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Coles, Woolworths and Aldi shift away from discounting in favour of bottom-line boost
The supermarket catalogues that pile up in our letterboxes are about to get a subtle change. And it could be bad news for shoppers.
Supermarket specials catalogues could feature far fewer specials in future, as Coles, Woolworths and Aldi bolster the bottom line at the expense of rock-bottom prices.
“Lower prices” are out and the far vaguer “value” is in. But we’re part of the reason, as shoppers prioritise Little Shop over big savings.
An analysis has revealed competition has become more “rational” in the grocery sector with specials down by 17 per cent.
That could be good news for big business bean counters but bad news for shoppers who rely on weekly discounts.
In a commentary released on Tuesday, market researchers Ibis World said the big grocery players were “shifting away from discounting and towards profit”. And that can only lead to one thing: higher prices.
Indeed, scouring through the latest supermarket catalogues, news.com.au has seen a number of products whose prices haven’t been cut in years. Others aren’t on special at all yet appear on a page that says “1/2 price”.
LITTLE SHOP IN, BIG SPECIALS OUT
The analysis revealed that since the start of the decade, strong price-based competition has made price discounting the typical strategy for supermarkets looking to boost market share. But this has led to “untenably low margins”.
Last year Coles’ profits fell 6.8 per cent but were still a healthy $1.5 billion; Woolies’ Australian supermarket profits rose 9.6 per cent to $1.8 billion.
Ibis World senior industry analyst James Caldwell told news.com.au the industry was now focused on plumping up its profitability.
“Changes in the pricing strategies of Australia’s major supermarkets are likely to lead to higher prices for consumers,” he said.
“Australia’s major supermarkets are increasingly focusing on improving the experience of their shoppers as opposed to generating revenue.”
And for many shoppers, that was absolutely fine, said Mr Caldwell.
“Australian consumers are increasingly seeking high-quality food products and are willing to pay more for this quality,” he said.
“Low-cost products will still be available in the form of supermarket own-brand products. However, it is expected that supermarkets, including traditional low-cost supermarkets such as Aldi, will increase the availability of premium products.”
Meal kits were an example, he said. They cost more than buying the ingredients separately but offer convenience.
The report also noted loyalty campaigns involving collectables, such as Coles’ Little Shop, have become more prevalent: “These strategy changes underline the industry’s shift from chasing revenue growth to increasing profit margins,” Mr Caldwell said.
LOW PRICES VS VALUE
Ibis World pointed to recent ad campaigns by both Aldi and Woolies that were less about low prices and more about quality and range.
Aldi, in particular, used to do very little marketing and preferred to let its prices do the talking. Now its TV ads implore customers to give them a second chance on the quality of their fresh produce.
At an investor strategy day last month, the newly listed Coles Group talked up the three activities that will bring the supermarket future growth. One aim does reference “value” but none reference lower prices.
In a presentation to analysts, the firm spruiks “price” three times but “value” 33 times. It’s an important distinction given “value” is defined as something’s worth and has nothing to do with it being cheap.
The world’s most expensive caviar can be good value if the ingredients are of the finest quality.
SHOPPERS ‘PESSIMISTIC’ ABOUT SPECIALS
Coles makes no bones that limited-time specials are being squeezed. In the same presentation it said the brand’s aim was to “move towards everyday low pricing and reduce ineffective promotions”.
Speaking at lobby group the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s conference in May, Coles grocery general manager Anna Croft said the business had become too reliant on promotions, and customers had developed discount fatigue.
“We have to work on how to develop everyday low prices — we have spent 10 years trying to crack this and haven’t done it yet,” she said according to the The Australian Financial Review.
“We know it’s hugely important to customers and we need to do it in a sustainable way and manage the decline (in promotions) over time versus going cold turkey.”
Woolworths director of buying Peter McNamara told news.com.au prices customers could “trust” to be lower for longer were increasingly of more importance than limited-time sharp cuts.
“When it comes to specials, customers see them as one way of delivering a great deal for that week, however we know that over time specials are eroding price trust, so we continue to work with many suppliers on a more sustainable model of fair and consistent pricing and reducing our reliance on short-term specials,” he said.
In addition, shoppers were also looking for choice, quality and healthier options, he said.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, food prices have generally been static or on the rise. Increased competition can lead to an overall drop in prices.
Food and drink inflation, excluding alcohol, went up by 1.3 per cent in the March quarter and 2.3 per cent year-on-year — the latter figure slightly higher then overall inflation.
One of the biggest rises was in fruit and vegetables that have gone up 7.7 per cent, partly due to the drought.
A recent analysis by Swiss bank UBS said shelf prices were now more “rational” due to a lessening in the number of promotions.
It’s “grocery price tracker”, which looks at 55,000 supermarket prices, found prices were still falling. At Woolworths, they were down by 0.4 per cent in the most recent quarter. However that was less than the almost 1 per cent drop in prices from the previous quarter. Woolies said its internal price inflation figure was flat, but excluding tobacco and fruit and veg, prices were down 1.7 per cent in the March quarter.
“We were most surprised by the size of the fall in promotional intensity across (Coles and Woolworths), particularly Woolworths. But this trend is consistent with comments from Woolworths that promotional intensity is down 17 per cent in the past two years,” the UBS report stated.
CATALOGUES NOT ALL SPECIAL
Pick up a supermarket catalogue and they are still full of price cuts, with half off here and multi buys there. But there are some more curious items featured. Increasingly, the specials catalogue includes products that aren’t limited-time specials at all. Instead, they might be listed as “prices dropped” — but that price may have dropped years ago.
In this week’s Woolies catalogue distributed in NSW, a pack of Maggi noodles is listed as $8, down from $9. But the small print shows it’s been more than three years since it was last on sale for $9. Woolworths keeps products under the “prices dropped” banner for as long as they remain below what they were previously.
The Coles NSW catalogue has a page of vegetables with seemingly no price cuts. The company said that was because fresh produce prices can fluctuate from week to week and store to store.
On another page, a large “1/2 price” graphic features on the page. Strepsils are featured on the page but, look closely, and they appear to have no reduction despite the pricing displayed in a similar style to the other products on special.
“At Coles, there are thousands of items on everyday pricing delivering exceptional and trusted value to customers year-round,” the firm said in a statement.
“However, weekly specials are also very important to our customers, and we work hard to make sure we have a great selection of discounted products so our customers can save even more.”
Snap up your specials while you can — they could all be a limited-time offer.
— Additional reporting by James Hall


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A larger share of Jio’s incremental subscribers are coming from rural areas in recent months, suggesting higher sales of its feature phone called JioPhone.
In a market correction, stocks that had rallied the most typically fall more than stocks that are already beaten down. Not so in India’s telecom sector. In the past six trading sessions, shares of Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone Idea Ltd have fallen 6.2% and 12.5%, respectively, in value. Year till date, these stocks have declined 32% and 62%, respectively. In contrast, shares of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), which houses the mammoth Reliance Jio project, have fallen merely 1.9% in the past six trading sessions. Year to date, RIL shares have gained 34%.
RIL isn’t exactly a telco stock; although it is true that a large part of the gains in the stock have accrued because of Reliance Jio’s steady upward march in the industry’s market share tables.
In fact, subscriber numbers released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India show that the pace of Reliance Jio’s market share growth has accelerated in recent months. The company had relaunched its feature phone called JioPhone in July, which helped its subscriber count grow by 11.8 million in the month. This was much higher than the average monthly addition of 9.5 million subscribers in the previous four months.
For incumbents, growth slowed dramatically. In July, Bharti Airtel’s wireless subscriber base rose by just 300,000, while the Vodafone-Idea combine’s subscriber count rose by 600,000. It was the lowest rate of subscriber addition in the past 10 months.
As pointed out in this column earlier, with none of the small telcos left to grab share from, Jio’s incremental market share gains are expected to come at the expense of large incumbents. In July, Jio’s subscriber market share rose to 19.6%, taking it ahead of both Vodafone India Ltd and Idea Cellular Ltd, which were operating as separate companies at the time. In March this year, Jio’s market share of 15.8% was considerably below Vodafone’s 18.8% share.
Of course, a larger share of Jio’s incremental subscribers are coming from rural areas in recent months, suggesting higher sales of its feature phone. The Arpu (average revenue per user) in this segment is far lower compared to the smartphone segment. As such, revenue growth may be slightly lower than subscriber growth.
More importantly, Jio’s growth is coming on the back of an increased thrust on capital spend. Cash burn can be expected to remain at high levels this year as well.
“Despite strong network metrics, Reliance spent US$2.5 billion in 1QFY19 alone, taking its telecom outlay to US$42.5bn… Telecom debt is already over ₹0.8 trillion, in our estimate, with total telecom liabilities likely to reach ₹1.9 trillion by March 2019 (₹1.4 trillion in March 2018) after adjusting for vendor dues, spectrum liabilities and the RCom deal that has begun to close,” analysts at Jefferies India Pvt. Ltd said in a note to clients.
Of course, some of the spending is related to the company’s other businesses such as home broadband. With such a high outlay, the asking rate for these businesses in terms of revenues and profit is fairly high. So as much as Jio’s fast-paced growth is commendable, investors should also look at cash flows and return ratios while valuing it. – Live Mint

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FranchiseWorks.com | Systino Takes Over Franchising
with ‘Customer Loyalty Meets Social Media’ Approach. Web-Based Software Measures Customer Satisfaction, Provides Actionable Steps for Franchise Companies
Alpharetta, GA – The recession, the boom of social media networking and rising concerns over online reputation management has created nothing less than the perfect storm for Systino to explode in franchising
… and it has.
Since first being introduced in 2008, the privately-held software company has doubled in revenues and clients each year. With an additional 25 franchise brands
signing on for its web-based customer retention and referral program in 2010 alone, Systino is on track to grow its client base to nearly 300 franchise companies
in the next few years.
Named for the Greek word "systino," which means to recommend or introduce, Systino software is rapidly catching on among both established and emerging franchisors for its ability to measure customer loyalty, as well as provide them with actionable steps for both happy and disgruntled customers. Another huge draw of Systino is that it allows franchisors to take control of their online reputations by addressing dissatisfied customers before they post complaints on Yelp! or similar public review sites, as well as giving satisfied customers the opportunity to share their positive reviews, along with coupons, with friends on Facebook
“Especially in this economy, every customer holds the fate of your business in their hands,” said Steve Baxter, founder and CEO of Systino. “The simple fact is customers must be satisfied with the service or product that you are providing, or they will shout about it from the rooftops. Systino gives businesses the opportunity to actively track exactly what their customers are saying about their service every time.”
Through Systino, customers receive an online request for feedback via email immediately following their experience with a franchisee. The immediate online results allows franchisors to capture recommendations and referrals from loyal customers (promoters), identify dissatisfied customers (detractors) and fix their problems before they leave and find out what’s keeping ‘middle-of-the-road’ customers (passives) from becoming loyal fans.
With a 35 to 55 percent customer response rate, Systino has helped thousands of franchisees retain customers and grow their business. For example, JAN-PRO Franchising recently awarded Systino its Vendor of the Year Award because of Systino’s positive impact on the franchise system
. “In the past two years, JAN-PRO has retained $10 million worth of business which we attribute to Systino software,” said Rich Kissane, President and CEO of JAN-PRO Franchising.
Systino founder and CEO Steve Baxter has devoted his career to identifying and solving challenges faced by businesses. As the economic downturn began he discovered an issue that all businesses were facing — no one had an effective way to measure customer loyalty and turn that data into actionable events to hold on to their customers, and businesses were losing customers because of it. Franchisors, with networks of hundreds of thousands of small business owners, provided an ideal environment to introduce the Systino software.
Systino is a cutting-edge, web-based, customer loyalty, retention and referral tool that allows franchise businesses
to measure and improve customer loyalty, and also to capture recommendations (i.e., referrals) from loyal customers to grow their customer base. Systino’s easy-to-use software enables franchises
around the globe to sustain and grow businesses through the use of loyalty best practices.
As a privately-held software company based in Atlanta, Systino is wholly committed to the idea that making customers deliriously happy dramatically grows businesses, and is a ‘win’ for everyone involved.
If you would like more information about owning a franchise
, go to http://www.franchiseworks.com
FranchiseWorks.com was established in 1999 with the goal of providing qualified prospective entrepreneurs with the right franchise or business opportunity that meets his or her needs. We showcase hundreds of franchise
and business opportunities
in a variety of industries including new start-ups to established companies. www.FranchiseWorks.com
also has information on franchise financing sources, business opportunity and franchise trade show schedules
along with the latest franchise news
. For additional franchise information
or the franchise blog


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has announced that it will supply the water for the Bushfire Bash between the Vietnam Swans and Bali Geckos on 28 March at RMIT University in District 7, Saigon.
La Vie Water, which first sponsored the Vietnam Swans in October last year, is one of the strongest brands in Vietnam. Established in 1992, La Vie is 65 per cent owned by the world’s leading company in bottled water, Nestle Water.
General Director of La Vie Water, Mr Gilles Duc said that La Vie would be “happy to provide water for the match again, especially as it is for a good cause in addition to a good sport.”
The Vietnam Swans sincerely thank for its generous suppport.


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Storytelling in the industry can get granular—all the way down to furniture. Everything in the room, lobby and pool area is pulled together by a common thread, a connected theme. The designer takes a look at the property’s surroundings and constructs a story with the details.
“We’re seeing a trend in furniture focused on the curation process that results in a bespoke collection of curated pieces; a unique mix of pieces that are one of a kind, handcrafted and eclectic,” said Reggi Nichols, president and founding partner at waldrop+nichols studio. “This found and cultivated approach creates design within furniture.”
What also goes into design conceptualization these days are experiences, especially adventures inspired by travel and exploration. “We can use these experiences within our own charrettes to help establish an aesthetic direction focused on inviting living room-like spaces, that trends away from the traditional formality we’ve seen in the past,” she said.
Comforting experiences go beyond the guestroom and lobby; they reach the outdoors. “In this realm, form is the function,” said Sherry Dennis, senior interiors associate at Stonehill Taylor. “Outdoor furniture keeps comfort in mind, encouraging guests to lounge, relax and enjoy. This is different than a dining or desk chair that is specifically designed to keep you upright while eating or tasking.”
Furniture has become part of a larger picture. “Hotel designers and owners are moving away from purchasing furniture sets and pacings—and moving more toward curating the guestrooms and public spaces to incorporate the local environment and storytelling,” said Sajni Patel, VP, Hawkeye Hotels. The idea is to “create more unique designs, instead of matching pieces.”
“Since hotels are now competing with homesharing sites like Airbnb, where guests can have all the comforts of home for prices comparable to hotels, hotels are more inclined to design furniture that looks and feels residential,” she said.
While there’s also an emphasis on integrated casegood packages, there’s a cost. “They look nice in a model room, but they’re very hard to install,” said Marc Gensler, director of sales at Furniture Industries Inc. “What will happen in the future to those pieces? They’ll likely need to be thrown out versus resold to a liquidator.” These packages tend to be a bit pricey, too, he acknowledged.
From a designer’s perspective, there has been a “balance of distressed finishes offset by highly polished and refined surfaces, a balance between textures, often accented with unexpected pops of color,” Nichols said.
“We love using this detail to bring new life to a classic look,” she said. “We’re also seeing a balance of shapes by blending long, linear elements with curving, exaggerated features. Open and high back mixed with solid and opaque brings a twist to proportion, texture and balance.”
Designers have been experimenting more with color for outdoor furniture, too. “Originally, outdoor fabrics were very limited in color and pattern,” Dennis said. “Now, there’s much more experimentation and freedom, even illustrated by the use of colored metals and woods.”
Going green is always top of mind for designers constructing outdoor experiences for all guests. “New trends include ‘going green,’ combining different materials and style, selecting colors to gain positive vibes, creating ambiance with solar lighting, and sourcing furniture that can be used both indoors and outdoors,” said Jigs Gandhi, corporate director of procurement and IT services at M&R Hotel Management. “Natural materials are in and plastic is out.”
There has also been a focus on designing furniture for both outdoor and indoor use. Gandhi believes this particular market trend is the “next big thing.”
There are design aspects to consider when creating the guest experience. “Owners are likely looking for durability, while guests are hoping for a resort-like escape or a more relaxing atmosphere where they can work and catch up on emails,” Dennis said.
Manufacturers are continuing to integrate furniture with technology. “As technology continues to be at the forefront of design, we are now seeing the sleek and seamless incorporation of connectivity with furniture,” Nichols said. “The expected mindset of multipurpose, integrated and convenient drives furniture design.”
There are some who aren’t too fond of some technological advances within the guestroom. For example, there’s been an increase in furniture equipped with power outlets, USB ports or both. While these products are considered to be guest-friendly, they’re not necessarily in the property’s best interest, according to Gensler, who pointed out the charging time. (It typically takes a longer amount of time for the mobile device to charge.) “I find this to not be very cost-effective or a good long-term solution,” he said. “It’s more convenient to have outlets on lamps or a hardwired quad outlet just above nightstand height on the walls.”


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MTU Aero Engines increased revenue by 27 per cent to €5.3 billion in 2022, compared to the previous year.
Operating profit increased by 40 per cent from €468 million to €655 million. The adjusted EBIT margin rose from 11.2 per cent in 2021 to 12.3 per cent in 2022. Net income developed in line with the operating profit and rose 39 per cent to €476 million in 2022.
“These figures highlight the profitable growth path of MTU Aero Engines in 2022,” said CEO Lars Wagner. “After the first nine months, we were able to raise our guidance and at year-end we significantly exceeded our earnings forecast and fully achieved our cash flow forecast.”
At the end of October, MTU forecast group revenue to be between €5.4 billion and €5.5 billion. “Our revenue for the year was €5.3 billion, which was slightly below our target, because revenue in both the OEM and the MRO business fell slightly short of our expectations as a result of the volatility of supply chains,” Wagner stated.
The guidance for adjusted EBIT was an increase in the low thirty-percent range. MTU forecast that adjusted net income would develop in line with the operating profit. “Based on the current market outlook, the supply-side situation and the development of exchange rates, we are revising the 2023 revenue and earnings targets issued at our Capital Market Day in November,” said Wagner.
MTU expects to report revenue of between €6.1 billion and €6.3 billion in 2023. In November 2022, it forecast that revenue would be between €6.4 billion and €6.6 billion. “The revised guidance is mainly due to a change in our assumption on the US dollar exchange rate,” explained Wagner.
MTU’s forecast is now based on a US dollar/euro exchange rate of 1.10 per euro instead of the previous assumption of 1.05. Commercial series business is expected to post the highest revenue increase, with organic revenue growth being up around 30 per cent. In the spare parts business, organic revenue growth should be in the high teens- to low twenty-per cent range in 2023. In the commercial maintenance business, organic revenue growth is expected to be in the high teens percentage range. All three forecasts are unchanged.
Detailing the mid-term outlook, Wagner said: “We want to continue to grow beyond 2023. Our target formula is 8–1–25, in other words: revenue of €8 billion and earnings of €1 billion in 2025.”
MRO leads the way
MTU’s highest revenue growth in 2022 was 32 per cent to €3.6 billion in commercial maintenance. Around 70 per cent of the revenue mix was work in MTU’s core MRO business and around 30 per cent comprised maintenance work on the Geared Turbofan.
“On a dollar basis, MRO reported a 17 per cent rise in revenue, which was not quite as strong as had been anticipated. That was due to longer turnaround times in commercial maintenance,” reported CFO Peter Kameritsch. MTU had expected organic revenue growth of around 20 per cent in the commercial maintenance business. The main revenue drivers in this business were the PW1100G-JM engine for the A320neo and the V2500, which is used in the classic A320.
At year-end 2022, MTU’s order backlog was at the prior-year level at €22.3 billion. The majority of orders were for Geared Turbofan engines for the PW1000G family, especially the PW1100G-JM, and the V2500. Wagner said: “This renewed high level is further evidence of the sustained demand for our products. In commercial maintenance, we secured new order wins worth U.S.$3.6 billion in 2022. That reflects the pick-up in air traffic and the confidence placed in us by our customers.”
In 2022, MTU posted a hike in earnings in the commercial maintenance business. Adjusted EBIT increased by 80 per cent from €149 million to €268 million. The adjusted EBIT margin in the MRO business rose from 5.4 to 7.4 per cent.


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Subaru’s only plant in Japan, which accounts for 60% of global production, is set to shut down. The Japanese manufacturer found a defect with a power steering component, which could result in a shutdown of up to two weeks. Though, Subaru says production could restart as early as Monday.
This defect only affected Foresters, Imprezas and XV Crosstrek models. However, Subaru produces all of their cars on the same line. Thus, shutting down the plant for just those three models has resulted in a production halt for every car built there. Though, the cause of the defect is still unknown.
How much will it cost Subaru?
According to Automotive News, one analyst estimated a dent in operating profits of $123 million, should the plant be closed for just one week. However, Subaru has made no formal comment about the financial affect this could have on the company. Although, Subaru’s earnings are already on track for their third-straight drop annually. This certainly won’t help.
Is the Indiana plant affected?
Subaru said that they were investigating whether or not the Indiana manufacturing plant has been affected by a similar issue. However, they have not halted production from this plant at this time.
We will keep you posted on further developments resulting from this Subaru Plant closure. So, stay tuned to TFLcar.com for the latest news, views & real-world reviews. While you are waiting to hear more updates on the plant closure, why not check out one of our videos?
We have our own Outback, as it turns out. Watch the video below to see how the Outback performs in the snowiest of conditions:


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July 10, 2015
For Immediate Release
The Nature Conservancy
Robin Stanton, (206) 436-6274
Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Mike Skinner, (206) 780-6228
12 Budding Entrepreneurs to Compete for $20,000
Washington Coast Works Sustainable Small Business Competition Enters New Phase
WASHINGTON COAST—Twelve finalists from coastal communities have been chosen to participate in an intensive small-business boot camp in Forks for the Washington Coast Works: Sustainable Small Business Competition (wacoastworks.org).
The boot camp, July 30-Aug. 2, will include workshops on entrepreneurship, business, and sustainability. Following boot camp, finalists will have access to one-on-one technical assistance from experienced business advisors to develop and refine their business concepts, before going on to compete for $20,000 in startup funding, along with ongoing training and support.
First place winner will receive $10,000 in startup funding, while two second-place winners will receive $5,000 each. Prize funding is provided by First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Port Angeles and the Quinault Indian Nation.
The finalists are:
- Elizabeth Alexandra (Aberdeen) – launching a worker cooperative to collect food waste for production and sale of compost.
- Emily Foster (Forks/ Quileute Nation) – launching a business that smokes and sells locally caught fish to both residents and tourists.
- Liz Ellis (Aberdeen) – launching a business providing low-income housing with community gardens.
- Anna Kim (Westport) – launching a business to manufacture and sell sustainable “papercrete” landscaping materials using recycled paper
- Robert Long (Neah Bay/Makah Tribe) – launching a business to produce and sell sustainably farmed seaweed and shellfish.
- Kelsey Pearson (Forks) – launching a food cooperative that will offer a diverse array of local food and produce to the community.
- Linda Reeves (Queets/Quinault Indian Nation) – launching a market place for Native arts and crafts, as well as local produce and food.
- Roxanne Eison (Taholah/Quinault Indian Nation) – expanding her existing forest thinning business to include sustainable harvesting and sale of salal.
- Greg Larsen (Hoquiam) – launching a business to manufacture alternative, affordable and sustainable housing using shipping containers.
- Mark Ray (Neah Bay/Makah Tribe) – launching a coffee shop featuring local coffee roasters, craft beers, wines, and foods.
- Jean Ramos (Queets/Quinault Indian Nation) – launching a business to sell traditional Native medicinal products.
- Michael Myers (Cosmopolis) – launching a consulting business focusing on converting waste to energy using methane digesters.
The competition is being presented by the Taala Fund, the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship at Pinchot University, and The Nature Conservancy in an effort to diversify the local economy through the development of new small businesses, build business leadership in local communities, grow a constituency that supports conservation and sustainable natural resource use, and ultimately contribute to a new vision of sustainable community and economic development on the Washington Coast.


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Harmar Adds to Its Operations, Engineering & Quality Teams
- By Laurie Watanabe
- Jul 15, 2013
Harmar has added several new hires to its operations, engineering and quality teams, the accessibility manufacturer has announced in a new release.
Mark Welcer is Harmar's new chief operating officer and will be in charge of all internal operations covering production, quality and engineering systems. Welcer also becomes Harmar's new chief compliance officer.
In announcing Welcer's hire, Chad Williams, Harmar's CEO, said, "Mark brings the wealth of experience that will support Harmar's growth by ensuring that we have not only the most efficient operational systems, but also the most innovative products available in the industry. The quality and compliance of every product and process is priority number one. Our customers are already experiencing the benefits of our improved team and can expect great things to come."
Reporting to Welcer are new hires Les Smith, engineering director, and David Sapuppo, quality assurance director.
Harmar says Smith has more than 30 years' experience in engineering and operations and will be responsible for product engineering from development through manufacturing and facilities management.
Sapuppo has more than 20 years' experience in managing manufacturing operations to incorporate leading-edge technology systems.
About the Author
Laurie Watanabe is the editor of Mobility Management. She can be reached at email@example.com.


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This one is a big win for Micromax. According to Canalys, a respected market research firm, the Indian company has beaten Samsung and has now become the number one smartphone vendor in the country. While the difference between Samsung and Micromax is marginal on the basis of the figures from the fourth quarter of 2014, it is significant that the local firm has beaten the global giant on at least one, albeit important, parameter.
"This incredible performance is partly due to Micromax's continuing appeal to mobile phone users upgrading to smart phones. Its flagship line of products has also very effectively targeted the Rs 9,000 to Rs 12,000 segment. Addressing these important segments has helped it take a 22 per cent share of the total smart phone market in India, ahead of Samsung at 20 per cent," Canalys wrote in a blog post.
Canalys analyst Rushabh Doshi said that price-sensitivity of the market and the local customisations have helped Micromax.
"Micromax has been quicker than its competitors to improve the appeal of devices, for example, by including a wide variety of local languages on its Unite phones. (Also) vital to success is selling these handsets at low price points to appeal to the bulging mid-level income market in India," he said.
For Samsung the loss of crown in India comes just weeks after Canalys put Xiaomi ahead of the Korean company in China, a very important market given its size. In China too Samsung was earlier number one but now that position is occupied by Xiaomi, a local company.
The numbers from Canalys are, however, unique to it. Given the low difference in numbers of Samsung and Micromax, it is possible that other research firms like IDC and Gartner may show a different position in their quarterly reports, which are likely to be out in the coming weeks. All research firms use different ways to track smartphone markets.
That said, even if the IDC or Gartner numbers are different, for Micromax it is a significant moment of triumph. Until one year ago Samsung's position in the market looked unassailable. But as the number of first-time smartphones users grow, companies like Micromax have been able to capitalise on the growth in a better way compared to Samsung, which has remained hesitant in serving the needs of consumers in entry and mid-level segment.
Canalys said that in Q4 2014 in India, 23 per cent of shipments were of devices priced under Rs 6,000 while 41 per cent were of devices in the Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000 bracket.
"Overall, the Indian market experienced very strong annual growth of 90 per cent, with 21.6 million units shipping in the quarter. The other major local vendors continued to jostle for third and fourth places. The top four players in Q4 2014 in India by units shipped were Micromax, Samsung, Karbonn and Lava," said Canalys.
The competition in the mid and low end of the market is so fierce that even Micromax is feeling the heat. In 2014, both Xiaomi and Motorola made serious inroads in the Indian market with their aggressively priced phones. Another company that tried to cash in on the smartphone craze was Asus, which too relied on aggressively priced phones to create buzz. Recently, Lenovo, which now also owns Motorola, announced A6000 phone, a phone priced at Rs 6,999.
Samsung, which has tried to compete by focusing on the brand value of its Galaxy phones, doesn't seem to have an answer to devices like Micromax Yu Yureka or Xiaomi RedMi Note. To attract first-time buyers recently it launched Z1, a phone that uses Tizen software. While the phone looks good, it may find it difficult to compete with the likes of the Asus ZenFone 4 and RedMi 1S, which have similar price but offer support for more apps.


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The Pokemon Go Throwback Challenge was a big part of the game during May 2020 and June is kicking off with the final Champion event.
Developers Niantic has confirmed that the Throwback Challenge 2020 Champion celebrations will be starting today, Wednesday, June 3, 2020, at 1pm local time.
That means gamers in the UK have less than 24-hours before the next big event kicks off in the world of Pokemon Go.
If you managed to complete all of the Timed Research sets from May, you will have unlocked the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research in time for launch day.
Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research will be going live soon and will give Trainers the chance to earn Rare Candies, as well as encounters with Genesect, Galarian Meowth and Galarian Stunfisk.
Professor Willow’s glasses is another bonus being made available during the event, which only runs for a few days.
The big Pokemon Throwback Challenge ends on Monday, June 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m local time, leaving less than a week to complete all the research.
For those who didn’t complete the Pokemon Research from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, Niantic is making it possible to purchase a ticket for the Throwback Challenge Champion.
This ticket will also provide extra rewards for those who have completed the research.
“If you missed completing any of the four Timed Research lines—required to unlock the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research—you can still access the same tasks and rewards the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research provides by purchasing a ticket in the shop for the Throwback Challenge Celebration 2020 Special Research,” Niantic confirmed in May.
“If you already have access to the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research, you can purchase a ticket to receive a version of the Throwback Challenge Celebration 2020 Special Research with slightly different rewards.”
You’ll also receive a version of the Throwback Challenge Celebration 2020 Special Research with the following changes: each time you would’ve earned a reward encounter with a Pokémon, you instead will earn 10 Candies for that specific Pokémon, and you’ll earn Stardust instead of Professor Willow’s glasses.
If you earn the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research, you’ll receive the following:
- Encounters with Galarian Meowth and Galarian Stunfisk! This will be their first appearance in Pokémon GO.
- Research tasks that lead to encounters with Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region, such as Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Blitzle, Audino, Darumaka, Gothita, and Genesect.
- A chance to earn exciting rewards, including Professor Willow’s glasses as an exclusive avatar item.
And for those who aren’t participating in the event, this is some stuff that will be available to all Pokemon Go Trainers:
- Galarian Stunfisk will be making its Pokémon Go debut – Find it in the wild, in raids, and as a Throwback Challenge 2020 Special Research reward encounter.
- Pokemon that will be hatching from eggs: Galarian Meowth, Galarian Zigzagoon, Galarian Darumaka, and Galarian Stunfisk. Try evolving Galarian Meowth, Galarian Zigzagoon, and Galarian Darumaka.
- Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region will be appearing more frequently in the wild.
Pokemon Go is a free game that can be downloaded on Android and iOS devices and can now be played without needing to leave your home.
Published at Wed, 03 Jun 2020 01:01:00 +0000


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Its been almost three months since Mojang announced that Minecraft PS4, PS Vita and Xbox One would release in August of this year. People have been hounding 4J Studios since the beginning of August for a release date in which they replied:
We're still working our way through the bugs. We'll let you know when we hand over to the Cert testing teams!
— 4J Studios (@4JStudios) August 9, 2014
Well 4J Studios just announced via twitter that Minecraft PS4 has just hit certification. From what I have read Sony certification can take around to 2 to 3 weeks so we just might get it before the end of August. 4J Studios also went on to tell everyone about the PS Vita and Xbox One builds.
— 4J Studios (@4JStudios) August 12, 2014
Earlier this month The Vita Lounge reported on a possible leaked release date of 8/19 from Gamestop for the Xbox One version. I’m not sure how long Microsoft certification is but I doubt The xbox one version will release next Tuesday. TVL also spotted a Minecraft PS Vita ad on Sky TV which stated a September release. Although it’s not uncommon for Europe to get releases later that the US but September launch time-frame seems more likely given those versions haven’t hit certification yet.
For those that have waited patiently for these versions to release this month you might have to wait little longer. In the mean time enjoy a new Minecraft PS Vita trailer 4J Studios just shared via twitter.


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Make the Switch: Epson’s President affirms company’s commitment to a more sustainable future
New research reveals European businesses not capitalising on energy efficient IT
Epson announces commitment to helping customers shrink environmental footprint
Innovative Epson robotics sensors unveiled on Company’s 30th “Robotics” anniversary year in Europe
Strategic shift from consumer to business inkjet printers continues
Epson, a global innovation leader in printing, wearable devices, robotics and visual communications, announced at a press conference in Düsseldorf its commitment to a sustainable business future, supported by new independent sustainability research on eco-innovation in the workplace. At the event, Epson President, Mr. Minoru Usui, stressed Epson’s commitment to leveraging its unique technologies to contribute to a sustainable society. Other announcements included Epson’s vision for “The New Age of Robotics”, celebrating 30 years of Epson robots on the European market.
Reinforcing the company’s ongoing expansion into business markets were the findings from research conducted by industry analyst firm Quocirca which found that most European companies are not capitalising on eco sustainable technology. The research, which took place over April and May 2016 and covers the opinions of IT purchasers across 500 European organisations on sustainability, comes at a time when these organisations are facing increasing pressure to report on the triple bottom line and drive more eco-innovation internally.
Epson President, Mr. Minoru Usui comments: “As a company, our sustainability ambitions go beyond the technology that reduces the environmental impact of our products. As can be seen from the research, a sustainable future can only be achieved when backed up by business action. Epson wants to fundamentally change the behaviour and businesses of our customers by providing products, services, and functions to enable a more efficient office and a better, more sustainable future”.
Despite cost and sustainability pressures, the research found that just 23% of European companies are realising the full potential of energy efficient technology1. Stark differences in attitudes were revealed between large enterprises and SMEs, with 74% of large enterprises viewing sustainability as a high priority compared to only 33% for SMEs. Larger enterprises (39%) were more likely to be using energy-efficient IT compared to smaller enterprises (8%), with SMEs perceiving cost as the main barrier1.
Rob Clark, Senior Vice President, Epson Europe, highlights that: “Making the switch from laser to inkjet printers, for example, can help companies achieve energy savings of up to 96%, CO2 emission reductions of 92% and waste reductions of 95%. Therefore, offering not only cost efficiencies but energy efficiencies too.” Over half of respondents (56%) state they plan to make the switch to inkjet over the next 12 months.
“The best is yet to come,” adds Mr. Usui, “we will continue to refine our technologies across our four innovation areas (inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics) to increase the value provided to our customers and to enhance our contribution to environmental improvements. Our targets are ambitious but the scale of the environmental challenges our world faces requires strong responses and we want to continue to be leaders in making a difference. It is our duty as a manufacturer.”
- The New Age of Robots: new Epson robot force sensors enable automation of difficult tasks
Epson robots have been commercially available in Europe for 30 years, and today, continuing this strong heritage the company announced the development of its S250 series of high precision sensors for robots. When used in combination with robots such as Epson’s new N-series, will enable robots to automatically modulate the force they apply to objects, allowing the automation of complex tasks that formerly required human sensory perception.
The sensors are a significant development for Epson and for the manufacturing industry, bringing the company a step further toward achieving its goal of creating a world in which robots support people in a wide variety of situations, where humans and robots coexist and where technology will help free people from manual labour to allow them to focus on more creative work. In addition, Epson is committed to plans to expand into non-manufacturing and service industry applications (such as healthcare and service in the home).
- Global Strategy and Corporate Vision for 2025
Epson is poised for its next phase of growth and consequently, has established a new corporate vision outlining the path the company will follow over the next decade, a mid-range business plan for the first phase towards achieving the vision. The Epson 25 Corporate Vision takes into consideration changes in the business environment and global mega trends, and describes where Epson wants to be in 2025. Innovation will be driven across four areas, namely: inkjet innovation; visual innovation; wearables innovation; and, robotics innovation.
Reinforcing the company’s commitment to the European market, Rob Clark, Senior Vice President Epson Europe, talked to the company’s €50 Million investment in Europe (principally focussed on infrastructure, IT, marketing and workforce expansion), part of its overall €2 billion European growth plan, which looked to strengthen European sales capabilities and increase workforce by 10%. Moving forward, global investments in key regions such as Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be paramount to sustaining growth in business markets over the medium to long-term.


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|This Teamster supported striking Walmart workers last year.
|LA Teamsters taking arrests for Walmart strikers
You can support by signing onto a solidarity statement here. Please sign onto the statement by Tuesday June 3! You can also participate in a local action in your city or state. To find a local action click here.
Teamsters have been in the midst of the broad movement to raise wages and get the U.S. economy moving again. Recently, striking port drivers at the Port of LA/Long Beach marched alongside Teamsters, longshoremen and Walmart workers to protest retaliation against drivers who tried to form a union for better pay and working conditions. Teamsters and Taylor Farms workers who hope to become Teamsters stood in solidarity with fast-food worker strikes. Some of our brothers in Los Angeless got arrested during a Walmart strike last year. And Teamsters all over the country have supported striking low-wage workers in warehouses, at fast food restaurants, at government-contracted worksites and at Walmart stores.
Walmart workers and supporters in the trade union movement say they intend to stage a new series of protests over wages and conditions at America's largest private employer, in which they will target the firm's family-friendly ethic ahead of its annual shareholders meeting next week.
Hundreds of so-called “Walmart moms” who work at stores across the US plan a number of strikes in 20 cities nationwide. Others will travel to Arkansas, the company’s home state, to provide a visual presence to shareholders, workers’ rights groups said on Thursday.
The actions will follow a series of “Black Friday” rallies last year, which came after a House of Representatives committee report found taxpayers were subsidising workers at just one Walmart store to the tune of $1m a year in food stamps and other public-assistance programmes, because of the low wages they took home.So if you want to show solidarity with Walmart associates, click here.


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Japanese companies cater to growing appetite for meat-free alternative foods
10:44 JST, August 23, 2021
A variety of plant-based alternative foodstuffs have come to market recently, delivering drastically improved taste and texture thanks to technological innovations.
These products are proving popular among health-conscious consumers, and the trend is encouraging food makers to go all out to release and promote new alternatives, hoping to explore new food cultures.
Meat alternatives, which are often based on soybeans, are a prime example.
In July, Seibu Ikebukuro department store sold four faux meat dishes for a limited period, including Next Galbi Kuromame Itame Don, a rice bowl topped with a stir-fried meat substitute. The store also set up a pop-up booth at the entrance on its first basement floor to sell meat alternatives.
The four dishes all used plant-based meat developed by Tokyo-based start-up Next Meats Co. It’s said to be almost impossible to tell the product apart from real meat. The company said it enjoyed brisk sales of prepared food in July, which rose 30% year-on-year at some stores.
FamilyMart Co. released seven products using meat alternatives from late June to mid-July. Sales increased by about 30% compared with when similar products were released in January. In August, the convenience store chain released a keema curry using soybean-based ground meat.
Protein-rich soybean has been called “meat of the field.” Since the alternatives these days taste almost like real meat, they are appreciated by those who want to eat meat but avoid animal fat. Some consumers appreciate the eco-friendly aspect of meat alternatives, which have a lower carbon dioxide footprint than livestock farming.
¥1.8 trillion market
Yano Research Institute Ltd. estimates that the global alternative meats market will grow from about ¥250 billion in 2020 to about ¥1.8 trillion in 2030. The growing demand will accelerate the use of advance technologies in this field.
A future shortage of protein sources has been feared amid the growing world population. Cultured meat — in which meat cells are cultivated to multiply and create muscle tissue — as a kind of meat alternative is expected to be a means of solving this problem.
Last year, Mitsubishi Corp. invested in a Dutch company that develops cultured ground beef. Production of cultivated meat costs from ¥200,000 to ¥1 million per 100 grams, posing a cost problem.
“The technology is rapidly advancing, and it may become commercially available in about five to 10 years,” a Mitsubishi official said.
Nissin Foods Holdings Co. is working with the University of Tokyo and other research institutions to make steak from cow muscle cells.
Kumamoto-based start-up Daiz Inc. developed Miracle Meat from sprouted whole soybeans using artificial intelligence to re-create the taste of meat. Miracle Meat has been distributed to such supermarkets as Life Corp. since spring, and Daiz quadrupled its production capacity in June with investment from Marubeni Corp. and other firms.
Fish, cheese alternatives
Alternatives for foods other than meat are also gaining a foothold.
Azuma Foods Co., a processed food producer and wholesaler in Mie Prefecture that specializes in seafood, plans to sell online seafood alternatives for tuna, salmon and squid using powder made from konjak as a main ingredient starting in September. It cooperated with a Taiwan manufacturer to develop a product that resembles a block of sashimi.
“Pregnant women refraining from raw fish can feel safe about eating our product,” the company said.
Maebashi-based Sagamiya Foods Co. developed a cheese alternative using soy milk that recreates the texture of melted cheese. Its sales in fiscal 2020 were 2.3 times higher than the previous year.
Kewpie Corp.’s Hobotama, which is made of processed soy milk, re-creates the look and texture of scrambled eggs and currently sells for professional use.
“We received more feedback than expected. We’d like to commercialize it for the consumer market,” a Kewpie official in charge of development said.
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The Sultanate of Oman's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) and Food Safety and Quality Center (FSQC) assured the safety of all agricultural products imported from abroad, especially those coming from the Arab Republic of Egypt, in response to a post by a citizen who questioned the safety and quality of Egyptian crops.
In its response to the citizen, Food Safety and Quality Center stated: "We would like to inform you that the center monitors local and imported agricultural products, and verifies the products' compliance with the approved standard specifications."
The Center added: "The center verifies the authenticity of certificates issued from abroad. These certificates are also attested by the Sultanate's embassies abroad. There was a delegation from the Sultanate of Oman that visited the Arab Republic of Egypt to see the extent of its commitment to the safety standards of exported products to the Sultanate. There is an exchange of visits and experiences between the center and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, in addition to the central laboratory for food safety, which has the latest technologies and modern devices that enable it to ensure the safety and quality of products."
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources said in a statement on its Twitter account:”The Ministry would like to clarify what is being circulated about information originating from the media of one of the countries that Oman has stopped taking samples of agricultural shipment that is exported to the Sultanate, as the Ministry states that this information is incorrect and that all imports of agricultural products from all countries are subject to examination and analysis according to a food control program based on an assessment of the risk system from the competent authorities in the ministry.”
The statement continued: “The Ministry clarifies that a team from the Center for Food Safety and Quality and the Agricultural Quarantine Department visited the country at its request to find out about aspects and export regulations in it, and the team confirmed that agricultural products in the country and exported to the Sultanate of Oman come from sources registered by the concerned regulatory authorities and farms are monitored to ensure correct agricultural practices.”
© Muscat Media Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
By: Times News Service


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For those not in the know, talk of a company wanting to devalue their company’s data might inspire fears of ruthless competitors coming to steal a precious resource. But in fact, Bluefin, the company whose core mission is devaluing data, does not want to steal your information; it wants to shield your data from that very outcome.
As more digital marketing and customer management solutions come online, security breaches are happening with increasing frequency. The threat is becoming a real issue for merchants, who are now faced with growing concerns among consumers and tightened privacy restrictions from government controllers.
Amazon’s convenience stores rely heavily on location technology to track consumers’ movements inside buildings. Cameras analyze shopping behaviors, strategically placed microphones listen to conversations, and information about consumers’ shopping habits is stored in a central database that Amazon can reference for future operational and strategic planning.
“As cashierless stores take off, more and more personal and payment data will be transmitted through phones and mobiles devices and stored in cloud-based software platforms,” says Ruston Miles, chief strategy officer at Bluefin. “This means that hackers will have more network access to this data through vulnerable providers and merchants.”


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Go. Beach eyes cannabis task force ahead of retail pot sales rollout
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – With miles of beaches, plenty of restaurants and things to do, Virginia Beach attracts thousands of visitors every year. Many in the resort town want this to continue.
“I don’t think we wanted to create the perception that Virginia Beach is a marijuana destination,” said Randy Thompson of Virginia Beach. “It’s not criticizing this industry. We see the positives. It’s just that we wouldn’t want a liquor store on every corner either.
Thompson is the vice chairman of the Resort Advisory Commission, a kind of city watchdog that brings concerns and ideas to council members.
The group’s latest proposal is to create a cannabis working group. The idea came about while talking with Councilor Guy Tower.
They want to make sure there’s a plan in place so there isn’t a flood of businesses selling marijuana, especially along the waterfront – a hotspot for tourists.
“How do you control that so that passing families don’t walk through a cloud of smoke every two blocks,” Thompson said.
News 3 posed these questions to the governor. His office evaded the question of how marijuana sales would be regulated. Instead, they said any changes to the process would come from the legislature.
Recreational marijuana is now legal to possess, consume, and grow in Virginia, but you still can’t buy it legally until 2024.
Even though the case is still a few years away, the Virginia Beach City Council would like to talk about it.
Councilman Michael Berlucchi agrees to launch a task force.
“We need to bring all parties to the table — zoning officials, law enforcement, business leaders, concerned citizens,” Berlucchi said.
Berlucchi said retail sales could boost the economy and jobs if rolled out in the best way that works for everyone.
“Be really thoughtful and strategic about how Virginia Beach responds to the changing laws and policies coming out of Richmond, so that we can better serve our community, the people who live here, and the people who visit here,” he said. declared.
The formation of a task force in the city is still in its early stages. Berlucchi said the city council is still discussing it, but thinks a majority of them want to move forward with creating one. There’s just no timeline yet for when that will happen.
A spokesperson for Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office sent the following statement when asked by News 3 about the regulation of retail marijuana sales:
“Marijuana retail in Virginia is illegal, any market/process changes there will be determined by the legislature.”
The spokesperson also pointed to the governor’s previous comments on the amended legislation in which Governor Youngkin said, “Well, there was a very active independent commission on the hemp bill and we reflected a great many of the needs that were highlighted by this commission. In fact, to clarify where certain levels of marijuana possession would be penalized and at what level – this was a very important amendment for law enforcement. We increased the age of 21, to buy hemp-related products…we felt that delta 8 and in particular the dangerous synthetic Delta 8 should be taken off the shelves.And of course, we preserved access to CBD to the market…and it clarified some areas that needed to be clarified in order for this bill to do all that it was supposed to do.
Governor Youngkin proposes to ban sales of Delta 8-THC in Virginia
From Seed to Harvest: Virginia Beach’s Grow Maid Educates People About Growing Their Own Weed


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Rumor got around that iPhone just might get four cores, which would probably put a smile on every Apple-fan’s face. Although this is still a rumor, the chance that it will happen is quite real, as Imagination Technologies is set to announce PowerVR SGX543 today.
The PowerVR SGX543 comes with GPGPU acceleration and will reportedly bring 40% better shader performance together with 2.5 times the image processing power of an ARM Cortex-8 CPU. It can supposedly outperform a 600MHz ARM in traditional benchmarks and still not be too power-consuming. Note that company still claims that little has been done on consumption, as they’ve concentrated on highest possible performance.
Only one core on this multi core is said to deliver 35 million polygons per second and a fill rate of 1 gigapixel per second, all that at 200MHz, which is quite impressive. Additionally, the company claims that such a chip would allow GPGPU applications like printing, scanning and document faxing, which is not quite a common Smartphone feature.
Since the iPhone packs roughly the PSP’s muscle, this overhaul would also make the iPhone a thorn in Sony’s and Nintendo’s behind when it comes to the field of mobile-gaming market. iPhone “quad” is rumored to require firmware 3.0, but we’ve no info on that as of yet.
More here and here.


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NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday put hydroxychloroquine on the prohibited list for exports to prevent a rush of shipments out of the country after US President Trump suggested that the anti-malaria drug could help fight Covid-19.
In a notification on Wednesday, the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) has put hydroxychloroquine and formulations made from it on the prohibited list. The drug joins ventilators, sanitisers and face masks on a list of items whose exports have been barred.
There are, however, a few exceptions. For instance, exports will be permitted from special economic zones and export-oriented units as well as to meet the export obligation under the advance license scheme. Shipments will also be allowed if an irrevocable letter of credit was issued before the notification or if full advance payment has been received.


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Hey, look, free stuff! Marvel is taking another shot at giving away more than 700 #1 issues of its comics through its digital service. That's thousands of pounds of comics, for free. Read More >>
Comixology, the biggest provider of digital comic books and the engine behind the Marvel and DC apps, just announced it's got a new automatic bookmark feature called Continue. That's great—and it's about time. Read More >>
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By Abhay V
Microsoft says Xbox Series X and S will leverage "full" RDNA 2 capabilities
by Abhay Venkatesh
AMD took to the virtual stage today to unveil its next-generation GPU offerings based on RDNA 2 architecture that is built on the 7nm process. The firm announced a trio of Radeon RX 6000 series GPUs that aim to go against Nvidia’s latest RTX 30 series offerings, promising higher performance per watt. During the presentation, the company also mentioned that it worked with Microsoft to optimize the architecture with technologies like DirectStorage API and more.
Now, Microsoft has explained through a blog post how its next-generation gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X and Series S, will integrate with the RDNA 2 architecture to leverage all the capabilities announced by AMD today, to deliver a “level of power, performance and compatibility never before seen in console gaming, powered by AMD’s latest “Zen 2” and RDNA 2 architectures”. These benefits include hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing, Mesh Shaders, Sampler Feedback from the Xbox Velocity Architecture, and Variable Rate Shading.
The Redmond firm says that it has been working with AMD from the initial development phases of the Xbox Series X|S, and that it “chose to wait for the most advanced technology” from AMD before finalizing its architecture. It has worked to improved NPC intelligence and visuals through machine learning.
The firm is also working to bring ML-powered super resolution to the consoles as well, a possible rival to Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0 supersampling method, to the Xbox consoles. All these technologies, the company says, allows the consoles to achieve high quality, high fidelity visuals with realistic shadows and reflections.
Along with bringing these technologies and capabilities to the console, Microsoft says that it is also working with AMD to bring these benefits to the PC, which will provide developers a “common set of features” when developing games across the PC and console platforms. Other improvements from AMD such as Smart Access Memory - that allows full GPU memory access to Ryzen 5000 series CPUs - will further improve performance on the PC.
Microsoft’s post is interesting because the PlayStation 5 also features a custom RDNA 2 architecture-based GPU running alongside a Zen 2-based CPU. It will be fascinating to see what benefits the Xbox consoles can bring to overall performance thanks to the “full” hardware-level integration with the RDNA 2 architecture.
Halo Infinite studio head Chris Lee steps down
by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe
Changes are happening inside Halo developer 343 Industries, as a new report reveals that Halo Infinite studio head Chris Lee has been taken off the massive project. Lee has lead the Halo series since 2016, and although he is off Infinite, he will remain a Microsoft employee according to an official statement by Microsoft.
"I have stepped back from Infinite and I am looking at future opportunities," Chris Lee had said to Bloomberg. "I believe in the team and am confident they will deliver a great game and now is a good time for me to step away."
Originally set to be the defining launch title of the next-gen Xbox consoles, Halo Infinite suffered a delay that pushed it back to 2021. According to the Bloomberg report, Lee's role was sidelined following the poor reception to the Halo Infinite gameplay showcase. Series veterans Joseph Staten and Pierre Hintze stepped in to help with the campaign and multiplayer, respectively, back in August.
This is not the first time Halo Infinite has lost a top executive, with creative director Tim Longo departing the project in 2019.
Halo Infinite is currently slated to land sometime in 2021 across the Xbox One family of consoles, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
By Rich Woods
Microsoft earnings: $37.2B revenue with big Surface and gaming growth
by Rich Woods
Today, Microsoft announced its earnings for the first quarter of its 2021 fiscal year. Overall revenue grew by 12% (12% in constant currency) over the same quarter last year for a total of $37.2 billion. That's broken up into Productivity and Business Processes with $12.3B revenue and 11% (11% CC) growth), Intelligent Cloud with $13B revenue and 20% (19% CC) growth, and More Personal Computing with $11.8B revenue and 6% (6% CC) growth.
In the Productivity and Business Processes department, it was led by 9% increase in Office Commercial products and cloud services, including 21% (20% CC) growth in Office 365 Commercial. The other piece of products and cloud services, the products, declined 30% as more businesses move to the cloud.
For consumers, Office products and cloud services revenue grew by 13%, and Microsoft 365 Consumer subscribers are now at 45.3 million, a 27% increase. LinkedIn revenue grew by 16%, and sessions grew by 31%. For Dynamics, products and cloud services revenue grew by 19% (18% CC), driven by Dynamics 365 revenue, which grew by 38% (37% CC).
As usual, Azure drove the growth in the Intelligent Cloud section. All Server products and cloud services grew by 22% (21% CC), and that includes a 48% (47% CC) growth in Azure. Server products actually declined 1%.
For More Personal Computing, Windows OEM revenue actually declined by 5%, but that actually includes 31% growth in non-Pro revenue, so there was also a 22% decline in Pro revenue. Windows Commercial products and cloud services grew 13% (12% CC).
Surface revenue saw a big boost, with a 37% (36% CC) increase. For this and the increase in Windows non-Pro revenue, Microsoft attributes increased PC demand. Gaming revenue increased by 22% (21% CC), including a 30% increase in Xbox content and services. Finally, search advertising revenue, excluding traffic acquisition costs, was down 10% (11% CC).
Cyberpunk 2077 hit with another delay, now releasing on December 10
by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe
With less than a month to go before CD Projekt RED's latest RPG Cyberpunk 2077 was set to launch, the studio has announced another delay to the game. It's not a drastic one this time, as this delay pushes the launch back by only 21 days. Instead of November 19, Cyberpunk 2077 will now launch on December 10 across all platforms.
While apologizing for this latest delay, CD Projekt RED said that preparing essentially nine versions of the game for a simultaneous launch - "Xbox One/X, compatibility on Xbox Series S|X, PS4/Pro, compatibility on PS5, PC, Stadia" - while working from home has been challenging.
"Since Cyberpunk 2077 evolved towards almost being a next-gen title somewhere along the way, we need to make sure everything works well and every version runs smoothly," said the developer, explaining the situation. "We're aware it might seem unrealistic when someone says that 21 days can make a difference in such a massive and complex game, but they really do."
The studio added that while it announced Cyberpunk 2077 had 'gone gold', with all game content being ready for shipping, it had undercalculated the time it needed to make other improvements using a day 0 update.
If the latest plans hold, Cyberpunk 2077 will be releasing on December 10, 2020. An enhanced next-gen version of the game is also in development, which will be landing sometime later for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 with free upgrades to current-gen owners.
By Asher Madan
Xbox Deals with Gold feature Borderlands, Destiny, and more
by Asher Madan
Every week, Microsoft and select publishers discount a number of titles for weekly Deals with Gold, Spotlight, and Publisher (Shocktober, Star Wars Mandalorian, and Watch Dogs: Legion Hack) sales. This week, games from Borderlands, Dead Space, and other franchises are available for substantially less.
Below, you'll find the Xbox One and Xbox 360 games with their respective discounts. Xbox Live Gold members receive additional discounts on a number of titles through the paid subscription which is denoted with an asterisk.
Many of the Xbox 360 games appear to be backward compatible so you'll be able to play them on your Xbox One and the upcoming Xbox Series X|S. Currently, Microsoft isn't adding any more backward compatible titles to the program, but that should change in 2021.
Which titles are you interested in? Did you pick any up? Let us know in the comments below.


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Geri Halliwell's Sheer Shocker
Geri Halliwell shocks in a sheer black dress and huge ginger curls while celebrating English singer-songwriter George Michael‘s 44th birthday on Monday night at the Berkeley Hotel in London, UK. (The dress has a huge slit up the leg too!)
Geri, 34, ran into Little Britain comedian David Walliams at the party (they are just friends as of now).
The Spice Girls are expected to make an official announcement to the world on Thursday but let’s hope this isn’t the fashion road Geri will be driving down. This spells D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R.


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Drake Display muscled its way into retail to support the launch of Quaker State Defy – a motor oil aimed at higher-mileage vehicle enthusiasts.
SOLUTION: The Drake Display design teams quickly landed on a temporary floor display solution for maximum flexibility at retail. The use of full-color litho labeled graphics made a big splash, and the QR code on the header targeted smartphone-savvy consumers directly to Defy-related info and warranty information. These features combined with stellar production through Drake Container and supply chain logistics through Drake Pack led to a high-octane presence at retail. RESULTS: Displays were launched at Pep Boys locations nationwide to coincide with multimedia advertising – and so far sales of Defy have outpaced anticipated demand.


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BYD debuts new blade battery electric bus chassis platform and a new electric trucks
Chinese traditional carmakers have shown better performance in the new energy vehicle sector than NEV startups
China’s EV giant BYD signed a land purchase agreement with Thailand's WHA Group to build a new EV factory in Thailand
JAC Motors and BYD is to set up a commercial EV battery plant
Global NEV sales reach 2.19 million units in 2Q22, BYD rose to second place with a market share of 11.2%
Xiaomi Auto, the EV branch of China’s tech company Xiaomi, will use CATL’s Qilin and BYD’s FinDreams Battery
China’s EV makers are expanding their overseas markets despite facing challenges of chip shortages and the pandemic, said a recent JW Insights report.
BYD expands its global presence and will launch new EV models in Japan next year
iFLYTEK(科大讯飞), China’s leading listed AI company, said it made new progress with its intelligent vehicle system product, which BYD has adopted in all its new energy passenger cars. The two parties are engaged in further cooperation.
Senior analyst from S&P Global Mobility predicts China’s EV penetration will reach 55% in 2030 at the 6th JWSS


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Libra Holidays has completed a deal to buy Argo Holidays and Jetlife.
Staff at Libra Holidays were told about the deal to acquire the brands and business of rival eastern Mediterranean tour operator Argo and sister longhaul specialist Jetlife last night.
A spokeswoman said: “An integration between the two companies will commence in the coming weeks and months.”
The deal comes just three months after Libra was restructured after it faced a number of financial difficulties. Private investors Allbury took a 35% shareholding of the business in November in return for a £1 million payment, with an option to take a further 25% for £2.5 million. It now owns 60% of the business. A new management team, including industry heavyweights Michael East and Eamonn Ferrin, was introduced as part of the rescue deal.
Last month Libra announced it had halved its capacity and dropped Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey to restore profitability to the business and focus on its core destinations of Greece, Cyprus and Egypt.
Further details are not expected to be announced until Monday. It is not known how much Libra has paid for Argo, which has been linked with several companies in recent months including the XL Leisure Group and the Preston Travel Group.
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When it comes to designing a new Suzuki vehicle, the customer always comes first.
Consider the evolution of the Swift over the past 20 years and it reinforces the remarkable insight of Suzuki’s design team and its ability to accurately predict future trends.
Put yourself in the shoes of a car designer, sketching plans for a car that will go on sale in three to four years. Now, consider the speed with which technology has changed the demands for modern customers.
When the last version of the 2000 Suzuki Swift went on sale, no-one had heard of an iPod, much less an iPhone, Bluetooth sounded like the name of a Disney pirate character and touchscreen satellite navigation was an option available only in a handful of European luxury sedans.
With the proliferation of light cars in today’s market, it’s easy to overlook what a pioneer Suzuki has been in this now dominant market segment.
Leading the way
In 2000, the Swift was essentially the only player in the market it started, with a car slightly smaller than most and offering outstanding fuel economy and reliability.
As was the norm for smaller cars back then, the feature list could only be described as spartan. That car boasted power windows and mirrors and a four-speaker cassette AM/FM sound system.
At that time, Suzuki designers were hard at work on the next generation, which took the world by storm in 2005 with its mix of design, interior space, reliability and performance.
The engineers had listened to the demands from customers for more creature comforts, with the list of standard features on the S model including six airbags, ABS brakes, a six-speaker CD stereo system with steering wheel-mounted controls, and remote keyless entry.
Fast forward to 2014 and the latest version of Suzuki’s top-seller now comes with a five-star suite of safety features, such as electronic stability control and seven airbags. Creature comforts include a 6.1-inch touchscreen satellite navigation system with hands-free voice activation and Bluetooth streaming.
“The latest Swift demonstrates the importance of customer feedback to us,” says Suzuki Australia Automobile General Manager Tony Devers.
“We take great pride in ensuring our dealer network is constantly talking with customers about what features they like in their car and what they would like to see. We send every piece of information back to head office.
“By constantly listening to our loyal customers and being ahead of the game, it means we can offer a car like the Swift with satellite navigation for such an outstanding price.”
Bluetooth with audio streaming through the high-quality stereo system in the entry-level GL model means customers can make the most of online music services like Spotify or Pandora. Move up to the GL Navigator and the touchscreen provides constant information on the artist, album art and even weather forecasts when listening to digitally equipped radio stations!
So what does the future hold? New advances in safety coupled with even more sophisticated levels of communication look set to ensure the ongoing evolution of Suzuki cars is looking very promising indeed.
Swift upgrades in 2014
The Suzuki Swift enjoys a remarkable presence in the Australian market, with industry surveys showing that more than 90 per cent of prospective new car customers recognise the name and the shape. Consequently, the ongoing changes to the look of the Swift are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
In the words of Chief Engineer Naoyuki Takeuchi, the Swift’s design philosophy “is to not be affected by trends, but rather to build a timeless shape”.
In its latest iteration, the 2014 Swift GL and GLX have been released with a revised front fascia and grille inserts, plus a new wheel cover design for the GL. The GLX also gets a new alloy wheel and LED daytime running lamps.
The GL is now the entry-level model and comes standard with cruise control, leather steering wheel with audio controls and factory-integrated Bluetooth phone with audio streaming.
A new Navigator model is the next in the range, adding Suzuki’s 6.1-inch satellite navigation touchscreen and front fog lamps over the entry-level GL.
In addition to standard satellite navigation, the range-topping Swift GLX comes complete with digital climate control air-conditioning, keyless entry and start, and telescopic steering adjustment.
The GL, Navigator and GLX models’ 70kW/130Nm 1.4-litre petrol engine is unchanged, with a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions delivering five-star fuel economy.
The 2014 Suzuki Swift range maintains its five-star safety rating, with seven airbags, ABS, EBD, brake assist and electronic stability control standard in all models.


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Read about the people, places and stories that inspire us through interviews, news and reviews of recent travel by our extended network of friends and guests.
July 24, 2016
Find Out What “Money Can’t Buy” at Conrad Maldives
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has launched a brand new “Money Can’t Buy” package that accompanies the launch of Hilton HHonors...
July 22, 2016
The Autumn of 2016 Is an Important Season for Lux Resorts and Hotels
Indeed, this autumn marks an important moment in the life of Lux Resorts and Hotels that have just announced the reopening of...


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The HTC M7, thought to be the successor to the HTC One X, has seemingly been detailed once again ahead as features and a possible launch date have emerged ahead of its debut, thought to be in 2013.
HTC’s One X, one of the more well-known Android devices of 2012, will almost assuredly be replaced with a new smartphone next year. That phone is thought to be the HTC M7, a device that has been rumored already and today surfaced again in a more detailed manner courtesy of UnwiredView. The site claims that is has secured a specification listing for the HTC M7 which shows a host of upgrades over the HTC One X.
The HTC M7 is rumored to feature a 4.7-inch 1080p display, smaller than many of its rivals (both rumored and real) including the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Droid DNA. It’s also expected to have a Snapdragon quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage space, LTE and HSPDA connectivity, a 13MP rear camera, a 2MP front-facing camera, a 2,300 mAh battery and Android Jelly Bean.
Unfortunately, the version of Android Jelly Bean is unknown at this point though it’ll either be Android 4.1 or Android 4.2 with the latter seeming more likely given that it’s the latest version.
What’s more, the version of Android that comes on board will apparently be skinned with HTC’s new HTC Sense 5. It’s unclear exactly what HTC Sense 5 will entail but it appears we only have a few weeks to go before we find out.
The HTC M7 is rumored to be debuting at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, the same place that HTC debuted the HTC One X last year. That event is also rumored to be the launching pad for the Samsung Galaxy S4, which will, like the Galaxy S3 to the HTC One X, be one of the HTC M7’s fiercest rivals.
And like the Galaxy S3, it appears that HTC might be branching out in other directions in terms of carriers. While the HTC One X was only available through AT&T, it seems the HTC M7 will at the very least arrive on Sprint and Verizon. It’s unclear if it will keep the same branding (M7 is likely a code name) but at this point, it’s a distinct possibility.
The report also claims that it could be the first HTC smartphone since the TouchPro 2 to hit the top four American carriers which means that AT&T and T-Mobile remain possibilities as well.
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A former assistant superintendent at a Michigan school has been arrested, along with his wife, on charges of fraud involving US$7.3 million obtained from a US government program intended to help schools and libraries connect to the Internet, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday.
Stories by Grant Gross
Thirty-five percent of the packaged software installed on PCs worldwide in 2005 was pirated, the same percentage as in 2004, according to a study released Tuesday by the Business Software Alliance (BSA).
Three US men have been sentenced to jail or home confinement for their participation in so-called warez online piracy groups, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
The U.S. Supreme Court has set aside a lower court decision to stop eBay from using a prominent feature on its Web site because of a patent dispute.
An antispyware activist and lawyer has filed a class-action lawsuit against Yahoo, accusing the Web heavyweight of placing advertisements on spyware-vendor and "low-quality" sites.
A set of best practices designed to help assuage consumers' concerns about RFID (radio frequency identification) tags was released on Monday by a group of technology vendors, RFID users and consumer groups.
Five U.S. residents face criminal copyright charges for their alleged participation in the online "warez" file-trading community, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday.
Internet companies and consumer groups calling for a new U.S. law that would prohibit broadband providers from blocking or degrading some connections lost a major battle Wednesday when a U.S. House of Representatives committee voted down such a provision.
A media rights group has identified a third dissident who the Chinese government arrested based on information apparently supplied by a Yahoo subsidiary.
Governments need to pass more antispam laws, give law enforcement agencies more resources and work better across borders to combat unsolicited e-mail clogging up inboxes, an international economic group said Wednesday.
A US telecommunications company has teamed up with the Earth Day Network to offer what they believe will be the largest two-way IPTV (Internet Protocol television) event ever attempted.
IT security vendor ActivIdentity has released a new version of its single sign-on identity management product for large businesses, including new integrated support for smart cards, the company said Wednesday.
US Supreme Court justices Wednesday peppered a lawyer for eBay with questions about why they should protect the company against a patent injunction requested by a small inventor. The justices questioned why small inventors should have less chance of an injunction than wealthy companies that release products based on their inventions.
Several groups have come together to help vulnerable small businesses protect against data breaches with a package of guidelines.
When the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday in a patent infringement case, its examination of what may seem to be a narrow point of law could have far-reaching implications for the U.S. technology industry.


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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
While Mortal Kombat X won’t be coming to consoles until next week, the mobile version is available right now.
As previously announced, the mobile version of Mortal Kombat X uses … Continue reading →
Those interested can now view the first 15 minutes of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt courtesy of IGN.
The footage cuts the game’s opening cinematic and skips right to the … Continue reading →
Mortal Kombat X is coming out next week (for current-gen and PC, at least), and NetherRealm has released the fighting game’s launch trailer to celebrate.
Just like the recent TV … Continue reading →
Tomorrow, April 1st, Dying Light players will be getting a one-day-only boost in physical strength as part of an April Fool’s Day event.
For 24 hours, starting at midnight PST, … Continue reading →
Sony has announced a new special edition PlayStation 4 based on Batman: Arkham Knight, which will be available on the same day as the game.
The silver console features art … Continue reading →
Mortal Kombat X is coming out in a few weeks. As such, NetherRealm is releasing a new TV spot for the fighting game that you’ll be seeing on your television … Continue reading →
New details on Batman: Arkham Knight’s Harley Quinn DLC have been revealed through the game’s Amazon page, including confirmation that the content will take place before Arkham Knight proper.
Those … Continue reading →
A new trailer for Mortal Kombat X has been released, and it showcases three characters from the game’s growing roster.
The “Shaolin Trailer” focuses on veteran fighters Kung Lao and … Continue reading →
CD Projekt RED has confirmed that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will have dynamic beard growth as the game goes on.
This means that protagonist Geralt will grow a beard … Continue reading →
On the heels of Batman: Arkham Knight’s latest delay, there are now reports surfacing that Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City may be getting remastered for PlayStation 4 and … Continue reading →
Rocksteady has announced another delay for Batman: Arkham Knight, but it won’t be quite as long as the one the game suffered last year.
Originally set for release on June … Continue reading →
Mortal Kombat X’s second guest character has been outed by the Xbox online store.
Alongside Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees, the Xbox store reveals that Predator will be joining the … Continue reading →


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Nissan Builds Its 10 Millionth Car In Britain
In a time where economic doom and gloom is apparent everywhere, it’s easy to miss the significant milestones that pass by and one of these milestones happened last week…
The UK’s car making industry has taken a real beating of late. A multitude of factors have been at play. Whether it is the tightening of emission regulation, the shift away from diesel or that divisive ‘B’ word, Brexit, all of these factors have hit not just the UK’s car makers but the world.
Despite the doomsayers grim predictions and pessimism, there are still reasons to feel proud of Britain as a car making player. Last week the ten millionth Nissan rolled off the production line at the Japanese giants Sunderland plant.
This is the first time that this feat has been achieved at a UK based plant in such a short time frame taking Nissan a mere 33 years to achieve.
The ten millionth car was naturally a Nissan Qashqai. A forerunner of the now highly competitive SUV space, the Qashqai caught the mood of a nation and proved a real sales hit as customers started to consider SUVs and crossovers for their next cars. Given that the Qashqai has proved to be so hugely popular for the maker, it’s perhaps only fitting then that this was the car to scoop that impressive title.
This milestone is a major moment to savour in the current climate. In the face of dwindling sales, Nissan appears to be weathering the storm well and is a testament to the facility they have in Sunderland.
It’s also a story of total efficiency. A car comes out of the Sunderland facility every two minutes and this has been going on since its opening in 1986. Given an impressive rate of production and growth, Nissan's workforce in Sunderland alone sits at 7,000 employees.
But what of the numbers? The Qashqai is the model that's seen the most example constructed at Sunderland however not far behind are the likes of the Micra which sits at 2.3 million units, the Primera on 1.5 million and then the highly popular Juke which has seen 1.1 million examples produced.
The success of Nissan in uncertain times should give the rest of the automotive world reason for cautious optimism and it’ll be important to see if Nissan can maintain this volume.
At Big Motoring World we have thousands of used cars for you to choose from and we have some Nissan examples available for sale that would have come out of that very same factory. If you’re in the market for your next car, why not take a look at Big Motoring World? Our full stock list can be found over on our website, here.


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the chair 10 marketing blog
Marketing tips, thoughts, rants.
Sep 21 by Chair 10 Marketing Team
Facebook, much like your rich aunt who keeps unnecessarily remodeling her perfectly fine house, is once again making changes to their industry-leading social media platform. Zuckerberg and his minions dropped their latest update on the unsuspecting Facebook community earlier this summer. Making the announcement, Facebook’s VP of Product Management Adam Mosseri discussed the importance of accurate newsfeed rankings, revisited the […]


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Google has discreetly updated its algorithms to include more photographs of non-white people when searching for images, according to Bloomberg.
The new manipulation focuses on searches on the theme of beauty. Users looking for things like “beautiful skin” and “professional hairstyle”, “woman” or “happy family” should get more pictures of non-white world people.
“We have begun launching an enhancement of Google Images to promote a greater variety of skin tones so that more people can get relevant and useful results,” a Google spokeswoman said in a statement.
“We are in the early stages of this work and continue to experiment to offer greater diversity in results.”
At the same time, Google announces that it is developing its camera technology to promote “diversity”. According to the internet giant, camera technology has previously been racist.


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On January 7, 2020 Deepika Padukone's silent visit to the Jawaharlal University (JNU) campus has stirred up such a loud aftermath that it doesn't seem to be dying anytime soon. As reported by us earlier, the ruling BJP party members openly called for a boycott on Padukone's latest release Chhapaak, and it ended up significantly affecting the box-office numbers of the movie in most regions of our country.
Hashtags such as #DeepikaPRBackFires and #DeepikaPaducone [with a 'c' making a mockery of her name] are still trending on top aided by brutal online mockery of the actress and everyone from politicians, entrepreneurs, film industry personalities, fans and non-fans are to date busy registering an opinion on her JNU visit.
While Padukone herself could be seen religiously promoting Chhapaak and appealing to the audience to catch a screening via her social media handles, her personal 'brand' might have taken a toss according to a recent report in The Economic Times.
“We have been told by a mid-sized brand to stall ads featuring Deepika for about two weeks. Hopefully, the controversy would have normalised by then,” the report quotes an "executive at a media buying agency".
It also states that post the JNU visit by Padukone, who endorses 23 brands including Britannia’s Good Day, L’Oreal, Tanishq, Vistara Airlines and Axis Bank, brand endorsement deals are expected to see clauses factoring in the risks involved with celebrities taking political stands.
The report also quotes Shashi Sinha, chief executive of IPG Mediabrands, which represents Coca-Cola and Amazon among others as saying,“Normally, brands like to play safe and are wary of any controversy.”


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Published on February 24th, 2021 | by Joshua Chin0
All-New Mercedes-Benz C-Class Ups The Luxury Factor
Mercedes-Benz has moved the C-Class further upmarket with this latest iteration.
While it may not seem like it due to the countless minor updates and facelift, but the current C-Class has been around for 7 years already. So it therefore comes as no surprise then the Mercedes-Benz has finally given its compact executive sedan a thorough reboot for the 2020s, and has since recently launched an all-new model that is supposedly further upmarket than any of the five prior generations before.
Such is the case for all new cars, this compact executive sedan is no longer very compact as this new C-Class has grown in almost every aspect over its predecessor. Interestingly however, this new Mercedes is slightly shorter than the prior model, perhaps to better suit its new (supposedly sportier) exterior aesthetic.
Speaking of the exterior aesthetic, this sixth-generation C-Class follows closely to the current Mercedes-Benz corporate design direction. In fact, some have gone so far to say that this new compact sedan looks very much shrunken version of the newly launched S-Class. Especially with those triangular rear light clusters that accentuates its more rounded rear end.
Up front however, the new C-Class borrows more cues from its sportier stablemates like the CLA. Featuring a similar protruding nose as its smaller sibling, complete with the large front grille, angular LED headlights and the dog bone shaped front air intake.
Continuing on the topic of the front end, under that new hood lies now only a range electrified four-cylinder engines mated to a 9-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission. Yes, there is to be no more six- or even eight-pots under the hood for the C-Class anymore, and yes, that sadly applies to the AMG too.
Nevertheless, despite the loss of the extra cylinders under the hood (of the higher end variants at least), Mercedes still claims that these new power plants will deliver the same performance as its predecessors. This is courtesy of a new twin-scroll turbocharger, that is developed in collaboration with its Formula 1 team, along with the electrical assistance coming from the standard fitment of 48 V belt-integrated starter generator (BISG) on all models, which should deliver of momentary power boost of up to 20 hp.
Now moving inside the new C-Class, the aforementioned similarities with the S-Class is even more apparent within the cabin of this compact premium sedan. A fact which is evident in the large, free-floating 11.9-inch portrait central infotainment touchscreen that dominates the swoopy dash design of this sixth-generation model.
Running on Mercedes’ second-generation MBUX, this new infotainment upgrade brings with it over-the-air updates, an integrated music streaming platform, as well as a new augmented reality option for the navigation to name a few. There is also now a fingerprint scanner located below the screen that is used to unlock the system.
Other interior features worth a mention in this new C-Class includes the 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, an uprated Driving Assistance Package, the relocation of the gear lever to a stalk on the steering column and the addition new ‘floating’ panel for the seat controls and door handle on the doors. Naturally too there are a host of optional extras which can be added, like a heads-up display, ambient lighting and even rear heated seats.
Incidentally, this new compact sedan is also to be optionally available for the first time ever with active rear-wheel steering. A system that is similar to that found in the S-Class, it is capable of steering the rear wheels at an angle of up to 2.5º for better agility.
To be available in both sedan and estate form, the new C-Class is set to go on sale in Europe at the end of March, with deliveries only beginning in the summer time. Prices have yet to be officially announced, though it is expected to command a slight premium over its predecessor as a reflection of its push upmarket.
As for the official arrival of this new C-Class over here, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia have yet to make an official announcement regarding this matter. A conservative estimate however is that it will probably be due here in its locally assembled form sometime within the next year.