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TNW has obtained copies of the internal memos sent by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and departing CFO Peter Klein concerning the latter’s departure. That exit was announced as part of Microsoft’s quarterly earnings.
Naturally, the news of Klein’s departure comes at a time in which Microsoft is undergoing a number of transitions, including revamping its core business model to focus on the sale of devices, and the delivery of services, instead of the vending of what we tend to lovingly call...Read Full Story
At this point are Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer and Peter Klein’s domestic memos regarding the CFO’s exit
Article by http://www.Aptopakkushop.At/ : TNW has obtained copies of the domestic memos sent by Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer and departing CFO Peter Klein with regard to the latter’s departure. With the intention of exit was announced equally part of Microsoft’s weekly rate.
Unpretentiously, the news of Klein’s departure comes by the side of a schedule concerning...Read Full Story
Tech companies are invariably making news - fortunately for me personally as this is a tech website. Who're we checking out now?One fascinating topic of conversation is Windows Phone and BlackBerry. Let's check it out shall we?- Here's To Another Crazy One: Microsoft's Steve Ballmer Narrates Windows Phone 8 Ad from techcrunch.com- iPhone, Android (operating system) Embraced at United States Department of Defense from www.webpronews.comWhat else is there? Well, there's Scott Forstall and Apple...Read Full Story
Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO
Under the heading: “Lies we tell ourselves” –this quote:
“Google’s not a real company. It’s a house of cards.”
That’s Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. He’s a super smart guy, so we chuckle in that superior and satisfied way (as I type on my Apple Air Notebook). I came across this quote recently, did a bit of research and believe he really said it. (“The problem with internet quotes is you don’t know if they’re true.” ~ Abraham Lincoln) I can’t find an...Read Full Story
Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer, Craig Mundie, has moved into a new role as a senior advisor to the firm’s CEO, according to his profile page on the Microsoft website.
The new position means that Mundie will be working on “key strategic projects within the company”, as well as liasing with government and industry figures around the world on technology policy, regulation and standards.
The move, which will have him reporting directly to Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer, will...Read Full Story
Steve Ballmer Wall
Learn more about Steve Ballmer and get the latest Steve Ballmer articles and information.


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The World’s Thinnest Smartphone Could Soon be a Windows Phone
The prestigious title of ‘World’s Thinnest Smartphone’ currently belongs to a brand most people have never heard of. Hailing from China, a company called Oppo recently pinched the crown with a new phone called the ‘Finder’.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform may get another feather in its cap soon, as reports suggest that Oppo will soon be joining as a manufacturing partner. What this means is that the company’s prowess for making incredibly good-looking, thin, and affordable phones, will be transferred to Windows Phone in the future.
As a reference, the Oppo Finder is a stylish phone that’s just 6.65mm thick. It features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich as the operating system. Unfortunately this beast isn’t available anywhere other than China, although thankfully the low SIM-Free price of $400 means that you can whack international shipping on top without losing the sense of a bargain.
The rumours suggest that Microsoft has selected Oppo to become a manufacturer for future smartphones that will run on the Windows Phone 8 platform. We’re told it chose Oppo for its strengths in making incredibly stylish and well-built devices at a low price, which will make a neat match for Microsoft’s software.
We’re excited to see what Oppo and Microsoft can come up with, and if it’s anything like the Finder then Windows Phone fans will be in for a real treat.

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TOKYO -- Mazda reported a 76 percent slump in operating profit in the latest quarter, as unfavorable foreign exchange rates and falling wholesale volume hammered results.
Mazda's operating profit dropped to 6.5 billion yen ($59.6 million) in the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, the company said on Wednesday in its quarterly earnings report.
Net income fell 37 percent to 15.8 billion yen ($144.9 million) in the three months.
Revenue declined 5 percent to 849.7 billion yen ($7.79 billion) in the period, as global retail sales flatlined at 376,000 units. Wholesale shipments declined 8 percent to 293,000 vehicles.
In announcing the results, Managing Officer Tetsuya Fujimoto said Mazda reduced marketing expenses and was achieving better per-unit profit in the latest quarter. But falling wholesale shipments and a huge hit from the Japanese yen's appreciation against the U.S. dollar, euro and other currencies more than offset gains from cost cutting and reductions in r&d spending.
Operating profit margin shrank to 0.8 percent in the quarter, from 3 percent a year earlier.
The automaker also dialed down its sales expectations for the second time this fiscal year.
In November, it downgraded its retail sales outlook, saying it expected sales to fall about 1 percent to 1.55 million vehicles in the current fiscal year ending March 31.
The new outlook, announced on Wednesday, predicts a 4 percent slide to 1.5 million. Volume will be pulled down by declines in Japan, China and markets including Australia, Mazda warned.
Still, Mazda kept its earnings outlook unchanged for the current fiscal year ending March 31.
Mazda forecasts a 27 percent tumble to 60 billion yen ($550.2 million), the lowest level since 2013. Net income is seen falling 32 percent to 43 billion yen ($394.3 million). Operating profit is poised to decline for the fourth straight year.
In the October-December quarter, North American retail sales expanded 5 percent to 102,000 vehicles, while European volume grew 34 percent to 82,000 units.
But at the wholesale level, Mazda moderated deliveries to rein in inventories. Shipments to North America advanced 3 percent and European wholesale volume increased 4 percent.
Mazda cut wholesale volume 19 percent in the home market of Japan.
Mazda books parent-company earnings from its wholesale deliveries.
Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto unveiled a new mid-term business plan last May to lift operating profit margin to a sustainable 5 percent by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.
The new plan also set a lower long-term sales goal than Mazda had earlier floated.
Mazda now targets global sales of 1.8 million vehicles in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. It had earlier wanted to sell 2 million vehicles in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.
Marumoto, who took office in June 2018, says his highest priority is spurring growth in the U.S., the automaker's biggest market. To do that, he wants to focus on strengthening Mazda's U.S. dealer network and making the most of its growing partnership with Toyota.
Mazda is trying to upgrade its dealer network before it opens a new plant it is jointly building in Alabama with Toyota.
Slated to open in 2021, the $1.6 billion plant will add 150,000 units of capacity to Mazda -- all of which will be devoted to a new crossover for the U.S. Mazda expects U.S. sales to soar after that, with the plant enabling it to sell 2 million vehicles globally.
In the fiscal third quarter, Mazda booked an 8-billion-yen ($73.4 million) charge for other costs, including outlays for the new U.S. plant and investment in the sales network upgrade.
Naoto Okamura contributed to this report


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A reporter for MarketWatch, an online business news site owned by Dow Jones, resigned yesterday after published reports suggested that a Web site she started on her own might have created a conflict of interest.
Dow Jones, which also owns The Wall Street Journal, issued a brief statement that said the reporter, Bambi Francisco, a columnist and video host, had decided to leave the company.
Ms. Francisco confirmed in her final MarketWatch column that she was leaving and said she was turning her attention to her online venture, Vator.tv, a video service that presents executives of start-up companies making pitches for financing from venture capitalists. (Vator refers to an “elevator pitch,” an entrepreneur’s hurried description of a company’s business plan.)
Ms. Francisco received approval to start the company last year from MarketWatch’s editor in chief, David Callaway.
She said in an e-mail message that she was told she could not promote the site in her work at MarketWatch, which is based in San Francisco, or write about companies that appeared on Vator.tv.
But she did write about some of the companies. “I deemed some companies worth reporting on,” she said.
Ms. Francisco also wrote on MarketWatch about her partner in Vator.tv, Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal and now a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist and hedge fund manager.
Mr. Thiel revealed the relationship with Ms. Francisco last month in a talk he gave to a group of Silicon Valley business journalists. He did not respond to requests for comment.
CNet, a technology news Web site, reported the story Thursday. It quoted Mr. Callaway as saying, “the rigid rules of the past may not always apply to the new media.”
But on Thursday, Mr. Callaway sent a message to MarketWatch staff saying that the company’s ethical standards were identical to those of Dow Jones, which prohibits its employees from investing in companies they write about.
Ms. Francisco said in an e-mail message that, “My investment essentially was the sweat-equity I poured into creating it.”
Ms. Francisco said she expected Dow Jones to issue a news release saying that she did not violate the company’s code of conduct rules and that she used sound judgment.
But in a statement released yesterday evening, L. Gordon Crovitz, executive vice president of the parent company, said nothing that would either clear or incriminate Ms. Francisco.
“Dow Jones demands the highest journalism standards at our own publications and services, as reflected by our strict code of conduct. Our MarketWatch reporter Bambi Francisco started Vator.tv on her own time with our approval, under certain guidelines on permitted areas of coverage. Bambi has decided to pursue her enterprise full time,” the statement said.
A spokeswoman for Dow Jones said that Mr. Callaway would remain as editor of MarketWatch.


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As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right now?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which eateries have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at New York City businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are worth exploring, right now.
Open since May 2019, this Chinese spot, which offers noodles, ramen and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Ramen" on Yelp.
Citywide, ramen spots saw a median 2.9% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Meet Noodles saw a substantial 118.8% increase, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating throughout.
Located at 50 Third Ave. (between 1st Ave And 11th Street) in the East Village, Meet Noodles offers a variety of Chinese chicken, beef and vegetarian dishes, including basil fried chicken.
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Theater District's Junzi Kitchen, the Chinese spot, which offers noodles and salads, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Salad" on Yelp saw a median 2% increase in new reviews over the past month, Junzi Kitchen bagged a 47.1% increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a convincing 4.5-star rating.
There's more that's trending on New York City's salad scene: Forma Pasta Factory has seen a 30.2% increase in reviews.
Open at 135 W. 41st St. (between Avenue Of The Americas and Broadway) since April 2019, Junzi Kitchen offers bok choy salad, bing wraps and more.
Williamsburg's Kitsby is also making waves. Open since April 2019 at 186 Grand St. (between Bedford and Driggs avenues), the bakery and coffee and tea spot, which offers desserts and more, has seen a 45.7% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.5% for all businesses tagged "Bakeries" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Kitsby's review count increased by more than 160%.
Kitsby offers cream puffs, cheesecake and more. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating tick down from five stars to 4.5 stars.
Chinatown's Sup Crab is the city's buzziest seafood spot by the numbers.
The seafood, Cajun/Creole and Chinese spot, which opened at 97 Bowery (between Hester and Grand streets) on December 2018, increased its new review count by 48.4% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.4% for the Yelp category "Seafood."
Sup Crab offers seafood boils, fried calamari and popcorn chicken.
The Springs Bar and Lounge
Greenpoint's The Springs Bar and Lounge is currently on the upswing in the traditional American category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp saw a median 2.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, this cocktail bar and traditional American spot increased its new reviews by 26% — and kept its rating consistent at three stars. Review counts increased by more than 500% on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 224 Franklin St. (between Freeman and Huron streets) since May 2018, the spot offers cocktail slushies, including the Aperol Seltzer slushie with Aperol, gin, sparkling wine, lemon and Perrier. View the menu here.


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The stock market was generally higher on Friday, but MercadoLibre (MELI -3.21%) was a big outperformer. As of 10:30 a.m. EDT, the e-commerce and fintech company was higher by 4% after rising by as much as 10% earlier in the day.
As you might expect given that we're in the peak of third-quarter earnings season, MercadoLibre's third-quarter results are behind the move.
MercadoLibre's latest figures were impressive throughout the entire business. On the e-commerce side, gross merchandise volume (GMV) grew by 30% year over year to $7.3 billion. Nearly 260 million items were sold on the platform, and mobile sales now represent 74% of the total volume.
On the fintech side of the business, Mercado Pago, the results were even more impressive. Total payment volume increased by 59% year over year to $20.9 billion from nearly 866 million transactions. Off-platform transaction volume now represents roughly two-thirds of the total and continues to grow at an even faster rate than payment volume from MercadoLibre's marketplace.
MercadoLibre's newer business segments are growing impressively as well. Most notably, the company's Mercado Credito lending platform now has $1.1 billion in outstanding loans, nearly quadrupling its size from a year ago.
Impressively, these growth numbers are in addition to the massive spike MercadoLibre saw in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic caused e-commerce and cashless payment volumes to soar. If the company can keep capitalizing on its enormous opportunities in both e-commerce and payment processing, there could be much more upside ahead.


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It’s easy to forget that BMW has released some really mind-blowing concept cars in the past few years. With cars like the BMW X7 and 4 Series making headlines with their controversial designs, we enthusiasts can be forgiven for losing track of some of the brand’s finest metals. One of the youngest stunners was the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage, a concept car that brought one of the brand’s classic cars into the future and was loved by BMW enthusiasts almost everywhere. Now the designer who wrote the CSL homage is leaving BMW and switching to KIA.
Won Kyu Kang was most recently Design Director at BMW Designworks in Shanghai and will soon become Vice President and Head of the Design Innovation Group at KIA.
“I am honored to join the Kia design team, especially at a time when the automotive industry is facing such radical change,” said Kang. “I believe Kia will play an important role in defining the new era of design with a wide range of electrified products and a visionary mobility roadmap for the future. I am very excited to be part of this journey with Kia’s dedicated design team to further strengthen its product line and design strategy. “
When Kang joins KIA, he will join a former BMW colleague, Karim Habib, who was previously Head of Design at BMW before becoming Senior Vice President and Head of the KIA Design Center.
Kang is an extremely talented designer who is likely to do great things for KIA, a brand that is not only growing in size but also bringing out some really compelling cars. Like Kabib, Kang brings a wealth of experience working for a brand for which he is best suited as a designer. It will be interesting to see how his influence on KIA designs evolves.[Source: CarMag]


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Hellowater partners with agricultural company on toxin-fighting beverage line5 Feb 2021
Functional water brand Hellowater and the agriculture company Brandt are partnering to launch a line of beverages that employ Brandt’s toxin-elimination and immune-protection technology. In addition to co-producing a line of functional water, Brandt is the lead investor in Hellowater’s Series A fundraising round, which is set to close at the end of the quarter. Details about the investment were not shared.
The proprietary technology featured in this new product, which is expected to hit U.S. shelves in March, will feature Brandt's CYTO PLUS technology. According to a press release from the agritech company, this technology creates "a shield for our defense system while accelerating the elimination of toxins from the body.”
Elimination rather than addition is a novel concept for functional waters that generally focus on incorporating ingredients to boost the overall health of consumers. Hellowater itself already has three of its own varieties that promise digestive health, immune defense and pH balance. However, this partnership with Brandt does more than just show that Hellowater is thinking outside the bottle. It marks a transition for beverage manufacturers, aligning them with technological solutions as a means of differentiating themselves in a category that is rapidly expanding.
Hellowater co-founder and CEO Tom Bushkie in the release, “We could have gone the typical route in creating an immunity beverage by adding core vitamins and minerals to help boost health, but we knew we needed to deliver a breakthrough product that had true protection.”
By looking to technology-driven solutions, this partnership may mark the beginning of a trend to seek collaboration with companies that are propelling innovation through innovative technological specialization.
This hyper-specialization will now put this functional beverage startup in competition with some industry heavyweights, including Nestlé, PepsiCo and Ocean Spray as well as a host of smaller startups that are producing beverages that claim to do everything from increasing sleep quality to providing a boost in energy. But despite stiff competition, the use of CYTO PLUS technology offers Hellowater an attractive competitive advantage that aligns it with the growing interest in tech solutions like artificial intelligence and gene editing technology from elsewhere in the food and beverage space.
Although innovative, this toxin-removal solution bucks the trend toward natural functional beverage options that are also popular with consumers. While Hellowater may not target demographics looking for natural alternatives, it may be worth noting that too much innovation too quickly is not always well received by consumers. People have found technologies like lab grown meat to be “scary,” according to a 2019 study from the marketing firm Charleston|Orwig. Similarly, GMOs have remained a controversial subject with consumers who are wary of altered ingredients.
Nevertheless, the thought of removing toxins from the body has a good chance of appealing to consumers that are increasingly interested in edible solutions to maintain their health and wellbeing.
UK High Court allows Oatly to use 'milk' on packaging
17 Jan 2024
Oatly has scored a landmark victory in the use of the word milk after the UK High Court ruled against the country’s dairy industry and permitted the term to be used on packaging.Read more
Chobani expands drink presence with La Colombe acquisition
16 Jan 2024
Greek yoghurt giant Chobani has purchased US coffee brand La Colombe Coffee Roasters for $900 million, furthering its expansion into beverage categories like coffee, oat milk, creamer and ready-to-drink offerings.Read more
PepsiCo to reshape convenient foods portfolio with less sodium and more plant proteins
10 Jan 2024
PepsiCo has revealed details of two nutrition goals that look to reduce sodium and boost consumption of legumes, whole grains, and plant-based proteins as part of the multinational’s expanded convenient foods portfolio.Read more
Meet the innovative ingredients showcased at Fi Europe’s New Product Zone
3 Jan 2024
The Food Ingredients category at Fi Europe’s New Product Zone featured 19 distinct and innovative products. From fermented delights to sustainable proteins, these ingredients are ready to make their mark in the market.Read more
Fi Europe’s New Product Zone elevates the nutrition of everyday indulgences
22 Dec 2023
At Fi Europe 2023's New Product Zone, eight health ingredients, each offering an enhanced nutritional profile of various products, were on display. These ingredients address the evolving needs of the food and beverage industry and cater to consumers se...Read more
MyAir plans to expand personalised adaptogen products to UK
15 Dec 2023
After launches in Japan and the US, B2B personalised nutrition company MyAir is eyeing the UK market with its white-label functional food and drink products. “Taste is a must – but it's not enough,” says its CEO. “Food has become functional and persona...Read more
Augmented technology is the gateway to new food experiences
13 Dec 2023
Harnessing augmented reality as a digital tool could offer consumers increasingly personalised food and beverage experiences, opening up new ways to see and taste products, according to a report by Canvas8 and Givaudan.Read more
Colombia introduces tax on ultra-processed foods
7 Dec 2023
In a bid to curb rates of obesity and other non-communicable disease, the Colombian government has introduced a tax on various ultra-processed food (UPF) and drink products.Read more
Snack trends, ingredient claims, and plant-based perceptions: Highlights from Fi Europe 2023, part 1
7 Dec 2023
Value-led snacking, sustainability storytelling, and the importance of having a ‘star ingredient’: we asked consumer analysts and market experts at Fi Europe about the trends and innovations that are shaping the food industry.Read more
Consumers want more plant-based meat without GM ingredients
28 Nov 2023
Plant-based meat has been a hot and popular category for several years, but not all North American shoppers are embracing vegetarian alternatives that contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients, according to the Non-GMO Project.Read more


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US firm InterDigital files patent infringement cases against Xiaomi in Delhi HC1 min read . Updated: 30 Jul 2020, 12:05 PM IST
- InterDigital has filed two has filed two patent infringement cases against Xiaomi in the Delhi high court related to cellular technology and video coding
- InterDigital claims it has been in negotiation with Xiaomi for years and filed the case after they couldn't reach an agreement
NEW DELHI: InterDigital, a Delaware, US based mobile and video technology company, has filed two patent infringement cases against Xiaomi in the Delhi high court. InterDigital alleges unauthorised use of five cellular 3G and 4G patents and three H.265/HEVC (high efficiency video coding) patents by the Chinese phonemaker.
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Vivo is set introduce a cutting-edge screen design never before seen.
Teased through its social media accounts, the fastest-growing smartphone brand in the Philippines will launching a new smartphone that will debut Vivo’s new screen design.
Vivo was one of the first brands to introduce bezel-less displays, helping pave the way for screen advancements.
Its past flagship models, V7+ was hailed as the best selfie phone in 2017 by numerous tech blogs and sites; the V9 was lauded for its 90% screen-to-body ratio with its 6.3-inch FullView Display; the X21 for its advanced In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology; and the NEX for its 8-megapixel pop up camera and screen SoundCasting technology, have made Vivo a brand that’s synonymous with innovation.
Vivo already has hinted of the upcoming smartphone’s under-display fingerprint scanning technology, like the X21. Be on the look out on what feature’s going to be revealed next.


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Wal-Mart(NYSE:WMT) may have started as a retailer, but it's fast on the way to becoming a technology company.
The brand, which became known for its physical stores, plans to spend an additional $2 billion on technology over the next two fiscal years. That make sense given that Wal-Mart has about $13 billion in digital sales, making it the third largest online retailer, Fortune reported. That makes it only one sixth as large as industry leader Amazon but still a major force.
CEO Doug McMillan reaffirmed his company's commitment to technology in his speech at Wal-Mart's 22nd Annual Meeting for the Investment Community on Oct. 14. And while he committed to hiring "top technology talent in Silicon Valley and around the world," he also said his chain would, "First, win with stores."
To accomplish that, the retailer has a number of new technology-based initiatives built around the in-store experience.
The company is going old-school
Sometimes, the simple way is best. For Wal-Mart, that means improving its shopping experience with text messages.
The company has tested a virtual, in-store assistant that works via text message, Fierce Retail reported. Instead of being a high-tech, voice-activated helper like Siri or Cortana, the retailer's virtual helper will work through the same texts we have been sending for over a decade.
It's a familiar and easy way for customers to get answers to simple questions and find items in the store. Shoppers simply text "hi" to the posted (and heavily promoted) number in the store. Once they do that, they will receive a text back from a store associate with assistance such as directions to a certain section of the store. If the problem is too complicated for text messages, the customer will be directed to a nearby employee.
The app was created by a group of "hackers" during a hackathon sponsored by the retailer. A member of that team, Rachel Tsao, told TechCrunch that their motivation was simple.
"We built this app because we've always been frustrated in stores, especially Wal-Mart. It's such a huge store," she said. "I want to get my hot Cheetos and get right out." She also explained that the team had considered embedding the helper in Wal-Mart's app but thought text messages made more sense.
"The demographic of large stores was our inspiration, most users don't know how to download apps, or they don't know how to find an app," she added. "Plus, asking them to use their data plans is a big part of it. We really wanted something that helped them find what they need, and it'll drive them to the app."
Improving its grocery supply chain
Before a customer can buy something from Wal-Mart, whether it be in its stores or online for in-store pickup, the company must have in place an inventory management system that confirms whether the product is on a shelf or in a warehouse. To make that happen, Wal-Mart has made several changes to its in-store supply chain operation.
The goal of the changes is simplifying processes on everything from rotating fresh produce to increasing checkout speeds, TalkBusiness.net reported. Mark Ibbotson, senior vice president for the Wal-Mart U.S. Central Division, recently spoke to a group of Wal-Mart's suppliers at Sam's Club corporate offices.
He told the group the retailer had reduced the number of steps needed to move inventory from its supply areas to shelves from nine to four, the business news site reported. He also explained that the company was changing its in-store inventory technology, the MC40, which he described as being like a smartphone.
"Anyone who can operate an iPhone or Samsung smartphone can easily operate the MC40," he said.
As a result of these changes, Wal-Mart is making it more likely that the items people order digitally or look for in their stores are actually available. That appears to be working so far, according to Ibbotson, who said the new technology has cut the time needed to gather items in the store room by 51%, while the shelf scanning process time has been cut by 89%.
Wal-Mart thinks digitally, like a start-up
Part of the reason Wal-Mart can unleash technical innovations like these is that the company still tries to think like a start-up when it comes to digital innovation. To facilitate that, the company has maintained @WalmartLabs, an incubator designed to "reshape the eCommerce landscape while having a lasting impact on the industry," according to its website, which further offers this description:
@WalmartLabs is an accelerator in the effort to meet the needs of our customers where ever they are -- shopping in a store, browsing our web site, or out and about with their mobile devices.
Wal-Mart is clearly thinking beyond its current needs and investing in the future. The company has proven that it can create new technologies that benefit its customers. That might mean employing more low-tech or invisible-to-consumers solutions, but it's what's right for the retailer and its audience.


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London, U.K. - Nov. 2014:
Northern Sky Music, run by Grammy-nominated songwriter and music producer Steve Robson, is among the first studios in the U.K. to add API's BOX console to their equipment — and they have already started a trend. The BOX made its debut at last year's AES show in New York, where Howard Jones of London's Source Distribution couldn't wait to bring it back home. "We had a call pretty much the moment the first BOX landed in the U.K., saying that Steve wanted a demo right away." Robson has worked with major artists such as James Blunt, One Direction, and Rascal Flatts. The BOX was the perfect fit for Northern Sky, as Jones explains: "Many pros here know and love the trademark API sound, but don't always need a larger format console. The U.K. was really crying out for a product like the BOX."
London dealer Funky Junk works closely with Source distribution — and they are looking forward to the boost in sales the BOX is already bringing them. Since supplying Robson with his console, both Source and Funky Junk have placed several of API's recording and mixing solutions in top studios across the country. "We are delighted to have a high demand for the BOX in such a wide array of studios, and are amazed to hear about the major productions in which it has already been used," said Larry Droppa, president of API. "With the success Steve Robson has earned in his career, I know we're bound to hear even more amazing projects recorded and mixed in the BOX."


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New launches in ayurvedic segment help Colgate breathe life into sales
“Our net sales growth (in Asia Pacific) was driven primarily by India and Greater China. Volume in India was up double digit as we had demonetisation in the year-ago period,” Ian Cook, global chief executive of the US multinational, said in an investors’ call.
Like many large consumer goods companies including Unilever, Colgate had struggled with sluggish volume growth and shifting consumer taste towards natural or herbal brands. Colgate India had been consistently posting declining volume growth since a year and posted a 12% fall in the 2016 December quarter.
“India also benefited from positive pricing, and we continue to see benefits from our launches in the naturals space with Colgate Cibaca Vedshakti and Colgate Swarna Vedshakti driving incremental sales,” said Cook. The $16-billion company also has global experience in the naturals segment, having acquired Tom’s of Maine, a natural ingredients-only personal care products maker in the US, while Colgate Miswak is present in Turkey, Indonesia and elsewhere.
Vedshakti, launched a year ago, was aimed at Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali, which challenged the multinational’s dominance of the segment with its Dant Kanti toothpaste.
“We have seen them in India approaching 1 share point; and in the modern trade, approaching 2 share points,” said Cook.
Within natural or ayurvedic space, Colgate has about 35% share with brands such as Colgate Active Salt range and Colgate Herbal. With 25% of India’s toothpaste market being herbal, analysts feel Colgate is on a strong footing with a changing toothpaste portfolio.
“Although the company’s market share in this sub-segment is low compared to its overall 54% market share, we believe this is still reasonable and can be expanded further with the rollout of new products,” said a recent Motilal Oswal report.
Analysts also reckon that rural recovery will be more crucial for Colgate, given its high rural market share at 58%. Colgate reported six years of double-digit, or close to double-digit volume growth, before slowdown in FMCG over FY14-17 due to poor monsoon and then note ban, led by double-digit rural volume growth.


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Tata Motors, a prominent electric car manufacturer in India, is actively advocating against potential tax reductions for hybrid vehicles in the country. The company asserts that hybrids pose greater environmental harm compared to pure electric vehicles (EVs). This stands in contrast to the position of other automakers, such as Toyota, which are pushing for lower taxes on hybrids, according to a report by Reuters.
As part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to address pollution, India has been promoting electric vehicles with a low tax rate of 5 percent. In contrast, hybrid cars face a significantly higher tax rate of 43 percent, just below the 48 percent levied on traditional petrol cars.
In a letter addressed to the government, Tata Motors emphasises the need to incentivise EVs over hybrids, citing the latter’s higher pollution levels. The company argues that providing tax cuts for hybrid vehicles would run counter to the government’s overall environmental objectives.
This development occurs amid a global shift towards sustainable transportation, with automakers increasingly focusing on electric and hybrid technologies. Tata Motors’ position not only aligns with its commitment to electric mobility but also signals a potential divergence in regulatory approaches within the Indian automotive market. As the government deliberates on hybrid taxation, the industry and environmental advocates will closely monitor the outcome, anticipating its impact on the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country.


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The Future of Retail Is Now!
The COVID-19 pandemic’s government subsidies, tax relief and increase in online shopping gave many retailers a soft landing at the end of what could have been a rollercoaster. Since then, retail market growth is flattening, online retail sales have stabilized, and discretionary spending is tightening.
Richard Ansell, Senior Director, Retail, discusses four skills retailers need to stay viable now and create growth into the future.
1. Master customers’ omnichannel expectations
Although customers’ have less money to spend, their physical and digital experience expectations have risen. Retailers will have to work harder to win customer loyalty, and those who can master this evolving omnichannel world will become the clear market leaders.
2. Utilize artificial intelligence and automation to free up cash
Leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to implement more efficient fulfilment operations can aid retailers and free up cash to invest in the customer experience and omnichannel growth.
3. Rationalize portfolios
Retailers should look at their existing store portfolios and rebrand or rationalize their physical store footprints to deliver the omnichannel experience customers expect.
4. Restructure financials
Retailers should consider restructuring their financials by reviewing cost lines for savings and find operational efficiencies to mitigate rising costs. Increasing cash flow with targeted offers can monetize excess inventory and re-negotiating or extending credit terms with suppliers and landlords can provide additional liquidity. Lastly, engaging early with key financial stakeholders ensures financing and capital structures are fit for purpose and capable of supporting a retailer through a softer retail environment.
Watch the video to learn more about these trends and how they may shape the future of the retail industry.


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Flow Sports to Distribute ION AIR PRO Cameras to US Sports Chains and Specialty Stores
SOMERSET, NJ, June 22, 2012—On the heels of the May launch of the ION AIR PRO™ HD Sports Video Camera family, ION Worldwide today announced a strategic distribution partnership with Flow Sports. A brand marketing and distribution company specializing in action-sports gear, Flow Sports will be distributing ION AIR cameras to major sporting goods chains as well as specialty sports retailers, including snow, surf and water sports shops, throughout the U.S.
Best known as the creator of “Flow Snowboarding,” Flow Sports is a leader in snowboard bindings, boots and boards and invented the “speed entry” binding design. The company has added a number of cutting-edge and complementary brands to its portfolio, including SIC (Sandwich Island Composites) Paddleboards, NXTZ wearables and Chuckbuddies action snowboard figures. Its products are broadly distributed throughout the country.
“Flow Sports and ION share a passion for innovation, and this is why we are so excited about our partnership. With the AIR PRO line, ION clearly is pushing the limits of design,” said Anthony Scaturro, president, Flow Sports. “Its Wi-Fi connectivity, range of accessories and easy-on/easy-off mount system make the camera a dream come true for boarders, paddlers, bikers… anyone who wants to capture the moment and share it with others. We are thrilled to be the exclusive US sports distribution partner for ION, and look forward to bringing the ION AIR PRO camera to sports fanatics across the country.”
The top-of-line ION AIR PRO Wi-Fi camera makes it easy to capture and share the action as it occurs on the slopes, in the surf or while jogging at the local park. It features a number of significant industry firsts, including Wi-Fi connectivity, free cloud storage and the unique PODZ™ system – thin, circular discs that attach to the back of the basic camera and extend its capabilities. With the ION Wi-Fi PODZ and the ION app for iOS (iPhone/iPad/iPod), users can control camera functions and settings, view the action as it happens as a live stream, and replay or immediately upload footage to Facebook and YouTube, or share it via email.
“Flow Sports has a strong history of innovation, from its roots in snowboard design to its relationships with top athletes like Olympic medalist snowboarder Scotty Lago. We couldn’t be happier that the Flow Sports team is representing the ION brand to the sports market,” said Giovanni Tomaselli, CEO, ION Worldwide.


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Wolverines Use Panasonic P2 Gear for Coaching Analysis
Photo by Martin Vloet
SECAUCUS, N.J.: Beginning this season, the University of Michigan Wolverines are shooting with Panasonic AG-HPX370 P2 HD camcorders to capture game action and practices for coaching analysis.
In addition to four AG-HPX370s, the Big 10 team has also invested in five AG-HMR10 handheld AVCCAM HD recorder/players, an AG-HPX170 P2 HD handheld camcorder for roaming coverage, and PT-DZ570 series DLP, native WUXGA resolution projectors to display footage in meeting rooms for coaches and players.
“The editing process is simple,” said Phil Bromley, senior media designer for Michigan football. “We use a XOS Digital software package, which meshes incredibly well with Panasonic hardware, a big sell on the football customer side.”
Bromley said the teams each HPX370 P2 HD with an HMR10, taking advantage of the AVCCAM recorder’s ability to take an HD-SDI feed. The Panasonic P2 HD camcorder with AVCCAM recorder configuration provides the lower data rates of AVCCAM recording and the redundant, higher quality recordings of P2 HD.
“We’ve mounted the HMR10 behind the P2 camcorders,” he said. “We shoot with three camcorders at a game--two on end zone platforms, one on the sidelines--and four at practices. The footage is recorded through the HPX370s’ HD-SDI out directly to the HMR10, and the software developed by XOS Digital is allowing us to serve the AVCHD video to many clients at a very low bit rate.
“The P2 recordings are used for post production and back-up. We want the high-end P2 quality to produce highlight tapes and any premium content. The back-up capability is terrific as well, and has saved critical shots for us when operators might forget to close the door on an HMR10.”
Bromley said he outfitted the HPX370 with Fujinon BERM 18X HD lenses.
The Wolverines claim 11 national championships, most recently that of the 1997 squad voted atop the final AP Poll.
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It’s Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale Vs Flipkart’s Big Billion Day Sale This Festive Season
October-November is the months where there are a lot of celebrations lined up in India. Starting off with Dusshera in the mid week of October, the festival period kicks off and then we have the Diwali coming up in November. Both these are celebrated with great pomp and show by all Indians irrespective of caste, religion or creed.
As always, online shopping has been geared up with ‘n’ number of events related to both these great festivals in India, expecting a great spike on sales. Two of the major upcoming sales are by the two greatest competitors on online market – Amazon and Flipkart. When Flipkart announced their Big Billion Sale for the year for this festive season last Monday, Amazon kicked back declaring their Great Indian Festival Sale as part of the Dusshera Celebration from October 13th to 17th, 2015.
Both the competitors have promised to give the best offers, deals and discounts all the categories of products including fashion, electronics, gadgets and many more. While we will see only app sale for the Big Billion Day sale at Flipkart, the Great Indian Festival Sale at Amazon will be available on mobile, app as well as on desktop. Amazon has also come up with special privileges for app users where they assure the most convenient shopping experience via their app, additional cashback of 15% via app and 10% via site on HDFC cards, all app users will be having 15 minutes early access to the top deals featured at the sale and lots more.
App users will have access to sneak peak, where the users will get insider information on all the best deals available at Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale before the rest of the users. Also, Amazon India has declared Oct 16-17 as app only deals. It should be noted that Amazon is making plans to make the sale a grand success by making people download their app and sign up for their Indian account and subscribe to their newsletters to get all the latest details on the sale. They have also given alert to their existing customers to update their delivery address and other details to save time while shopping during the sale.
As far as the Flipkart’s Big Billion Sale is concerned, the sale was charged with cheating on the discounts displayed and also the consumers found great difficulty while making their purchases and also while making their payment. The site even got crashed, people complained for wrong prices listed and there were other errors which ultimately made the Big Billion Day Sale made the consumers enraged.
“As an app-only shopping event, our ‘big billion days’ have exciting offers and discounts across 70 product categories for customers,” Flipkart said in an emailed statement. “The sale will be special to shop for gifts and other items. Customers can shop for apparels, footwear, mobiles, furniture, laptops, toys, large appliances, jewellery, watches or home furnishing items. India shops the most during this time of the year. With 75 percent of traffic coming via mobile, we expect this ‘app only’ sale to be the biggest shopping event of the year,” says Mukesh Bansal who is the head of Flipkart’s commerce platform. He also added that Fashion portal Myntra, in which Flipkart bought majority stake for an estimated Rs. 2,000 crores in May 2014, will also be a part of the special sale with a curated selection.
With respect to last year chaos that happened during the Big Billion Day Sale, Bansal said that the company has worked hard this year to ensure a seamless shopping experience for its 50-million customers.”We have opened new fulfilment centres across the country to guarantee efficient delivery. We have also ramped our technology and supply chain support to meet the huge customer demand…. We have also roped in our partner banks to give Flipkart customers exclusive offers during ‘Big Billion Days’,” he added.
Flipkart aims to give the best to their 50 million registered users during this sale and claims to offer about 30 million products across 70 categories, including books, media, consumer electronics and lifestyle this year.It’s Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale Vs Flipkart’s Big Billion Day Sale This Festive Season by Gayathry


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Textiles | On 29th Apr 2017
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The biggest challenge is lack of skilled workforce and competition from...
‘Portugal is taking away a major share of the mill made sector.’
Vidhyaa Shankar. S
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Urs Stalder, CEO, Sanitized AG, talks about the increasing use of hygiene...
The Indian market has huge potential in technical textiles, and by far,...
Larry L Kinn
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Fashion | On 28th Apr 2017


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On December 18, a federal mandate requiring the installation of electronic logging devices (ELDs) on all commercial trucks went into effect. Still, other proposed regulations designed to improve highway safety have been rolled back or are on hold.
According to a recent story on NPR, the Obama-era mandate was one of several proposed regulations that were designed to make the roads safer by preventing drivers from operating their vehicles while fatigued. The ELD mandate, specifically, requires all trucks to have ELDs, which would replace the easily altered paper logbooks that many drivers still use to track the hours they spend on the road and the hours that they spend at rest.
Some truck drivers complain that the new devices are prohibitively expensive (the devices cost about $500) and that they do not take into account the actual conditions and delays that drivers experience while on the road.


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From December 8, 2023, wine sold in the European Union (EU) will be required to declare ingredient, allergen and nutrition information. With limited label space and ever-changing mandatory requirements, how can wineries ensure they stay compliant?
2023 seems to be flying past, and before we know it, the wine industry will have two huge things on its minds, the annual rush of Christmas sales and the introduction of the latest label changes mandated by the European Union (EU). For those unaware, the EU has mandated that from December 8, 2023, all wines sold within the EU will need to declare ingredient and nutrition information on their labels. This regulation has caused panic across wineries, exporters, and industry professionals. In this article, we will explore the details of these new EU label regulations, explore their concerns, and provide strategies for wineries to successfully implement and comply with the mandate.
Understanding the New Regulations
Any wine products bottled and labelled from December 8, 2023, that will be sold within the EU, will need to include comprehensive ingredient and nutrition information on their wine labels. Aiming to enhance transparency and empower consumers, the new requirement will provide consumers with vital insights into the composition and nutritional aspects of the wines they purchase. However, introducing these regulations has raised concerns within the industry regarding the practicality of incorporating this information without overcrowding the labels and compromising design aesthetics.
Challenges for Wineries
The implementation of the new EU label regulations poses significant challenges for wineries. The main one is the limitation of label space, which is already dedicated to mandatory content, such as brand identity, appellation, and warning labels, which makes it difficult to accommodate additional information without overwhelming the design. In addition, complying with evolving compliance requirements adds to the complexity of keeping labels up to date with changing regulations. Wineries must navigate these challenges while ensuring their labels remain visually appealing and informative to consumers.
To aid the issue of label overcrowding, limited packaging space, and evolving compliance, the new EU label legislation has approved eLabels to deliver ingredient and nutrition information on wine labels.
eLabels, short for electronic labels, are a digital alternative to physical printed labels, utilising connected technology such as QR codes to deliver dynamic product information to consumers. By scanning a QR code, eLabel, consumers can access a digital interface that displays a wide range of information about the product, including ingredients, nutritional values, allergens, manufacturing details, sustainability certifications, product history, and more.
What we know so far
The final draft of the legislation is yet to be published (expected July 2023), but here is what we know so far.
Physical and Digital: The new EU regulations for wine labelling require including energy value and allergenic ingredients on the physical label, with full nutrition and ingredient information allowed to be provided electronically via QR codes.
Language translation: The law requires making mandatory information appear in a language easily understood by consumers where the product is sold. It further states that E.U. member countries can specify the languages in which e-labels must be displayed.
Zero Marketing & Sales Content: So far, the legislation opposes dual-purpose eLabels, stating that electronic labels may only contain the required information, with zero sales or marketing content allowed.
No data collection: Along with ensuring GDPR compliance, EU-compliant eLabels are prohibited from collecting or tracking any user data.
Non-compliance implications: Non-compliant labels and E-labels will be subject to the removal of products in the EU & face potential fines. For reference, current and early GPDR fines can be in the hundreds of thousands and millions of Euros.
Positives of the eLabel Solution
With deadlines looming, the industry still has uncertainty regarding compliance with the EU label mandates, so including an eLabel for delivering the EU mandatory information is a welcome outcome. This allows winery production, sales and export teams to set up label artwork now, with the opportunity to change and update the eLabel content as more clarity is delivered.
In addition, wineries should look to the eLabel solution for;
- Automatic language translation – no need for label prints/over-stickers per region.
- Real-time updates and changes – Amend issues or errors after labels are printed.
- Reduce label over-crowding
- Geotargeted content – Deliver compliant content in the EU and sales and marketing content in non-EU regions.
To ensure compliance with these evolving regulations, brands may need to utilise separate websites or digital platforms designed to meet the requirements. Traditional websites won’t be suitable due to their marketing and tracking functionalities. Still, connected software solutions, such as Cellr, can allow brands to leverage QR code eLabels, which provide full compliance.
Furthermore, by utilising an innovative, connected platform like Cellr, brands can stay compliant in EU markets, deliver features like brand protection, and even use geotargeting to provide sales and marketing content in markets external to the EU.
The EU legislation is yet to be finalised at the time of posting, but the draft regulations have created a sense of urgency within the wine industry. As wineries strive to stay compliant and provide transparent information to consumers, eLabels present a promising solution to overcome the challenges of limited label space and evolving requirements. By embracing digital technologies and leveraging specialized platforms, brands can navigate the regulatory landscape while delivering a seamless and engaging consumer experience.


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Video - National News
Posted on January 27, 2014 at 6:36 PM
Updated Tuesday, Jan 28 at 12:27 PM
Is it time to ditch the credit cards and start using cash to make your purchases? The latest retail security breach may have you second-guessing your method of payment.
More National News Videos
Credit: State of Arizona


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An action-packed DVD courtesy of Top Gear is set to be released in a couple of weeks.
Top Gear's latest DVD sees Richard Hammond and James May celebrate the phenomenon of the car in cinema by recreating action packed car chases and famous stunt scenes. Although there's no Clarkson to add his usual wit and self-righteous rhetoric, there's plenty of action, amazing driving and exotic metal on display to keep you entertained for a couple of hours as memorable moments from cinema history are reconstructed. November 14 is the release date and the should be available on DVD, Blu-Ray and iTunes.
For now enjoy the trailer!


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Bellevue, Wash. — Apr. 23, 2013
We know customers are really looking forward to getting their new Samsung Galaxy S 4 soon. However, due to an unexpected delay with inventory deliveries, the Galaxy S 4 will not be available on www.T-Mobile.com as planned on Wednesday, April 24. Instead, online availability is expected to begin on Monday, April 29. We apologize for any inconvenience and are working with Samsung to deliver the device to T-Mobile customers as soon as possible.
About T-Mobile USA:
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG (OTCQX: DTEGY). By the end of the first quarter of 2013, approximately 34 million mobile customers were served by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM, HSPA+ and LTE. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations.
Relaciones con los medios de T-Mobile


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As the country now begins the final stages of lockdowns, businesses across the country are beginning to feel some sense of normality, and the markets are rapidly picking up. Let's take a look at some of the most important news stories from the last month across marketing, tech, creative and digital.
Marketing Week take a look at some of the best campaigns from EURO 2020 so far, featuring cameos from Eric Cantona, Ian Wright and Peter Crouch.
AZK Media experts discuss how the pandemic has reshaped consumer's base needs with world-leading marketing strategist and managing director of Auracle World, Mahesh Enjeti
Sports Direct’s brand health is at a low point after the pandemic, but CMO Beckie Stanion has a plan to turn around brand perceptions with large scale campaigns and a focus on sports accessibility.
Uber and Kia Europe are teaming up to offer drivers in 20 European markets deals on buying, leasing, financing or renting Kia’s e-Niro and e-Soul, the latest move by the ride-hailing giant to achieve its emissions goals.
The Supreme Court has given LinkedIn another chance to stop a rival company from scraping personal information from users’ public profiles, a practice LinkedIn says should be illegal but one that could have broad ramifications for internet researchers and archivists.
A secretive cyberintelligence firm claims to have created powerful hacking tools that can remotely monitor and take control of Android, MacOS and Windows devices.
VP, ECD at Wunderman Thompson Canada on being a student of advertising, the creative health benefits of routine, and using social media as a tool for inspiration
The intricacies of creative projects often pose access challenges for those who struggle to read – how can designers reconcile creativity with accessibility?
New research from Unilever shows that almost one in two people from marginalised communities feel they have been stereotyped in some way through advertising
Changes to Apple and Google’s web tracking tools mean advertisers are having to “revisit the whole way we are working,” Publicis Chairman Maurice Levy said.
Podcast downloads were declining when the pandemic began, but audio has boomed in the past year, with social media start-ups Clubhouse and Discord leading a new generation.


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Most businesses experience slow spells from time to time. Booth Machinery, which focuses on ag equipment sales and rentals to agricultural customers in Arizona and California, is an exception to that rule.
“Our customers farm vegetables, orchards, vineyards—they farm year-round,” said Bobby Creason, President and CEO of Booth Machinery. “We put a high amount of hours on the equipment we provide these folks. It’s always moving. It’s very important that they have their tractors, water trucks, or whatever they need at their fingertips at all times.”
Booth Machinery started as a single location in Yuma, Arizona, more than 30 years ago. It originally opened in the 1940s under the name Caldwell Equipment, and it has served customers in California and Arizona for nearly eight decades. Over the past seven years, Booth Machinery has expanded into seven different counties in California through acquisition.
“Our agricultural customers are running every day of the year,” Bobby said. “This isn’t your typical row crop farm, where they farm part of the year. It’s going all the time.”
He said the COVID-19 pandemic created new and unexpected challenges for his customers.
“Just imagine that you sold lettuce and your main customers are schools and or restaurants,” Bobby said. “One day, you wake up, and those businesses are closed. What do you do? You can’t just change your packaging overnight. That really presented a bit of a challenge for our customers. Some were able to adjust and come out on top.”
One thing is for sure, according to Bobby: the Booth Machinery team stepped up.
“I’m extremely proud of our team for staying in the workplace as essential workers,” he said. “It goes without saying how important ag is to the entire world. It’s not something that could have just stopped. I’m extremely proud of our team and the steps we took to stay open following CDC’s guidance for social distancing and masking.”
When it comes to agriculture, having dependable equipment, such as water trucks, is crucial.
“One particular challenge our California customers have is drought,” Bobby said. “They have to transfer water, and they also need to be able to get the ground wet to transplant products such as tomatoes. Dust control is also big out here. There are so many things water trucks are used for.”
Bobby said he has been buying Ledwell Water Trucks for 15 years, starting at his previous jobs in Hawaii and Colorado.
“These sales didn’t go through some big fleet manager,” he said. “It has been me personally dealing with Lesley and Steve [Ledwell]. The challenges we face with lead time, quality, and post-sale support—Lesley and Steve have always taken care of me.”
That’s why Ledwell has an excellent reputation in the West, according to Ledwell Regional Manager Mike Brackins. Mike has represented Ledwell in the West for the past two years.
“I remember the first time I visited with Steve,” Mike said. “I’d been on board for a month. There was a minor issue, and he was ready to move heaven and earth to get it fixed. Our service, compared to our competitors, is unparalleled. Ledwell will make it right.”
Booth Machinery both rents and sells Ledwell Water Trucks. Bobby said Ledwell’s tough build and swift support have made a good impression on his customers.
“When we need something, we get it, and we get it fast,” he said. “We feel like we’ve got a lot of up-front support, as well as the parts and service side post-purchase. For some of our parts and service, we’re dependent on the dealers that handle the chassis, but I’ve always appreciated Ledwell’s ability to nudge those folks at times to help get us moving.”
He said there are less expensive water trucks and manufacturers that are closer to the market where they’re needed, but they don’t provide the value and support that Ledwell does.
“A cheap deal to me is only good until you need help, or you need availability, or you need trucks that are built and ready to go,” Bobby said. “Ledwell brings us so much value. We get the right advice up front. We get market intel. We talk about the different options we need on the truck. We get support afterwards, and communication throughout.”
He said the relationship, quality, and immediate support if you do have a problem presents a good value for Booth Machinery.
“The only problem I ever had was not listening to Ledwell and letting me buy the wrong trucks years ago,” Bobby said. “A topic that still comes up from time to time with people who had to work through those challenges.”
”A cheap deal to me is only good until you need help, or you need availability, or you need trucks that are built and ready to go. Ledwell brings us so much value. We get the right advice up front. We get market intel. We talk about the different options we need on the truck. We get support afterwards, and communication throughout.Bobby CreasonPresident & CEO, Booth Machinery


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Whether or not you've participated in it, you've definitely seen the reports of people going from being their best selves on Thanksgiving to being their worst selves on Black Friday. This is why some genius person in Canada invented something different. If you're wondering what Buy Nothing Day is, this Black Friday alternative also happens the day after Thanksgiving, but it doesn't involve trampling people to get a deal on a TV. According to a video from TicToc by Bloomberg on Twitter, the anti-shopping day began in Canada 25 years ago to protest mass consumerism, and it quickly spread around the world.
Dubbed as a 24-hour shopping detox, the day was also championed by the Occupy movement, and it encourages relaxing over consumption. So, if your mom/sister/grandma/bestie has talked you into hitting the mall on Black Friday, and you'd rather do anything but, just tell them you're celebrating Buy Nothing Day instead. Rather than push people out of the way to get the last pair of 10-cent socks, heat up some leftovers and settle in for a day of Netflix and chill. I've only been Black Friday shopping once when my stepmom dragged me out of bed at 6 a.m. to shop for gaudy gifts that no one wants, let alone needs. That was over 10 years ago and I'm still recovering.
According to the website Days Of The Year, Buy Nothing Day was founded in Vancouver, Canada, in 1992 by artist Ted Dave. It happens on Black Friday because, "anyone who has ever seen what happens in North America during the Black Friday sales understands all too well why it was high time that we take a step back and look at ourselves, our behavior, and contemplate the meaning of all of the Black Friday madness," the website noted of the day that's now celebrated in 65 countries. On the other hand, staying in on Black Friday is a welcome opportunity to digest your Thanksgiving dinner and get pantsdrunk or practice some well-deserved hygge.
If staying home is not your jam, Days Of The Year has an alternative that aligns with something that might be: The Walking Dead. "Some organize a so-called 'zombie walk,' during which all of the participating 'zombies' lurch around stores, supermarkets and shopping malls aimlessly, buying nothing, and staring ahead blankly. This is used to raise awareness about Buy Nothing Day, as the 'zombies' will inevitably be asked what they are doing and why, and then can proceed to explain their point of view," the website explained.
I'm all for activism, but heading out to a shopping center for any reason on Black Friday sounds like a punishment. If you still want to do some good to combat consumerism, consider using Buy Nothing Day to start your Giving Tuesday early by donating to victims of the Camp and Woolsey fires in California, or by signing up for the Born This Way Foundation's #MultiplyYourGood challenge. Once you pledge, any time you volunteer or donate to a nonprofit, BTW will match it by performing an act of good for one of its nonprofit partners.
Doing good for others is going to make you feel a whole lot better in the long run than buying stuff just because it's on sale. If you still need to score some gifts on the cheap, wait until Cyber Monday where you can shop from your computer or phone without getting caught up in the madness. While things will surely sell out online, no one is going to run you over with a shopping cart to get the last pair of discounted bluetooth headphones.


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Global public relations leader Porter Novelli announced today that it has been named agency of record for the 2009 BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Las Vegas, which runs October 15 to October 17. The event is dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of blogging and new media as a mainstream news source, as the most powerful and effective means of online communication and as a highly targeted and traceable advertising medium. “Conversations are at the heart of new media, and BlogWorld & New Media Expo attracts people who are having some of the most interesting and influential conversations today,” said Stephanie Agresta, social media expert and executive vice president, global director of digital strategy and social media for Porter Novelli. “We are thrilled to be named agency of record for such an exciting and important event in the social media world.” BlogWorld attendees are aggressive technology consumers and mobile professionals, as well as the world’s most influential online content creators, citizen journalists, technology consumers and online community leaders. In 2008, BlogWorld attendees had a combined monthly audience of more than 100 million readers, viewers and listeners. For the 2009 Expo, BlogWorld anticipates more than 4,000 attendees with a reach in excess of 200 million. “We have been impressed with Porter Novelli’s work in the social media space for quite some time,” said Rick Calvert, CEO and co-founder, BlogWorld & New Media Expo. “The agency’s expertise in this segment, together with our long-time ally Stephanie now being on their team, makes Porter Novelli a perfect match for us. We know they are committed to our success and to social media as a whole,” Calvert added. Porter Novelli is a leader in social media and is committed to revolutionizing public relations and communications. For BlogWorld & New Media Expo, the agency will partner with SHIFT Communications to provide media outreach, on-site support and creative contributions.
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Shutting down America's largest illicit online gift card marketplace
Organized retail crime is on the rise, affecting both the retail and financial industries. In a landmark case titled Operation Bad Bot, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unraveled a complex online gift card fraud, culminating in the shutdown of a marketplace with more than $22 million in retail value.
Hear how HSI solved this case and develop an understanding of what industries should do to avoid becoming a victim of these fraud schemes. With video from the offender sharing how this crime unfolded, this is a must attend session.


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- Apple A14 Bionic is the first to use the 5nm process
- The A14 Bionic makes its debut on the new iPad Air (4th generation)
- The upcoming iPhone 12 series is also expected to be powered by the A14 Bionic
Apple usually unveils its latest iPhones at its hardware event every September. However, things are quite different in 2020. Apple on Tuesday introduced the Apple Watch Series 6, Watch SE, iPad 8, and iPad Air 4. The Cupertino giant has reserved the iPhone 12 launch for a later date, possibly in October. Out of the two new iPad models announced, the iPad Air (4th generation) is notable as it is the first Apple product to feature the new A14 Bionic chipset, even before the iPhone 12 series. This is the first time in many years that Apple has debuted a new A-series chipset on the iPad before iPhone.
A14 Bionic is the world’s first chipset built on the new 5nm process and comes with six-core CPU and quad-core GPU. Apple claims it can deliver 40 per cent better CPU performance and a 30 per cent boost in graphics compared to A12 Bionic. While the upgrades over the A13 Bionic chipset aren’t detailed. The 16-core Neural Engine on the A14 is said to perform 11 trillion operations per second. It has 11.8 billion transistors, an advanced image signal processor, next-generation ML accelerators, and machine learning controller.
The A14 Bionic ships with a new Secure Enclave for better privacy and security. Given that it is the first 5nm chipset, it definitely gives Apple an edge over Samsung’s Exynos, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, and Huawei HiSilicon chipsets. For now, it remains to be seen what improvements the A14 Bionic chip would bring to the upcoming iPhone 12 series.


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- 2021 Lucid Air, 2021 Cadillac CT5, 2022 Genesis G70: This Week’s Top Photos
- Michigan says manufacturing can reopen in state on May 11
- 1999 Honda Civic Si Driveway Test Video | Exterior and interior walk around
- Tesla’s Musk promises dramatic cuts in EV costs
- Tesla’s deal with CATL could be key to its future in China
As Rivian edges closer to completing its manufacturing plant in Illinois and launching three electric vehicles next year, the company has added senior executives — including a new COO — to fill new roles and replace people who have departed.
The company, whose engineering and design center is in suburban Detroit, has recruited executives from the motorcycle industry, Tesla, Lucid and elsewhere since March.
Rod Copes replaces Jim Morgan as COO. Copes, a motorcycle industry veteran, most recently worked for Indian-owned motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield. As president of the company’s U.S. arm, Copes built the team that returned the former British-made motorcycle to the U.S. after a long absence. Copes also put in 19 years at Harley-Davidson, where he was senior vice president of global sales and customer service.
The Verge website reported that Morgan will remain as an adviser and was only in the COO position as a placeholder until the job was filled permanently.
Matt Horton fills a new position as Rivian’s executive vice president of energy and charging solutions. The automaker’s EVs likely will rely heavily on public charging stations, not a dedicated network similar to what Tesla has built.
Perhaps one of Horton’s biggest early tasks will be to ensure that Rivian’s software enables drivers of its pickup and SUV models to use any brand of public charging station. EV manufacturers such as Jaguar have found that some brands won’t charge their vehicles. Usually, such maladies can be fixed by reworking software so that the vehicle and the charging station can communicate with each other.
Prior to joining Rivian, Horton was chief commercial officer at Proterra, a California maker of electric buses.
Rivian has revealed little about how its service and parts operations will work. With no traditional franchised dealer network, the company will have to create some convenient way for customers to get repair parts for accident-damaged vehicles and for repairs that can’t be made over the air.
Noe Mejia, a Tesla veteran who most recently was at Lucid Motors, another EV startup, has been appointed senior director of service operations. Mejia was Tesla’s director of service before he left for Lucid. There, he lead the team that put together the company’s strategy for service engineering, parts procurement and logistics, collision repair, mobile service teams and technical training.
With Rivian’s Normal, Ill., plant set to produce the R1T electric pickup, the R1S electric SUV and a custom-designed electric delivery van for Amazon in less than a year, the company has hired Charly Mwangi for the new position of executive vice president of manufacturing.
After stints in engineering at Toyota and Nissan, Mwangi joined Tesla in 2012. According to his LinkedIn profile, he held a number of key senior manufacturing leadership jobs at Tesla. Mwangi was responsible for Tesla’s body design engineering, tool and die engineering, stamping manufacturing engineering and paint, plastic and body engineering.
Other new hires are Georgios Sarakakis, an Apple, Waymo and Tesla veteran who fills the new role of vice president of reliability engineering, and Beth Harrington, director of strategic programs. Harrington’s automotive experience includes positions at Volvo and Tesla.
“From time to time, it’s important for any performance-focused and fast-growing company to streamline its organization to improve effectiveness,” Amy Mast, Rivian’s public relations director, told The Verge. “Rivian remains healthy, growing and focused on the launch of our products.”
Some of Rivian’s engineering and design staff have started returning to work at the company’s facility in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth, Mich. During the COVID-19 shutdown, product development continued as most engineers worked from home. But the pandemic still led Rivian to push back its planned launch of the R1T and R1S to 2021. The company had hoped to deliver its first customer vehicles late this year.


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Social Cause (141)
A cleaning tag
A new campaign by the French government has made its mark on some of Paris’ walls. Called the ‘clean tag concept’, social messages are stencilled on walls by cleaning the surfaces rather than painting them. It promotes messages about social issues (helping the homeless), cultural issues(restoring historic monuments) and environmental issues(making the city cleaner).
Why it matters
By using tags in a “clean” perspective, the French state has taken into account the need for the communication format to match the message conveyed. When it comes to social causes, is making the most of urban culture the key to bringing further awareness to a younger audience?
CarrotMob allows businesses to compete with their environmental credentials. A social network of consumers then agrees to purchase products from whichever business comes out on top.
100$ Laptops and cars selling for under 2000$ have already been created. Now Adidas plans to build a sneaker for the so called 3rd world that will cost around 1€ and be produced on a non-profit basis. The brand will cooperate with Nobel prize winner Muhammad Yunus and has dedicated itself to create jobs and chase the utopia that nobody on earth has to walk around bare feet. It has not be decided yet if the shoes will be branded at all.


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Standard to ensure vendors follow hygienic practices and serve food safe for health
Almost everyone in urban India relishes street food, but there are no regulations in place to ensure that the food is safe and prepared in hygienic conditions. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) now plans to plug this loophole. It has finalised the norms for street food vendors.
The standard norms are yet to be made public. BIS officials say the standard pertains to food safety in terms of the location of vending spots and hygienic food preparation practices to be followed by the vendors. A check will be kept on both mobile and fixed food vendors. BIS will also ensure that the standards related to water and waste management are not overlooked, said a BIS official.
The National Association of Street Vendors ( NASVI) has welcomed the move and said it expects all the street vendors to abide by the rules laid down by BIS. Vinod Simon, the programme manager of NASVI said that the government at the same time should also provide basic facilities like supply of drinking water and disposal of waste so that the vendors can follow the standard.
Food and consumer affairs minister K V Thomas also spoke about the need of ensuring safe and quality food to people who are more aware about food safety issues today. He was speaking at a meeting on food safety organised recently.
Mentioning the importance of the street food sector as a source of livelihood for a vast population, Thomas said that the standard developed by BIS has immense potential to safeguard public health and also to promote the confidence of the consumer in the food industry.
This move is significant considering that a recent notification issued by the Central government under the Food Safety and Standards regulations of 2011 requires all street business operators with an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh to obtain a licence, while others have to get registered. The licensing process is supposed to ensure street food vendors observe better hygiene standards. The notification complements the standard that BIS plans to notify. But the proposal to issue licences has not gone down well with vendors. The deadline for obtaining the licenses is 5 August, 2012, which the vendors say is an unrealistic target because of the procedures prescribed. Failure to obtain licences would entail closure of operations. “ The licensing policy is non-friendly for the street vendors as it is not easy for such a huge population of vendors to get the licences so early,” complains Simon.
“We appreciate government’s effort to ensure hygienic street food as the vendors want to deliver quality food but this should not lead to eviction through policies such as licensing and registration,” he says.
Delhi's municipal officials who are in charge of public health also said the new norms would ensure better quality of food and reduce chances of infection. N K Yadav, municipal health officer for south zone said the corporation will consider the problems of the vendors as well and will try to provide them adequate civic amenities in the vending zones.
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New technology will have a “key part” to play in creating a single market in financial services, Lord (Jonathan) Hill has said.
The British commissioner to the European Union, who is responsible for financial services, made the comments in a speech to the European Banking Federation high level conference in Brussels.
He said: “New digital and data technology is transforming the financial sector and challenging traditional business models. A fintech revolution is under way.
“New technology has a key part to play in creating a diverse single market in financial services, and I plan to say more about this in a Green Paper on retail financial services that we will publish later this year.”
Lord Hill added that the government’s “ambitious” action plan on the Capital Markets Union, which would remove cross-border barriers to investment, would be published at the end of this month.
The European Commission has indicated it wants to have the building blocks of the CMU in place by 2019.
Andrew Reeves, director of Bedfordshire-based The Investment Coach, said: “Most neutral observers say financial services is behind most other industries, and the reason for that is people fear the regulations. But once that’s swept away there will be a speedy catch-up.”


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by John Dankosky – When George Jepsen took over as Connecticut’s 24th Attorney General, he also forever changed the daily newsgathering habits of newsrooms across the state. His predecessor, now Senator Richard Blumenthal, still jokes about showing up for a “garage door opening,” and would make himself available at a moment’s notice – albeit in tightly scripted soundbites – to any media outlet willing to listen.
Blumenthal also crafted a persona as a “national” defender of consumers, joining in multi-state investigations and settlements with major companies. His highest-profile case was the multi-billion dollar settlement with the tobacco industry, which resulted in millions coming into the state’s general fund (while very little was ever actually used to stop people from smoking).
In many ways, Jepsen is similar in his views on the position of AG. He told the Connecticut Post in November, ”I grew up with a view that the playing field is often tilted against the average citizen. As an attorney general, you are an advocate in their corner.” But in temperament, he seems at times to be the opposite of Blumenthal – very low key, even quiet at times. If you want an example, listen to his appearance with opponent Martha Dean on Where We Live last year. (Or maybe this (I)nterview with the CPBN Media Lab)
So far on the job, he’s waded into some of the territory we’ve become accustomed to traveling with Blumenthal. He’s asked Apple and Google to divulge more information about how they’re tracking consumers with their smartphones; and he settled a fraud case with a mobster.
But in a unique settlement with pharmacy giant CVS, Jepsen may have hinted at a new way of doing business. In an effort to get expired goods off of store shelves, Jepsen has CVS issuing coupons to customers who find out-of-date products on the shelves. A kind of “crowdsourcing” watchdog effort.
He also lit up a bit when he talked about the deal on air, calling it “cool.”
Yes, today on Where We Live Jepsen was not exactly “high energy,” but did bring back some info from a trip to DC, where he’s working with other AGs on how to get mortgage companies to take better care of the millions of homeowners in the US who got caught up in dubious loan practices. You can listen to today’s full conversation on Where We Live here.


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Unemployment rate fell in 7 states, but 5 lost jobs.
2,800 fewer jobs in Oct. than month before.
Number of unemployed rose 8,000 in October.
University of Michigan researchers say things look good for part-time workers who want full-time jobs.
Comments seen as boost to chances of December action by Federal Reserve.
Applications are a proxy for layoffs, which have fallen to near-record low levels.
First Solar restructuring plans call for cutting 1,600 jobs — about 27% of its global work force.
Can be collected from companies with at least $500K of sales in-state regardless of physical presence.
Scales back a judge's order prohibiting the group from entering the retail giant's property.
2-year slow-down abating, Trump’s effect on future still an ‘unknown.’


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MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monash University, one of Australia's leading universities, opened its joint blockchain cryptocurrency research and development lab at Monash’s Clayton campus with a node at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. This multimillion-dollar venture was funded by Collinstar Capital, an Australian asset management company and a market leader in Fintech, specializing in blockchain infrastructure, digital currency investments, and relevant consulting services. The lab will focus on developing cryptographic technologies that will enhance and strengthen the Hcash blockchain.
The Hcash project is one of the most advanced blockchains that took advantage of many technological breakthroughs that were not available to early blockchain developers. The main mechanism behind Hcash is a distributed ledger that connects block-based and blockless-based Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) systems, allowing ledger assets and information to be transferred between multiple cryptocurrencies. It has also adopted a hybrid Proof-of-Work (PoW) + Proof-of-Stake (PoS) for securing, governing and upgrading the network. As a result, Hcash is able to apply a more open governance model, where stakeholders have more input in the future direction of the protocol. In addition, Hcash transactions and smart contracts can be conducted with an extra layer of cryptographic protection, affording its users enhanced privacy. This is made possible by implementing a technology called zk-SNARKs, a novel form of zero-knowledge cryptography that allows fully encrypted transactions to verified as valid under the network’s consensus rules using zk-SNARK proofs.
“The blockchain technology used to develop Hcash is superior to that of the Bitcoin technology,” said Dr. Joseph Liu from Monash University’s Faculty of Information Technology, “We aim to make Hcash a connecting point for all existing blockchain systems, potentially allowing Hcash to function as a virtual cryptocurrency exchange. Up until now, existing cryptocurrencies could only be exchanged within their own systems.”
“I am delighted that Dr. Joseph Liu’s work has been recognized. It is a testament to the wonderful young researchers we have in the Faculty of IT at Monash University who are leading the way in disrupting almost every industrial sector through new digital technologies,” said John Whittle, Dean Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University.
Hcash, a "New Standard of Value", is a prominent open blockchain / cryptocurrency that is currently number 23 on the cryptocurrencies worldwide chart with a coin market cap of $253,285,351.


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The Albanese Labor Government has secured the support of the Australian Greens for its electric vehicle (EV) incentives bill, though not without a couple of amendments.
The Greens and the Government have agreed to the following amendments to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Electric Car Discount) Bill:
- Sunsetting support for plug-in hybrids on April 1, 2025
- Prioritising electric vehicles in the Australian Government’s fleet procurement policy by removing plug-in hybrids except in “exceptional circumstances”
With the amendments sought by the Greens secured, its senators will support the EV bill being passed in the Upper House this week.
The Greens also say the ATO will issue guidance on when household charging technology can be included within fringe benefits tax-exempt vehicle packages.
“The Greens have fast-tracked electric vehicles,” said Greens leader Adam Bandt.
“The government fleet will go electric, and when these cars are sold second hand, it will help bring the cost down of EVs for everyday people.
“By limiting handouts to petrol cars and accelerating support for electric vehicles, the Greens in balance of power have pushed the government to go further and faster on climate.
“This shows the power of the Greens in pushing Labor to go further and faster on fossil fuels.”
Rather than focusing on direct rebates like many of Australia’s States do, the bill centres around tax breaks to cut prices and drive take-up.
The legislation exempts low-emissions cars from fringe benefits tax (FBT), potentially saving employers and private vehicle operators thousands.
This proposed ongoing FBT exemption was originally set to apply to battery-electric vehicles (BEV), hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV), and plug‑in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles, and be reviewed after three years.
To qualify, the low-emissions vehicle must have a first retail price below the current relevant luxury car tax threshold of $84,916 (for 2022‑23), and have been first made available for use on or after July 1 of this year – meaning the legislation will be backdated.
MORE: Luxury Car Tax thresholds increased, FCAI slams ‘poor tax’
The Labor Government claims an employer offering a circa $50,000 EV to an employee as a fringe benefit could save up to $9000 a year.
It also claims that individuals using a salary sacrifice arrangement to pay for the same model could save up to $4700 a year.
Beyond this bill, the incumbent Labor Government also intends to remove the current 5.0 per cent import tariff for eligible EVs that aren’t already subject to a free-trade agreement – meaning vehicles supplied from Europe.
“The transport sector is one of the fastest‑growing sources of emissions in Australia and the stronger uptake of electric vehicles can make a substantial impact in our efforts to tackle climate change,” the government said.
“Importantly – as families struggle with the rising cost of fuel – encouraging more affordable EVs into the market is an important step in addressing transport costs over the medium term and building resilience to global oil prices.
“Yet, right now Australia lags far behind our international peers when it comes to electric vehicle use. This legislation will encourage greater take up of electric cars and contribute to reducing transport emissions.”
For all this, the Australian Government hasn’t announced any plan for a federal emissions standard despite calls from the industry to do just that, to liberate supply. That’s left the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries to establish its voluntary scheme in lieu.
The Electric Vehicle Council has praised the new incentives, though it wants more to be done.
“We’re seeing especially the FBT exemption is a quite valuable incentive to encourage particularly more fleets and novated leases to go electric,” said Electric Vehicle Council of Australia CEO Behyad Jafari.
“I think it does quite a lot for the sector, of course it still leaves us with that ongoing challenge of getting more supply of vehicles and I think that’s the next big challenge that we’re discussing with the government now.
“What’s natural and falls in line with the promises they’ve already made is to put in place a very strong fuel efficiency standard in line with the zero by 2050. That means having one that is in line with the type of standards we see in the United States and in the EU.”
That echoes comments from companies like Volkswagen which have said they struggle to get supply of electric vehicles for Australia as the lack of a federal emissions standard, which could penalise companies for not selling enough low- or zero-emissions vehicles, pushes us down the priority list for vehicles.
The (then) Labor opposition announced last year a National Electric Vehicle Strategy, which included the tariff and tax exemptions plus investments in charging infrastructure, and a goal to “create an environment for 3.8 million EVs on the road by 2030”.
The recently elected Albanese Labor Government intends to follow through not only on the election promises of tariff and tax exemptions, but also other promises around electric vehicles.
That includes implementing the $500 million Driving the Nation plan, with an EV fast charger every 150km on Australia’s highway network.
A Hydrogen Highways refuelling network is also planned to deliver hydrogen refuelling stations along Australia’s busiest freight routes to support hydrogen fuel-cell trucks.
The Government also intends to gradually convert the Commonwealth fleet to zero-emissions vehicles with a target of 75 per cent of new passenger vehicle leases and purchases by 2025.
Last year, the Labor opposition also announced plans to roll out charging infrastructure in over 100,000 businesses and 3.8 million households, with 1800 new public access fast charging stations by an unspecified date.
Sales of BEVs currently amount to a measly 2.0 per cent of the Australian new car market, miles behind most developed regions. PHEV uptake is even lower.
MORE: Australia’s best-selling EVs in the first half of 2022
MORE: Why the car lobby wants more CO2 regulation from new government
MORE: What electric car buyer incentives are offered across Australia?


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By: Amy Clarke, freelance writer featured in the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce – Business Trends
As Chattanooga area businesses shift, pivot and change, trying to adapt to a new normal, many are tapping into the passion that led them to open their business in the first place. Over the course of the next number of weeks, we’ll profile some of these owners and share their inspirational stories on how they are doing it.
The message to his team… ‘do you want to keep working?’ That’s the bottom line for Stuart Gaines, president of New Blue Construction, located on the Southside of Chattanooga. “Renovation is at the heart of what we have always done, we have to be in people’s houses, we want them to trust us or they aren’t going to hire us,” Gaines says.
You can read the entire article here at Chattanoogatrend.com


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Google Dec. 2 won approval to power Yahoo Japan's search engine from Japan's Fair Trade Commission, a victory that has Microsoft worried about its prospects for Bing in that country.
Japan's FTC said the deal wouldn't violate antitrust rules as it currently stands because it is limited to a sharing of technology, according to the Wall Street Journal.
"We have not found any evidence that they are collaborating by sharing sensitive information such as ad pricing or any other problematic ways," said Takujiro Kono, head of the consultation and guidance office at Japan's FTC.
Yahoo Japan in July chose Google's search engine and search advertising platforms over counterpart platforms from parent company Yahoo and Microsoft, whose Bing search and AdCenter platforms are powering Yahoo in several countries.
Tapping Google will help the world's leading search engine command 90 percent of searches in Japan, an extraordinary number. Google's share of U.S. search is 66 percent, more than twice that of rivals Yahoo and Microsoft combined.
Microsoft argued then that the arrangement would actually give Google closer to 100 percent of search in Japan, sparking a major anticompetitive issue.
The software giant, whose search engine Yahoo Japan said was not powerful enough to pick, maintained its argument in a statement sent to eWEEK Dec. 2.
"Microsoft is disappointed that the JFTC decided not to initiate a formal investigation to review the proposed Google-Yahoo Japan deal. In the months since this agreement was announced, it has become clear that there is significant industry and public concern, particularly given the fact that Google will control nearly 100 percent of the Japanese search and search advertising market."
Microsoft said Japan's approval means it will have to think about its business plans in Japan going forward.
Google argued that the Japanese FTC's ruling is sound because Yahoo Japan will also continue to compete as an independent search and ad company.
"We believe this is the correct outcome for a number of reasons, including the fact that the license will be non-exclusive, and both parties will be free to explore better products and services and work with third parties as they see fit," a spokesperson told eWEEK.
"Competition between Google and Yahoo Japan, as well as others in the online advertising market, will remain vigorous because our advertising operations will stay independent of one another, and there is competition with other online advertising service providers."
As 2010 winds to a close, Google is increasingly defending itself against allegations of anticompetitive behavior.
In Europe, search rivals claim Google is freezing them out on Google.com. In the United States, its offer to buy travel software specialist ITA Software is being challenged by travel companies and investigated by the Justice Department.