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NEW YORK: More than a year before the first legal dose of marijuana will be dispensed in New York, a group of entrepreneurs gathered at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square in late October to discuss strategy with an influential state lawmaker. It was the weekly meet-up of the Cannabis and Hemp Association, which formed in May to get a jump on future business.
The mood among the 18 people at the table was one of excitement. Oleg Maryasis, 30, a former financial adviser, said he had just met with a group of investors who were eager to sink tens of millions of dollars into the New York cannabis trade.
The group’s organizer, Scott Giannotti, a bald, heavyset 35-year-old from Long Island whose résumé includes selling cellphones and rapping, and who now sells LED grow lights from China, questioned the meeting’s special guest, State Senator Diane J. Savino. Ms. Savino, a Democrat who represents parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island, was a sponsor of themedical marijuana bill that New York passed last summer, 18 years after it was first proposed; her efforts led Elle magazine to name her one of its “13 most potent women in the pot industry now.”


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Alcatel-Lucent's second-quarter revenue grew 1.9 percent year on year, driven by strong growth in sales of IP networking equipment, one of the markets on which the company is pinning its future.
An increasing number of Android phones are infected with mobile malware programs that are able to turn the handsets into spying devices, according to a report from Kindsight Security Labs, a subsidiary of telecommunications equipment vendor Alcatel-L...
Alcatel-Lucent and Telekom Austria have completed the world's first trial of G.fast, new technology enabling gigabit broadband over existing copper networks.
Alcatel-Lucent will refocus on IP networking and ultra-broadband access in mobile and fixed-line networks as it seeks to return to profitability by 2015.
The European Union may be trying to protect its telecom equipment industry with its recent threat to investigate China over networking equipment imports. But the move could end up hurting the chances of Western vendors intent on supplying technology ...
Networks could use far less energy by 2020 even though they'll be carrying much more traffic, an industry group says.
With Apple reporting a decline in profit margins and Samsung consolidating its leadership in the mobile device market, earnings results and market research reports this week point to the ever-increasing importance of smartphones as key to growth in t...
Alcatel-Lucent's first-quarter revenue inched up 0.6 percent year on year, but it reported a net loss after making a profit a year earlier.
Broadband based on VDSL2 helped by a technology called vectoring is taking off, while older members of the DSL family are getting less popular as users around the works crave more bandwidth.
Alcatel-Lucent and Telefónica in Spain have successfully completed a trial that sent a mixture of 100Gbps, 200Gbps and 400Gbps data links over a single fiber pair.
Some network operators say they need new tools to set up and manage connections in a virtualized world, even if that means adopting software-defined networking technology, which is still in its infancy.
Alcatel-Lucent is promising more manageable cloud computing through Nuage Networks, an internal startup that is making its formal debut on Tuesday.
Facing a rapidly evolving technology market, Bell Labs is paying more attention to projects that can bring it short-term gains, in areas such as software.
Exponential growth in the use of computers, smartphones and other networked devices could cause the environmental impact of the ICT sector to increase dramatically between now and 2020, according to a new report.
A version of LTE that could give consumers more mobile bandwidth for downloading content or apps is moving from the margins to the mainstream at Mobile World Congress this week.
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For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
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Seppeltsfield Rd Distillers have been named Australian Distillery of the Year at the 2018 Melbourne International Spirits Competition, held at the beginning of July at the RACV City Club in the heart of Melbourne.
Only just released to the world, we are thrilled to be able to launch our handmade Barossa gin with this prestigious accolade!
In addition to winning Australian Gin Distillery of the Year, our newly released House Gin also took home a Gold medal and we are couldn’t be prouder.
This year’s judging panel included buyers from top retail stores, sommeliers, distributors, and importers from Australia and the greater Asia Pacific region. As with all of their competitions, they selected only trade buyers to be judges, ensuring that the products submitted are tasted by the actual decision-makers of the beverage industry.
The judges were delighted by the high quality of known spirits submitted as well as a large number of new spirits brands looking to break into the Asia Pacific market.
To get your hands on this delicious gin, head to our online shop here.


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BestChange.ru, an aggregator of over-the-counter (OTC) cryptocurrency suppliers in Russia, is being blocked by the country’s internet censorship agency, Roskomnadzor.
Website block announcement is made on local social media VK.com, stating that BestChange.ru website was blocked alongside a bunch of other industry sites. As per the public court records, Roskomnadzor blocked BestChange.ru alongside websites like cryptowikipedia.ru and coinpost.ru.
As per the SimilarWeb data, BestChange saw almost 3.3 million traffic in July, with most of them coming from Russia, Ukraine, and Turkmenistan.
Although the court-approved BestChange website blocking on Jan. 22, the company only notified on July 23.
BestChange Head of Public Relations Nikita Zuborev said,
“We always hear about the lawsuits accidentally, we never get a subpoena [in time] and our lawyers always have to request a time extension to appeal first and then get to the lawsuit itself.”
The lawsuit also targeted cryptocurrency news websites and even an online shop was offering bitcoin for sale or goods in exchange for bitcoin.
The website was first blocked in 2017, but the website remains available through a VPN. Again the website was blocked in 2019.
Bitcoin is not illegal in Russia, but it may not be used as a means of payment. On July 31, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed that starting from January 2021 payments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are going to become illegal.
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(Bloomberg)—Some of the world’s biggest footwear and apparel companies are seeing their production cut as factories in Southeast Asia struggle to keep the lights on amid one of the deadliest Resurgences of COVID-19.
A number of companies that make products for global giants like Nike Inc. and Adidas AG have reported factory suspensions in Vietnam in recent weeks as authorities impose restrictions to stop the virus. Other industries, such as Toyota Motor Corp. in Thailand, are also reducing their activities, as several countries in the region see record numbers of cases and deaths.
“It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” with increased closures and disruptions to staff in Asia, said Deborah Elms, executive director of the Singapore-based Asian Trade Centre. “Places like Vietnam that have largely avoided lockdown cannot maintain an open posture. With painfully slow vaccinations, I guess more factory closures, with the ripple effects felt somewhere else.”
The temporary shutdowns come as assembly lines prepare for the holiday shopping season in the United States and Europe. The delays could mean shoes, suits, sweatshirts and other clothes won’t be on department store shelves by Thanksgiving Day, the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season, Michael Laskau said. , founder of Paradigm Shift, based in Ho Chi Minh City, which operates as an intermediary between manufacturers and overseas customers.
Trade in goods has been a rare buffer for the Covid-ravaged global economy – especially for export-heavy Asian countries—but the latest reports show cracks in this pillar of growth. The surge caused by the delta variant hit Southeast Asia particularly hardhighlighting the tricky choices for policymakers balancing vaccination campaigns and mobility restrictions while trying to keep their economies afloat.
The pain of manufacturing is particularly acute in Vietnam, where authorities have taken drastic measures to ensure factories can continue to operate. In some cases, electronics and technology companies have had workers sleep at night there.
The garment industry, with lower profits and more workers, has not been able to replicate this effort. Feng Tay Enterprise Co., Pou Chen Corp. and Sports Gear Co. are among manufacturers that have suspended some operations in Vietnam.
Phan Thi Thanh Xuan, vice president of the Vietnam Leather Shoes and Handbags Association, said on Friday that more than 90 percent of the group’s 800 members among southern shoe manufacturers and exporters had temporarily halted their activities.
“Most of the factories that supply Nike and Adidas to Vietnam have suspended production,” Xuan said. The two companies’ production accounts for about 80% of Vietnam’s footwear exports and employs at least 500,000 workers, about half of the workforce in Vietnam’s footwear industry.
Xuan said the association is calling on the government to lift restrictions on overtime so factories can make up for losses productively once they reopen. It is also asking the government to allow companies to source their own vaccines, which are currently distributed by the government.
“The health and safety of our teammates, as well as that of our suppliers, remains our top priority,” Nike said in an emailed statement. “We continue to work with our suppliers to support their efforts in response to the dynamic and unprecedented nature of COVID-19.” Adidas declined to comment, citing a “quiet period” the companies are taking before releasing their results, which it will do on August 5.
Shipments of computers and electronics, as well as telephone equipment, contracted in the first half of this month compared to the same period a year ago, and manufacturers of footwear and clothing could follow in the second half of the month, she said. There could be some relief if factory operations in southern Vietnam are allowed to resume. An export powerhouse, Vietnam not only survived, but even thrived during the US-China trade war and the early stages of the pandemic. Still, its trading outlook was starting to show signs of weakness in the first half of July, said Linda Liu, an economist at Maybank Kim Eng Research Pte. in Singapore.
“A prolonged suspension of factory operations would hurt and delay Vietnam’s economic recovery, which has been mainly driven by manufacturing,” Liu said. The country’s deputy prime minister acknowledged earlier this week that it would be “very difficult and challenging” to meet economic targets this year, including gross domestic product growth of 6% to 6.5%.
Other Asian countries have reported booming exports as the latest virus wave began to gather pace. South Korea and Taiwan have benefited from soaring global demand for semiconductors, with each recently enjoying a string of double-digit year-over-year export gains. On Friday, Thailand reported June exports jumped the most in more than a decade, although officials warned that factory closures could soon begin to halt shipments.
Industries other than footwear are also beginning to suffer from production problems.
A Vietnamese unit of automaker Nidec Corp. resumed production in Ho Chi Minh City after a suspension, but with less than 10% of its 6,000 employees. Prosperous Industrial Holdings Ltd. announced in a Hong Kong exchange filing that its production of bags and packs in Vietnam would stop from July 22 to August 22. 1.
Meanwhile, Toyota plans to close three factories in Thailand for a week as a wave of the virus affected parts supply, Japan’s Nikkei reported on Thursday.
Pou Chen’s unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Pouyuen Vietnam, which supplies Nike and Adidas, halted production on July 14 for 10 days, the company said. Cu Phat Nghiep, president of the unity union, said the unity could not meet the city’s requirement to provide on-site accommodation for its 56,000 workers. There are no immediate plans to resume operations, he said.
Even if a factory can find housing for half its workers, it probably won’t be able to make more than 20% of its products, Paradigm Shift’s Laskau said.
“It’s hard to see how it’s going to turn out,” he said. “In the next two weeks, we will find out.”


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There's a trademark in Switzerland that might complicate an Apple Watch launch in that country — though Apple has yet to announce such a launch.
The trademark is for a logo showing a stylized image of an apple with the word "APPLE" in italics cutting horizontally across the middle. It was filed in 1985 and has been renewed every ten years since. It's currently scheduled to come due again in December of 2015.
There will be no delays as Apple has just confirmed iPad 2 will be available this Friday, March 25 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Just like the US launch, online orders will begin a 1am (they don't say which time zone?) and in store purchases will be available starting 5pm local time.
Steve Jobs dropped the July 30 date for next big rollout during the iPhone 4 press conference but now Apple has gone and made it official:
Beginning this Friday, customers can purchase iPhone 4 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. iPhone 4 will be available for purchase through Apple’s retail and online stores and Apple® Authorized Resellers.
Apple has announced that the iPad will go on sale in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK on Friday, May 28. Online pre-orders, as previously announced, begin May 10.
iPad is available in the UK for a suggested retail price of £429 (inc. VAT) for 16GB, £499 (inc. VAT) for 32GB, £599 (inc. VAT) for 64GB for Wi-Fi models and £529 (inc. VAT) for 16GB, £599 (inc. VAT) for 32GB and £699 (inc. VAT) for 64GB for Wi-Fi + 3G models.
iPad is available in Canada for a suggested retail price of $549 (CAN) for 16GB, $649 (CAN) for 32GB, $749 (CAN) for 64GB for Wi-Fi models and $679 (CAN) for 16GB, $779 (CAN) for 32GB and $879 (CAN) for 64GB for Wi-Fi + 3G models.
French iPhone exclusive, Orange, has just added to the iPhone country count by announcing a deal to bring the (presumably next-gen 3G version) device to:
Austria, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and Orange’s African markets later this year.
Belgium and Romania are said to be exclusive, but this brings Dominican Republic (maybe), Egypt, Portugal, Switzerland, and South Africa (maybe) into the multi-carrier (co-exclusive or non-exclusive) column and for the first time suggests a previously exclusive region, Austria, may no longer be exclusive!
Joking that the iPhone Risk map was getting a little crowded up in Europe... turns out not to be a joke anymore:
Swisscom on Wednesday confirmed it will begin selling Apple's iPhone in Switzerland this year, possibly bolstering a recent report on the matter which also stated that the handset would arrive with video conferencing and other fresh features.
What fresh new features? As if borrowing from Kevin Rose's twitter feed, GPS, bi-direction video iChat Mobile, and mobile TV.


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In March 2021, the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg (SIM) launched a research project to create a new series of European reusable plant trays, including a corresponding pool model. The next step in the project is to set up a cooperative, which will be assigned the task of developing and launching the trays. The cooperative will be known as Euro Plant Tray eG. This is a decisive step towards the achievement of this new, European reusable plant tray.
The research itself was initiated by various parties, such as industry representatives within Europe’s floriculture sector and from Germany’s retail sector. The parties involved intend to utilize these reusable plant trays to help achieve their sustainability ambitions. In the Netherlands, the Association of Wholesalers in Floricultural Products (VGB) and Royal FloraHolland are represented within various working groups.
Participation in the setting up of the plant trays cooperative
In recent months, the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg has held intensive discussions with various international parties to investigate and generate support for standardized, reusable plant trays. A large number of those parties said that they regard this initiative as positive and that they wished to become members of the new cooperative that will continue rolling out the project.
The position of Royal FloraHolland
Royal FloraHolland also believes that the progress and the developments around the Euro Plant Tray are positive and is therefore actively involved in the discussions. Nevertheless, Royal FloraHolland has still submitted several questions and suggestions to SIM. Now they are awaiting their response before deciding whether to take part in the new cooperative. They are expecting to decide by this summer. The same also applies in the case of several other interested parties.
Schedule for the launch of the new plant tray
In the next few months, the participating and interested parties, such as Royal FloraHolland, will collaborate on the further development of the new plant trays. The official inauguration of the cooperative is expected to take place in August 2022, though it is not yet known exactly when the production and launch of the plant trays will begin.
For more information:


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A number of Ford Ranger customers have expressed concern on social media that the addition of a new top-end Platinum model could extend their delivery delays, however Ford says that’s not the case as it is ramping up production.
Ford Australia says the waiting times for top-end turbo-diesel V6 Ford Ranger utes will not be extended by the addition of a new flagship Platinum edition.
Waiting times for some Ford Ranger variants – such as the twin-turbo V6 petrol-powered Raptor performance pick-up – stretch up to 12 months.
However, Ford says the addition of the Ford Ranger Platinum will not add to the waiting times of most other variants because the company had already ramped up production to accomodate the new variant – as well as to meet the sudden surge in demand across the line-up.
Ford says it has showroom stock ready for immediate delivery on single-turbo 2.0-litre diesel and twin-turbo 2.0-litre diesel Ranger utes, while waiting times for V6 diesel variants were improving on most model grades (XLT, Sport and Wildtrak).
Ford says it has ramped up production in response to the surge in demand for the new Ranger – which was the top-selling vehicle in Australia in December 2022 following an influx of arrivals – and that it has already factored in extra capacity to accomodate the new top-line Platinum edition.
The new Ford Ranger Platinum edition is due to go into production in Thailand in April 2023, with the first Australian showroom deliveries due in May 2023.
A statement from Ford Australia said: “The Ford Ranger Platinum was part of our plan from the beginning, meaning the supply of other Ranger and Everest models will not be impacted because Ranger Platinum production was always managed in addition to the existing supply of V6 diesels.
“Further to this, supply of V6 Ranger variants has strengthened and will continue to strengthen in 2023, along with the volume of vehicles fitted with Premium Packs as supply of these parts continues to increase.”
Ford said some customers waiting for a Ford Ranger Wildtrak turbo-diesel V6 (TDV6) with Premium Pack had asked their dealer to switch their order to a Platinum – which has in turn reduced waiting times for some buyers who had ordered a Ford Ranger Wildtrak TDV6.
A Ford spokesperson said customers should contact their local Ford dealer if they want to discuss the option of switching to a Ford Ranger Platinum, however allocations vary from showroom to showroom.
“Customer wait times do vary depending on dealer, location and specifications, so we encourage customers to talk to their dealer about what’s available,” the Ford spokesperson told Drive.


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|Day's range||29,725.46 - 30,407.82|
|52-week range||25,549.88 - 93,136.89|
|Volume (24 hrs)||32.43B|
|Volume (24 hrs) all currencies||32.43B|
New Constructs CEO David Trainer joins Yahoo Finance Live to examine crypto executive Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX platform pursuing a deal with Robinhood, along with the business model of cryptocurrency exchange platforms, and comparisons to the dot-com bubble.
Wall Street remains committed to building out cryptocurrency infrastructure, with the latest exchange launching July 1 in Colombia.
The recent plunge in cryptocurrency prices has at least one major Wall Street firm staying on the sidelines for some crypto-linked stocks.


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Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd.(NASDAQ:SINO) posted its operating and financial report for the quarter closed September 30, 2016. The firm has offered extensive industry information in its Form 10-Q, and management motivates shareholders to assess the document for Sino-Global’s background operations and history as well as plans for the coming fiscal.
Total revenues for the quarter closed September 30, 2016 came at $1.9 million against $2.7 million in the comparable period for the preceding year. The decline was mainly due to the dropped revenues generated from shipping agency services division due to the declined number of ships served. Additionally, due to close of the vessel acquisition, sales from chartering and shipping services segment declined to nil.
The management view
Mr. Lei Cao, the CEO of Sino-Global, reported that they continue to function in an industry that keeps on changing. Sino-Global must advance to fulfill the market needs. They have maintained the firm’s ultimate objective of easing the challenge of logistics across numerous regions across the world. In August, the company reported the development of an internet-based app that will offer a full-service logistics base between China and the US to short-haul trucking firms in the U.S.
Sino-Global provides an innovative value proposition that is well-resourced to help connect supply chains and logistics. By the close of this calendar year, the company projects to introduce a fully operational internet-based portal where transporters can link with independent trucking firms.
The management will manage this portal and offer a one-stop place where parties can communicate for the shipments delivery. They have developed the system to enhance convenience and productivity for the partners and customers while offering company with a stable fee income from offering the connection.
The company is thrilled about the launch and in FY2017, they started to record revenues from freight logistic services. In the coming months, they anticipate to associate with numerous trucking operators as they rollout the portal and improve its functionality.


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Gansu Qilianshan Cement Co., Ltd. (China) today announces that it will spend CNY 454.68 million building a 3,000-ton cement precalcining production line, in a bid to effectively integrate its resources in southeast Gansu, a northwestern Chinese province, reports SinoCast.
Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Gangu Qilianshan Cement Co., Ltd., will be responsible for this construction, so the Shanghai-listed cement producer agrees to inject additional CNY 90 million into the subsidiary. By last yearend, Gangu Qilianshan Cement had separately had total assets and liabilities of CNY 136.3513 million and CNY 81.9294 million.
After a valid construction period of 12 months, the new cement precalcining production line will help Gansu Qilianshan Cement achieve sales revenue and profit of CNY 315 million and CNY 95.82 million per year, respectively. Meanwhile, the company is estimated to recover its static investment within 4.79 years.
Gansu Qilianshan Cement also intends to take over a cement sales company from another subsidiary, Tianshui Qilianshan Cement Co., Ltd., for CNY 1.91 million, according to its announcement.


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Apple to iPhone 5 users: Install iOS 10.3.4 update before Nov 3 or lose these key functions
Apple has sent out notification to iPhone 5 users to download the latest iOS 10.3.4 update on their phones before November 3, 2019.
If you're still using an old iPhone 5, download and install the latest iOS update right away to avoid losing access to key services. Apple over the weekend sent out notifications to iPhone 5 users asking them to download the latest iOS 10.3.4 before November 3, 2019.
"Update to iOS 10.3.4 before November 3, 2019 to continue using App Store, iCloud, email, web, and other services. If the update to iPhone 5 is not completed by November 3, 2019, you will be required to back up and restore using a Mac or PC in order to update because over-the-air software updates and iCloud Backup will not work," read the Apple notification to iPhone 5 users.
ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro: Top 5 best and worst of new smartphones
The latest software update is aimed at fixing a critical GPS bug that had affected Apple's older generation devices including iPhone 4S, iPad with Retina Display, iPad 2, and the fourth-generation iPad. Users of these devices have also been asked to download the latest iOS update.
Apple in its support page explained that the latest iOS update is required to maintain accurate GPS location and to continue using functions that depend on date and time such as web browsing, App Store, iCloud, and email.
ALSO READ: Kuo reveals more details about the upcoming iPhone SE 2
"This is due to the GPS time rollover issue that began affecting GPS-enabled products from other manufacturers on April 6, 2019. Affected Apple devices are not impacted until just before 12:00 a.m. UTC on November 3, 2019," it added.
In order to download the iOS 10.3.4 update on your iPhone 5, you need to go to Settings > Tap General > Tap About > Check for Software update > If there, download and install.
Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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Is Cultured Meat the Future of Sustainable Pet Food?
The Because, Animals co-founder on the eco-friendly way we could feed our pets.
Your pet wants you to read our newsletter. (Then give them a treat.)
Kelp jerky, mushroom bacon, tapioca fish…These days, plant-based alternatives to animal products are right at our fingertips. They just haven’t quite reached our pet’s paws. Although some meatless alternative pet foods exist, they have yet to make a meaningful dent in the 1.83 million tons of animal products used to feed pets in the U.S. each year.
“People believe that their dogs and cats need meat,” Shannon Falconer, the CEO and co-founder of Because, Animals, tells The Wildest. And for good reason: Cats and dogs are taxonomic carnivores who have lived off meat in the wild for thousands of years. Although they can technically get their essential nutrients without it, it’s difficult. That’s why when Falconer, a long-time vegan, started a company to phase animals out of pet food, she didn’t look to plants. Instead, she wanted to give people exactly what they were asking for: meat — just not the type that comes from an animal.
The Appeal of Cultured Meat
Cultured meat could serve as a windfall for the sustainable pet care movement and a solid option for dog and cat parents who want to reduce their pet’s environmental impact without sacrificing their nutrition. If pet food were a country, it would be the 60th highest greenhouse gas emitter, on par with Mozambique or the Philippines, according to a 2020 study. And although a lot of meat fed to pets is actually byproducts and unwanted cuts from the human meat industry, a growing demand for pet-food meat — especially specialty, “human-grade” cuts — is surpassing the industry’s ability to keep up.
“The pet-food industry is very much a crux that keeps the animal agriculture industry as a whole going,” Falconer says. “If you were to pull that plug, there would be massive disruption.”
Enter: Cultured meat. Before your mind goes full-blown sci-fi, the process of making cultured meat is relatively simple. First, you extract a group of cells from an animal (which can be done without harming said animal). Then, place the cells in a medium that will allow them to duplicate quickly. Give the cells room to grow in a bioreactor, add essential nutrients, and before you know it, you have animal tissue that grew outside of an animal. Falconer says that Because, Animals (which does not use fetal bovine serum or immortalized cell lines to make their products) can produce as much meat in a three-week period as a cow would in two and a half years.
Who will eat first: you or your pet?
Eventually, Falconer hopes to sell her cultured meat as a branded ingredient to pet-food manufacturers and get it into dog and cat bowls nationwide. But there are a few hurdles to overcome first: One, the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), which operates under the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) umbrella, will need to clear the product for sale.
Because, Animals is one of the few players focused on pet food, but dozens of other companies are racing to get their cultured meat products to market. And so far, only one of them has secured FDA clearance. Late last year, the FDA deemed cultured chicken from Upside Foods, a California company that had been in business for seven years at the time, safe for human consumption. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) still needs to inspect the company’s production plants and approve its product labeling before the “slaughter-free” chicken can be sold.
How Soon Can This Be a Reality?
The regulatory process for Because, Animals, and the other player in the cultured pet food space, Bond Pet Foods, will likely be similarly lengthy. However, Falconer is still hopeful that a 2025 release is possible.
“A significant hurdle that we don’t have, which the human food industry does have, is creating that three-dimensionality and structure quality of meat,” she says. While diners want their cultured chicken breast to actually look like a chicken and sizzle like a steak, pets are far less discerning. “Pet food already looks disgusting,” Falconer jokes, so her team doesn’t have to put in the work of embellishing their cultured meat after it’s grown.
While the finished product will look and taste a lot like your typical chow, don’t expect it to cost the same. The infrastructure for creating cultured meat is expensive, so it will need to roll out at a high price point initially. The first restaurant to serve cultured meat to humans — a high-end members club in Singapore — sells a trio of chicken nugget preparations for $23 a pop and still loses money on them.
“We don’t necessarily have the same thing as a Michelin-star restaurant that we can sell to for pets,” Falconer notes. This means she’ll need to rely on consumers who are willing to pay a premium for their pet’s nutrition (and can get over the initial shock factor of serving meat that grew outside an animal).
So, will it be you or your pet who takes the first bite out of cultured meat? At this point, it’s anyone’s guess. If you’re hungry to move your household off of conventional animal agriculture in the meantime, use this primer on the sustainable food movement.
Disclaimer alert: This article is here to share information. But, much like pineapple on pizza, the topic may be controversial. Meaning, not all vets or pet professionals agree. Because every pet is a unique weirdo with specific needs. So, don’t take this as fact or medical advice. Talk things over with your vet when making decisions, and use your best judgment (about both your pet’s health and pizza toppings).
These expert-approved recipes will help you use all the food in your kitchen.
Gasp! “Compostable” poops bags are bad for the environment? Sustainability expert Dave Coast gets the scoop from CompostableLA founder Monique Figueiredo.
The founder of Package Free says there’s a low-waste alternative to every pet product sitting in your trash right now.
Without getting totally grossed out.
How to pick the right grub for your pup when there are So. Many. Choices.
The founders’ own dog’s cancer diagnosis inspired their immunity-boosting, pathogen-resistant mushroom supplements.
Emma is a writer, editor, and environmentalist based in New York City. She is the senior sustainability editor at mindbodygreen, the author of Return To Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us (April 2022), and the co-author of The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide To Ancient Self-Care. While she doesn’t have any pets of her own, she is a loving dog aunt to Pip the pup.


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APRIL 2, 2009
Meanwhile in the real world...
The last week has seen more bad news for the automobile industry with March sales in the US down 37% compared to a year ago. The big loser was General Motors with a drop of 45% followed by Ford (41%), Toyota (39%), Chrysler and Nissan (38%), Honda (36%), Mercedes-Benz (25%), BMW (24%) and Audi (19%). The luxury segment of the market has tended to suffer a little less but it is still a big drop for the European firms, which rely heavily on the US market. Sales have been declining for 17 consecutive months. Unemployment continues to rise and house prices are still falling and so things are not expected to improve for a while although the car companies hope that the situation is now stabilizing. GM boss Rick Wagoner was ousted this week after the government rejected his plans to rebuild GM and it is expected that the firm will now have to go through a negotiated and controlled bankruptcy process to split the unhealthy parts of the business away from an operational company which might have some chance without debts and union demands. It is expected that there will be demands for creditors to accept equity in the new companies formed. GM needs to be sure that the whatever it does does not hurt the suppliers who are needed for parts and services to produce the vehicles.
In Europe Peugeot-Citroen has also dumped its chief executive Christian Streiff. He will be replaced by steel industry executive Philippe Varin.
Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes, says it is planning to reduce costs by $2.6bn by cutting hours and wages with administration, sales, and research and development staff being asked to work 30 hour weeks rather than 35 hours and accept a 14% cut in pay. The company is still avoiding redundancies but says that these cannot be ruled out.


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Howard County’s Ancile Solutions Inc., a workforce productivity company, is looking for more than a dozen people to fill newly created positions.
The Elkridge company is hiring for 13 new positions in product marketing, software development, production support and sales. The new workers are needed as the company works to expand its image in the productivity technology industry.
Ancile was originally the software products arm of RWD Technologies, but became its own business when RWD sold off its software business in 2010.
“There’s still room to make sure the Ancile name is out there,” said Marianna Noll, Ancile’s director of marketing and communications. “While we’ve made some strides, now is the time to make a push and not only push with existing products, but be able to introduce some new things.”
One of those new products will allow employers to determine whether the recipients of their emails received, read and understood the message. The product attaches comprehensive quiz emails and materials that will relay responses back to the sender.
The company’s flagship product, uPerform, is a content management tool that allows employers to create learning tools and share information.
Of the 13 open positions, at least 10 will be based in Ancile’s Elkridge headquarters.
To apply, visit www.ancile.com.


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By bringing Bridgestone’s MOBOX subscription service to the region, Al Masaood TBA Division has found itself at the very head of the curve when it comes to offering genuinely new ideas and ways for consumers to ease their financial worries as well as the stress of maintaining their vehicles. Talking to T&FME, general manager Salah Adib, explains that while his business is pleased to be the first to offer the so-called Netflix of tyres outside of Europe, it will continue to pioneer sustainable services and products in a much more digitalise world.
What is MOBOX by Bridgestone – and what are the benefits for the customer?
MOBOX is a new and efficient mobility solution by Bridgestone that caters to customers’ vehicle maintenance needs. It is basically a subscription package that offers a customisable range of services, including tyres, full warranty and other vehicle-related services, for a set monthly fee. Over the years, we have noticed that vehicle maintenance could be considered an inconvenient and expensive factor for a car owner. The MOBOX service has been rolled out to alleviate this inconvenience, and present an overall approach to facilitate car maintenance in a convenient, easy, and seamless manner.
After its success in Europe, Al Masaood TBA was the first Bridgestone partner to pilot this solution in the MENA region, owing to the increased demand for proper vehicle maintenance in Abu Dhabi. It reduces the possibility of unexpected bills, which can arise due to tyre malfunctions, through its set monthly payment options.
MOBOX offers three packages – MOBOX Light, MOBOX Plus, and MOBOX Premium – which include 2/4 tyres and services like tubeless valves, tyre fitting, wheel balancing, nitrogen filling, wheel alignment, tyre rotation, aircon services, and a full warranty. The MOBOX solution was designed to reduce the risk of unexpected bills due to various vehicle malfunctions and to make vehicle maintenance easier for customers.
Do you think it changes the way the customer approach a company such as yours? For instance, does it encourage them to come to your Al Ain and Abu Dhabi facilities to change their tyres more often?
We noticed vehicle maintenance was a hassle for customers, so in partnership with Bridgestone, we rolled out this solution in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and the Western Region to provide customers with a simple and cost-effective solution to address their needs. Since its roll out in 2021, we have recorded a notable growth in MOBOX subscriptions, with over 500 contracts already sold and no let-up in fresh subscribers.
Al Masaood Tyres, Batteries, and Accessories (TBA) Division is the first company to market the solution outside of Europe, and you have also been awarded for it — how did that come about?
Across the world, businesses are witnessing a transition from a product- based economy to a more service-oriented one. Adapting to the pace of consumer demands, which has seen a move from products to overall package services, our partner, Bridgestone’s MOBOX solutions in Europe, looked promising to us, and we realised that it would add greater value and make vehicle maintenance convenient for our customers in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The UAE as well has been rapidly progressing in terms of digitalisation, and we can see more and more consumers adopting the subscription model in food and lifestyle services. We considered it the right time to introduce MOBOX during this period considering the changing consumer trends and preferences in the UAE.
Since introducing MOBOX, we’ve seen a positive response from our customers, which prompted our principal Bridgestone to award us with the ‘Global MOBOX Award’. This award is basically in recognition of our efforts in launching the all-in-one MOBOX service in Abu Dhabi as the first pilot in the MENA region.
You have had such a successful launch. What do you think this says about the market’s appetite for Netflix-style subscription services – particularly when it comes to the auto market here?
Customers find easy and accessible services convenient for their lifestyles. Recent trends have them expecting subscription-based services like Netflix or Amazon, where their payment and service solutions are made easy. This has raised the desire for efficient and seamless solutions, which gives MOBOX an upper hand. At Al Masaood Tyres, Batteries and
Accessories, we always seek modern and simple solutions that meet customer trends and expectations. Customer preferences and feedback is our top priority.
For more on MOBOX and why we are seeing a shift towards more sustainable mobility methods, look out for the September issue of Truck and Fleet Middle East – Out this week!


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Field beans are deadly for some people. Scientists have found the gene that causes this problem. The bean is a great alternative to soy.
Four scientists from the University of Helsinki have found a drug that can even attack the antibiotic-resistant MRSA bacteria in hospitals.
Helsinki has the premiere of the world's first fully electric and self-driving street sweeper. The 'spaceship' is 85% more economical to operate.
Thanks to a new drilling technology, the digging of the deepest borehole in Europe is set to begin in Finland. It is meant to be a forerunner of the world's longest undersea railway tunnel.
In Finnish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle, autonomous vehicles are being tested on a smart road under some of the most challenging driving conditions in Europe.
Adidas and H&M are taking part in a trial to create a circular recycling model for the clothing industry.
The app from the start-up Moprim not only helps people to reduce their CO2 footprint but also encourages healthier forms of mobility.
The Finnish company Betolan has discovered a formula to replace cement, which is a major CO2 pollutant. However, the recipe remains the chef's secret.
Vitamin B12 is naturally found only in animal products. Therefore, vegans often use food supplements or vitamin tablets.


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Recently Samsung announced the GALAXY S III Mini (GT-I8190) in Europe, it will also launch soon GALAXY Premier (GT-I9260) and the GALAXY S II Plus according to previous leaks. There is a fourth unknown Samsung device refered to as Sasmsung GT-B9150 which was spotted on GLBenchmark website.
According to GLB site leak this will be an Android 4.1.1 JellyBean device sporting Exynos 5250 dual-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz with Mali-T604 GPU and 1280 x 672 screen resolution. That’s pretty much all we know so far about B9150. More details as they pop up in the following weeks.


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TORONTO — When Bell Mobility CEO Pierre Blouin addressed the Mississauga Board of Trade Tuesday, the economic outlook for most industries was as grim as the mid-October weather.
The exception was the wireless industry, said Blouin, about which he had nothing but good news to share.
“Things have slowed down in the global economy, especially after Sept.11,” he said. “But things could not be more different for the wireless industry. We’re still experiencing fast growth — about 20 per cent per year — high job creation and large capital investment.”
Blouin, whose speech seemed to highlight his company’s quest to wrest a bigger share of the consumer market away from mostly consumer-oriented wireless providers Microcell and Telus, noted that the Canadian wireless industry has poured some $12 billion in investments in wireless infrastructure since 1990. This includes roughly $3.3 billion this year alone.
Some 25,000 Canadians work in the industry, one of every three Canadians owns a wireless device of some sort, 94 per cent of Canadians have some wireless service available to them, and there are now more than 10 million wireless customers in this country, he said.
And those numbers are only going to improve, he added. Driving the demand — apart from the traditional business user that Bell Mobility is often associated with — is the increasingly lucrative youth market, said Blouin.
Canadians between the ages of 14 and 24 are the fastest-growing segment of our population under 50. More importantly, they have the cash to spend — from $4,500-$7,000 in disposable income per year, according to studies, he said — and a predisposition towards spending on wireless. “As they get older, they will be wireless,” he noted.
That, in itself, is not exactly news, perhaps, as more Canadian teens see cell phones as simply part of their birthright.
Perhaps more interesting is that while e-mail and stock quotes were initially the big drawing cards for business users, there’s another application that’s taken the suits by storm, he reported: games.
‘Now, nobody even wants to look at their stocks,” Blouin said. “Games are now it.”
In fact, customers are playing eight million games a month using Bell Mobility services — no advertising needed.
The company’s focus in the future, however, will be on wearable computers and launching the first phase of its 3G network, which it had announced earlier would be out in the fourth quarter. Blouin, who could not give an exact date, told CN it would be out “very soon.”
The always-on network will allow the beginnings of full-motion video, letting busy executives to play high-resolution games rather than being confined to boring black and white ping-pong.
There are, of course, other more practical reasons for business users to look forward to the first phase of 3G, he added — namely access to enterprise applications such as those from SAP.
Again, though, Blouin focused on a growing area of interest for Bell Mobility — the education market.
“We know that between school and part-time jobs, students today have more demands than ever before,’ he said. “So Bell Mobility is working to offer students wireless access to curriculum materials including textbooks and assignments.”
Although 3G is a major focus for the wireless industry, the events of Sept. 11 in the U.S. and the reports of cell phone overloads have prompted questions as to how our own wireless networks would fare should Canada experience a major emergency on a similar scale.
Recent news stories from U.S. publications report that the federal government is looking at forcing wireless providers to provide emergency services workers with special priority access codes that would ensure their calls go through before anyone else’s.
According to Blouin, we have nothing to fear, at least from communications failures on the wireless side. That’s because our emergency services use radio dispatch (mostly provided by Bell Mobility) rather than cellular.
“They (emergency services) have their private network and it cannot really get full unless it was a huge event,” he told CN.
When the Summit of the Americas was held in Quebec City earlier this year, there was a huge volume of traffic on both the cellular and emergency services radio networks with no problems, he said.
“The network is already quite strong in Canada because of the way the population density is,” said Blouin. “We have a bit of space on the network to handle much bigger call volume, and secondly, we’re able very quickly to dispatch portable-type equipment to increase that quite a bit.
“And on the radio side, there’s enough capacity, they have their own private (network) and it cannot be jammed by any other type of usage.”
Bell Mobility, like other wireless service providers, is also conducting trials for its emergency 911 cellular service, which would allow it to see where a user is calling from.
“We’re working on trying to get it out by the end of next year.”


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As Amazon's HQ2 goes to the East Coast, Indianapolis doesn't even get a consolation prize
Amazon has removed Indianapolis from its cart.
The online retail giant Tuesday confirmed it will split a $5 billion corporate expansion among two East Coast cities: New York City and Arlington, Virginia. The company also announced a consolation prize for Nashville, which is slated to get a new facility with 5,000 jobs.
That leaves Indianapolis with nothing.
Amazon.com Inc.’s long-awaited decision concludes a search that began more than a year ago with a a request for proposals from any U.S. city, an unconventional approach. Among the criteria: public incentives.
Details of Amazon's plan had leaked in recent days, including the company's move to divide its ostensible second headquarters among two locations.
Amazon originally asked cities to bid for a single headquarters that would complement its Seattle campus. The vision called for 8 million square feet of real estate and up to 50,000 jobs. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in a statement said the company split up HQ2 because of the company's overwhelming thirst for technology workers.
Briggs:Briggs: If HQ2 is fake, where does that leave Indianapolis?
Amazon HQ2:The search is over, but Indianapolis' bid is still a secret
More:How a little-known Indianapolis developer got in position to land Amazon's HQ2
“These two locations will allow us to attract world-class talent that will help us to continue inventing for customers for years to come," Bezos said. "The team did a great job selecting these sites, and we look forward to becoming an even bigger part of these communities.”
Indianapolis' bid was thought to be a long shot from the start. Amazon's realization that no single city could supply enough workers to meet its needs indicates just how difficult of a case midsized cities had to make.
"We knew there wasn't a region in the United States that had 50,000 or even 25,000 highly skilled people sitting around," said Maureen Krauss, the chief economic development officer for the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. "So we knew part of the talent story is what kind of community are you going to offer that talent. That's a strong argument for us."
The Indy Chamber orchestrated a regional Central Indiana bid on behalf of the city, state and suburbs, including Fishers. The chamber emphasized regional collaboration, including public-private partnerships, Krauss said. She declined to elaborate.
"We view those as our competitive advantages right now, so we're going to be repurposing those thoughts on partnerships," she said. "We want to make sure one of our competitors doesn't pick up on those ideas."
The Indy Chamber declined to disclose details of Indianapolis' Amazon bid, including incentives. The Indy Chamber is not subject to public records law. The city and state also declined to reveal contents of the bid.
Indianapolis advanced further in Amazon's process than many experts expected. Indianapolis was among more than 200 cities that submitted pitches to host HQ2 in October 2017. The city made Amazon’s short list of 20 cities in January, competing alongside major metropolitan areas including Chicago, Boston and Atlanta.
State and local officials are insisting Central Indiana is a winner because it survived Amazon’s first cut — and can use its place on Amazon's top-20 list to pitch itself to other companies.
"From our talent pipeline, to our proven track record of private-public partnerships, from our culture of innovation, to our collaborative spirit — Indianapolis rose to the top of Amazon’s search process because this is a place companies want to do business and the workforce of the future wants to live, work, and play," Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a written statement issued Tuesday.
Still, missing out on a piece of Amazon’s promised 50,000 new jobs comes as a bitter disappointment for a city that is preoccupied with solidifying its world-class status. Amazon’s HQ2 — even a cut-in-half version of the original pitch — would have brought a never-before-seen influx of money and people to Indianapolis that could have reshaped Downtown and upended the area’s housing market.
In that sense, losing the Amazon sweepstakes might be a mixed blessing. While Indianapolis sought the benefits of attracting America's most coveted corporate prize, many residents and experts raised concerns about how tens of thousands of new workers might affect quality of life, including traffic and housing.
Much like Indianapolis does not have a large enough talent base to satisfy Amazon's demands, it also lacks housing to accommodate a new corporate headquarters of that magnitude.
Danielle Hale, the chief economist for Realtor.com, noted Indianapolis has 13 homes for sale per 1,000 households compared with a national rate of 19. Amazon would have "exasperated (Indianapolis') current inventory shortage," Hale said.
"The influx of demand from Amazon employees would have made it even more difficult for locals to find available homes, let alone one that’s well priced," Hale said.
Amazon aside, Indianapolis has been on a recent winning streak of attracting major investment by technology companies including Salesforce.com and Infosys Ltd. City, state and business leaders will continue to point to those companies, as well as Indianapolis’ credible competition for HQ2, as reasons other corporations should consider moving here.
"Responding to this bid showed the world that Indiana has become a global destination for business and a thriving community for tech," Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement.
If Amazon had chosen Indianapolis, the company was expected to occupy a portion of the former General Motors stamping plant site along the White River near Downtown. Developer Ambrose Property Group acquired the 103-acre former industrial site in April with plans to turn it into a new $1.4 billion neighborhood with housing, offices and green space.
Indianapolis officials reviewed 18 sites that were thought to be a match for Amazon on some level. The former GM stamping plant site stood out — and likely will continue to be dangled to other companies that are looking for a prominent urban location.
"I think it's one of the top five sites in this country for what it offers the companies and talent requirements of the future," Krauss said. "It's an amazing site."
While Indianapolis won't be getting a piece of Amazon's expansion, no city has obtained what Amazon initially promised: a $5 billion headquarters with 50,000 jobs.
Ian Nicolini, the vice president of economic development for the Indy Chamber, said there are no hard feelings in Indianapolis over what some observers are calling a bait-and-switch.
"Economic development is about building successful relationships," he said. "You fall short of your expectations sometimes, and other times you exceed them and you win. You never want to close the door."
Call IndyStar reporter James Briggs at 317-444-6307. Follow him on Twitter: @JamesEBriggs.


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Scottish Sea Farms has added a new landing craft to work as a feed boat in its remote Eday salmon farms in the Orkney Islands.
The craft, named the Warness Lass, was purchased from Macduff Shipyards in Aberdeen, Scotland, for GBP 500,000 (USD 717,062 , EUR 646,882).
This new Landing Craft is 14.95 meters long and 5.6 meters wide and has two engines, each with 230 horsepower. The craft is capable of carrying 21 tonnes of deck cargo.
“This… Read More
Premier Fish, a fish supplier sourcing and distributing fish caught off the coast of southern England, has been purchased by Owner Venture Managers, a London-based venture capital firm.
Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
Premier Fish got its start in 1995 as a local retailer of fresh and frozen seafood and game. It primarily sources product caught off the coast of Dorset and Hampshire, including crab, lobster, plaice, Dover… Read More
High Liner Foods, a Canadian seafood processor, plans to shut down its value-added fish operation in New Bedford, Mass. by the end of 2016.
The company made the announcement in its 2015 fourth quarter results report. In a press release, the Lunenburg, Nova Scotia-based company said the New Bedford plant was the company’s most underutilized manufacturing facility with annual production of approximately 40 million pounds. In its announcement,… Read More
Andrew Marshall, an executive at a Massachusetts seafood supplier, has been named to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Highly Migratory Species advisory panel.
Marshall, the national accounts manager at The Town Dock, based in Rhode Island, has already begun serving his three-year term on the panel, a consultative body for NOAA Fisheries’ decisions on fishery management plans for Atlantic tuna, swordfish, billfish and… Read More
A new partnership on the west coast of the United States is pairing a nonprofit focused on seafood sustainability with a local-food oriented grocery store chain.
Santa Cruz, Calif.-based FishWise will train every member of New Seasons’ seafood and meat staff in the company’s – 200 employees total – to increase their knowledge of seafood species and sources. The training employees, is designed to familiarize New Seasons’ staff with… Read More
With a signature from President Barack Obama on 11 February, the United States formally ratified Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), making the U.S. an official member of the international accord designed to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The U.S. becomes the 21st party to ratify the PSMA, which goes into effect once 25 parties have signed and ratified the agreement. Larger countries that have signed on so far include… Read More
A bill that would shift management of the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery from federal agencies to five southern states is meeting resistance from commercial interests and conservation groups.
The Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority Act (House Resolution 3094), introduced by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), proposes to give the wildlife departments of the five U.S. states bordering the Gulf of Mexico full management authority for… Read More
Twelve of the best new products in seafood will compete for two prestigious 2016 Seafood Excellence Awards, recognizing the best new products released in the North American market over the past 18 months.
Four products are up for the Best New Foodservice award, while eight will compete for the Best New Retail Product award. The winners will be announced at the Seafood Expo North America & Seafood Processing North America event, taking place… Read More
The U.S. State Department is reviewing a proposal from the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) that would restore fishing access to the U.S. tuna fleet operating in FFA-controlled waters.
A State Department official confirmed to SeafoodSource.com that the proposal, delivered 9 February, contains revisions to the U.S. Tuna Treaty intended to find a compromise that would restore the treaty, which the U.S. withdrew from on 29… Read More
Marine Harvest Chile became the first company to complete the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices’ multi-size zone cluster program, which it achieved in early February.
The new program allows for multiple farm sites in the same federally set zone our grouped together logistically to apply for and earn BAP certification simultaneously.
Marine Harvest’s newly certified operations in Chile include nine salmon farms and… Read More


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Housewares retailer Mikasa & Company has implemented SLI Systems Inc.’s hosted Web site search and automated search engine optimization offerings to increase site traffic, improve the customer experience and capture more online sales.
Since the implementation, Mikasa has seen the number of searches conducted on its site steadily increase, resulting in more sales and conversions. It also has seen higher traffic numbers stemming from greater visibility on major Internet search engines.
“SLI Systems gave Mikasa & Co. the ability to provide a better shopping experience and therefore a better brand experience for site visitors,” said Stephen Henderson, director of consumer services and e-commerce for Mikasa.
“Today, SLI helps our visitors find exactly the item they’re looking for, faster,” he said. “We know that the largest percentage of visitors to the Mikasa & Co. site are going directly to search, so our ability to share our brand and our products with our visitors has been aided terrifically by SLI by replacing our previous search tool with theirs.”
New Jersey-based Mikasa re-launched its e-commerce site in December 2005 and used an off-the-shelf site search solution that was part of its e-commerce platform. Within a few months the company realized the site search was not serving its customers well: it performed slowly and the results were difficult to sort through.
As a result, the company received a number of customer complaints. These visitors told Mikasa that its previous search tool was disappointing: excruciatingly slow responses, and results far too difficult to shop. Consequently, Mikasa, in a measurable way, was turning visitors away from the brand and losing conversion with its search experience.
“When Mikasa first approached us their search was so poor it was broken,” said Shaun Ryan, CEO of SLI Systems, Cupertino, CA . “I remember at the time their homepage featured a red bowl, and if you did a search for red bowl it would say ‘Sorry, no results found.’ ”
The number of visitors who search the site at www.mikasaandcompany.com has increased dramatically. Also, conversion rates for customers who use the SLI search tool are converting at roughly double the rate of the rest of the site, according to Mr. Ryan.
SLI Systems didn’t optimize Mikasa’s site. Instead it is using the retailer’s Site Champion service, which allows the site search pages to be indexed by the search engines.
“This has resulted in hundreds of new pages being included in the search engines, which are optimized for the search terms used on the site search,” Mr. Ryan said.


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2012 Shelby Gt500 Super Snake on 2040-cars
Wellsville, New York, United States
Ford Mustang for Sale
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Auto blogThu, 13 Jun 2013 11:56:00 EST
Raptor, Excursion, Texas And Hennessey
Each of those words are synonyms for big and bold - combine all four and you've got one of the largest, most powerful and robust street-going sport utility vehicles in the world.
John Hennessey is a Texas-based tuner known for creating some of the fastest and most capable cars on the planet. Over the past two decades, machines like the Viper Venom 550, Ford GT 1000 Twin Turbo, HPE 700 LS9 Camaro and the almighty Venom GT have emerged from the Hennessey Performance garage. And those are just the celebrated flagships; the company has modified thousands of other street cars including those from Audi, Bentley, Cadillac, Ferrari, Ford, Porsche and Toyota, to name a few.
Alan Mulally isn't going anywhere... at least not just yet. The CEO who helped turn around Ford Motor Company has been linked to the top job at tech behemoth Microsoft, leading to a flurry of rumors about potential successors. Those rumors, though, may have just been put to rest - at least for a little while.
Speaking to Edsel Ford II (great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford) at the unveiling of the new Mustang, Automotive News Europe confirmed that Mulally would stick around until the end of next year. "Alan is staying through the end of 2014 and that's all I know," said Ford. "Frankly, he has told us that his plan is to stay with Ford through the end of 2014."
Presuming that Edsel Ford is correct and that Microsoft isn't so hot on Mulally that it saves the position for him, it seems increasingly likely that the 68-year-old exec is more interested in continuing to work in Dearborn rather than in Redmond.
When it comes to forbidden fruit, few vehicles are spoken of in as hushed a tone as the Ford Focus RS. The turbocharged, five-cylinder hot hatch could only be seen from afar by American customers as it tore up the roads of Europe. And while it's safe to say that Ford's Yankee fans are quite happy to now be on equal footing with drivers in the old country thanks to the Focus ST, we doubt there'd be much protestation over a successor to the RS arriving stateside.
Of course, we've seen images of the new RS undergoing testing, but a new story by Road and Track aims to fill in some very large blanks in our knowledge of that car, thanks to a pair of mysterious insiders at the Ford. Chief among those is this - the RS will almost certainly make its way to the US, albeit in limited quantities. It gets better, though.
Under hood, the new RS is unsurprisingly expected to borrow the 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder from the 2015 Ford Mustang and 2015 Lincoln MKC. While that twin-scroll turbo produces 310 horsepower in the Mustang and 285 ponies in the MKC, R&T expects the RS to deliver quite a bit more firepower - 325 to 350 hp, with preference going to the higher output due to the limited-edition nature of the RS. This roughly fits with previous reports.


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The much-heralded convergence of the PC and TV markets moved a step closer after IBM announced that it will produce a range of chips to power the next generation of set-top TV boxes.
Rupert Deighton, communications manager at IBM Europe, said: "We are putting our money where our mouth is. We feel our products can be mixed and matched to the requirements of this new digital area. It will be a fearlessly contested arena. It is a box-eat-box world."
IBM claimed the technology will greatly increase the performance of current BSkyB and ONdigital features, such as Web browsing, email and home banking, while introducing new areas, including video on demand and online shopping.
Gordon Grove, marketing manager for digital TV at IBM Europe, said: "IBM's technology will offer improved features, not simply more channels."
IBM is producing three models of the technology: the STB032XX and the STB034XX, based on the PowerPC 405 and running at 108MHz and 162MHz respectively; and the STB021XX, based on the PowerPC 401 at 54MHz.
'System-on-a-chip' technology will also compress IBM's PowerPC processor, an Mpeg-2 audio/video decoder and its memory interface subsystem onto a single chip which IBM hopes will improve performance and cut prices.
PowerPC 405-based units will be available from May. The PowerPC 401-based model is planned for the second half of this year.
The vendor has also announced a generation of computer memory that doubles the bandwidth of current modules. The 184-pin Double Data Rate Ram promises faster communication between processor and memory.
Geoengineering on the sea floor near glaciers would form a new ice shelf to prevent melting
Alterations in capillary blood flow can be caused by body position change
Curiosity rover is in 'normal mode' but not transmitting scientific data back to base
NatWest outage comes a day after Barclays' IT systems shut out customers and staff


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Google has a reputation for having a lot of users on its network, but the search giant is now seeing an increase in traffic from its AdWords account as a result of a popular new feature that lets people search for products.
According to Google’s blog, the AdWords AdSense account has seen “an increase in queries, searches, and conversions as of today,” which the company said is “due in large part to the new feature.”
That feature, which is not yet available on other platforms, lets advertisers place targeted ads for keywords and related content in Google’s ad networks, like Google AdSense.
The new AdSense AdSense page will show the top results for a given search query, and the new AdWords pages will also show up with relevant ads for products and other products.
As a result, AdWords is seeing more traffic than it did before.
“As we continue to grow the AdSense network, we’re seeing a lot more traffic,” Google said.
“We believe this increase is a good sign, but we’re continuing to monitor and adjust.”
The search giant’s traffic also seems to have increased because of an uptick in people searching for product reviews on the Adsense AdSense pages.
For those looking for a product review, Google is giving them the option to sign up for a paid subscription that will give them the ability to track the quality of the product reviews.
That will let people see which products are getting the most reviews, and which are getting negative reviews.
“To improve your experience, we’ve added an ad-based service that lets you see what the top products and brands are about,” Google added.
AdSense revenue is growing, too, according to Google.
According the company, its ad revenue grew 3% in the first half of 2017 compared to the same period last year.
Google said the Adword AdSense accounts grew an average of 8.5% in Q1 of 2018, and it expects that number to grow again in Q2.
Google also said that it saw a 10% increase in total traffic from the Adwords AdSense Accounts to the Google Ads accounts, an increase that “is due in large measure to the fact that the new functionality is available to advertisers.”
The Google Ads AdSense Account grew in Q4 of 2018 by an average 8.2%.


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Roof-mounted semiconductors that turn solar energy into electricity have the most potential among renewable energies to supply power to the underserved in cities in emerging economies, says the latest World Resources Institute report.
According to the report, Powering Cities in the Global South, solar photovoltaic systems (solar panels) are more effective at increasing access to power for poor urban households than biomass heating and cooling, micro-grids or wind turbines.
Rooftop solar is already the most common form of distributed renewable energy in the developing world, though the power produced by voltaic systems come closest to matching the demand for electricity observed in cities.
“When people are underserved in terms of electricity from the grid, they tend to turn to diesel generators,” said Ajay Mathur, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute. “There are a large number of interventions that have been tried out in different parts of the world. The willingness and ability of people, particularly the underserved, to pay for these interventions is at the heart of what will work.”
The report says “willingness-to-pay” issues must first be resolved in order to address the up-front costs of solar panels to consumers. Blended finance, social impact and green bonds are all cited as ways to scale the technology, though one of the authors of the report told Cities Today it is consumer finance models emerging in Africa that are laying the path to greater access.
Michael Westphal, Senior Associate for Sustainable Finance at the institute and contributing author to the report, said that the proliferation of consumer finance models such as PayGo show more households are becoming capable of paying for these renewables. He added that in some rural areas of the continent, the number of households using these services have doubled in the space of just one year.
“You have an exponential decrease in the cost of solar panels, and then this proliferation of these finance models, so we think solar panels will become increasingly affordable,” he said.
On the cost of solar panels, the report states: “As the cost for grid electricity rises for customers and the cost for solar PV [photovoltaic] falls, solar PV will become an increasingly appealing option for residential and commercial consumers, as solar PV need not be connected to the grid.”
In India and China, the average cost of electricity for residential rooftop solar is currently in line with the cost of natural gas-powered generation. The report also finds that utility-scale solar electricity has reached grid parity and is “competitive with retail electricity in a number of markets globally”. In as many as 12 Indian states, policies have enabled the retail costs for rooftop solar to reach the same parity for industrial and commercial electricity customers.
Anton Cartwright, researcher for the Mistra Urban Futures Green Economy Project at the African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town, told Cities Today he believes that lack of financing for public sector energy remains a critical barrier to successfully scaled solar panel technology in cities.
He said Africa is currently urbanising at levels of household income below peer developing regions such as Latin America. This means energy supply technologies such as solar plants won’t be easily financed without innovative solutions.
“There are financial solutions that can be tailored if the particular needs of energy users is understood, if the affordability of those end users is understood, and if the products and service delivery package is design backwards from that need,” he said. “If one is going to innovate both the technology and financial package, then those things need to happen simultaneously.”


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Apple's iPhone, iPad to be granted Pentagon security clearance next weekThe U.S. Department of Defense said on Friday that it plans to allow Apple's iOS devices onto the Pentagon's secure network early next week, opening the door for lucrative military contracts currently dominated by BlackBerry.
Alana Johnson, a spokesperson for the Pentagons Defense Information Systems Agency, told Bloomberg that, if approved next week, government-issued devices running Apple's iOS 6 would be granted access to highly secure military networks.
The news comes one week after Apple's smartphone rival Samsung had its Knox-compatible devices cleared for use on DoD systems. That report also noted devices running the latest BlackBerry 10 operating system received certification.
Apple has recently made significant headway in the government sector, and recently saw the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Computer Security Division grant FIPS 140-2 certification to iOS CoreCrypto Kernel Module v3.0, a module found in iOS 6.
While a step in the right direction for Apple, the Pentagon must first build out a mobile device management system in order for iPhone and iPads to proliferate in the secure environment, Johnson said. There is currently no timeline for such a project.
On Topic: Samsung
- Judge rules Apple entitled to potential ongoing royalties from patent-infringing Samsung products
- Android tablets at Best Buy, Target, Amazon, Walmart found to include major security flaws, malware
- Samsung considering shakeup of mobile division in response to sagging profits, sales
- Rumor: Apple taps rival Samsung to build majority of A-series chips starting next year
- Apple Inc. A8X iPad chip causing big problems for Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung and Nvidia


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According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gu, Apple plans to release several new Macs over the next few months, including new MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and Mac Pro models.
Gurman stated in his latest “Power On” newsletter that Apple is continuing work on the first Apple silicon Mac Pro, with the company reportedly ramping up internal testing of the device. The high-end Mac desktop will reportedly include chip options that are at least twice or four times as powerful as the M2 Max, dubbed “M2 Ultra” and “M2 Extreme.” Gurman anticipates that the Mac Pro will be available with 24 and 48 CPU cores, 76 and 152 graphics cores, and up to 256GB of memory.
Gurman went on to detail one specific Mac Pro configuration that appears to be in active testing at Apple: a model with 24 CPU cores, 76 graphics cores, and 192GB of memory. According to reports, the machine is running macOS Ventura 13.3.
Gurman confirmed that new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will be available in M2 Pro and M2 Max configurations, as expected. The M2 Max is expected to have 12 CPU cores and 38 GPU cores, as well as up to 64GB of memory. The M2 Max is expected to remain available in both display size models.
The next-generation Mac mini is said to use the same M2 chip as the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. Apple has tested an M2 Pro chip with increased core counts inside the new Mac mini, but Gurman did not say whether the company will proceed with that model.
While he does not expect the new Mac Pro to be available until 2023, Gurman does expect the next-generation MacBook Pro and Mac mini models to be available “within the coming months.”


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Latest Tel Aviv Stories
The company’s retention platform automated the delivery of over 670 million messages last year Tel Aviv, Israel (PRWEB) April 14, 2015 Optimove (
Report includes 1st class yields and returns, new offices opened in Tel-Aviv, fantastic boost in real estate activity in Germany, and entry into prestigious international professional legal listings
Craft beer might be all the rage in the United States these days, but small batch, artisanal beer has long roots that can be traced back thousands of years--to Egypt and the Middle East.
NEW YORK, March 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Advertising technology company, Inneractive today announced new hires Welby
Giniger to Participate in a Panel with Other Leading Israeli Advertising Technology Executives Tel Aviv, ISRAEL (PRWEB) March 23, 2015 World-leading
Event to Take Place in Partnership With Google and Leumi Tech; Bar Zeev Will Join Startup Grind’s Shahar Matorin and Ram Yonish in a discussion about Israeli Entrepreneurship Tel
Creates a "No-Code Zone" to protect networks from zero-day attacks and APTs TEL AVIV, Israel, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Solebit LABS [http://www.solebitlabs.com
The Smart Transportation accelerator inTel Aviv announced its call for applicant startups for its summer round which runs June 1 – September 1.
Hundreds of Children from Multiple ITC Programs Came Together at Various ITC Locations New York, New York (PRWEB) March 11, 2015 February may be shortest
Trip will support Fattah's push for increased global cooperation around neuroscience WASHINGTON, March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S.
- The act of burning, scorching, or heating to dryness; the state or being thus heated or dried.
- In medicine, cauterization.


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Hyundai Translead has introduced a new, lightweight polymer fiber core composite panel for trailers. The company said in a news release that this new composite fiber panel, along with improved panel designs, will result in lower total cost of ownership for fleet operators.
“Our new and enhanced design changes allow for significant weight savings while maintaining the same durability and strength,” said Y.J. Park, vice president, product engineering at Hyundai Translead, in the release. “We are very excited about both the additional weight savings and new composite panel technology.”
The company said recently launched design improvements in its dry and reefer trailer models offer weight savings to fleets, allowing them to load more freight with each truckload.
The new lightweight composite dry van trailer features a new rear header, standard side panel specification, and side rail redesigns, offering a significant weight reduction of 330 pounds per trailer, according to the news release.
An optimized high-strength steel upper coupler is fully hot-dipped galvanized for added corrosion protection. Harness routing in the rear door header, along with convenient replacement of the side composite panels, allow for ease of maintenance. Roll forming has been adopted to improve and reduce components used in the rear header and impact guard.
Hyundai Translead said it has made multiple enhancements to its refrigerated trailers since 2019, resulting in significant weight savings of 680 pounds per trailer. The 2021 models feature reduced weight, improved durability, and greater thermal efficiency. Enhanced designs have increased durability and strength for flat and duct floors with floor ratings of 20,000 pounds. Reinforced polypropylene used in the new floor design provides significant weight savings, increases flexural strength by 30%, and prevents deterioration, according to the company.
Moreover, the company said, the lightweight refrigerated trailer offers improved thermal efficiency. Design changes on the front structure, upper coupler, and front interior connection combine to reduce moisture intrusion.
The new advanced fiber core composite panel was developed over the past three years in collaboration with LG Hausys, a manufacturer specializing in high-performance materials, including appliance and automotive components.
The new fiber core composite panel consists of a galvanized steel skin and fiber core, creating a product that is durable, lighter in weight, and has reduced thermal transmittance. A stronger polymer fiber core allows for a thinner outer composite layer, allowing significant weight reduction. Available on dry van trailers, the panel offers customers a weight savings of 155 pounds per trailer in addition to the 330-pound weight savings offered by the standard conventional composite panel.
Fibers in the core layer of the panel are mechanically bonded for improved strength and endurance. Additionally, the adhesive is anchored to the open cell for a longer lasting bond. The enhanced peel strength keeps water intrusion at bay, preventing costly damage such as delamination and cracks. Tested in extreme temperatures, the fiber core composite panel can withstand harsh conditions and weather, according to the news release.
The panel is designed with enhanced insulation, preventing moisture build-up and providing a safe environment for all types of cargo. Engineered to reduce heat transfer, the innovative panel’s fiber core reduces thermal transmittance up to 25%, says the company.
Thermal transmittance can cause condensation to accumulate inside the trailer due to the temperature difference of the exterior and interior atmosphere. Designed with enhanced insulation, the fiber core composite panel prevents moisture buildup and provides a safe environment for all types of freight.


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(p. B1) Venezuela’s prices on everything from butter to flat-screen TVs are set without warning by the government, which also caps corporate profits at 30%. Any profits evaporate quickly, however, because inflation is almost double that.
And expanded price controls imposed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who succeeded late leftist firebrand Hugo Chávez in April 2013, have exacerbated shortages of basic items such as corn flour, car batteries and toilet paper, triggering violent street protests since early February.
For the full story, see:
MAXWELL MURPHY and KEJAL VYAS. “CFO JOURNAL; Currency Chaos in Venezuela Portends Write-Downs.” The Wall Street Journal (Tues., May 27, 2014): B1 & B6.
(Note: the online version of the story has the date May 26, 2014.)


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With the three top players in the Rs 6 million-plus Indian two-wheeler industry – Hero Honda, Bajaj and TVS Motors – constantly vying for a larger share of the market, it is never a dull moment.
The latest pursuit is by the No 3 player TVS Motors, which holds an 18 per cent share of the two-wheeler market. TVS has announced the launch of three new generation two wheelers – Victor EDGE, StaR City and Scooty Pep+ – which are targeted at different segments, with an emphasis on superior styling and engine capabilities.
Speaking at the launch of the new range, Prasad Narasimhan, Vice-President, Marketing, TVS Motor, said, “TVS has always been trusted with quality and style. We believe that styling will continue to unearth new potential for sales from the new segments. All three two-wheelers are value-adds to our existing range. These stylish and sleek vehicles offer value for money, better mileage and greater performance.”
Aesthetics and the enhancements for these vehicles have been designed keeping in mind the changing needs of two-wheeler customers. These refined engines offer a combination of, what the company states, an unmatched fuel efficiency as well as adequate power in their respective segments.
These launches have been timed appropriately for the festive season, which begins from mid-September onwards, and the better styled variants will be out in the market by around September-end. They are expected to increase TVS’ market share.
“These vehicles will provide further impetus to the growth of motorcycle and scooter sales of TVS Motors in the coming months. We aim to achieve around 25 per cent growth by this fiscal end,” Narasimhan said.
He further said that with aspirations growing much faster than resources, TVS was looking to offer the best at the best possible price. Likewise, the company is only strengthening the core of its three biggest brands. A complete 360 degree marketing communication is being developed, and for Scooty Pep+, road shows, etc, are also being planned in smaller towns.


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Again in 2018, not very long immediately after Marvin Ellison took the reins as CEO of Lowe’s, he outlined a a few-year strategic prepare with the very first 12 to 18 months devoted to strengthening retail fundamentals – merchandising, supply chain, functions and shopper engagement.
The future 18 to 36 months would be used to develop up the fundamentals for sustainable development. “As the outdated indicating goes, you can’t put the icing prior to the cake,” he explained at the time.
On completing this 36-month overhaul, the firm would be all set to “ice the cake:” having marketplace share from its most important competitor and several more compact regional ones.
Ellison’s eyesight lit a fire amongst his associates and unleashed their concealed opportunity. As a consequence, now only 18 months into the company’s transformation, it’s time to make very good on his determination back in 2018 to get market share.
Tightening the screws
At its modern Investor Update, he introduced the company’s “Total Home” approach, recognizing Lowe’s has an even bigger write-up-pandemic chance to turn out to be a “total household solution” for its main Do-it-yourself shoppers and its growing ranks of professional prospects.
He promised each individual Lowe’s keep and its freshly released, cloud-dependent lowes.com and Lowe’s for Execs system, would supply “everything wanted to restore and boost the property, throughout all decor types.” All would be backed up by a potent company component, together with quick home delivery and set up products and services.
For the “Total Home” approach to do the job at taking industry share, Lowe’s ought to develop into the 1st, not the next put people today search for their dwelling wants.
For that, it acquired a large support from just lately-appointed govt vice president of advertising and branding Marisa Thalberg. Her craze-location operate all through 2020 was identified by Advert Age, naming it No. 3 in its “Marketers of the Year” listing and the only retail brand to be honored.
Between the campaigns that got Lowe’s observed was an early one recognizing its frontline employees going over and outside of to give “essentials” through the pandemic, a Halloween program supplying curbside trick-or-deal with for family members worried about going doorway-to-doorway and an out-of-the-box New York Vogue 7 days collaboration to set Lowe’s on the map as a modern dwelling decor location.
Relocating forward, Lowe’s is considering way past the “house” and the bodily factors that go into developing, maintaining and decorating it to “home” as a position for living, rising, sharing and loving.
The pandemic changed the dynamic of how persons connected to their houses and so opened new avenues for Lowe’s to have interaction with buyers. “It was definitely a ‘do-it-for-yourself’ year, as people made use of household advancement to reclaim inner thoughts of normalcy and build a perception of quiet,” shares Invoice Boltz, Lowe’s executive vice president of merchandising.
“We’re dedicated to encouraging our people foster lasting associations with their houses not only functionally, but also emotionally,” he proceeds.
Residence tailwinds for 2021
To fully grasp how its individuals are living, and by extension what they will need for their properties, Lowe’s just embarked on a examine amid 2,000 grownup consumers about the choices they imagine for their homes this yr.
Coming off of the unbelievable advancement Lowe’s observed in all-items household final yr, with sales envisioned to improve in excess of 20% by fiscal-12 months stop, it sees that as a “launchpad for a totally new and long-lasting marriage between people and their dwelling areas.”
Amid the survey results done in December 2020:
- 64% agreed, “Home usually means extra to me than it did a year in the past.”
- 60% said, “I have even bigger ideas for my household than I did a calendar year ago.”
- 55% affirmed, “I’m far more energized about the matters I can do to make my dwelling specific than I was a 12 months in the past.”
Next the pandemic yr that designed great possibilities in the property house, Boltz describes the trends that started out in 2020 will go on, even decide up speed in 2021 as people achieve new self confidence in the Do-it-yourself dwelling initiatives they can tackle.
With just below 40% of shoppers saying they used a new style of tool for the first time in 2020, as very well as the exact reporting they began a new pastime involving applications, wooden, metallic or dwelling enhancement, 59% mentioned they will continue to keep spending some (37%), most (14%) or all (8%) of the money that utilized to go toward other items pre-pandemic on home advancement.
On their agendas in 2021 will be reworking or repurposing present dwelling areas, like turning bedrooms into offices and kitchen area tables into classrooms. And even extra shoppers appear ahead to making over their loos and kitchens in 2021 than in 2020, which was 24% and 21% respectively.
These types of key home advancements make feeling now offered the toughness of the housing market place. “The getting older housing stock and restrictions in new housing bodes well for the fix and remodel business that we provide,” Boltz says, introducing quite a few property owners will undertake the much less-demanding sections of this kind of tasks and contact in the pros for the relaxation.
This yr persons will continue on to manage their spaces to simplify home cleansing and make it less complicated for them to do all the points they want to do at property. Last 12 months 71% leaned into group, but they are not completed nevertheless. About 50 % (51%) program to reorganize their garages and storage places and 64% system to reorganize their closets in 2021.
“Before people may perhaps not have observed these matters as substantially, but now that they are household far more, they are configuring their property to take care of education, workplace and physical exercise pursuits. As a end result, reorganization moves proper to the best of the record,” he provides.
Outside residing is another priority for home owners in 2021 that carries over from 2020.
“Consumers are on the lookout to the outdoor home and areas to take pleasure in a lot more often and for far more months of the year,” he says, giving increase to demand for fire pits and heating products. Some 45% prepare to develop or increase their outside residing spaces this calendar year with 65% expressing they will plant some thing new in the backyard garden or in pots on the patio.
In all these household options, Boltz is eager on attracting a lot more females to Lowe’s this yr. “The feminine shopper is a extremely important demographic for us. Women of all ages affect around 70% of the purchases that materialize in residence improvement. We want to make confident we choose fantastic treatment of her, in addition to our Professional and our Do it yourself shoppers,” he provides.
While we await Lowe’s 2020 fiscal wrap up at the stop of the thirty day period, secondary data suggests it is designed progress attaining industry share, which Ellison stories stands at 10% out of the estimated ~$900 billion hugely-fragmented residence improvement industry.
On the foot traffic front, Placer.ai stories that calendar year-above-12 months Lowe’s attained a lot more ground than Home Depot, growing 21% in general all in 2020 as as opposed with Household Depot’s 12% advancement. However, Property Depot still maintains a 20% site visitors lead over Lowe’s, although the gap narrowed from 29% in 2019.
Placer.ai also reported that Lowe’s customer engagements enhanced more than Dwelling Depot’s, with their take a look at engagements up just about 20% year-about-calendar year compared to only 10% for Household Depot. Household Depot did not respond to a request for comment.
On the net Lowe’s has a lot more work to do. When full lowes.com site visitors was up 49% to 1.5 billion visits in 2020, homedepot.com surged ahead with visits up 55%. As a outcome, Property Depot widened its direct to 2.6 billion visits, according to SimilarWeb.
However, lowes.com observed its readers staying on the site lengthier, clicking about to much more pages all through their visit and fewer possible to bounce off the site as effectively. “Lowes.com managed to boost engagements throughout the board,” SimilarWeb’s guide retail guide Jamie Drayton shares. “This aligns with the surge in conversions found as the retailer gains in web site effectiveness.”
While the enterprise does not report on the web profits, it shared that on line grew by triple-digits, as the corporation posted 30.1% similar income progress during the third quarter 2020.
On line e-commerce will be an ongoing priority for Ellison and his crew as it carries on to enhance capabilities, like making use of AI to reply consumer inquiries, incorporating online measurement instruments to help virtual in-dwelling measurements and introducing video clip chat technologies to allow its Pros to conduct virtual property visits.
“As we look to lean into Lowe’s ‘Total Home’ method, ongoing enlargement of an on-line platform will be critical in our aim to speed up current market share,” Ellison explained in the most latest Investor Update. The goal is to “bring top edge engineering within our reach, so we can keep on to innovate and modernize our strategy to serve the ‘total home’ for our buyers.”


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With a little more than 2 months to go till the Los Angeles Auto Show, automakers are already starting to tease fans regarding what to anticipate. Although this year’s program doesn’t open its doors to journalism until November 14 and despite the fact that this year’s Paris Auto Show is still three weeks away from its opening night, a host of marques are currently looking ahead. Over 50 brand-new vehicles have been verified for this year’s program consisting of 20 international debuts, including models from Alfa Romeo, Mazda, MINI, Subaru and Volkswagen.
On the other hand, Jeep has already verified that it will be taking the wraps off a brand-new compact SUV.
The 2016 LA Auto Show will be opened to the press on November 14 and to the general public from November 18-27.