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These 5 CBD Products Will Dominate the Market In 2019
You can tell something has gone mainstream when television’s long-time Today Show starts covering it. And that’s exactly what we could witness recently, when the program released a report on CBD as a “buzzy trend in the wellness world.”
CBD has grabbed people by the throat with the myriad of benefits it comes with. From regular consumers to A-class celebrities, everyone is talking about cannabidiol.
That being said, yes, CBD has become a trend. However, Cannabidiol is actually more than just fashion. Despite being “the latest thing,” CBD has contributed to the forming and development of a multi-million dolar industry that is estimated to hit $2.1 billion by 2021.
Top 5 CBD Products to Dominate the Market In the Upcoming Year
As hemp and hemp-derived goods become more available, the industry surrounding it countinues to grow. Despite many roadblocks that cannabis activists had to face, the explosion of hemp products is real.
Because CBD can enter the body in so many different ways – ingesting, vaping, through skin – the number of products that can be infused with the cannabinoid is, least to say, impressive.
However, certain products show a greater promise than others. Let’s explore the top X most prominent CBD products.
1. CBD Oil
When it comes to CBD products, CBD is admittedly a pretty capacious category. You can take CBD oil in plenty of ways, be it through oral tinctures or by mixing it with food and drinks. Moreover, CBD oil can be encapsulated so that you receive a fixed dose of active compounds in one item.
That versatility has made CBD oil one of the most sought-after products in the hemp industry. One of the greatest advantages of using CBD oil is that it doesn’t make you feel high. That’s because hemp-derived CBD oil has ridiculously low traces of THC, generally below 0.3%.
On top of that, CBD oil has a decent level of bioavailability. When you take it in tinctures or vape juices, around 30-50% can make it to your bloodstream. This is undoubtedly more than in the case of capsules, where only 4 to 20% is absorbed.
Interestingly, CBD oil has recently gained support even on federal level. The FDA recently voted uanimously to recommend approval of a pharmaceutical CBD oil known as Epidiolex. Doctors can prescribe Epidiolex to patients with rare forms of epilepsy.
As the research on the benefits of CBD oil continues to emerge each month, this form of CBD administration will surely dominate the market in 2019.
2. CBD Beauty & Skin Care Products
As CBD use became popular on the global scale, certain companies and entrepreneurs are coming up with ideas to cater CBD beauty and skin care products to people who has recently drawn the attention of the industry: suburban women.
Thanks to ladies jumping on the CBD bandwagon, the branch of CBD beauty products grows rapidly every year. And believe us, it’s not just suburban women who treat their skin with Cannabidiol.
In the midst of other health benefits, CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties are what made them the new black of the beauty industry. Numerous studies have shown that CBD can help fight acne, reduce inflammatory pain, moisturize the skin, and spead up the healing processes after injuries.
Looking for a good indicator of the storming popularity of these products? CBD-infused cosmetics are now being sold by Sephora. It’s a decent point of reference if you ask us.
CBD balms, lipsticks, salves, lotions, rubs – you name it. The CBD market is real, and we have never seen it expanding at such fast pace. If you’re lucky enough to live in a cannabis-friendly state, you can even buy CBD mascara and body wash, too.
3. CBD Beverages
Yes, dear friends, you can drink CBD as a regular beverage. What a world, eh?
Among many other CBD products, Cannabidiol-infused beverages are the next big thing. They may have not reached the mainstream levels of CBD topicals, but they’re getting more atention recently.
Whether you want to grab a CBD cocktail, CBD fruit punch, or CBD beer, you will soon get covered in the U.S., as more and more coffee bars and beverage companies are looking forward to getting their fair share of the CBD cake.
More and more companies are experimenting with CBD and beer, because hemp and hops are botanical relatives, and the addition of terpenes in hemp can greatly contribute to the enrichment of aroma and taste profiles.
But here’s the groundbreaker! A couple of weeks ago, Coca-Cola announced that it was experimenting with CBD beverages. The giant hinted that it might soon enter the CBD market. While we’re skeptical about the wellness value of their future CBD products, we believe that the company will elevate Cannabidiol’s popularity to the ceiling.
4. CBD Chocolates
Edibles are a particularly interesting way to deliver phytocannabinoids to your body. While they take usually more time to kick in, once they do, you can experience effects for approximately 4 to 6 hours.
The possible options of infusing different food with CBD has made hemp edibles an incredibely hot topic these days. After all, who wouldn’t like to benefit from Cannabidiol while indulging in a heavenly delicious chocolate bar? Or, for example, chew on some CBD gummies while on their way to work?
As CBD becomes more popular and companies want to market Cannabidiol-infused treats, they are trying to outdo one another in terms of different options.
Currently, you can choose between CBD gummies, chocolates, lollipops, and cookies. But as the market expands, we will soon witness a whole new world of CBD edibles.
5. CBD Pet Treats
Well, it’s no wonder that many companies offer CBD pet treats. After all, dogs and cats have the endocannabinoid system, too. This, in turn, meanst that they can benefit from Cannabidiol to the same degree as humans do.
And, as you can guess, demand generates supply. The well-documented wellness benefits of CBD are supported by anecdotal evidence, with many stories of pets being effectively helped with CBD.
But most importantly, CBD does not produce toxicity, even in high doses. Thus, CBD is entirely safe for both human and animal consumption. On top of that, no studies have shown any extraordinary risk of using CBD products to dogs and cats.
Nonetheless, keep in mind, that the CBD you use for your dog must come from hemp plants, as even low-to-moderate doses of THC can be toxic for your pup.
Join CBD Sky and Stay Up-to-Date With the Latest Trends
Aside from providing you with the latest news on Cannabidiol, we make sure that you always get access to premium-quality CBD oil. We source our CBD from the finest specimens of the industrial hemp so that our CBD products never exceed the 0.3% THC content.
If you’re looking for full-spectrum CBD extracts with a lab-tested level of purity and potency,be it in oral tinctures, beauty products, sprays, edibles, or pet treats, we have you covered. We’re a team of hemp advocates who take care about their customers from more than a business perspective. We will never leave you alone with any doubts, so whenever you have questions regarding Cannabidiol, don’t hesitate to send us a message. We’ll be happy to help!


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Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, an investment unit of Alibaba Group supporting start-ups in Hong Kong and Taiwan, has teamed up with Hong Kong businessman Adrian Cheng to lead a RMB100 million (US$14 million) series B round in DayDayCook, a Hong Kong-based start-up providing cooking videos and recipes.
The rounds follows a RMB35 million (US$5 million) series A+ round by Alibaba in the start-up last year. DayDayCook said at the time that it would add e-commerce to its online video platforms to sell ingredients such as herbs, sauces and meat directly to its followers.
Founded in 2012, DayDayCook targets young consumers, encouraging them to enjoy cooking via its professionally made cooking videos. It currently has over 3.6 billion cumulative views of its videos across all platforms, including its website and social media platforms like Weibo, Facebook and Instagram. Its mobile app has around three million users. In addition, the company has 15 million followers on social media platforms like Weibo, Facebook and Instagram, and four million followers on video platforms like Miaopai and Meipai.
The company plans to expand into mainland China by establishing a cooking shop in a Shanghai shopping mall owned by its investor Adrian Cheng. The shop will be DayDayCook’s first offline enterprise.
DayDayCook previously raised a RMB35 million (US$5 million) series A round from 500 Startups, MFund and Heyi Capital in February 2016.

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As the economy improved and pandemic-related restrictions were eased, US retail sales rose because Americans spent more on clothes, gadgets, and dining out last month.
According to the US Commerce Department, retail sales increased by 0.6 % compared to the previous month. Wall Street experts were surprised by the gain since they had predicted a modest drop in sales last month.
Since March, when stimulus checks were distributed to the majority of Americans, spending has slowed. In addition, when more people become vaccinated, they spend less on commodities and more on hotels, haircuts, and other services, which is not represented in Friday’s data.
Food, petrol, and other products are costing more in the United States, with prices increasing the highest in 13 years last month.
Automobile dealerships saw a 2% drop in sales. Due to a worldwide scarcity of chips, which are required to operate in-car displays and other electronics, automakers are producing fewer automobiles, resulting in fewer cars available for purchase. When car sales are taken out of the equation, retail sales are up 1.3 percent.
Furniture retailers saw the greatest decline in sales in June, down 3.6 percent. Home improvement businesses and sporting goods stores also saw a drop in sales.


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Singapore-based venture capital firm Jubilee Capital Management has held the first close of its tech fund at $30m.
Founded in 2015 and led by Stanley Zhang, Founding & Managing Partner, Gan Fong Jek, Managing Partner, George Gong, Managing Partner, and Xu Jian, Partner, who have over 20 years of strategic and operational management experience in Internet, IT, telecom, media, consumer sectors in Asia, and
cross-border and cross-cultural deal origination, structuring and execution capabilities especially in USA, China and Asia Pacific, Jubilee Capital aims to take advantage of the emerging trend consisting of more cross-border investment and M&A opportunities between China, Asia and USA driven by the proliferation of Mobile Internet commerce globally and the rise of tech startups across the region.
To this end, the Jubilee Tech Fund, which has a final target of $100m, aims to invest in the post-seed to Series A rounds of startups in Singapore, Southeast Asia, China, Israel and the USA, and to grow them internationally outside their home market.
The firm is headquartered in Singapore with local presence in Beijing and Auckland, and a global network of partners through its network in China, Asia Pacific, Europe and USA.


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Gunfire rang out in an upscale Long Island mall Tuesday afternoon just as Christmas shopping neared fevered pitch.
Police say an armed man tried to rob the Rolex section of the Tourneau watch store in Garden City's Roosevelt Field Mall when he fired on a 67-year-old mall employee.
The victim was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.
Chaos soon struck as holiday shoppers fled the mall in droves just three days before Christmas.
However, WABC reports that the mall never closed and was never put on lockdown, according to a source.
The Garden City school district tweeted that nearby schools were placed in a "lockout," before returning to normal after 2 p.m.
Shoppers took to social media to express their concerns.
"Was just in the Roosevelt field mall and someone just started shooting never ran this fast ever in my life," tweeted @.
"ATTN: do not go to Roosevelt field today, the mall was just evacuated and police are swarming in," wrote @kel__flynn.
“Was in the Roosevelt Field Mall when an armed robbery happened a floor below. Mom and i are ok after hiding in the back of the store. Crazy,” wrote @mellentuck.


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The lack of an industry standard solution for electronic trade confirmation (ETC) is driving up industry costs, as buy side firms on the financial markets deliberate about which technology platform best suits their business, according to analyst firm Aite.
The Aite results are among the key findings of the latest in a series of reports from the consultancy firm into the challenges of and solutions for trade verification in today’s market.
The report examines a number of ETC solutions. Among the identified benefits of financial messaging provider SWIFT’s Global Electronic Trade Confirmation (GETC) solution are affordability and resilience. The report also shows local matching, an option favoured by many buy sides, is supported by SWIFT’s GETC solution.
“Buy side clients are keen to see their brokers taking steps to invest in more automated processes and connectivity to electronic trade confirmation platforms and technologies in order to provide a higher level of service and reliability,” said the Aite report author, Virginie O’Shea.
Until a standard solution emerges, however, brokers have to contend with the prospect of connecting to multiple platforms, with the associated costs. In what is already an extremely tough economic environment, 73% of brokers participating in Aite’s research report a reduction in trade support headcount. This increases the emphasis on brokers to utilise technology to automate trade processing. But while the buy side deliberates, brokers are unsure which way to go with their technology decisions. Investment is required but budgets remain tight.
The report finds that the SWIFT GETC solution has been successfully rolled out by a Tier 1 broker for US$300,000, and by a Tier 2 broker for US$150,000.
Paul Taylor, director, global matching, SWIFT, said: “The Aite report highlights some very real challenges for the broker and asset management communities in these difficult economic times. The buy side holds the key to enabling industry harmonisation and ultimately efficient and cost-effective trade processing. We have seen our GETC solution winning favour in the market as a viable option and we are very pleased to continue to bring innovation and cost savings to our extensive global user community.”
There are various ways for financial institutions to benefit from advanced technologies and business models provided by FinTech's. Whether a business' approach is radical or incremental, data management can help a company to increase their return on investment, argues André Casterman, INTIX.
Tim de Knegt, strategic finance and treasury manager for the Port of Rotterdam, discusses how he is using blockchain, the challenges he will face in his role of treasury over the next 12 months and the advice he would give to someone starting out their career in treasury.
Far and away, the largest financial market on the planet is the foreign exchange currencies market, where on average individuals and organisations trade more than $5 trillion daily. In the FX world, the ability to master the market isn't considered a luxury for treasury officers–it's a necessity.
As the May 25 deadline for Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) inches closer, many treasurers are being lumped with the task of ensuring their wider company is compliant.


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Telecom company TalkTalk’s strategy of dodging the costly pay-TV wars between BSkyB and BT and offering “value” deals for customers who only want “a little bit” of premium TV content looks to be working.
“You don’t have to have lots of Premier League rights to have a growing telecoms business,” said chief executive Dido Harding as revenue rose 5% to £436 million in the last three months.
TV customers grew by 175,000 to take TalkTalk’s base to 732,000 — less than 18 months after it first offered the internet-enabled YouView set-top box. Broadband subscribers were up 110,000 after TalkTalk picked up the Post Office’s customers. Net additions rose 7000.
Harding insisted TalkTalk isn’t losing out to BT, which added 150,000 broadband customers after it began offering free Premier League games.
She said her customers aren’t interested in paying a hefty monthly subscription but would rent the occasional movie or “day pass” for Sky Sports. Monsters University was TalkTalk’s top-grossing movie at Christmas.
Harding today expanded TalkTalk’s existing wholesale deal with BSkyB, so her customers can now watch more Sky channels and content, but she does not expect to reach a similar deal with BT.
She said TalkTalk can “stand alone” and doesn’t need to merge with a bigger partner such as Vodafone. However, analysts at Jefferies warned “competition will ramp up” as Sky and others expand their low-cost offerings.Reuse content


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ATSC 3.0 advanced at a steady pace in 2022 after stumbling a bit like the rest of the nation during the pandemic.
While missing its rollout mark the preceding year due to COVID-19, a number of important issues involved in the channel sharing necessary for the voluntary 3.0 rollout were resolved in part during the delay, which helped get deployments back on track as the year progressed.
As of early December, 64 markets across the United States were on air delivering NextGen TV service to viewers. In 19 markets, 3.0 was being transmitted by more than one stick. As envisioned for the voluntary conversion from 1.0 to 3.0, multiple sticks in markets are essential to giving broadcasters the room they need to experiment with new business models and the PLP configurations needed to support them.
2022 saw television sales continue at a steady pace with the addition of Hisense to the original three (LG Electronics, Samsung and Sony) vendors offering NextGen TV models. Among the least expensive models is a 43-inch Sony set with a suggested retail price of $449. On the other end of the continuum are more costly models, topping out with a 97-inch LG model for $25,000.
CTA projected sales numbers for 2022 place the number of new 3.0 NextGen TV sets being purchased daily by consumers at 12,000.
To address the millions of households not quite ready to give up their existing televisions, Pearl TV announced in the fall a Fast Track program that aims to accelerate CE maker development of HDMI 3.0 receiver dongles to retrofit TVs and computers for NextGen TV.
It is hoped that whetting the appetites of millions more television viewers for NextGen TV with such HDMI dongles will eventually lead to greater awareness about 3.0, broader consumer adoption and ultimately an easier transition to 3.0 sticks in markets where broadcasters do not fear leaving huge swaths of their audience behind.
During the NAB Show Fireside Chat between FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt, 3.0 reception by legacy DTVs came up. Rosenworcel surprised many bringing up the commission’s desire to address backward compatibility of 3.0—something broadcasters generally regarded as a matter settled with FCC authorization of ATSC 3.0 deployment.
Separately, during a TVTech Summit panel in November, Del Parks, president of technology at Sinclair Broadcast Group, was asked whether these comments might indicate a new DTV-converter-box-like coupon program was being contemplated in D.C. (Sinclair owns two stations in the nation’s capital and is headquartered about 60 miles away in Hunt Valley, Md.)
While Parks said there was no momentum for a government-funded 3.0 converter coupon program, local broadcasters, groups and networks will likely soon be asking themselves if they should pay for or subsidize such 3.0 receiver/converters. Doing so, in theory, would help accelerate clearing of TV spectrum devoted to legacy DTV, making it easier and faster for broadcasters to pursue any of the numerous new business models 3.0 makes possible.
Other notable advancements revolved around automotive, technology and broader adoption in 2022.
For instance, 2022 saw the successful proof of concept trial of 3.0 as a data and entertainment delivery path to moving vehicles with the coast-to-coast Michigan trial. Among the accomplishments of the trial were a clear demonstration that 3.0 can be used successfully to deliver data reliably across large distances to moving vehicles; use of a forward error correction enhancement above and beyond the 3.0 standard to improve performance; and that data handoffs similar to those common among cell carriers can be achieved with a 3.0 implementation.
Later in the year, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Hyundai Mobis signed a memorandum of understanding about collaborating on development of 3.0-based automotive business models. The broadcaster and auto parts and service company will work together on business models that leverage geo-targeting, enhanced GPS, software update delivery, in-vehicle entertainment and real-time emergency information.
Among the many 3.0-related tech advancements were the rollout of Pearl TV’s RUN3TV web TV platform—now available in 20 markets; Evoca’s announcement of its desire to leverage MIMO technology as supported by ATSC 3.0 to boost data throughput; an effort by Sinclair and USSI Global to trial EV charging stations from kiosks equipped with a 3.0 receiver and television; continued trials of 8K OTA and OTA-OTT delivery via 3.0; and proof of concept testing and early deployment of 3.0 datacasting infrastructure by LPTV operator ARK Multicasting.
2022 also saw the adoption of ATSC 3.0 by Jamaica, which joins the U.S. and South Korea as backers of the standard. As of the end of the year, two Jamaican stations were on air with NextGen TV. Jamaica is hoping to achieve several national goals with 3.0, including better coverage across the island’s diverse terrain; better use of television to meet its educational priorities, especially when severe weather and hurricanes interrupt normal classroom work for extended periods; and the advanced emergency alerting capabilities of the standard.
Brazil decided in 2022 to adopt portions of the ATSC 3.0 suite of standards to meet its next-generation television goals. Among those elements are: ROUTE/DASH Transport; MPEG-H Audio; IMSC1 Captions; HDR10 High Dynamic Range Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF) with optional dynamic HDR metadata based on SMPTE ST 2094-10 and ST 2094-40; and ATSC 3.0 Advanced Emergency Alerting. Other elements of the standard were selected for broadband use.
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Phil Kurz is a contributing editor to TV Tech. He has written about TV and video technology for more than 30 years and served as editor of three leading industry magazines. He earned a Bachelor of Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
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Prices of rare earths have soared this year after China’s decision to cut exports, boosting the outlook for a handful of explorers heading towards production.
Rare earths are a collection of 17 elements in the periodic table, including cerium (used in glass), lanthanum (used in batteries) and yttrium (used in displays). Rare earths, despite the name, are not that rare; however, they are difficult to find in significant concentrations.
Prices of these versatile metals spiked recently after China, the world’s biggest producer, cut export quotas by more than 70 per cent, which sent prices of locally listed rare earth producers rocketing. China, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of global production, has been cutting its export quotas for rare earths every year since 2006 to cater to growing domestic needs. The government has also encouraged exports of finished rare earth products instead of semi-finished goods.
“Since China is forecasted to remain the major suppler of the rare earths, China’s export policies have a huge bearing on any forecasted prices," UBS analyst Glyn Lawcock said. “If China were to relax its quotas and tariffs, supply of rare earths from the country have the potential to significantly bring down the prices of rare earths."
About 50 per cent of the world’s total rare earths supply comes from the Baotou mine in China.
India, Brazil and Malaysia are at present the only other countries producing rare earths. Kyrgyzstan and Russia used to be major producers in the 1980s and 1990s, but no longer appear to be mining and are instead running down inventories. The US was once the world’s biggest producer but it was surpassed by China in the 1980s.
There are no exchanges that quote rare earth prices. Instead, they are traded between buyers and sellers often under long-term contracts and, according to Mr Lawcock, the pricing mechanisms are considered “very opaque".
If the forecasts prove to be correct, then the rest of the world will have to get its rare earths elsewhere.
Shares in Lynas have put on 191 per cent this year, making the company the second-best performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200. Lynas has already signed a number of supply agreements, including one with Japan’s Sojitz Corporation, and expects production of rare earths to begin next year.
Molycorp own the rights to the Mountain Pass rare earth mine which was closed in 2002 due to environmental restrictions and lower prices for rare earths, but had dominated global production up until the mid -1990s.
However, with rare earth prices as high as they are now the mine has once again become feasible and production is scheduled to commence next year.
Production at Arafura’s Nolan project in the Northern Territory is planned to begin in 2013. The Nolan resource contains 848,000 tonnes of rare earths.
In the northern hemisphere, Greenland Minerals is working on its flagship project, Kvanefjeld. Greenland Minerals has done a pre-feasibility study on the site and construction is scheduled to commence in 2013 with first production in 2015.
The company says the project could contain enough rare earth material to supply close to 20 per cent of annual global demand now.
The Australian Financial Review


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After an anchor store is decided, other tenants can be determined, Parker said.
According to a sign advertising space in the center, there's space for a 10,000 to 50,000-square-foot anchor store and several 1,000-10,000-square-foot shops.
The shopping center was once anchored by a Farm Fresh. The grocery store closed about a year before Lowe's bought the site in 2007. The Farm Fresh was demolished to make way for a new home improvement store.
But expansion plans changed during the recession, and Lowe's decided to sell the land in 2013. Local developer Michael Sifen bought the site for $9 million in 2014.
Have a question for this feature? Contact Mechelle Hankerson at 757-222-5124 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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By C&I Week
Velocity Frequent Flyer and BP Australia have announced a new initiative allowing BP customers to pay for fuel using their Velocity points.
The program, Pay with Points, is understood to be an Australian-first. From next week, customers can redeem between $10 and $60 off their eligible fuel and in store purchases at participating BP service stations using their Velocity points.
It is the first time an Australian airline loyalty program has allowed its members to use their frequent flyer points as currency in a retail store.
Nearly one million unique members have swiped their Velocity card at BP since the launch of Velocity and BP Australia’s partnership in April 2015.
Currently as part of the partnership consumers earn two Velocity points per litre on fuel purchases and two Velocity points per dollar in store at selected BP service stations.
Read more here.
This story first appeared in C&I Week.


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NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 30 – Mobile commerce services provider Cellulant has sealed a deal to provide digital services for Barclays Africa across its key markets on the continent.
Cellulant, who power mobile banking for more than 32 banks in Africa, operates Africa’s leading mobile commerce network with a growing turnover of more than Sh10 billion.
As part of its, ‘One Africa’ strategy, Barclays Africa has now teamed up with Cellulant to make its customer digital experience – mobile and Internet banking as well as ATMs – more convenient for customers across its 12 African countries, by deploying a new aggregator platform.
Speaking when he confirmed the new partnership, Barclays Africa’s corporate banking Managing Director, John Gachora explained that the new deal will facilitate the banks strategic efforts to provide convenient consumer access platforms. The partnership will also allow the bank to innovate and develop new products and services for its customers across Africa.
Cellulant’s Chief Business Officer Paul Ndichu explained that the new partnership will increase Barclays Africa customer’s activity on its E-channels allowing them to transact with a wide network of merchants across the Barclays Africa and Absa network.
In this new model, which will be rolled out in a phased approach, Cellulant will provide a merchant/bill payment platform as well as a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) aggregator to facilitate mobile commerce solutions’ for Barclays Africa.
“This new digital drive is all part of our One Africa strategy to increase channel access for both our retail customers and corporate clients. For our corporate clients, this offers an efficient and cost-effective channel to bill and receive payments from their customers. We are committed to listening to and meeting the needs of all our customers,” Gachora said.
The new aggregator platform, Ndichu explained, will be deployed in Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Seychelles, Botswana and Kenya, thereby allowing its users across the continent to enjoy mobile banking, merchant payments and other banking services on a multi-channelled approach.
“This is a first for the banking industry in Africa and is the Pan-African infrastructural model for our mobile commerce network. We are really proud to be executing this for Barclays & Absa,” said Ndichu.
“We have built a mobile commerce network that is connected to different platforms across different value chains in Africa such as MNO wallets, banks, merchant bill payment gateways and content delivery channels to deliver a transformational experience on mobile.”
Making use of Cellulant as an aggregator will also save the bank time and money by providing real time connectivity to critical third parties and will enable successful applications such as Hello Money, Internet Banking, Mobile Wallet (e.g. MPESA) and airtime top-up on all Barclays Africa e-channels.
Cellulant drives mobile commerce in 10 countries namely Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Mauritius, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and now Zimbabwe and Mozambique and is one of the first companies to be issued with the mobile payments licence in Nigeria.
In Africa, Cellulant enables mobiles commerce over 30 mobile networks for different industries including banking, insurance, travel, music, utilities, retail and manufacturing.


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The storm-assisted car-fest that ended last year appears to be fully winding down. Automakers overall posted weak sales to start 2018. They are putting on their best face, admitting widely that this year was going to be a tough one anyway as if they expected it.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, total sales (seasonally-adjusted) in January 2018 were 17.1 million, down from 17.8 million in December. It was in September and October where car sales picked up dramatically from mid-year when a clear downward trend had developed. The issue for this year is how much of an effect Harvey and Irma had, and whether it will be more than temporary given the inventory situation.
Estimates according to JD Power/LMC as well as those from AutoTrader are not encouraging. Both are heading quickly back to more middle 2017 levels than those picked up in late last year.
The growth trend ended in mid- to late-2015, an inarguable macro-related inflection. It was and is a surprise to economists, including those working at the automakers (who keep saying things like "robust job market"). To the BLS, of course, the clear and persistent slowdown in the labor market offers instead an economic explanation far more consistent with these hard(er) figures.
The problem now for the manufacturers is incentives. Each of them has produced heavier and heavier programs just to keep sales from falling further. That has an impact on profitability, a factor that is taking on paramount importance particularly at domestic carmakers.
"In the face of very high consumer confidence, low interest rates, low gas prices, longer and longer loan terms, we're still seeing the pedal through the floorboards on incentives," said Mark Wakefield, head of the auto practice at consultant AlixPartners. "You're training consumers to look for the deal."
That's one way to look at, the one where the unemployment rate describes the economy for you. Another and again more consistent way is to understand that all the rest of the labor market data is the reason "high consumer confidence, low interest rates, low gas prices" aren't enough for automakers to be able to reduce incentives. There is no boom, at least not for American workers.
Customers haven't been "trained" to look for huge deals on new stock, without the incentives they won't pull the trigger. For the same reasons, we see available-for-sale housing inventory steadily decline, consumers particularly at the lower ends of the income table are far more uncertain about the economic climate and therefore their future in it. Give them the deal of a lifetime, or forget about it. Even those who are given the opportunity are refusing, which is the prior downtrend to the middle of last year. If we go back to that trend, then it's bad news all around.
That's one reason why car sales as opposed to those of SUVs and pickups have crashed. At the lower ends (cars are much cheaper relative to light trucks), there isn't a whole lot of demand going back to around late 2014 - exactly the time housing inventory began to fall off. Increasingly concerned about work, at widening margins Americans don't want to add new payments whether in a new car or because moving to a bigger and more expensive house (with its higher mortgage payment despite, too, "low interest rates").
Sales at General Motors (NYSE:GM) rose just 1.3% year over year, fell 6.3% for Ford (NYSE:F), and declined 13% at FCA (the seventeenth consecutive month of declines). Toyota's (NYSE:TM) overall sales rose 17% on the strength of a redesigned Camry gambling on increased market share for the Japanese manufacturer in a declining car market, while falling 1.7% for Honda (NYSE:HMC). Nissan (OTCPK:NSANY) (OTCPK:NSANF) achieved a rise of 10% and Hyundai-Kia sales fell 6.4%.
If dealers can't clear any additional inventory than what Harvey and Irma were able to, which is what incentive payments to customers are supposed to be for, then production has to be further adjusted. It would add yet another headwind to this boom that has yet to boom.


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VIZ Media has announced that Shonen Jump magazine will feature Dragonball Evolution fold-out posters and photos in its next issue, hitting stands and online on March 31st:
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the upcoming release of a special SHONEN JUMP DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION posterzine, based on the upcoming live-action film from 20th Century Fox starring Justin Chatwin as Goku, Emmy Rossum as Bulma, Jamie Chung as Chi Chi, and Chow Yun-Fat as Master Roshi. Dragonball: Evolution opens nationwide on April 8th and is inspired by Akira Toriyama’s smash hit DRAGON BALL manga (graphic novel) series, also published domestically by VIZ Media and featured in SHONEN JUMP magazine.
The new SHONEN JUMP DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION posterzine celebrates the upcoming live-action adventure feature film Dragonball: Evolution. Both the movie, directed by James Wong, and the DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION posterzine, published by VIZ Media, bring to life the action and the characters from the eagerly awaited film. Look for the posterzine on newsstands wherever SHONEN JUMP magazine is sold and online at Store.Viz.com beginning March 31st. The SHONEN JUMP DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION posterzine carries an MSRP of $9.99 and is rated T for Teens. The posterzine features 11 full-color posters that fold out to 16″ x 22″ and depict a variety of vivid action shots and all the film’s main characters.
“We’re very excited to announce our first live-action Hollywood posterzine product to support the highly anticipated release of the Dragonball: Evolution movie,” says Christopher Boily, VIZ Media Sr. Director, Newsstand. “It’s great to see our hugely popular DRAGON BALL manga get the full Hollywood treatment for the big screen â€“ and the high quality glossy images will help bring everyone’s favorite characters to life and offer a fun way for fans to pay homage to this incredible new movie.”
Dragonball: Evolution, the live-action feature film (rated PG) centers on a team of warriors, each of whom possess special abilities. Together, they protect Earth from a force bent on dominating the universe by controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name. Dragonball: Evolution features Justin Chatwin as Goku, Emmy Rossum as Bulma, Jamie Chung as Chi Chi, and Chow Yun-Fat as Master Roshi. Dragonball: Evolution the movie is based on the popular Japanese manga series created by Akira Toriyama (also published in North America by VIZ Media).
DRAGON BALL has become a global pop culture and entertainment phenomenon that has generated more than $3 billion in worldwide sales of a vast array of products including manga, DVDs, video games, toys, apparel and other collectibles. Over 1.6 million copies of the manga series have been sold in North America to date, while the animated counterpart remains the most successful domestic anime series ever with over 500 episodes and 17 animated movies broadcast or released on DVD to date. Over 30 DRAGON BALL video game titles are also available for the PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 platforms, and have sold a total of more than 11 million units worldwide.
Source: VIZ Media, LLC


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In response to ever-encroaching security and privacy threats worldwide, one of the next up-and-coming technologies is blockchain, which allows for secure online transactions of all varieties without need for middlemen of any kind.
The projected impact of the cost- and time-saving methodology is being compared to that of the internet. And while it has yet to be embraced by FinTech as a whole, at least 40 of the world’s top financial institutions are experimenting with the ledger technology that quickly and transparently tracks the movement of assets, cutting the risk of fraud.
What is blockchain?
The new technology is causing a ripple in financial and other industries across the world, including insurance, health care, agriculture, music and sales of high-end goods like diamonds, art and antiquities. But analysts are still muddling its scope, especially because it remains largely unregulated.
What’s the big deal? The methodology provides a secure digital ledger of parties involved in most any transaction, such that no middleman is needed to facilitate. Through cryptography, each participant in a given network can securely manipulate its ledger, whereupon algorithms are applied to evaluate and verify such actions before they’re added to the chain. The system itself involves a network of computers, a network protocol and a consensus mechanism.
If you’ve ever used digital currency bitcoin, you’ve used blockchain.
Analysts speculate the growing use of blockchain will massively impact business by displacing middlemen industries such as financial trading clearinghouses and real estate title-search firms.
What does blockchain mean for FinTech?
The industry looks toward huge savings in time and money along with a significant reduction in fraud.
FinTech has taken the lead in blockchain technology, says Magister Advisors, already investing almost $1 billion in related companies. The Wall Street Journal estimates the technology could cut $20 billion annually in global banking expenses.
In one example, players in financial industry trades can now bypass the fees and several days’ processing involved with central clearinghouses, completing their transactions in minutes or even seconds.
“The market for private blockchain 24 months ago was zero,” said Magister Advisors partner Jeremy Millar in December. “Now we’re at a stage in the market where it has already gone into specialization. This is a market poised to scale incredibly rapidly.”
Who’s leading the charge?
Among FinTech investments noted in another Wall Street Journal story:
- Contributing $30 million toward Chain Inc. last year was a group including Nasdaq Inc., Citi Ventures, Visa Inc. Capital One Financial, Fidelity Investments, First Data, Fiserv, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and State Street. Chain’s now-available blockchain infrastructure can reportedly finalize high volumes of transactions in less than a second.
- Investing more than $50 million in blockchain startup Digital Asset Holdings LLC is a group of 13 investors including J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and BNP Paribas SA.
- The 42 banks in the New York-based R3 CEV Ltd. consortium will pilot a private blockchain this year.
- Santander U.K. will pilot blockchain technology for international payments through an Apple iOS app developed by Ripple.
- The U.K.’s Barclays bank has partnered with bitcoin bank Circle.
- Crédit Mutuel Arkéa reports it’s the first bank in France to use private blockchain technology to deliver quicker and more cost-effective verification of customer identity.
Contact Thumbtack today to learn how your firm can maximize blockchain technology.


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The transaction was concluded in March by Diatex, the SITI B&T group company which acquired a 70% stake in MEC Abrasives.
Consolidated revenue of 142 million euros (down 18.8% on the 175 million euros of 2019); EBITDA of 11 million euros. The net financial position improved thanks to good cash generation.
The SITI B&T Group company specialising in end-of-line solutions has developed a new technology focused on aesthetics
Founded in July 2018 in Milan, Idylium has entered the market at the beginning of 2020 and has already a presence in Europe, USA, China, Australia and Middle East
CDP, Banco BPM and UniCredit support Siti-B&T’s new business plan focused on expansion abroad.
Siti B&T has launched a comprehensive online programme of technical training seminars for international customers, available in seven languages
Extreme size flexibility, small and large thicknesses, zero defects and waste, and optimised productivity.
The new plant will perform surface lapping of glazed surfaces and polishing of full-body, double-loaded or through-vein unglazed surfaces
Consolidated revenues down to 175.1 million euros and margins in line with those of 2018. Export share up 90%.
At Cevisama 2020, SITI B&T Group presented the world premiere of the first collection of architectural surfaces designed by Automobili Lamborghini.
The investment improves the Formigine-based group’s competitiveness in the finishing segment.


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Bramham was GM - innovation for Europe prior
We catch up with Manohar Bhat, head of sales and marketing, to learn more about the brand's marketing plans ahead of the launch next year
Had joined Lenovo in 2013
Nick Reynolds moves into a global role.
Relationships between agencies and clients in India are on a strong wicket, according to a recent study. Ogilvy and JWT are most recalled creative agencies. In media, Madison is the highest in recall while the recently created Wavemaker scores high in client satisfaction.
Was EVP and head of marketing at Star Sports prior
Ads for Eros Now, Lodha, Lyca and Star Tours target the British-Asian viewer
The Chinese smartphone maker, which kicked off its 2018 Russia World Cup branding blitz last night in Beijing, says it is in the game for the long haul
Was group product head - male grooming at Marico prior
Clients on board include Tata Unistore, Noon.com, Rajasthan Patrika amongst others
The Cannes LionHeart is a honorary award for harnessing commercial brand power to make a positive difference to people or the planet
In a highly competitive Asian football fan market, finding new audiences is critical, says the German football league’s international CEO.
He moves from Ola
In this special series, CMOs use this platform to spark a discussion and provide thought leadership.
The agency's entry for Krispy won the accolade in the 'Data Creativity Awards'
Mindshare’s chief product officer for South Asia, MA Parthasarathy presented the two cases for the brands from GSK and HUL
Co-founder and CEO of Single Interface presented the case study at the I-Com Global Summit in San Sebastian
The Yoga guru was on a roll at the inaugural session of the 2018 edition of the advertising festival, with his tirade against profiteering, pulling punches against MNCs and publicly announcing his strategic intent for Patanjali
This time an ad by consumer goods giant, Hindustan Unilever has been plagiarised by a Pakistani personal care brand
He returns to India after a stint at the headquarters of the auto giant
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J.C. Penney is the ‘fastest-growing startup’?
Throughout the earnings presentation, Johnson and CFO Ken Hannah, made a point to paint “a tale of two companies,” the old, dingy promotional department store known as jcpenney and the new, fresh, shop-filled specialty retail store named jcp.
Unfortunately, both companies reported a 26.1 percent drop in same-store sales for the quarter ending Oct. 27.
“This was another quarter of unbelievable learning for J.C. Penney,” Johnson said as he shared key lessons from the quarter.
Traffic for the quarter was down 12 percent, the same as the previous quarter, but Johnson said the company realized it could “draw traffic through a key promotional periods.”
While the old jcpenney was used to drawing traffic with promotions, the new jcp has eliminated that mentality. Instead it pushed free haircuts in August and September. And, although promotions are not technically part of the new jcp startup, the company plans to hold a sale on Black Friday, because that’s what people expect, Johnson said.
Pricing also continues to be an issue for J.C. Penney. By eliminating monthlong value pricing, J.C. Penney saw a $20 million loss per week for the quarter. J.C. Penney plans to show the suggested retail price on all national products, a test that worked well with the IZOD brand, Johnson said.
Despite the bumps in Q3, Johnson and CFO Ken Hannah believe J.C. Penney will end the year ready to regain growth in fiscal 2013, a goal Johnson stated in August.
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Mumbai: Tata Motors continued to witness strong year-on-year growth in the M&HCV segment in November 2015, with a growth of 21%. Total sale of Tata Motors passenger and commercial vehicles (including exports) were at 38,918 vehicles, lower by 7%, over 41,720 vehicles, sold in November 2014. The domestic sale of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles for November 2015 were at 35,345 nos. lower by 6% over 37,427 vehicles sold in November 2014.
Cumulative sales (including exports) for the fiscal at 324,973 nos., higher by 3% over 314,505 vehicles, sold last year.
In November 2015, Tata Motors passenger vehicles recorded a year-on-year decline of 13%, with sales of 10,517 nos., compared to 12,021 nos.
While the overall sales of the passenger cars in November 2015 were lower by 11% at 9,172 nos., compared to 10,286 nos., in November 2014, the compact car segment (without sedan) witnessed a growth of 33% at 5,821 nos., in November 2015, compared to 4,376 nos., in November 2014. UV sales declined by 22% at 1,345 nos., in November 2015.
Cumulative sales of all passenger vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal are 88,321 nos., higher by 10% over last year.
In commercial vehicles, M&HCV sales continued to grow at 11,524 nos., higher by 21%, over November 2014. The Light & Small Commercial Vehicle sales however continued to reflect industry decline and were at 13,304 nos., a decline of 16% over November 2014. These impacted the overall commercial vehicles sales for Tata Motors in the domestic market that were at 24,828 nos., in November 2015, a decline of 2%, over November 2014.
Cumulative sales of commercial vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal are at 200,308 nos., were flat, over last year. Cumulative LCV sales are at 104,123 nos., a decline of 17% over last year, while M&HCV sales at 96,185 nos., were higher by 25%, over last year.
The company’s sales from exports were 3,573 nos., in November 2015, lower by 17% compared to 4,293 vehicles in November 2014. The cumulative sales from exports for the fiscal are at 36,344 nos., were higher by 11%, over 32,668 nos., sold last year.
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Many Australian businesses believe COVID-19 has presented them with an opportunity to innovate, according to new research by Microsoft which found that for the majority of organisation surveyed, the pandemic accelerated digital transformation and the digitisation of customer and supply chain interactions.
Carpenters have an adage ‘measure twice, cut once.’ Something similar applies in IT.
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You can’t get more Pedro than the Fish Market.
As the family yarn goes, it all started with a couple of Italian immigrants selling fish, what else, out of ice chests from a tiny shop at Ninth and Meyler streets in the 1950s.
Today, the sprawling market and restaurant business run by four generations of the Ungaro and Amalfitano families packs in thousands who travel for miles on weekends to experience the famous shrimp tray with a glass — or two — of cold beer, a round of karaoke and majestic views of the passing ship traffic along the water’s edge in Ports O’ Call Village.
Chaotic, festive and brimming the old- and new-world Pedro character (and characters), the San Pedro Fish Market and Restaurant — Tommy Amalfitano, “Tommy Sr.,” was just a teenager when he began running his Uncle Mackey Ungaro’s small retail fish market named Vista Seafood in the 1950s and Tommy is still the boss — is making a stab at prime time celebrity as it debuts its own reality web series, “Kings of Fish,” on Friday.
Could be ‘psychotic’
“When you get us all together, it could be fun, it could be crazy or it could be a little psychotic” is how Michael Ungaro, a USC graduate and now a principal in the family-owned business, puts it in the one-minute trailer that’s already a much-shared hit. “You really don’t know what to expect.”
The goal, he said, is bigger than promoting the restaurant. The aim, he said, is to highlight the San Pedro community, founded by European immigrants who migrated here to fish. The restaurant, as it prepares for the July Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival, serves as a microcosm of that larger narrative.
“We have this great story with a lot of characters,” said Ungaro, Tommy’s nephew.
Raw, behind-the-scenes view
It may all look very normal — just Pedro being Pedro — to the locals, he said. But outsiders seem drawn to the colorful, ethnic-rich, sometimes raw glimpse into the behind-the-scenes workings of a traditional seafood business at one of the busiest seaports in the world.
So they linked up with streaming media producer Scott Holmes and executive directors Tim Regan Wasmundt and Devin McGovern — whose resumes include shows such as “Iron Chef America” and “Bar Rescue” — in the pioneer movement that is bringing entertainment into homes directly through digital media.
The result, producers said, is “network-quality programing that engages audiences.”
The idea behind the short “webisodes” is to cut out the network middleman and garner sponsors directly. It’s only been done by large name brands such as Nike so far, Holmes said, making the fish market rollout something of an experiment to see how it might work for smaller businesses.
New shows each Friday
New webisodes will appear each Friday, beginning this week, and remain online for viewing anytime. Set to run are four five-minute-long episodes that will air on www.KingsOfFishTV.com/. If those are successful, they’ll produce more.
The first episodes will largely be character-building narratives highlighting the family members who run the growing business, Holmes said.
It’s not the first time the restaurant has been in the spotlight.
“People have flown in from Texas who saw us on the Travel Channel,” Ungaro said. “We’ve had people here from Seattle who saw us on the Food Network.”
And the market’s YouTube channel carries several videos created over the past few years.
Launching a San Pedro Fish Market frozen food for retail consumers has further expanded the market’s celebrity. Its “World Famous Shrimp Tray” line now is found in more than 1,000 grocery stores across four states, including Hawaii. Talks are ongoing to put the brand in Costco and Sprouts.
‘They’re such naturals’
Holmes said the family needed very little coaching in front of the camera.
“It was fun making it,” he said. “They’re such naturals. We always give some direction, but we didn’t have to give much. This is really who they are.”
Since its opening in 1956 (it was at Norm’s Landing, just north of where it is now, before opening in Ports O’ Call in 1962), the restaurant has tripled its indoor and vast patio seating capacity to nearly 3,000, serving more than 1.1 million customers each year. The business has been promised a new spot in the San Pedro Public Market, the development that will remake Ports O’ Call, with some of its new dining space to be constructed over the water and the promenade. The current facility will remain open until the new restaurant is built and ready for occupancy.
Its food, atmosphere and immigrant family roots make it a true San Pedro original and the market was wooed three years ago, Ungaro said, for a television reality show. The family backed off when it became clear they would have to forfeit some creative control — on top of providing a percentage of their restaurant sales to the film company.
Holmes said a teaser clip got nearly 200,000 views in less than a week’s time. He expects the Fish Market webisodes to be a hit.
“From a quality perspective, it’s as good as a network show,” he said. “From a character perspective, that family, you’ve gotta love them. They’re all characters.”


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Facebook UK mobile users climb 22%
The number of Facebook's active monthly mobile users in the UK increased by 22 per cent year on year during June.
Facebook: social network's UK mobile users rise by 22 per cent
Facebook refused to disclose the total number of UK mobile users ahead of its second-quarter results announcement next month but, based on the statistic that 68 per cent of Facebook's global users access its mobile services each month, there could be close to 22 million active UK mobile users of Facebook.
The social network has released the UK figures ahead of a summer marketing drive to the advertising business to increase awareness of its mobile platform. It claims that users continue to use its mobile service when on holiday or travelling.
It cites US data from ComScore that Facebook users open the app between 10 and 15 times each day and that 751 million people worldwide use the Facebook mobile service. Facebook also said that the number of messages sent daily via mobile has increased ten fold in the last year.
Facebook said that monthly US active users of its mobile platform increased by 18 per cent in June. Its first-quarter results indicated that 30 per cent of its global ad revenue comes from mobile platforms.
Earlier this year, the social network launched its Facebook Home app for Android to drive increased use of its mobile service on non-Apple devices.
This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk
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Adobe’s India marketing head Sunder Madakshira joins UK-based Rezolve as the India CEO
Sunder Madakshira, the former head of marketing at Adobe India, has been named as chief executive officer for Indian operations of Rezolve, a UK-headquartered leading company in mobile commerce and engagement.
Sunder Madakshira joins UK-based Rezolve as the India CEO
In this role, Madakshira will lead all aspects of growth for Rezolve’s business in India. He speaks to The Drum about his mandate in the new role, the journey from a CMO to a CEO, and the lessons as a marketer.
Getting behind the mobile-first company
Rezolve was founded in 2016, is headquartered in London, UK, and has offices in China, India, Taiwan, Germany, Spain, and Mexico.
Even though relatively new to India, Rezolve, an enterprise SaaS platform designed from the ground up specifically for mobile commerce and engagement, has huge ambitions to make it big here.
In that backdrop, having a foot in the Indian market is the next logical plan what with India’s high level of mobile penetration, combined with the vast scale of its population, that makes the market ideal for Rezolve.
“India is a critical market for the company”, said Dan Wagner, Rezolve’s chairman and CEO and “Sunder Madakshira is joining us as CEO for our Indian operations to drive our growth in the region.”
India CEO speaks on the journey from CMO to CEO
The just-announced chief executive Madakshira has been a marketer for many years at different companies and industries. These include, most recently Adobe, and before that companies like SAP, Harman, Infosys, Wipro, and Hindustan Lever (Unilever).
On the shift and the learnings as a marketer across B2C, B2B brands across consumer goods, technology, and financial services brands, Madakshira shares in an exclusive chat with The Drum: “I would certainly like to take the core aspects of marketing ie, customer-centricity forward in the new role - the ability to understand what the customers truly need and how Rezolve can partner with them to solve their biggest challenges is going to be the key focus.”
His mandate in the new role includes, “growing the business for Rezolve in India, by delighting and helping the customers achieve the next normal in terms of customer experiences.”
What got him excited about the mandate was the opportunity to create a new category in the marketing technology space, he says.
Market-readiness of India for a mobile-first company like Rezolve
India is a confluence of massive mobile/internet penetration, unbelievable consumer scale, and brands which want to be world-class. To that add the exciting space of marketing which has its three- technology, consumer, and brand – all of which when combined with what Rezolve brings so powerfully, makes for a very exciting journey, says Madakshira.
Rezolve’s technology is revolutionary and signals the future of what category- and market-leading brands would like to be part of, he adds.


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The photographer’s hyper-realistic portrayals of the world’s beauties “took the gloss off” specimens of human perfection, making them approachable and less commercial
The early 2000s trend has been one of the most embarrassing moments in fashion landscape but here are some resurrected 2000s trend that has entered 2019
By the 1980s, the suit as a women’s power uniform was in full swing, fronted today by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton but it was still very much an Anglo-Saxon sartorial trend but it’s making its way to Asia.
We take a look at five of the most influential bloggers who have brought more attention to brands and a runway than any publication has in recent time.
The 19-year-old daughter of Stephen Baldwin, and niece of actor Alec Baldwin, may be the next rising star of modeling.
BBC Two has commissioned an observational documentary about British fashion magazine Vogue as it nears its centenary year.


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There has been controversy concerning researchers’ revelations about the tracking and storage of users’ location data on Apple iPhones and 3G-enabled iPad tablets, as well as location tracking on Google Android devices. Now, Apple has released a software update in response to the location-tracking questions.
To download the update, attach your iPhone or 3G-enabled iPad to your computer; open iTunes (it may open automatically, depending on your settings); find your Device on the left-hand column under “Devices”; click on your device’s name and you’ll see the pane on your right change; under “Version,” it will either have a tab that says “Check for Update” or “Update” — click on either. The process should take several minutes.
Here’s more on the software update from MacWorld:
Apple said it would take a few weeks to issue an iOS update to fix a handful of bugs related to the storage of location data, but it’s taken just seven days between that announcement and the appearance of iOS 4.3.3.
As Apple promised in its location Q&A last week, iOS 4.3.3 addresses three bugs related to the database of location information on iOS devices. Firstly, it reduces the amount of the cached location information to a week’s worth, rather than relying on a size limit, as it previously did. Secondly, it no longer backs up the cache to your Mac or PC via iTunes upon syncing, so the information isn’t available to anyone with access to your computer. And finally, the cache is now deleted from the device when Location Services are disabled in iOS’s Settings app. Apple has also announced plans to encrypt the location information on iOS devices itself in the next major update to the operating system, which presumably refers to iOS 5. […]
These quick, efficient fixes should go a long way to settling concerns over the discovery of stored location data that sparked an outcry last month. The worries have even prompted a Congressional hearing on mobile privacy, scheduled for May 10, in which Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the company will participate.


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After a whirlwind success at the Box Office Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 hits the OTT platform Netflix
Needless to say, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has been ‘THE FILM’ of the year 2022. Directed by the famous Aneez Bazmee, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 stars Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani in the lead roles. Additionally one of the best Indian actresses Tabu also stars in a pivotal role. Surprisingly no movie came close to the success of the horror-comedy was released in May and there hasn’t been any stopping for the movie. Whether it was Dhaakad, Tom Cruise Top Gun 2, or even the versatile actor Ayushmaan Khurrana’s Anek, no movie stood in front of it. In the fourth week running the movie has made over 200 crores in business worldwide. Because of the resounding movie success, now Bhool Bhulaiyaa2 hits the OTT platform Netflix. Kartik Aryan boasted on his Instagram handle,” A Certified Blockbuster now.” He added a flame emoji to signify the immense popularity of the movie.
After dominating the Box Office Bhool Bhulaiyaa2 hits OTT platform Netflix
Kartik and Kiara starrer is soon going to make the OTT platform soon. Now the viewers can watch it at home as Netflix has acquired the streaming rights to the film. A known source revealed the news and said that film shall be released in accordance with the conventional four-week norm, according to which a movie releases after 4 weeks of its release. Going by this the movie is likely to be online by June 19, 2022. Since the movie released in May there has been no stopping. Many had earlier spread the rumours that Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 release on OTT has been put on hold. The OTT giant has finally announced the release date, Sunday, June 19th.It was announced on the Netflix post.


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Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer, may scale back its $4 billion bid for Massmart by nearly half, a move that could keep the South African firm listed in Johannesburg.
Wal-Mart is now considering taking more than a 50% stake, rather than a full buyout, Massmart said in a statement on Thursday.
The offer price was still R148 per share, Massmart said.
Shares of Massmart initially fell more than 2% on the news before recouping some losses.
The shares were down 0,5% at R140,76 as of 0909 GMT, underperforming a 0,8% gain in Johannesburg’s blue-chip Top-40 index.
Wal-Mart has been under increasing fire from its shareholders to revive its ailing US stores, and some analysts have said it should concentrate on fixing its business at home before spending big on expansion.
“Wal-Mart is investigating potential options for and the merits of retaining Massmart’s listing,” Massmart said.
“These investigations could lead to Wal-Mart making a partial offer to acquire in excess of 50%.”
The revised bid may also reflect dissatisfaction among Massmart’s shareholders at the deal, said Syd Vianello, an analyst at Nedcor Securities.
“I think what they are saying is: If this deal is so good for Wal-Mart why should we be selling?”
“I think because of an increasing, call it, resistance to exit completely it looks like they have to go the route of a partial offer and retaining the listing on the JSE so that shareholders will be allowed to maintain their exposure to the company.”
Wal-Mart last month said it was in talks to acquire all of Massmart, a $4 billion deal that would give the US retailer a big presence in fast-growing Africa and boost its emerging markets strategy.
The bid values Massmart at 26,3 times its 12-month adjusted earnings per share, according to Thomson Reuters data.
Massmart sells general merchandise, electronics and food via a low-margin, high-volume model. It runs nearly 290 stores and nine different retail and wholesale chains.
It has also been one of the most aggressive of South Africa’s retailers in expanding into the continent.
Wal-Mart’s intention to scale back its bid comes two weeks after HSBC pulled out of talks to buy a majority stake in South Africa’s Nedbank.


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AOPEN America launches Retail Evolution Lab an inspiring retail technology event where digital meets design.
Online PR News – 21-May-2014 – San Jose, CA – California, May 19, 2014: In a bid to keep retailers, brand manufacturers, marketing agencies and shop designers abreast with the latest developments in retail sector, AOPEN America Inc is all set to hold preview of Retail Evolution Lab on May 21 from 5 PM to 7 PM. AOPEN is a leading electronics manufacturer for both home and business applications.
The ensuing Retail Evolution Lab will be a center of excellence where digital meets design. The event will facilitate retailers and manufacturers with world-class knowledge that is vital to make digital media successful in a retail or customer facing environment. The basic aim behind organizing the meet is to keep retailers posted with latest technological development in retail industry, identify problems or challenges of a brand or store and facilitate them with the right solution.
The Retail Evolution Lab offers food for thought and experience through digital media. However, the official opening of AOPEN’s Retail Evolution Lab for America is in late June. For retailers and brand manufacturers across the world, the forthcoming event will prove to be a golden opportunity to learn about the latest touch screen technologies and trends in in-store design, brand experience and corporate communications.


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First announced in January 2017 and unveiled in May, Android Founder Andy Rubin’s much-acclaimed Essential smartphone which was supposed to start shipping in USA in July has now been delayed and will be available after a few weeks in August.
Earlier this week it was reported that Essential executives met with several UK telecom operators including EE to sign an exclusive deal with one of them. The retail price is yet to be confirmed.
The highly anticipated Essential phone, which opened pre-bookings in end of May for $699 and was promised to deliver within a month of the booking is nowhere to be seen in the market.
According to Andy Rubin, the company is facing delays in testing the device with US and international carriers and the certifications are pending.
“I personally wanted to thank you for putting your name down for our first phone. You might be getting impatient to get your hands on your new Essential Phone (and I’m also impatient to get it to you!) but rest assured that you will have a device in your hands in a few weeks,” Andy Rubin wrote in an email to those who had pre-ordered the device.
Essential Phone Specs and Features
The Android-based device will come with its customised UI built on the latest Android O operating system.
It features 4GB RAM and 128GB (UFS 2.1) of internal storage.
The Essential phone comes encased in a titanium body with a ceramic back and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 covering the display.
Andy Rubin’s Essential smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s 64-bit, octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor which is based on the latest 10nm tech, clocks at 2.45GHz and is supported by Adreno 540 GPU.
The device sports a 5.7-inch QHD (2560 x 1312) display with 19:10 aspect ratio which takes up a major portion of the front panel of the device, leaving little bezel on the bottom.
The Essential phone sports a 13MP dual-lens camera with image fusion tech that assists in a smooth functioning of the 360-degree camera accessory which is supplied as an option alongside the device and is the smallest 360-degree personal camera in the world.
The front camera of the Essential smartphone is a 8MP unit with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Both the front and rear camera records videos at 4k (30fps), 1080p (60fps) and 720p (120fps).
The Essential Phone is backed by a 3040mAh battery which supports fast charging via the USB Type-C port.
The device is currently available in only two colours — Black Moon and Pure White — but Stellar Grey and Ocean Depths will go into production soon too.


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Slashdot reader chasm22 quotes Reuters:
A federal jury in Texas on Friday night ordered Apple Inc to pay more than $302 million in damages for using VirnetX Holding Corp’s patented internet security technology without permission in features including its FaceTime video conferencing application. The verdict came in a new trial in Tyler, Texas that had been ordered by the judge in the case, Robert Schroeder, who last August threw out VirnetX’s $625.6 million win over Apple from a previous trial because he said jurors in that case may have been confused…
A jury in 2012 awarded $368.2 million in damages, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., partly overturned that verdict, saying there were problems with how the trial judge instructed jurors on calculating damages.
On remand, VirnetX’s two suits were combined, and in February, a jury returned with an even bigger verdict, $625.6 million, one of the highest ever in a U.S. patent case… However, Schroeder later voided the result, saying that the repeated references to the earlier case could have confused jurors and were unfair to Apple… Apple will also have to contend with the trial in a second lawsuit VirnetX filed against Apple over newer versions of Apple security features, as well as its iMessage application.
The article points out that “Many patent cases are handled in the Texas court, which has a reputation for awarding favorable verdicts to plaintiffs alleging infringement.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.


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Could Crickets be the Cuisine of the Future?
Have you ever thought about insects being a part of your everyday diet? The first reaction I might get to this question is a scrunch of the nose and a look of distaste, however what if I told you that not only would you be contributing to the improvement of our planet’s environment, but you would also be adding a significant amount of healthy protein to your diet through eating these insects? Would you at least give them a try?
Three groups from across the United States are currently pushing to promote an unlikely insect as a great dietary alternative to your everyday snacks: crickets! These people are Pat Crawley, from The Chapul Group, Robyn Shapiro, Co-Founder of Seek, and Laura D’Asaro and Rose Wang of Chirps Chips. They all want to see you eating crickets!
“Our diet dictates our destinies” said Pat Crawley from The Chapul Group at his April 2015 TEDxZwolle talk in the Netherlands about the concept of eating insects. He spoke of how 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock alone, more than all of transportation. He proposes that eating insects could help eliminate a large amount of these greenhouse gas emissions. He referenced a 2012 United Nations report which outlined the three main reasons why insects are such a great food source: they’re more efficient, they increase the diversity of our food supply, and they are more adaptable to a changing climates.
Crawley acknowledges the discomfort many feel at the prospect of eating insects. He says this “Meal or Squeak Mechanism” comes from our prehistoric forager ancestors who had to work out if an insect they saw was edible or dangerous very quickly. Crawley uses what he calls cricket flour (crushed dried crickets), which he says is about 60% protein, to make snack bars, along with other more recognizable ingredients.
Another person who is utilizing and promoting crickets in your diet is Robyn Shapiro, co-founder of Seek, which launched in 2016. “We are trying to introduce people to the idea of eating crickets, while receiving the nutritional benefits, but not necessarily the taste just yet,” said Shapiro. Seek uses cricket powder in a range of different products including granola (cinnamon almond crunch) and snack bites (coconut cashew, banana peanut butter and jelly, and honey and seeds). The snacks were all made through a partnership between Seek and chef Flannery Klette-Kolton, Co-Owner of Big Little NYC. The company centered itself on the idea of taking from nature to get nutrients instead of turning to chemically modified foods. “I find it surprising that people are okay with chemicals in their food, but not an all-natural protein like crickets, I think it will only be a matter of time before this clicks for people,” said Shapiro. When asked why crickets as opposed to other natural food sources the answer was that “Crickets are truly the next great protein as they use 15x less water, 12x less feed and 14x less land than beef, while delivering 3x more protein and released virtually no greenhouse gases.”
Shapiro’s background is in marketing and communications. She spent many years in Switzerland, occasionally visiting France. Looking on the food system in the US from the outside she realised there was not the same appreciation and culture around food and its consumption that she found in Europe. She also saw there was a lack of the symbiotic relationship with nature she witnessed during her time in Switzerland. Wanting to bring these concepts and attitudes, “letting nature lead us, because nature always has a way of winning” as she put it, back to the US she began work on Seek. She spoke of how 75% of the worlds insect stock has been depleted and therefore not only is her aim around sustainable food, but about preventing the extension of insects that are essential to our ecosystem. She sees the farming of insects as a way of protecting them.
When asked why people are so adverse to eating insects she puts it down to a lack of education and conversations around eating insects. She said around 90% people trying her products are trying it for the first time, so there needs to be a dialogue around that experience.
Six Foods and Chirps were co-founded by Rose Wang, Laura D’Asaro, and Meryl Natow. Chirps was founded out of Wang’s dorm room at Harvard in December 2017. After being an on-and-off vegetarian her whole life and eating fried caterpillar while studying abroad in Africa, D’Asaro was excited at the prospect of a cricket-based snack. Chirps Cricket Chips are sealed as a cookie mix, as well as selling the flour separately for customers to cook with. They started on Kickstarter, raising over $70K from 1300 people, as well as going on Shark Tank in January where they received investment from Mark Cuban. They talked of crickets as the “gateway bug” to people eating other insects.
About 2 billion people consume insects worldwide, according to the United Nations, however the Western World has not yet embraces the concept of eating bugs quite yet. A 2013 report by the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated, “Insects can contribute to food security and be a part of the solution to protein shortages, given their high nutritional value.” Darryl Mosher, an Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, says he routinely incorporates insects into his healthy eating and sustainability classes. “Insects provide animal protein in a plant-forward diet” he said in May.
Other companies that are using cricket flour and insects to create foods and snacks are Bitty Foods, Bug Vivant, and Brooklyn-based EXO. However despite all this hype a study published in the journal PLOS ONE stated that crickets may not be a sustainable food source after all , and there might not be as much protein as all these companies are saying there is. This is down to what the crickets are fed, so this issue is resolved by feeding them grains that give them the highest amount of protein. These companies advertise the fact that crickets are marginally more sustainable than poultry so are a step in the right direction in terms of lowering greenhouse emissions. They are also easy to farm and harvest. If fed the right thing, and farmed effectively they could become an amazing potential sustainable food of the future.
So it’s really up to you whether you want to try them out or give this trend a miss until it becomes more mainstream, which it probably will in the near future.


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Following a weaker lead from US markets, the Australian share market has followed suit this session, dropping at the open and now tracking 0.13 per cent lower at noon. Materials are proving to be the biggest drag on the market, led down by losses in the big miners and the gold stocks. The Telcos space is bucking the trend, with Telstra (ASX:TLS) gaining around 0.75 per cent. We have also seen some small gains in Financials excluding REITS and Consumer Staples.
The S&P/ASX 200 index is 6 points down at 5,755. On the futures market the SPI is 8 points lower.
Lucapa Diamond Company Limited (ASX:LOM) and its partners Endiama and Rosas and Petalas have announced that the Lulo Alluvial diamond venture in Angola, Africa has declared US$8 million in a combined distribution and capital payment. Lucapa itself will be entitled to receive a gross amount of US$5.6 million. The diamond producer says the distribution and capital payment will provide a potential source of funding for its Mothae kimberlite project in Lesotho. Shares in Lucapa are trading up 2.74 per cent at $0.38.
Bubs Australia Limited (ASX:BUB) has announced that it has entered into a supply agreement with Costco Wholesale Corporation to range Bubs infant formula products in its national catalogue. Costco currently has 8 warehouses around the country, with around 150,000 wholesale memberships. Bubs has also recently announced it has expanded its footprint across Coles stores, Chemist Warehouse and other discount pharmacy distributors. Shares in Bubs Australia are trading up 6.76 per cent at $0.20.
Best and worst performers
The best performing sector is Telcos, gaining 0.6 per cent to 1,651. Shares in Telstra (ASX:TLS) have risen 0.54 per cent and trading at $4.67. Shares in Spark NZ (ASX:SPK) are higher and TPG Telecom (ASX:TPM) are lower.
The worst performing sector is Materials, falling 0.9 per cent to 9,891. Shares in Alumina (ASX:AWC) have fallen 3.33 per cent, trading at $1.89. Shares in Saracen Minerals (ASX:SAR) and Syrah Resources (ASX:SYR) are also lower.
Gold and the dollar
Gold is trading at $US1,217 an ounce and the Australian dollar is buying $US0.7597.


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Samsung has ended its beta testing program and has released Android 7.0 Nougat for Galaxy S7 devices.
(CCM) — Samsung has finally released the long awaited Android 7.0 Nougat update for its flagship Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge devices, following a long period of beta testing that started in November of last year. The move has surprised many users because Samsung's beta team had previously promised the update on Jan 17. Google released Nougat 7.0 Android back in August for its own Nexus devices, but it is only now that it is fully supported by Samsung on its Galaxy S7 series devices. Reports say that the new software is already available as an over-the-air update in Europe, and devices in other parts of the world should start receiving the updates shortly. Users who participated in the beta program along with owners of unlocked Galaxy S7 devices are likely to receive their updates before owners of carrier-supplied Galaxy S7 units.
The update is large — measuring about 215 MB — and includes a new user interface for both devices, new performance modes, and improved app installation speed, in addition to the operating system upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat. This provides quicker multi-talking, the ability to use two apps or to view Chrome tabs at the same time, and lock screen wallpaper. However the operating system update is already out of date because Google released Nougat 7.1.1 five days ago. It is not yet known if or when Galaxy S7 devices will receive this latest update.
Image: © Ivan Garcia - Shutterstock.com


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NewsBite Podcast (Jan 3-7): Aims to tackle obesity in 2022
Today’s NewsBite podcast details the UK’s ambition to tackle childhood obesity in 2022. Researchers are warning of a “quiet epidemic” of vitamin B12 deficiency as consumers increasingly turn to plant-based diets. Researchers have also highlighted that doubling prenatal choline could benefit children’s attention.
Today’s NewsBite podcast details investors pledging to tackle the global nutrition crisis. Meanwhile, Innova Market Insights’ director expects health demands to hold steady during 2022, while Lactalis Ingredients and Vitux have announced new launches in the sports nutrition and brain health space,... Read More
This week, MyProtein launched THE ioPea, marketed as the first plant-based protein that doesn’t compromise on bioavailability. Today’s NewsBite podcast also details an interesting patent for Rousselot, and new findings about vitamin D deficiency in children.
Today’s NewsBite podcast details the launch of Solabia-Algatech Nutrition’s AstraPure Max amid a booming global demand for astaxanthin. Meanwhile, the US nutrition industry slammed the FDA over an ongoing debate on the use of NAC in supplements, and other UK campaigners called for an end to using junk food... Read More
Today’s NewsBite podcast details Abbott’s new Similac 360 Total Care infant formula, which contains five HMOs identical to those in breastmilk. World Diabetes Day also took place, spotlighting how sweeteners could potentially help. Meanwhile, a study found that phthalate chemicals present human health... Read More
Today’s NewsBite podcast details VidaCap’s new Myco Immune Gummies. Also making headlines were Nuritas’ US$45 million funding for its peptide discovery platform, as well as Everwell Health snapping up Nutrition21 in its first move as a new health and wellness platform.
This week’s NewsBite podcast details major stories, which included Brightseed’s latest US$200,000 research grant from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as IFF’s new study findings concerning its isolated soy protein Supro. Lallemand also explained how fermented soy marries efficacy with naturality... Read More
In FrieslandCampina’s fourth annual Trend Report, the company illustrates the observed shifts in global eating toward mindful consumption and products that help make healthier purchasing decisions a no-brainer. This NewsBite podcast also delves into opportunities in functional foods as well as Mankai’s... Read More
Last week in nutrition news, the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University developed the Food Compass, a holistic nutrition profiling system. This NewsBite podcast also delves into NPD launches from Lallemand Health Solutions and Hum Nutrition, as well as exclusive interviews with... Read More
This week’s NewsBite podcast details major stories, which included Shared Planet topping Innova Market Insights’ Top Ten Trends for 2022, as well as Aker BioMarine investigating krill oil for liver and metabolic health. There was also a slew of new launches this week, including Ancient Nutrition’s fermented... Read More
In nutrition news this week, Your CBD launched a cannabidiol oil targeting weight loss without side effects, while Bunge Loders Croklaan unveiled a structured medium- and long-chain triglyceride for the active aging category. In research strides, artificial sweeteners were linked to long-term digestive... Read More
This week’s NewsBite podcast explores AAK bringing Progress Biotech’s algae-based DHA to the infant formula market. Meanwhile, a Kerry study found that Wellmune’s immunity benefits are not transferable, and Abbott announced a US$45 million annual investment into its new center for malnutrition solutions.
Today’s NewsBite podcast digs into plant-based protein innovations, including DSM’s CanolaPro. The regulatory scene has been busy with the UK set to fortify flour with folic acid, and the US FDA being urged to crack down on phenibut. Meanwhile, Kirin Holdings’ LC-Plasma paraprobiotic was found to reduce... Read More
This NewsBite podcast delves into how plant-based diets may lower the risk of prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction. Other research pointed to a lockdown-induced consumer focus on beauty and the role of diet. The World Health Organization is looking into new strategies to combat sugar and calorie... Read More
Bacteria and probiotics were in the limelight this week, with EFSA approving the first next-generation bacterium. Meanwhile, AB-Biotics’ probiotic blend was found to be effective for colicky infants, and Kirin harnessed its probiotic strain in functional foods to entice hesitant Japanese consumers.
Nestlé’s new R+D Accelerator was in the limelight this week, as well as declining trust in the dietary supplement industry. A Kaneka-supported study stressed that ubiquinol plasma levels in plant-based consumers are 23 percent lower than in omnivores, while a Pharmactive study found saffron extract can... Read More
In industry developments this week, MindScopic closed a second seed funding round for its nootropic and natural supplement range. A new study found transplanting microbes from young to old animals could lead to new therapeutic avenues in microbial-based interventions for slowing down brain aging and... Read More
This week, the US Food Labeling Modernization Act was introduced in both houses of Congress, and a study revealed that over a third of caregivers give non-recommended milks to infants and toddlers. This NewsBite episode also details new studies, including one finding that surplus glucose can cause damage at... Read More


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LEGO and China: There would’ve been a time where the toy company and the country wouldn’t seem to be right for each other in terms of market. Those days are long past now. LEGO has a factory in Jiaxing, they’ve released sets related to the country like Architecture Shanghai (21039), and they’re also recognized by the nation’s courts as a protected “well-known trademark.”
What could be new for a now-formidable partnership between LEGO and China? How about teaming up with one of the country’s household names in the tech market? Soon LEGO’s going to be present in China’s highly-regulated internet.
This is thanks to LEGO entering into a development deal with Tencent Holdings, a true heavyweight in China’s internet-related businesses and one of the world’s five biggest firms alongside, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet/Google and Amazon. This partnership aims to develop new LEGO-branded games, videos and social media platforms for Chinese children.
One specific objective that the LEGO-Tencent team-up plans to accomplish is the establishment of a Chinese platform for worldwide LEGO mobile apps such as LEGO Life and LEGO Boost, both of which offer plenty of cool LEGO-related info and entertainment. Tencent would oversee the local content generated for these apps.
“Our most important purpose is to inspire children and help them develop through play,” says LEGO Group Chief Marketing Officer Julia Goldin. “Through our 85-year history, we have always had children’s safety as our highest priority…This heritage and approach is also reflected in our work to ensure safe digital LEGO experiences.”
To this, Tencent VP Thirty Sun adds, “A positive and healthy online experience for children is very important with more and more children connecting digitally.” He notes that Tencent is accountable for protecting children in the online experiences they offer, and also incorporate online child protection in business practices.
These efforts by LEGO to establish an online footprint in China, with Tencent’s, help also factors into their continuing initiatives towards brand recognition with Chinese consumers. In this manner, they hope to make LEGO stand far and above the country’s notorious hosts of imitator building-brick toy companies and products.


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Super Mario 3D All-Stars was recently announced by Nintendo, featuring three beloved Mario titles that will be upscaled and released for the Nintendo Switch: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. While re-releasing old titles is not a new practice for Nintendo, the latest gimmick tied to Super Mario 3D All-Stars sure is a first.
What makes 3D All-Stars stand out is that it’s only available between September 18, 2020, and the end of March in 2021.
Nintendo Taking A Page From Disney’s Marketing Playbook
Nintendo’s marketing stunt is eerily similar to a gimmick Disney retired recently – the Disney vault. The Disney vault was a cheap tactic to create a false sense of urgency and artificial scarcity by advertising to children that they only had a limited amount of time to get a specific movie on VHS or DVD before the title would go back into the vault.
Nintendo’s attempt at creating artificial scarcity feels a tad bit more cynical than Disney, which is saying something. For starters, it’s not just physical copies of Super Mario 3D All-Stars that are limited. Digital copies are as well. How are you possibly going to run out of digital copies?
Super Mario 3D All-Stars is not the only title leaving on March 31 for Nintendo Switch owners; there is also a Super Mario Battle Royale. Sure, why not.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars Price: Come On, Man
On top of that, Nintendo is coming out of the gates with a full retail price of $59.99. It seems these games are simply upscaled ports for the Nintendo Switch, and they’re charging that much! Re-releasing old games for the price of a new game, during a time with mass unemployment and economic crashes, feels a tiny bit cruel.
Nintendo is notorious for rarely dropping the price of its games, and by creating a limited window of availability, these titles have even more reason not to drop in price.
By creating false scarcity, Nintendo places fear of missing out on consumers. Buying the game has this meta-quality of being a status symbol on top of a form of entertainment.
Nintendo Is Starting A Troubling Trend
While it would be easy just to make Nintendo out to be the sole perpetrator of greedy business practices, it would ignore other companies that do their fair share. Ubisoft, once again, leaned into sensitive political issues to market one of its games. There is also the price increase of next-gen copies of Black Ops Cold War, or the fact you have to register for a PS5 pre-order.
However, Nintendo could start up a trend of bringing the Disney Vault to gaming if sales for the 3D All-Stars bundle prove successful, and that’s scary. Think of the possibilities for other publishers to jump in and start following Nintendo’s practice if it becomes successful.
Nostalgia Was A Mistake
What is stopping a company like EA or SEGA going through their catalog of late ’90s and early 2000s games that have been marinating in nostalgia, and just re-releasing an upscaled digital version for a quick buck? Absolutely nothing. Will there be any new features or modes? No, but it’s familiar and it makes you feel warm inside.
While the internet is complaining, comments you see online are not reflective of reality. Look at every Call of Duty trailer comment section and you will find numerous people saying they will boycott the game, then the game releases and sales numbers are through the roof. For many, this is a chance to replay some Mario games they love. Let’s just hope that we don’t get the EA or Activision-Blizzard vault next year.
Source: Read Full Article


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Betsey Johnson Brings a Futuristic Party to the Runway
From cotton candy wigs and chromatic lips, leave it to Betsey Johnson to give us a Spring 2014 look that's all about the fun. The crazy colors and wacky silhouettes were aptly called "Betsey Johnson One a Day," so the beauty team channelled Betsey's style with a full-on party from head to toe. Sarah Lucero for Stila went with metallic and vinyl finishes on the makeup. "It's Barbarella meets goth," she said of the silvery look with a pink flush.
Rodney Cutler was on the hair, which consisted of custom-made wigs in Betsey's favorite color: bubblegum pink. "We're doing an '80s curl and we're tying the hair in knots to manipulate the shape," he said. And for the final touch, manicurist Danielle Candido used Morgan Taylor polish to paint on a metallic silver hue with a pink glitter gradient.


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Oktoberfest, the most successful new festival in the first year of ArtsQuest’s SteelStacks campus in 2011, returns in October with new food, new contests and advance tickets that save festival-goers up to 25 percent, it was announced Monday.
The celebration of autumn and the Lehigh Valley‘s Germanic heritage, set for Oct. 5-7 and 12-14, will retain its most popular components: music, food, activities and, of course, beer. And it will have the same title sponsor: D.G. Yuengling & Son brewers.
“The first Oktoberfest celebration at SteelStacks was a huge hit, with nearly 25,000 people coming out,” said ArtsQuest Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Curt Mosel. “This year’s festival will feature even more attractions and special events, with something for all ages.”
Yuengling announced that the Yuengling Oktoberfest beer debuted at last year’s festival “was so well received that it will make a triumphant return in kegs and now bottles for 2012,” Yuengling Marketing Manager Jen Holtzman said.
Read more: http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-oktoberfest-artsquest-bethlehem-20120730,0,6919333.story


text: Shares of online game source Gameplay.com rose sharply on news of two new partnerships. The company followed the announcement of an earlier deal to provided a games channel for the website of Britain's Cable and Wireless Communications with the announcement of a deal to provide an e-commerce game shop for British Telecommunications. Gameplay, created by the merger of mail order game retailer Interactive and BT's Wireplay, can now be reached by Internet, telephone, interactive TV, and cable. "We are now available on whatever platform a customer may happen to own," said Gameplay COO Collin Duffy, "Our next steps will expand operations into Germany and France in the near future. There will be further acquisitions and development of a European wide company."