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Manila, Philippines – Junior Chamber International (JCI) Alabang recently held its first A-Circles business forum in Palms Country Club, Alabang in Muntinlupa City. This event was conceived as a platform for business networking and learning to herald the opportunities and challenges of the upcoming 2015 ASEAN integration.
An esteemed entrepreneur and marketer, Mylene Abiva, graced the event by being the guest speaker. Hosted by JCI Alabang members Gabriel Gonzalez and RJ Paguyo, this esteemed event was a way to impart to the audience about successful business habits and family business successions.
A former president of the Philippine Marketing Association, the first Certified Professional Marketer (CPM) of Marketing Institute of the Philippines in 2011, GO NEGOSYO Movement advocate, and CEO of Felta Multi-Media Inc, Mylene Abiva shared her knowledge and experiences for marketing by presenting a 2-hour lecture on Consumer Marketing and Behavior as well as tips about successful family succession. “Change is important in order to survive the challenges of shifting consumer demands one has to constantly innovate.” states Mylene.
“Knowing that about 90% of our members are mostly involved in their respective family businesses, this was a great opportunity to enhance our business acumen.” said JCI Alabang President Vicky Martinez. “I felt that it was time to talk about something that most of our fellow JCI members would be most interested in.” she adds.
“I am glad that I attended this event. Being a second generation Family business owner myself, I felt that much of what was discussed resonated with me.” Heaniel Villaruel, JCI Alabang member and director of G&W Holdings and Bestulz.
“I am very happy that this event turned out very well,” said the Regional Vice President of JCI Metro Area South region, Hubert Qua. “I myself recommend to everyone especially those that are in business to attend these series of events from JCI Alabang.” stresses Hubert.
JCI Alabang was established in 1999 and has pioneered several programs such as “Galak Para sa Marillac: Pangakong Panghabang-Buhay,” Saranggola ng Pag-Asa,” and “Got Milk! Project.” The was revived this year led by its current president, Maria Victoria Martinez. The current members of JCI takes pride in its own successful projects such as “Oplan Bilis Bangon”, “Stairway to Haven” and most recently “A-Circles”.
Written by RJ Paguyo, JCI Alabang member and Assistant Vice President – Business Development for BJ Marthel Int’l. He is taking his MBA in Asian Institute of Management (AIM).


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Macy’s China stopped taking orders on Tmall this week and will close its operations by the end of the month.
The US department store business said it chose not to renew the contract with Alibaba’s Tmall which ends on December 31.
“We sincerely thank you for your support and love of Macy’s, and we will continue to provide services to you through the American website Macys.com,” the US retailer said in a statement.
Just two years ago, in an interview, Macy’s China president Dustin Jones assured customers that the company would not leave China. “We will become [a] Chinese Macy’s,” he said, quoted in a newspaper report this week on Sina.
That comment followed the closure of the company’s brick-and-mortar stores in Mainland China. Macy’s subsequently closed its own China website last June.
Since 2015, the Macy’s China business has been operated in partnership with Hong Kong-based Fung Retailing.
Beijing-based retail analyst Liu Dingding told The Global Times that Macy’s China failed because it could not keep up with the fast-changing and diversified demands of Chinese consumers.
“The market in China is changing much faster than those in the US and Europe. These Western giants seem to react a bit slower than their Chinese counterparts,” said Liu.
Securing a local partner was one way of ensuring success in the market – as WalMart and Carrefour’s partnerships with Tencent have shown, said Liu. That way they can localise their offer and learn from Chinese experience.
“[Western retailers] have built up operating experience with years of success back home. But before applying this experience in their Chinese operations [they should] respect Chinese culture, hire more Chinese executives and try to adjust the way that they have operated for years back home.
“That’s the first step to gaining a foothold in the Chinese market,” Liu told The Global Times.

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When we think of a cheap and easy meal, what comes to mind most often is the old elementary school lunchbox classic: the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Unfortunately, however, it looks like we’re going to have to leave that idea on the shelf for a while. Due to the worst peanut harvest in decades, peanut prices are shooting through the roof, and its effects are already being seen in grocery stores across the country.
CNN is reporting that the price for a ton of runner peanuts (the type most commonly used to make peanut butter) has risen from last year’s $450 to a staggering $1,200 this year. In addition, the USDA is predicting a 13 percent total drop in peanut production from last year’s numbers. This is all reportedly the result of heat and drought that wreaked havoc on the U.S. south over the year, critically stunting peanut crop growth and leading to harvests that came up short.
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But the real problem is what’s happening in retail. The poor peanut harvest has led to some hefty prices hikes among peanut butter producers, and it’s not with just one or two brands. Quite to the contrary, raised prices are likely to be the rule, not the exception. On Monday, Kraft raised the price of its Planters brand peanut butter by 40 percent, while ConAgra raised the price of its usually economical Peter Pan brand peanut butter by 20 percent. A day later, J.M. Smucker hiked up its Jif brand peanut butter prices by 30 percent.
We’re hoping that next year sees a more stable peanut harvest, and that prices will adjust accordingly to reflect the more reasonable prices that should come as a result. But as much as this is painted as an isolated climate-driven event, we worry that it’s more indicative of the drastically rising staple food prices that Oxfam America predicted months ago. If that’s the case, and legislators fail to take notice of their plan of action, they may have much more to worry about in years to come than some angry PB&J fans.


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In recent years, governments have introduced policy and legislation that encourages minimum efficiency standards for all types of electrical products. Here, Steve Hughes, managing director of power quality specialist REO UK, explains how design and electrical engineers can reduce a product's costs and carbon footprint, while also complying with energy standards, by considering something as simple as the humble toroidal transformer.
Global energy demand rose just over two per cent in 2017. This was the fastest rise in energy usage this decade, which analysts have explained as being driven by economic growth and changes in consumer behaviour. In addition to the increasing awareness of the harmful environmental impact that carbon emissions have, it should be no surprise that energy efficiency has become a major focus for today's markets.
In particular, more attention is being given to the energy efficiency of electrical equipment, with lighting and computer equipment being the most prominent examples. This focus has been supported by numerous research findings, such as a study recently conducted by The Carbon Trust. This research found that leaving a computer on overnight for a year can create enough carbon dioxide to fill a double-decker bus.
In recent years, some governments have been reluctant to take proactive steps to improve energy efficiency. In fact, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has claimed that "today's policies are not delivering the full potential gains that are cost-effective and use current technology. This delayed action on energy efficiency ends up locking in inefficiencies that mean much stronger action needs to be taken in the future."
Improving efficiency should not be limited to the product itself, but also the processes that went into designing, producing and transporting it. At REO UK, we are urging original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), as well as electrical and design engineers, to consider where and who they are sourcing components from, and the environmental impact of that procurement.
For example, working with a local manufacturer rather than a distributor can minimise emissions caused because of the air miles used to transport the product to you. When looking at efficiency, logistical elements like this are often overlooked. With divisions all over the world and operating as a direct manufacturer, at REO UK we design and manufacture our components according to EN ISO 9001, with each product also individually tested to ensure overall compliance and quality.
For mains powered devices and equipment, engineers should consider integrating high quality toroidal transformers into their designs rather than standard EI transformers or poorer performing toroidal transformers.
Toroidal transformers are passive electronic components that consist of a circular ring or donut-shaped magnetic core made from laminated iron, upon which wire is then wound around. Toroidal transformers are generally more compact than traditional EI types, because they are made of fewer components and are more efficient. In turn, this typically results in the transformer being anything from 20 to 50 per cent lighter than a standard transformer.
When assessed against conventional transformers, the advantages can be easily seen, toroidal are more compact and undoubtedly more efficient.
More notably, REO UK recently conducted a series of internal laboratory tests to see how its series of open toroidal transformers measure against two other leading toroidal transformer manufacturers. These comparisons between REO and other toroidal manufacturers show a 2-3 per cent energy saving in REO's favour and a significant temperature reduction. This means that the transformers are likely to continue working for considerably longer whilst consuming less electricity, either ON or OFF load.
The focus on improving energy efficiency to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 means that many engineers should re-evaluate their equipment and components in regard to all of the factors involved and not simply the Bill of Materials (BOM) cost.
For REO UK, seeing how our range of open toroidal transformers ranks against other brands on the markets reaffirms our position as a company that develops and produces products that offers increased component efficiency.


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BRICS consider setting up gold trading system
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) are discussing the possibility of establishing a separate gold trading system, according to the First Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Central Bank Sergey Shvetsov.
“The traditional (trade) system based in London and partially in Swiss cities is becoming less relevant as new trade hubs are emerging, first of all in India, China, and South Africa,” he said, adding “we are discussing the possibility of establishing a single (system of) gold trade both within BRICS and at the level of bilateral contacts.”
BRICS countries are large economies with substantial reserves of gold and an impressive volume of production and consumption of the precious metal, said the official. According to him, the new system may serve as a basis for the further creation of new benchmarks.
The Bank of Russia has already signed a memorandum on developing bilateral gold trade with China. The regulator plans to form a single trade system with the People’s Republic of China in 2018.
“We assume that trade and clearing links should be established. The point is that gold buyers should decide on the place of purchase," Shvetsov said, adding that trade links will enable market participants to make deals on international exchanges via the central counterparty.
Last year, the Bank of Russia and the People's Bank of China announced plans to create a platform that would unite gold trading by the world's two biggest gold buying countries.
According to the World Gold Council, Russia is the largest official buyer of gold and the world's third-biggest producer, with the central bank purchasing from domestic miners through commercial banks. It has more than doubled the pace of gold purchases over the past decade, adding more than 1,250 tons to its gold reserves. In the second quarter of 2017, it accounted for 38 percent of all gold purchased by central banks.


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LaVar Ball and the Big Baller Brand revealed Lonzo Ball's first signature shoe, the "ZO2" for $495.
The memes started rolling in, the crying Jordan thing appeared from the depths of the internet where I presume it sits all day laying in waiting, and the price tag was mocked. Everywhere you look right now people are talking about the shoes, making jokes about the price and what not.
Nottttt sooooo fastttttt.
Clay Travis explains how this might be the move of a marketing genius, pricing out people who weren't going to be a steady customer anyways and appealing to the type who don't mind paying for $500 shoes. This is a crucially important piece of information to remember, there are people out there who want to buy these and can afford it. You need less customers with a higher price point.
Listen below and open your mind up beyond the memes.
You can hear Outkick the Coverage every weekday from 6-9 am est. on Fox Sports Radio.


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Whether he intended to or not, SolarCity Corp. (SCTY.DL) Chairman Elon Musk dropped a bomb on investors during this week's earnings conference call. SolarCity is going to get into the business of solar roofs. Not just solar panels, as we've known they are developing, but roofs themselves.
Here's what he said directly:
And I'd just like to emphasize, I think, this is really a fundamental part of achieving a differentiated product strategy where you have a -- it's not a beautiful roof, that it is a solar roof, it's not a thing on a roof, it is the roof.
What SolarCity's solar roof could be
Elon Musk didn't reveal what the solar roof would be, only that it would be an integrated roof product. This would be sold to builders of new homes as well as for roof replacements. CEO Lyndon Rive said the product would focus on selling to installers of the 5 million new roofs put in each year in the U.S.
What exactly that means is a bit of a mystery. Remember, SolarCity's Silevo technology is built with silicon, which is fairly fragile, and isn't the kind of roof product people can be walking on. The entire system would have to be redesigned with solar cells sitting on top of a sturdier substrate. And that could bring up even more problems than are worth dealing with, which I'll get to below.
The history of solar roofs
SolarCity isn't the first company to think of integrating solar into a roof. You may remember Energy Conversion Devices (which filed for bankruptcy in February 2012) or Dow Chemical's Powerhouse Solar Shingle (shut down earlier this year) as highly hyped solar-shingle products that ultimately failed. These were more shingle replacements than attempts to rethink the roof itself, but they show how tough the business has been.
Integrating solar into the roof is a great idea, but there are more challenges than just making the product work, which is hard enough.
Making a solar roof is only half the battle
What shouldn't be overlooked is the challenge SolarCity could have financing and insuring a new solar roof design. Financing is a key to any solar energy system, and banks or other investors want a "bankable" product before they're willing to invest in it. That means a history of proven energy production and reliability. The system can't break when a hailstorm comes through, or cause a leak that ruins someone's living room. Getting to the "bankable" point took the solar industry many years, so don't think investors will rush out to finance a new product just because it comes from SolarCity.
The other thing to think about is insurance. Roof designs haven't changed much in decades -- and now Elon Musk wants to change roofs altogether? What is your home insurer going to say about that? Like banks, insurers want proven reliability and don't want to take risks on new products. Musk has to convince them that SolarCity's solar roof won't cost them millions in claims after a few storms or fallen tree branches.
Solar roofs are a big unknown in solar
If Elon Musk and SolarCity can design a solar roof that's elegant, reliable, and financeable, it'll be a huge win for the company. But there are companies which have thought they'd answered the solar roof question before, only to fail when they hit the market.
It's worth being skeptical of SolarCity's solar roof, because we haven't even seen that the company can make solar modules on a large scale. First things first in the solar industry, and, as usual, I would like to see SolarCity "prove it" before I believe this will transform the solar industry. And so far, SolarCity hasn't even completed its manufacturing plant, so there's a lot left to prove.


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Two iconic San Francisco concert halls are abandoning Ticketmaster for a venue-owned ticketing operation, starting Sunday.
The Warfield and Regency Ballroom, venues owned and operated by sports and entertainment presenter AEG, will begin using AEG’s new service, axs Ticketing. The service is designed to provide a better ticket-purchasing process.
“It’s a more seamless experience for the consumer,” said Todd Sims, vice president of digital at AEG. “They can transact at The Warfield’s website without going to a middleman.”
As far as the consumer experience, one less website will be visited and all “convenience fees” will be presented up front.
“We won’t charge any extra fees for printing at home, and our fees are transparent so that consumers are not confused and don’t get hit at the end of the transaction with hidden fees,” Sims said.
Currently, Ticketmaster does not list convenience charges until the number of tickets has been chosen and the customer is ready to pay for the order.
“The look and feel of the online experience will be Warfield throughout,” Sims said. “They will transact on a Warfield-feeling website.”
The first day of San Francisco sales via axs Ticketing will be Sunday, for Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band at the Regency.
The new ticketing setup resembles that of Slim’s and the Great American Music Hall, which use a company called Inticketing that allows a venue to sell tickets online without changing their user interface or venue branding.
AEG shares the same owners as Clarity Media, which oversees The San Francisco Examiner.


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HTC’s 1st high-end phone for 2016 is finally out. The Snapdragon 820 powered HTC 10 was launched on 12th of April in China for around 650 USD (around 42000 INR).
During the launch event, HTC didn’t announce the launch date of its newest handset in India due to which a lot of rumors surfaced online. One of the rumors claimed that HTC would launch toned-down version of this handset instead of the flagship, and a lot of people were left disappointed.
One of the top HTC officials has today announced that HTC 10 handset with the high-end specifications will be arriving soon in the Indian markets. Thus, bringing an end to all the rumors. The price details and the exact launch date has not been disclosed yet, but the full specs of the handset are out.
HTC 10 might be the best camera phone for the first quarter of 2016 as it features OIS technology based cameras at both sides. HTC has claimed that its device has scored better than most of the flagship mobiles in DxOmark’s benchmarking tests.
DxOmark is an organization that tests and rates cameras of devices launched by phone and camera manufacturers. It gave the sensors of the HTC 10 phone an impressive 88 points.
HTC 10 will offer first of its kind 24 bits high definition sound experience to its buyers and users. It has the latest Hi-Fi technology based HTC BoomSound module for the same.
Whether it’s a mid-range device or a flagship phone, HTC’s design is always unique and striking. The HTC 10 has a uni-metal body along with a multi-textured finish. It has been thoroughly tested under extreme conditions to ensure that the handset doesn’t get scratches when an on object collides with it or when it is dropped accidentally.
HTC 10 has laser auto-focus module, and its cameras will be initialized within 0.7 seconds after the user taps on the camera app. It can save captured pictures in a RAW format.
HTC has announced that the flagship phone’s 12 ultra pixel camera can generate detailed high-resolution images when used in low light conditions. The camera is equipped with a unique f/1.8 bright aperture lens which makes this possible.
The OIS enabled selfie camera features aperture wide-angle lens. This handset from HTC has a liquid crystal display with 2K resolution. It has a fast fingerprint reader which can unlock your device within 0.3 seconds.
HTC 10 features a freestyle layout based UI. Thus, you can drag and drop objects on the home-screen anywhere you want. The handset will offer 100s of beautiful themes. You’ll not find annoying bloatware or duplicate applications in it.
This phone is loaded with Boost Plus application to free RAM, clean junk files, etc. It has a 3000 mAh capacity battery which supports quick charge mode and offers up to 48 hours of backup power.
Important details of the phone:
- The display size of 5.2 inches.
- 64GB and 32 GB storage capacity variants will be launched.
- 4GB RAM, a 200 GB capacity MicroSD card reader.
- LTE-4G support and Android 6.0.1 operating system.
- Custom ROM, nonremovable battery.


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The best credit cards for cash back, travel and balance transfers -- plus our top picks for students, Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers and Apple Pay enthusiasts.
They are: 3% cash back and interest-free financing for up to 24 months. But that doesn't make it a slam-dunk.
The new website shows the card balance alongside options for managing the account.
Apple's new Path to Apple Card program offers specific steps to improve your financial health.
Buying an iPad, Mac or AirPods just got a little easier with Apple's credit card.
Apple will reportedly introduce an interest-free payment plan "in the coming weeks." The company already offers an Apple Card installment plan for the iPhone.
The company partners with SoFi and Mastercard on its new Samsung Money service, which will be available in the US later this summer.
The iPhone giant also let people skip their March payment without incurring interest charges, an effort to ease hardships during the pandemic.
The move is intended to offer financial relief during the challenging time, Apple says in an email to customers.
You may also refer to this mystery phone as the iPhone SE 2. Here's everything we know so far about the rumored (and cheap) new iPhone coming in 2020.
The tech giant says app sales between Christmas Eve and New Year's in 2019 grew 16% over the past year.
The Apple credit card is designed for the 21st century, but is it a match for Amazon's popular rewards card?


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Saturday and Sunday is the fifth annual Sierra Oro Farm Trail Passport Weekend, and today’s the last day to get discount passports.
Twenty-seven growers and agri-businesses will welcome visitors 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this year, spread between Chico, Oroville and Paradise along a 60-mile loop.
Passports are $20 per person in advance and $25 the day of the event. This includes a free wine glass and free tasting at all stops. Children under age 12 are free.
To order online go to www.sierraoro.org. In person, passports can be purchased at Northern California Tri Counties Bank locations, Bacio Catering and Carryout in Chico, and at the Chico, Oroville and Paradise chambers of commerce. Money from the passport sales goes to the Sierra Oro Farm Trail Association to further develop agritourism in Butte County.


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Blockchain Wallet Launches The PIT, a Lightning-Fast Crypto Exchange
Blockchain, a leading cryptocurrency firm that’s in charge of Blockchain multi-crypto wallet, has announced the launch of its cryptocurrency exchange “The PIT“. The exchange is run by a team of former executives at top finance and tech companies like TD Ameritrade, Google and Goldman Sachs, according to a CNBC report on July 30, 2019.
Blockchain Launches The PIT Crypto Exchange
In a bid to provide retail and institutional investors with a platform that can execute trades with a “lightning-fast” speed, Blockchain has launched The PIT exchange.
Per sources close to the matter, the new exchange is powered by the Mercury order matching engine which can execute buy or sell orders in “40 to 50 microseconds,” a speed that it says surpasses that of established exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase.
Reportedly, The PIT exchange has raised over $70 million from various investors including the founder of Virgin Air, Sir Richard Branson, Lakestar and GV.
PIT Exchange Offers Unlimited Liquidity
According to the team, the exchange will be present in more than 200 countries across the globe and it will support 26 trading pairs initially, plus three major fiat currencies including the U.S. dollars (USD), euros (EUR) and pounds sterling (GBP).
The PIT exchange team claims to have attracted 40 million cryptocurrency traders already, all of whom can link their bank accounts with their Blockchain wallets and exchange their cryptos for fiat seamlessly.
Even with the growing ubiquity of bitcoin trading venues and exchanges, operators of The PIT exchange, who have previously served at top tech and financial services firms like Google, Goldman Sachs and TD Ameritrade, firmly believe that many people still find it difficult to buy bitcoin or trade cryptocurrencies and the new exchange will fix the problem.
Commenting on the launch of The PIT exchange, Nicole Sherod, head of trading products at Blockchain hinted that the exchange will provide users with unprecedented liquidity that will enable them to handle the volatility associated with cryptocurrency trading.
“In volatile markets, speed is very essential. I would not feel comfortable delivering a platform to retail crypto traders that put them in a tight position where they couldn’t get in and out of a trade with lightning-fast speed,”


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Facebook is aiming for more of brand budgets NOW WITH VIDEO (thanks, ZOG Digital). This Facebook Video Ads blog post (linked above) goes over an internal Facebook presentation/document that was shared by TechCrunch on Facebook video initiatives
Leaked Facebook Video Ad Pitch Deck Reveals Plans To Steal TV And YouTube Dollars
…and now -it appears that they moved up the launch date of Video Ads because of this TechCrunch article. These featured ad units are a limited beta for Facebook’s top 1% of existing advertisers, and will be available and visible for that group starting this Thursday (12/19/2013). Given Facebook’s past experience, I’d give it another 6 months before this program rolls out to all advertisers (if it sticks).


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Dunkin' Donuts is one fast food chain that isn't worried about offering healthier options this summer.
The chain will add a donut breakfast sandwich to its national menu this week, according to the company's website.
While the components of the "savory and sweet breakfast treat" make it seem like a heart-stopper, Dunkin' Donut patrons may be surprised to learn the coming 360-calorie sandwich has 30 fewer calories than the newly released turkey sausage sandwich, according the The Associated Press.
The sandwich consists of a fried egg and bacon inside a split glazed donut and will be available June 7 on National Donut Day.
The sandwich created buzz in April when Dunkin' began testing in eastern Massachusetts.


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Porsche will build a new plant in Slovakia
German car maker Porsche will open a €14m development center for automated lines for the automotive sector in Horná Streda (near Piešťany) next year. The center will create 40 jobs in the first phase. For over 20 years Porsche has had a plant in Dubnica nad Váhom, currently employing 175. It makes pressing tools for car body production.


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Apple today formally announced its launch plans for its new TV streaming service, Apple TV+, which will be available starting on November 1st, 2019 t and will cost just $4.99 per month for the whole family. The service will be available across Apple’s platforms in over 100 countries through the Apple TV app.
As an unexpected surprise, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that when buy an Apple device — including an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV — you’ll get a year of Apple TV+ for free.
According to Cook, only some of the shows will be available at launch. Others will be added every month.
A higher price point of $9.99 per month was previously reported by Bloomberg, which would have made Apple TV+ more expensive than rivals like the $6.99 per month Disney+, $5.99 per month Hulu (with ads), or the $8.99 per month single screen Netflix plan. It is, however, less expensive than Netflix’s $12.99 per month standard plan.
The $4.99 per month price undercuts all. And bundling a free year with new Apple hardware should boost sales as well.
Apple’s entry into the TV streaming market has been public for some time thanks to leaks and reports from Hollywood media news sites and announcements of programs from Apple itself. The company then officially introduced Apple TV+ this March at a special event focused on the company’s services and subscriptions.
The event brought out a cavalcade of stars to discuss their involvement in the new streaming platform, including Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Reese Witherspoon, Jason Momoa, Alfre Woodard, Kumail Nanjiani, J.J. Abrams, Sara Bareilles, and even Big Bird.
Some of the more anticipated shows arriving include a morning show drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston; a Witherspoon-backed comedy based on Curtis Sittenfeld’s “You Think It, I’ll Say It;” a thriller called “Truth Be Told” starring Octavia Spencer; a revival of “Amazing Stories” exec-produced by Steven Spielberg; a new space drama “For All Mankind” from “Battlestar Galactica’s” creator Ronald D. Moore; a show from “La La Land” director Damien Chazelle; an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation;” original shows produced by Oprah Winfrey; a psychological thriller “Servant” produced by M. Night Shyamalan; an animated series called “Central Park” from “Bob’s Burgers” creator, and many others.
(Here’s a full list.)
Despite the numerous high-profile names attached, Apple’s service isn’t really a Netflix alternative. There’s not a big back catalog of licensed TV shows and movies, as you’d find elsewhere. Instead, the focus is on original content. If you want more, Apple TV Channels offers paid subscriptions to other premium services.
As Apple SVP Eddy Cue told attendees at SXSW 2018: “we’re not after quantity, we’re after quality.”
Services, like Apple Music, iCloud and AppleCare, have been a bigger focus for Apple in recent years, and may even become its most profitable sector, according to reports. As of its third-quarter earnings, Apple reported its services revenues, which include App Store fees, subscriptions, and other online services, had grown to $11.456 billion. At the same time, the iPhone made up less than half of Apple’s business.
The slowing iPhone sales have to do with the quality of the devices — even older models are still very good, and the improvements in new versions are not enough to prompt as frequent upgrades. To diversify, Apple has been focused on growing services revenues with launches like Apple News+, Apple Arcade, and now Apple TV+.
Apple is also clearly willing to spend in order to grow its media business further.
Last year, Apple had said it would spend around a billion dollars acquiring ten shows for the streaming TV service. But it later signed deals with Oprah, Steven Spielberg, and Sesame Workshop, which likely pushed that number much higher. A newer report from the Financial Times in August claimed the figure was now around $6 billion instead.
What we don’t yet know is how well Apple’s investment will attract new subscribers in a market where there’s an increasing number of services offering premium, award-winning on-demand content, including Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and soon, Disney+.
The few trailers Apple has released so far have been fairly iffy — the first one of “The Morning Show” almost felt like a parody, while the latest, “Dickinson” seems to have turned the celebrated poet Emily Dickinson into a CW-style feminist punk rock hero.
Apple said the trailers had been watched over 100 million times.
At the event, it unveiled the trailer for the post-apocalyptic drama starring Jason Momoa, “See,” which is Apple TV+’s take on Netflix’s “Bird Box,” apparently. It takes place in a world where all have gone blind.
As media critics finally get their hands on the shows for reviews, we’ll know more about whether Apple TV+ is worth the price.


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The RBA’s decision to lift the cash rate to 0.35% reflects the interrelated challenges of rising inflation, supply chain bottlenecks, and acute labour shortages faced by businesses across the country.
In a speech delivered hours after announcing the rate hike, RBA Governor Philip Lowe said there was now stronger upward pressure on labour costs and that this was likely to continue.
“We expect to see this in the ABS data in the period ahead. In a tight labour market, some firms are paying higher wages to attract and retain staff. This is especially so given that inflation is high and workers are experiencing cost of living pressures,” he said.
“There is still considerable inertia in the wages system from multi-year enterprise agreements and current public sector wages policies, but the direction of change is now clear.”
ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar said the RBA’s decision to raise the cash rate for the first time in more than a decade was not only indicative of the building inflationary pressures on the cost of living but also a reminder that the cost of doing business was also increasing.
“The Reserve Bank is independent of the government and must make economic decisions as it sees them. With interest rates at extraordinarily low levels for the past few years, it was expected that the RBA would begin the process of tightening monetary policy,” Mr McKellar said.
“Having survived the pandemic, small business owners are now confronted with rising input and labour costs, forcing businesses to raise prices or absorb higher costs within already thin margins.
“Congested supply chains, exacerbated by the conflict in Europe and lockdowns in China, are continuing to drive up the cost of everything from washing machines to microchips, with small businesses bearing the brunt of these disruptions.”


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Facebook Develops New Payment Service
Libra Project might be halted after severe critics from many governments and central banks but Facebook hasn’t abandoned its initiative in the payments sector.
The new team under David Marcus (one of Libra’s founders) is called Facebook Financial and will create Facebook Pay, a payment platform through Facebook. In the previous Facebook’s initiatives regarding the payment sector, there is Libra and a payment network through WhatsApp.
Facebook is one of the most commercial tools used by large and small companies for their promotion. Based on that, Facebook wants to include payments through its platform, looking for a large portion in the market, from its established position in the advertising sector.
Even the new project doesn’t include any cryptocurrency, Facebook’s initiative is expected to affect the payment sector in a dynamic way.


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TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2015 /CNW/ - The Toronto Taxi Alliance (TTA) commends Licensing and Standards Executive Director Tracey Cook for taking action to declare UberX an illegal business in Toronto and hopes to see rigorous enforcement measures launched.
"We hope to see Tracey Cook and Licensing and Standards acting as responsible, effective regulators. Immediate enforcement of Toronto's by laws on UberX must occur," says Sam Moini, spokesperson for the Toronto Taxi Alliance
"Uber's blatant disregard for the laws and standards of the municipalities upon which it descends is nothing short of appalling. Uber does not simply offer unfair competition to existing regulated businesses; Uber mounts a direct assault on the rule of law. The TTA commends Toronto for taking a strong stand on behalf of our democratically elected city government and its right to design and implement by-laws which benefit the entire city, and not just one foreign private sector business.
"In the injunction attempt earlier this year, Uber got through on a loophole because, as Justice Dunphy pointed out, Toronto's definition of a 'taxi' was too weak to capture Uber and UberX. That problem was addressed at the September 30th Council meeting."
Also at the September 30th Council meeting, Councillors declared Uber an illegal business and asked Uber to cease operations until a new by-law which covers all ground transportation services – taxis, limos, and Uber – is prepared and presented. Uber replied by stating it would not cease operations but would continue to offer services deemed illegal in Toronto.
After the September 30th Council meeting, Mayor John Tory told media, "I don't believe it is then an act of good corporate citizenship; in fact I think it's exactly the opposite, for them to turn around and… give us the one-finger salute again."
On October 15th, Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi took the unprecedented step of warning residents in a written statement against driving for Uber: "I strongly suggest that you don't drive for Uber and that you don't use Uber until the insurance and regulatory issues are sorted out. If you drive for Uber, you should be aware that you are breaking the law."
"Toronto's taxi industry is made up of law-abiding business people who comply with all of the City's regulation concerning licensing fees, background checks, commercial insurance, metered rates, accessibility and driver training," Moini points out. "We are not afraid of competition; but we cannot compete against a company that believes it is above the law and acts accordingly."
The TTA looks forward to seeing the proposed new by-law to regulate ground transportation in Toronto, expected early in the new year.
"We'd like to see it before Christmas, frankly," Moini says. "The sooner the better."
SOURCE Toronto Taxi Alliance
For further information: Rita Smith at 647 242 5505 Or [email protected]


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The last time North American consumers were able to purchase one of the Honda brand’s Type R models, was in the late Nineties and it was in the form of the Acura Integra Type R, which despite its limited numbers, became one of the most stolen vehicles of all time in many cities.
Following the tease of a Civic Type R concept at last year’s Geneva show, Honda showed the production version this week at the Swiss show. Adorned with enough boy racer aero bits to gain it cast status in a Fast & Furious flick, the Civic Type R apparently backs up its visual punch with something more mechanical. Residing under the hood is a 2.0-liter VTEC turbo four that is said to churn out a whopping 306 ponies and 295 pound-feet of torque. That grunt makes its way to the front wheels only, via a six speed manual gearbox.
In May, 2014, Honda sent a hired gun out in a pre-production mule on the famed Nurburgring, where the coupe’s 270+ lm/h top speed helped it bash out a lap time of just 7:50.63. The car was said to be in stock tune, but had been relieved of some standard equipment like the passenger seat, to make way for the added weight of a roll cage. Smart folks those Honda people.
The existing FWD record of 7:54 was held by a Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy-R.
While the new car is due in showrooms later this year, it sounds like it will not be available in North American showrooms. What a pity.


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Netflix Inc. has named Bozoma Saint John as its new chief marketing officer, making her the first Black woman to join the online TV giant’s group of top executives.
Saint John joins Netflix from entertainment and sports company Endeavor, and has previously worked at Apple Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. She will report to Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer.
Saint John is one of the highest-profile marketing executives in the industry, and is now the senior-most Black executive at Netflix. While the streaming company has pledged money to Black-owned banks, it has also acknowledged it must do more to improve diversity and inclusion inside its own walls. The company’s workforce remains just 7% Black, and most of its senior leadership is White.
Saint John, 43, replaces the one other person of color in senior leadership, Jackie Lee-Joe, who is an Australian of Asian descent. She will be the third marketing chief in less than 18 months. The executives in that position at Netflix have been caught between competing ideas of how best to promote shows on the streaming service.
In the early days of Netflix, the company relied almost exclusively on its algorithm to deliver popular shows to viewers based on their past habits. But the company recently has turned more to traditional advertising, via social media, billboards, TV spots and experiences.


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Well, the dress has been found ... to be a fake!
The thief who took the gown says he took the dress from Lupita's room at The London after finding the door ajar.
[Image via WENN.]
Over the weekend, Lady GaGa made an appearance at the "We Are Plastic Ono Band" concert in El Lay.
While belting out the tunes with Yoko Ono, Gagita wowed the crowd in her black Somarta Protean Second Skin catsuit and patent leather lace-up boots.
If her outfit looks familiar, it's because she wore the same ensemble in her Vanity Fair spread.
[Image via Getty Images.]


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Mumbai:The nearly three-month lockdown in India due to this epidemic has significantly affected people's functioning due to COVID-19 Pandemic. This resulted in thousands of pink slips handed over to employees. The film industry has not been untouched by it, in fact, tinsel town is one of the most affected buisness after tourism.
All single-screen theaters and multiplexes have been closed for the past several months. Due to which many films were not released on the big screen. Although some films are being released online. Meanwhile, a tweet by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has raised the tension of the directors.
Shekhar Kapur tweeted, Theatres are not going to open for at least a year. So all hype around first week business of 100+ crores is dead. So the theatrical Star System is dead. Stars will have to go to the existing OTT platforms or stream films themselves through their own apps. Technology is quite simple
It is to be noted that due to lockdown film-makers have started giving the rights to enable an OTT release of their film. Recently, Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana starrer film 'Gulabo-Sitabo' was released on Amazon Prime Video. Few much-awaited movies are Akshay Kumar's Lakshmi Bomb, Vidya Balan's Shakuntala Devi, Ajay Devgn's Bhuj: The Pride of Nation, Sushant Singh Rajput's last film 'Dil Bechara' will soon be released on OTT platform.


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Year of EverQuest Continues To Look Ahead
Sony Online Entertainment is continuing on with its “Year of EverQuest” theme this month as it celebrates the 15th Anniversary of EverQuest on March 16 and reveals new content across the EQ franchise.
A newly released video today highlights the upcoming content for all three EverQuest games, including EverQuest, with anniversary events, the introduction of Heroic Characters on March 12, and two new race/class combinations; EverQuest II, with Prestige Homes, the new Heroic Character “channeler class,” new Heritage quests, and a new mount; and EverQuest Next Landmark, which will add cooperative building, two new biomes, and add-on claims in Alpha.
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DUBLIN, IRELAND & SHOREWOOD, WISCONSIN - IdeaWorksCompany, the foremost consultant on ancillary revenue, and CarTrawler, the leading provider of online car rental distribution systems, project airline ancillary revenue will drop to $58.2 billion worldwide in 2020, compared to $109.5 billion in 2019. The CarTrawler Worldwide Estimate of Ancillary Revenue represents a 47% decrease, dropping slightly below the $59.2 billion amount for 2015.
Earlier this year, CarTrawler and IdeaWorksCompany reported the ancillary revenue disclosed by 81 airlines for 2019. These statistics were applied to a larger list of 134 airlines to provide a truly global projection of ancillary revenue activity by the world’s airlines for 2020. This marks the eleventh year IdeaWorksCompany has prepared a projection of ancillary revenue activity.
Ancillary revenue is generated by activities and services that yield cashflow for airlines beyond the simple transportation of customers from A to B. This wide range of activities includes commissions gained from hotel bookings, the sale of frequent flyer miles to partners, and the provision of a la carte services ? providing more options for consumers and more revenue for airlines
“Covid-19’s impact on the travel industry cannot be understated, but ancillary revenue has been a much-needed silver lining during an unprecedented year,” said Aileen McCormack, Chief Commercial Officer at CarTrawler. “Even though the average fare has dropped
steadily over the past decade, we have seen significant growth in ancillary revenue per passenger – a figure that has grown by over 200% since 2010 and whose trajectory has been unaffected by the pandemic. This shows that airline customers’ appreciation of a true end-to-end travel experience is here to stay, and gives us a solid foundation on which we can recover and thrive again in 2021 and beyond.”
The continued power of ancillary revenue, even during unprecedented airline industry upheaval, becomes obvious when viewing the graph below. The average fare presented by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows a declining trend with a significant drop projected for 2020. Ancillary revenue stands contrary to this trend with annual increases, to include the most challenging of aviation periods – the pandemic of 2020. In 2010, ancillary revenue per passenger was estimated to be $8.42; for 2019 this increased to $23.91, and the 2020 projection is $25.90.
There is plenty of evidence to indicate the level of 2019 customer support for a la carte purchases will continue through 2020. For example, AirAsia and Wizz Air made specific disclosures in 2nd quarter 2020 financial filings that describe positive recent ancillary revenue activity. AirAsia observed the following for operations in Malaysia and Thailand regarding higher take rates (percent of passengers buying) for the April – June 2020 period:
- Tune Protect (trip insurance): Take rate of 14%, up 88% from pre-pandemic.
- Baggage: Take rate of 47%, up 72% from pre-pandemic.
- Santan Pre-Order Meals: 43% higher revenue per passenger.
- Assigned Seating: Take rate of 26%, up 15% from pre-pandemic.
Jozsef Varadi, the CEO of Wizz Air, disclosed the company originally planned for ancillary revenue (on a per passenger basis) to have an overall increase of 0.50 to 1 euro for 2020. As of 03 June 2020, he did not anticipate the pandemic would affect this. The airline said it was not discounting ancillary revenue to boost demand.
Second quarter 2020 financial disclosures collected from 17 airlines revealed the ancillary revenue average among the carriers was 21.7% for the first quarter of 2019 and 22.1% for 2020. In addition, feedback from airline executives all over the world indicates consumer buying behavior related to a la carte services is comparable to 2019. Baggage and seating will remain the major categories. The following are a sample of the comments received:
- Baggage revenue is up, because passengers have more bags due to increased family travel, more days away, and relocations.
- Seat location has become an important feature, as passengers want to be in the front of the cabin for a quicker and smoother exit upon arrival.
- Extra leg room seating, which provides more personal space, is more popular with consumers.
- Buy-on-board is determined by airport options. Where airports have limited food availability due to retail closures, onboard cafe sales are higher.
- Onboard sales are depressed if hot food preparation is discontinued, or menu selection is limited, during the pandemic as a measure to limit staff exposure.
- Airport lounges are less attractive due to limited food offerings.
Low cost carriers and “ancillary revenue champs” are important generators of ancillary revenue. But as a single category, these airlines are behind traditional airlines in total ancillary revenue. Traditional airlines represent the largest category of passenger traffic and revenue and have treated ancillary revenue as a crucial source of support for many years. The below table displays ancillary revenue by carrier type as well as the split between a la carte activity and frequent flyer & commission based sources.
Emirates is one example of an airline in the traditional category which now emphasizes ancillary revenue. The carrier made a giant first-time ancillary revenue disclosure of more than $844 million, but did not specify what it was. In addition, other items were identified such as excess baggage charges and revenue from their holiday package company. For prior years, the only disclosure found was excess baggage. Clearly, Emirates has embraced ancillary revenue as an essential activity. It’s a trend supported by traditional airlines, which has helped lift global ancillary revenue results every year.
IATA estimates global airline revenue will drop 50.4% for 2020. IdeaWorksCompany predicts ancillary revenue will drop nearly 47% for the same period. The difference between the two numbers might seem small... but when it involves billions of dollars, the better performance of ancillary revenue can save jobs and routes and provide some cushion for the hard landing the industry is experiencing. Where ancillary revenue once provided padding for better profit, it now operates as a reliable cushion to help protect airlines from the violent weather of the pandemic.


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T-Mobile USA Scores AWS Spectrum, UMTS Roaming from AT&T
T-Mobile USA parent company Deutsche Telekom has revealed the terms of the break-up fee owed to Deutsche Telekom now that it and AT&T have agreed to cease pursuing AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA. AT&T has to pay Deutsche Telekom $3 billion in cash, which it will do by the end of the year. T-Mobile USA will be awarded with a large package of AWS mobile spectrum in 128 markets, including 12 of the top 20 markets in the U.S. (Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, Denver, Baltimore and Seattle). In addition to the spectrum, AT&T has agreed to sign a seven-year UMTS roaming agreement that gives T-Mobile USA a coverage boost from 230 million POPs to 280 million POPs. The roaming agreement gives T-Mobile a significantly larger service footprint for UMTS-based voice and data. Timing for the transfer of the AWS spectrum licenses wasn't disclosed.
Asus Brings ZenFone 4 Lineup to U.S.
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Blu Vivo 8L Takes Aim At Selfie Fans
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LG Q6 to Come to U.S. as Amazon Prime Exclusive
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Unlocked Blu S1 Compatible with Most U.S. Carriers
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Pretty awesome for T-Mobile.
if they weren't quiet and the merger failed, they couldn've lost the breakup fees
Looks like the HSPA+ 1900 band will be put on their upcoming 3G phones
Then again all is speculation.


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ValuEngine lowered shares of CarMax Inc (NYSE:KMX) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Saturday, July 22nd.
Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc. reissued a buy rating on shares of CarMax in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. CIBC reissued a buy rating on shares of CarMax in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Deutsche Bank AG dropped their target price on shares of CarMax from $73.00 to $72.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Susquehanna Bancshares Inc set a $70.00 target price on shares of CarMax and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, April 7th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group set a $75.00 target price on shares of CarMax and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, April 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. CarMax presently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $69.00.
Shares of CarMax (NYSE:KMX) traded up 0.77% during midday trading on Friday, reaching $64.42. 944,395 shares of the company traded hands. CarMax has a 12 month low of $47.50 and a 12 month high of $69.11. The company has a 50 day moving average of $64.65 and a 200 day moving average of $62.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.50 and a beta of 1.34.
CarMax (NYSE:KMX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, June 21st. The company reported $1.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $4.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.46 billion. CarMax had a net margin of 4.07% and a return on equity of 21.72%. The firm’s revenue was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.90 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that CarMax will post $3.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
In other CarMax news, Director Thomas J. Folliard sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.41, for a total transaction of $3,070,500.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 509,166 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $31,267,884.06. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Thomas W. Reedy, Jr. sold 8,583 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.87, for a total transaction of $573,945.21. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 70,522 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,715,806.14. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 188,515 shares of company stock worth $12,085,019. 1.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Korea Investment CORP raised its position in CarMax by 140.5% in the second quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 1,768 shares of the company’s stock valued at $111,000 after buying an additional 1,033 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue acquired a new position in CarMax during the second quarter valued at $112,000. First Bank & Trust raised its position in CarMax by 7.1% in the first quarter. First Bank & Trust now owns 2,077 shares of the company’s stock valued at $123,000 after buying an additional 138 shares during the period. Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. raised its position in CarMax by 2.4% in the first quarter. Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. now owns 2,095 shares of the company’s stock valued at $124,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the period. Finally, Seven Eight Capital LP acquired a new position in CarMax during the second quarter valued at $133,000.
CarMax Company Profile
CarMax, Inc (CarMax) is a holding company. The Company is a retailer of used vehicles. The Company operates through two segments: CarMax Sales Operations and CarMax Auto Finance (CAF). The Company’s CarMax Sales Operations segment consists of all aspects of its auto merchandising and service operations, excluding financing provided by CAF.
To view ValuEngine’s full report, visit ValuEngine’s official website.
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Dell Revisited: Significant Upside Over Next Two-To-Three Years
Shares of Dell (DELL) have caught a strong bid over the last month, up 10% since news broke of Goldman Sachs' buy recommendation and subsequent price target of $13. GS initially rated Dell as a sell.
I generally don't place much emphasis on analyst actions, but the event was significant as it appeared to finally get some investors interested in the stock after a dismal 2012 in which the shares fell nearly 30%.
When I recommended Dell's shares as recently as October 1st, I emphasized Dell's apparent valuation and growth estimates as a PC maker, rather than the enterprise solutions firm it's in the process of becoming. Trading at a 6.4 times Enterprise Value/Net Income ratio, it's clear the market is still not buying Dell's ability to successfully make a major business transition, or investors are still not aware of that the relevance of the firm's PC operations in the context of the bottom line is on the decline.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE...


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Major renovations and an effort to revamp its tenant base during the past couple of years has made Mississauga’s Square One just the second shopping centre in Canada to surpass $1 billion in annual retail sales.
Nearby Yorkdale was the first Canadian shopping centre to break through the plateau, in 2013.
“This incredible sales milestone echoes our mission to create a connected and thriving city centre that inspires our community, maximizes the infinite opportunities of our city and resonates beyond our boundaries,” Greg Taylor, Square One’s director and general manager, said in a release. “With unprecedented redevelopment, along with the arrival of highly coveted brands to Square One, we will continue to be a passionate and genuine partner in creating and driving positive growth and development in Mississauga’s downtown core.
“This milestone heralds a new era for Square One as a world-class destination for fashion, lifestyle and entertainment.”
The May-to-May sales growth follows on the heels of an equally strong 2015, when Square One achieved 10 per cent year-over-year retail sales growth.
Many new retailers
Its owners attribute the success to several factors, including the opening of the new 130,000-square-foot Holt Renfrew, and a number of luxury and higher-end retailers such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Rolex at Raffi Jewellers and Ontario’s first La Maison Simons.
During the past 12 months, Square One introduced more than 30 new retailers, including German premium fashion brand Marc Cain, the first freestanding Urban Decay store in Canada, Japanese lifestyle brand MUJI, Fascination Porsche popup and high-end shoe retailer Stuart Weitzman.
AIMCo and Oxford told RENX they had spent more than $480 million from 2013-2015 redeveloping the complex. Oxford also manages the shopping centre, which is designated as a tourist centre by the City of Mississauga and attracts more than 24 million visitors annually.
In 2015, Taylor set a goal of $1,050 per square foot in sales once all of Square One’s new retailers had opened. After hitting $975 a foot that year, sales have now reached $1,056 per square foot, the company says, placing it among Canada’s Top 10 most productive shopping centres.
Oxford Properties Group manages more than $40 billion of real estate assets on behalf of its co-owners and investment partners, with a global portfolio spanning over 60 million square feet. It has offices across Canada and in London, Luxembourg, Boston, Washington and New York. Oxford is the global real estate arm of OMERS, the pension plan for Ontario’s municipal employees.
AIMCo is one of Canada’s largest and most diversified institutional investment managers with approximately $90 billion of assets under management. It operates at arms-length from the Government of Alberta and invests globally on behalf of 26 pension, endowment and government funds in the Province of Alberta.


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After months of rumors surrounding a potential mid-range OnePlus phone, a reliable listing confirms that the device exists and will be launching very soon. Dubbed as OnePlus Z, Geekbench revealed the AC2003 model number as a phone that sports Snapdragon 765G. The device got respectable single-core and multi-core scores of 612 and 1955 respectively. What’s more, is the size of RAM which is 12GB. We usually see 8GB to be the sweetest spot for a mid-range device, but to have more than that may indicate several models.
Other than the chipset and RAM capacity, there’s only the Android 10 version. While the specs regarding the cameras and batteries remain in the dark, previous high-quality renders have surfaced before. For the selfie camera, the pinhole cutout houses the selfie camera, like the Galaxy Note 10. At the back of the device is a triple-camera setup which could use a 48MP main sensor. As for the display, expect 90Hz AMOLED.


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FCM Meetings & Events (M&E) is going global, with seasoned travel industry executive Simone Seiler at the helm. The flagship division of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) is expanding its footprint internationally at a time when the MICE sector is seeing a strong rebound.
With two decades of experience under her belt, Seiler will bring her global perspective and local knowledge to dozens of countries and partner networks, supporting in-market business leaders.
“We believe the meetings, events, and event travel markets are ripe for disruption worldwide. With this investment, we’re well-positioned to capitalise on the growing demand for high-quality and personalised event experiences that has seen an exponential bounceback,” Seiler, who has been with the company since 2020, enthused.
Globally, the MICE market size is projected to be worth US$1,563.3 billion in the next seven years, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% from 2022 to 2030, according to new research from FCM M&E.
“It’s clear the demand for in-person connection continues to increase, with recent data showing conferences and events being one of the top two reasons for travel among both SME owners and decision-makers. The passion and engagement we’re seeing is very encouraging, and this is something that has and continues to be felt globally,” she added.
FCM Global Managing Director Marcus Eklund welcomed the appointment of Seiler, who he said “has been part of the very fabric of our M&E business for many years”.
He added that the company’s events arm “has been firing in the last 18 months and the scope for growth is outstanding. With our superior technology and decades of industry experience within our teams, we couldn’t be in a better position to capitalise on industries that are desperate to be back to face-to-face”.
Going forward, M&E will prioritise the development of innovative technology solutions and will invest in extra talent across three core areas, which include providing full event management services (planning, strategies, execution, and delivery), meeting services (venue sourcing, managed meetings, basic planning, and onsite support), and group travel (from flights and hotels, through to transfers and team building).


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International brand, Apple products usage is increasing tremendously now-a-days. Mainly in India many people are fascinated to Apple products and going crazy in using them as they are best for its features. According to 2015 updates Apple crossed over 1.7 billion dollar mark in one year specially in India. Apple released iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus launched in September, 2015. This is great news to Apple users as it announced about its upcoming iPhone 7. There are some issues products like security problems as it will not accept all kind of soft wares. To solve this problem Apple recently collaborated with IBM and planned to overcome this issue in iPhone 7. March 15, 2016 was confirmed as release date of iPhone 7 and its price was not yet decided. Along with this recently Apple announced that is going to lunch both Online and Offline Retail stores in India in collaboration with Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
When compared to its old Apple devices iPhone 7 was designed with most updated technologies. One more important issue is its old charging technology and this charging technology is new in iPhone7. Most of reputed mobile devices are coming with most updated technologies like wireless charging. Apple is also planning to change their charging technology in iPhone 7. Apple is showing more interest expanding their company in India and for the first time Apple started media publicity as they found that the sales are increasing more than double than before. Apple is working hard to overcome its technical issues and trying to stand top in world’s market with its new iPhone 7. Actually this was planned earlier but got postponed due to some technical issues. After collaborating with IBM, Apple is expecting more results and more success than before.


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Flipboard, which originally launched as a mobile application that let users turn their social media feeds and favourite websites into a personal digital magazine, is now helping people share those magazines.
The updated iPhone and iPad app enables readers to save news stories, videos and photos in a personal magazine that can then be shared with other people. There’s also a new search feature available.
In a blog post, Flipboard CEO Mike McCue said “Our readers are already creating some amazing magazines which you can see in your Content Guide. Just tap the red ribbon and look under ‘By Our Readers’ for featured magazines about things like interior decorating, travel, exotic cars and world-changing ideas. You can also now search for magazines, articles, photos and videos about topics you’re interested in, flip through the results, and even subscribe to your search to keep it as an active tile on your Flipboard.”


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The UK competition watchdog is investigating tech giant Amazon’s planned takeover of robot vacuum maker iRobot Corp.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has started reviewing whether the deal could lead to “a substantial lessening of competition”.
It has opened an “invitation to comment” for interested parties to provide information which could be used for a formal investigation.
Amazon agreed the 1.7 billion dollar (£1.37 billion) acquisition of iRobot, which makes Roomba vacuum cleaners, in August.
It was the latest move by Amazon to grow its operation for smart home appliances despite broad concerns over the firm’s market power.
“The CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services,” the regulator said.
“To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.”
Amazon said it is “working co-operatively with the relevant regulators in their review of the merger”.
Massachusetts-based iRobot said it “continues to work co-operatively with both the US FTC and other regulatory agencies in their review of the Amazon-iRobot merger”.


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Dell could soon use Google’s new group video chat platform Google Plus Hangouts as an alternative to the traditional customer service call, according to the company’s chairman and CEO, Michael Dell.
Hangouts has been hailed as the next big killer app, and Michael Dell is obviously a fan as well. He’s used the video chat more than a dozen times since he joined Google Plus in early July, and this Sunday, he posted the following question on Google Plus:
“I am thinking about hangouts for business. Would you like to be able to connect with your Dell service and sale teams via video directly from Dell.com?”
The reaction to his post was overwhelmingly positive, with hundreds of comments agreeing that this would be a good idea for Dell. And the idea is indeed intriguing: Some customer service needs are very similar, so having a service representative talk to a small group of customers at the same time could be more economical than the traditional one-on-one call. Using video could also humanize tech support, and group settings could even initiate self-help between customers.
One should note that Dell’s idea of launching a Hangouts session directly from Dell.com isn’t currently possible; Google Plus is still invite-only, and Hangouts can only be started or joined from within the network. Google also hasn’t opened its social network for businesses yet, but the company is currently evaluating how to integrate brands and businesses into Google Plus.
Customer service has been one of the applications that has made Twitter attractive to companies like Comcast. Having the ability to directly talk to customers via group video chat could be the next step for many of these companies as they look for ways to take customer service beyond the traditional call-center script.
Original Article by: Janko Roettgers


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GD Propack Co., Ltd., has decades of experience in injection molding services, as well as labeling and IML, according to Teerasate Charoenpoonsiri, General Manager.
- International Pharmaceutical News for China 2019-6
- In a strategic editorial partnership with Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Contract Pharma of US and a team of authoritative editorial advisors in China, International Pharmaceutical News for China has been the leading media for China pharmaceutical industry for the past 8 years. Providing an interactive platform for decision makers in pharmaceutical formulation, processing and packaging industries, International Pharmaceutical News for China is not only able to provide in-depth coverage ranging from pharmaceutical ingredients to drug delivery systems, processing technology, quality control, automation as well as packaging, but also presents its comprehensive content through multimedia. These include e-magazines, fully interactive magazine Apps including video links on iTunes and Google Play, a pharmaceutical website with daily updates and online exclusives, and bi-weekly e-newsletters. With such current, informative and attractive content in both digital and printed forms, International Pharmaceutical News for China offers the most effective communication package
- Medical Manufacturing and Design for China 2019-6
- Medical Manufacturing and Design for China is published 6 times a year in Chinese by Ringier Trade Media, Ltd. The portfolio also includes e-magazines, a medical products website with daily updates and online exclusives, and biweekly e-newsletters. With such current, informative and attractive content in both digital and printed forms, Medical Manufacturing and Design for China offers the latest industry trends and technology innovations, including medical devices, product development and design, materials, production process, electronics, pumps, connectors and regulatory updates.
- Industrial Laser News for China 2019-06
- Industrial Laser News for China print magazine, Mobile Apps and digital e-magazine facilitate technology transfer from around the world by providing readers with the latest information on advanced laser technology and application, showing how industrial lasers can boost product manufacturing. Industrial Laser News for China offers practical solutions for improving productivity, reducing cost, and turning innovations into real competitive advantages.
- Happi China 2019-6
- Ever since its first publication nearly ten years ago, Happi China has become a leading publication in China's household and personal care industry, providing an effective and comprehensive platform for the decision makers of outsourcing, R&D and marketing in this prosperous industry. So, what set us apart and make our readers choose Happi China over others? Informative content, the attractive ways it is accessed, and as a result, higher level of reader engagement and satisfaction. Happi China, in a strategic editorial partnership with HAPPI and Beauty Packaging of US and a team of authoritative editorial advisors in China, provides in-depth coverage ranging from latest R&D to market trends on formulating, testing and processing as well as packaging and contract manufacturing. Furthermore, such comprehensive content is now presented through interactive multimedia, on a bilingual vertical website with daily updates and online exclusives, biweekly e-newsletters, and e-magazines, which also can be easily accessed as Apps on iTunes and Google Play. In an effort to m
- International Metalworking News for China 2019-6
- In a strategic editorial partnership with Germany's Werkstatt und Betrieb and a team of authoritative editorial advisors in China, International Metalworking News for China has been the leading trade media for China metalworking industry for over a decade - and remains committed to informing our readers of transformative solutions and technologies. International Metalworking News for China provides an interactive multimedia platform for our readers - the decision makers who include project engineers, research managers, purchasing managers and marketing managers from the Aerospace, Aviation, Rail Transportation, Medical, Automobile, Energy, Mould Die, Military, Electronics and Shipbuilding industries. The magazine provides in-depth coverage ranging from latest Research and Development, emerging market trends, updates on metal cutting and metal forming processes, the latest in machinery and use of materials, all in an interactive multimedia format for readers on the go. The magazine's multimedia format includes an interactive digital e-magazine containing many links
- International Plastics News for Asia - June 2019-6
- There is no denying that CHINAPLAS has got what it takes to be the world’s biggest exhibition for the plastics industry. Each year, this exhibition grows in size and scale, not to mention in terms of identifying the trends – both present and future – in this dynamic industry. I’m sure many visitors were not disappointed with this visit as each year, many changes take place in this event. This issue carries a Special Supplement of another major exhibition in Asia – InterPlas Thailand. Part of the bigger Manufacturing Expo, this annual plastics trade show has been bringing Southeast Asian manufacturers closer to seeing the latest technologies and performance materials that could benefit their production operations. Vietnam has a fast-growing food and beverage industry, and opportunities are enormous for those providing packaging-related machinery, materials and products. Ringier Events launched its first summit on food and beverage packaging in Vietnam, which was a success.
- China Industrial Reporter 2019-6
- China Industrial Reporter print magazines and digital e-magazines have helped the region's manufacturing and processing industries upgrade production facilities by providing the latest industrial products, technologies and services, and complete supplier contact details since 1999. Industrysourcing.com provides industrial professionals with the latest technology and market trends in the manufacturing industry. These include e-magazines, an industrial equipment website with daily updates and online exclusives, and biweekly e-newsletters as well as interactive apps on iTunes and Google Play with video links. With such current, informative and attractive content in both digital and printed formats, China Industrial Reporter offers the most effective communication package for suppliers of industrial equipment, components, material handling, and plant maintenance in Greater China.
- Automotive Manufacturing & Design for China 2019-6
- Ringier's Automotive Manufacturing & Design for China, in an editorial partnership with Germany's Automotive Electronics & Systems by Hanser, Auto Monitor in India, and a team of authoritative editorial advisors in China, has been serving China's automotive industry for more than seven years. As the leading media in China, the magazine is not only the definitive source for information on processing technologies, manufacturing solutions, material innovations, electronic systems and design concepts for both manufacturers and design houses in the automotive industry, but also provides comprehensive content through its multimedia products. These include a vertical site dedicated to the automotive industry, e-magazines, bi-weekly e-newsletters and mobile apps for both iPad/iPhone and Android devices. With such an interactive platform and high-quality content, Automotive Manufacturing & Design for China offers the most effective communication package for the machinery, materials, software and electronics suppliers to the OEMs and tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers in the auto
At the EuroBLECH 2018 exhibition, Bystronic is presenting the networked world of sheet metal processing.?
Flavouring technologies that use nutritionally-balanced ingredients are best for reformulating meat recipes, writes DIMITRIOS TZOUVELEKIS*.
Many canned foods have seen their share of reformulations, but they can’t quite shake off the “unhealthy” label.


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When it comes to lighting a hotel room what light levels are required? Ganesh Prasad, head of Technical at Chelsom, investigates in our latest Q&A of the Day.
The French government has moved to outlaw Wi-Fi in nurseries, schools and childcare centres that cater for children under six. The move is offering inspiration to the creators of Li-Fi, a system that uses light to provide internet access.
Gordon Routledge ruefully remembers the night in a Philadelphia hotel room when the reality of the Internet of Things hit him.
Emergency lighting fails in San Francisco rail black-out. PLUS: Belgian lettuce growers use LED to boost production. AND: LED strips aim to improve pedestrian safety in Singapore. Lux Today May 23 2017.
New York City is spending millions of dollars on replacing elderly fluorescent lighting with energy efficient LED in the Staten Island Ferry's termini. However the move, which is part of massive city-wide cost cutting scheme, will take years to pay back.
For most of us, the more the world shifts, the more we wish that things could stay the same. But when it comes to technology that yearning for what we’ve always known can sometimes get in the way of innovation when a real game-changing opportunity comes along. Let’s take a look at the fire-rated downlight and consider how we’ve always dealt with that thorny problem.
Alan Tulla, Lux's technical editor, casts his expert eye over the latest emergency light fittings on the market.
In advance of our upcoming Emergency Lighting Conference, Lux's applications editor, John Bullock, tackles the biggest emergency lighting question of all.
Does the exposed top deck of car park need emergency lighting? The Lux team tackle out latest Q&A of the day conundrum.
The launch of a new catalogue is always a time for celebration. After all, it’s a statement of intent by the manufacturer that they are promising a wealth of new product and we’re all invited to join in the fun.
It is increasingly well known that growing crops under LED light can speed up crop production and change, and even improve, the taste and make-up of a plant. But today, as lighting technology impoves, fewer LED lights are required to create the needed light levels, meaning the technology, for the first time, is becoming an increasingly affordable option for farmers.


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Dubai: A Seven-year-old YouTuber, Ryan of Ryan ToysReview, is Forbes' Top-Earning Vlogger of the Year. According to Forbes, the boy made a revenue of over $22 million in 2018 with his videos on YouTube.
The youngster, known for his toy unboxing and reviews, beat out Jake Paul, younger brother of the controversial Logan Paul, since dropping his own line of toys that allows fans to unbox a surprise toy at home.
"Ryan's just like every other 7-year-old: He loves Legos, trains, cars - and his 17 million followers. His latest mini-mogul move: a line of collectibles and more, now selling at Walmart," the Forbes said in the announcement.
Videos are posted most days and one promoting a blue giant mystery egg bearing Ryan's face has had more than a million views since Sunday.
The estimate by the Forbes found that Ryan pipped Jake Paul by $500,000 for the 12 months to June. However, Jake Paul still managed to have a good year, earning a career-best $21.5 million, capturing the #2 spot by beating out DudePerfect by $1.5 million.
Ryan's earnings, which do not include tax or fees charged by agents or lawyers, have doubled compared with the previous year. He was placed 8th Top Earner last year.
Since the channel was set up by Ryan's parents in March 2015, its videos have had almost 26 billion views and amassed 17.3 million followers.
Asked by NBC why kids liked watching his videos, Ryan - who is now eight - replied: "Because I'm entertaining and I'm funny."
Forbes said all but $1m of the $22m total is generated by advertising shown before videos, with the remainder coming from sponsored posts.
"Ryan is part of the YouTube trend of unboxing, in which content creators film themselves opening up toys, tech products and other consumer goods, explaining different features and, in Ryan's case, screaming and giggling with enthusiastic delight as he does so,' the Forbes said.
The amount generated by sponsored posts is small compared with other top YouTubers, Forbes writes. It is "the result not only of how few deals Ryan (or his family) chooses to accept, but also the fact that his pint-sized demographic isn't exactly all that flush".
The toys featured in one of the channel's videos can sell out instantly.
In August, Walmart began selling an exclusive range of toys and clothing called Ryan's World, and a video showing Ryan and his parents searching for his own toys at a Walmart store has had 14 million views in three months.
The revenues from the Walmart deal are set to substantially increase Ryan's total earnings next year.
As he is still a child, 15% of Ryan's earnings are put into a bank account that he can only access when he becomes a legal adult.
Ryan's twin sisters haven't been left out of the fun either: they feature in some videos on a related YouTube channel called Ryan's Family Review.
A video titled "Top 10 Science Experiments you can do at home for kids" starring the three children has had more than 26 million views.
Others in the list
DanTDM was 2017's top earner, but dropped fourth place with 2018 earnings of $18.5 million. Meanwhile, makeup guru Jeffree Star slid into fifth place with total earnings of $18 million for the year.
Markiplier beat out Canadian gamer Evan Fong, of Vanoss Gaming, by a half-million, earning $17.5 million and $17 million, respectively.
Jackscepticeye hits in at #8 at $16 million, while two disgraced stars take up the last two spots: PewDiePie, in ninth place with $15.5 million in annual earnings; and Logan Paul in 10th place with $14.5 million.
All earnings estimates are calculated from June 1, 2017 through June 1, 2018.


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AUSDBF and Team Elite are delighted to announce the renewal of Team Elite’s ongoing sponsorship of the Australian Dragon Boat Federation. Team Elite have been supporting AUSDBF since 2014 and now their sponsorship is one of AUSDBF’s major commercial revenues.
We are delighted to continue our relationship with AUSDBF – we enjoy the sport, the participants and what we can create in terms of Dragon Boat garments and event merchandise. This year’s championships should be an outstanding event, celebrating 25 years, and we hope we have created a merchandise range to match the profile of the event. We’re also glad to have supplied AUSDBF with this year’s anniversary medals and volunteer’s clothing. ~ Gareth Sykes, Director of Team Elite.
Team Elite are also sponsors of DBNSW, DBQLD, NZDBA and will be sponsors of Aix Les Bains 2020 Club Crew World Championships in France, where they will also be operating the merchandise ‘Boatique.’ Team Elite supply many of Australia’s Dragon Boat teams with uniform and merchandise – contact firstname.lastname@example.org for a quote and artwork.


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As a founding member, Voice of the Customer specialist eDigitalResearch is delighted to announce the launch of the Digital Insight Network, the world’s first research association focused purely on digital methodologies.
Monthly Archives: April, 2015
- Fast delivery cited as main benefit of drone deliveries
- Majority of online consumers concerned with the risk of goods being left unattended
- Just 17% confident that drone deliveries will be introduced into this country in the near future
For the past fifteen years, the eRetail Benchmark from eDigitalResearch has been tracking and measuring every innovation and enhancement to the digital customer experience – from the introduction of mobile sites and apps to the growing use of responsive design.
The latest results reveal how continued development to digital touch points is having a positive effect on satisfaction – in the twelve months to January 2015, we saw a three per cent increase in overall multichannel customer satisfaction.
Leaders in the digital customer experience sphere are continually setting the bar higher and higher – but what does the future hold for the future of the digital customer experience?
The latest eRetail Benchmark results from eDigitalResearch shows how continued technical innovation and investment in digital touch points is having a positive effect on the digital customer experience – in the twelve months to January 2015, we saw a three per cent increase in the overall multichannel customer satisfaction.
For the past fifteen years, the eDigitalResearch eRetail Benchmark has been tracking the changing digital customer experience across established and emerging digital channels.
Leaders of the benchmark’s latest results – such as New Look and John Lewis – are averaging top scores we’ve not seen before in the eRetail Benchmark’s fifteen year history and offer up a seamless digital customer experience across all channels.*
But what does the future hold for the digital customer experience?


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Vivo has launched a new budget-friendly Y-series smartphone called Y54s in China. This 5G smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity SoC. The phone also sports a dual-camera setup on the back. The device’s display is surrounded by thin bezels with a waterdrop notch on top for the front camera. However, there's no indication yet on whether Vivo's Y-series smartphone will make its debut in India. Let’s take a look at the Vivo Y54s specifications, price, features, and other details.
Vivo Y54s price and availability:
Vivo Y54s is priced at CNY 1,699 (roughly Rs 19,800). The handset comes in a single 6GB + 128GB storage configuration. It comes in two colors – Titanium Gray and Lake Blue. The handset is already listed on the company website. However, the launch of Vivo Y54s in India is still unknown at the moment. As mentioned above, Vivo has yet to reveal any information on the Vivo Y54s' availability in India.
Vivo Y54s specifications and features:
The phone features a 6.51-inch full-HD+ (1,600×720 pixels) IPS LCD display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and an 89 percent screen-to-body ratio. The smartphone is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. The Vivo Y54s runs on OriginOS 1.0, which is based on Android 11.
Coming to the camera section, the Vivo Y54s has a dual rear camera setup at the back. It consists of a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. For selfies and video chats, the phone carries an 8-megapixel camera at the front.
In terms of battery, the phone is fueled by a decent 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. For biometric authentication, there is also has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and face ID for authentication as well. In terms of connectivity, the smartphone supports Bluetooth v5.1, a 3.5mm audio jack, GPS, a Micro-USB port, OTG, Wi-Fi, and other specifications and features are included.