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Kroger Co. is looking to make another acquisition, and supermarket chain Fresh Market is the target this time, according to a published report.
Reuters reported Thursday afternoon that Cincinnati-based Kroger (NYSE: KR), the nation’s largest operator of traditional supermarkets, is seeking to acquire Fresh Market. It attributed the story to people familiar with the matter.
Those people told Reuters that Fresh Market is in the second stage of an auction process that involves Kroger and other companies and private equity firms. It named private equity firms Apollo Global Management, KKR & Co. and TPG Capital as others taking part in the Fresh Market auction.
Trading in Fresh Market Inc. (Nasdaq: TFM) was briefly halted at 1:55 p.m. Thursday because of massive buying. The stock shot up 28 percent when it resumed trading, rising nearly $5 to as high as $22.78. Investors traded 1.2 billion shares of Fresh Market in 10 minutes after the new broke. The stock trades about 600,000 shares a day on average.
Fresh Market stock finished the day up a whopping 22 percent, or $4.10, to $22.68. Kroger’s stock declined 1.1 percent, or 42 cents, to close at $36.43 Thursday.
Kroger doesn’t comment on rumor or speculation, company spokesman Keith Dailey told me.
Reuters reported that its sources said there’s no certainty Kroger will win the auction or that Fresh Market will even agree to be sold.
Fresh Market is a specialty supermarket operator with three Greater Cincinnati locations in Oakley, Kenwood and West Chester. It generated $1.8 billion in revenue over the past year. Fresh Market has 183 stores in 27 states.
Kroger dwarfs the Fresh Market. It has $109 billion in revenue over the past year and operates 2,774 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
Kroger has been on a bit of a buying spree lately. It acquired Milwaukee-based Roundy’s Inc. in December and added North Carolina-based Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc. two years ago. Those were similar in size to Fresh Market, although both are regionally focused while specialty grocer Fresh Market is national in scope and has just a few stores in each market. Roundy's had 151 stores and Kroger added 212 Harris Teeter stores.
Kroger’s stock has been on a roll. It jumped 30 percent last year, while the S&P 500 dipped 1 percent. It rocketed 62 percent in 2014, trouncing the market’s 11 percent increase. And it gained 52 percent in 2013 while the market climbed 30 percent. But Kroger shares are off 13 percent so far in 2016.


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When Qatar Airways Cargo touched down at Pittsburgh International Airport a year ago as the first-ever scheduled international cargo flight to the region, officials knew the potential could be considerable.
A growth in international cargo means additional jobs, expanded direct access to global markets and the potential to turn PIT into a logistics hub. And with Qatar flying twice-weekly service, cargo could get in and out of the region quickly.
One year after that first flight, the cargo flights fell short of their goal, but airport officials see progress and are optimistic for the future.
“Qatar has been a good partner as we worked together throughout the year,” said Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis. “Sure, we’d like to see even more local companies take advantage of the flights, but we know we’re not going to become JFK overnight. We have a long-term goal of becoming a regional logistics center that, coupled with our real estate development options, has the potential to be an economic driver for the region.”
Total cargo carried at PIT — domestic and international — is at 129 million pounds from January through October of this year, up 6 percent from the same period in 2017. In August, the airport hit its high-water mark so far this decade with more than 14 million pounds of cargo.
Among carriers, FedEx and UPS, which are classified as integrators, carry about 90 percent of the cargo that moves through the airport.
To help support the Qatar flight during its first 12 months, the airport paid an incentive package worth $1.48 million tied to performance goals. The airport would have paid less had the flights reached their tonnage targets of 60 tons per flight.
Still, an economic impact study commissioned by the authority found that the Qatar flights could produce nearly $43 million of economic output ($23 million direct) through increased trucking revenue from the additional activity in and out of PIT, increased demand for the warehousing/distribution center, and reduced transportation costs for businesses using the service, which they can then reinvest.
“We see our brand and service becoming increasingly popular among freight forwarders and customers in the region. They benefit from a direct freighter service to and from our global network of over 150 destinations. We have moved more than 1.1 million kilos in our first year of operation into Pittsburgh, and we expect Pittsburgh to remain a strong, strategic addition to the United States freighter network,” said Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways.
“In addition, due to the strong handling structure in Pittsburgh, plus the uncongested situation of freighter operations, it presents us excellent opportunities for expansion.”
International cargo service like Qatar can also help the region by offering local businesses improved access to global markets, said Doug Bañez, principal adviser to Logistics Capital & Strategy, an advisory firm serving management, private equity and other stakeholders in supply chain-intensive industries.
“The co-location of transportation and logistics facilities, that’s been a successful model in the U.S.,” Bañez said. “You start to get more activity related to trade and international trade and that can benefit the airport.”
Some local companies have taken notice. A Pittsburgh-based retailer recently brought in more than 100 tons of clothing on a Qatar flight. Marc Schlossberg, executive vice president of Hong Kong-based Unique Logistics, who helped arrange the deal, said Pittsburgh is poised to succeed. He described his job as a travel agent for boxes.
“When you look at the international logistics market, the major gateways have not invested in infrastructure and are overloaded. They might have 20 different airlines being handled by two or three ground handling agents and the service is abysmal,” Schlossberg said. “We see PIT as a faster solution with a similar footprint to Columbus, Ohio. It serves our customer base well.”
Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus is one of the few airports that is not a major U.S. gateway but functions as a cargo hub. Schlossberg said the expansion of cargo service at PIT allows direct access to markets around the world to existing companies in the region while at the same time creating jobs through distribution channels.
“I think the model makes a lot of sense,” he said. “There are certain competitive advantages when you’re the only game in town. There’s less competition for infrastructure (at PIT), you can be wheels down (and) on the truck in six hours or less.”
At New York’s JFK, that could take 12 hours to two days, and a minimum of two to three days at Los Angeles’s LAX, Schlossberg said.
“Rickenbacker did not become a cargo hub overnight. It takes time to build the customer base and ground infrastructure,” Schlossberg said.
Aside from regional benefits, robust cargo service can provide important revenue streams to the host airport through landing and fueling fees, and other charges.
“Cargo is critical to PIT’s continued growth and development in terms of air service, both passenger and all-cargo, facilities and economic impact,” said Brian Clancy, managing director of Logistics Capital & Strategy LLC.
Western Pennsylvania native Trudy Wassel oversees the cargo operation at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport as division operations manager. She said cargo there has grown steadily and now provides 65 percent of the total revenue of the airport, helping to keep passenger airline costs competitive.
“We see over 75 wide-body aircraft a day. We’re the perfect stop between Asia and North America,” Wassel said. “All the ground handlers and service providers, they employ a lot of Alaskans.
“Cargo is an ongoing struggle at a lot of airports. … I think PIT is a great airport and there’s a lot of growth potential there.”

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While the Nokia 3310 reboot and Nokia P1 flagship will certainly grab the limelight at Nokia’s MWC 2017 event in Barcelona later this month, it is expected that HMD Global will give the rumoured Nokia 3 and Nokia 5 Android phones equal importance. And for those who are curious about Nokia’s upcoming affordable Android smartphones, a new report brings the prices and specifications of the Nokia 3 budget smartphone.
Nokia 3 Specifications
According to Nokia Power User, Nokia 3 affordable Android smartphone will feature a 5.2-inch HD display and run Android 7.0 Nougat, corroborating an earlier leak. Other specifications of the Nokia 3 include a 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and Adreno 308 GPU. It comes with 16GB inbuilt storage and is also expected to support expandable storage via microSD card. It is said to sport a 13-megapixel rear camera and also come with a 5-megapixel front camera.
Nokia 3 Price
Agreeing with Evan Blass, the new report claims that the Nokia 3 will be priced at EUR 149 (roughly Rs. 10,500). The report however adds that Nokia 3 will likely make its way to major markets by March and April.
The Nokia 5, on the other hand, is widely expected to feature a 5.2-inch HD display and come with 2GB of RAM. It is expected to sport a 12-megapixel rear camera. Nokia 5 is rumoured to launch at EUR 199 (roughly Rs. 14,000). HMD Global’s February 26 event is expected to be headlines by the iconic Nokia 3310 feature phone which is rumoured to launch at EUR 59 (roughly Rs. 4,000). Nokia’s comeback smartphone, the Nokia 6, is also widely expected to finally get availability details for market outside China.
The official HMD Global event is set to take place in Barcelona on February 26, and it will kick off at 4:30pm local time (9pm IST).


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Though Rage isn't scheduled to arrive until October, developer id Software is doing a good job of keeping the game in the spotlight. Today, a new trailer for the game has been released, this time going "behind-the-scenes" to explore the game's sound and art design.
"Sound really is half of your experience," Rage audio director Christian Antkow says. To capture the right quality, id is working to ensure each weapon offers the correct "pop" to go along with its wasteland environment.
BOOM video 10029
Rage launches on October 4 for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.


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LAHORE: Petrol pump owners across Punjab have refused Rs 9.43 per litre cut in petrol price and closed down their petrol pumps on Saturday against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s decision.
Motorists and other vehicles owners are facing severe difficulties in different cities of Punjab including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur and Sialkot due to petrol pump owners shutting down of their stations. Some petrol pumps have started selling petrol up to Rs110 per litre.
Just a day earlier, while addressing a special meeting of Cabinet in Islamabad, PM Nawaz announced to cut petrol prices by 9.43 rupees per litre with effect from November 1, to provide relief to the public.
Petrol pump owners claimed that they had bought petrol at a higher price and would sell it at those prices till their stock ends.
As per media reports, DCO Lahore said action was being taken against station owners and two owners were arrested as well.


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- Yesway has updated its rewards program, according to an email sent out on Tuesday.
- Members can now use their mobile phone number to earn and redeem rewards at the pump or register, instead of using a card or mobile app. Customers also don’t need to remember a username or password, according to the company.
- These changes, which went into effect on Jan. 3, are aimed at making participating in Yesway and Allsup’s Rewards easier for customers.
As c-stores seek more ways to get consumers engaging with their loyalty programs — and sharing the vital data that these programs can collect — Yesway and Allsup’s are removing as much friction as possible from the process.
Instead of having to remember a username and password, customers will now access their account through their cell number and a link sent to their SMS every time they have a transaction at Yesway or Allsup’s locations. If the customer has the company app on their phone, the account information will open in that. Otherwise it will open in a browser. This will put a reminder to check and use balances directly in their phones.
The way the program operates will also change. Customers will now earn 10 “smiles” for every $1 spent in store or five for every gallon of gas purchased at the pump. These Smiles can then be traded in for rewards, including free snacks or drinks, discounts on gas, food or in-store purchases.
This is also a simplification from the company’s earlier rewards programs, where customers earned points for purchases, and once the customer had 250 points they were converted into smiles, which could be redeemed for rewards. All members’ existing rewards and points should automatically move into the new program.
Customers will also get member pricing on certain items and a free Hostess snack cake in their birthday month.
Anyone who doesn’t want to fill out a full profile can still use their phone number to get member pricing.
This simplifying of the rewards program comes as Yesway is in the middle of an aggressive growth push. In addition to trying a number of new formats, it is also pushing into new areas in states where it already has a presence, like its expected move into the Oklahoma City metro area.
Fort Worth, Texas-based Yesway operates over 440 convenience stores across Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Nebraska.


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Posted: January 12th, 2012 | Author: M.Aaron Silverman | Filed under: Auto Maker, Auto News, Ford, General Motors, Grilled, Holden | Tags: Australia, Auto News, Bailout, Business News, Co-Investment, Ford, Ford Australia, General Motors, General Motors Australia, gm, HOLDEN, Motoring News | Comments Off on AUSTRALIA: The Cost of Keeping Auto Makers Local
Sales of the Australian made large cars – Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon – have dropped alarmingly in recent years. The Commodore’s 15-year run as Australia’s best-selling vehicle was ended abruptly in 2011 by the Japanese manufactured Mazda3, while Ford Falcon sales plummeted to fewer than 19,000 units in 2011.
So Exactly How Much Does it Cost to Keep Auto Makers in Australia? Between $100 and $200 Million!?
Holden says it is getting closer to announcing co-investment from the Federal Government and parent company General Motors as it looks to secure the local manufacturing of the Cruze and Commodore beyond 2018. Ford has announced a fresh $103 million investment for it’s Falcon range of large car and Territory SUV, though the future of the Australian-built vehicles is still guaranteed only until the end of 2016. Read the full article »»»»
Posted: December 19th, 2011 | Author: Marcus Dangerfield | Filed under: Auto News, Grilled | Tags: Auto News, Bankruptcy, china, gm, SAAB, Swedish Car Maker | Comments Off on SAAB Files For Bankruptcy
The stalwart Swedish car maker Saab has filed for bankruptcy, bringing to an end two years of efforts to rescue the iconic brand. Final desperate efforts to organise help from China were obstructed by General Motors over licences.
“They were here this morning and submitted the documents requesting bankruptcy,” a clerk at the Vaenersborg district court told AFP, adding that the court was currently examining the request.
A statement on the court’s website said three Saab companies had filed for bankruptcy: SAAB Automobile Aktiebolag, Saab Automobile Tools AB and Saab Automobile Powertrain. Read the full article »»»»
Posted: May 18th, 2011 | Author: Marcus Dangerfield | Filed under: Auto News, China | Tags: AIC-GM Wuling Automobile Co, china, General Motors China, gm, Kevin Wale, mou, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco City, wuling | Comments Off on General Motors China
Is General Motors Chinese business likely to produce more sales than it’s U.S based parent?
GM China registered sales of around 685,000 in Q1 with a growth rate of 10% from same period last year. This growth will likely accelerate GM’s share in China despite the expiration of government incentives and subsidies. The automaker is consolidating its position in China and plans to double its sales in the next five years with its multi-brand strategy and focus on electric vehicles, though increased competition from other global automakers like Ford, Daimler AG, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Nissan could challenge these goals. General Motors has opened a second plant in Shanghai last year and added three new Chevrolet models in 2005, the Sail compact car, Epica intermediate sedan and Aveo hatchback. That pushed China sales for the brand past the 100,000 mark for the first time, establishing China as Chevrolet’s fourth-largest global market. Read the full article »»»»
Posted: January 12th, 2010 | Author: Michael Courtenay | Filed under: Auto News, gm | Tags: Edward Whitacre, General Motors, gm | Comments Off on GM Up For Profit 2010
DETROIT: General Motors’ interim chief executive, Edward Whitacre, says he expects the government-owned automaker to be profitable in 2010 but that profits aren’t a prerequisite for a public stock offering, possibly before the end of the year.
In a Press Conference, Whitacre said GM is working to restore its reputation in Washington, acknowledging that last year’s $50 billion government bailout “left not a good taste in some people’s mouths.” The carmaker will also take another look at its advertising as it struggles to convince consumers to consider its core brands (Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC). Read the full article »»»»
Posted: June 1st, 2009 | Author: Michael Courtenay | Filed under: Auto News, Auto News, gm, Grilled | Tags: General Motors, General Motors Holden, gm | Comments Off on GM Australia Good Shape
It seems the Australian subsidiary of GM (Holden) has managed to hitch a ride with New GM and is not being left behind like SAAB and Hummer, or sold like Opel in Germany and Vauxhall in the UK.
Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen. The Opel example is not great – the plan for it to be taken over by Canadian parts maker, Magna, with government support, is already turning messy and may yet fall apart in the German parliament.


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The Prime Minister said that "unnecessary" purchases were contributing to price hikes, which have left many people struggling to pay bills.
Families in the UK are throwing away a total of 4.1 million tonnes of perfectly good food every year, costing each around £420 annually, according to a new 10-month study.
Speaking on board the Prime Minister's flight, Mr Brown said: "If we are to get food prices down, we must also do more to deal with unnecessary demand, such as by all of us doing more to cut our food waste."
Is Mr Brown right to target food waste, or should he be focussing on what the Government can do to soften the impact of the credit crunch?
Is Britain too wasteful? What can be done to encourage people to shop and eat more prudently?


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From Detroit automakers to Silicon Valley tech startups, companies are chasing new technologies to bring the vision of autonomous vehicles, extended range EVs, and fractional ownership to fruition.
With more interest than ever before in areas like computer vision, LIDAR, energy storage, etc, companies need tools to find new technologies faster, and get more value from their own IP.
Stay Up to Date with Monthly Updates on the Auto Industry's Innovation Activities
Despite the explosion of IP related to self-driving cars and electric vehicles, companies recognize the need for collaboration beyond siloed R&D. IP transactions are rising rapidly. The rest of the vehicle including the cabin and infotainment systems are benefitting from advances in adjacent markets such as consumer electronics and new materials and chemistry.
Combustion-engine power delivery related patent grants are down nearly 65% in their annual volume compared to just 5 years ago (2014) while electric propulsion is hitting maturity with a slowing pace of growth in application.
But categories such as regenerative braking and others are growing rapidly, and together are approaching 10,000 new patent issues annually.
Traffic control systems and categories pointing towards V2X (V2V, V2I, etc.) have nearly doubled since 2014, totally 7,000 patent families in 2018.


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MILAN, July 31 (Reuters) - Italian brake maker Brembo said on Wednesday its net profit rose 21.5 percent in the first half of this year thanks to a better performance of its business in Germany, the U.S. and Asia. The company said it expects revenues in the second half of the year to be in line with the first half. Brembo sales rose 8.6 percent to 762.8 million euros ($1.01 billion)in the first six months, while its net profit rose to 43.2 million euros. ($1 = ...
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|undead||Date: Thursday, 14-January-2016, 7:12 PM | Message # 1|
-- dragon lord--
Al Jazeera America is to shut down its cable news channel by the end of April citing economic challenges.
The company will instead expand its existing international digital services in the United States, as consumers turn away from traditional media and move to mobile devices for news.
The company's US network was launched in 2013 vowing to be a more serious and in-depth alternative to CNN and Fox News.


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China has taken an environmental lead by banning all supermarkets, department stores and shops from giving out free plastic bags and has called on consumers to use baskets and cloth bags to reduce pollution.Swiss™tel Kunshan has reinforced the initiative by holding a ‘Going Green - Reduce waste now’ activity at Zhengyang Bridge, the shopping centre of Kunshan city. This activity was aimed to urge people to decrease the usage of plastic bags. 800 linen bags were distributed to pedestrians by 25 volunteers from Swiss™tel Kunshan during the activity, and another 400 linen bags will be spread to the hotel clients in the following weeks.
“Plastic bags pose a threat to our environment and consume non renewable energy,” said Rainer Tenius, General Manager of the Swiss™tel Kunshan. “It’s a really important thing that we, each and every one of us, do our bit to reduce the consumption of plastic bags and to use linen bags for shopping instead. The environment and community care is one of the consistent policies of Swiss™tel Hotels & Resorts ...... It’s our responsibility to leave a green and healthy earth to our children.”


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July in the District can be scorching one moment, drenched by a downpour the next… and it’s the same story for DC-area restaurants. Fast-casual enjoyed another month of positive sales growth, albeit a fraction over a quarter of a percent, bringing the trailing 12-month growth rate to more than 1%. Flipping to the full-service sector, the damp trend we’ve seen so far in 2019 continued. Traditional restaurants had a tough month, with sales down more than 5%, although it’s worth noting that the trailing 12-months rate is down less dramatically at about 2%. Things weren’t helped by flash flooding on July 8th, when the area was deluged by a month’s worth of rain that fell in just a few hours.
About these metrics: The MarginEdge monthly snapshot of DC Metro restaurant sales is based on a sampling of 100+ area restaurants ranging from fast-casual to full-service.


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VANCOUVER, BC — Port Metro Vancouver has released the 2010 mid-year results of overall throughputs in the Cargo Statistics Report. The report shows that 2010 is building momentum, with an overall tonnage increase of 20 per cent totalling 58.4 million tonnes to date.
“As a significant economic generator for Metro Vancouver, the Province, and Canada, we are cautiously optimistic. Significantly improved half-year numbers are good news for all Canadians and signs of continued growth point to a return to 2008 pre global economic downturn levels possibly as soon as 2011,” said Robin Silvester, President and Chief Executive Officer, Port Metro Vancouver, “Importantly during a slower 2009, the Port seized the opportunity to define processes and investments to improve efficiencies and capacity, and to collaborate with customers and stakeholders. Our efforts are paying off. We are pleased to see that while cargo through the port has increased again, we have reduced our carbon footprint and improved customer service,” he said.
Total foreign tonnage increased 19 per cent, to 45.5 million tonnes, with increased foreign exports to growing Asian economies leading the way.
“Those results show the Asia-Pacific Gateway strategy is working for Canada’s largest port. Exports to the Asia-Pacific markets are showing growth thanks to the collaborative efforts and determination of Port Metro Vancouver, terminal operators, the trucking and rail industries, and all levels of government,” said the Hon. Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Asia-Pacific Gateway. “This is a great example of how the Gateway can help boost trade between Canada and the growing economies of the Asia-Pacific region.”
Total domestic tonnage also increased, to 12.9 million tonnes, up from 10.7 million tonnes in 2009.
“Our government has made the Asia-Pacific strategy a priority so the rebound in shipments through Vancouver is another positive indicator of the benefits of our focus on Asia,” said the Hon. Shirley Bond, British Columbia’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Signs of growth: Key Sectors
– Breakbulk is up 24 per cent overall, with value-added forest products key driver behind the growth, due to increased foreign and domestic demand.
– Bulk is up 22 per cent resulting from growth in Asian economies and strong demand for Canadian commodities like coal and potash.
– Containers are up 12 per cent as a direct result of consumer spending, with demand for consumer goods increasing as the economic recovery begins to take hold.
– Auto volumes are up 6 percent, returning close to 2008 levels.
– Cruise voyage numbers experienced an anticipated decrease this year from 105 voyages in 2009, to 70 voyages to date in 2010 as cruise lines redeployed vessels in response to a difficult business climate globally and specific challenges to the economics of cruise business in Alaska.
So far in 2010, Port Metro Vancouver has also made progress in other important areas, for example:
– Sustainability – Port Metro Vancouver emissions reduction programs eceived international acclaim, having been awarded the Globe 2010 ecoFreight Award for Sustainable Transportation. The Port has also been credited for its Air Action Program, having been nominated for the International Sustainable Shipping Award. The Port has also improved incentives for cleaner ships to call at the Port, and together with government and industry, brought shore power to Canada Place making 2010 the first eco-friendly cruise season.
– Collaboration – Port Metro Vancouver’s first Collaboration Agreement with CN has been a catalyst to CN’s recent announcement of service agreements with terminal operators, with CP also entering into similar agreements. These agreements are important steps toward more eliable and efficient service.
– Capacity – Through the Gateway Infrastructure Program, in partnership with the Government of Canada, Municipal governments, First Nations, business and stakeholders, Port Metro Vancouver commissioned the Deltaport Third Berth project and commenced construction of the Lynn Creek/Brooksbank Rail Underpass project.
The Port trades $75 billion in goods annually with more than 160 trading economies, generating across Canada an estimated 129,500 jobs, $6.1 billion in wages, and $10.5 billion in GDP. For full details, please visit www.portmetrovancouver.com
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It seems that in Asia there is a real demand for mobile clamshell format, whereas Samsung is planning to launch a new model in the region such. In recent years both Samsung and LG have launched such models in South Korea and China, with very interesting specifications. Such a smartphone is MS-W2016, which seems to be a version of the flagship’s flap current Galaxy model S6.
The images come from the new W2016 Technical Commission of China, which approves devices for marketing in the country, and has a design inspired by the lines of present smartphones Samsung. The back of the device is made of curved glass and reminds a lot of Galaxy and Galaxy Note 5. S6 camera and flash seem to be downloaded directly from the Korean manufacturer’s flagship models, and on the outside we are dealing with a protected display all with curved glass. But the rest of the phone seems to have traveled in time from 2003. At least when talking about appearances phone when opened.
On the inside, Samsung has integrated hardware and even unexpectedly strong current. We are talking about a chipset Exynos 7420 64-bit, 3 GB RAM, 64 GB of storage, front camera and 5-megapixel main camera ISOCELL celebrate 16 megapixels. Both displays have a diagonal AMOLED 3.9 “HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixels). This will be integrated into a housing made of glass, the device weighs 204 grams.
It is possible that this device remain the Asian market, but there are always ways to order from other country for those who want it. But price is not confirmed at the moment and specifications suggest that it will be very small.


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Green Signal to Flipkart-Walmart Deal & Facebook Lands in Another Controversy: 4 Things to Know Today Stay tuned to get every day updates in 60 seconds.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
1. The kart is now officially in the mart! We are of course talking about the Walmart-Flipkart deal. India's anti-trust regulator, CCI (Competition Commission of India) has finally given the green signal for the biggest merger in the e-commerce industry.
2. In other news, Flipkart is ready to take on Amazon Pantry with its Supermart. After its arch rival Amazon launched an online grocery segment, Flipkart had set up a 150,000 square foot centre online grocery store in Bengaluru.
3. Facebook lands itself in another soup. Much to the horror of Indonesia Earthquake survivors, the social media giant started popping animated balloons and confetti as they posted the word "Selamat' to confirm their safety.
4. Beware! Hackers might be sending fake WhatsApp messages on your behalf. Researchers at an Israeli cybersecurity firm have spotted a flaw in the instant messaging app which allows hackers to modify and send fake messages.
Here's the "news that entrepreneurs can use". Know what's trending in the Indian business world in 60 seconds.


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“The Hot Dog New Yorkers Relish”
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to call the blue and yellow Sabrett hot dog umbrella an iconic image of New York. It’s just so perfect.
Anyway, Gregory Papalexis (how’s that for a great last name?), the owner of Sabrett, has passed on. His son-in-law described him as “the single biggest hot dog lover in the world.” That’s no joke.
Sabrett hot dogs are sold nationwide. On the streets of New York, they are sold from stainless-steel pushcarts with instantly recognizable blue-and-yellow umbrellas. Marathon also supplies franks to Papaya King and Gray’s Papaya restaurants, and sells more than 35 million pounds of hot dogs a year.
And Mr. Papalexis, who retired two years ago, practiced what he preached: He ate Sabrett hot dogs four or five days a week, relatives said. The son of a baker, Mr. Papalexis grew up next door to a hot dog factory in upper Manhattan. He earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial relations from New York University in 1948, and then entered the food business.
With a $2,500 G.I. loan, Mr. Papalexis bought his father’s bakery and sold rolls to clients throughout New York City, making deliveries in a Cadillac because it had the biggest trunk he could find. His daughter, Nikki Rosen, also a company executive, said her father gave great detail to the buns his company sold, insisting they be “light, airy and fluffy,” she said. His reasoning was simple: If customers fill up on the bun, they won’t have room for a second hot dog.
Words to live by. Rest in peace.


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Sugro has announced plans to develop the businesses of regional symbol group retailers amid senior management changes.
Managing director Neil Turton, who left Nisa as CEO in 2015, told RN the buying group will have more involvement in trade shows, while offering more support to the wholesalers among its 77 members who have their own fascias.
These symbol groups include Youings Wholesale’s Nearbuy fascia across Devon, and O’Reil- ly’s One 2 Shop business in Northern Ireland.
“The huge emphasis over the next few years is helping our wholesalers improve the way they connect with retailers,” said Turton. “We have no plans to create our own symbol group.
“However, there are a number of our wholesalers with their own fascias and we want to use our expertise to help areas such as merchandising, ranging and customer service.
Following Turton’s appointment in September, former Blakemore Wholesale distribution director Raj Krishan joined as business development director in January.
“Raj used to develop symbol groups for me when we were at Nisa, and one of the reasons for appointing him was to use this expertise.”
Turton added Sugro will be working in partnership with its members to launch new trade shows to demonstrate to retailers what support is offered as part of its Retail Club.
With more than 2,000 retailers, Sugro’s Retail Club currently offers category advice, point of sale and unique promotions.
“We want to get the message directly to retailers through trade shows, such as the upcoming event that is due to be held by Youings in February,” he said.
“We haven’t done this before and want retailers to be able to benefit.”
More breaking news: Call for auto restitution ahead of news delays


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OnePlus‘ first foldable, the OnePlus Open is all set to launch officially on October 19, 2023. Now, just a day ahead of launch, the device has been spotted in an FCC listing. The listing reveals quite a bit about the upcoming device including its battery, dimensions and software version.
OnePlus Open appeared on Geekbench
As per the Geekbench listing, the OnePlus Open will feature a dual-cell battery like its other foldable counterparts. However, the size of the batteries is quite different on both sides which is not as common.
The battery with model number BLPA03 has a 3,295mAh typical capacity while the other model, BLPA01 features a 1,510mAh capacity.


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INDIA: Wal-Mart calls on India to open e-commerce to FDI
Best Price Modern Wholesale remains Wal-Mart's only banner in India
US retail giant Wal-Mart has called on the Indian government to relax regulations governing foreign direct investment in the e-commerce sector.
"Our experiences worldwide support the fact that e-commerce is an important and growing area that meets our customers shopping needs. Toward this, we encourage the government of India to consider opening e-commerce for FDI," a spokesperson for Wal-Mart India told just-food today (6 March).
Reports in India have said Wal-Mart may be mulling launching a website to serve the business-to-business channel.
Wal-Mart insists it remains "committed" to the market but has concerns about the recent changes to regulations governing foreign direct investment into the consumer-facing retail channel, leaving industry pundits uncertain about how it plans to grow its business in the country.
The world's largest retailer operates the Best Price Modern Wholesale cash-and-carry chain in India alone after ending its venture with local conglomerate Bharti Enterprises in the autumn.
It has put its expansion in the country on hold amid bribery allegations related to applications for new store openings.
However, the company has yet to expand into consumer-facing retail after rules on foreign direct investment were relaxed in 2013. Wal-Mart is concerned the changes do not go far enough to enable the world's largest retailer to operate effectively in the market.
"We continue to study the feasibility of the FDI policy and remain steadfast in our belief in the important value Wal-Mart brings to India, including social and environmental benefits. We would like to serve our customers in ways that can help them save money and live better," the spokesperson said.
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Wal-Mart de México is by far the leading and most influential chained grocery retailer in Mexico. Its strategy of offering low prices to attract consumers has been replicated by all other chained groc...
The tough financial situation in 2012-2013 forced Wal-Mart to be more cautious about expansion. The company plans to upgrade outlets and close underperforming stores in the forecast period. For exampl...
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Bengaluru: Hospitality unicorn OYO Households and Motels Ltd, in a bid to maintain prices in look at and increase profitability, has turned to different technological know-how offerings throughout markets to deliver in efficiencies.
The business, which experienced to halt its hyper advancement method and restructure operations last 12 months, is also employing its tech stack to strengthen consumer and lodge partner providers.
OYO introduced OYO Protected, its inside wallet-like service that permits property entrepreneurs to upload a particular volume versus which reconciliations of commissions and payments just take area, on a every day basis. Disputes can also be raised in opposition to these transactions on a single platform in a streamlined way.
The business also introduced its chat service OYO Yo!, that was piloted earlier as OYO Assist, to assist prospects and house house owners handle grievances. OYO claimed 85% of all queries are now staying routed by the chat company.
OYO also plans to consider its goods and renewed technology playbook to all its international geographies as it appears to curtail charges and provide down owner problems.
“Covid in some way was also an case in point of how disaster delivers clarity. We realised that OYO could use info science and know-how to consistently give partners additional visibility to how they can make adjustments in their final decision generating and get improved revenues,” OYO founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal stated.
“The check out is to use this identical engineering platform to provide prospects and partners, particularly for OYO International as we do in our core marketplaces. Any expansion in intercontinental marketplaces for OYO will be now technological innovation-led,” Agarwal additional.
In the previous, OYO has also been accused by property owners globally of stifling commissions as it relies on its very own algorithms to decide pricing of qualities. To give far better management to house owners, OYO has allowed them to now modify the value selection by 10% on its earnings administration system. It also introduced OYO Learn during the pandemic to let residence entrepreneurs to supply unused stock to OYO’s 1st-time consumers at a flat offer you cost of ₹499, to get need again.
More recent products and solutions like OYO Learn are current in OYO’s core India and South-east Asia (INSEA) markets, besides Saudi Arabia and United kingdom, as it appears to be to scale them to all geographies. It has now scaled OYO Yo! to 12 global markets.
OYO explained bringing in engineering in processes has also led the corporation to change rewarding at an EBIDTA level in its main current market India.
“Between final April and June, during lockdown, we took each course of action in the organization and attempted to enhance it as a result of deployment of technology and items in India. Publish July, our emphasis has been to tightly handle charges” mentioned Rohit Kapoor, CEO of OYO INSEA.
The pandemic also compelled OYO to pull the plug on enlargement in Latin The usa, witnessing its biggest trader Softbank, exiting the joint venture. It has downsized and moved to a digital provider model there, curtailing fees of profits reps and manual functions.
“OYO is hoping to reposition itself from a pure engage in lodge organization to a leisure and technologies-pushed business. It is also seeking to align its operational metrics to that of a tech organization. OYO aspires to do an IPO in 2022 and in the future calendar year, it is seeking at constructing those people tech capabilities and tweaking its system,” claimed a particular person who was mindful of the corporation strategies and failed to wish to be named.
OYO’s emphasis on speedy advancement involving 2017 and 2019, has carried out it additional damage than great, as proprietor issues took centre stage, and web losses soared to $335 million in 2018-19 as opposed to $50.5 million in the preceding yr. The business has not unveiled its 2019-2020 financials however.
“OYO looks to be enjoying a defence versus offense approach previously, as it parks its ambition to become the world’s most significant hotelier. Hyper advancement and covid did throw the organization off equilibrium, and enhancing expense constructions seems like a reasonable way to its revival,” claimed an analyst, who did not want to be named.
Madhurima Nandy contributed to the tale.


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Today at its GPU Innovation Conference, NVidia took the covers off 3 brand-new GPUs created to speed up reasoning work for generative AI applications, consisting of producing text, images, and videos. It likewise released a brand-new GPU for suggestion designs, vector databases, and chart neural internet.
Generative AI has actually risen in appeal because November, when OpenAI launched ChatGPT to the world. Business are now aiming to utilize conversational AI systems (often called chatbots) to service consumer requirements. That is fantastic news for Nvidia, that makes the GPUs that are normally utilized to train big language designs (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, BIRT, or Google’s PaLM.
However in addition to training LLMs and generative computer system vision designs such as OpenAI’s DALL-E, GPUs can likewise be utilized to speed up the reasoning side of the AI work. To that end, Nvidia today revealed 3 brand-new GPUs created to speed up reasoning work.
The very first is the Nvidia H100 NVL for Big Language Design Implementation. Nvidia states this brand-new chip is “perfect for releasing enormous LLMs like ChatGPT at scale.” It sports 94GB of memory and includes a “transformer engine” that the business declares can provide provides up to 12x faster reasoning efficiency for GPT-3 compared to the previous generation A100, at information center scale.
The H100 NVL for LLM Implementation is made up of 2 formerly revealed H100 GPUs constructed on the PCI kind element linked by means of an NVLink bridge, and “will turbo charge” LLM inferencing, states Ian Dollar, Nvidia’s vice president of hyperscale and HPC computing.
” These 2 GPUs work as one to release big language designs and GPT designs from anywhere from 5 billion criteria all the method approximately 200 [billion parameters],” Dollar stated throughout a press rundown Monday. “It has 188 gigabytes of memory and is 12x quicker, this one GPU, than the throughput of an DGX A100 system that’s being utilized today all over. I’m truly delighted about the Nvidia H100 NVL. It’s going to assist equalize the ChatGPT usage cases and bring that ability to every server in every cloud.”
The Santa Clara, California business likewise revealed the L40 for Image Generation, a brand-new GPU SKU enhanced for graphics and AI-enabled 2D, video, and 3D image generation. Compared to the previous generation chip, the L40 for Image Generation provides 7x the reasoning efficiency for Steady Diffusion (an AI image generator) and 12x the efficiency for powering Omniverse work.
Nvidia likewise revealed the L4 for AI Video. This GPU, which can function as a basic GPU for any work, can provide 120 times quicker video reasoning than CPU servers, the business declares.
Lastly, the business revealed the Grace Hopper for Suggestion Designs, a GPU perfect for chart suggestion designs, vector databases, and chart neural internet. Sporing a 900 GB/s NVLink-C2C connection in between CPU and GPU, the Grace Hopper “superchip” will have the ability to provide 7X quicker information transfers and questions compared to PCIe Gen 5, Nvidia states.
” The Grace CPU and the Hopper GPU integrated truly stand out at those huge memory AI jobs for reasoning, for work like big recommender systems, where they have substantial embedding tables to assist anticipate what consumers require, desire, and wish to purchase,” Dollar states. “We see Grace Hopper superchip [bringing] remarkable worth in the locations of big recommender systems and vector databases.”
All of the brand-new reasoning GPUs ship with Nvidia software application, such as its AI Business suite. This suite consists of Nvidia’s TensorRT software application advancement package (SDK) high-performance deep knowing reasoning and the Triton Reasoning Server, which is an open-source inference-serving software application that assists standardize design release.
A few of Nvidia’s partners have actually currently embraced a few of these brand-new items. Google Cloud, for example, is utilizing L4 in its Vertex AI cloud service. A business called Descript is utilizing the L4 GPU in Google Cloud to power its generative AI service, which accommodates video and podcast developers. Another start-up called WOMBO is utilizing L4 on Google Cloud to power its text-to-art generation service. A business called Kuaishou is likewise utilizing L4 on Google Cloud to power its brief video service.
The L4 GPU is readily available as a personal sneak peek on Google Cloud along with through 30 server makers, consisting of ASUS, Dell Technologies, HPE, Lenovo, and Supermicro The L40 is readily available from a choose variety of system contractors, while Grace Hopper and H100 NVL are anticipated to be readily available in the 2nd half of the year.


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BlackBerry company after several misfires managed to release a final version of the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) for iOS and Android.
This is the second attempt of the company to give cross-platform progenitor of all the free mobile messenger. The first attempt was to be held September 21, 2013, however, a few minutes after the publication of BBM he was recalled from the store App Store «due to system error.” BBM for Android appeared on Google Play for a few hours before the official launch and has been downloaded over one million times.
To date, the application is available for download on iPhone and Android for more than eight hours, and the signs of his impending removal of the stores yet. The application supports iOS 6.0 and above and Android versions older than 4.0.The Russian
application store for iPhone Blackberry Messenger is missing, but it can load the Russian owners of accounts in the U.S. App Store.
Interestingly, even after downloading the application, you do not get an opportunity to work with him: BBM when you first start requires him to enter the email address for queuing to register your account and receive an invitation. The queue size is not reported. Members who register online in advance, feature access BBM already received.
Blackberry Messenger for iPhone 4S
restrictions imposed on users BlackBerry explains the high demand for the product, which in his blog calls “amazing” and “unprecedented” and taking care of their infrastructure. The official Twitter BlackBerry Messenger has published information about the five million downloads in eight hours have passed since the official launch of the messenger.
BBM, as well as most mobile messenger allows you to exchange text messages, images, document files. Supports the creation of collective chat up to 30 people.According to statements
BlackBerry, BBM traffic is encrypted, creating special services is difficult to read user messages.
BBM on the original BlackBerry platform can be called a pioneer of free mobile messengers to date is not the most common of this type of program.
According to BlackBerry, BBM used by over 60 million people in the world, with about 51 million of them – 90 minutes each day. Together, all users send and receive more than 10 billion messages a day, with almost half of them is read within 20 seconds after receiving.
This is somewhat worse than that of its main competitor BBM – cross-platform messenger WhatsApp, running on all major mobile platforms, including BlackBerry. Its user base reached 300 million, and the number of messages sent every day to 27 billion


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Our shopping experience is becoming more digital. The retail industry will change even further as consumers are looking for more ways to shop at their convenience. Retail 4.0, the transformation of the sector through technology, is clearly here to stay and has also drastically changed retail marketing.
According to a study by eMarketer, nearly two-thirds of overall ad spend in Asia Pacific now flows into digital channels. Southeast Asia represents the fastest growing region in the digital advertising market, with a CAGR of almost 20 percent for the 2021-31 period.
But relying on traditional methods alone is no longer enough. Brands need to evolve on the marketing front just as quickly as in the day-to-day business. While conventional advertising tactics certainly remain relevant, it is clear that an integrated, omnichannel approach is integral to building an effective marketing strategy.
The rise of omnichannel marketing
Traditional marketing has treated online and physical stores as separate entities. But these conventional methods of mass advertising looking at interest and targeted reach have become less effective. Consumers can easily block these out.
Product recommendations through niche audiences are the next stage. While this is already practiced to a certain extent today, it has not yet been done at the scale and with the accuracy required in the new world of Retail 4.0. Reaching out to very specific audiences through influential people, sites, or groups is how brands will drive real growth. As consumers have become not only more sophisticated but also more selective with their media consumption, brands need to work directly with those who own the audiences.
Omnichannel marketing offers consumers all of the above, while enabling a seamless integration of the digital and physical. By using deep knowledge and understanding of their consumers, businesses implement strategies that improve in-person services while simultaneously cultivating a strong online presence to create a complete and positive customer experience.
The new Singapore Airlines app checks multiple omnichannel boxes. Clients manage and monitor their travel details through their phone, cutting out calls to customer service as well as check-in queues. The app connects to the in-flight entertainment catalog so that travellers can continue watching the movie from where they left off on a previous flight. It offers real-time language translation. The airline leverages technology to provide a complete travel experience that builds a strong and loyal customer base.
Popularization of Digital Marketing and KOLs
Digital marketing uses social media, search engines, and websites to reach customers. Digital has become omnipresent and changed how consumers perceive advertising as well as how brands reach their target audiences. Both Facebook and Google have an ecosystem that spans multiple touch points. As such they will still be very large players but no longer the dominant ones. Competition has grown with platforms like TikTok and other chat applications that have started snapping up significant amounts of screen time away from the incumbents.
The war for social media has resulted in the rise of the influencers—be it individuals or businesses—that are trusted as experts in a field. Audiences are following these people or brands regardless of the social platform. A survey found that 58 percent of Malaysian and 48 percent of Vietnamese respondents discovered new products via social media. This brings social media as an advertising tool to the forefront, given that it is increasingly seen as a means of increasing awareness and gaining brand visibility. Services that can provide brands with solutions that directly reach audience owners are in the best position to benefit.
KOL marketing is especially widespread in the beauty and fashion industry. Cosmetics giant Lancôme claims that 69 percent of their overall media impact value comes from influencer marketing. While KOL marketing for beauty products reigns supreme in China, other countries have also seen increases in campaigns for food products, laundry detergents, and disinfectants.
Content creators who are able to successfully build and retain audiences become more and more important to a brand’s marketing plan. But both parties need to find a sustainable model for their collaboration. Brands need to be aware of the popularity and reach of the influencers and figure out how they can effectively use them. This type of marketing is only effective if advertisers and KOLs appeal to the same targeted audience. The area is still relatively uncharted and metrics are vague, so finding a way to measure and attribute this data as part of a marketing plan is becoming increasingly important.
Martech as a solution
Marketing technology solutions allow retailers to address these issues. Martech enables attribution, tracking, and optimisation of partnership spending. It can manage thousands of partners whether they’re KOLs, discount or cashback sites, blogs, social media profiles and other types of digital property. These platforms are essential for retailers to pivot with an omnichannel strategy to survive the death of the high street due to lockdowns, increasing rent, and competition from local malls.
Affiliate marketing through influencers is becoming more commonplace as more brands embrace the concept of trust-based recommendations to drive sales. This means that this form of marketing needs to be able to cater to the varying needs of brands and understand how content creators communicate with their audiences through the ever growing number of channels and platforms.
As we move forward toward a more integrated marketing, it is important to know how to maximise the value of tech. Rather than focusing on forming partnerships, there needs to be a shift towards managing partnerships effectively and martech solutions are a key component of this equation.
Author : Rossnan Cheong, Director of Marketing, Involve Asia
*Disclaimer: The views and opinion expressed in the article belong solely to the original author and do not represent the views, opinions and position of Retail in Asia.


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Lockdown fever: The urge to buy that one perfect thing
What does it take to soothe a locked-down soul during COVID-19? For Nico Bellamy, it was buying a Frieling French coffee press.
“For a fleeting moment I can pretend I’m actually out at a coffee shop instead of trapped indoors for the foreseeable future,” he told WhoWhatWear.com.au.
For many others it’s been jigsaw puzzles, which have seen an enormous spike in interest this year.
Enthusiast John Philpot could only agree when PM Scott Morrison declared jigsaws were an essential item that people could leave their homes to buy.
They are “a thing of beauty to look at”, he told the ABC. “As you get to bigger and bigger jigsaw puzzles, there’s the challenge of actually assembling all the pieces, which gets more and more difficult.
“You wake up in the morning and wonder, ‘how many pieces will I get through today?’ “
In lockdown, it might feel like shopping is the only thing you have control over.
Dr Chris Ludlow, a sociologist and lecturer at Swinburne University, says people feel that they must “enrich their home environments with things that will give them positive experiences”.
The introduction of click and collect and extensive home delivery options has given businesses a lifeboat in an all-online environment.
Dr McIntosh: “Buying stuff online has become a part of everyday life.”
A surge in interest in gardening and home entertainment has led to a 89 per cent increase in digital services for Bunnings and Officeworks, especially interesting areas of gardening and electronics.
Dr Craig McIntosh, a lecturer and sociologist at Swinburne University, says these purchases are a result of an ever-growing consumptive society that has been brewing to create “a shopping economy”.
“Buying stuff online has become a part of everyday life,” he says.
The pandemic’s coincidence only helps to accelerate an environment in which people will “buy everything without any concerns”, he says.
One factor people use to justify all these expenses is altruism.
Many people feel that they are “helping other people out” by ensuring that workers keep their livelihoods. Although, it’s “hard to separate altruism, indulgence, and possibly addiction,” he says.
“People haven’t had the increase in income to fund this sort of consumption,” which means these purchases add to any debt they already have, he says.
It might look like an opportunity to pick up new hobbies and skills, but Dr McIntosh says this type of excess is a dangerous gamble given that “none of us have gone through anything like this before.”
He says only time will tell if we “break the cycle of consumption” and save ourselves.


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Spooky Grows Up – How Adult Halloween Spending Has Evolved
Although it has its origins in the UK, the Celtic ‘All Hallows’ Evening’ has, for generations, been far less celebrated in the UK than the likes of the U.S. or Latin America. In fact, until relatively recently, the UK only really recognised Halloween as an event for children, which was clearly played out by retailers, who dedicated (at most) an aisle to kids costumes and trick or treat fodder. A poll by Channel Mum last year showed how key kids still are to 31st October, with 84% of families planning to celebrate the day. However, the sharp growth of Halloween in very recent years may not be attributable to this young demographic at all.
Retail expenditure on Halloween products in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2013 to 2018
Mintel claims it is pre-family adults who are most likely to spend big on Halloween, with 58% of 16-24 year-olds and 55% of 25-34 year olds buying into themed products and services. With related categories, like alcohol, also enjoying spikes at the end of October, the evidence strongly points to an adult audience driving the Halloween experience. Adult social media environments are packed with Halloween inspiration: from pumpkin-carving skills to creepy craft and cookery ideas to costumes. The range of approaches to each and every one of these areas show that, when it comes to the adult shopper, more consideration is needed by brands if they hope to connect in an engaging way.
We have picked out a few of the key trends for Millennial Halloween shoppers, which most definitely differentiate from the kids market we are so familiar with. For relevant brands, moving assets on from ghosts and ghouls will demonstrate an understanding of how adult consumers want to connect with the day.
The premiumisation of Halloween has reached an all-time high in 2018. Items like John Lewis’ spooky wreaths and Hotel Chocolat’s ‘novelty’ range are clear signals that the mass market won’t cut it for everybody anymore. Adult shoppers don’t want to regress for Halloween, instead, they demand a grown-up take on the occasion.
Another, specifically adult, and very Millennial, take on Halloween is the bad taste vibe. The US has embraced this filter on Halloween for many years, and it is fast catching on in the UK. From Jimmy Saville Costumes (*yes, really: £27.99) to Zombie Brain cakes at Tesco, bad taste is blossoming for British shoppers.
Gore and the Grotesque
Related to bad taste, but definitely, a camp of its own is the grotesque. Celebrities rolling into Jonathan Ross’s annual bash have been perfecting this trend from a costume point of view, but in food too, it now seems the more realistically gory the better. Bloody eyeball anyone?
Real World Fears
The scares delivered by witches and ghouls may suit the kids but, for adults, Halloween can create the perfect opportunity to talk about real world fears. Jemima Khan’s 2016 outfit for Unicef’s Halloween Ball is a brilliant case in point. After the event, her controversial costume was auctioned in aid of refugee support. Using this time of year to make an important political, social point is increasingly appropriate.


text: Shares of Pioneer Power Solutions Inc. /zigman2/quotes/203849278/composite PPSI -0.50% rocketed 82.5% on massive volume in midday trading Monday, enough to make them the biggest gainers on major U.S. exchanges, after the maker of on-site power generation equipment announced the launch of its E-Boost portfolio of mobile electric-vehicle charging products. Volume spiked to 155.2 million shares, compared with the full-day average over the past 30 days of about 146,230 shares, and making the stock the most actively traded on the Nasdaq. The company said it did not comment on stock action. The E-Boost portfolio includes a truck-mounted product, providing truck and car owners with dispatchable charging services; a trailer-mounted product for higher capacity EV charging, which also provides options for towing; and stationary EV charging products that can be moved if needed, and can provide high-speed DC fast charging to two vehicles. "We are anticipating the rapidly growing demand for high-capacity mobile charging that will be required to support the wide range of EV and mobile power use cases with E-Boost products," said Chief Executive Nathan Mazurek. The stock has soared 53.2% year to date, while the Russell 2000 of small-capitalization stocks has rallied 24.1% and the S&P 500 /zigman2/quotes/210599714/realtime SPX -1.89% has gained 25.1%.


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We've only had the feature for a couple of console generations, but nearly every gamer was unhappy that both the PS4 and Xbox One dropped backwards compatibility just a couple of generations after it made a huge impact. Sony, though, always said it was planning to bring the feature to the PS4 via the Gaikai streaming tech it purchased what feels like oh so long ago. At long last, the plan has been unveiled, and it's called PlayStation Now.
It's strange to think that such a divisive, rage-inducing topic has only really been available on consoles since the PS2, and was even dropped from the PS3. We've only had competent console backwards compatibility for a generation-and-a-half, yet we feel it's a feature to which we're entitled, as if we've had it forever. Regardless, Sony has not ignored the uproar. Back in 2012, the company purchased Gaikai, a game streaming service, and since then it appeared as though Sony would utilize the technology to provide a back catalog of games to future consoles. This isn't standard backwards compatibility -- all of your disc-based games of old are still rendered useless -- but at least those titles (and more) would be available and playable on a new console. PlayStation Now aims to bring that to the PS4, but also provides a glimpse at a very promising all-digital future.
Just announced at CES 2014, details regarding PlayStation Now are thin. However, the demo unit was running The Last of Us -- one of the best-looking (and one of the best(Opens in a new window)) console games to date. Because the processing power is all server-side, that means the service can extend to a number of devices, even smartphones. The real difficulty, though, lies where it always does with any kind of streaming service or digital catalog: latency. A blazingly fast internet connection will help, but the real point of contention is latency, from which fast speeds can still suffer. When discussing video games -- a medium that requires instant, active input and instant in-game results -- even the smallest drop of latency would render the experience unplayable.
The service will roll out sometime this year, with a closed beta beginning at the end of this month. PlayStation Now will be available for the PS4 and PS3, then hit the PS Vita and -- amazingly -- certain models of Bravia TVs sometime later. PS Now will stream full games -- not just demos -- and will save your games in the cloud. The full pricing details have yet to be disclosed, but it will consist of rent-a-title and subscription options.Now, if Sony does have the latency down -- something that game-streaming competitor OnLive could not achieve -- it's still worth keeping your excitement in check. If Sony made every single past and future video game available on PS Now -- a platform that doesn't care what kind of hardware on which it's running -- it would single-handedly kill its console business. Sony would, in theory, keep most (if not all) current-gen games off the service in order to make us buy the latest and greatest console. If anything, the end-goal of PlayStation Now would be a respectable and instantaneous back catalog of last-gen-and-older games, set up in a Netflix-style streaming storefront. Select a game from a menu, press X, begin playing.


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Yahoo on Tuesday updated its e- mail
service across several platforms to enhance user experience with
speed and simplicity.
"The new Yahoo Mail is fast, easy and available anywhere you go," said Yahoo Chief Executive Officer Marissa Mayer in a post on the company's official blog.
Yahoo re-designed the e-mail service with speed in mind, saying it will save all of its users a combined 36 million minutes every day, according to Vivek Sharma, general manager of Yahoo Mail & Messenger.
The inbox is also more intuitive and easier to navigate and has a consistent look and feel across multiple platforms.
The improvements will be available on the major platforms, namely web, Windows 8, Android as well as Apple's iOS for iPhone and iPod touch devices.
Apple said its mail apps are now available for download in Apple App Store, Google Play and Windows Store. The new web version will be rolled out over the next few days.
Launched in 1997, Yahoo Mail has around 310 million users as of October 2011, according to statistics from Internet market research company comScore. Along with Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail and Google's Gmail, it is one of the most popular e-mail services in the world.
(c) 2012 Xinhua News Agency - CEIS. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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Some aphorisms have the tenacity of overly used clichés. One of them is the Wall Street adage "Sell in May and go away," probably the most widely repeated saying in the marketplace at this time of year -- thanks to the The Stock Traders Almanac, which introduced it decades ago.
What it means specifically is for investors to sell their stock holdings in May and buy them back at the end of October. That's because since 1945, the S&P 500 rose in price an average of 6.6 percent from November through April but gained only 1.4 percent from May through October, noted Sam Stovall, U.S. equity strategist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
But the better rule may be to buy the fundamentally sound stocks that hasty investors are selling in May, presumably at reduced prices, and profit from them when they bounce back by October's end as they resume their expected rise. Investors who do this could either sell them at huge profits or simply hold the stocks purchased at bargain prices.
Plenty of stocks that investors usually unload in May are solid and have already provided ample profits. So during this month, which started out reflecting the sell-in-May adage, investors should watch out for "fallen angel" stocks bearing the brunt of unloading.
For instance, here are three stocks that analysts see as ideal opportunities for seizing under this reversal of the sell-in-May strategy.
First is Apple (AAPL), a stock many investors have a love-hate relationship with. The highly active momentum players tend to exacerbate the level of selling in this stock because they love the wide range of volatility it engenders like few other stocks do. A week ago, Apple tumbled below $92 a share, as the bears beat it up, mainly because of worries about the China market.
Already, though, Apple has moved higher, back above $93. But the stock is considered still way undervalued at this price, considering that long-term investors continue to value it at more than $130 a share. "We still see a shiny Apple despite ongoing near-term headwinds, and we're maintaining our fair value estimate of $133 share," said Brian Colello, equity analyst at Morningstar.
Another stock ideally situated as a buy during the sell-in-May fever is Gilead Sciences (GILD), which has already been battered down to $84 a share from its 52-week high of $123. Gilead's drugs focus on major immunodeficiency viruses including HIV, chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Some patent expirations in 2018 threaten its huge HIV franchise, some analysts warn.
But the bulls are encouraged by Gilead's single-tablet regimens for HIV and its next-generation products with long-term safety profiles. With the stock trading at seven times estimated 2016 earnings, well below peers and historical levels, "we believe the shares are attractively valued," said Jeffrey Loo, equity analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, who rates Gilead as a "strong buy" with a price target of $155 a share.
A third stock to profit from is Visa (V), the world's largest retail payment network and a leading global brand, whose stock hasn't made much headway. It's down to $78 a share from its 52-week high of over $81. But its appeal to some close watchers of the industry is that Visa remains the "King of the Hill in digital payments," as Jim Sinegal, equity analyst at Morningstar describes the company. Sinegal argues that this means Visa deserves a much higher valuation.
"Visa dominates the global market for electronic payments, accounting for about half of all credit card transactions," Sinegal noted in an appraisal of the company. Visa also accounted for roughly three-fourths of debit card transactions in recent years, according to the Nilson Report.
"In a world in which the number of digital payment transactions is constantly growing, this wide-moat company should flourish," noted Sinegal. He's maintaining his fair value estimate of $104 a share for Visa. "We share management's optimism," he said, "that the softness seen in fiscal 2016 will not persist into the following year."


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Facebook’s Martin Harbech reveals five secrets to making the most of the festive period on the small screen.
The final countdown to Christmas is on, and ad campaigns are in full flow.
The brilliance of many of them is a result of significant investment.
With even the humblest ad during this period coming at a big cost for the advertiser, brands need to extract every ounce of value from the money spent.
According to Cisco, in three years, 75% of mobile data traffic will be video, compared with just over half today.
We see more than 100 million hours of video watched on Facebook every day, so optimising ads for the small screen has never been more crucial.
Mobile video is driving the fastest growing platforms in the history of Facebook and is therefore key to winning the feed this Christmas.
Instagram Stories now has 300 million active users every day and time spent watching content on the platform is up 80% from last year.
“Mobile video is driving the fastest growing platforms in the history of Facebook and is therefore key to winning the feed this Christmas”
Highly personal, small-format mobile devices draw people in by design and, as a result, make us pay more attention to the content we consume.
It’s the perfect accompaniment to TV ads, and allows brands to not only reinforce messaging, but also to engage audiences in entirely new ways.
Panic Saturday (December 23) and Christmas Eve are big opportunities for capturing the attention of last-minute shoppers.
And while not everyone has the budget or resources to shoot for mobile, it’s still not too late to make mobile-ready creative with a few simple tweaks.
Here are my top tips to supercharging your Christmas creative for mobile:
1 When it comes to the feed, more is more
The more creative options you have, the bigger the opportunity you have to experiment, iterate and optimise.
And the great thing is, Facebook doesn’t penalise you for trying multiple approaches.
In fact, we reward it.
When running multiple versions of the same creative, videos that deliver the best results will be prioritised to ensure a more efficient campaign delivery.
2 Re-cut and target for audience segments
You can use Facebook to create different content packages for different audiences.
Not everyone will respond in the same way to the same footage so find out what video works better for men versus women, young people versus old, for example.
3 Adapt, adapt, adapt
How do you tell a 30-second story in 15 seconds without cutting any footage?
Consider your TV ads as a collection of assets rather than a narrative arc.
Cut your standard wide screen (16:9) footage into tiles, reassemble it into a vertical video and run multiple tiles simultaneously to tell the full story.
This alternative approach makes the most of the space available on mobile.
4 Performance ads
You don’t actually need video content to create video on Facebook.
Take a series of still images and add simple motion graphics to create eye-catching visual effects.
Use the first few seconds to bring your brand in focus and highlight key product benefits.
5 Use Facebook Marketing Partners
Facebook Marketing Partners specialise in creative platforms and personalisation.
Their high-tech tools and smart solutions can be used to prepare existing assets for mobile devices and targeting data is used to deliver different iterations of content to different audiences.
For more information on how to optimise your use of mobile this Christmas visit our dedicated Christmas Clinic.
Martin Harbech, director of commerce, Facebook
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April 20, 2017—
The American Home Furnishings Alliance launched its compliance awareness campaign last month and retailers will reap the rewards of this program this week at the High Point Market. Members of the AHFA are working to broaden the industry’s awareness and understanding of the ASTM voluntary furniture stability standard—aka tip-over.
Dozens of AHFA member company showrooms will feature the We Comply gold tent cards, visible on reception desks and specific products throughout the showroom, which shows the company’s products have been engineered to comply with the ASTM F2057-14 standard (the voluntary furniture stability standard that applies to all residential clothing storage units 30 inches high or taller).
Specifically, that means the covered products have been tested to ensure they pass two stability performance tests outlined in the standard. Covered products also must carry a warning label specified in the standard and be shipped with tip restraints and instructions for installing them.
To pass the stability performance tests, an empty unit cannot tip when all doors (if any) are open and all drawers are open to the “stop” or open two-thirds of the way if there is no “stop.” Full-extension drawers must be tested with the drawers fully extended. Covered units also cannot tip when one drawer is open to the “stop” (or two-thirds of the way if there is no “stop”) and a 50-pound weight is applied to the center from the drawer. This second test is repeated for each drawer (and door, if any) in the unit.
A separate standard, ASTM F3096-14, sets forth testing criteria for the tip restraints.
The back of AHFA’s “We Comply” tent card provides bullet points to help remind sales reps about the three specific requirements for compliance.
“The card also explains that ‘voluntary’ does not mean ‘optional’ for manufacturers or retailers,” notes AHFA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Bill Perdue. “Products that do not meet voluntary safety standards can be deemed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to be a ‘substantial product hazard.’ That leads to expensive recalls that create a black eye for our entire industry.”
Perdue says AHFA created the ‘We Comply’ campaign to give its member companies the opportunity to work more closely with their retail customers to promote awareness of furniture tip-over hazards.
According to an August 2016 report from the CPSC, there were 411 child fatalities due to furniture, television and appliance tip-over accidents between 2000 and 2015. In 64 percent of these fatal accidents, a television by itself or a television and the furniture holding it tipped over. Twenty-nine percent of the accidents involved furniture only.
In 2015, the CPSC launched a national “Anchor It” public awareness campaign aimed at reducing the number of tip-over accidents. The campaign included a website with advice for parents on how to anchor furniture and resources for retailers to help consumers understand the hazard. But the campaign received no funding in the CPSC’s 2017 Operating Plan.
Instead, a September 2016 briefing package from CPSC staff advised increasing the test weight in the ASTM standard from 50 to 60 pounds to make compliant furniture more stable. Further, based on testing of 61 clothing storage units from 102 manufacturers, CPSC staff concluded that industry compliance with the standard was lacking and recommended issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking for a mandatory standard in 2017.
“AHFA supports changes to the voluntary standard that are based on actual incident data, but we also remain convinced that, because most homes contain furnishings that pre-date the stability standard, consumer education and increased use of tip restraints is the key to reducing the number of tip-over accidents,” Perdue points out. “In homes where small children are present, securing furniture and televisions should be as routine as using outlet covers and cabinet locks.”
AHFA has worked with furniture manufacturers and child safety experts for more than a decade on safety measures specifically designed to increase the stability of residential furniture and to reduce the number of furniture tip-over accidents. More information on the voluntary ASTM furniture stability standard and how to comply is available at www.ahfa.us.


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New Zealand Herald has relaunched their website today, with a new design to meet the evolving needs of its audience.
The updated site is mobile first, reflecting the way the majority of Herald readers are accessing their news.
NZME managing editor Shayne Currie says, "Our new site is designed to bring journalism to our audience in a way that makes it easier to read and enjoy, whether breaking news, exclusive reporting, in-depth data interactives or eye-catching visuals.
“Our audience is much more mobile now,” says Currie.
“So we designed the new site with mobile first and foremost - the site is responsive, using flexible design to ensure it looks great, whatever screen you're using.
“Another of the main changes is the left navigation, aimed at getting users to the content quickly and easily, along with signposting for different types of stories.
“Articles are also now labelled with how long they will take to read – whether it be a minute or two on the run or a deeper reading experience. Images are bigger and bolder, to bring important news events to life, or highlight our great lifestyle content,” says Currie.
The redesign comes with NZME's licensing of the state-of-the-art Arc platform, designed by the Washington Post for modern newsrooms and used by Canada's Globe and Mail, Argentina's Infobae and the Alaska Dispatch News.
“This partnership is the beginning of something great,” says NZME CEO Michael Boggs.
“Our relationship with our audience and advertisers is core to our business success.
“The implementation of Arc over the coming months is a significant step in NZME's aim to stay at the forefront of global publishing technology,” says Boggs.
Currie adds, “The Arc platform helps journalists create, optimise and enrich their content and allows them to analyse its performance. It will give us huge flexibility.”
To launch the new site, NZME ran a nationwide campaign partnering with 43 fish and chip shops around New Zealand.
Each fish and chip shop was sent 1,000 broadsheet size wrappers specially printed with the message “You've Changed. So Have We.
Justin Pilkington from participating fish and chip shop, Mt Eden Village Fish Shop says the wrapper is proving popular.
“We're getting a really good response from customers - they want to know what's going on, and what this is all about.


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MI6. Home of James Bond, Q, and Dame Judi Dench, arguably the best M ever. Shaken Vodka Martinis, never stirred. Babes. But going forward, “Nikon Coolpix” may be what comes up to some people’s minds when MI6 is mentioned. Many (way too many) sites are reporting and spreading the news that a 28-year old delivery […] read more
Royal Air Force Staff Information Stolen In Theft From High Security Area. Hard Drive Encryption Not Used.
Personal details of 50,000 current and ex RAF personnel was lost on September 17. From a high-security area. The sensitive information was stored on three external hard drives that were not protected with hard drive encryption software like AlertBoot. This case is something of a calamity, since it’s more than a lost or stolen disk. […] read more
The UK media is reporting that another CD with sensitive information has been lost in the mail. Technically, it sounds like it was a courier service, but you get the idea. The good news is that the contents of the missing CD were encrypted. That means the data is being protected by something similar to […] read more
Less Than Half Of Companies Notify Affected Customers Of Data Breaches. Is It Because They Use Disk Encryption?.
No. It’s definitely not because they use disk encryption solutions like AlertBoot. The companies that were surveyed by consultancy firm Logica did not report the breaches because they didn’t want to. Yeah, you read that right. They didn’t want to, so they kept it unreported. Secret. Sub rosa. Let’s face it, a data breach […] read more
But, only in a roundabout way. Some intrepid reporters decided to spend $50 bidding on eBay for used computer hard drives, and see what kind of information they could glean from these magnetic devices. It turns out that they hit the jackpot, something that could have been prevented with the use of hard drive encryption […] read more
National Bank Of Canada Laptop Theft Affects A High Percentage. Laptop Encryption Probably Not Used.
National Bank of Canada, Canada’s sixth-largest lender by assets, according to Bloomberg, has publicly announced that a laptop computer was stolen from its headquarters in Montreal. Although not expressly stated, it seems to me that this particular laptop was not protected with data security software like laptop encryption from AlertBoot. A shame since there was […] read more
Massachusetts Orders Personal Information Protection Via Data Encryption. Content Security To See A Boost?.
It looks like Massachusetts will be one of the handful of states that are beginning to require the use of data encryption solutions like hard drive encryption from AlertBoot, to protect consumer data —and not just recommend them like in the watershed legislation passed by California years ago. The Boston Globe is reporting that state […] read more
According to a survey conducted by Safeware, an Ohio-based provider of specialized insurance programs, it expects claims on thefts of laptop and other portable computing solutions to increase by 300% by the end of the year, as compared to last year. It sounds like the importance of hard disk encryption software solutions like AlertBoot will […] read more
A new European Commission directive on electronic privacy may include a data breach notification provision. While it’s still up for debate, all signs seem to point that the data breach legislation will be approved. While this is not a clarion call for companies to start protecting digital information with the use of data encryption software […] read more
22,000 At Intuit Subject To Data Breach: Colt Express Computer Theft And Lack Of Data Encryption Aftershock.
The site pogowasright.org is reporting that the Colt Express computer theft from back in June is still bringing victims out of the woodwork. The latest company to admit that they were affected is Intuit. You may know them as the makers of Quicken, QuickBooks, and TurboTax. As detailed back then (and many times subsequently, as […] read more


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Wireless security grabs spotlight
Companies offering products to secure content stored on wireless devices are out in force at this year's RSA Security Conference, underscoring companies' increased urgency in addressing the security threats posed by mobile workers.
Security technology for mobile devices is running the gamut from hardware appliances that lock down wireless networks to secure personal identification number and virtual private network software targeted at cellular phones and handheld personal digital assistants.
The conference has included lively panels, numerous product introductions, and discussion of security trends.
[ Read more ]
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Mysteries, romances, kids' books surge in popularity during pandemic, library says
Branches remain closed but library says e-books and audio books more popular than ever
Book lovers in Kitchener are picking up romances, thrillers and children's books during the COVID-19 pandemic – and leaving titles about business, medicine and travel on the (virtual) shelves.
Local libraries may be closed, but the Kitchener Public Library says demand for digital titles has soared in recent weeks, with certain genres emerging as clear favourites.
"The biggest shift is in demand for children's material," said Lesa Balch, who is also the library's director of innovation and integration.
"Prior to people being at home there was very little interest in children's digital formats, but since the middle of March we've seen a dramatic increase."
Between February and April, e-book circulation at the library has increased by more than 60 per cent. Videos and e-learning materials have been even more popular, with each format increasing in usage by more than 100 per cent.
Harry Potter is #1
The most-consumed books during the pandemic have been in the Harry Potter series, Balch said.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has been the most popular e-book while its Americanized title, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, has been the most popular audio book.
"Everybody seemed to want to read Harry Potter or listen to Harry Potter while they're at home, and I'm guessing that was both children and adults," said Balch.
The Philosopher's Stone and Sorcerer's Stone are also currently available for unlimited download, which likely added to their popularity, she said.
Two other children's titles also cracked the library's Top 10 e-book title list, Balch said.
The books are Big Nate from the Top by Lincoln Peirce and How to Catch a Unicorn by Adam Wallace. Nothing particular stands out about those two books, Balch said, except that they're a lot of fun.
'100 Years of Solitude' seems apropos
The novels 100 Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera by author Gabriel Garcia Marquez have become immensely popular audio books since March.
Balch said she thinks the titles have something to do with that.
"One Hundred Years of Solitude -- what a perfect time to read that book, I just had 60 days of solitude!" said Balch.
Fiction as a category – including mystery, romance, thriller, suspense and literature – has been in high demand lately.
Non-fiction has fared worse. Biographies are still popular but books about business, politics, travel and medicine and health are not.
But non-fiction titles that are more introspective have bucked that trend.
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Singer and Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl are both in the library's top 20 most popular audio books as some readers use their time at home to gaze inward.
The Kitchener Public Library said it has added more than 9,000 digital titles to its collection since mid-March. It now has a total of about 150,000 e-books, audio books and videos in circulation.
For help wading through the sea of material, Balch said the library now has an online system in which librarians can suggest titles based on a person's reading preferences.
And for a personal recommendation, Balch endorsed the mystery novels of Canadian author Louise Penny.
"If you have not read Louise Penny yet this is a great time to start," she said.


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NEW YORK — The number of Americans who have had important personal information stolen online is on the rise.
That’s according to a new Pew Research Center report released Monday.
The January survey shows that 18 percent of online adults had personal information stolen such as their social security number, credit card or bank account information. That’s up from 11 percent in a July 2013 survey.
The number of adults that had an online account compromised — such as email or social media — remained flat at 21 percent.
The survey was done after news broke of Target Corp.’s massive pre-Christmas data breach that resulted in the theft of 40 million debit and credit card numbers, along with the personal information of up to 70 million people.


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Kering’s revenues rose by 21.4 percent year-over-year in the first quarter to €3,890 million, with comparable sales up by 25.8 percent driven by Asia-Pacific and North America.
The top line grew by 5.5 percent at constant exchange rates against the first quarter of 2019.
Comparable revenues generated by the group’s directly-operated networks climbed by 31.8 percent from the first quarter of 2020 and by 6.3 percent versus the first quarter of 2019. Online sales grew by 108 percent year-over-year in the quarter, driving the share of e-commerce to 14 percent of retail sales.
Comparable sales generated through the wholesale network were up by 8.9 percent in the quarter. The underpeformance is due to the group’s policy to streamline the distribution channel.


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Empress of the Seas which is operated by Royal Caribbean didn't have much luck while tendering at Virgin Gorda.
Royal Caribbean's future Icon-class has won "Most Anticipated Future Class Cruise Ship" of 2019 in this year's Cruise Ship Awards.
Odyssey of the Seas which will join the Royal Caribbean fleet in 2020 will be based in Europe during the 2021 summer season.
Royal Caribbean has announced that Allure of the Seas will sail from the brand new cruise terminal at the Port of Galveston.
Royal Caribbean passengers have been caught up in a massive volcano eruption on White Island in New Zealand.
Oasis of the Seas has completed her mega 63-day dry dock in Cadiz, Spain and has now started sailings out of Miami, Florida.
So far, two Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been forced to make changes due to the huge storm impacting the U.S. east coast.
There will be seven Royal Caribbean cruise ships that will sail Europe during Summer 2021 including Anthem of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas.


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When “Project Runway” season 19 begins this October, two Filipino designers will be bringing out their A-game for a chance to become fashion’s next big name.
San Diego’s Kenneth Barlis and Darren Apolonio of New York are among 16 contestants who will be mentored by designer Christian Siriano during the competition.
Their designs will be judged by the show’s regular stars Nina Garcia, Brandon Maxwell, and Elaine Welteroth.
The panel of guest judges helping them determine the best designer to show a collection at New York Fashion Week includes actress Taraji P. Henson and supermodels Gigi Hadid and Karlie Kloss.
Barlis grew up in a military base in Mindanao where he graduated as his high school valedictorian. One year before completing a registered nurse degree, he decided to pursue his dreams of becoming a fashion designer in America.
As his styles and youthful enthusiasm became well-known in his hometown, he grew his client base and staged several successful shows in San Diego and Los Angeles starting in 2013.
Apolonio was also born in the Philippines where he grew up with his sisters and was raised by a single mother. After high school, he moved to New York and worked his way up in one of the world’s biggest fashion capitals. His early influences include Lady Gaga and David Bowie, two fashion icons whose styles inspired Apolonio to be just as fearless in his designs.
The Emmy-winning show consists of 90-minute episodes where contestants get a chance to show their creativity and technique.
This season the contestants will be challenged to produce designs with themes including “a hauntingly chic look, an avant-garde look from faux fur, and an unconventional cocktail dress with a twist,” according to the network’s press release.
The “Project Runway” champ will receive the grand prize of $250,000. In the US, the show airs on Bravo and repeats next day on the Peacock streaming service.
Meet the “Project Runway” Season 19 Designers:
· Octavio Aguilar – Miami, FL
· Darren Apolonio – New York, NY
· Kenneth Barlis – San Diego, CA
· Caycee Black – Brooklyn, NY
· Coral Castillo – Los Angeles, NY
· Meg Ferguson – Tulsa, OK
· Prajjé Oscar Jean-Baptiste – Philadelphia, PA
· Bones Jones – Brooklyn, NY
· Kristina Kharlashkina – New York, NY
· Katie Kortman – Japan
· Shantall Lacayo – Miami, FL
· Aaron Michael – Jackson, MS
· Chasity Sereal – Houston, TX
· Zayden Skipper – Atlanta, GA
· Sabrina Spanta – Bloomfield Hills, MI
· Anna Yinan Zhou – San Francisco, CA
Project Runway, Project Runway Season 19, Filipino fashion designers, Kenneth Barlis, Darren Apolinio, Filipino fashion designers, TFC News


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A leaked slide from HP shows that the company is working on a Windows 8 tablet that will be thinner than the iPad. The slate will feature a 10.1-inch display and boast battery life in the 8-10 hour range, according to a “trusted” source as reported by Neowin.
The tablet in the slide below is being billed as a business device, tentatively known as the HP Slate 8. The unit’s specifications note that it will accept multi-touch or digital pen input and will be compatible with enterprise-level docking. There’s also an “outdoor viewing option” but without any other details, we aren’t sure what this means.
One of the more interesting facets of the Slate 8 is that it will be an x86 device. CEO Meg Whitman said earlier this year that HP will release x86-based PCs by the end of 2012 and this could very well be one of the first.
The graphics in the slide are admittedly bad but Neowin says that their source is adamant that this is the working specs list and the tablet is an early mockup of what the final product could look like.
Unfortunately there isn’t a release date or any pricing information on the slide. We know that the slate won’t hit the market until at least later this year when Microsoft releases Windows 8, likely around October. If HP can deliver this enterprise-level tablet without the business-level price tag, it certainly stands a chance to be successful. Surely we don’t have to remind you about the TouchPad fiasco of last year?