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Snapchat is still a relatively small, 'niche' social network, at least compared to Facebook or Twitter, but its more than 100 million seemingly addicted users represent piles of potential customers, and today's savvy digital marketers want in on the action.
Facebook backpedaled on its ad-buying business for publishers after the company discovered an overwhelming volume of poor and fraudulent ads. However, banner ads and other 'valueless' ads won't simply disappear from the Web, regardless of Facebook's stance.
As social media becomes an integral part of everyday lives, the pressure is on marketers to adapt to the latest trends and find more powerful and authentic ways to connect with customers. We speak to social media, marketing and brand experts as they reveal what they believe marketers should look out for when leveraging social engagement and influence.
It takes more than just leadership skills to run a successful marketing team, and Defence Force Recruiting’s general manager for marketing, Pat Duffy reveals just what it takes to meet the industry’s ever-evolving demands.
Facebook yesterday announced a new full-screen, mobile ad format called Canvas that's designed to help advertisers engage customers with detailed brand experiences.
Facebook rolls out wow, sad, haha, angry and love as reaction options.
Facebook is reportedly readying a new user-initiated advertising medium within its popular Messenger app that could reshape the ad industry.
Twitter is looking to better assist brands with customers using its social media platform for customer service, offering two new tools to manage interactions.
The most pressing challenge for businesses using social media is content creation, a recent report by Hootsuite found.
L'Oréal’s in-store click to buy functionality in its augmented reality app, Makeup Genius, is now live, offering customers to purchase cosmetics directly via Priceline online.
B2C marketers across the Asia-Pacific are increasingly active in social marketing, adopting an average of five social platforms to drive their branding efforts.
Twitter this week will start using an algorithm that reorders how users see the tweets in their timeline. Here are six things to know about Twitter's new feature.
Digital marketing agency Havas Helia has created 0101, a beer that was crafted based on data.
Digital has given small businesses in Australia an unparalleled opportunity to tell their story by building and interacting with both their local and global community. And that’s allowing innovation to flourish, according to digital strategist, startup advisor and industry commentator, Chris Adams.
The next time you watch a concert or other live event online, it could give you a 360-degree view.
Marketers are increasingly turning to startups to leverage up-and-coming technology, drive innovation and gain competitive advantage at a reasonable price point, a new report has found.
It can be hard to rise above competitive noise, especially when your market includes some less-than-reputable competitors. For energy efficiency specialist, Energy Makeovers, success has meant avoiding the reputational damage that arises when poor service from some players has impacted all.
Like any sector in Australia, the motor industry is seeking to find more innovative and creative ways to engage customers through digital and social channels.
Facebook's efforts to figure out how users want to connect when they're on the move is paying off. The social network's latest earnings report show that mobile is carrying the company, pushing it to record fourth-quarter results.
No more long ATM queues or credit card hassles, now you can pay your way through a day at the races with your mobile phone, with the rollout of Clipp’s cashless technology by the Australian Turf Club.
Improving fan experiences through real-time, data-driven storytelling and unified digital platforms is the name of the game for Tennis Australia during this year’s Australian Open.


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The world of NFTs is strange, confusing, and exhilarating. Naysayers see a space filled with capital-obsessed hucksters who want to drown out all lasting value in popular culture, while boosters see a new technological revolution that can transform the way media value is created and captured. online.
Last year, institutional investors seemed obsessed with NFT opportunities, a space few of them seriously examined ahead of 2021, pouring billions of dollars in equity investments into startups including Dapper Labs, OpenSea and Sky Mavis.
Investors’ latest NFT bet is on a startup called the Pixel Vault, a massive collection of NFT superheroes aiming to become a Marvel-style decentralized empire. The NFT startup tells TechCrunch that it has closed a whopping $100 million in funding from Adam Bain and Dick Costolo’s 01 Advisors and Velvet Sea Ventures.
Pixel Vault has been at the forefront of experimentation on how NFT projects become something bigger than thousands of JPGs.
“Pixel Vault projects are built with the key principles of Web3 at the core: community empowerment, decentralized governance, and true digital ownership,” said Pixel Vault CEO Sean Gearin (better known in crypto circles as GFunk). it’s a statement. “We don’t see the fan as the customer. Our fans are the owner and the builder.”
The company’s first release in May, before it was really a company, featured a drop of thousands of comics, real and digital, featuring characters from the world of CryptoPunks. Users had the option to trade the comic NFT for a short period for a spot in the DAO of the founder of Pixel Vault, a crypto collective that gave them ownership of a substantial collection of NFT artwork that included a number of NFT CryptoPunks. worth millions at current prices who were the main characters of the Pixel Vault comic.
The supplier of most of those punks was a crypto investor by the pseudonym @beaniemaxi, who funded the project initially, supplied a multi-million dollar collection of punks, and spoke loudly about the potential of the project. He’s been criticized in recent weeks for pushing projects to his supporters without being as transparent about the extent of his personal involvement: The minor crypto scandal led him to ditch the Pixel Vault project to avoid further pushback for the startup.
Since the initial release of Punks Comic, the Pixel Vault team has leaned into the comic book aesthetic, drawing on some of the veteran artists behind the comic to create a large collection of superhero NFTs that the team hopes to turn into a universe. broader media. The team seeks to balance maintaining intellectual property rights with encouraging the community to use and promote “MetaHero” art, maintaining the intellectual property rights of 146 of the “Core” character NFTs and allowing for wide reuse of thousands. of generative characters.
“[They] are mandated to build a decentralized Disney, which in my opinion means co-creation and co-ownership with avid fans to force you to do the job, which does not participate in economics but in appreciation. of its characters that are in this world,” Michael Lazerow of Velvet Sea Ventures tells TechCrunch.
Pixel Vault already has an agency deal with WME to develop partnerships in Hollywood and beyond.
The minimum price for one of the thousands of MetaHero Generative Identities sits at just over $18,000 in ETH at current prices, while the cheapest of the 146 main characters is just under $300,000.
Building a decentralized Marvel is certainly about more than just money; All of that said, the Pixel Vault has a lot of money in its community. The project has seen nearly 100,000 ETH in lifetime transaction volume, more than a quarter of a billion dollars at current prices.

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STV sells Pearl and Dean
Cinema advertising specialist sold for $1.60LONDON -- Scottish-based commercial television web STV has sold cinema advertising specialist Pearl & Dean for £1 ($1.60) on a cash free, debt free basis to newly-created company Image Ltd.
Aiming to concentrate on its core broadcasting role, STV sold the theater ad company to Empire Cinemas director Thomas Anderson, who has created Image Ltd for the acquisition, the parties said Wednesday.
Pearl & Dean will continue to operate from its existing business address and all staff, including the senior management team, will move with the business.
"We are delighted that the acquisition of our business by Image gives us a firm foundation to build on as we continue to strengthen our offering to all of our exhibition partners," said Kathryn Jacob, CEO of Pearl & Dean.


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The road ahead for India of developing a toll-operate-transfer model has an optimal FASTag implementation at its core, coupled with a robust data-forward centralised system. FASTag – the government of India’s electronic toll collection mechanism – is made official since 15 January 2020. While the government cited a lack of availability of FASTag tags as a reason behind yet another delay in granting it an officially mandating subscription obligation for car owners, the pertinent issue that stares in the eyes of the policymakers is concerning the UPI (Unified Payment Interface) subscriber data safety.
It has been reported that in certain instances, the notorious digital fraudsters have succeeded in applying novel ways to meddle with people’s UPI PIN data, access to which the fraudsters gain via manipulative means – acting on the pretext of simplifying for the potential registrants the online (afresh) FASTag registration.
On a couple of occasions, reports have surfaced revealing the modus operandi used by fraudsters wherein they pretend to be calling from either of the registered partner banks; sharing via SMS a fake link to a (deceitfully titled) online form seeking such sensitive subscriber details as FULL NAME, registered mobile number, UPI PIN data, etc. on the pretext of FASTag wallet activation.
It is vital for the FASTag subscribers at this stage to realise the fact that such baseless registration means proposed and pitched by fraudsters are not the official platforms introduced by the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) to register for FASTag access. Be mindful that FASTags can only either be self-activated via the MyFastag app or can be activated by visiting the designated (partnering) bank branches nearby.
Therefore, readers should clearly understand that no FASTag subscription or activation formalities are officially carried out on phone calls. Likewise, there is simply no need for sharing any PIN or password in such fraudulent online forms. Clicking on any fictitious SMS links received from doubtful sources should strictly be avoided. Kindly also be advised that there also exists an alternative of registering for NHAI Prepaid wallet which is rechargeable and can be paired with FASTag to initiate safe payments.
As per an Economic Times report, around 6.4 crore FASTag transactions, valuing Rs. 1,256 crore, got processed in December 2019, compared to 3.4 crore transactions valuing Rs. 774 crore in November – as per the FASTag transactions’ data released on January 1, 2020 by the National Payments Corporation of India. Considering the magnitude of transactional volume and the monetary value, it’s vital to sensitise people regarding a safer FASTag navigation pathway especially in its initial years of the rollout; for ensuring safety in the subsequent payment phases, a robust security protocol of NPCI already exists in the form of the Fraud Risk Management mechanism.


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Great Lakes Entrepreneurship Bash
Nov 05, 2010
On November 16, the American Heartland will be doing its part to help celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week at the first-ever Great Lakes Entrepreneur Bash. Twenty-three organizations are lending their support to the event in celebration of entrepreneurial pursuits and the launch of Robert Jordan’s new book, How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America.
How They Did It features 45 of the most successful founders from the heartland, and offers advice, inspiration and insights into how these founders launched, grew and sold their companies for a collective $41 billion.
If you will be in the Chicago area, Great Lakes Entrepreneur Bash is a great opportunity to hear from seven of these founders as they share their experiences building their companies from the ground up – the obstacles they overcame, the lessons they learned along the way, and their advice on selling or taking a company public. The hour-long panel will be moderated by the author and includes:
- Vince Pettinelli: PeopleServe
- Jim Dolan: The Dolan Company
- Tim Krauskopf: Spyglass
- Mark Tebbe: Lante
- Michael Polsky: SkyGen
- Chris Moffitt: Rubicon Technology
- Bill DeVille: Health Personnel Options
Many of the other featured founders will be in attendance at the reception following the panel along with hundreds of entrepreneurs from around the region. More information about the event is available at www.entrepreneurbash.com. Use discount code GEW2010 to receive $10 off of your event registration.


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Nokia Imaging Software Development Kit (SDK) now available at developer.nokia.com
Espoo, Finland and New York, NY – After unveiling the Nokia Lumia 1020 today, Nokia also debuted a range of exciting applications that push the boundaries of smartphone imaging.
Hipstamatic, Path, Vyclone, SNAPCAM, Panagraph, Yelp, CNN and Foursquare are just a few of the developers building unique applications for the Nokia Lumia 1020 with the new Nokia Imaging SDK. It was also announced that popular personal magazine Flipboard and popular video service Vine will also be coming to Windows Phone.
“Now more than ever, people are using their smartphones to shoot, edit and share pictures,” said Marco Argenti, Senior Vice President, Nokia Developer. “With the Nokia Lumia 1020, we are delivering an industry-leading imaging experience that takes people closer to the details that really matter. We’ve collaborated closely with Microsoft and top developers around the world to deliver unique app experiences, pushing the boundaries of innovation with our ecosystem.”
The Nokia Imaging SDK was built with the same technology Nokia uses for its own imaging applications, including Smart Camera and Creative Studio. The SDK gives developers flexibility to create advanced imaging experiences in their applications for Nokia Lumia smartphones. Whether applying or creating filters or adding effects and adjustments to images, developers can offer people the ability to instantly personalize photos or relive the moment in a variety of ways.
The SDK is available now at developer.nokia.com, and comes packed with over 50 effects, filters and enhancements. With this SDK, developers can get even more out of their images. Nokia’s Random Access JPEG technology allows them to more efficiently manipulate image data to create stunning results. Developers can focus on creating incredibly fast and smooth user experiences because the SDK takes care of much of the image manipulation and effects.
Nokia also launched the Nokia Future/Capture competition at developer.nokia.com/futurecapture to encourage developers to build creative apps and hacks that further push the boundaries of smartphone imaging on the Nokia Lumia 1020.
Nokia is helping developers create unique applications positioned to change the consumer experience on Nokia Lumia smartphones.
Later this year, Flipboard will be releasing a new edition of its popular personal magazine designed and developed specifically for Nokia Lumia smartphones. With Flipboard for Windows Phone, readers will have a single place to enjoy the news and updates they care about, as well as discover, create and share magazines on virtually any topic imaginable.
Eric Feng, Chief Technology Officer, Flipboard: “Nokia’s commitment to beautiful imagery makes it an ideal partner to bring the Flipboard experience to Windows Phones worldwide.“
Hipstamatic Oggl PRO
Hipstamatic Oggl PRO was designed specifically for the Nokia Lumia 1020 with a new user interface that sets it apart from the original Oggl app. Also exclusive to Hipstamatic Oggl PRO is the ability to set manual focus and exposure, reframe shots, and use auto-leveling and dual capture features that will inspire a creative approach to storytelling. Hipstamatic Oggl PRO is also equipped with the original Oggl capture and curation features, so users can easily snap and edit photos, share photos on social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Tumblr, and interact with some of the best photographers from around the world.
Lucas Buick, CEO, Hipstamatic: “Nokia is the first hardware manufacturer to build a smartphone that is a camera-first experience, and it’s been exciting working with such a talented hardware team. Hipstamatic Oggl PRO on Lumia 1020 produces incredible photos, and gives unparalleled smartphone camera control to the photographer.“
Path, is the personal network designed to bring you closer to your friends and family and it’s now coming to Windows Phone. Path with Nokia will bring more than 50 free and premium filter effects; along with high resolution & deep zoom imaging capabilities that allow users to capture and share those personal moments and every day works of art. Path users can also share their location, what music they are listening to or movie they are watching as well as express thoughts and moments, chat with private messages, and share emotions with no words through fun-loving stickers from the Path store.
Dave Morin, CEO and Co-Founder, Path: “Nokia has a long history in mobile technology at global scale – it’s exciting to be a part of this chapter with them. Windows Phone is one of Path’s most requested platforms and the Nokia Lumia has an amazingly sharp camera, bringing Path photo moments to life. We’re excited to bring Path to Windows Phone users around the world.“
Vyclone is a social video platform where Nokia Lumia 1020 users can easily create, sync, edit and combine multiple views of a shared moment. Vyclone instantly combines footage shot by multiple users into one elegant and collaborative multi-angle video.
David King Lassman, Co-Founder & CEO, Vyclone: “We are thrilled and honored to be one of the first Nokia partners to take advantage of the Nokia Lumia 1020’s revolutionary video zoom paired with unparalleled image quality – two features that will undoubtedly take Vyclone video creation to new levels of engagement and production value.“
Exclusive at launch to Windows Phone, SNAPCAM is the photo app that helps build photo stories of the events that matter in life, share photo albums with friends and then in just a few taps create stunning, full colour, photo products of your memories and have them delivered to your door to enjoy forever.
Steve Hayward, CEO, SNAPCAM: “Hundreds of millions of photos are being taken on smartphones every day and with the Nokia Lumia 1020, we can now capture our special moments in amazing detail. However, we all have too many great pictures that are simply being forgotten; sitting on phones, hard drives and in the cloud. SNAPCAM makes treasuring your memories, quick, easy, and accessible.“
Panagraph, a Nokia exclusive, is an advanced photo app that utilizes multi-touch gestures to create photo mosaic images where a single image takes on the look of individual tiled shots. Shared socially, or printed large scale, the app creates stunning images that are more engaging expressions of the captured moment.
Tim Hogan, Co-Founder, Panagraph.it: “The threshold between the exacting nature of the photo studio and real life is now much narrower. Nokia Lumia 1020 frees people to capture high resolution images in more spontaneous ways. Panagraph fully leverages the hi-fidelity Nokia Imaging SDK which allowed us to focus on creating the signature photo mosaic effect that lets people express their vision and relive those moments in a unique new way.“
Local search app Yelp delivers an immersive experience to users with a Nokia Lumia 1020, featuring an augmented reality function that enables a real-time view of Yelp reviews and star ratings through the camera lens. Users can capture and share high resolution photos, view Yelp purchased deals with Wallet, use speech to text search, and use app to app integration with HERE Maps, all without leaving the Yelp app experience.
Eric Singley, Vice President of Products, Consumer and Mobile, Yelp: “We’re thrilled to partner with Nokia to bring Yelp to Windows Phone 8 and expand Yelp’s availability to more users through this new platform. Yelp’s vast array of rich user generated content is a perfect pairing with Nokia’s great devices. We’re looking forward to connecting people with great local businesses with this rich, visual mobile experience.“
CNN is optimizing the CNN App for Windows Phone 8 for the Nokia Lumia 1020. Building on CNN’s robust selection of news stories, images and video; panoramic interface and direct access to iReport through the app, CNN has added a number of features with the Nokia Imaging SDK.
Craig Kirkland, Sr. Director of Product Strategy, CNN Digital: “The CNN App for Windows Phone 8 continues to give consumers a great news and information experience. Through CNN’s app, iReporters can share even higher quality photos and videos with the camera on the Nokia Lumia 1020.“
Using the new Nokia Lumia 1020, Foursquare users will now be able to take high-resolution photos wherever they check in and apply one of over 50 new photo filters. These enhanced photo capabilities are a natural complement to the rich tools Foursquare provides for sharing and recording real-world experiences. Along with existing business information such as phone numbers, addresses, and operating hours, the addition of high-quality photos to merchants’ listings on foursquare will help users continue to find great places around them, both at home and when travelling.
Holger Luedorf, Vice President of Business Development, Foursquare: “Foursquare’s mission is to help our users make the most of where they are and where they are going, and photos at local business pages are a huge resource for people to research locations before they go there. Foursquare on Nokia Lumia 1020 will provide our users a simple way to take, enhance, and share photos of where they are, allowing them to detail their experiences and providing a valuable resource for other Foursquare users who haven’t been there yet.“


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Hasbro have issued a press release revealing details for the upcoming Cybertron Con 2016 which is set to take place in China at Shanghaimart Expo from July 29th to 31st. You can find a summary of the key points below as well as the full press release underneath that.
·Toy Exhibit – Cybertron Con 2016 will hold a toy exhibit featuring hundreds of Transformers toys from across the franchise's history
·Peter Cullen Appearances – Peter Cullen will hold fan meeting panels and limited autograph sessions, 150 a day, at the event.
·Guest Appearances – Transformers Prime concept artist Walter Gatus, Hasbro Development director of Hasbro’s TV and film division Josh Feldman, Takara Tomy designers Shogo Hasui and Yuki Hisashi and IDW comic collaborators Sara Pitre-Durocher, James Raiz and Alex Milne
·Statues – The event will feature a five-meter high Optimus Prime statue, as well as a number of other costumed Autobot and Decepticon characters roaming the expo floor
·Limited Edition Collectibles – Limited edition Transformers merchandise shall be on sale including the San Diego Comic-Con special edition products.
·TF Tmall –The launch of the TF Tmall flagship store, which will host a series of promotions and other surprises throughout the convention
·Fan Art Competition
·Family Zone – An area for kids and parents to create their own Transformers characters at the 3D Brush Workshop, partake in a coloring game and more
Cybertron Con Landing in Shanghai this Summer
Hasbro Brings Authentic Transformers Global Celebration to Chinese Fans
July 12, 2016, Shanghai – Today Hasbro Inc. officially announced that the 2016 TRANSFORMERS Cybertron Con will be presented to Chinese fans at the Shanghaimart Expo in Shanghai from July 29th to 31st. The convention will be the largest Transformers fan celebration ever held in China, offering attendees the chance to engage with the brand, experience some of the latest toys and consumer products, view exclusive previews of Transformers content and meet some of the most notable names associated with the franchise, including concept designers, illustrators, writers and voice actors.
From the earliest toy series launched by Takara, to Hasbro’s popular G1 TV series, through comics, video games and feature films, the Transformers brand has become deeply rooted in the hearts of fans around the world. The original animated series debuted on TV in the 1980s in China and has become a shared childhood memory for a generation. TRANSFORMERS Cybertron Con will take fans on a journey through the history of the Transformers franchise, exhibiting hundreds of the most iconic toys released between the brand’s launch in the early 1980s through some of the best-selling items available today.
The convention will also offer fans the chance to interact with a five-meter high Optimus Prime Statue and costumed characters of other notable Autobots and Decepticons which are customized for Shanghai Cybertron Con.
One of the biggest VIP guests at Cybertron Con will be Peter Cullen, the voice actor behind Optimus Prime. Peter has worked on the Transformers franchise for more than 30 years and has provided his talents to each of the blockbuster feature films inspired by the brand. He will host fan meeting panels on both days of the convention, with a limited 150 autograph opportunities each day for fans to buy.
Other notable attendees will include Walter Gatus (concept artist of Transformers: Prime), Josh Feldman (Development director of Hasbro’s TV and film division) and Takara Tomy designers Shogo Hasui and Yuki Hisashi from Takara Tomy, who are responsible for numerous well-known Transformers characters. The two designers will attend the autograph session for three days and attend the Q&A session at main stage on Saturday and Sunday.
TRANSFORMERS Cybertron Con will also feature appearances from Sara Pitre-Durocher，James Raiz and Alex Milne, who have each written for IDW’s Transformers comic series.
Fans in attendance can also take part in a fan works contest, in which Transformers-related works of illustration, coating and modeling are to be rated by special guests. Amateur competitors from China can bring extraordinary works with them. If you have some talent to offer, join the Fan Art Competition before July 15, 2016, and showcase your passion and imagination with the best of your works. This Fan Art Competition are endorsed by Hasbro and IDW. Winners will be rewarded with abundant of prizes, as well as potential opportunities to work on official Transformers production. This is truly a dream come true for the fans.
Devoted players will turn the trial play area of the Game Zone into a battlefront. For collectors, Hasbro will bring San Diego Comic Con special edition products to 2016 Cybertron Con. Additionally, over 20 Hasbro authorized dealers will be on hand selling various products, including hundreds of types of authorized toys. Their booths will occupy much of the 8500 square meter exhibition hall.
Fans are also welcomed to bring their children to the family zone at TRANSFORMERS Cybertron Con, which is orchestrated for parent-child interaction. Kids can create their own Transformers’ characters at 3D Brush Workshop, enjoy the unique Transformers coloring game, and send postcards with exclusive stamp on it to their beloved superheroes at Transformers-themed post-office. There are also various interesting games waiting for the new generation of fans to have a try.
Additionally, TF Tmall flagship store will be launched officially on the same day of TRANSFORMERS Cybertron con opening, in which, there will be a series of promotions and some surprises brought from the Cybertron Con. Please visit our Tmall or Cybertron Con Website for more information. Stay tuned!
“TRANSFORMERS Cybertron Con in Shanghai is an important event for Hasbro and the Transformers franchise as a whole,” said Michael Zhang, Country Head, Hasbro China. “The Chinese public has been extremely receptive to the Transformers brand, and it’s exciting to bring such a marquee event to them directly. Hasbro strives to offer fans new and immersive brand experiences, and this convention will deliver on that with rich content, engaging exhibits and live interactions.”
Vicky Au, the Managing Director from FM Group, organiser of 2016 TRANSFORMERS Cybertron Con, said to the reporters: “I’m sure the TRANSFORMERS Cybertron Con in Shanghai will be an unprecedented celebration. FM Event will try its best to ensure that fans and audience at the Con have a wonderful time. There is even one more good news: ‘Transformers Challenge’, the large indoor sport challenge event licensed by Hasbro, will be launched on August in Shanghai and Guangzhou. Every challenger will wear a RFID bracelet which records the score of each challenge to redeem souvenir. Come together with your friends and families in summer!”
To find out more about Cybertron Con, please click www.cybertroncon.cn


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Digital TV News: UltraViolet
Sony to launch 4K streaming service on April 4th
Mar 29, 2016 – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced that the studio’s new 4K Ultra HD movie streaming service, ULTRA, will debut April 4, 2016 on new Sony 4K television models in the United States.
News categories: Sony Pictures, Sony Electronics, Jake Winett, Mike Fasulo, Digital TV, OTT, Smart TV, USA
SCSA releases VIDITY licensing specifications
Aug 26, 2015 – The Secure Content Storage Association (SCSA) has released licensing specifications for its VIDITY technology, which enables secure delivery of entertainment, including locally stored playback of 4K Ultra HD and HD movies across multiple devices.
News categories: SCSA, David Huerta, Content Protection, Digital TV, Mobile, OTT, Worldwide
EzyFlix TV closes
Aug 19, 2015 – EzyFlix.tv has closed. Launched by online retailer, Access Digital Entertainment (ADE), the transactional video-on-demand and download-to-own service was available in Australia and New Zealand.
News categories: EzyFlix, Australia, Digital TV, New Zealand, OTT
Carrefour to debut Nolim Films digital video service
Jan 27, 2015 – Carrefour has announced that, starting on 27 January, it will be expanding Nolim.fr – its cultural platform – to include Nolim Films, a virtual video library, featuring nearly 3000 films and TV series.
News categories: Carrefour, Nolim, Digital TV, France, OTT
TV and movies, not short-form video, to drive online video market
Jan 16, 2015 – According to ABI Research, the online video market is expected to reach over US$56 billion by 2019, with a 6 year CAGR of 23.1%. Short-form video is expected to make up US$13 billion of the total.
News categories: ABI Research, Michael Inouye, Sam Rosen, Digital TV, Market Research, OTT, Worldwide
GoLive selects DivX OmniView to power Smart TV OTT service
Jan 5, 2015 – DivX has announced that GoLive Movie has selected its DivX OmniView to power the secure delivery on-demand movie content to smart TVs. The service will be available initially in China on televisions from TCL.
News categories: DivX, TCL, Dr. Kanaan Jemili, Apps, CES, China, Digital TV, OTT, Smart TV
VUDU entertainment service launches on TiVo
Oct 30, 2014 – TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) has announced the launch of VUDU, Walmart's subscription-free, VOD movie service to TiVo® devices. The VUDU application enables users to rent or purchase movies and TV shows, as well as access an Ultraviolet cloud library.
News categories: TiVo Inc, VUDU, Tara Maitra, Apps, Digital TV, OTT, Set Top Box, USA
UK's blinkbox goes UltraViolet
Oct 14, 2014 – blinkbox has introduced digital movie and TV locker service UltraViolet to allow customers to build a digital collection from select physical discs they have bought in-store and access them via the service.
News categories: blinkbox, UltraViolet, Tesco, Adrian Letts, Mark Teitell, Ian Ditcham, Content Protection, Digital TV, OTT, UK
Mobiles with 4K screens to reach 478m units by 2019
Aug 15, 2014 – 2015 will see the launch of 4K/Ultra HD mobile devices. Considering the relatively close proximity of the screen to the user it is possible for some consumers to see and benefit from these higher resolutions.
News categories: ABI Research, Sam Rosen, Digital TV, Market Research, Mobile, Worldwide
- NBC/Telemundo and NBC Sports offer local TV attribution with TVSquared
- DISH Media taps FreeWheel for both traditional and addressable linear TV
- Comcast and NuEyes enable customers with visual disabilities to see TV with Smartglasses
- Kantar to continue delivering TV trading currency in Israel
- TiVo chooses SpotX for monetization of CTV ad inventory
- SiTune introduces TV tuner for mobile ATSC 3.0 and 5G Broadcast
- Tappx to develop programmatic Server-Side Ad Insertion platform for TV
- TV Analytics market to grow to $655.4 million by 2025
- Telefónica moves RTVE video and radio content to HOTBIRD at 13°E
- VIZIO launches Direct Advertising business
- US media players get on AVOD bandwagon as market revenue soars
- Tru Optik partners with JamLoop for audience targeting on OTT/CTV
- Nordics lose a generation of viewers
- Hotstar releases India Watch Report 2019
- Juniper Research makes Top Ten Tech Predictions for 2020
- A1 Telekom partners with Vubiquity for TVOD launch in Bulgaria
- Strategy Analytics makes Media & Entertainment predictions for 2020
- Undertone and TVadSync create cross-platform TV targeting engine
- Global advertisers to increase adspend by 4.3% in 2020
- Amino and 24i to evolve Youfone's TV offering


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The end of Oxford Street as we know it? New developments boasting 500 apartments complete with luxury roof terraces, gyms and city views mean there are now TWICE as many homes as shops as the high street declines (but they’ll cost you up to £4.5 million)
- Survey revealed how Oxford Street is slowly turning from the captial’s shopping hub to a residential address
- Over the past five years nine residential developments building 437 homes being built on Oxford Street
- At almost double the 248 shops built, they are slowly changing the face of the capital’s shopping destination
- The apartments for sale along Oxford Street are typically priced from £950,000 up to £4.5 million
- The road was given its famous name in 1729, when it was a sought after residential area, before its smart townhouses were transformed into retail premises in the 1830s
A surprising new survey has revealed how Oxford Street is slowly turning from the capital’s shopping hub to a residential address.
Currently one of London’s top tourist destinations, it has attracted visitors from across the world for hundreds of years, and boasts famous department stores Selfridges and John Lewis alongside an array of chain shops.
The road was given its famous name in 1729, when it was a sought after residential area, before its smart townhouses were transformed into retail premises in the 1830s.
But over the past five years it appears to be transforming back to its roots, after a survey by Aston Chase, undertaken in association with developer Galliard Homes, showed there are 437 homes being built on Oxford Street – almost double the 248 shops being developed.
A surprising new survey has revealed how Oxford Street is slowly turning from the capital’s shopping hub to a residential address. Pictured: A luxury bedroom overlooking the street in the Verge Mayfair development
A stunning dark wood open plan kitchen complete with marble top island and siting area overlooking the city is seen in TCRW SOHO, providing 92 apartments and 9,939 sqft of retail space
An open plan kitchen/ diner and sitting room is seen in the Verge Mayfair development, which provides 12 exclusive apartments
There are now nine new residential or residential-led mixed use developments on or adjacent to Oxford Street, with a gross development value of £1.06 billion and provide a combined total of almost 500 private sale apartments and penthouses.
Apartments for sale along Oxford Street are typically priced from £950,000 up to £4.5 million, and the highest demand is for apartments priced from £2,000 to £2,500 per square foot, although some apartments are priced up to £5,000 per square foot.
The nine residential-led projects changing the face of Oxford Street are Centrepoint, which is providing 82 apartments and 39,000 sqft of retail space, 5-6 Hanway Place providing 18 apartments, Hanway Gardens, boasting 18 apartments and TCRW SOHO, providing 92 apartments and 9,939 sqft of retail space.
Elsewhere 37 Rathbone Place is providing 140 apartments and 242,800 sqft of office space, 5 Berners Street has six apartments, 103-109 Wardour Street boasts 15 apartments and a health club/gym, Verge Mayfair is providing 12 apartments and Marble Arch Place boasts 54 apartments, 36,000 sqft of retail space and 123,000 sqft of offices.
A large bathroom with his and hers sinks and wooden panels is pictured, complete with a prime view of Oxford Street
The roof terrace overlooking Debenhams and some of the city’s attractions is seen in the Verge Mayfair development, which provides 12 exclusive apartments
The large apartments boast a sizeable kitchen area complete with stylish marble top bar, and a large dining and siting room area
The first new homes were built on Oxford St in 2012, when developer Oakmayne Bespoke launched Verge Mayfair – 12 apartments fronting onto Oxford Street, priced from £950,000.
Later that year the £400 million 17 storey Marble Arch Place project in 2013 was announced, while 2015 saw the launch of the £350 million 33 storey Centrepoint scheme in 2015, and £140 million TCRW Soho was unveiled at the end of 2019.
It is predicted that over the next five to 10 years Oxford Street will become one of central London’s most sought-after residential addresses.
David Galman, Sales Director at Galliard Homes told Femail: ‘The new Oxford Street survey shows that there are now as many homes being built along Oxford Street as shops.
‘The location is undergoing significant regeneration and becoming more residential in character. Currently the location is relatively underpriced compared to neighbouring Mayfair and Marylebone and this is good for buyers.
‘An uplift will come in property values as electric cars, Crossrail and pedestrianised areas bring dynamic change to Oxford Street. Over the next five years we see the famous throughfare becoming one of London’s most sought after residential addresses.’
A bedroom complete with en suite bathroom is shown in the TCRW SOHO development, providing 92 apartments and 9,939 sqft of retail space
A Gothic themed kitchen is featured in the Verge Mayfair development, which provides 12 exclusive apartments
Meanwhile Mark Pollack, Co-Founding Director at Aston Chase added: ‘During the 18th Century Oxford Street was a residential address and the return to more housing provision is perhaps not surprising given that Oxford Street fronts onto Mayfair, Marylebone and Fitrovia, all of which are established, highly desirable, residential addresses.
‘Technology and the internet have also changed the face of retailing. Advances in logistics mean that stores no longer require large stockroom areas on their upper floors, so new development can provide retail on the ground and basement levels, with new apartments above.’
Revealing their biggest property deal, he added: ‘At the Rathbone Place project by Oxford Street, Aston Chase sold the 4,000 sqft penthouse off plan for £15.25 million to a Scandinavian buyer.
‘This is one of the biggest residential deals on Oxford Street and demonstrates both how the location has changed, but also underlines the quality of the apartments and penthouses being built around Oxford Street.’
Elsewhere a second bedroom with built in cupboards and a marble en suite bathroom provides top comfort for residents
A view of ventre point, the London Eye and the Shard is seen from the roof terrace of one of the developments
Source: Read Full Article


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The Devon County Show has announced that it is to introduce a new section to the Craft & Garden feature for 2019 which will enable small businesses operating in horticulture to benefit, for the first time ever, from the 91k strong audience that visit the show over three days in May.
Lisa Moore, Features Co-ordinator at Devon County Show explains: ‘Historically, all of our competitors, and our exhibitors in the Gardens section have had to adhere to RHS rules and regulations. Whilst this has given this section of the show status and gravitas, it has meant that a lot of smaller, individual growers as well as small scale market gardeners have had to miss out – that is, until now. A brand new street style section which has been approved by the Crafts and Gardens Committee will be introduced in 2019 and will operate under Devon County Show rules, which will be more flexible and inclusive than those of the RHS.’
Lisa expects an enthusiastic response from local producers who wouldn’t normally qualify to exhibit. ‘The average Briton spends a whopping 30k on their gardens in a lifetime and much of this is invested in planting. And with Chelsea putting horticulture at the top of the news headlines when the Show opens its gates each year, the Devon County Show presents the biggest marketing opportunity in the South West for growers of all shapes and sizes.’
Lisa concludes: ‘As if that’s not enough to persuade you that the Devon County Show Crafts and Garden Marquee is THE place to be for horticulture businesses, this section of the show is one of the most frequented on the showground, second only to the food hall, with around 80,000 people with an average disposable income of over £41,000 passing through it daily.’
The Devon County Show takes place in 2019 on the 16, 17 and 18 May. To find out more and to book tickets, visit www.devoncountyshow.co.uk


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What you need to know
- Some users are reportedly experiencing issues with Apple’s iCloud Mail service.
- Apple confirms that some users may be having intermittent issues.
“Some users are affected.”
Apple has confirmed that “some users” are having issues with its iCloud Mail service at the moment. While the company isn’t saying exactly what “intermittent issues” users are having, it does say that it began a couple of hours ago and that not all users are impacted.
Users may be experiencing intermittent issues with this service.
Twitter is already full of people complaining about the outage, with users receiving an error when trying to check their mail.
same, it’s down for me too all of a sudden. whenever I try and refresh the cloud mail app on my iPhone it says “‘Account Error: iCloud.’ Details…”
— brian (@tragicb123) April 26, 2021
Apple is clearly aware of the issue so it should only be a matter of time before service is resumed. If you’re impacted, there isn’t much you can do other than sit tight and maybe treat yourself to another coffee or three.
appeared first on iMore.


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A heavily camouflaged van was spotted recently by our U.S.-based spy photographers and we are inclined to believe it was a Nissan Serena.
The Nissan Serena isn’t currently available in United States, but that could change in the near future taking into account a prototype of the van was seen in Michigan hiding underneath this unattractive disguise. It doesn’t seem to look exactly the same as the existing model, so maybe it is the upcoming fifth generation. The current model has been around since 2010, so it would make sense to bring the next-gen to United States rather than a model that has been on sale for almost six years.
It’s not exactly the prettiest MPV out there, but the fridge-like body does maximize cabin space which is what matters the most when you are shopping in this segment. In addition, getting inside should be a breeze thanks to the sliding doors. Needless to say, the U.S. version will adopt a left-hand drive layout as opposed to this masked prototype which had a RHD configuration.
The front grille seems to be positioned slighter lower than on the current model and we also notice the headlights and side mirrors have a different shape. At the back you will observe the vertical taillights have changed because the clusters no longer go all the way up and these also have different graphics. These alterations could suggest that we have here is the next generation, rather than a U.S. version of the current model.
Regardless if it’s the fourth of fifth generation, seeing Nissan making efforts to possibly bring the Serena to United States comes somewhat as a surprise since people now prefer crossovers and SUVs.


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A number of Kogan Mobile customers have been left without services, after a technical glitch in Telstra's network failed to include data allowances on user accounts.
Affected customers on Kogan's Access 30 prepaid plans who recharged their accounts over the weekend found that while they had access to voice call and text messaging services, they were unable to use any data services.
On Tuesday, a Kogan Mobile representative informed customers on the Whirlpool forums that a "small number of customers have experienced a delay with the replenishment of their data" and that the issue had been "escalated to the network operator", which in this case is Telstra.
"We are advised that the underlying issue was identified and addressed yesterday by the network operator, which has prevented the issue from continuing to occur," a Kogan Mobile representative wrote on the forum. They added later that the telco would, within the week, create a "Service Status" page on its website to better inform its customers of known service faults.
Users on the forum reported having no data service as early as Friday morning.
The company told ZDNet during the outage that Telstra was addressing the issue with high priority, and that it was a platform issue beyond Kogan Mobile's control.
"We are extending every effort to ensure that the issue is fixed as quickly as possible. Any affected customers will be compensated in due course."
Although mobile virtual network operators Aldi and Boost also use Telstra's 3G network, neither have reported any similar incidents. Aldi is in a similar position to Kogan Mobile, gaining access to Telstra's 3G network via the same wholesaler that Kogan Mobile uses, while Boost accesses the network directly from Telstra.
ZDNet contacted Telstra regarding the issue, but had not received a response at the time of writing.
Data services began returning to affected customers on Tuesday, with Kogan Mobile responding to feedback on its Facebook page that Telstra had advised that it was auditing and repairing affected accounts.
The company also appears to be storing passwords in plain text, or in a form that's easily convertible to plain text, as evidenced by its ability to text message users their passwords as part of their account recovery process. Kogan Mobile did not respond to queries regarding why this practice is followed, or whether it intends to change this process in the future.
Although Kogan Mobile has recently had hiccups on its network due to Telstra reseller ISPOne, the provider is not believed to be responsible for any part of the incident.
Kogan Mobile recently took ISPOne to court for the latter suspending over 700 Kogan Mobile customers from the network without authority. ISPOne was eventually found to be in breach of its master wholesale agreement, and ordered to pay damages. However, Kogan Mobile founder Ruslan Kogan has said that despite the victory, his company has suffered brand damage.


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A mine in the Northwest Territories, set to start Canada’s first production of rare earth concentrate in July in Saskatchewan, will build a rare earths processing facility in Saskatoon, as the public and private sectors ramp up efforts to make Canada a supplier of choice for strategic critical minerals.
Topic: lithium-ion batteries
The Quebec consortium Lithion Recycling Inc. has received $3.8 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) to implement a novel process for recycling lithium-ion batteries. The process was developed by Seneca, a Montreal-based consulting firm that specializes in industrial materials process engineering. Lithium-ion batteries are used in electric vehicles, a growing market that so far…
Escalating demand for specialty materials that go into next-generation lithium-ion batteries has prompted the National Research Council to create an R&D group to bolster the value chain for their use in the transportation and stationary applications. Advanced discussions between NRC officials and several companies are already underway to determine the extent of their participation in the new lithium-ion battery technologies (LiBTec) program, which kicked off June 7 with a webinar.


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Digital Banking is Revolutionizing the Banking Industry
27 January 2021The percentage of retail bank customers who access banking services daily via desktop apps has nearly doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to BAI, a banking association.
Rather than risk the possibility of a viral infection, many consumers are checking out ways to do their banking that don't involve in-person trips to a bank lobby. This is especially true for small businesses that aren't eligible for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
If you haven't already made the switch, you should know that your options are multiplying. "Alternative lenders are emerging at a feverish pace," noted a pre-pandemic report by Moody's Analytics. Among other things, that report identified several stumbling blocks that small businesses commonly encounter when looking for credit, such as:
- Lack of knowledge of their credit risk and how they can improve their business credit standing,
- Opacity of banks' credit assessment process and expectations, and
- Inconsistent requirements among banks in terms of the lending process, necessary data and documentation.


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Retail and residential development near Crossroads Center approved by planning commission
WAITE PARK — The Waite Park Planning Commission has recommended for approval plans for a mixed-use retail and residential building near Crossroads Center at its meeting Tuesday night.
Waite Park Planning and Community Development Director Jon Noerenberg said after an additional review and recommendation from the fire department, the project will move on to the Waite Park City Council for final approval.
The proposed development at 205-3rd St. NE was first discussed at the Dec. 11 planning commission meeting.
Plans for the Crossroad Lofts & Shops include six one-bedroom apartments on the second floor and retail space and room for two future apartments on the first floor, according to plans and minutes from the December planning commission meeting.
The first-floor retail space will be designed for up to four individual tenants, but could be combined for a larger operation if needed. Property owner Jim Rakhshani said he had spoken with a business in the medical field and indicated one business could use the entire lower level space, according to the December meeting minutes.
Loft amenities include private balconies and over-sized windows, fireplaces, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops. Units range in size from 780 to 814 square feet.
Noerenberg said the project will likely be reviewed and put up for approval at a February City Council meeting.
Have a tip about business news in the St. Cloud area? Contact Anna at email@example.com or 320-259-3662. Follow Anna on Twitter @AnnaHaecherl


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It’s amazing how quickly things can change. In just a few weeks, marketing plans have gone out the window. Whole departments are now working remotely. Budgets are being squeezed tight. At the same time, businesses still need customers — some need them more than ever. That means there’s plenty of things for marketers to do, and plenty of questions to get our heads around as we try to understand marketing during a Pandemic. Here are the 6 Most Asked Questions To Adapt Your Marketing During a Pandemic.
6 Frequently Asked Questions to Adapt Your Marketing During Pandemic
Here are six questions we think most marketers are asking right now, and the answers we’ve been able to glean.
1. What Does COVID-19 Mean For Everyone’s Marketing Budget?
You’d think that marketing budgets would be one of the first things to be slashed as companies look to cut costs.
In many organizations, particularly consumer-facing brands that don’t sell essential products, that’s exactly what’s happened.
In a poll of 176 marketers, Gartner found nearly two-thirds (65 percent) were expecting moderate to large budget cuts.
One anonymous direct-to-consumer media buyer saying that their company was decreasing campaign spending by 10 percent. If things got worse, they were ready to pause entire campaigns.
But not everyone’s marketing budgets are on the chopping block.
Gaming and news companies are splashing out. Ad spends from gaming companies are up 25 percent from the year’s low point.
News and information companies have increased ad spend by 11 times from early January.
In the B2B sector, budgets are being shifted. Funds allocated to canceled conferences are now being spent online. Even those who barely have a Facebook presence will be pouring money into digital ads.
There’s even the possibility that those who continue advertising online will get more bang for their buck.
The cost of advertising in many industries is lower than it’s been for a long time.
2. What’s the Right Way For Brands to Approach Marketing During a Crisis?
There’s an important distinction between appearing to profit from a crisis and simply continuing to market your business within a Pandemic context.
Brands will have to recognize where that dividing line is and tread carefully in the coming months.
Brands with agile internal departments and agency partners may be able to pivot scheduled marketing campaigns and replace messaging with something both on-brand and on-message.
Acts of kindness and charity are also effective strategies.
Many banks are choosing to waive overdraft fees, for instance, while fashion brands are creating masks and gowns.
Your customers will remember how you act during this period. Get behind a common cause, and they’ll be much more likely to repay your efforts in the future.
Above all, brands must strike an empathetic tone.
Ignoring the current pandemic in your marketing message is a surefire way to come across as tone-deaf.
Yes, there’s a danger your bland coronavirus support message will get lost among the dozens of other corporate well wishes.
But a vacation-themed marketing message will get your brand noticed for all the wrong reasons.
Lauren Teague recommends brands cancel all scheduled posts.
Go back and look at your editorial calendars, then assess which content is still relevant and acceptable in light of the current situation.
If there’s even the slightest chance it could come across as insensitive, scrap it.
3. Where Does Content Marketing Fit in All of this?
Content marketing remains as important as ever.
Of all digital marketing strategies, content marketing remains affordable, accessible, and effective for virtually every brand.
Content marketing even trumps other digital marketing tactics like PPC right now.
If you’re struggling to serve customers right now, you’re much better off focusing on SEO and content marketing.
Both are long-term strategies, which will deliver even bigger ROIs in the future if competitors fail to keep pace. Further, people are craving content now more than ever.
When people are panicking, your brand can stand apart by offering positivity. Content marketing is a great vehicle for this.
Content marketing is also a much softer sell than advertising. By delivering value and building trust, you shore up your position as an ethical marketer during times of crisis.
Your content doesn’t have to be about the virus. But it must help your target audience solve a problem. It must also be sensitive. Write about how to work from home better or bodyweight exercise routines.
Don’t talk about how to save money on your next business trip.
Best of all, help is at hand for brands who want to increase their content marketing efforts.
Moz Academy is offering free SEO training for everyone. SEMrush has made it’s Social Media Toolkit free of charge, too, as well as its lead generation service, Oppty.
4. How Is User Behavior Changing Now That Half the World is in Lockdown?
Unsurprisingly, being stuck inside all day is having a pretty significant effect on our behavior.
For starters, people are genuinely concerned, and this is impacting their buying decisions.
The research found that 71 percent of Americans are very concerned about the news surrounding COVID-19. More than half (54 percent) of consumers are putting off big-ticket purchases like homes and cars for the next three months.
It also seems a lot of us might not be as addicted to our phones as we think we are. Paid search campaigns are showing a big drop in search traffic as a result of shelter-in-place orders.
Since March 16, mobile traffic has consistently been down an average of 24% from the last week of February. Tablet traffic is similarly suffering from a 19% drop in the same time period.
Most big tech platforms are experiencing the same phenomenon.
Facebook, Netflix, and YouTube have all seen user numbers on their phone apps stagnate or fall off as their websites have grown. The coronavirus may change the way we work in the future, too.
Many workplace experts have already noted that the forced shift to working from home will likely alter the way businesses approach their operations, even after the Pandemic.
5. What’s Happening on Social Media?
Social media has been an unsurprising winner in a world where everyone is confined to their homes and not allowed to socialize outside.
Messaging on Facebook and Instagram has increased by more than half in a lot of countries. Italian video calls have increased by a staggering 1,000 percent.
At the same time, brand engagement across all platforms is down. The decline is twice as bad on Facebook and Instagram as it is on Twitter.
Engagement on Instagram fell 14 percent since the start of the year, while Facebook engagement fell 13.5 percent.
The lesson: It appears users care a lot more about hearing from friends and family they can’t see in person right now, and a lot less about what brands are trying to sell to them.
What’s more, some of the less savory elements of social media have re-emerged as a result of the Pandemic.
Anti-Chinese sentiments are also becoming common across the major platforms. At the same time, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have all sent content moderators home.
The task of sifting through the mire of fake and vitriolic content has been left in the hands of machines. And they aren’t doing a good job.
Content from authoritative publishers like The Atlantic and Buzzfeed are being taken down for violating spam rules.
6. What’s Next?
We are still in the middle of all this, and parts of the new normal still seem uncertain.
But hopefully, these questions provide some guidance and direction to your COVID-19 marketing strategies.
Remember, wherever you’re currently working, and whatever budget you’re working with, there’s still plenty you can achieve in the coming months and the year ahead. Improve your strategy by using 6 Most Asked Questions To Adapt Your Marketing During a Pandemic.


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A new Wendy's campaign will highlight the company's commitment to adoption.
The fast food chain began its initial advocacy work in this area after founder Dave Thomas, who was himself adopted, started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992. The company has promoted adoption over the years through "a little bit of soft advertising," primarily by placing donation coin boxes at its registers.
With the arrival of Craig Bahner, an adoptive father and Wendy's chief marketing officer, the company now seeks to connect itself further with the mission of its foundation.
"You walk into a restaurant today and there's a canister there and you can put in some spare change, and millions of dollars have been raised that way," Craig Bahner told The New York Times. "But we haven't done it in a holistic way that could really drive awareness, and that really educates consumers about why it's important and why it matters to us."
John Barker, chief communications officer at Wendy's, told The Christian Post that domestic adoption and foster care are issues that could benefit from an increase of awareness.
"There are somany children waiting to be adopted and so many in foster care right now. Some are fortunate and have good situations, at least temporarily, but longer term if they don't find a home, many of these young people age out of the foster care system and become adults with really no families and no support systems. It's heartbreaking," Barker said.
Barker added that he believes Wendy's has the capacity to educate thousands more Americans about the reality of the country's adoption and foster care system.
"We're doing everything we can to raise awareness, said Barker. "Of course, with our 6,000 restaurants, we certainly have the reach to be able to touch individuals clearly at our retail location. But we also have the platform with a big well-respected brand to tell people about this."
As part of this campaign, the company will be selling $1 Frosty Key Tag, whose proceeds will promote the Dave Thomas Foundation — and give consumers milkshake discounts throughout the summer. Thomas' daughter, Melinda Look, better known as the namesake of the restaurant, Wendy, will appear in commercials for the restaurant.
"You couldn't get any more real than that than to have the daughter of Dave Thomas talking about this cause," said Barker.
The company's decision to promote adoption is not a reaction to any current event, said Barker, but rather is doing something that is "in our DNA"
"Our franchisees, many of which signed up and became franchisees with Dave Thomas back in the early days of the company, are so committed to this cause," he said. "It is the cause of the company. It has been for a long time."
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption gives adoption agencies grants to hire recruiters who specifically look for families for children who are older, suffer from mental or physical illnesses, or wish to be adopted with the rest of their siblings.


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Tesla: SpaceX founder Elon Musk is known for his interest in the cryptocurrency scene, especially when it comes to dogecoin. This Tuesday (14), Musk posted a message on Twitter and revealed that Tesla’s store will begin testing to accept payments in dogecoin.
According to the billionaire, the cryptocurrency could be used to buy some Tesla products, ranging between $50 and $1,900, but he didn’t specify which ones — in the store, brand fans will find everything from the Cyberwhistle whistle , even the Cyberquad quad for kids, both recently announced.
Tesla will make some merch buyable with Doge & see how it goes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021
“Tesla will make some products buyable with Doge and see what happens,” Musk revealed in a tweet.
Payment in dogecoin: accepted!
A few hours after the tweet, the value of the coin rose by as much as 24%, from US$0.15 to US$0.21 — at the exact time this news was published, the average value is US$0.19. Anyway, it’s important to remember that Musk’s tweets about dogecoin have already increased its value by up to 5,859%.
A few months ago, Tesla’s CEO took a poll on his Twitter profile questioning users’ interest in using dogecoin to buy the brand’s products. In May, the electric vehicle maker stopped accepting bitcoin payments just two months after it started accepting the currency.
It is important to point out that the novelty will only work with products from the Tesla store, that is, at least for the time being, it will still not be possible to use dogecoin to buy the brand’s electric vehicles.


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Jaid and Jax hang with mom as they shop for new gear at the Children’s Place. Garcelle Beauvais took her sons to the clothing store a few days ago, making sure to strike a pose with them in the section designated for boys’ pants. “Fun shopping day,” tweeted Beauvais next to an uploaded picture of the family in the store.
Garcelle celebrated her sons’ birthdays earlier this month. The proud mother of two shared a series of photos, showing Jaid and Jax from infant state to the present, with Twitter fans in acknowledgement of her little guys’ special day. “6years ago today, I received these two little souls to care for & Love #happybirthday #jaxandjaid #blessed# proudtobeyourmom #family,” wrote Beauvais next to the collage.
The actress previously told BCK that, although they are twins, Jaid and Jax have varying interests in life. “Jaid is my animal guy, he loves bugs, and any small creatures. I’m not crazy about that,” said the star. “Jax is my sports fanatic, he watches football like he’s got money on the game.”
Jaid and Jax were born on October 18, 2007. Garcelle Beauvais has three kids in all.


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NEW YORK, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- New York - based TRB Acquisitions, LLC has purchased Rugged Bear's intellectual property assets, which include Rugged Bear and Live Life Rugged trademarks, logo's, website, style and pattern books. The company declared bankruptcy in January 2011. TRB Acquisitions, LLC will add Rugged Bear to its portfolio, re-launching the brand in stores nationwide.
Rugged Bear, a Boston based children's retailer known for high quality children's clothing had been in business since 1980 and operated over 30 stores from New Jersey to Maine.
"Rugged Bear has built an iconic brand in the Northeast that is synonymous with classic, durable children's clothing and accessories," says Diana Lannon (Sudbury, MA), Partner and Brand Director. "We plan to build a national brand by partnering with leading manufactures."
Eli Yedid (NY, NY), TRB's President said, "Rugged Bear has a loyal following in the Northeast and we are looking forward to expanding the brand beyond their local footprint. We will be licensing the brand in all children's categories; outerwear, footwear, sportswear, hosiery, cold weather accessories, and plush."
SOURCE TRB Acquisitions, LLC


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Nearly three years ago, Amazon announced that it would buy 100,000 custom-made delivery vehicles from Rivian, a fledgling maker of electric vehicles. On Thursday, after some delays, the companies said hundreds of the vans were finally on the road.
The battery-powered trucks are crucial to Rivian’s business plan and survival in a very competitive auto industry. And they are an important element of Amazon’s plan to limit carbon emissions as it builds its own fleet and relies less on contractors like UPS to deliver billions of orders of toothpaste, hair dryers, dog toys and sundry other products.
But questions remain about how fast Rivian, about 18 percent of which is owned by Amazon, can fulfill the retail giant’s order. The automaker, which began producing vehicles in small numbers last year, is struggling to ramp up while there are shortages of semiconductors and other components. And last week Rivian warned employees that they should expect layoffs and other cost-cutting measures.
“We are making some adjustments to certain teams within the business,” R.J. Scaringe, the founder and chief executive of Rivian, said in an interview this week. He declined to say how many jobs might be cut.
“These are some of the hardest decisions that one has to take as a leader, to recognize where we spend our dollars, where we spend our focus or spend our time,” he added.
Amazon has said it doesn’t expect all 100,000 trucks to be delivered before the end of the decade. In a November securities filing, Rivian said it planned to deliver the 100,000 trucks “by 2025.” Mr. Scaringe declined to say if that was still the plan, saying only that he hoped to deliver the vans sooner than Amazon was expecting them.
In January, Ross Rachey, who oversees Amazon’s global fleet, said the companies expected to have 10,000 deployed as early as this year. So far Rivian has delivered several hundred, and Amazon now expects to have “thousands” by the end of the year, said Udit Madan, vice president for transportation at Amazon.
Rivian also makes a pickup truck and a related sport utility vehicle. That means the company is trying to ramp up two assembly lines at once — a tall order for any carmaker, especially a relative newbie.
The nascent market for electric delivery vans is getting more competitive. Ford Motor, a large shareholder in Rivian, began selling an electric version of its popular Transit van several months ago and has delivered about 3,000 so far. Ford has sold some of its shares in the company in recent months.
Rivian’s production problems are symptomatic of the difficulties that young electric vehicle manufacturers face as they try to challenge the traditional automakers. Many are discovering how difficult and costly it is to mass-produce vehicles, and time is not on their side because the established companies are also moving quickly toward electrification.
Read More on Electric Vehicles
As the overall auto market stagnates, the popularity of battery-powered cars is soaring worldwide.
So far Tesla, which sells more electric cars than any other manufacturer, is the only electric vehicle maker to have gained significant market share. But that company doesn’t yet make or sell trucks.
Canoo, which has announced plans to offer a roomy electric van this year, warned in May that it could run short of cash. Management “has identified substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern,” Canoo said in a regulatory filing. The company’s prospects improved this month when Walmart said it would buy 4,500 Canoo vehicles to make deliveries for online orders.
Amazon is not depending solely on Rivian for emission-free vehicles. It plans also to order electric vans from Stellantis and other manufacturers, albeit in smaller numbers.
Amazon has been investing heavily to build its own network of delivery contractors and already has far more than 100,000 vans, most of them diesel powered. It delivered about six billion packages in the United States last year, surpassing UPS, according to estimates from Bank of America.
With a design that has been compared to a friendly blue whale, the Rivian vans come with large touch screens and technology unavailable from traditional truck makers, which are just beginning to sell electric delivery vehicles. By replacing gasoline or diesel trucks with electric vans, Amazon would help contain an alarming increase in emissions from the growth in delivery vehicles.
During a joint interview, Mr. Scaringe and Mr. Madan portrayed the Rivian van as the product of meticulous joint development that would be much more comfortable for drivers, who are themselves in short supply. The companies obsessed over the door handles and other details, Mr. Scaringe said, and the vehicles will have seats with heating and cooling built in. The doors are designed to make it easier for drivers to jump in and out of the trucks.
Amazon, known for using software to extensively automate and streamline warehouses and other operations, sought to extend that approach to the vans.
For example, navigation software in the Rivian trucks automatically steers drivers to their next address and displays information about customers. “Things they would normally have to react with will happen automatically,” Mr. Madan said.
Delivery vehicles lend themselves to battery power because they tend to travel fairly short distances, compared with, say, semitrucks, which Amazon also uses. The Rivian vehicles have enough range to make deliveries all day and charge overnight, Mr. Madan said. Amazon said it had added thousands of charging stations at its delivery depots for the vans.
Electric vehicles use less energy in city driving than on the highways — the opposite of internal combustion vehicles — because their regenerative brakes can recoup some of the energy used to propel them. Unlike engines, electric motors use minimal energy when stopped at traffic lights.
Rivian was viewed as one of the most promising electric carmakers until recently. Its debut pickup, the R1T, was named Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year for 2022. Other critics have also raved about the pickup.
But the company’s production problems have unnerved investors — Rivian’s stock price has tumbled to less than $35, from around $170 soon after the company’s initial public offering.
Competition is also heating up. This spring, Ford began selling an electric version of its popular F-150 pickup, the Lightning, which has been an immediate hit and a rival to the R1T. Next year, General Motors will start selling an electric Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
All automakers have suffered from shortages of semiconductors and other crucial parts. But as a smaller and newer player, Rivian probably has much less clout with suppliers than Ford or G.M. Rivian said in May that, since March, it had lost a quarter of its planned production time because of supply chain problems.
Mr. Scaringe said he expected the semiconductor shortage to last the rest of the year, but “I think that’s going to be relatively short term.”
He said a slowing economy or a recession could help alleviate shortages but would pose problems of its own. “We are looking at what will be inevitably a very dynamic next six months from a supply chain point of view, from an interest rate point of view, an inflation point of view,” Mr. Scaringe said.


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The Marshall strawberry -- once deemed by James Beard, the father of American gastronomy, as the tastiest berry ever grown -- was on Slow Foods most endangered foods list just 5 short years ago.
Since 2007, artist Leah Gauthier has been lovingly working to help revive this American treasure. And now you can help too!
During Phase One of the project, Leah has released an edition of 600 plants so berry lovers everywhere can grow and enjoy Marshall strawberries in their very own farms or backyards. To date, with the help of Kind Aesthetic, and artist consultancy in NYC, over 300 plants have been adopted!
Phase Two will involve setting up hubs with our new growers so more folks can begin to adopt plants locally and avoid expensive shipping charges.
Marshalls for spring planting will be available April 2014. Plants can be ordered now, and requests will be fulfilled in the order received. Gift certificates are available for the holidays.
Read more about Leah + Marshall here.


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Per The Verge:
The glasses’ marquee feature is a second camera, which enables Spectacles to capture depth for the first time. Snap has built a suite of new 3D effects that take advantage of the device’s new depth perception ability. They will be exclusive to Spectacles, and the company plans to let third-party developers design depth effects starting later this year.
This time around, Snap is offering a new way to view snaps taken through Spectacles: an included 3D viewer resembling Google Cardboard. (The Spectacles 3D viewer is made of cardboard as well.)


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We are no longer accepting new cases.
General Motors on Monday dramatically expanded its recall of cars plagued by life-endangering ignition system problems.
That announcement in turn touched off yet another outcry from consumers directed at the carmaker.
Meanwhile, Weitz & Luxenberg announced it is continuing to investigate cases in which recall-affected GM car owners have suffered personal injury or property loss due to an ignition-system malfunction.
The earlier recall involved some 3 million GM cars. This newest one more than doubles that number — covering nearly 3.4 million additional vehicles.
According to the Detroit News, GM this year alone has recalled 20 million vehicles, which the newspaper indicates is “by far an all-time record.”
The Detroit News also notes that some of those 20 million have been recalled more than once this year.
“This newest GM recall gives further indication that GM cars are defectively designed vehicles,” said Robin L. Greenwald, who heads our Environmental Toxic Torts and Consumer Protection Litigation group.
“Consumers who put their trust in the GM name should not be the ones punished for that company’s wrongdoing,” she added.
GM cars involved in Monday’s recall are:
- Buick LaCrosse — 2005-09
- Buick Lucerne — 2006-11
- Buick Regal LS and GS — 2004-05
- Chevrolet Camaro — 2010-14
- Chevrolet Impala — 2006-14
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo — 2006-08
- Cadillac Deville — 2000-05
- Cadillac DTS — 2004-11
Meanwhile, in the nation’s capital, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has summoned GM CEO Mary Barra to testify before it — again — about the very serious problems GM cars are creating for consumers.
Committee Chairman Fred Upton said Monday that the latest recall “raises even more questions about just how pervasive safety problems are at GM.”
It was only a few short months ago that GM agreed to pay the government $35 million to settle claims that GM should have revealed its ignition-switch woes much earlier than it did.
“Had GM done so, lives might have been saved,” said Ms. Greenwald.
The Detroit News previewed GM CEO Barra’s upcoming appearance before the House committee. The newspaper predicted she will face tough questioning about an internal GM report blaming the company’s problems on “a pattern of ‘incompetence and neglect.'”
Of course, the intensity of the questioning Barra can expect from Congress will pale in comparison to that to which she will be subjected once Weitz & Luxenberg gets her on the stand in a court of law.
To date, more than 1,000 GM car owners have come to Weitz & Luxenberg for help bringing GM to justice.
“GM’s habit of defectively designing cars ensures that many more harmed GM car-owners will be looking to us for help in the weeks and months ahead,” said Ms. Greenwald.
“We will be here to explore with them their legal rights against the carmaker.”


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While the automotive market has been slipping with sales since the start of the coronavirus crisis, the electric vehicle sector is booming. The electromobility association Avere recorded in May a 61% increase in the registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles compared to the same period last year.
The electric car market is doing well. According to the latest figures published by the association Avere-France, 4,111 models were sold in France during the month of May. Admittedly, the overall figure remains low at 96,310 new vehicles, all energy combined (CCFA figures), about half the same period last year, but it still testifies to the growing boom of electric vehicles. Compared to May 2019, 4,111 battery electric passenger cars were registered, an increase of 50%. The same is true for plug-in hybrid vehicles with 3,056 registrations (+134%). A combined increase of 61% compared to last year.
The performance is all the more remarkable since the dealers remained closed for the first week of the month (until May 11, date of deconfinement) and the car recovery plan, implemented by the government (eco bonus raised at 7,000 euros, conversion bonus, etc.), has only been operational since June 1. If the sector is booming, it is therefore because the catalog has been enriched with many models in recent months. There have been no less than a dozen since the start of 2020, several of which arrived in showrooms at the end of confinement (Peugeot e-2008, Mini Cooper SE , Volkswagen e-up, Opel Corsa-e, etc).
This boom in electric vehicle sales can also be explained by the many commercial offers. Eco bonus doubled, advantageous discount on models in stock, long-term rental offer (LLD) at an attractive price: brands have put the package since the resumption of activity. Not to mention the many customers who were waiting for the delivery of their vehicle, purchased before the coronavirus health crisis.
Renault Zoe tops sales
In May, almost one in three electric cars sold in France was a Renault Zoe. It was also the best-selling car last month, despite a 12% drop in sales (1,165 units). The Peugeot e-208 and the Hyundai Kona Electric complete the podium. Sales of the latter rose 149% last month. Of the 4,111 electric vehicles sold in total, 61% of buyers are individual customers, according to Avere-France.
As for plug-in hybrids, the DS7 Crossback E-Tense SUV and the Peugeot 3008 are very close at the top with 313 and 297 new registrations respectively. The third step of the podium is completed by the Mercedes GLC, which has attracted no less than 263 customers. The rest of the classification is made up of the Ford Kuga (162), the Volco XC60 (158), the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid (156), the Mini Countryman (133), the BMW X3 (124), the BMW X5 (109) and Peugeot 508 (104), which tumbled to tenth place.
France has highest EV sales in Europe in 2020
In the European market, France is champion with 27,132 new electric vehicle registrations so far in 2020 (Jan-April), ahead of Germany (24,756) and the United Kingdom (18,153). Norway, the benchmark country, is only 4th (8,535).
The classification is completely different with plug-in hybrids, where first place is occupied by Germany with 26,243 registrations, followed by the United Kingdom (14,213), Sweden (12,744) and France ranks 4th with 9,915 registrations. These figures relate to the period between January and April 2020.
As for the situation of charging points, the cornerstone of the electrified vehicle market, the first three places are occupied respectively by the Netherlands (55,712), Germany (39,727) and France (29,578). Recall that the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, expressed the desire to see the erection of 100,000 recharging points by the end of 2021.


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Most residents are opposed to surcharges overall (62% opposed) but are expecting higher inflation (75% think things will cost more overall) as the economy opens up.
Vancouver, BC —As BC business struggle financially under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic aftermath, most BC residents are opposed to the concept of special COVID-19 surcharges although most are prepared for the reality that things will cost more in a post-pandemic world.
Despite smaller numbers of customers and increased operating costs of complying with the social distancing rules and deep cleaning protocols, the majority (62%) of British Columbians are opposed to businesses charging a COVID-19 surcharge, including 37% who are ‘strongly opposed’ and a smaller proportion (25%) who are ‘somewhat opposed’. While still in the majority, younger residents (18-34 years) are less opposed (52%) than older residents (63% among those 35-54 and 65% among those 55+).
Opposition lessens depending on the sector in question, however, as some industries appear to be seen as more justified in putting these surcharges in place. Hair salons are at the top of the list, with a slim majority (51%) within the province supporting surcharges, with support for restaurants (47%) and other small businesses (46%) not far behind. While a large minority is also sympathetic to the concept of surcharges for other personal health service providers (44%), and other service providers (42%), opposition is firmly entrenched when it comes to large chain retailers (only 20% support and 75% oppose) doing the same thing.
Younger residents (18-34) are much more supportive than older residents for these surcharges when it comes to hair salons, restaurants and other small, non-chain retailers, as support levels are 10-20 points higher, perhaps because this segment is far more likely to be employed in these sectors and a higher level of empathy exists.
Despite the opposition to specifically labelled COVID-19 surcharges, there is an expectation among BC residents that the pandemic will result in higher inflation and overall prices. The vast majority (75%) believe that once the Canadian and local economy opens up more fully we can expect higher inflation. This belief is split between 33% who expect ‘a lot higher inflation’, and 42% who feel there will be ‘a little higher inflation’. Surprisingly very few (5%) believe we will enter into a post-pandemic era of deflation.
On a similar note, the majority of British Columbians (64%) agree that ‘we will have to accept that we will have to pay more in the future for many products and services’, including 17% who ‘agree strongly’, and 47% who ‘agree somewhat’. This feeling is supported across all age, gender and regional segments.
Alongside the sentiment of higher prices and inflation overall, there is a sense that some businesses will be desperate enough that there will be some great deals on products and services as the economy opens up. A total of 46% agree with this idea (12% ‘agree strongly’, and 34% ‘agree somewhat’). This view is by no means universally held as there is an equally strong 37% who disagree with this expectation.
A major trend coming out of this pandemic is the hyper-localization of purchase intentions and customer loyalty, as the vast majority of British Columbians indicate that they proactively seeking out and supporting businesses that are local. There is an equal level of strong agreement about actively trying to buy from businesses that form part of the local neighbourhood (79%), BC businesses (81%) and Canadian businesses (82%).
There is also a strong desire to avoid businesses who have reportedly been unfair to their employees as part of the response to the pandemic, as 63% of BC residents agree with this.
“Consumer sentiment in this province has shifted to hyper-localization and support of businesses that are part of our local economy,” says Steve Mossop, president of Insights West. “Small and medium-sized businesses have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, putting them front and centre in the media spotlight. And while consumers are not willing to pay for COVID-19 specific surcharges, there is an overall expectation that things will cost more, and there seems to be a willingness to accept this.”
About Insights West:
Insights West is a full-service marketing research firm based in Western Canada. Since 2012, the company has conducted over one million surveys, executed 2,000 studies, and issued over 350 press releases on a variety of topics, correctly predicting the outcomes of 24 out of 25 elections and plebiscites. Insights West is a team of passionate, truth-seeking researchers who question everything to uncover the truth and what is emerging for a diverse set of clients. With an understanding of shifting markets, consumer and societal trends, and commitment to uncovering truths through a proprietary toolkit and innovative research approaches, Insights West helps organizations make better decisions.
About this Release:
Results are based on an online study conducted from May 27, 2020 to May 31, 2020 among a sample of 893 BC residents. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies between totals are due to rounding. Click HERE to view the detailed data tabulations.
For further information, please contact:


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Only for PC and new generation consoles
2K and Firaxis Games announced the delay of Marvel’s Midnight Suns almost a month ago. A new trailer is out today with a release date December 2 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC onlyWithout any mention of previous generation consoles.
When the game was delayed last month, the developers announced that the delay would be indefinitely. The announcement says the game will launch later this fiscal year, running until March 31, 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and “later” for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch.
A new trailer for the release date was released at Disney’s D23 showcase, which also revealed a game featuring Captain America and Black Panther in a World War II setting.
The game will also receive the so-called animation Marvel’s Midnight Suns – Prequel Shorts, which narrates the events leading up to the game. The premiere is scheduled for October 31 on the Marvel channel.
“Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a true crossover that combines the phenomenal story, character relationships, customization and RPG with the tactical strategy and combat mechanics of a revolutionary new card-based game. In the darkest side of the Marvel universe, you will make connections. With the indestructible Marvel’s legendary superheroes and the dangerous supernatural Warriors in battle against the world’s greatest threat… the demonic forces of Lilith and the ancient god Chton.
Characters confirmed for Marvel’s Midnight Suns
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is from the same creators of the X-Com tactical RPG series, and the gameplay with Marvel heroes will be in the same style, but with more dynamic and fast-paced battles, since it involves characters with super powers, and not people with guns. before the aliens.
The game costs R$ 299.90 in its basic version and can go up to R$ 499.50 for the Legendary Edition, which comes with a lot of fun for the player willing to pay for it all.
The Hunter: The protagonist of Marvel’s Midnight Suns promises to be the game’s secret weapon
The daughter of the villainous Lilith, the heroine brings freedom of customization as her main strength
has PlayStation 5 Available on Amazon. Console in full version + game Horizon Forbidden West is traveling BRL 4,549.99 on Amazon. Check out these and other offers here.
Via: Game Informer


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Shef provides an outlet for local cooks to sell authentic, homemade dishes to their neighbors.
Fintech & e-commerce
Synctera’s platform matches community banks with fintech companies to enable both to scale and grow.
Digital investing platform Yieldstreet has raised $100 million in a Series C round led by Tarsadia Investments, the company said Wednesday.
With an eye on financial prediction, Truebill will provide insight on when a user’s account will overdraft and recommend preemptive actions.
The company sees a lot of unlocked potential in the app store market, but developers are bogged down by capability.
Growve is one of 100 e-commerce aggregators and the latest to bring in a significant amount of capital as the sector continues its hot streak.
Customers can find curated furniture, sourced direct from the manufacturer, that they rent on a monthly basis with flexible ownership options.
In a matter of weeks, companies are able to profit from the millions or billions of dollars in payments they process each year.
The company enables businesses to create better customer experiences by analyzing customer behavior via anonymous web, mobile and app interactions.
The Chicago-based startup, which is pre-revenue, will provide users with a virtual and physical payments card, and let them link their cross-platform...
The firm is targeting 18 to 25 companies with the new fund.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Retail stocks rose with the broader markets Monday, while retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. detailed plans to reverse seven straight quarters of declining same-store sales at Walmart U.S.
Shares of Wal-Mart
were up slightly after the company said it’s adding about 8,500 items to its shelves, launching TV advertising and working with its suppliers to lower costs. See story on Wal-Mart.
Sears Holdings Corp.’s
shares gained almost 1%. The company said it’s expanding its beauty and cosmetics department, which features such brands as L’Oreal, to more than 100 Sears locations and Sears.com.
Among other movers, Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
shares rose slightly. The No. 2 U.S. home-improvement retailer said Chief Executive Robert Niblock’s total compensation last year increased to $12.05 million from $11.7 million.
On the downside, shares of Gap Inc.
shed about 1% after the largest U.S. clothing chain was reportedly downgraded to neutral from overweight by Atlantic Equities.


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(10:30 a.m AEST) — Australia’s P&O and Princess ships are set to be reshuffled to meet increased demand for local holidays at sea, Carnival Australia announced today.
Princess Cruises’ 2,000-passenger Dawn Princess will move to the P&O fleet in May 2017, while Golden Princess will remain in Australian waters throughout 2017 (instead of returning to Japan) alongside Sun Princess and Sea Princess.
P&O Cruises senior vice president Sture Myrmell said Dawn Princess would be transformed and renamed before the transfer, becoming the largest vessel in the fleet.
“This ship is a great addition to P&O Cruises’ fleet, with her larger size opening up opportunities for new onboard product and experiences,” Myrmell said.
The renamed ship will be the sixth in P&O’s Australia-based fleet after two ex-Holland America Line ships, Ryndam and Statendam, are also handed over next month.
Princess Cruises vice president Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison said the cruise line was pleased to be able to offer locals more itineraries on Golden Princess. The 2600-passenger ship is larger and younger than Dawn Princess.
“One of Golden Princess’ key sailings for the year will be a 75-night Circle Pacific itinerary taking holidaymakers on a roundtrip cruise from Australia to Asia, Alaska and America,» Allison said.
“This will be the first time we’ve offered a world cruise from Australia on a Grand-class Princess ship so we think it will be a winner.”
Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry said the move was good news for Australians seeking more choice in cruising from their own backyard.
“These fleet changes will help us further increase the range of exciting cruise options on offer to Australians,» she said.
We’ll keep you posted when we hear more details.
Shop for Princess Cruises
Shop for P&O Cruises


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After prank, Nestle donates 3,000 boxes of Hot Pockets to charity
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It was a prank gone good.
After a Craigslist prank falsely advertised 3,000 boxes of free Hot Pockets up for grabs, Nestle — the maker of the microwaveable snack — has said it would donate the advertised amount of boxes to Boston area food banks.
The ad, which appeared on Craigslist on Wednesday and has since been taken down, read:
“Hi just recently sold my convenience store and I have 3,000 boxes of Hot Pockets and I just don’t want them to go to waste. Please call me and come grab them.”
The ad also contained Nolan Powers’ phone number. Except, Powers never had a convenience store nor did he have 3,000 boxes of Hot Pockets.
“I was at work and I started getting hundreds of phone calls, just coming in, people wanting the Hot Pockets. And it wasn’t even real,” said Powers. The 25-years-old HVAC contractor had to inform all the callers that the ad was a prank thought up by one of his friends.
- RELATED: Hot Pockets heat up with effort to lure foodies
- Not so hot pockets: Why is the frozen food industry hurting, even as more people are dining at home?
Many callers were disappointed – especially those who were calling from local food banks, schools and camps. Powers told The Boston Globe that he felt bad about these organization falling prey to a prank intended for him, so he contacted Nestle. It was The Boston Globe article about Powers that brought the “unfortunate prank” to the company’s attention.
“Hot Pockets takes very seriously the issue of combating hunger and has committed to donating 3,000 units of product to foodbanks in the Boston area,” a Nestle spokesperson said in a statement provided to Marketplace. This donation will be “beyond the regular contributions Hot Pockets and Nestle USA make to Feeding America and the nation’s food banks, and one that we’re happy to make.”
Overall, Powers said there are no hard feelings about the prank.
“I have all the text messages still,” he said, laughing. “It was pretty funny. Everybody got a good laugh out of it.”
Among the text messages Powers received from Hot Pocket enthusiasts were:
“I just assume the pizza rolls are claimed but if not, I could pick them up.”
“Hi, I’m interested in 3,000 Hot Pocket boxes. Have they been claimed yet? What flavors are there?”
Powers, a self-proclaimed “Hot Pocket guy” whose favorite flavor is pizza, is glad this prank had a happy ending.
‘We got them to donate 3,000 boxes. It was a joke in the beginning but we turned it into something good, I guess,” he said.


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PlayStation Release Horizon – Week of November 8, 2010
It’s safe to say that the lengthy lists of video gaming flow has all but came to an abrupt halt as Thanksgiving and Christmas time looms ahead. This week may appear to follow this trend at first glance until one looks at exactly what’s in store. This week, we get one of the most anticipated titles of the year along with the return of a threesome of PlayStation mascots. Check out what’s releasing this week below:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops (11/09)
- The Fight: Lights Out (11/09)
- The Sly Collection (11/09)
- No new releases
Can Call of Duty: Black Ops meet or even outdo the success of last year’s Modern Warfare 2 despite what the financial analysts are estimating?