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Denver – Despite its headaches, travel management pros who use virtual payment say it’s too beneficial to pass up. Speakers here during the Global Business Travel Association convention last month raised, and attempted to answer, the many questions.
Virtual payment is a popular option for travelers without corporate cards. It cuts accounting reconciliation times and protects against fraud. Various controls allow managers to authorize each single-use card’s spending limit, dates and vendors.
Al Mazzola, director of travel services for Sykes Enterprises, said his monthly hotel reconciliation workload used to be three or four days. All charges went on his card, resulting in giant monthly statements. “All I’d see is Holiday Inn Chicago or Marriott somewhere,” he said. “We had no idea who the traveler was.” That meant lots of calls to hotels to get folios. After implementing virtual payment, that task now takes 90 minutes.
“I love the virtual pay system; I would never go backwards,” Mazzola said. “But I certainly feel the pains of it.”
Virtual payment for transient business travel still is pretty new. Reliance on faxes would be comical if it wasn’t so annoying. All the systems in the chain — GDSs, hotel property management systems and others — aren’t yet on the same page. Hotel staff don’t always know how to handle arriving guests paying with virtual cards. Turnover doesn’t help.
“How frustrating is it when you get a phone call from a client or employee standing at front desk of a hotel and they are not allowed to check in?” Mazzola said. “It seems like a lot of responsibility is put back on travel managers.”
Speaking from the audience during another session, Mazzola asked hoteliers, “What’s the hold up? Two major hotel chains have come out with instructions and policies for all their owners and franchisees and we have no problem with acceptance, yet many hotels out there can’t do the same thing.”
Others speaking from the audience said they also love fast reconciliation but dread giving time back talking to hotel desk clerks.
Choice Hotels International developed a virtual payment solution without faxes. At check-in, front desk staffers see the type of payment and instructions. “If we have a transaction failure on a virtual card, nine times out of 10 it’s because that hotel hasn’t yet seen a virtual card transaction,” said global sales vice president Tim Oldfield. “Training needs to continue.”
That’s what Sutherland Global Services realized. The company has been using virtual payment through Conferma for about a year for travelers with hotel stays of at least seven days. Global head of travel Joseph Monaghan said the initial success rate was about 50 percent. “I’ll take responsibility for that because we didn’t really communicate to hotels like we should,” he said. Now, the process almost always works, monthly reconciliation fell from a week to an hour and there’s been no fraud detected. The previous central bill setup, he said, suffered fraud every few months.
Hotels don’t want archaic faxes involved in virtual card transactions any more than their clients. But they are PCI-compliant. “They are analog and not digital, and you can’t hack a fax,” explained Conferma North America general manager Luis Yofe.
There are snags. Fax numbers often are incorrect. When they are correct, authorization forms get sent over. Companies like Riot Games developed a form specific to them. In some cases, though, hotel chains insist on using their own. “Marriott doesn’t work with us,” said Riot Games’ travel manager Sean Parham. “They always want their form.”
Christopherson Business Travel client consulting services manager Greg Ross said his company uses an automated faxing system via online booking tools and the GDS. In cases where chains require their own forms, he said, “we can send out a fax 20 times, but it means nothing.”
Process Not Present
In any industry, a “card-not-present” transaction is just that; a physical credit or debit card is not presented when the transaction occurs. In lodging, that includes single-use virtual card transactions. Because virtual payment has worked well in other parts of the travel business, buyers wonder why not theirs.
“Hotels have been accepting these type of one-and-done cards for years,” said Choice global account director Diane Lovett. “Online travel agencies have used them forever. In the corporate space, there is no single identifier like there is for the OTAs. Nothing is uniform.”
In a follow-up conversation, Best Western Hotels & Resorts director of travel industry relationships Sandra Taylor explained: “Leisure bookings for most hotel brands are limited to specific rate plan codes that are synonymous with virtual card payment. It is very easy to isolate leisure bookings by the rate plans. Corporate travelers have access to all published rates in self booking tools — BAR rates, rack rates, AAA rates — and also their TMCs’ rates and their own negotiated rates. We can’t isolate to just one set rate that would always be a virtual card.”
As leisure-oriented rates bleed into corporate travel, travel managers wonder about apparent discrepancies. Prepaid rates are one thing, but “certain hotel chains have come out with nonrefundable, non-cancellable reservations, and if you cancel you get charged anyway,” Mazzola said. “If that can happen, then why is [virtual payment] such a mountain to climb?”
Riot Games’ Parham reiterated his confusion regarding Las Vegas, where all hotel stays require a deposit. “What’s the difference?” he asked. “Why can’t GDSs and banks get together and decide that we have a specific code we put in, maybe ‘VCC,’ and you charge that card and we don’t have to send you a fax? If it’s so easy for a deposit why can’t we make it simple for virtual?”
What about online check-in? That occurs all the time without guests standing at front desks and presenting credit cards. Why does that work but virtual payment doesn’t always?
In response, Doreen Burse, Marriott International vice president of global sales and corporate accounts, said online check-in oftentimes is connected to the loyalty program and travelers tie individual cards to their memberships. “But we have explored that too, as a sales organization, asking, ‘Well, wait a minute, you can do this here … How do we bridge that gap?’ ” she said.
A big challenge is the hotel industry’s fragmentation. That means lots of different systems.
“We are making combinations that nature never intended: card-not-present transactions transmitted through a GDS to guarantee a hotel and pay for it,” said Conferma’s Yofe. “The ecosystem needs to come up with and accept standards. Nobody has the power that IATA has [in the airline industry] to impose standards and a deadline.”
Though not a rulemaking agency, Hotel Technology Next Generation has done some work in this area. It published technical specifications in spring 2015. In October, it jointly issued a handbook with Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association.
The specs are meant to end the faxing and provide consistency regardless of which property management systems hotels use. For the specifications to have any legs, GDSs must play along.
Last week, an Amadeus official said the company is “fully ready to implement” HTNG’s standard but hasn’t seen the industry rally behind it. “Indeed there is now a separate standard-setting exercise launched earlier this year by HEDNA,” the official added. “We are fully active on both forums and would encourage other industry participants to get involved – especially hotel groups.” Like others, Amadeus also offers its own virtual payment solution.
An official at HEDNA did not reply to inquiries.
A Sabre spokesperson said the company continues supporting HTNG messaging standards. It’s developing new solutions based on them “that will seamlessly integrate into the agencies’ existing workflow,” according to the spokesperson. “We are working with hotel partners around delivery timeframe.”
Travelport’s eNett unit furnishes virtual payment. The company developed its own structured codes before HTNG issued guidelines. “Travelport is aligned to the HTNG virtual card principles and, whilst recognizing differences in technology, hopes that the other GDSs will also adopt them,” according to a spokesperson.
Asked about progress since October, HTNG COO David Sjolander last week said, “There are other changes in payments, but not specifically around virtual cards.”
Best Western’s Taylor said so-called “switch” companies like Dhisco (formerly Pegasus, and Thisco before that) adapting HNTG’s specs “will increase speed to market for many hotel brands.”
Show Them You ‘Mean Business’
Buyers might try to educate hotels during pre-bid meetings and address virtual cards in contracts. Testing also is important, at least with heavily used hotels. Another tactic is to call hotels before travelers arrive to make sure relevant faxes are on hand and match up. Travelers could be urged to carry printed authorizations. Buyers sometimes need TMCs to step in and call the hotel.
Some companies bent on using virtual payment for lodging may ditch properties that don’t cooperate. Christopherson’s Ross said one virtual card-using client “is to the point now that if a hotel won’t accept the fax, she’ll go down the road to one that will.”
Mazzola said his “best advice” is to “put pressure on the hotels, speak to individual properties and put a stop-sell on those properties if you need to so they know you mean business and they need to do something to correct the problem.”
An audience member challenged him “to be fair” by acknowledging the need to “engage the entire pipeline,” including GDSs and other tech intermediaries.
“No doubt, yes,” Mazzola replied. “But until the technology is there, what are you going to do if the front desk says, ‘We have no payment, no room for you’?”
At Choice, to stave off any lingering problems, the hotel company is looking to provide an 800 number for travelers. “If there is an issue at the property, typically the traveler calls the travel office and the travel office reaches out to our inside account management team or possibly the seller and there is a delay,” Oldfield explained. “We are equipping our central reservations office with an ability to walk the hotel through that.”
None of the other big chains have announced any initiative like Choice’s. Some prefer an industrywide approach using the HTNG standards. “It’s not that hotels don’t want to do it, but we also don’t want to take a Band-Aid approach. We want to do it right,” Taylor said. “If there had been collaboration with the industry first, this probably would be a moot point. Hoteliers want to solve for this as much if not more than anybody else.”
Marriott’s Burse agreed, saying customized solutions for a single lodging chain are “probably not sustainable. This is an industry need that has risen to a higher priority.”
Earning more sales by easing the process is important. Burse said the “bigger strategic issue” is not falling down when a traveler who booked with a virtual card is trying the brand for the first time.
Some point to the promise of mobile apps from solution providers. Travelers equipped with them can show front desk staff images of the virtual card. In some cases, if need be, they can use the app to request another faxed authorization.
Monaghan said using Conferma’s app has cut down on problems for Sutherland.


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The European Union on Saturday achieved a offer on landmark legislation that would drive Fb, YouTube and other world-wide-web services to combat misinformation, disclose how their services amplify divisive written content and cease targeting on line ads based on a person’s ethnicity, faith or sexual orientation.
The regulation, termed the Electronic Expert services Act, is intended to handle social media’s societal harms by demanding companies to additional aggressively police their platforms for illicit articles or chance billions of dollars in fines. Tech companies would be compelled to set up new guidelines and treatments to eliminate flagged loathe speech, terrorist propaganda and other content defined as illegal by nations inside the EU.
The legislation aims to stop an period of self-regulation in which tech businesses set their very own insurance policies about what material could remain up or be taken down. It stands out from other regulatory makes an attempt by addressing on line speech, an place that is mostly off restrictions in the United States due to the fact of Very first Amendment protections. Google, which owns YouTube, and Meta, operator of Facebook and Instagram, would experience annually audits for “systemic risks” joined to their businesses, while Amazon would confront new regulations to quit the sale of illegal products and solutions.
The Digital Products and services Act is aspect of a one-two punch by the EU to handle the societal and financial outcomes of the tech giants. Final thirty day period, the 27-country bloc agreed to a unique sweeping law, the Digital Markets Act, to counter what regulators see as anti-competitive habits by the most significant tech corporations, together with their grip in excess of application shops, on the web advertising and world-wide-web searching.
With each other, the new laws underscore how Europe is environment the typical for tech regulation globally. Disappointed by anti-aggressive behavior, social media’s influence on elections and privacy-invading business types, officials spent a lot more than a calendar year negotiating guidelines providing them broad powers to crack down on tech giants well worth trillions of pounds and employed by billions of folks for interaction, leisure, payments and news.
The offer was achieved by European policymakers in Brussels early Saturday just after 16 several hours of negotiations.
“Platforms really should be transparent about their articles moderation selections, prevent hazardous disinformation from going viral and keep away from unsafe merchandise staying provided on marketplaces,” said Margrethe Vestager, who has spearheaded a great deal of the bloc’s perform to regulate the tech field as executive vice president of the European Fee, govt arm of the EU.
This report initially appeared in The New York Moments.

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The leading AI chatbot just came out with a new version, and the technology space is buzzing about the possibilities.
OpenAI has released a fourth version of ChatGPT, called GPT-4, that understands images. This means it can look at a photo and provide general information about what's in it and answer questions based on its properties.
The new version also has a larger database, allowing it to provide more accurate information and write code in all major programming languages.
OpenAI touted the chatbot's ability to communicate in other highly technical formats.
"GPT-4 is more creative and collaborative than ever before," the company wrote on its website. "It can generate, edit, and iterate with users on creative and technical writing tasks, such as composing songs, writing screenplays, or learning a user’s writing style."
The company also said the version is capable of "advanced reasoning capabilities" and provided examples of it solving complicated logical puzzles.
The first version of the chatbot was released just a few months ago and is already considered the fastest-growing consumer application in history.
Alex Valaitis, who writes a newsletter about AI, tweeted that the ChatGPT update was "biggest release since the iPhone."


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OANDA Live with retail FX trading
FXWeek, The global business of foreign exchange
March 26, 2001
Zurich - Currency forecasting and analysis service OANDA last week launched online FX trading for retail investors.
The internet trading service offers live FX trading for nine major currency pairs with a $1 minimum trade with no commission or charges. Clients pay via a spread of 0.02%. Richard Olsen, chairman of Zurich-based parent Olsen Group, told FX Week the launch would open the market to retail investors, who have previously been prevented from trading FX by poor retail spreads and high costs of entry.
Olsen said the service makes trading currencies a better proposition for retail investors than trading equities, which may incur a 0.5% spread on major stock exchanges. Trading is offered with a margin of 5%, giving investors access to highly leveraged trading that might normally be beyond their reach, said Olsen.
The 0.02% spread means the firm will make $20 per $100,000 traded. Olsen expects a large volume of small-value trades initially as people get used to trading FX. He thinks Asian investors will be particularity interested in the service, because the region has a culture of daily currency trading. Meanwhile, small banks and broker-ages without an FX product of their own may buy a branded white-label version of the service over the Web to offer their customers online trading through their own systems.
Users can familiarise themselves with FX trading on OANDA's trading game, which has been live since January.
Olsen said as the service is only trading spot FX, and not forwards or futures, it does not need to be externally regulated. But he says OANDA will behave "as if we are regulated", and investors will have some protection from the risk management tools on offer.
Otto Amberg, secretary of ACI Suisse in Zurich said in Switzerland, unlike the US, investors can trade as they wish, and that it is the firm's responsibility to ensure customers can afford to trade, not the regulators.
See https://www.oanda.com/ for more information.


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When will windows 11 be officially released?
The company officially released Windows 11 on October 14 at 14:00 Moscow time. PT was October 5th in the business part.
How long will Microsoft support Windows 11?
How long will Microsoft support Windows 11? Octo marks the start of a new 24-month life cycle for Windows 11 Home and Pro releases. This definitely marks the start of the 36 month support period for one person.
How long will windows 11 be a free upgrade?
The free upgrade offer does not have a specific end date for eligible programs. However, Microsoft reserves the right to discontinue support for the free tier. This end date cannot be earlier than October. Can I continue to use Windows 10? Yes. You haven’t upgraded to Windows 11.
When will windows 11 rollout?
Microsoft has provided details of its own Windows 11 internal rollout of 190,000 PCs worldwide in just a few weeks from Octo. While Microsoft has celebrated its global rollout of Windows 20 as a big success, Microsoft has actually been unable to upgrade almost all of its PCs to Windows 10.
Windows 10 was announced on D and is expected to be released in late 2021. Windows 10 is the successor to Windows 10 released in 2015. Windows 19 will be available as a free upgrade to compatible Windows 10 tools through Windows Update.
Today, all Windows 2022 11 updates are distributed in more than 190 countries. The last few years have fundamentally changed the way we live, work and even study, and the computer plays another important role in our daily lives.


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Voting has commenced for Cobar’s favourite business and favourite tradie with the winners to be announced at this year’s Great Cobar Business Awards on September 2.
The Cobar Business Association had a polling booth on Saturday in the main street to collect votes for the two categories.
Cobar Business Association president Sharon Harland said they hoped having a polling booth in the main street would get more members of the public involved in the business awards.
“We’ve tried lots of different ideas in the past to try and get feedback from the public with varying degrees of success,” Mrs Harland said.
“We thought a booth in the main street might be more convenient for shoppers to drop by and vote.”
She said voting is easy, and they are asking people to vote for just one in each category.


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As the online sports betting industry goes forward with state-by-state sports betting legalization, the eyes of many state legislators nationwide are watching the Western State closely to see which way California finally settles as the procedure unfolds and if the industry-leading style of NJ online sportsbooks can eventually become a reality on the West Coast.
All eyes will be on California in November 2022 when competing propositions will be on the ballot during the midterm elections. Prop 26 legalizes retail sports betting while Prop 27 legalizes online sports betting.
With an economy larger than most countries (the world’s eighth-largest economy), the State of California potentially represents online betting’s single largest U.S. State market. If California legalizes online sports betting, with an existing gaming culture with many and varied gambling options (casinos, card rooms, Daily Fantasy Sports [DFS], Horse Racing, Lottery and Charitable Gaming), the Golden State is set to be the standard bearer for other states to follow if lawmakers legalize sports betting.


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Well-connected Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple plans to launch a 24-inch iMac with a new design in the fourth quarter of 2020. Kuo made his prediction in a research note on Monday, shared by MacRumors.
Kuo on Sunday claimed the redesigned iMac will be one of two Macs to use Apple’s custom ARM-based processor. The second Mac expected to use the new Apple Silicon is a future 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Apple on Monday during its WWDC 2020 keynote address officially announced its much-anticipated plans to switch from Intel processors to its own silicon in its Mac computer lineup. The Cupertino firm plans to release its first Mac powered by Apple Silicon by the end of 2020, and expects to wean its entire Mac lineup off of Intel processors within two years.
Kup does expect to see Apple refresh its existing Intel-based iMac in the third quarter of 2020, which means it should happen sometime during the July – September timeframe. Kuo did not specify is that new model would feature a new design.


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Day One of E3 is in the books and we got a look into the future for Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, and Sony. While I don’t think there were any “OMG” style surprises this year, we were treated to a number of great game reveals. These are a few of my picks, but what were yours from yesterday?
Here’s a few of the notable ones:
Prior to Sony’s presser, I saw a tweet from Double Fine encouraging people to watch. I figured they were set to reveal that one of their games like Massive Chalice or Costume Quest 2 was coming to the PlayStation 4 or Vita. Not so. In a funny and typical Double Fine style announcement, Sony’s Adam Boyes revealed that Double Fine and Sony were teaming up to bring back this classic adventure game in a new remastered version for the PS4 and Vita.
Rainbow Six Siege
It’s been a long time since Ubisoft revealed the former Rainbow 6: Patriots. After going dark and losing key members of the team, rumors began circulating that the project was canceled. We now know that Patriots was indeed scrapped and born out of those ashes for next generation systems (and PC) came Siege. Confirmed to feature a single player campaign and cooperative modes, Ubisoft revealed a 5 on 5 competative mode where a team of Rainbow Six agents stormed a house to rescue a hostage from 5 enemy players. It looked really tense, exciting, and with the added destructibility of the house, chaotic.
I think many people are like me in that when this game was announced, the first reaction was: “Huh, what’s this”? Yes, Phantom Dust was originally released on the first Xbox to great reviews but ultimately didn’t sell well. Microsoft is looking to revive the game again on Xbox One by a team led by industry veteran Ken Lobb. Hopefully this time, this critical darling can find the audience it never got.
Limbo was one of my favorite games to come out of the Xbox Live Arcade. Originally featured in the “Summer of Arcade” promotion on the Xbox 360, Limbo had a fantastic visual style, using only a greyscale color scheme. Unfortunately for us, the team at Playdead take’s their sweet time developing games which is why we haven’t heard from them in such a long time. The silence was broken yesterday as their new game, Inside, was revealed. The trailer struck a chord immediately as the same clean greyscale color scheme was on full display as a younger boy navigated through what looked to be an enemy occupied city. I can’t wait to find out more on this one.
After confirming that they wouldn’t be attending E3 this year, Media Molecule pulled a fast one on us all after appearing on stage to show off LittleBigPlanet 3. This new game in the franchise appears to be more co-op focused as it revealed three new characters to go along side Sackboy. The different character also have different abilities which should make the level design that much more complex to satisfy each style. Thankfully, the visual design is exactly what you’d expect from this series, featuring different materials and crafting supplies making up a level. It goes without saying that LBP still retains that wonderful personality and charm.


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If you don’t want to consume too much rice, prepare beaten rice bisibele bath. It is as good as rice bisibele bath and tastes like sambar rice.
Know about WeRIndia
- Even natural products can be harmful for the unborn child
- Higher fiber saves lives, but food processing may remove benefits
- Adding a blend of spices to a meal may help lower inflammation
- Scientists identify gene linked to thinness that may help resist weight gain
- High doses of vitamin D supplementation has no current benefit in preventing or treating COVID-19
- Inspiring stories from women like themselves helped these moms improve their diet


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Digiday Research: Which platforms publishers say monetize best
Publishers have struggled to find revenue streams from platforms that come close to matching their reach.
In a survey of 91 publisher executives at the Digiday Publishing Summit this September, respondents rated each platform’s monetization on a scale of 1 to 5. Facebook had the highest average rating of 2.22 and was the only platform to be rated above 2.0. YouTube came in second with a rating of 1.85 and Apple News was third at 1.70. Twitter did not fare very well, despite its surge in ad revenue, rating lower than Pinterest and Flipboard. Snapchat too was judged a difficult platform to monetize.
Though generating revenues from platforms have proven difficult, publishers, for the most part, have learned their lesson about being platform dependent. Eighty-six percent of publishers also surveyed at the Digiday Publishing Summit in September say they earn the majority of their revenues from their owned properties.
Viral publishers quickly fell by the wayside or downsized when Facebook’s algorithm changed and AwesomenessTV shuttered following the death of Go90, which was keeping it afloat with licensing fees. Instead of looking to platforms to replace declining advertising revenues, publishers have narrowed their focus on developing multiple revenue streams.
How the Washington Post is expanding its global subscriber base
The success that the Post saw in growing its global subscriptions business came from tactics put in place well before the pandemic.
As Q4 gathers pace, the ad industry braces for long-lasting economic trauma
While free money is being given away through economic stimuluses, it isn’t being spent. That brings opportunity and danger for an ad industry tied tightly to the economy.
‘Something inherently local’: Tegna leans into user-generated content on linear and digital with ‘Near Me’
Tegna has received hundreds of thousands of user-submitted videos and photos which it says have been used to drive further reporting.
SponsoredPublishers must strengthen their relationships with brands and customers
Zara Erismann, MD Publisher EU, LiveRamp In today’s market of tightening data regulations — and with the end of third-party cookies now around the corner — it is critical that publishers focus on optimizing their data strategies to ensure and strengthen close relationships with their audience. In a recent report, The State of Publishing: Monetizing […]
Why Nordic publishing giant Schibsted joined the coalition lobbying for Apple App Store ‘fairness’
Schibsted is one of the newest members of the Coalition for App Fairness, a group that includes the likes of Epic Games and Spotify.
‘This conversation is personal’: Inc.’s columnists are now available through text for readers willing to pay
Inc. is testing a new reader engagement avenue of making its top editorial talent accessible to audiences and fans via texting.


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As previously reported by WWD, Afterpay’s partnership with IMG as the presenting partner of NYFW: The Shows will include consumer-facing, interactive programs with the goal of championing New York City retail.
As NYFW gets closer, Afterpay has announced that as part of this programming, its DropShop franchise will be taken from digital activation to a physical experience in the middle of Times Square starting Sept. 7. The two-day in-real-life drop will include experiences from Crocs, JD Sports and Snap Inc.
“We’re thrilled to expand our New York Fashion Week footprint to shoppers in Times Square,” said Nick Molnar, cofounder and co-chief executive officer of Afterpay. “This DropShop experience is just another way we are bringing the excitement of New York Fashion Week, and all of its creativity, to consumers with this amazing IRL immersive experience.”
As part of the event, Afterpay will integrate augmented reality technology from Snap Inc. to allow consumers to try on items and experience virtual worlds. Starting today, consumers are able to begin using Afterpay and Snap’s Wayfinder 3D Bondi Mint Mapping, which takes New York objects, including a taxi, a fire hydrant and a food truck, and illuminates them in Bondi Mint around key locations in Manhattan. Each object has a Snapcode that will serve to unlock a AR 3D map in Snapchat to reveal the DropShop location and other points of interest for Afterpay’s NFW program.
“Fashion and apparel have always been at the forefront of immersive AR commerce, and Afterpay’s DropShop is helping propel the industry forward,” said Nina Mishkin, director of creative strategy at Snap Inc. “Together at this year’s New York Fashion Week, Afterpay, Crocs, JD and Snap are truly leveraging augmented reality to create innovative brand experiences, that ultimately take the traditional experiential to the next level.”
Bringing exclusive items to participating consumers, Afterpay has teamed with Crocs and JD Sports to release two limited-edition drops. With only 50 available, JD Sports has commissioned Glassface, the multidisciplinary artist Josh Goldenberg, to create a digital art NFT that will be available to the public for the first time. The limited-edition piece, called “Enter News Worlds,” “pushes you to gain access to new perspectives and reach unimaginable heights.”
With a top-selling item on Afterpay during the back-to-school shopping season, Crocs will release a collection of Jibbitz charms in collaboration with Bretman “Da Baddest” Rock. The charms are inspired by the social media star’s love of crystals, stars and reflective materials. Fans can also use Snapchat to try on the charms virtually on a pair of black classic Crocs through a new Afterpay Snapchat Lens.
FOR MORE WWD BUSINESS NEWS:


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Pluto TV CEO Tom Ryan is celebrating his company’s newest hire, former Spotify chief content officer Ken Parks.
“To attract someone of Parks’s caliber, that’s huge,” Ryan told StreamDaily.
Parks new role will see him serve as the video-streaming platform’s executive chair. He will also oversee content distribution and monetization strategies for the company.
Before taking the job, Parks (pictured) spent more than nine months with Pluto as an adviser to the board.
Parks worked at Spotify from 2010 to 2015. As chief content officer, it was his job to oversee content acquisition and distribution for the music-streaming service. Prior to that position he worked for EMI Music as SVP, strategy and business development, where he was tasked with responsibility for strategizing the distribution of EMI’s music and video library.
Ryan said hiring someone of Parks’ calibre is an indication of his company’s forward momentum. Pluto, which first launched in 2014, has struck content deals with big names including the MCN Maker Studios, Funny or Die and subscription services such as Hulu, he added. It’s also integrated live streaming from the likes of Bloomberg TV.
Now, he’s aiming for the company to provide a mix of both VOD and a viewing style that mimics linear TV (where users can either look up and select what they want to watch or simply pick a channel and watch scheduled programming).
“On-demand is great when you know what you want to watch,” Ryan said. “But there’s a lot of times when people don’t know what they want to watch. That’s why we see people watching five hours a day of TV.”
While the company won’t disclose metrics around subscribers or unique visitors, Ryan said “millions” of videos are viewed daily.
Pluto TV is a free, ad-supported video platform. The service aggregates videos and provides users with “channels” to watch. Those channels run across a variety of topics, from music videos to classic sitcoms and comedy shorts. The service is currently available online and as a mobile application, as well as on connected TV devices.


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Taking a look back at seven days of news and headlines across the world of Android, this week’s Android Circuit includes the latest leaks on the Samsung Galaxy S8 speakers, headphones, and UI, a comparison of the two Pixel smartphones, Samsung's latest Note 7 solution, details on Android's latest update, the latest market share numbers, a review of the OnePlus 3t, and Google Play's move to 4K media downloads.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many things that have happened around Android in the last week (and you can find the weekly Apple news digest here).
Goodbye Headphones, Hello Speakers
There's been a lot of focus on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S8 this week, with a little tsunami of leaks highlighting the push towards new technology that the South Korean company is making. The headline feature is likely to be the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack. No doubt the geekerati will focus on Samsung following Apple's strategy:
There is a difference here and it's one that is important for those moving between handsets. Apple is pushing peripheral manufacturers towards a wireless solution or the use of Apple's proprietary lightning port - both options offering Apple a certain amount of lock-in to keep consumers on the iOS platform. Samsung looks to be taking a different course of action, using a USB-C port on the Galaxy S8 to provide high quality audio.
Although the headphone jack is going, the sound output of the S8 is expected to be improved with stereo speakers added to a Galaxy smartphone for the first time. Meanwhile, is Samsung throwing away one of its key advantages over the iPhone? Forbes' Gordon Kelly thinks so:
Apple annoyed a lot of people by removing the headphone jack and it also gave owners of rival devices a good reason not to buy an iPhone. If Samsung ditches the headphone jack, that reason just dried up for its customers and there are very few USB Type-C headphones on the market (and even fewer Type-C to 3.5mm adaptors) right now to help them - pardon the pun - adapt.
Google made a key point of advertising the headphone jack on its Pixel and Pixel XL ads, and few companies have more data into what the public is looking for than Google.
What The S7 Tells Us About The S8
Curiously the biggest leaks of the Galaxy S8's potential came from the Galaxy S7. Android 7.0's beta nought update hit 2016's flagship, and the new build includes changes to TouchWiz that ties into the choices made for the S8. Alex Dobie investigates at Android Central:
Samsung's acquisition of Viv Labs has fuelled speculation that AI will feature prominently in its next-generation Galaxy phone. And it's easy to see why — Apple's Siri is getting smarter all the time, and Google is pushing forwards with its Assistant platform.
There's no built-in AI in the Galaxy S7 Nougat beta, but there are signs that Samsung's trying to make its UI smarter. Each area of the Settings menu has a "Looking for something else?" section down below, linking you to related options.
At the same time, Samsung has integrated search into more of its apps, complete with voice search integration. It's easy to see how this could be extended to support a wider variety of voice commands across the board.
Pixel Versus Pixel
Google's two Android handsets might have an obvious difference thanks to the size of the screens, but what else differentiates the Pixel and Pixel XL? Forbes' Gordon Kelly takes a look at the closely related handsets to help you decide:
By working on both hardware and software in unison, the company hopes its new Pixel and Pixel XL phones can take on Apple and the mighty iPhone at its own game: premium hardware, brilliant camera, optimised software and (unlike all Android partners) a stream of fast, reliable updates.
Of course brand recognition will take time, but there’s a big advertising budget and the new Pixel range is arguably the most exciting smartphone development in recent years. So, if Google has you tempted, which Pixel should you buy? Let’s take a look at the differences…
Bricking The Note 7 From Orbit, Just To Be Sure
Initially, Samsung's global recall of the Galaxy Note 7 relied on the goodwill of the users to hand back the device for a refund or exchange for an alternative Samsung handset. As time passes it has made increasingly aggressive moves to restrict the functionality of the Note 7 to encourage the incendiary handsets to be returned. Now, Samsung in America is planning to take drastic action... using an over-the-air update it wants to stop every Note 7 in the wild from charging.
Samsung says that it now has 93% of all Note 7 devices back under its US recall program. However, it will issue a software update soon which will entirely brick the remaining 7% of phones.
On the recall page Samsung says "To further increase participation [in the recall], a software update will be released starting on December 19th that will prevent US Galaxy Note7 devices from charging and will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices".
Forbes' Ian Morris has more, including the less severe reaction from Samsung in other territories and the pushback from US carrier Verizon.
New Version Of Android 7 Rolls Out
Following a quick confidence check in a developer release, Google has released Android 7.1.1. as an over-the-air-update to its Nexus and Pixel devices (reports 9to5Google). It has a number of features that debuted in the Pixel smartphones, as well as a number of UI updates:
App shortcuts provide quick access to key actions and are brought up by long pressing on the icon from anywhere in the launcher. Gboard-like features are finally making their way into Android with image keyboards that allow for GIF search and entry. Other features include new emoji, enhanced live wallpaper support, and better VR performance.
With 7.1 available on the Pixel since October, many developers have already updated their apps to support the latest features. All of Google’s major services and quite a few third-party apps have shortcuts, while Google Keyboard has support for GIFs in Hangouts and Messenger.
It also includes the monthly security patch for December. Further details here.
Android Market Share Falls in US
Android's market share has fallen in the US, with a drop of 5.6 percentage points against's Apple's iOS platform. ZDNet's Steve Ranger reports:
According to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech data, for the three months ending October 2016, it's Japan where iOS has the greatest share, with 51.7 percent of smartphone sales, followed by 44 percent in the UK, and 40.5 percent in the US.
In the US that means iPhone sales grew seven percentage points year-on-year. In contrast Android's market share dropped by 5.6 percentage points, marking its fifth consecutive year-on-year decline. Kantar said this represented the strongest growth for iOS in more than two years, as well as the highest share seen since the three months ending January 2015.
It's a strong showing for Apple, but remember that the three-month period ending in October includes the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and the disastrous non-appearance of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7. Everything went well for iOS, less so for Android.
Reviewing The OnePlus 3T
Is the OnePlus 3T a little bump in the specifications compared to the OnePlus 3, or is it a powerhouse smartphone that can stand alone from its brother? The reviews of the smartphone from Shenzhen are leaning towards the latter, although the price increase has been noted by many. Samuel Gibbs looks over the new handset and the changes:
The Chinese smartphone firm only released the OnePlus 3 in June, but already it has been replaced. The 3T is practically identical to its predecessor, a slight colour difference on the outside the only sign that things have changed.
According to OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, the company had some improvements available that would fit more or less in the same package – a larger battery, faster processor and improved cameras – so rather than wait a year, it simply replaced the OnePlus 3 with the 3T.
As smartphone screen resolutions have increased over time, so has the resolution of the media that can be purchased. The next step up is to 4K for mobile devices, and the Google Play Store is on hand to deliver a ridiculous number of pixels. Ben Serridge writes up the changes:
Starting today, Google Play Movies now offers more than 125 movies in 4K resolution, using VP9, so that you can enjoy them in the highest quality. Starting in the U.S. and Canada, you can purchase 4K movies on your Android device or on the web and stream them on your Chromecast Ultra, your Sony Bravia Android TV, or your Xiaomi Mi Box 3. And for anyone who buys a new Chromecast Ultra, your first 4K movie is on us!
Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future, and of course read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week’s Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you’d like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!


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KOLKATA: If Mamata Banerjee was a brand, her core team its marketers, and voters of West Bengal its consumers, the entire package – from positioning to performance – would make for a striking case study in marketing journals.
It’s a brand that has seen its ups and downs, right from the day – January 1, 1998 – when the then 43-year-old firebrand broke away from the Congress to launch the Trinamool Congress. A couple of weeks ago, Brand Mamata hit a high when citizens of West Bengal bought her carefully-crafted proposition and paved the way for her appointment as West Bengal’s newest chief minister.
To use an analogy from the world of fast-moving consumer goods, the street-fighting competitor who previously could never enter the main stream had succeeded in unseating the long-standing leader-in this case the communists who were deeply entrenched in the state for 34 years but whose shelf life was near over.
It’s a heady marketing mix that saw the party using many of the traditional Ps of marketing-product, people, placement. The product lent itself to another P that might have eventually tilted the scale in Mamata’s favour: Packaging.
That’s in sharp contrast to J Jayalalithaa’s winning strategy in Tamil Nadu: She relied heavily on the Ps of price and promotion by promising freebies like fans and laptops to voters.
“Much like a seasoned marketer, Mamata packaged herself and her state successfully,” says brand expert Harish Bijoor. Brand Mamata had many avatars and she positioned herself according to the demands of the electoral market.
A few years ago, she resembled a bit player battling to stay relevant. “Like a struggling FMCG brand, Mamata first used the plank of rebellion during the Singur and Nandigram crises to garner eyeballs. Closer to elections, she successfully repackaged herself as an underdog and a saviour of a regressive Bengal,” the CEO of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.
Packaging, however, work only up to a point. After that, consumers need to see a value proposition in the brand if they are to believe in it. Celebrity quizmaster Derek O’ Brien says, “If Mamata Banerjee is considered as a brand, the core value would be her struggle to meet people’s aspirations.”
O’Brien, who joined team Trinamool in 2004, provided Mamata’s campaign with a credible voice that people could empathise with. Others like theatre personality Bratya Basu and artist Shuvaprasanna lent added power to that voice.
O’Brien says that one major reason for Mamata’ success has been her unwavering focus of her value proposition over the years. “Be it Chota Angaria or Nanoor, Nandigram or Singur, the core value of the brand-struggle for existence-has remained intact. Over time she managed to convince more and more people and that eventually led to her victory at the elections,” he says.
Strains of Obama’s presidential campaign of 2008 can be found in Mamata’s communication to voters: Both focused on change.
Shibaji Panja, who crafted the promotional campaign, says, “The core communication revolved around two most popular brands of Bengal – poriborton (change) and Ma, Maati, Manush (Mother, Motherland and the People).” Compare that to Obama’s campaign slogan “Change we can believe in”.


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Apple looks to be a step closer to announcing sum of a latest iteration of a iPad device with dual new developments over a weekend.
On Sunday, Best Buy began efforts to transparent a register of iPad 2 inclination by discounting all versions of a device by $50, with a 16GB, 32GB and 64B Wi-Fi-only models now labelled during $450, $550 and $650 respectively, and a 3G models now retailing for $580, $680 and $780 respectively.
Reports also flush over a weekend suggesting Foxconn, a Taiwan-based association that manufactures Apple’s renouned tablet, is scheming to boat a device from a Chengdu plant to retailers in a US. A shipping request apparently relating to a shipment was posted on a Chinese microblogging site indicating that smoothness to a US is approaching to take place between Feb 26 and Mar 9. The new product is approaching to enter a US around Chicago, New York and LA airports.
Such a smoothness date would tie in easily with a approaching phenomenon date of a iPad 3 — Mar 7 — creation it expected that it’ll be accessible in stores roughly immediately.
As we know all too well, Apple does a argent pursuit of gripping a lid on leaks about new products, with a iPad 3 proof no exception. Of course, privacy fuels a gossip mill, and in a past integrate of months, conjecture has been abundant about what to design with Apple’s third-generation tablet. The ubiquitous accord appears to be that it’ll come with a new, faster A6 processor, Apple’s Retina high-resolution display, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and support for 4G LTE networks.
Apple’s iPad now dominates a inscription market, with a association carrying sole some-more than 55 million units given a launch in Apr 2010.
This essay was creatively posted on Digital Trends
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Around 300 representatives of sugar workers and farmers organizations in Negros Occidental will gather todayin an assembly on what they consider a looming sugar industry crisis and to draft resolutions on how to address it.
National Federation of Sugarcane Workers secretary-general, John Milton Lozande,said yesterday that the assembly will be held at the Sugar Worker Development Center in Bacolod City as it will tackle issues and concern of sugar workers.
He said NFSW fears that these sector will be the most affected if the crises happens, considering that the milling season opened last month with a big price drop from last year.
Lozande said last year the starting price of sugar was P1,800 per Lkg (50-kilogram) but this year it is only P1,370, adding that it is expected to go lower as more sugarcane areas are still in the harvesting stage.
A sugar summit attended by local government leaders and sugarcane planters were held in September, however, NFSW said the concerns of the workers' seemed to be forgotten.
NFSW said in a press release that the list of resolutions adopted during the sugar summit was “devoid of substances that touch the welfare of the sugar workers”, who are the “backbone of the industry.”
“We believed thatthe looming crisis of the sugar industry could be mainly attributed to the inclination of the government towards Neo-Liberal economic policies, and not simply in the over importation of sugar-based products like the HFCS”, the press release added.
Copies of the resolutions drafted in the event will be given to all concerned government agencies for them to address, he added.
After the assembly, they will hold a rally in the afternoon, marching from the Cottage Road going to the Fountain of Justice at the old Bacolod City Hall to protest over this issue, Lozande also said.
He said that, apart from Negros, NFSW plans to bring this kind of activity to other sugar producing regions to make sure that the problem will be felt by the government. *MLG
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Cybersecurity researchers from Sophos have revealed a new fraud campaign that involves catfishing on social media, a few fake apps, and a whole lot of cryptocurrency.
The premise is simple – a fraudster will create a fake identity (mostly female) on popular social media and dating sites, find gullible victims, and take them for all they’ve got.
After exchanging numerous messages and gaining their trust, the attackers will persuade the victims into jointly “investing” in cryptocurrencies, on imitations of popular trading apps. In one such instance, the attackers created RobinHand, a fraudulent version of the popular RobinHood trading platform.
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Romance-based money scams are as old as time itself, but many have recently been updated with the proliferation of cryptocurrencies.
Distributing iOS apps
Sophos notes that the criminals were able to distribute these apps even on iOS, by abusing Apple’s “Super Signature” application distribution scheme, as well as TestFlight (a feature used to test “beta” versions of apps before they make it to the actual repository).
The “jointly investing” part is also a trick. As the fraudsters operate the app’s backend, they are able to show the victim’s account as having any amount of money, deepening their trust. However, the victim can never withdraw the money – it’s permanently lost.
The rabbit hole goes even deeper. Once the victim tries to withdraw the funds, and sees that they cannot do that, the fraudsters will suggest they reach out to “customer support”, where they’ll be told to pay 20% “tax” to withdraw the funds, taking every last penny out of their accounts. Those that deny will get a little “nudge” – their love interest will offer to “lend” a part of the tax funds.
The whole operation, dubbed CryptoRom, first targeted the Chinese-speaking community, but as of late, has been expanding globally, Sophos says.
“These scams are well-organized, and skilled in identifying and exploiting vulnerable users based on their situation, interests, and level of technical ability. Those who get pulled into the scam have lost tens of thousands of dollars,” the report concludes.
These are the best privacy tools right now


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Tumut Council last Tuesday granted approval to a development that will transform the remainder of the former Parktown Autos site into a new commercial building housing The Reject Shop.
Owner of the large lot, Krnc Brothers Investments, has submitted a development application through builder Wayne Hickson to demolish the existing buildings and to then construct a new retail shop and associated access, car parking and landscaping.
Woolworths has recently built a BWS liquor store on one part of the site, while the remainder has continued to be something of an eyesore in the vicinity of the central business district.
If approved, and the development goes ahead, The Reject Shop would operate with a staff of eight, including two full-time workers in management and supervision, and another six part time.
Hours of operation are envisaged to be 9am to 5pm, seven days a week.
The venture would provide a boost to Tumut’s retail precinct, which in July suffered the closure of Crazy Clark’s in the main street.
At the time, ten staff of Crazy Clark’s lost their jobs as the parent company was placed into receivership.
It’s been more than seven years since Parktown Autos ceased trading and the man who closed the car yard and sold the site, Phil Barton, said he was delighted plans are in place to develop the Merivale Street lot.
“It’s been an eyesore for too long,” Mr Barton said. “Hopefully all the approvals can be secured and it goes ahead, as it will really improve the streetscape.
“Like the BWS store, it’s also a sign of faith in the town by these large companies.”
In a report prepared by council planner Dialina Da Costa, the planned discount development was seen as having a positive social impact due to the introduction of a pedestrian linkage with Coles, while a proposed awning at the front of the site will provide shelter for pedestrians and users of the site. Other amenity features include the installation of lighting and landscaping.
The development application had not been publicly advertised, as Ms Da Costa found the development would not have any detrimental or unreasonable environmental impacts, nor did she find there would be additional impacts to adjacent residential development, other than what would reasonably be expected for a commercial development.
Under the plans submitted to the council, the new building would incorporate a delivery area, and a pedestrian linkage for access to Coles at the rear.
Those commercial linkages were a recommendation under the Tumut CBD carparking strategy, as adopted by council in 2013.
To assist carparking, the area of the new development and a section of the BWS site will be consolidated and parking arrangements shared. There will be total of 29 carparking spaces on site, consisting of 20 new spaces to complement those already utilised by BWS customers.
Entry will be via the only access from Russell Street, and the western most access from Merivale Street.
All vehicles will use Merivale Street to exit.


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Zalando, Europe's biggest online retailer for shoes and fashion, is on its way to reaching a global turnover of €1.3 billion this year, according to a report that is not being denied by company executives. After successful entries into Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France and the U.K., the German online retailer has decided to expand further. It opened its Swedish store on April 11 and its Belgian online store on April 25.
However, the growth path has not come to an end: Zalando expanded to Spain in May. All foreign websites are managed by sales teams of native speakers directly from Zalando's headquarters in Berlin. Clients from outside Germany can return their purchases as well, but instead of the 100-day time frame allowed in Germany, it is only possible within 30 days outside the domestic market. Shipping and return are free of charge in every market.
After expanding to Spain last month, Zalando is now organizing its next expansion moves – this time to Turkey and Poland. On its website, it is already searching for native speakers to assume several positions in order to build up its presence on the Turkish and Polish markets. The Polish market is interesting due to its geographical proximity to Germany and the Turkish market due to its historical connection to Germany.
Zalando is the market leader in the German online retail market and the brand reached an awareness level of about 95 percent among the German population. In the Netherlands, the brand has reached an awareness level of 92 percent and is the biggest online retailer in the fashion segment.
Zalando offers about 100,000 products and more than 1,400 brands. The product range now includes exclusive accessories, beauty products and sporting goods next to its biggest product segments, shoes and apparel. Its unexpectedly strong growth has led it to invest an additional €70 million to add two more halls, for an additional 48,000 square meters, to its new logistic center in Erfurt, whose first hall is due to open this summer with an initial surface of 78,000 square meters.
While Zalando concentrated on only shoes at the beginning, the company diversified its product range soon after, offering apparel, sporting goods and, from March this year, also home equipment and accessories. The company also sells products of its own private label, called Zalando Essentials. A team of six designed at its head office in Berlin are further developing Zalando's collection of men's apparel. Future plans include a collection of clothing for kids.
At the same time, Zalando is attracting other strong brands to its retail concept, such as Ralph Lauren, which is now also on offer on Zalando's online stores, as well as a big kid's brand.
In April, Zalando opened its first permanent brick-and-mortar store in Berlin, offering surplus merchandise from previous seasons. The 1,000-square-meter outlet store offers shoes, clothing and accessories from previous seasons at prices between 30 and 70 percent below those posted on its website. Clients who wish to enter the store need to register online for their free “outlet card,” which allows them access to the store. Zalando is now planning to open additional outlet stores in other markets.
A new Zalando TV spot will be launched in September this year, focusing more on apparel. Radio commercials will be supporting the TV spot.
Its aggressive advertising on prime time TV has helped Zalando to reach a high penetration in France, where about 9 million visitors check out its website now each month, making it one of the five most visited online stores in the country. According to a report, which has not been denied by the company, Zalando achieved a turnover of more than €120 million in 2011 in France, pulling it ahead of strong local players such as Sarenza and Spartoo..


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- Patrick Grove as bullish as ever on SEA with mobile driving his confidence
- Get familiar with ICASA, will be in more startup decks and conversations with investors
The one consistent message that Patrick Grove, co-founder and chairman of the Catcha Group has been shouting about for the last decade has been about the market potential of the 620 million strong Southeast Asia (SEA) region which comprises of 10 nations.
And that potential is magnified by his other big theme ie the strong mobile penetration in the region which means that a vast majority of the citizens of SEA can be reached by internet companies through their mobiles – bypassing middle men and leapfrogging the patchy to poor communications infrastructure, excluding Singapore and Malaysia of course, in the region.
The population is large, it is mainly young and it is becoming more digital savvy and its middle class is growing fast which means, more disposable income. It’s the perfect wave, almost.
And the person who has benefited the most from the region’s digital potential has been Grove, an Australian who through his Malaysian mother, has strong roots in Malaysia and has used Kuala Lumpur as the base for his digital businesses since 1999 with the launch of his first internet play, Catcha.com, a portal.
His first big exit was iProperty that Australian real estate leader REA Group Ltd, first bought into in 2014 for US$100 million before buying out the entire company in Nov 2016 for US$414 million.
For perspective, Grove listed iProperty on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in September 2007 at A$0.25 per share. The sale price worked out to A$4 per share.
At the time of the deal, Grove told me that he hoped the deal “inspires other (SEA) entrepreneurs to start great disruptive companies”, and “I hope it motivates investors to back them, knowing that SEA can and will create more great companies.”
And with Chinese investors, especially its big three internet companies of Alibaba, Tencent and JD.com the new factor in the region, chances are bright that other internet entrepreneurs can attract strong partners/investors to their businesses. And Grove agrees that the strong Chinese interest in the region is a boost for entrepreneurs.
The key take-away for me is that entrepreneurs in the region have strong tailwinds they should aggressively take advantage of. And note that the term BRIC which has long been used to describe the strong economic prospects of Brazil, Russia, India, and China has now been adapted to include Southeast Asia with the new term being ICASA (India, China, Africa, and Southeast Asia). Expect to see that in startup decks and conversations with investors this year.
And with that, I wish you a restful weekend and hope your first week back was a rock solid one, setting the tone for the rest of the year. Have a productive week ahead.
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For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.


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Whilst procurement can deliver savings and improve supply chain relationships in isolation, it’s at its most powerful when it’s integrated into wider business operations. Making this a reality usually requires senior management support. But does senior management understand procurement?
A recent survey of over 500 CPOs, managers and procurement professionals, by procurement consultancy 4C Consulting, looked at how procurement is viewed by senior management. It found that half of the procurement professionals surveyed thought that their bosses don’t “get what the procurement team does or can do.”
Is procurement seen as strategically relevant?
This highlights the need for procurement – and the CPO in particular – to communicate what value their team can add. If not, procurement will continue to be treated as a support function that isn’t seen as strategically relevant.
More than just cost-cutting
Procurement is likely to be seen as having value but solely as a cost-cutting tool. Often it will be used to push down price in final negotiations. However, survey after survey has shown that earlier procurement involvement delivers real value – not just in terms of cost but for the lifetime of the contract.
In a world where speed-to-market and dynamic supply chains are increasingly essential, the role of procurement in terms of supply chain management shouldn’t be overlooked. When the world’s most valuable company is led by its former CPO, companies really should be alert to the strategic potential and importance of procurement.


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Ice cream lovers in Indianapolis can rejoice, knowing they will soon have another brand to consider.
Brenham, Texas-based Blue Bell Creameries, whose roots in the Southern United States extend back more than a century, will have its products available in nine metropolitan area Meijer stores, as well as other grocers in the state, beginning April 5.
The ice cream maker is entering the Indiana market by leasing temporary distribution space in the Park 100 industrial complex on the northwest side.
The company plans to build a permanent, 12,000-square-foot cold-storage warehouse on a 2.9-acre tract, also in Park 100. Construction should start by summer and completion is set for the fall.
Blue Bell filed with the city for property-tax abatement on the $2.1 million building. The city’s Metropolitan Development Commission approved a five-year tax abatement for the facility at 8155 Allison Ave. It ultimately would employ 24 people, including drivers and salespeople.
A few drivers already have been hired to begin delivering the ice cream to several cities in Indiana besides Indianapolis, including Bloomington, Columbus, Kokomo, Lafayette, Richmond and Terre Haute.
The company touts a direct-store delivery program, which means only Blue Bell employees handle products from the time they are made until they reach grocery shelves.
Blue Bell entered the Louisville area a few years ago, so progressing into Indiana is a logical next step, spokesman Bill Weiss said.
“We started in Texas, but we’ve expanded slowly and inched our way more northward,” he said. "It just sort of makes sense for us to keep going.”
Dave Kellum, a sales manager for the branch office in Louisville, is moving to Indianapolis to head Blue Bell’s local operations.
Blue Bell is the nation’s third-largest ice cream maker, and its products are sold in 19 states in the South, Southwest and Midwest. Its ice cream also is sold at all Carrabba’s and Outback Steakhouse restaurants.
Blue Bell was founded in 1907 as butter maker Brenham Creamery Co. Ice cream was added to the product line four years later and, in 1930, the company changed its name to Blue Bell Creameries, after the Texas wildflower.


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The news: The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it is worried that the “effective duopoly” of Apple’s iPhone iOS and Google’s Android ecosystems presents a “vice-like grip” resulting in a lack of customer choice and higher prices than a more competitive market could offer.
More on this: The UK’s competition watchdog is investigating dominance in mobile operating systems and their effect on consumer choice. Its findings could lead to more regulation by way of Strategic Market Status—a label that would be applied to the most powerful Big Tech companies to hold them accountable under a code of conduct, per Bloomberg.
What’s next? The CMA is seeking government powers to enforce stronger regulation by way of the Strategic Market Status label that can then regulate the duopoly by enforcing the following:
What’s the catch? Finalizing a set of rules and actively enforcing them could take time. Expect Apple and Google to sandbag regulatory efforts through lobbying, legal appeals, and stressing the need for controls for security and innovation.
There are also no viable competitors to the smartphone duopoly, and any new entrant will need a formidable combination of hardware, software, and various ecosystems to be able to make a dent in the status quo.


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Could Peel Piles Solve Supply Chain Congestion?
The news is a-buzz with the recent announcement about extending port hours to help ease cargo congestion at the ports. Certainly, that will help. However, the bottleneck plaguing the supply chain is a complex issue – and solving it will […]Read more
IMC Companies’ Collierville HQ on track; East Coast-West Coast supply chain investments
IMC Companies — the largest intermodal firm in Memphis — is nearing completion on its new headquarters. And an investment on the East Coast follows a recent investment on the West Coast. IMC’s new 75,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at 1305 Schilling […]Read more
Mason George Featured on JOC Podcast Industry Update
Mason George, president of national accounts for IMC Companies, was recently a guest on The Journal of Commerce’s podcast, Beyond TPM, during which he discussed the pandemic’s impact on an already concerning driver shortage. “2020 escalated the driver shortage in […]Read more
IMC Companies Offers Solutions to Help Customers Deal with Cargo Surge
As increased cargo volume surges to catch up to demand in the United States, a lack of drivers is causing havoc with the supply chain. The timing of events couldn’t come at a worse time as retailers ramp up stock for the holiday season. Unfortunately, it doesn’t show any signs of recovery soon. (more…)Read more
IMC Companies Opens New Container Storage Facility in Long Beach
We see the real-life effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused havoc in the supply chain.
At IMC Companies, we needed to think outside of the box to quickly establish a loaded container yard outside the nation’s largest ports to meet our customer’s needs while providing relief to the congested SOCAL port facilities. This led to the opening of a brand new storage facility in 8月ust 2020. The new facility covers 10 acres and has the ability to ground 3,000 containers which creates more chassis availability in Los Angeles and the rest of the country. Our peel-off schedule allows trucks to drop off and pick up in an average of 10 minutes.Read more
How Technology is Critical During Covid-19
Recently, IMC Companies Chief Information Officer, Joel Tracy, was interviewed on the CityCurrent radio show. The host of the show, Jeremy C. Park, questioned Joel about the critical role technology plays amid the COVID-19 pandemic. His answers show some ways IMC Companies is dealing with the challenges our customers are facing.Read more


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The benefit of cranberry in lowering the incidence of urinary tract infections has been supported by numerous studies. The most recent study reaffirms these reults, and shows the botanical worked almost as well as a pharmaceutical drug without the drug's side effects.
A section of FDA's draft NDI guidance has manufacturers of probiotics concerned. What do NDIs mean for the 50-plus strains of beneficial bacteria currently being used in foods, beverages and supplements worldwide?
Packing in everything from antioxidants to PUFAs to specific carotenoids, beauty products that promise to not just enhance beauty but enhance health continue to capture a growing share of the cosmetics market.
The zero-calorie, all-natural sweetener stevia is on fire. While most finished products pair stevia with other sweeteners, product launches containing some amount of stevia or Reb-A have risen by 10 times over the last year.
Glycyrrhizin, a very sweet glycoside occurring in licorice roots is increasingly being used in food and beverage products as a modifier to eliminate the bitter note of stevia. However, bad weather and overharvesting are diminishing the world's supply.
It's one of the great mysteries vexing the natural products industry today: Why are European and American regulators so skeptical about the health benefits of probiotics? And what can the industry do to turn the tide?
Despite some significant mergers in the past two years – such as the BASF acquisition of Cognis – there was actually relatively little merger and acquisition activity in the global ingredients industry in 2009 and 2010. But in a new report Euromonitor predicts that will change.
Not long ago, nutritional ingredients were strictly the purview of supplements and a few select foods and drinks, such as cereal and milk. Today, ingredients fill up delivery-system dance cards from soup to nuts.


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Chinese tech company Tencent Cloud has announced new initiatives in the web3 space, marking its entry into the emerging market.
This includes blockchain-based APIs and “metaverse-in-a-box” offerings. Tencent Cloud will also collaborate with infrastructure provider Ankr, blockchain platform Avalanche, open-source EVM-compatible zk-Rollup builder Scroll and blockchain optimised for gaming Sui.
The move positions Tencent alongside other major global tech companies including Amazon and Google that have recently made strides in the web3 space.
The announcement follows the Tencent Cloud Web3 Build Day summit held in Singapore.


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September Retail Sales Fall
NEW YORK (TheStreet) - After being delayed by more than two weeks due to the government shutdown, the Commerce Department on Tuesday finally released September retail sales and the numbers weren't good.
U.S. food and retail sales declined 0.1% in September from August to $425.9 billion, according to the latest Commerce Department figures released on Tuesday, below economists' expectations of a 0.1% rise.
Retail sales excluding motor vehicles and parts rose 0.4% compared to the month before, in line with consensus estimates.
Retail sales have been buoyed this year by the strong buying of cars as well as home furnishings as the home buying market has been strong. However, consumers may be over their car-buying frenzy. September sales from motor vehicle and parts dealers fell 2.2% for the month, compared to a 0.9% increase in the prior month.
Furniture and home furnishing stores rose just 0.2% in September from August.
Consumers didn't seem to be buying apparel either last month. Proving that the back-to-school season was indeed softer than expected, clothing and clothing accessories stores saw a 0.5% decline in September.
Retail sales last month increased 3.2% compared to September 2012, according to government data. The Commerce Department did not change its July to August 2013 retail sales percent change of 0.2%.
Written by Laurie Kulikowski in New York.


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Big White Ski Resort says ski conditions will be safe enough to open the ski season this Saturday, Nov. 29.
Lift tickets will be sold at half price on a single day non-reloadable card. All non-season pass holders are encouraged to buy their day tickets at a ticket office on-mountain in the Village Center Mall or the Ridge Day Lodge.
The Ridge Rocket Express Chair and the Plaza Quad Chair will have limited runs open due to early season conditions.
Lara’s Gondola will service the Happy Valley car park.
There will two magic carpets operating in the Happy Valley ski teaching area and the ice skating rink will be open although the ski resort is still looking into the issue of skate rentals.
The frst night of accommodation will be Friday while the ski village on-mountain shuttle bus will start operating Saturday morning, beginning at 7 a.m.
Prices for lift tickets until further notice will be as follows: Adult, $42; Youth/student/senior, $36; child: $24 (prices do not include tax).
As of today at 9:18 a.m., the snow base is 61 centimetres with 3 5cm of new snow having fallen overnight. The weather office says more snow is predicted today and Thursday.
Because of early season conditions, Big White advises all skiers and snowboarder to stay on the open runs only.


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Further evidence of the emergence of India as a player on the world’s pharmaceutical research scene came today with the announcement of a $150 licensing deal for Advinus Therapeutics from US drugmaker Merck & Co.
Advinus, which is backed by India’s Tata group, will carry out research for Merck on two unidentified projects in the area of metabolic disorders, according to the Indian company.
Advinus has a number of programmes ongoing in metabolic disorders, including the development of drugs that target hepatic glucose production, peripheral insulin resistance and insulin secretion by beta cells in diabetes, as well as satiety-inducing drugs for obesity. It is also working on therapies that increase levels of protective high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
In addition to the $150 million earmarked for licensing fees and milestone payments, Advinus will also receive royalties on sales should products from the collaboration reach the market.


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Only one of the 20 clubs at this year’s Epremier League Finals can claim to have a FIFA world champion in his ranks. Spurs thanks to his fearful duo as one of the favorites in this year’s competition. With Tom Le
The name of the month of the month (POTM) of February in Ligue 1 will soon be announced. Who will receive a special card and a DCE on FIFA 22?
After a public accusation of personal injury against his girlfriend, the Football Professional Mason Greenwood from EAS FIFA 22 was removed.
Find our cheap solution for the DCE Reinforce Premium Ligue 1 Team Creation Challenge for FIFA 22 mode.


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Bloomberg News reports reveal the working activity of Apple on a new design of the Mac Book Air. According to this report, the revolutionary update will be appearing at the end or at the start of 2022. That has incredible and upgraded features than the previous version along with the MagSafe Charging technique.
The report reveals that the MacBook contains an old pill-shaped design and a magnetic charging system. As there is only news all around and there is no solid information about this MacBook so it thought to be Squared off sides same as iPad pro. It will be considered the “high-end version” of smart applications
According to experts, Apple will launch all the lacking features of previous versions. It holds the next generation of ARM-based multi-processors along with the proud introduction of the M1 chip in the application. As MacBook holds an air design so it will be smaller and lighter to handle.
The smaller size is maintained by reducing the bezels on the 13-inch screen. That uplifts the interface feature with a lavish appearance. Reportedly it also holds the 2 USB 4 ports on the laptop.
The news article holds a bombastic approach of MagSafe charging case for the MacBook air design. That is most likely a charging puck with an aluminum body. This is something that makes the MacBook extremely different.
The MacBook will be launched for mart working activity not only for professionals but also for students. Technologically, this will bring an amazing and enthusiastic working approach. Experts are considering it a well-accomplished achievement.


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Indian language technology platform VerSe Innovation announced its foray into the global market, with the launch of Dailyhunt, a local language content platform, in the Middle East (ME) countries.
Media veteran Shekhar Iyer has been appointed as Director and General Manager of VerSe Innovation, MENA.
VerSe Innovation, whose proprietary technology powers Dailyhunt, has rolled out in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait with its headquarters in Dubai. Dailyhunt has launched in the ME region with over 5,000 content partners catering to the UAE market.
The local language content platform will soon be partnering with news publishers including MENA Newswire, Al Khaleej, The Brew, Chalk Media, Brandknew, KKompany, Mudgal Kreations, Buzzing, Gulf Today, among others.
Commenting on the global expansion, Umang Bedi, Co-founder, VerSe Innovation said, “Dailyhunt has constantly strived to deliver content that has informed, enriched, and entertained audiences in different languages. There is a tremendous opportunity to tap into the unmet content needs of the Middle East market. In this strategic growth plan, we will soon expand Dailyhunt in MENA countries including Iraq, Iran, Israel, and Egypt, and support languages like Hebrew, Farsi, and Arabic.”
In his previous stints, Shekhar has worked with Abu Dhabi Media (Radio Mirchi), Percept Gulf (MAME), Zee Entertainment, Indian Express, and Khaleej Times and in his new role, he will spearhead strategic and business development in the region.
Speaking about the launch and his appointment, Shekhar Iyer, Director and General Manager, VerSe Innovation, MENA said, "In addition to helping brands drive awareness, acquire users, and generate revenue, we are confident in enhancing the overall customer experience and deepening brand relationships. I look forward to building the largest local language content discovery platform for the MENA region."
Dailyhunt will be available on Web, Desktop, Mobile - PWA, and App (Android and IOS).
Read more Business News, India News and UAE News here


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MINSK, June 3 (Xinhua) -- About 200 charging stations run by Belarusian oil company Belorusneft will be modified to adapt to Chinese electric vehicles by the end of 2023, a senior manager of the company said on Friday.
They account for about 30 percent of all existing charging stations of Belorusneft in the country, said Deputy General Director for Construction, General Matters and Ideological Work of Belorusneft Andrey Kotik.
Kotik noted that there is a trend in Belarus for an increase in auto supplies from China, a global leader in electric vehicle technologies.
He said his company's charging networks were being retrofitted with a Chinese connector of GB/T standard.
"These days we have 16 charging stations operational that can charge Chinese electric vehicles. By the end of the year, there will be about 200 of such stations," he said.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree in 2018 on stimulating the use of electric transport in the country.
According to the document, Belorusneft has been designated as the state operator responsible for the creation and development of the electric charging network. Enditem


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TomTom, a location technology specialist, announced that Verizon will integrate TomTom’s Maps APIs and SDKs into its location services offering, making it easier for the developer community to build upon and integrate the platform, according to the company.
“We look forward to continuing to build upon and evolve our product suite with TomTom’s technology,” said Jeff Frantz, executive director, Verizon Location Services. “By expanding our agreement, we are furthering our commitment to providing best-in-breed location technology for Verizon and our customers.”
This agreement is an expansion of the existing TomTom and Verizon agreement, where TomTom provides location-based services to enhance Verizon’s current suite of location-based data, navigation, and intelligence.
Anders Truelsen, Managing Director, TomTom Enterprise said: “We’re determined to make it as easy as possible for developers to have access to our Maps APIs and SDKs so we’re delighted that Verizon is offering TomTom products to their location services customers.”
In the last quarter of 2019, the companies also announced an innovation project using Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and TomTom HD Maps to help make intersections safer for emergency vehicles.
Originally posted on Work Truck Online


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Aldi is bringing back a popular outdoor item - and it is expected to sell out very quickly.
As the weather gets hotter, families are already on the lookout for hot tubs and furniture to go outside and enjoy the weather.
And with families now allowed to meet in gardens, now is a great time to look for a new addition to your home.
Aldi has announced it is bringing back its spa pool this weekend (April 4) - and it's only £349.99.
Hot tubs have been tough to find for a bargain price but this might be your chance to grab one.
Features in the hot tub include 135 air jets to soothe and relax, water conditioning and automatic heating to set the water to the perfect temperature, as well as a lockable insulated cover to keep the water protected when the spa isn’t in use and keep energy bills down.
And if that isn't enough, you can throw in the Spa Pool Lighting (£12.99) and Cup Holder (£5.99) and all that’s left to do is sit back and let the world melt away.
Meanwhile, BirminghamLive is keeping a close eye on hot tubs and garden furniture deals and stock updates from major retailers.
If you want to keep an eye on them, you can follow our live blog right here.
Aldi's hot tub is expected to sell out fast so make sure you're ready to purchase it on the day.


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Avegant CEO Ed Tang stops by with a prototype of the company's Virtual Retinal Display, which uses micromirrors and advanced optics to project a stunning 3D image directly onto the retinas of the wearer.
Pricing not available
Smartwatches. Health monitors. Pedometers. Activity trackers. They're all part of the emerging landscape of wearable technology, which promises to change the way we exercise and communicate. We've collected the best products in this upstart category below.
In a crowded field of voice-powered digital assistant apps for Android, Sherpa distinguishes itself with its ability to perform searches on the Web, take notes, post to Facebook, and even stream music on command.
Android 6.0 is here, but not every Android phone will get the update at the same time. Here's what you need to know about upgrading.
Viewing two apps side by side on a Mac just got a lot easier.
Speaking at a conference in San Francisco, the social-networking giant's CEO says VR will eventually become a normal part of life, in the same way mobile devices have.
From CNET Magazine: Smartphones, online services and biometric scanners are already easing the way for travelers. Expect even more tech to transform your journeys in the not-too-distant future.
Tim Connolly, the streaming-video service's head of distribution, said Hulu's VR experience is "ready to go" in November when Samsung's $99 Gear VR headset starts to reach consumers.
A new series from Vice kicks off by visiting a Japanese scientist who hacks our perceptions to mess with our rates of food consumption and perception of flavors.
Japanese developer H2L is making a controller for VR gaming that simulates the feeling of touch, hoping to release it by May 2016.
Invitations to the online event appeared minutes after Google wrapped up its Nexus launch.


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More than 720 exhibitors from 39 countries gathered in Nuremberg last week for Embedded World, celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Covid-19 meant there was no physical show in 2021, and the 2020 show happened just as Europe locked down in March with 915 exhibitors, so this was the first such significant industry gathering. The 2022 show still suffered from the Covid effect, with some major exhibitors, including Microchip, not having a stand.
Figure released today show that 18,000 international visitors from 76 countries attended the show, with 3,900 online and hybrid attendees. This was up on the 13,796 visitors in 2020, but down on the 31,000 visitors in 2019 with 1,117 exhibitors.
The keynotes for the 2022 show opened with Dr. Matthias Klauda, Executive Vice President R&D from the recently founded “Cross Domain Computing Solutions” division of Robert Bosch discussing E/E Architectures of the Vehicle and Beyond. Steve Douglass, Corporate Vice President, research and development at Lattice Semiconductor, delivered his keynote on “Embracing Change: The Mandate for success in Next Generation Embedded Design”, while the third keynote was delivered by Patricia Shaw, CEO and founder of Beyond Reach Consulting, on Thursday. She spoke about “Responsible AI: From Principles to Practice.”
The show saw some unlikely additions. German/Australian quantum computing startup Quantum Brilliance exhibited, highlighting the maturing of the technology for the embedded market. Similarly Analog Devices is also looking at how it supports the signal chain for quantum computing.
The RISC-V architecture continues its rise, with Europe playing an increasingly important role in the development of chips and systems, from open source designs to Codasip’s European IP development, which will be covered in a coming RISC-V roundup on eeNews Europe.
Chinese microcontroller developer GigaDevices returned, having won the 2021 virtual show award for innovation for the first RISC-V microcontroller, the GD32V, last year. It also offers ARM microcontrollers that are pin compatible with parts from large European suppliers, boosting its rise.
- European RISC-V chip for IoT development kit
- Imagination launches its first real-time embedded RISC-V CPU
The latest ARM Cortex microcontroller core, the M85, was on display at Renesas, with tool support coming from IAR and Segger as well as its in-house tools. These are being optimised for the triple instruction issue pipeline that gives the M85 the performance to challenge low end Cortex-A cores.
Serbian development tool maker MikroElectronica was showing its ‘hardware as a service’ racks for remote operation of development boards. A 24 board rack is intended to support a class of university students.
The company also launched its Necto2.0 development environment that covers instruction sets from ARM to RISC-V, with some interesting plans to include machine learning for auto-code generation.
NECTO Studio comes with natural support for GCC compilers for RISC-V and currently supports over fourteen MCUs. But Necto also supports RISC-V in the mikroSDK, with a whole set of mikroSDK 2.0 libraries for RISC-V. This allows developers to use all the Click peripheral board libraries on RISC-V MCUs and to switch between different architectures without changing a single line of code.
Embedded software and security developer Foundries.io was showing some of the systems from partners using its embedded Linux, from home gateways to electric scooters. Ian Drew showed the ambitious plans for an IPO in the next three years, enabled by local funders rather than US funds.
The next show is back to a more usual time of year, from 14th to 16th March 2023.
More news from Embedded World
- World’s first M0+ USB-C PD 3.1 controller
- Renesas, TI square up over Bluetooth LE
- ST boosts Bluetooth chip with direction finding
- World’s first 1.5TB industrial microSD card


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The pandemic boosted consumer need, but supply chains cannot preserve up, producing inflation. But right after this temporary ailment finishes, what is future? Economists just can’t concur.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Two months of sharply soaring costs have lifted issues that file-significant governing administration economic assist and the Federal Reserve’s extremely-minimal fascination fee policies – when the financial system is previously surging – have elevated the risk of accelerating inflation.
In May well, shopper selling prices rose 5% from a year earlier, the premier this kind of year-in excess of-calendar year bounce considering that 2008.
Lots of economists see the latest spike as momentary. Other people say they worry that higher client prices will persist. Jason Furman, a Harvard professor who was President Barack Obama’s top rated economic adviser, thinks the reality is more complicated. He does, nevertheless, lean towards the better-inflation-will-persist camp.
Furman notes that even though most economists anticipate inflation to gradual from its present quickened speed, not all feel it will slide back again to the Fed’s chosen amount of 2% a calendar year.
The Linked Press spoke not too long ago with Furman about why bigger inflation might demonstrate only temporary, why it may persist and whether a little additional inflation is all that negative.
The interview was edited for length and clarity.
What is driving inflation up, and do you imagine it will persist?
There is been a whole lot of pretty short-term inflation from a established of quirks connected to the economy’s reopening. For illustration, used auto charges have definitely soared, and other price ranges are obtaining back again to where by they ended up pre-pandemic. I do not imagine anybody thinks the recent rate of cost maximize is likely to keep on.
The question is, how a great deal does it sluggish down? Does it gradual down all the way back to the 2% maximize each individual yr we utilised to see? Or does it slow down significantly less than that, and we’re still left with something more like a 3% enhance each individual calendar year?
How bad would 3% inflation be? Is it something we seriously have to have to stay clear of?
I really don’t truly consider 3% inflation would be awful, but it relies upon. If policymakers experimented with to lower inflation from 3% to 2%, (by boosting curiosity charges), that could be very unpleasant. If wages really do not maintain up with costs, that would also be troubling. But if we want to run the financial system, year in and yr out, at a better inflation charge likely forward, I really do not see that as a difficulty. But I do imagine it is important to make coverage centered on the most sensible and accurate anticipations for what is occurring in the upcoming.
Outside of the economy’s reopening, what could generate a much more sustained bout of inflation?
I feel the four explanations why you could stress that inflation is heading to be much more persistent are, No. 1, there are some sneakers that have not dropped but. The most important of them getting the cost of shelter – that’s lease. And then it is some thing called owner’s equal hire, which is what it costs a home owner to dwell in their house. (The two rents and dwelling prices have risen sharply.)
Next issue is some selling prices are sticky. That indicates they really do not modify definitely immediately and correct absent. A good deal of charges adjust the moment a year, and you are likely to see extra of those people rate alterations over time. Wages also are likely to be sticky. A lot of companies might in September make a decision on new wages for January.
The third aspect is that it’s probable that demand from customers carries on to exceed source by way of the rest of the year. People have a ton of funds. They are paying that dollars, but not everyone’s back to function, which implies we can’t make everything that folks want to invest in.
And lastly, and most speculatively, expectations for inflation enjoy a big role in the dynamics of inflation. Could anticipations modify? Could they develop into unanchored if men and women start to hope extra inflation? It would be self-satisfying.
How does the latest circumstance examine with the spiraling inflation of the 1970s?
There’s no danger of a repeat of the encounter like the 1970s. The Fed uncovered that lesson. They’ll under no circumstances permit inflation get to 10%. The 1960s is the product for what we’re going via now. Inflation crept up from about 1.5% to about 5%.
One of the troubling things in the 1960s was that wages did not keep up with rates, and so men and women noticed their getting electrical power, their serious wages slide. I’m not declaring that’s what is heading to materialize now, but that is the situation to be fearful about.
Do you believe the fed has adequately assessed the threats?
They shifted coverage in the correct path at their most recent conference (on June 15-16). But I assume they’re going to shock by themselves that they’re going to end up with a pretty sturdy recovery in work opportunities, that we’re heading to stop up with more inflation than we hope. And so they are likely to raise prices faster than they feel they’re heading to.
Would that slow the overall economy or likely cause a economic downturn?
There are two situations for the Fed. The most likely one is that our unemployment charge is very small in 2022. Inflation is managing higher than trend. And so the option is incredibly straightforward. They’ve attained about their highest employment mandate. They raise rates. The bad situation for the Fed would be the unemployment rate continues to be elevated and inflation is functioning at 3% and then their dual mandate will be pulling them in diverse directions. And I’m not positive how they would resolve that.
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Antares and Capella Yee are siblings who happen to be named after stars, which is fitting when you consider that celestial bodies seem to have aligned to get them where they are today. Antares founded the furniture design studio Sun at Six in 2017, following in the footsteps of his mother, Maria Yee, who started her eponymous furniture business in China in the 1980s.
Maria’s early work was traditional in style, referencing Ming dynasty designs. Her business took off when she innovated on a classical joinery technique that uses no nails or screws, allowing the pieces to withstand transport between disparate climates. It’s this carpentry technique that is the hallmark of Sun at Six today and the backbone of designs that mix Chinese intricacy with echoes of Japanese and Scandinavian minimalism.
“I’m Chinese American. I grew up in California, I live in New York,” says Antares, who’s made the line available to the trade and direct-to-consumer. “I think that’s apparent in our work, that we have influences from everywhere.”
In their youth, he and Capella, who joined the brand this year from Google Maps to lead development and operations, spent summers in their mother’s hometown of Guangzhou. (Maria even made scaled-down versions of her furniture specifically for the kids’ “time-outs.”) There, Maria established her factories with an eye toward sustainability—groundwork Antares can now leverage when sourcing hardwoods, employing many of the same tradespeople he remembers from his childhood.
The significance of being able to follow in their mother’s footsteps on their own terms is not lost on either sibling. “For my mom, it was a little bit more about survival than design sensibilities,” Capella says. Now, they’re able to build their business from a place of plenty, providing innovation in tandem with opportunity.
This story originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of ELLE DECOR. SUBSCRIBE
Sean Santiago is ELLE Decor's Deputy Editor, covering news, trends and talents in interior design, hospitality, travel, and luxury. He writes the So Courant! column for the magazine and elledecor.com.