others is more important than ever.
Beddie explained “the latest Iowa State University research backs up the comments many would make, around feeling better physical and mentally. There is clear evidence in the research that exercise not only helps the body, but the mind, helping a better mood, wellbeing, lowering depression. It also stalls the slowing cognitive decline as people age.
“Group activities continue to rate as one of the most popular in New Zealand with more than 90% of all exercise facilities offering some sort of group activities. More than two thirds of those are members of gyms taking part in one or more group activity on a regular basis.
“Group activities also provide a very accessible price point for people on limited budgets. They have also proven to increase exercise adherence.
“Those attending group exercises consistently show higher attendance rates than those who use other activities within gym spaces. Helping people stick with their ongoing exercise is important, our surveys show.”
The Iowa University research said exercising with others can satisfy some basic psychological needs and can make the whole process easier and more habitual.
Click here for more information on the Wellbeing and Exercise (WellEx) laboratory at Iowa State University.
11th February 2021 - Skills Active Aotearoa spotlights a commitment within the Napier fitness community
11th February 2021 - International fitness bodies launch leadership initiatives
2nd February 2021 - Fitness instructor’s video unwittingly shows Mynamar’s military takeover
22nd January 2021 - ExerciseNZ urges seniors to get fitter before their COVID vaccinations
21st January 2021 - New research shows Barre classes to be world’s most-searched fitness class trend
5th January 2021 - ExerciseNZ shares advice on gym reopenings
21st December 2020 - ExerciseNZ’s Richard Beddie advises that steady exercise counts
16th December 2020 - Survey finds online fitness no replacement for real life connection
1st December 2020 - ExerciseNZ’s Richard Beddie backs WHO’s new weekly health activity guidelines
20th October 2020 - ExerciseNZ cites growing evidence gyms and fitness clubs are safe
14th September 2020 - Socially distanced 2020 World Wellness Weekend looks to create togetherness
20th July 2020 - Motosumo partners with new group fitness program Ignite Your Burn
19th February 2020 - NZREPS shares research insights into exercise and fitness trends for 2020
6th January 2020 - Les Mills suggests the top 10 fitness trends for 2020
7th November 2019 - ACSM predicts top global fitness trends for 2020
5th July 2018 - World’s largest group fitness provider turns 50
27th February 2013 - Exercise makes people happier, group fitness makes them happiest
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“The University of Texas Women’s Team is an accomplished and talented group of athletes, and we are proud to officially add them to Team Arena,” said Tim McCool, vice president and general manager of Arena North America.”
Arena, the Italian aquatics sports brand that has become one of the biggest swimwear companies in the world, has been purchased by Capvis.
Breaststroke specialist and 2013 NCAA champion Laura Sogar is the newest member of Arena’s North American roster of elite athletes, the Portland, Ore.-based company announced today. Sogar completed her collegiate swimming career at the University of Texas in 2013.
Megan Romano leads all money-earners after one stop of the Arena Grand Prix circuit, taking in a neat $2000 for four wins in Minneapolis. The top earner on the men’s side is Conor Dwyer, who picked up $1600 for two wins and two second places.
Italian great Massimiliano Rosolino has joined the Arena swimwear team leading up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. The partnership was…
“I’ve been wearing Arena suits all summer and have found great success in the pool,” said Shields. “I’m so happy to officially be aligned with Arena. The technology is the best in the industry, and I am proud to represent a company that is true leader in the swimming community.”
The golden boy of the London Olympics, and already a Dubai crowd favourite, South African Chad Le Clos, and Tunisian distance superstar Oussama Mellouli will be on hand to meet the children and sign autographs after the Children’s World Cup races on both Thursday 17 and Friday 18 October.
Arena Athlete, Ruta Meilutyte, reacts with emotion after breaking the 100 meters breaststroke world record at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcleona, Spain. Almost half of all medals awarded in the pool and open water went to swimmers wearing Arena suits. (Photo Credit Victor Puig, victorpuig.com)
The limited edition POWERSKIN Carbon-Pro Mark 2 features a red, white and blue pattern and is currently exclusive to U.S. National Team athletes competing internationally. The suit was designed to celebrate Arena’s eight-year sponsorship as the exclusive outfitter of the U.S. National Swim Team. It will hit retail stores in the U.S. and internationally in October 2013. (Image courtesy of Arena)
Silver Medalist Named Director of Sales for Portland-Based Swimwear Company (Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport)
“I am very excited and honoured to be working with Arena in the future of my swimming career,” said Magnussen. “The company and the people are highly respected all over the swimming world and so to be joining the International Elite team is something that means a lot to me.”
Athletes May Exchange Carbon Pro for New Mark 2 Through Designated Website (Image courtesy of Arena)
“The USA Swimming Foundation has partnered with Arena and SwimOutlet.com in an effort to benefit the USA Swimming Foundation and its Make a Splash Local Partners by providing low-cost swimwear and equipment online with the aim of introducing more people to the sport.” (Photo Credit: Tim Binning, theswimpictures)
Orange and Cyan Highlight Upcoming Release
“The company has expressed profound apologies to all consumers for the inconvenience caused by arena’s decision to waive approval codes on the old model Carbon-Pro. It added further that it is doing everything in its power to rectify the situation as quickly as possible, and to minimize the impact of the switchover.”


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It’s easy to mix an eco-friendly experience with your next visit to Los Angeles, with Green Seal Hotels, farm-fresh local produce year round, environmentally conscious stores and hybrid rental cars. Even L.A.’s famous Starline Tours went green with topless, lighter, lower emission Diesel powered buses, so you can enjoy the sights and sun. Another Side of Los Angeles also offers ten eco friendly Segway® tours.
Former mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed an international climate pact as part of an ongoing commitment to making L.A. one of the greenest big cities in the world. Current mayor Eric Garcetti has pioneered the expansion of the Metro Los Angeles rail lines to Westwood to the west and Whittier to the east, including the funding of them. Waste and Recycling News gave Los Angeles its highest rating for recycling more waste than any other big city in the nation, and AltTransport rated L.A. on of the top 10 cities in the U.S. for public transportation.
Here’s an introduction to some of L.A.’s great, green-friendly businesses and activities.
For business or for pleasure, you can make your stay eco-friendly thanks to L.A.’s many green hotels. Some of L.A.'s top hotels have been recognized by Green Seal for their environmental conservation efforts, including:
- Replacing old packaged terminal air conditioners with energy efficient systems.
- Switching from dual to single-head showers.
- Replacing dilute, ready-to-use cleaner with concentrated all-purpose cleaner.
Green Seal hotels do the work of reducing your carbon footprint for you with grace and style.
Green shopping in L.A. is plentiful. Check out green-friendly retail stores — like American Apparel, Inc. and Arbor — to buy hot fashions for a cool climate.
Local farmers’ markets are fantastic for finding often organic, locally grown fruits and vegetables, reducing pollution generated by harsh pesticides and fertilizers as well as long distance transportation.
L.A.’s cutting-edge architecture uses less energy and self-generates power stylishly. The Caltrans District 7 Headquarters is a LEED-certified building with an exterior skin of photovoltaics that produces a significant percentage of the building’s electricity. Entirely off the grid, the Los Angeles Audubon Center at Debs Park earned the highest possible rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
L.A. recently introduced its first solar powered park lights at the North Hollywood Park, increasing safety and energy efficiency for all visitors.
The Los Angeles Convention Center recently reached LEEDS-EB Gold level status for the 4.1 million square feet built on a 54-acre property and became the largest convention center in the nation to achieve this milestone.
Even the LA Zoo has grown greener with a renovated parking lot designed to decrease waste and runoff in the L.A. river.
In L.A., there’s more to green dining than salad. It’s not just what you eat, but how it’s grown, harvested, transported and prepared. From seasonal menus based on locally-sourced ingredients (often from their own gardens) to sustainable design, L.A. restaurants have had a long-standing commitment to the green movement. If you really want to get a head start on an eco meal, put on your helmet and start pedaling! There’s plenty of bike-friendly dining to be had from the Hollywood Hills to L.A.’s extensive coastline.
There’s more than one way to go green in Los Angeles. Try area hikes of all stripes from waterfalls to ocean vistas; try a budget conscious activity, like a stroll through the Downtown L.A. Art Walk or a trip to the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve; or head straight to a green event like a tour at the LEED-EB Platinum certified Audubon Center at Debs Park.
Like other green businesses in L.A., Econation made a commitment to the future. They became a premier chauffeured transportation company by setting green auto standards with rides in luxurious, alternative fuel vehicles such as the Executive L Series Lincoln Town Car, which emits 90 percent less carbon.
If you favor your own hybrid wheels, head to California Rent-A-Car. They offer a variety of vehicles that’ll go easy on the wallet and their excellent fuel economy can help ease your environmental conscience.
Simply Hybrid is an all hybrid rental company operating at LAX and specializing in wheels from the Toyota Prius to the Mercedes E320 BlueTEC.
If driving is not your deal, or you need a driver for a night on the town, KLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services has a green fleet of vehicles that can shuttle you around in style.
Some of the nation’s best and brightest live and work in L.A. on green technologies that will push the nation to greater sustainability in the ahead. According to a Brookings Institution study published in July 2011, California continues to lead the nation in the number of people with green jobs. Nearly 320,000 people in the state work in jobs such as installing solar panels, making electric vehicles and running organic farms. About 90,000 of those jobs are in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Brookings researchers included jobs in public mass transit and green waste management as well as renewable energy industries such as wind turbines and solar panels.
Clean Tech Los Angeles has brought together the city’s utilities, businesses and major educational institutions including the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, UCLA, USC, Caltech and others to tackle sustainability as it relates to energy, water and building. L.A. is becoming the place to be when it comes to clean technology.


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Gavin Hellier/Getty Images
Need for traveling is sky high however some finest vacation rentals, hotels and rental houses happen to be reserved for that period. Here’s where to search and things to guide instead.
“The pent-up demand are genuine,” claims Betsy O’Rourke, CMO for Xanterra, the united states’s prominent national recreation area concessions owners team. “We’ve all recently been sequestered for annually, and plenty of individuals friends bring reserved money, so that the hope to go combined with investments to cover it is blending for a swift restoration for our sail, look and teach brand names.”
Around the world, not too long ago vaccinated North americans are increasingly being flipping his or her care about summer journey programs, only to discover that many the preferred sites seem to be sold-out for your year.
The expanded vaccine rollout are fueling a vacation-booking surge, as 46percent of U.S. adults at the moment are totally vaccinated and 59per cent have received one dosage. “The phenomenon we have been seeing would be that once men and women receive the company's vaccine, they make a reservation for,” claims O’Rourke.
April, such as, is usually the height time and energy to make a reservation for summertime trip households on Vrbo. But this current year, need began to increase in January. “This would be Vrbo’s best-ever beginning to a year from inside the U.S.,” claims Melanie Fish, Vrbo’s tour pro, “and the force enjoys continuing into the later springtime and summer months.” Vrbo facts likewise indicates that groups were significantly more very likely to arrange longer stays by several additional times, which can be consuming up availableness at some greatest trip sites come july 1st.
Gateway Arch: Moab in Utah is on the house of two incredible nationwide commons.
Reservations also are pacing much ahead of pre-pandemic trends on Vacasa, another journey renting program. “Many of our own leading cruise spots have double the reservations for Summer, July and August 2021 versus what was scheduled at this time in 2019,” says Natalia Sutin, the business’s VP of earnings control.
So that as if travelers recommended another movement in holiday programs, a tremendous rental auto lack was pushing everyday rate into nosebleed region or, a whole lot worse, making some opportunities without having autos whatsoever.
Jonathan Weinberg, the President regarding the leasing wheels booking webpages AutoSlash, states vacationers can't manage to treat a rental automobile as an afterthought this coming year. “We’re advising subscribers to reserve six or eight weeks upfront,” this individual suggests, “even before the two pinpoint off their own airline and resort.”
Where is every person going? “Travel developments that appeared during pandemic, like closer-to-home trip, continue to stay common,” says Audrey Hendley, chairman of United states Convey worldwide trips and Lifestyle treatments, noticing that 87percent of bookings generated through the web site is for home-based places. “An exciting glimmer of anticipate directing towards pent-up requirements is the fact travel bookings constructed in April 2021 happen to be right up 11% compared with April 2019 storing BrazilCupid.”
Domestic park your car getaways usually book all the way up properly in front of summertime, but in 2010 it's even more aggressive. “All of your national recreation area lodges can be purchased outside throughout the summer time as someone seek out domestic gaining journeys to accessible rooms,” claims Xanterra’s O’Rourke. “Campgrounds and cabins include our personal most popular catalog, and [lodge] suite nicely.”
For tourist who will be prepared to flying come july 1st, the preferred home-based getaways are actually Las vegas, nevada, Miami and Orlando, reported on Hopper, a travel forecasting software. People in the us will also be prep escapes to Mexico and so the Caribbean, with aircraft to Cancun, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica very popular worldwide getaways.
Hopper’s reports phrases with just what travel companies through the worldwide InteleTravel system are actually witnessing. Darryl Jenkins, a Maryland-based rep, states Jamaica is definitely his own most-requested spot. “But it possesses low to no variety,” the guy adds, “likely as a result of the federal constraints on occupancy coupled with trip demand.” A Houston-based rep, Lysa Middleton Phillips, confirms the lack of solutions in Miami and Jamaica. “We have not witnessed they booked upwards very tight-fitting either in location,” she says.


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Nivel Parts & Manufacturing announced today that it has launched a new golf cart, the MadJax XSeries Storm, sold under Nivel’s MadJax brand. The golf cart is targeted at recreational and secondary transportation users and will be sold via Nivel’s dealer partners across the United States.
“Given Nivel and MadJax’s long history of being an industry leader in aftermarket golf cart parts and accessories, it was a natural evolution for us to begin offering a full golf cart solution,” says Brett Hankey, CEO of Nivel. “We are excited to offer consumers a stylish, comfortable golf cart loaded with our best parts & accessories. The MadJax XSeries Storm is the first of many exciting golf carts we are planning to launch over the next several years.”
The MadJax XSeries Storm has begun hitting dealer lots, with an official launch planned for the PGA Show in Orlando, Fla. in late January. The MadJax XSeries Storm is available in 12 body colors, and offers a wide variety of seating, tire & wheel options, allowing dealers and customers to personalize the carts to meet their unique style. The new golf cart also comes standard with a Reliance 5kW brushless AC motor, a 400A Reliance control system, a high-capacity voltage reducer, and a 4-wheel hydraulic disc braking system.
“Demand and interest from dealers for the MadJax XSeries has been off to a very strong start,” says Donnie Jouppi, President of Nivel’s PTV Division. “In addition to continuing to supply our dealers with an attractive lineup of aftermarket golf cart parts and accessories, we are proud to be able to partner with them to now offer a full golf cart solution, to meet rising consumer demand.”
The new MadJax XSeries Storm will be on display in Nivel’s booth at the PGA Show from January 25-27, 2023.
Founded in 1968, Nivel is a global manufacturer, distributor, and seller of aftermarket parts and accessories for niche vehicles and heavy-duty equipment. It is a trusted business partner to thousands of dealers, distributors, and consumers in the US and international markets. Nivel owns the most valuable brands in the aftermarket niche vehicle parts and accessories categories: MadJax, Red Dot, GTW, Jake’s, Reliance, Seizmik and High Lifter. For more information, please visit the Company’s website https://www.nivel.com/.
SOURCE Nivel Parts & Manufacturing Co.


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2016 was a challenging year for the travel industry with a number of factors having a significant impact on tourism. Restrictions on flights to Sharm El Sheikh and terrorist incidents in Turkey, Tunisia, France, Brussels and Munich all impacted on people’s choice of holiday and the destination they choose.
It’s likely that these uncertainties will continue through 2017 as we anticipate the following trends:
This topic has dominated the headlines although the reality is that it had little impact on the travel industry in 2016. However, the subsequent fluctuations in the value of the pound has had a significant impact on the expenses of holidaymakers. Eating out in restaurants, shopping and going on trips are now significantly more expensive as a result.
It’s anticipated that people will therefore look towards all-inclusive holidays for value for money and to manage their budgets. Research from the luxury travel company, Kuoni, has revealed that bookings for all-inclusive holidays has soared to 31% of all holidays booked since Brexit and it’s likely that this increase will continue through 2017.
- Domestic Holidays
It’s likely that domestic tourism will flourish in 2017, mainly as people look to avoid the currency fluctuations linked to Brexit. Domestic beach and countryside holidays are growing in popularity. Research by ABTA has shown that young families are most likely to take a domestic holiday with an average of 3.3 domestic holidays per person for this group compared to a national average of 2.0.
- Long haul city breaks
Research by ABTA illustrates that the city break is people’s favourite holiday. 53% of Brits took a city break in 2016 compared to 38% who took a beach holiday. Popular long haul destinations include Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok, Cape Town, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington. In 2016, Thomson Holidays also launched city breaks to New York, Singapore and Las Vegas so it’s likely that we will see long haul city breaks increase in popularity over the next 12 months.
- New destinations
Holiday destinations are a subjective topic which is part of the beauty of travel, people have different experiences at different times as no one place is ever the same. Experts will always tell us about the latest place which you ‘must’ visit but this is often linked to it either just being easier to get to as new airline routes open up or a major event being hosted.
Here are some of the experts’ popular destinations for us visit over the next 12 months:
Chile: At the 2016 World Travel Awards, Chile won the award for the most desirable adventure tourism destination with its extreme landscapes. The country is now starting to gear itself towards tourism with boutique hotels opening up and the wine tourism scene developing at a rapid pace.
Canada: 2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the Canadian confederation so the next 12 months promises to be one big party. Popular cities to visit include Vancouver, Toronto, Quebec and Montreal whilst the big landscapes like the Canadian Rockies are also well known.
Croatia: A place in Europe where your pound will go further with non-Eurozone prices. Popular city break destinations include Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Split and Zadar and there are also thousands of miles of coastline surrounded by crystal clear waters.
New Zealand: If you love Rugby then this is the place to visit for 2017. The British and Irish Lions tour in June and early July with three Tests against the All Blacks. There are matches all over the country giving visitors an opportunity to explore New Zealand.
Vietnam: New direct routes for 2017 means it is now much easier to visit Vietnam. A country of contrasts offering white sandy beaches, mountains, modern cities and ancient wonders.
What a difference a year makes! It’s clear that the last 12 months has had a huge impact on the travel industry. Global confidence has been shaken by Brexit and Trump’s election and travellers are therefore unsure about the economy and their future generally. People therefore feel uncertain and tend to play safe, particularly when it comes to luxuries like holidays.
If you’d like to speak to me about any of the topics covered here, or holiday claims in general, please contact me on 0161 713 5575 or complete our online form on our website and we will be in touch as soon as possible.


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A new e-commerce logistics business set up by the co-founder of Ireland’s Nightline has teamed up with BWG Foods to provide a pick-up and return service for online purchases. Dave Field, who helped set up Ireland’s largest independent supply chain business before it was sold to UPS in 2017, said Coll-8’s partnership with BWG – branded drop2shop – offered consumers “a significant improvement on what’s currently available.” Field said: “Up to now, consumers buying online have found that collection of purchases […]
October 21, 2014 Ashleigh Wight
Waitrose has begun a year-long trial of temperature-controlled click and collect lockers at various locations across the UK.
January 23, 2014 Ashleigh Wight
Amazon has begun offering Sunday deliveries through its Amazon Logistics arm, following a successful trial before Christmas.


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Another week down, let’s take a look back at the top stories. Apple confirmed its iPhone 14 series announcement will happen on September 7. The lineup will almost certainly include the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Rumor has it the Pros will get the new A16 Bionic, ProMotion displays, the new pill-shaped punch hole Face ID instead of the notch, a new selfie camera with AF, and a new 48MP main camera with 8K video. The non-Pro’s will retain the A15 Bionic, have 60Hz displays, and likely the camera setup of the iPhone 13 Pro.
Sony will unveil the Xperia 5 IV on September 1. Leaks have formed a picture of a phone with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, a triple 12MP camera, a 6.04-inch display, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a compact body that measures 155.74mm tall and 67.1mm wide.
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra will have the same overall design and dimensions as the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Further, the camera array on the back will be the same, design-wise. The sensors could be different, but the cutouts will be the same.
Samsung launched the Galaxy A04 with a 6.5-inch HD+ display, 50MP camera, a Unisoc SC9863A chipset, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Finally, vivo will unveil the X80 Pro+ in September. The X80 Pro+ is expected to debut with the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset alongside an upgraded camera setup. Rumors suggest the X80 Pro+ may include the 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN1 (1/2.76 inch size, 0.64 μm pixel size) and 50MP ISOCELL JN2 (1/1.12 inch size, 1.4um pixel size) alongside the existing 50MP main and 48MP ultrawide sensors from the X80 Pro.
See you in a week!


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Play-to-Earn Gaming is Over in South Korea
As the gaming industry sets foot in Web 3.0, South Korea isn’t convinced about the profits users can make from in-game prizes.
The South Korean government asked tech giants Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) to remove play-to-earn (P2E) games from Google Play and the App Store while also banning the release of new ones.
With P2E games, users can buy NFTs to play and receive in-game prizes.
Some countries limit the number of gaming prizes a user can receive. In South Korea, the price cannot exceed 10,000 KRW ($8.42).
The South Korean government was bound to speak up and push for further restrictions amid the increasing popularity of P2E gaming. Even after facing court battles with game developers since April, the government’s solution was to reject age ratings of these games, so they couldn’t be listed in App stores.
On the 28th of December, the GMC (Game Management Committee) official from the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism asked the tech giants to block any games that require in-game purchases beforehand.
On the Flipside
- Such restrictions might inspire blockchain developers to find alternatives to P2E.
Why You Should Care
It’s the first time that the government has directly affected the marketplace of Google and Apple.
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Ortel added 5,127 broadband subscribers in Q1FY17
Multi System Operator Ortel Communications reported broadband revenues of Rs 9.5 crore for the quarter ended June 30 (Q1 FY17), up 6.25% sequentially and up 25.99% on a year-on-year basis. The broadband segment reported an operating profit of Rs 5.71 crore, an increase of 21.62% from Rs 4.7 crore in the same quarter last year. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, broadband operating profit increased 12.37% from Rs 5.08 crore. Ortel added broadband 5,127 subscribers in Q1, nearly double the additions of 2,381 in the same quarter last year. Total broadband subscribers stood at 77,609 at the end of the quarter. Broadband users were 10.1% of Ortel s subscribers. This number was 10.3% in the preceding quarter and 11.2% in the same quarter last year, although it did have a smaller total number of subscribers.
Broadband ARPU has been steadily increasing over the quarters. In Q1 it stood at Rs 401 per month and was Rs 398 in the preceding quarter and Rs 393 in the same quarter last year. Data usage per customer increased 79.6% to 5,329 MB from 2,967 MB in the same quarter last year.
Ortel reported a 64.8% year-on-year (YoY) decline in its net profit to Rs 80 lakh for Q1 FY17 and a decline of 68.9% from Rs 2.8 crore in the preceding quarter. The company s profitability was impacted due to lower execution in the infrastructure leasing business, Bibhu Prasad Rath, president and CEO said.
Total Income increased by 22.9% to Rs 52.93 crore from Rs 43.1 crore in Q1 FY2016
EBITDA stood at Rs 13.9 crore compared to Rs 15.9 crore in Q1 FY2016.
EBITDA margin stood at 26.3%.
In Q1, the company s cable TV revenue grew 44.91% YoY to Rs 41.20 crore from Rs 28.43 crore.
The income from operations in the current quarter increased 29.24% YoY to Rs 52.42 crore as compared to Rs 40.59 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.


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Not unlike an alligator in shape, with spikes on its head and tail, with a warty, squatty
ridge-encrusted body, a big pouch beneath its chin, and long-toed claws, it was enough to strike terror into the heart of almost any one.
Shooters seemed to view the cartridge's squatty
design as a metaphor for its effective range.
A video by comedian and Oak Park native Kathy Griffin created a storm within hours of its posting on social media in June, sparking outcry from the White House, energizing Republican fundraisers, fueling harsh coverage over several news cycles, and losing her TV and standup gigs and even an endorsement deal for the Squatty
Takes a lot of chemicals to keep my squatty
body running like a fine Swiss timepiece," Doc said.
His nickname was attributed to his short, squatty
stature, as well as a tribute to two other pianists -- Fats Waller and New Orleans native Fats Pichon.
30 percent off on Squatty
Potty, available at the voice command "Alexa, order Squatty
No, I haven't thrown out my shoes and my chairs and I'm not planning to install one of those squatty
If the dog has a blocky head, a muscular body (whether it's short and squatty
, or taller and chiselled), a short coat, and a whippy tail, he will likely be called a pit bull at some point--almost certainly if he ends up in a shelter.
Greiner, whose background includes building retail brands such as Scrub Daddy, Squatty
Potty and Drop Stop, has been an open and collaborative partner, say the Oleksaks, who met at New York's Columbia University and worked on Wall Street before becoming entrepreneurs.
George-based creator and manufacturer of the Squatty
Automotive technology and advanced manufacturing are some of the school's most-sought after programs both from business owners and students, and they're housed for now in a squatty
, fortress-like building with few windows.
Turkeyman" Melman, "a muttering, squatty
little man in constant need of a shave and a bath.


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Startups that offer early use of workersвЂ™ gained wages are jostling over key areas of pending Ca legislation that will create the nationвЂ™s first-ever regulatory framework for the industry that is nascent.
Hawaii Senate passed a bill 35-0 month that is last but interviews with professionals when you look at the fast-growing sector unveiled big disagreements concerning the legislation. Those disputes mirror key variations in their organizationsвЂ™ company models.
The proposed guidelines stay to aid the businesses, generally, by simply making clear that their products or services aren’t loans. The organizations charge charges for use of earnings that workers have previously made, but never have yet gotten as a result of time lags when you look at the payroll period.
A number of the organizations partner with companies, that offer these products as a worker advantage. But since it is maybe maybe perhaps not today that is clear economic regulators see these businesses as loan providers, their company models can sometimes be a difficult sell in business America. The pending legislation would re re solve that issue when you look at the nationвЂ™s state that is largest.
вЂњIn the possible lack of legislation, thereвЂ™s simply plenty of doubt and concern,вЂќ said Frank Dombroski, the CEO of FlexWage possibilities.
Earned wage providers provide a brand new option for U.S. employees whom lack a sizable sufficient monetary buffer to pay for irregular costs. In a 2017 study by the Federal Reserve, four in 10 U.S. grownups said they might struggle to protect a $400 cost without borrowing or offering one thing.
Charges on the market may differ significantly, according to the provider and exactly how usually the customer utilizes the item, but there is however agreement that is general these businesses provide an improved choice than both payday advances and overdraft charges.
A paper a year ago by scientists during the Harvard Kennedy class unearthed that a $200 wage advance in one associated with the industryвЂ™s leading organizations cost one-sixth up to an online payday loan and one-seventh up to a typical overdraft cost.
Some of the companies that would be affected are seeking to loosen its consumer-protection provisions, arguing that the proposed rules would limit the number of cash-starved workers they can serve as the California Assembly prepares to hold hearings on the legislation. Customer advocates want to push the legislation within the other way.
There are diverging views about the billвЂ™s treatment of certain businesses that bypass employers and supply funds right to customers, which will be brought underneath the exact same regulatory umbrella as the companies that partner with companies. Meanwhile, one or more very early access provider is using umbrage at exactly what it views given that outsize impact of San Jose, Calif.-based PayActiv, that has led the push for legislation.
Industry officials are pressuring lawmakers in Sacramento to pass through a bill in 2010. If legislation is passed away, analysts state that their state’s framework will be used somewhere else.
вЂњYou would genuinely believe that if Ca passes a bill similar to this, it might act as a model for any other states,вЂќ said Leslie Parrish, a analyst that is senior Aite Group.
In a April report, Parrish estimated that U.S. workers accessed their wages early 18.6 million times this past year. Employees received an total that is estimated of3.15 billion, which works away to a typical of nearly $170 per withdrawal.
вЂњThis growing marketplace is poised for exponential development,вЂќ the report stated, вЂњas solution providers increasingly partner with big companies along with benefit and hr platforms.вЂќ
The push that is legislative Ca started following the Department of Business Oversight, which regulates banking institutions, made inquiries this past year of organizations that provide very early access to attained wages, in accordance with two sources acquainted with the problem.
Democratic Sen. Anna Caballero introduced the legislation, but PayActiv is detailed as the sponsor. Unlike in a lot of other states, bills in Ca could be sponsored by corporations, unions along with other interest teams.
The legislation includes conditions that look prone to provide PayActiv a leg up over a number of its rivals.
By way of example, the bill would set up a $14 restriction regarding the month-to-month fees that are charged, also it would prohibit providers from delivering funds more than three separate times during each pay duration. It might additionally bar customers from withdrawing a lot more than 50% of these unpaid earnings.
PayActiv charges users a predetermined fee of $5 for pay durations which are https://titleloansmaryland.net a couple of weeks or much much longer, and a set cost of $3 for regular pay durations, in accordance with an analysis served by the Ca Senate Judiciary Committee.
The business caps the total amount of unpaid earnings that the consumer can withdraw at 50%, though a supply acquainted with the problem stated that PayActiv runs on the method that is different determining pay compared to the legislation contemplates.
Certainly one of PayActivвЂ™s rivals is New York-based DailyPay.
DailyPay enables employees to gain access to their earned but unpaid wages for a day-to-day foundation and doesn’t cap the total amount they can touch.
DailyPay stated in commentary into the Ca Legislature that the balance is drafted in a way to guard one companyвЂ™s business model. The business pointed to your 50% restriction on accessing earned income and the $14 each month cost limit, among other examples.
A supply knowledgeable about DailyPayвЂ™s arguments stated that the pricing that is proposed could restrict the capability of very very very early wage providers to utilize smaller, less credit-worthy companies, since those companies are far more most likely than big corporations to walk out company and evade their payroll responsibilities.
The Senate Judiciary Committee claimed: вЂњThe critique why these restrictions mirror the company style of PayActiv, the sponsor of this bill, aren’t unfounded. in its analysis regarding the billвЂќ
PayActiv Chief working Officer Ijaz Anwar stated in an meeting that their business just isn’t managing the process that is legislative.
вЂњWe did initiate the procedure,вЂќ he stated. вЂњBut once that has been done, it’s been a collaborative effort.вЂќ
The present type of the legislation is additionally dealing with critique from customer advocacy groups, which want stricter restrictions on charges and use. The Center for Responsible Lending, the National Consumer Law Center and the Western Center on Law and Poverty warned of the risk that unscrupulous actors will exploit certain provisions in an April letter.
Consumer teams argue that very early usage of wages may result in ‘a opening into the next paycheck, that may produce future issues and a dependency on chronic usage.’
The teams argued that exemptions from CaliforniaвЂ™s credit legislation must certanly be limited by products that fee a maximum of $5 every month. Additionally they asked that use of very early wages be restricted to six times each year. A worker could spend up to $168 annually on fees under the bill.
вЂњWhile very very early earnings access might help a worker cover an unexpected cost that the worker cannot manage out from the final paycheck,вЂќ the consumer groups had written, вЂњthe outcome is a opening within the next paycheck, which could produce future dilemmas and a dependency on chronic usage of very early wage access.вЂќ
The buyer groups would also like language put into the bill to require earned income access providers to be certified because of the Department of company Oversight, which will n’t have direction and enforcement authority beneath the present version.
Department spokesman Mark Leyes declined to touch upon the legislation.
Some industry officials argued that, as opposed to the views of customer teams, the billвЂ™s restrictions on costs and use are way too strict.
ZayZoon President Tate Hackert said that their business presently enables users to access 50% of the wages that are earned but he would like to raise that restriction.
вЂњI think lower-income people is harmed by that,вЂќ Hackert said, arguing that the legislation should enable employees to get into 70% to 80per cent of the earned but wages that are unpaid.
Another big point that is sticking Sacramento requires the status of businesses that provide very very very early usage of unpaid wages, but achieve this through direct relationships with customers, instead of by connecting into employersвЂ™ payroll systems.
As the employers are circuitously taking part in these deals, the improvements should be paid back by the consumer, in the place of being deducted through the employeeвЂ™s next paycheck.
Consequently, the providers must be in line as well as other billers during the final end of this pay period, and additionally they face a dramatically greater risk of loss compared to businesses that partner with companies.
Companies that utilize the direct-to-consumer model consist of Earnin, that allows its users to cash away as much as $100 per and Dave, which offers advances of $5 to $75 day.
These companies would be treated the same way as firms that partner with employers under the California bill. Neither business design will be classified as supplying credit towards the customer.


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In one of the largest public offerings ever in the tech sector, Spotify on its first day topped the market capitalization of other high-profile recent market entrants, including Twitter, Snapchat parent Snap and Dropbox.
Spotify opened on the New York Stock Exchange at $165.90 a share, giving the Swedish company a value of $29.5 billion.
It closed at $149.01, a drop of more than 10 percent but still above the pre-trading reference point — and ending the day with a value of $26.5 billion.
Trading as SPOT, Spotify took the unorthodox step of listing existing shares directly on the bourse rather than issuing new stock, allowing its founders and early investors to maintain control.
The unusual listing had added to the suspense over how Spotify would fare on the market as the company, while big on its cool factor, has yet to turn a profit.
“It is a success,” Tom Cahill of Ventura Wealth Management said of the listing.
He expected more companies to follow Spotify's strategy in the future, taking their time to list on the market.
“They are getting all the funding they need in the private market and they don't really need to go public as early,” he said.
Questions on future
With its heavy investment in building the platform, Spotify has yet to turn a profit.
It warned last week that its sales growth was likely to slow this year, although it still expected to post a narrower annual loss.
Amid Spotify's methodical wait to list, MIDiA Research managing director Mark Mulligan called Tuesday “arguably the most anticipated day in the history of digital music.”
He noted that Spotify has been able to hold its own, maintaining 36 percent of the subscriber market despite the onslaught of Apple.
Spotify said in a regulatory filing that it had 159 million monthly users including 71 million paying subscribers — twice that of closest rival Apple Music.
Spotify's 35-year-old chief executive and co-founder Daniel Ek, in a blog essay before the stock listing, said his company had ample “room to learn and grow.”
“I have no doubt that there will be ups and downs as we continue to innovate and establish new capabilities,” he wrote.
“Nothing ever happens in a straight line — the past 10 years have certainly taught me that.
“My job is to ensure that we keep our foot on the pedal during the ups, so that we don't become complacent, and that we continue to stay the course with a firm grip on the wheel during the downs.”


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If you ever wanted a chance at getting a free burger from any fast food chain, now is your chance! Shake Shack is giving away free burgers from December 26th to January 2nd in a special promotion of a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
All customers have to do is purchase any Shake Shack burger (or purchase of $10 or more) using their app and the code “THANKYOU18” to get an extra burger added on for no additional cost… so bring a friend with you! This promotion is available nationwide but is not available at airports, ballparks, or stadiums.
CEO of Shake Shack, Randy Garutti, has claimed that the promotion is being offered as a “thank you from our team”.
“In 2018, we expanded across the globe, we connected with our guests, we supported causes we believe in, and we learned — a lot! What better way to celebrate an incredible year than over a burger with friends?”
2018 was absolutely a great year for Shake Shack and a busy one at that! They opened 50 new restaurants, 11 of them being in cities where the chain had no presence beforehand. With the new expansions that have happened over the past year, there are now 200 Shake Shack locations worldwide!
This isn’t the first time that Shake Shack has done a promotional offer for a free burger. Shake Shack did an offer in 2017 where they delivered free burgers via DoorDash from 11 am to 2 pm local time by entering a promo code in their app. In 2016, Shake Shack was opening its 100th location, so every location worldwide was giving out free burgers to the first 100 customers.
With the continued expansion from the fast food chain, they have also announced late this year that an international outlet will open in Singapore at Jewel Changi Airport sometime in 2019.
Despite the expansions and the wonderful year that the chain seemed to have, it was reported by CNBC in November of this year that same-store sales plummetted during the last quarter.
“Shake Shack fell as much as 7 percent in after-hours trade Thursday after the burger chain reported a same-store sales decline that sharply missed expectations,” CNBC reported, “The company said comparable-restaurant sales fell 0.7 percent during the quarter. Analysts polled by Refinitiv had projected sales at restaurants open at least 12 months to grow 1.1 percent.”
Despite the rough 4th quarter of the year, revenue has continued to rise since 2017 at $358.81 million.
Be sure to SHARE this article to spread the news about this awesome promotional offer from Shake Shack!


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HIGH street camera shop Jessops has gone into administration leaving several jobs at its Hastings branch at risk.
The business, which has a branch in Priory Meadow, is the latest major UK retailer to run into financial trouble following the recent collapse of Comet, Clinton Cards, JJB Sports and Game Group.
Edward Williams, Rob Hunt and Matthew Hammond of Price Waterhouse Cooper were appointed joint administrators of The Jessop Group Limited on Wednesday. They warned store closures were “inevitable.”
It is believed the firms decline in digital camera sales in recent years is due to on line competition and mobile phone growth.
Trade declined during last year and Christmas sales were also poor.
Anyone with vouchers will not be able to use them. The business will also not be able to accept returned goods.
Last year Priory Meadow lost major retailers Next, JJB and the Early Learning Centre.
Shopping Centre manager John Hough said: “The Jessops store is still trading and hopefully it can be taken out of administration.
“It would be a blow to our retail mix at the centre.
“I feel it’s another victim of the internet and there needs to be some kind of online tax for a fairer playing field for all .”
Rob Hunt, joint administrator and partner for PWC, said: “Our most pressing task is to review the company’s financial position and hold discussions with its principal stakeholders to see if the business can be preserved.
“Trading in the stores is hoped to continue but is critically dependent on ongoing discussions.
“However in the current economic climate it is inevitable that there will be store closures.”


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It probably wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that one the most amazing inventions in the power tool industry over the past 20 years is a table saw that can stop the blade virtually instantly when it comes into contact with skin. It’s an incredible product, but unfortunately, it has spawned numerous personal injury lawsuits, too. Here’s the story.
Using a patented braking system, the flesh-sensing technology can stop a spinning blade when it comes into contact with skin so quickly that it leaves a user with a minor cut instead of a lost finger. It was invented in 1999, but it’s still hard to find them in stores. One big reason is a fear of lawsuits. Many retailers are worried that if the blade doesn’t stop every time and someone is injured, they’ll be sued. In today’s litigious society, this is a constant and very real fear.
With thousands of the common table saws still being used, there are many people still being injured. One of those people is Victor Ingram.
According to an article in the legal publication, the Cook County Record, Ingram claims to have suffered permanent injuries after his fingers came in contact with the blade of a Sears Craftsman table saw. Even though the saw worked exactly as advertised and was safe when used properly, Ingram’s lawyer claimed the saw was “defectively designed” simply because it didn’t include flesh-sensing technology.
The lawsuit is still pending, but it’s likely that Ingram’s lawyer knows about other similar lawsuits, including one by a Massachusetts man who won $1.5 million. In that case, he was injured after removing the blade guard on the saw, but that didn’t stop him from being able to convince a jury that the real reason for his injury was that his saw was defective because it didn’t have the saw stop technology. Read more about that at FineWoodWorking.com.
Now, I want to be clear, it would be wonderful to see this technology on every saw in America. But it would also be wonderful if all cars were as safe as Sherman tanks. The reality is, that’s just not realistic. If courts are going to require product makers to put every expensive innovation on their products that might be available, many consumers won’t be able to afford the things they need, and some products won’t come to market for fear of lawsuits.
More and more these days, judges and juries are being asked to overlook personal responsibility in order to award someone money who was injured by a product that is safe when used correctly. That is the real issue here.


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The trailer for the 20th Sonic Amateur Games Expo has gone live, with over 14 minutes chock full of games from fans as well as indie developers alike! This year sees the long anticipated debut of Sonic Chroma, as well as some blasts from the past such as Sonic Frenzy Adventure. On the indie side, Sondro Gomez is back again, this time with Sonic Mania developer Headcannon in tow, alongside some fantastic looking entries debuting for the first time, like Rad Venture and Hover Warz! All these games barely scratch the surface of what’s coming to SAGE 2020, so give it a watch and we’ll see you September 5th – 11th!
The guidelines for SAGE 2020 are live! There’s a lot of updates this year, including a bit of a change on submissions, so make sure to give them a thorough read. After 20 years, we’re looking to make this the best SAGE yet! Keep an eye on the SAGE Twitter as we’ll have announcements about streams, guests, interviews and more leading up to the event, and we’ll see you on September 5th – 12th, 2020!


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PeopleSoft Is on the Upswing
PeopleSoft announced that it will exceed estimates for license revenue, total revenue, and earnings-per-share for the quarter ended September 30. Earnings will exceed the company's already upgraded estimates made on September 4.
"When you offer customers better software, a choice of databases, and you build on their existing product investments, they buy more," PeopleSoft president and CEO Craig Conway said in a company statement.
On September 4 PeopleSoft announced at its annual analyst day that license revenue would be between $135 million and $150 million, and total revenue would be between $575 million and $590 million.
Steve Swasey, a spokesman for PeopleSoft, says that the J.D. Edwards acquisition has transformed the company into one poised for growth: "PeopleSoft is now a stronger company with the acquisition of J.D. Edwards. We have gone from a $2 billion company to a $3 billion company, and doing so extended our product reach, our industry reach, and our geographic reach. There is a new PeopleSoft in town."
The completed merger with J.D. Edwards will certainly add to the company's license revenues, but analysts feel that this quarter's spike may not be indicative of a long-term trend.
"We believe the real challenge for PeopleSoft is not achieving the 2003 estimates, but rather achieving the 2004 estimates," says Patrick Walravens, managing director and senior research analyst at JMP Securities LLC. "PeopleSoft is likely to struggle with integration issues as it merges with J.D. Edwards."
Even though Walravens stresses caution, Wells Fargo upgraded its rating from hold
yesterday based on the positive news. Final results and additional information regarding PeopleSoft's third-quarter performance will be released later this month. According to Swasey, at that time the company will provide a more specific picture of why revenues jumped in the quarter.