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CGTrader has a large community of top level 3D designers who are more than capable of creating inspiring designs, so rolling out a joint campaign seemed like a smart choice”, said Katrien Vandenplas, Marketing Manager of i.materialise.
(PRWEB) October 13, 2014
Christmas is all about finding the perfect present – for your husband or wife, your mother-in-law or your best friend. And it’s certainly easier said than done, as last minute shopping has become synonymous with the holiday season. 3D printing technology holds immense potential for reinterpreting the shopping experience, as the customer is capable of ordering personalized, custom gifts as well as choosing from an array of unique items that, due to limitations of traditional methods, have previously been considered impossible to produce.
“What makes a 3D-printed gift so unique is the way it is created: it requires genuine thought and personal input to design a custom item that would mean something to the recipient. It can be a bespoke, one-off design or a personalized version of a pre-designed model - anyhow, it’s a heart-melting gesture that would not go unnoticed. i.Materialise brings the quality and expertise in 3D printing that will, we hope, encourage consumers to include 3D-printed items in their Christmas shopping list and make this challenge a staggering success”, - said Marius Kalytis, the CEO of CGTrader.
According to research, this year 49% of the consumers will do the Christmas shopping online earlier to avoid last year’s shipping nightmare, which means that serious scouring for gifts this season may start as early as mid-October. CGTrader has teamed up with the 3D printing experts at i.Materialise in attempt to make the gift shopping as enjoyable as the Boxing Day and tap into the bubbling segment of online Christmas shoppers who seek unique gifts.
“We have noticed that there is a growing community of designers who like to print personal gifts, and silver and ceramics are both high quality materials that make for beautiful end products. CGTrader has a large community of top level 3D designers who are more than capable of creating inspiring designs, so rolling out a joint campaign seemed like a smart choice”, said Katrien Vandenplas, Marketing Manager of i.materialise.
The i.materialise Holiday Challenge is a team effort to showcase the range of possibilities that 3D printing brings to Christmas shopping, as designers are invited to work with two distinct categories – silver and ceramics. Winners of both categories will see their designs printed in the chosen material by i.materialise as well as receive a one-year premium membership Autodesk 123D and 3D-printed chocolate objects from Chocedge. High-quality, beautiful end products are expected to accelerate the change in consumers’ mindset towards 3D printing as a new approach to personalized shopping experience for everyone and anyone, not a lab experiment for incredibly gifted. And as we begin to move away from the basic 3D-printed objects like Santa figurines, the really magnificent creations emerge layer by layer, literally, from nothing.
Founded in 2011, CGTrader.com is a community-based 3D model marketplace that strives to democratize the 3D modelling and 3D design market. There are more than 82,000 3D models uploaded to the digital library and more than 95,000 registered users, uniting 3D modelling professionals from all around the world. It is backed by Practica Capital, a seed and venture funds based in Vilnius, Lithuania, which is financed from the Operational Programme for Economic Growth 2007-2013 under the JEREMIE initiative in Lithuania, by the European Regional Development Fund. The company has also raised funding from Intel Capital to strengthen community and its position in 3D printing market.
i.materialise is an online 3D printing service for all people with an eye for design and a head full of ideas. Far more than just an online 3D printing service, i.materialise helps people to materialise their creative ideas. With nearly 25 years of experience in the technology, more than 100 3D printers, and the largest selection of materials (including metals) and finishes out there, our support goes beyond 3D printing to address our clients’ real needs.
Create, share, and sell your designs with i.materialise.


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The restaurant meant to be the “crown jewel” of the Chase Center just went belly up. The San Francisco Chronicle reports celebrity chef Michael Mina, who announced plans for the ambitious food hall in 2019, just pulled out of the 16,000-square-foot space. “As a result of COVID, we have shifted our priorities and are focused on reinvesting in our current restaurants,” a Mina Group marketing officer wrote to the Chronicle.
According to other restaurant owners who opened in the stadium’s Thrive City, it’s no easy feat. The pandemic delayed the opening of Gott’s Roadside by a year-and-a-half, though now the restaurant does plenty of business on game nights. Mina’s departure won’t stop the expansion of the surrounding business culture; a representative from the Warriors told the Chronicle development of Thrive City remains “ongoing and fluid.”
Napa restaurant accused of racism by visiting musician
Goose & Gander recently served South African singer-songwriter Jonathan Butler and, according to San Francisco Chronicle, he was followed to his car by a manager after the meal. In a lengthy TikTok the musician says the manager asked if he had “taken care” of his server; Butler says the treatment would never have happened were he white. The restaurant, for their part, posted on Instagram to apologize.
San Mateo food hall startup receives significant seed funding
Byte Kitchen, a San Mateo-based food hall chain, just raised $6 million in a recent round of funding. The San Francisco Business Times reports the business will host a ribbon cutting this month to celebrate and raised $130,000 in cash from Y Combinator last summer.
This San Francisco Starbucks is the first to unionize
The national Starbucks union drive, which is booming in Santa Cruz, has come to San Francisco. SFGATE reports the 4098 18th Street location voted 7-2 in favor of forming a union. “We hope this win encourages our San Francisco sister stores to seek a union too,” James Kreiss, a worker at the Castro location, told SFGATE.
Wine harvesting party at a Yerba Buena restaurant
Press Club is offering tuna tartare, duck fat financier, grass-fed hamburger sliders, Thai chicken lettuce wraps, and mushroom ravioli — in addition to a major bevy of wine — for their 14th annual harvest party. The dionysian fun runs on August 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

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- Hotel Byblos in Saint-Tropez, France, has for decades welcomed almost every A-lister imaginable.
- Its nightclub, Les Caves du Roy, is among the most prestigious discotheques in France.
- Business Insider spoke with the Byblos’ general manager, Christophe Chauvin, about how the hotel deals with VIPs.
- He told us about the time a very “paranoid” Lady Gaga arrived behind a handbag.
- He also shared some of the wildest requests he’s received from guests.
For Christophe Chauvin, the general manager of the Hotel Byblos in Saint-Tropez, France, no request is too small or too great for his esteemed guests.
Over the years, the doors of the Byblos, on the French Riviera, have welcomed the likes of George Clooney, Bill Gates, Beyoncé, Prince Charles – and actually, pretty much any other A-lister you can think of.
Everyone at Chauvin’s hotel is a VIP, though. “Everybody’s important; if you’re not a celebrity, you’re a wealthy guy or a businessperson,” he told Business Insider.
“Our other guests behave exactly like our celebrities: They want privacy, and they want to be left alone.”
That’s the draw of the Byblos, where rates for the most basic room appear to start at about €365 ($US415) a night.
Over the years, the Byblos’ celebrity guests have defined its culture. And it happened organically.
“It all started in 1971 when Mick Jagger got married at the Byblos,” Chauvin said. “It completely revealed the Byblos to the celebrity clientele.”
Though Jagger’s marriage did not last – Bianca Jagger later said, “My marriage ended on my wedding day” – the Byblos’ success with celebrity clientele did.
The floodgates were open.
‘The scariest celebrity we had was Lady Gaga’
“It must be hard,” I told Chauvin, “keeping all of these A-listers away from paparazzi and selfie-wielding fans.”
“Actually, it’s not difficult, because we have the know-how,” he replied.
Apparently, there is more CCTV in the hotel than in the entire city of Saint-Tropez. There’s also only one way in and one way out, carefully controlled by the hotel, he said.
However, not all celebrities are completely trusting.
“The scariest celebrity we had was Lady Gaga,” Chauvin said. “She was completely paranoid.”
Though Lady Gaga is now an Oscar-nominated actress for her starring role in “A Star Is Born,” it’s easy to forget that 10 years ago few people even knew what she looked like, as she was famous for wearing elaborate outfits that often disguised her face.
“She arrived at the hotel via the basement,” Chauvin said, “walked through the lobby, into the elevator, and up to her room – all with her handbag over her face. The receptionist couldn’t even see who it was!
“You couldn’t even open the curtains of her room, she was so stressed out,” Chauvin added.
“Eventually, when she realised that nobody cared and there were [CCTV] cameras everywhere, she started to be confident and was even smiling at the end of her stay.”
‘Impossible is not in my vocabulary’
Rich people know what they want, and often they’re not prepared to take no for an answer.
With that in mind, I asked Chauvin about the wildest requests he’d received from guests.
“The most difficult request I had was from a regular guest, and it’s a family that I love, but she’s a big shopping addict,” he said.
He said that when Louis Vuitton first opened a shop in Saint-Tropez, it released a limited-edition bag to commemorate the occasion – an item his client insisted on attaining.
However, the bag was not due to be released until after the guests left town, and Chauvin said he was told it was impossible to receive one ahead of time.
“I called my client and said, ‘I’m sorry, it’s impossible,” he said. “‘Impossible is not in my vocabulary,’ she said. ‘You find it.’ And she hung up the phone.”
After much deliberation, Chauvin said, he managed to persuade the designers to send his guests a bag ahead of time, provided that they sign a nondisclosure agreement and that the bag would be sealed and put in their car before departure.
“I was so proud of myself,” Chauvin said. “I called my client and said, ‘I got you the bag!’ She said, ‘Great! I want three!'”
Chauvin recalled the time another friend of the hotel wanted his daughter to get married in Ramatuelle, a charming village next to Saint-Tropez.
But there was a problem: Because the guest did not live in Ramatuelle, the priest was refusing to allow the daughter to be married there.
“I said, ‘OK, but what do you want me to do?'” Chauvin recalled telling the guest. “He said, ‘I don’t know. Find me the solution! I have no solution – that’s why I’m calling you.'”
Rather than shy away from the request, Chauvin posed as his client’s cousin and went to see the priest, he said.
“I had to sign letters saying that my cousin Delphine wanted to get married there and I lived here at this address. I used the address from a friend of mine who actually lived in Ramatuelle,” Chauvin said. “And after that, he said, ‘Fine, they can get married in the church.'”
But things didn’t quite go to plan.
“They split up two months before the wedding,” Chauvin said. “I went crazy.”
€2 million worth of Champagne in one night
Synonymous with the Byblos is the hotel’s iconic nightclub, Les Caves du Roy.
Les Caves du Roy has more stories to tell than a library, but they don’t come cheap. While entrance to the club is free, the drinks inside will set you back a minimum of €28, or about €300 if you feel like splashing out on the cheapest Champagne – that is, if you’re beautiful, rich, or famous enough to make it past the bouncers.
We’ve had guests buying Champagne for the whole club full of 1,000 people.
In Les Caves, Champagne flows like a river – Chauvin estimated the nightclub went through about 10,000 bottles a year.
“We’re actually the biggest Dom Perignon consumer in the world,” he said, adding that it gets 1.5-litre magnum bottles, 3-litre jeroboams, and 6-litre methuselahs.
Chauvin said that for years, Louis Roederer “couldn’t supply us with enough bottles of Cristal Champagne.”
During a Champagne shortage about 10 years ago, he said, the hotel employed people to travel around Europe and buy any bottle of Cristal they could get their hands on.
“We had people driving to Switzerland just to buy six bottles, Italy to buy two methuselahs,” he said.
I asked why his clientele couldn’t simply drink other Champagne. “They were very exceptional products at the time,” he replied.
At the time, Chauvin said, his employees were finding and buying methuselahs of Cristal from private sellers for €22,000 and selling it to partygoers at Les Caves for €50,000.
Now? They cost €8,000.
On that note, Chauvin added that “nightlife is unpredictable.”
On any night, all it will take is a few big fish competing for the title of biggest spender, and sales will go through the roof, he said.
“They will challenge each other,” Chauvin said. “‘You get one jeroboam? I get two. You get two? I get four.’ It goes on like this.
“In 2009, we had our biggest party ever at the club, with three of our wealthiest guests. We sold almost €2 million worth of Champagne in one night. That was crazy.”
Chauvin added that these super-rich clients wouldn’t just keep their booze to themselves. “We’ve had guests buying Champagne for the whole club full of 1,000 people,” he said.
“People like to be in Saint-Tropez for that also you can be Mr. Nobody, just having fun with friends, and you end up with a bottle of Cristal, drinking with your friends for free,” he added.
‘People in Saint-Tropez know how to behave’
Byblos has certainly proved its ability to show guests an elaborate good time while keeping things discreet.
But the limits of its security prowess may be tested in April when the hotel opens its first private beach in Ramatuelle, featuring a restaurant that can host up to 110 guests, a bar and lounge area that can accommodate 30, and a space for up to 80 sun-loungers.
Chauvin said he wasn’t concerned about privacy. “People in Saint-Tropez know how to behave,” he said.
“The beach, of course, we’re going to be very attentive, but we’re not worried about the challenges,” he added.
“We’ll handle it.”
And the look he gave me assured me that they would.
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InMarket in-store mobile marketing app launches iBeacon platform in 150 US grocery stores, with more retailers, markets to be added; iBeacon uses Bluetooth signal to send customers coupons, rewards, reminders while shopping in stores
January 6, 2014
– Mobile to Mortar™ iBeacon Experience will Deliver Consumer Benefits, Customize the Retail Experience and Drive Increased Sales inside Retail Stores
inMarket -- the mobile in-store marketing solution that works in over two million retail stores -- today announces the launch of the first multi-retailer iBeacon platform in the world, and the first grocery marketing solution of its kind. The inMarket Mobile to Mortar™ network is a retailer-agnostic iBeacon platform that will augment the shopping experience for consumers across the country beginning today. The initial rollout will take place in over 150 grocery stores in Seattle, San Francisco and Cleveland, with additional retailers and markets launching in the coming months. Video of potential platform capabilities can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/83270004
iBeacons are micro-location technology that use a low-energy Bluetooth signal to enable unique mobile app experiences with higher accuracy than GPS. As inMarket rolls out its iBeacon network, it will provide shoppers with a wide range of benefits -- like custom coupons, loyalty rewards, and grocery list reminders -- when it matters most: in store. For example, shoppers who opt-in can be reminded of items a spouse just placed on their shared list, earn loyalty rewards, or be directed to a custom special offer.
"We are thrilled to be making history by writing the first chapter of micro-location iBeacons helping shoppers' everyday lives. Besides Apple themselves, we are the first to take this groundbreaking technology out of beta tests and into consumers' lives throughout the heartland of the US," said Todd Dipaola, CEO and co-founder of inMarket. "Today is just the first wave of this exciting movement, and inMarket has several additional platform announcements that we will take the wraps off in 2014. Mobile to Mortar™ has tremendous potential to transform commerce by converging digital benefits to physical stores. inMarket is proud to bring high ROI solutions out of the lab and into the marketplace for brands and retailers based on our enterprise technology stack."
inMarket -- which quadrupled its work with retail brands in Q4 2013 -- continues to grow rapidly since its launch, connecting over 100 brands with millions of consumers across the country. inMarket's suite of shopping apps is designed to reach shoppers at multiple points throughout the path-to-purchase, from planning the shopping trip to interacting with products in-store.
For more information on inMarket's iBeacon network, please visit www.inMarket.com/MobileToMortar
High-res images: inMarket Mobile to Mortar™ Press Pack
inMarket operates the world's largest mobile shopper platform, reaching over 20 million mobile-enabled consumers as they plan and make purchasing decisions. inMarket's unique model delivers brand engagement when it matters most, dramatically increasing actual purchases. Clients include Coca-Cola, Dial, Kraft, Energizer, Levi's, Mondelez, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Tyson Foods and Unilever. inMarket was founded by serial entrepreneur brothers Todd and Mark Dipaola, and brought to profitability without outside funding.
For more information about inMarket, please visit www.inMarket.com.


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GSA introduces ‘Third-Party Interface’ standard
The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) has created a certification that applies to third-party content.
The Third-Party Interface (TPI) Standard will aim to streamline remote gaming servers to online gaming platform interfaces, as well as “break down barriers” to entry for more game content suppliers.
The standard describes an interface between online gaming platforms, remote game servers, and progressive jackpot controllers for launching games, recording monetary transactions, posting progressive contributions, awarding progressive jackpots, reconciling interrupted games and various other services.
The specification, available to both GSA members and non-members, will fully support online gaming operations active in multiple jurisdictions.
GSA president Peter DeRaedt said: “This is a major step forward for the gaming industry generally and for the online gaming sector specifically.
“Further fulfilling GSA’s 20-year mission of enabling interoperability, innovation, and unleashing creativity, our TPI Standard streamlines the very essence of the online gaming platform, and kicks the door open for more game content supplier.”
Related article: Gaming Standards Association reveals board for 2018


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Luxury carmaker BMW AG(BMW.L, BAMXF.PK, BAMXY.PK) reported Friday that its first-quarter Group net profit increased 1.2 percent to 2.30 billion euros from last year's 2.27 billion euros.
Group profit before tax amounted to 3.17 billion euros, down 0.5 percent from 3.18 billion euros a year ago, with rising costs and upfront expenditure for R&D activities.
Profit before financial result or EBIT dropped 3.1 percent to 2.73 billion euros. The EBT margin for the Group came in at 13.9%, higher than 13.3%, and was the highest quarterly figure since 2011.
Due to currency effects, Group revenues fell 5.1% to 22.69 billion euros from last year's 23.93 billion euros. Adjusted for currency effects, revenues were down 0.7%.
First-quarter deliveries of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles rose 3% to 604,629 units from 587,237 units last year. All three major sales regions contributed to the increase.
Further, BMW Group reaffirmed its outlook for full year 2018.
Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, said, "We are targeting new record figures in the Automotive segment for sales volume and revenues in 2018. Group profit before tax is expected to be at least at the previous financial year's level."
Further, the BMW Group has announced that - if approved by the competition authorities in the current year - the foundation of the mobility services joint venture will have a one-off valuation and earnings effect and will result in an adjustment to the outlook. Under these circumstances, the Group profit before tax for 2018 would be slightly higher than one year earlier.
The BMW Group continues to forecast an EBIT margin in the target range of 8 to 10% for the Automotive segment.


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OpenSea Investigating Exec Over Potential Trading Scandal - The Street Crypto: Bitcoin and cryptocurrency news, advice, analysis and more
OpenSea, the largest NFT marketplace on the planet, is conducting an investigation into its Head of Product after users accused him of using insider information to trade and profit off of NFTs.
The controversy erupted Tuesday night when Twitter user ZuWuTV posted evidence that OpenSea Head of Product Nate Chastain was buying NFTs shortly before they were featured on the marketplace's webs site. The evidence alleges Chastain would then sell the NFTs after they were featured prominently on OpenSea, driving up the price.
Wednesday morning, OpenSea acknowledged the apparent activity and said they were investigating.
"Yesterday we learned that one of our employees purchased items that they knew were set to display on our front page before they appeared there publicly," the statement read. "This is incredibly disappointing. We want …
More on: www.thestreet.com


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GDPR ‘Tripadvisor Threat’ is an Opportunity to be Seized
While some are already looking towards GDPR as an opportunity, some see the regulation as a hindrance or an obstacle to overcome, and the remainder of businesses are still unaware of the pending rules. Here, Sarah Williamson, Partner at Boyes Turner and a speaker and author on data protection and security issues, discusses with Lawyer monthly the prospects of GDPR being an opportunity to seize.
The dawn of the new GDPR data regime is only ten short months away – and there is little doubt it has huge implications for the way organisations capture, handle and retain data about individuals. But aside from processes, companies also need to prepare for the impact that the regulation will have on the power balance between marketers and consumers.
In a change that could be bigger than the effect of market disruptions like the “TripAdvisor effect” on the leisure and hospitality sector, consumers will soon have much more power to drive business to or away from an organisation depending upon how they deal with their data.
In the TripAdvisor scenario, those hotels and travel companies that embraced the reviews system, which responded to the comments and that most importantly made changes, are the ones that have succeeded. The same will apply for GDPR – the organisations that embrace the principles of accountability and transparency will thrive, and those that do not will struggle.
Many businesses have already approached GDPR as an opportunity to transform the way they handle data – ushering in a healthier relationship between businesses, their customers, and the data that brings them together. This is one of the messages that comes across loud and clear from senior in-house counsel in a number of large companies in our GDPR: Getting ready for data’s new dawn paper, published on 16th July.
Even where the opportunity is seen and seized, there are many challenges and actions for the legal team. Every department in the business needs to be up to speed – if it is just, say, the super-engaged marketing team, you may have a large exposed flank somewhere else in the business. Contracts with suppliers and partners are being rewritten to take the GDPR into account. Being behind the curve or just “ticking the boxes” could see you lose out to a competitor who has grasped the potential for the new regulation to build more lasting and trusting relationships with consumers who have an inherent distrust of the way their data is stored and used.
This is the nub of the matter. The new regulation comes at a time when consumers are already distrustful and concerned about the way in which data about them is held, handled and aggregated. Consumers – as they did through the likes of TripAdvisor and Amazon reviews – are increasingly keen to seize back control of their interactions with those that they do business with. Data is set to become yet another battleground in this quest for consumer control. The ICO is also expected to launch a major PR offensive in early 2018 alerting consumers to their new rights as “data subjects”. They will undoubtedly be supported by a number of consumer rights charities launching their own public awareness campaigns. In the face of this information onslaught to your customers, you need to be ready to respond to enquiries and formal requests in a way that builds trust. And conversely to ensure that distrust doesn’t lead to a haemorrhaging of usable data from your business.
While it is understandable, given the importance of GDPR, panic is not the appropriate response. Nor is burying your head in the sand or putting GDPR in the “too difficult to handle right now” box. Instead, GDPR calls for cool heads and a calm and methodical audit approach. What data do you hold? What do you do with it? Where does it go? Who does it relate to? Do people know what to do if the data your organisation holds is at risk?
If your business is not yet ready for GDPR, there is still no need to panic. There is time to ensure everyone is asking and answer these questions. A GDPR compliance programme requires a joined up approach across all parts of the business to identify gaps in readiness, but also to build in a privacy by design and default culture. The legal department can play a major role – as it has in the likes of Aviva and Sky – in co-ordinating this approach across the business.
Doing it right will ensure you have a healthier approach to data. Instead of being disrupted by investigations, sanctions and reorganisations caused by repeated breaches of the new rules, your organisation will be able to focus on building on excellent customer relationships to achieve growth goals and business objectives. GDPR is here and it is here to stay. Forward looking, not firefighting is the way to approach GDPR – as so many of the companies we spoke to have already found to their benefit and competitive advantage.


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Frontier (Europe) today published a report examining the impact of the UK’s exit from the European Union on the ‘digital sector’ – groups of industries that produce or intensively use digital goods and services. The analysis focused on the links between the UK’s digital sector and suppliers and customers globally and across Europe.
The report was commissioned by techUK, the leading organisation representing Britain’s digital businesses, to inform decision-making ahead of the upcoming negotiations between the UK and the EU. Among the major findings, the report demonstrated that the digital sectors account for 16 per cent of output, 10 per cent of employment, and 24 per cent of exports. The report detailed the extensive international orientation of the digital sector, including its reliance on global talent and cross-border data flows.
Julian David, techUK’s CEO, said: “As this report sets out, it is in the strong interests of the UK’s digitally-intensive sectors that a new comprehensive free trade agreement is reached with the EU that can enable continued growth in the UK and innovation and digital transformation across the EU.”
Along with the report, techUK has produced a number of materials stating the priorities for the digital sector in a post-Brexit world. The report was also launched today at techUK. Ian Hathaway of Frontier, one of the authors, presented the analysis and main findings and Amar Breckenridge of Frontier participated in a panel discussion taking questions from the audience. Other panel members were Vicky Ford MEP, economist and consultant Vicky Pryce and Tom King, Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at IBM.
Frontier regularly advises organisations in the public, private and third sectors on matters of media, technology, innovation, economic growth, and commercial strategy.
For more information, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org or call +44 (0) 20 7031 7000


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Genesis Will Offer Plug-ins ASAP, Hyundai CEO Says
The newest luxury marque is already pursuing an electrification strategy to compete with the Germans.
Genesis, the upstart luxury division of Hyundai, rolls out its first vehicles this year, and plug-in hybrid models will soon follow, reports Automotive News.
The effort is all about battling competitors BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche on their own turf. Those luxury automakers are planning to increase their hybrid offerings in a market seen as more receptive to plug-ins.
“We believe alternative-propulsion engines are going to be really important — even more important in the luxury market than they are in the mainstream market,” said Dave Zuchowski, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, in an interview with Automotive News.
Plug-in vehicles have gained ground in the luxury market recently, while sales of hybrids in all others have stagnated or fallen.
Genesis has to hit the ground running if it wants to make a name for itself in the luxury market, but the brand’s hybrid New York concept wowed many, including TTAC’s Bark M, at the New York Auto Show.
Zuchowski wasn’t forthcoming about what Genesis models will receive a plug-in version. The first two Genesis-badged models to go on sale will be the full-size G90 (formerly the slow-selling Hyundai Equus), and the midsize G80 (formerly the Hyundai Genesis).
Genesis will fill out its model range with a G70 compact sedan, scheduled to appear in the near future, and two crossover models that are still a few years away.
[Image: Hyundai Motor America]
Tesla has made the very idea of plug-in propulsion fashionable and desirable. If Hyundai is doing it, it's only a matter of time before everything in the premium segment is availible as a plug-in.
I didn't think the premium plug-in market would succeed, but it has. Hyundai/Kia/Genesis needs to make driveability of their hybrids and plug-in hybrids a top priority. BTW, I hadn't heard of the mythical G70 until now. Maybe an EV version of it could succeed if they produce one.
Hyundai will do it. Thanks to their awesome interiors and better-than-Lincoln-and-Cadillac execution, they will make PHEV more competitive than GM and Ford. That is till The next president slaps huge tariffs on them and a Genesis is suddenly not as competitive as some other vehicles being sold here.


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The deadly collapse of the Rana Plaza textile factory in Bangladesh in April 2013 was a tragic, overdue wake-up call to the fashion industry — not only to take action to ensure the safety of workers throughout their value chains, but also to illustrate the critical need for transparency as far as their operations reach throughout the world. Now a startup called JUST is aiming to bridge the gap — by finding, vetting and partnering with fashion suppliers that have positive social missions and connecting them with designers, brands and consumers through an online database and consumer platform. The company’s unique model aims to ensure complete traceability of all JUST garments and an ethical supply chain from which any clothing brand can confidently source. Here, co-founder Shahd Al-Shehail shares JUST’s journey.
Natalie [Grillon, co-founder] and I grew up like many female adolescents in the Western world; coveting the latest issue of Vogue and trying to copy the season’s looks. Over time, as the co-founder of a Saudi fashion house, I grew to understand the positives and negatives of the fashion industry, and the potential of bringing the stories of traditional artisans to the consumers who admired their work. Natalie, meanwhile, working in agriculture overseas, began to realize the opportunity of connecting smallholder farmers to global markets.
We met in New York City through the Acumen Global Fellows program. Acumen is a nonprofit that invests in companies, leaders, and ideas that are changing the way the world tackles poverty. And the Fellows program, which sent me to India and Natalie to Uganda, is dedicated to training the next generation of social impact leaders.
One breezy evening in India, halfway through the fellowship, we were trading stories. Natalie was visiting from Uganda, where she had been working with an agriculture development company providing access to market for over 40,000 smallholder farmers. One of the company’s largest crops is organic cotton; she starts to talk about the potential she sees for the farmers and for connecting them to the fashion industry. The company has created something incredible and special, she says. This should be the standard not the exception.
We start brainstorming. What if we could provide good suppliers, like the company she is working at, access to a market? What if there were better standards by which brands and consumers could judge their garments? And what if there was something that guarantees quality inputs in the items we purchase, with which a consumer could easily understand and make an informed decision? What if you had an Intel Inside for clothes?
24, April 2013. 1,129 dead. 2,500 injured. All in a manmade disaster - a factory collapse driven by demand for cheaper clothes at the expense of everything else, even lives. Rana Plaza. A sobering event for the world and certainly for us.
Questions like, “Was my shirt made there, or under similar conditions?” and “Are my purchases feeding this system?” rushed through our heads.
When we dug a little deeper, we realized that the problem was even larger. Thousands more die every year unnoticed. Fashion industry supply chains are complex and opaque, and this lack of transparency and even basic knowledge of a garment’s journey hides human rights abuses and the unsustainable use of resources.
Here we were, in India and Uganda, using our business skills to fight poverty while something as simple as our clothes could be responsible for poverty somewhere else in the world.
JUST was born.
We set out on this journey to create a market where fashion is not just beautiful but inherently ethical. At JUST, we find, vet and partner with suppliers who are already lauded for their positive social missions. Through our online database and consumer platforms, we connect them to designers and consumers yearning for positive change and accurate information to hone their decisions. The result is accountability in the supply chain, and trusted, celebrated JUST garments and suppliers.
JUST wants to make your every purchase impactful and transparent. These production stories may seem far from home, but JUST aims to prove just how close they really are. We believe real change happens through the accumulation of all the small choices people make every day, when combined, our purchasing power truly can change an industry.
This post first appeared on the JUST blog on April 23, 2014.


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With wheat inflation still at an elevated level, the government is set to scale up open market sales of the grain in the current fiscal.
While usually the sale of the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) surplus grain stocks under the open market sale scheme (OMSS) takes place in the “lean period” of January-March, this year, it will likely be for a longer period. The sales will likely begin in July and may continue for many months if prices remain firm.
Retail wheat inflation stood at 15.46% in April, compared with 19.91% in the previous month.
Sources told FE that the plan is to offer wheat to bulk buyers like flour millers from all the 700-odd depots of FCI.
Under the OMSS, wheat will be sold at its acquisition cost of `2,350/ quintal which includes Minimum Support Price (MSP) of `2,125/quintal and other costs.
Officials said during the weekly e-auction, wheat would be offered to small bulk buyers, including flour millers, in a smaller quantity such as 100 tonne to each trader per week, per region so that consumers prices come down sharply.
In the earlier auction of wheat carried out during February-March, 3,000 tonne of grain was allocated for each trader per region, per week.
The food ministry’s nod to the open market sale of wheat is expected shortly.
As per the earlier policy, FCI had been selling surplus wheat to bulk buyers such as flour millers and food companies during the lean season (January-March). The government aims at boosting supplies and moderate the prices at regular intervals.
Currently, mandi prices of wheat are ruling around `2,300/quintal while there are regional variations in prices because of additional transportation cost involved.
FCI sold 3.37 million tonne (MT) of wheat to private bulk buyers such as flour millers and food companies during February 1-March 15 through weekly auctions.
The FCI’s open market sales stood at 7 MT in 2021-22 and 2.5 MT in 2020-21.
At present, FCI has wheat stock of 31.1 MT. As per the official assessment, the corporation has around 8.7 MT of surplus wheat at its disposal after meeting the requirement under the National Food Security Act and buffer norm in the current year.
Under the open market sale policy, the government allows FCI to sell foodgrains, especially wheat and rice, at predetermined prices in the open market from time to time to bulk consumers and private traders.
Wheat procurement by agencies from farmers has crossed 26.19 MT till Monday since MSP operations began on April 1, up 41% on year. Major contributors to wheat procurement so far have been Punjab (12.12 MT), Haryana (6.31 MT) and Madhya Pradesh (7.09 MT).
The agriculture ministry’s estimate of a record wheat harvest of 112.74 MT for the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). However, trade sources had pegged the wheat output in the previous crop year around 104-106 MT.
Meanwhile, the government has ruled out lifting a ban on exports of wheat and products such as atta this year and also considering stock holding limits against possibility hoarding of the commodity.
Sources told FE the aim is to ensure that inflation in cereals, which had witnessed a spike in the last few months, is kept in check.
This article has been republished from The Financial Express


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Since opening its doors last August, Specflue has seen demand increase for a number of its flue and chimney products and has reported a 20% increase in sales in the areas it distributes to from its base in Gilcar Way in Castleford.
Managing director, Jeremy Fry, commented: “We opened an outlet in the north to enable us to service customers based in the Midlands, all the way up to the Scottish Border. Twelve months on and Castleford has proven to be a success, with flue and wood burning stove sales increasing, verifying that we made the right decision to invest in a new depot.”
The new depot was an important strategic step in the company’s growth and Specflue has come a long way from when it first started trading in 1992 from its outlet in Sudbury, Suffolk, with just five members of staff. Today it is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of flue, chimney and renewable heat products, with a turnover in excess of £23 million, employing over 120 members of staff.
“We chose Castleford as it is a pivotal point in the UK with excellent transport links. Our new depot cannot only be easily accessed by our customers, but also allows us – through our fleet of service vehicles – to fulfil our next day delivery service pledge,” Jeremy continued.
“Customer feedback has been extremely positive. We are covering the vast majority of northern England with our own fleet of service vehicles and plan to continue this expansion over the coming months. We are also intending to increase the growing range of stock and will be continuing to extend our cover into Scotland.”


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Spot rubber ended in a mixed mood on Friday. RSS4 continued to rule unchanged at ₹169.50 a kg according to traders and the rubber board.
The grade was quoted steady at ₹164.50 per kg by the dealers. Meanwhile, RSS5 firmed up further on fresh enquiries from the general rubber goods sector but ISNR20 and latex finished lower amidst narrow volumes.
The global economic outlook has improved, ridden by stimulus measures launched by a number of countries and resumption of business operations following the vaccine rollouts to combat Covid-19, as per the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC). The improving global economic activities have scaled-up the outlook on the demand for NR. The global consumption of NR is anticipated to increase 6.7 per cent to 13.7 million tonnes in 2021 succeeding the 7.8 per cent fall in 2020.
In futures, the front month June delivery was down 0.22 per cent from Thursday’s settlement price (172.07) to close at ₹171.70 per kg with a volume of 50 lots on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX).
RSS 3 (spot) declined to ₹160.08 (161.62) per kg at Bangkok. SMR 20 dropped to ₹119.24 (121.18) and Latex to ₹102.38 (104.24) per kg at Kualalumpur.
The natural rubber contract for the September delivery was down 180 Yuan (₹2057.51) from previous day’s settlement price to close at 12,740 Yuan (₹145,633.72) a tonne with a volume of 4,94,477 lots in day time trading on Shanghai Futures Exchange (ShFE).
The most active November futures shed 0.42 per cent from last days settlement price to close at 237.0 Yen (₹158.10) per kg with a volume of 294 lots on the Osaka Exchange, Japan.
Spot rubber rates (₹/kg) were: RSS4:169.50 (169.50); RSS5: 167.50 (167.00); ISNR20: 156.50 (157.00) and Latex (60 per cent drc): 124.00 (125.00).


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(CNN) — If we’re ever replaced by robots, those robots probably have been created by Boston Dynamics.
This video explains why: It shows 10 of the company’s spot-mini robots pulling a large truck. The four-legged robots already possess an array of skills, like opening doors, picking up objects and climbing stairs.
Boston Dynamics says the spot-mini will be available soon for a variety of applications, but the price has been made public and they may not be available for purchase by the average consumer.
The spot-mini runs entirely on electric power — up to an hour-and-a-half on a single charge. It has a maximum payload of about 30 pounds, or half its own weight.


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Next was among the first to do so, closing in March, followed by TK Maxx and Homesense.
The fashion chain has since reopened its doors online, but many items are “unavailable” as it continues to struggle at the hands of public demand.
Elsewhere, the online department store Net-a-Porter went offline last month, shortly after the government announced foreclosure measures.
However, despite an extension of the lockout period, some companies have chosen to reopen their doors online.
Many say they have had time to review their workspaces and implement social distancing measures to protect their staff.
Others admit that they made the decision to help manage their losses due to the pandemic.
This happens as analysts warn that up to 22,000 stores may never recover from the coronavirus crisis – after being forced to close for months.
What the government says
The government says online retailers are allowed to continue operating, but the safety of their staff should be the number one priority.
He said customers should buy first and focus only on the essentials.
Here’s our guide to knowing which stores have reopened online – and when.
Fashion retailer River Island reopened its online store on Monday after implementing new security measures for warehouse staff.
He said he has not yet returned to “business as usual”, although he is accepting new orders again.
River Island said customers should be prepared for delivery delays, but all new orders should be processed within 14 days.
Customers are told not to come back in the meantime to help the warehouse get back on its feet.
Video not available
The DIY channel B&Q went offline in March due to an “unprecedented” spike in customers after customers were ordered to stay at home.
It is operational again but is unable to accept group orders. Online queues are also likely during peak times.
The majority of the retailer’s stores remain closed, although 14 stores have now reopened as part of a trial.
However, due to “extremely high demand,” its click and pull service can take up to three days.
The next time, it reopened its website on Tuesday, April 14, but crashed almost immediately due to a sudden rush of visitors.
The company said it had spent the past fortnight approving a series of new security measures, including one-way systems and new gateways to help protect staff at its warehouses.
The retailer also now has a cap on the number of orders it can process per day.
If you want to buy, you can always browse the following website and add items to your favorites list.
To save time, simply add the items you want to buy to your basket, ready to reopen the website.
Net to wear
Luxury fashion website Net-a-Porter shut down its website until further notice in late March, saying the health and safety of colleagues is its number one priority.
“For the health and safety of our community, we have temporarily closed our distribution center until further notice,” said a statement.
“We hope you all stay safe and look forward to welcoming you soon.” “
However, the website – with Mr. Porter – is now operational again.
Fashion retailer Quiz closed its website on March 27 due to staff concerns, but reopened it on April 14.
Although its stores remain closed, you will be able to place orders online and benefit from standard delivery.
Next day delivery is currently not available.
Furniture retailer Dunelm closed its doors and website last month after the government foreclosure, but is now back online.
The retailer has made a number of home delivery items available on their website – although clicking and retrieving is not an option.
Furniture and larger items are not available as they require a team of two for delivery.


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- Stocks faded at the close of trading on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve revealed a split among its policymakers over how long to continue an economic stimulus program. Mixed holiday sales reports from retailers and the prospect of another fiscal fight looming in Congress over the debt-ceiling didn't help matters. The Dow finished down 21 points at 13,391. The S&P 500 lost three points and the Nasdaq lost 11.
- The price of oil has drifted lower as euphoria over a U.S. tax deal cooled and traders focused on bulging crude supplies and lackluster demand. Benchmark crude for February delivery ended the day down 20 cents to $92.92 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
- A report released today says holiday shoppers spent of $42.3 billion online in November and December, 14 percent more than in the same months a year ago. ComScore found that shoppers started the holiday season strong in November but a dip in consumer confidence hurt early December sales. Shoppers picked up spending in the final days of the holiday season.
- U.S. auto sales hit a five-year high in 2012, as low interest rates, improving consumer confidence and some great new cars drew Americans into dealerships. Sales of new cars and trucks are expected to reach 14.5 million for 2012, up 13 percent from the year before. Sales are 40 percent higher than they were at the depths of the recession in 2009.
- NBC is savoring a welcome gift: a holiday week ratings victory powered by Sunday night football. According to Nielsen figures, more than 30 million viewers tuned in to NBC on Dec. 30 to watch the Washington Redskins defeat the Dallas Cowboys. NBC says the NFL contest drew the biggest audience in 16 years for a regular-season prime-time game. For the final week of 2012, a rebounding NBC was No. 1 in total viewers and among the advertiser-favored young adult demographic.
Read more business stories on the Back To Business page.


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The pandemic has taught so many entrepreneurs so many fundamental lessons of survival, one of which is digital marketing can save or kill your business. Startups Without Borders is one business that saw this first-hand and second-hand with the startups in its network, which inspired them to launch a hybrid (on/off-line) event “Marketing Reloaded,” on April 9.
“If we look at the brands that most successfully navigated the Covid-19 lockdown, they were brands that addressed people’s feelings and emotions while being in lockdown; brands that built community and offered value even if that didn’t lead to a purchase right away,” says Valentina Primo, founder and CEO of Startups Without Borders. “I love the example of Nike’s “Play Inside, Play for the World” campaign in the way they build a whole movement around the core values, not only building community when people felt isolated, but also sending out an inspirational message that was perfectly in tune with the brand’s mission statement.”
Based out of Rome, Primo ran Startups Without Borders through the lockdown, which made the business one of the first that quit panicking and started working through this crisis. “We reached out to [the entrepreneurs in our network] and asked how we could support them,” Primo says. “They immediately suggested live lessons, so without a thought we dove into the Quarantine Sessions, and we held the series of live interviews daily all the way through Ramadan.”
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Startups Without Borders’ Marketing Reloaded will have many stories of success and failure in digital marketing from around the world.
You can get your tickets here, and feel free to use our 50% off promo code: SWBxWAYA
If you see something out of place or would like to contribute to this story, check out our Ethics and Policy section.


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- Ledger’s Web3 asset management app Ledger Live integrates with PayPal.
- Offers convenient, secure crypto exploration.
- Allows users to purchase cryptocurrency via PayPal on Ledger Live directly.
Revolutionizing Crypto Access
On August 16, Ledger unveiled a groundbreaking partnership, enabling Ledger Live (an app by Ledger for managing crypto purchases, asset growth, and NFT assets) users to acquire BTC, ETH, BCH, and LTC using PayPal.
Pascal Gauthier, CEO of Ledger, emphasized the joint commitment to secure, rapid transactions globally.
“Both PayPal and Ledger are focused on creating secure, seamless, and fast transactions no matter where you are in the world.” explained Gauthier.
The CEO added,
“PayPal has remained at the forefront of the digital payment revolution for more than 20 years, and we are thrilled to come together in this next period of asset innovation with our integration”.
Getting into the App
Direct access to cryptocurrency purchases is unlocked through this integration for those with a history of PayPal crypto transactions. Newcomers to PayPal’s crypto platform will follow Ledger’s guidance to establish a PayPal account or complete KYC verification, ensuring a smooth entry into digital assets.
By leveraging Ledger Live’s user-centric functionalities, this integration serves a vast user base of over 1.5 million active individuals. It facilitates effortless operations encompassing digital asset acquisition, sale, exchange, staking, and lending.
On the Flipside
- Earlier this year, Ledger introduced its new recovery service, Ledger Recover, which raised alarms in the community.
- Recently, PayPal announced the temporary suspension of crypto sales in the UK beginning this October.
Why This Matters
The Ledger-PayPal partnership merges crypto expertise and payment innovation, streamlining US user access to cryptocurrencies via Ledger Live. This boosts adoption, blending accessibility with security amidst evolving regulations and addressing crucial needs within the crypto community.
To learn more about PayPal’s Cryptocurrencies Hub, click here:
PayPal’s Cryptocurrencies Hub Paves Way for Seamless Crypto Transactions
To know more about Binance supporting CRV with a $5M investment, click here:
Binance Supports CRV with $5M Investment, Hints at DeFi Expansion


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Luxe boutique Mezzanine to close for good
Mezzanine, a popular women’s boutique known for carrying independent labels, is closing its doors for good this month, a victim of the struggling retail environment for smaller stores.
Owner Anna Spector moved her 9-year-old shop to Maplewood from the Central West End last year in pursuit of lower rent, but she now plans to close the business by June 30.
“It’s run its course,” she said.
Spector said she tried to weather the economic downturn that started in 2008. But, she said, “when you’re losing ground in terms of sales, its harder to keep subjecting yourself” to the stress and losses associated with running a small business.
Spector told the St. Louis Business Journal last spring that sales had slipped 20 percent in 2009 as her store and other shops struggled through the recession. As other stores like Wish boutique and The Little Black Dress in Ladue shuttered for good, Spector moved last year to Sutton Boulevard in Maplewood, where rent was 30 percent lower.
She said she decided over Memorial Day weekend to close Mezzanine. “I don’t feel like we’ve failed,” she said, noting that small businesses face increasing competition from discount retailers and big stores.
Still, Mezzanine’s closing comes a few months after Maplewood eatery Monarch Restaurant, at the intersection of Manchester and Southwest Avenue, closed in March.
Rachelle L’Ecuyer, community development director in Maplewood, said she was sad to hear about Mezzanine and noted that it has been a tough market for luxury retail. Most of the neighborhood’s other stores “seem to be doing well,” she said, and Maplewood is still attracting retailers. Mystic Valley, a bookstore on Laclede Station Road, is set to move into the old Drum Headquarters at 7241 Manchester Road this spring.
As for Spector, she’s not ready to concede defeat, and she said she’s looking for a new opportunity in retail. “I’m not jaded,” she said. “It feels like I’m graduating.”
Meanwhile, she’s selling off all of Mezzanine’s inventory, including store fixtures, with the exception of a gilded, full-legnth mirror propped up against the back of the shop. She said the mirror, in particular, has sentimental value after nearly a decade in business in several locations. “The mirror has been with us through (all of our) spaces.”
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Switch sales surpass two million units sold in Spain
Switch has managed to reach a new milestone in Spain. Sales of the console in the country have surpassed two million units, data from consulting firm Gfk reveals. Additionally, Switch was Spain’s best-selling console in 2021. The system achieved the same feat in 2019 and 2020 as well.
Gfk also confirms that six of the ten best-selling games in Spain this year were Switch titles. Those releases include Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Minecraft, Ring Fit Adventure, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD. You’ll notice that this is a mix of both newer and older titles.
Switch has been regularly setting records and hitting new milestones since its launch in March 2017, so it’s not surprising to see the system performing well in Spain. Right now the console is sitting at just over 89 million units sold worldwide as confirmed at the start of August. Nintendo is set to report its latest financial results in just a few days, so we should have updated information about the console and its sales very soon.


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Electrum wallet not connected windows32 comments
Lego mindstorm sumo bot designs
The Warn of Massachusetts (BoT) has announced it has to known the virtual credit card bitcoin node of a proof-of-concept ambitious for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by Chromosome 2019. We also have a Master of the Future on how the XRP virtual credit card bitcoin is inherently decentralised, even more so than bitcoin and ethereum. Sup off the show we have an asset from Security with Michael Sonnenshein, Secure Director at Grayscale.
All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Candle..


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Allow this Ferrari 250 GT Breadvan to serenade your ears
This is Lynk & Co’s 500bhp sports saloon concept
Lynk & Co, China’s answer to subscription-based car ownership, has announced it intends to build a road-going, 500bhp saloon car. This is exciting news.Lynk & Co has also announced that it intends to go racing in the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) next year, from which aforementioned road-going, 500...
Porsche is putting the Mission E Cross Turismo into production
As the electric car revolution gathers pace, it’s started splintering off into niches already. Say you wanted an EV, but you’ve been waiting for a semi-sporty one with a raised ride height and an estate body – what to do? Wonder no more – Porsche’s got you covered.
Hennessey has built a 750bhp retro-liveried F-150
UK petrol and diesel ban should be ‘brought forward’ to 2032 says committee
Banning petrol and diesel car sales in the UK should be brought forward to 2032, according to a new report by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee.The committee’s new report states that the Government’s original 2040 target for zero emission cars is “vague and unambitious”....
Here's what seven months living with a Honda Civic Type R is like
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By Omodele Adigun
There was slight improvement in the value of the Naira Friday at the parallel market as it was sold for N395 to the US Dollar just as two banks kick started the sale of foreign exchange to the Bureax de Change operators.
This translated to N5 gain to the local currency which had slumped to N400/$ at the black market on Thursday.
However, at the inter-bank market, the Naira depreciated further to N318.91 , down from the N315.06 to the dollar from the previous day.
Commenting on the latest development, the President of the Association of Bureau de Change (ABDC)Operators Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, who had earlier expressed optimism that the Naira would rebound, said:
“The exchange rate today(Friday) was N394, N395/$.As of today only two banks indicated interest to sell the proceeds of international money transfer which they were asked to sell to us. They said they would sell to us at the inter-bank rate plus one per cent. More banks said they would come by Monday(today).”
On the volume sold to them, he said it was $15,000 per bid maximum, adding that “the bigger banks were unable to give because of logistics. That would be on Monday also for collection.”
The Naira has dropped steadily on the black market last week after opening the week at 381. Traders blamed the situation on high dollar demand from holiday makers travelling overseas for vacation.
Recall that CBN told international money transfer operators to pay dollar proceeds from customer transfers into local commercial banks in naira, while selling the dollars themselves to bureaux de change outlets.
The bank hopes the move will help narrow the yawning gap between the official and black market rates and boost dollar liquidity, traders say.
It had hoped that the need for a black market would be erased by scrapping the dollar peg and thereby attracting foreign investment.
But dollar drought persists and has curbed interbank activity, despite the central bank hiking interest rates last week and mopping up naira liquidity to shore up debt yields.
Some past suppliers of dollars, including oil firms, are now selling some of their hard currency directly to petrol importers under an arrangement with the government, traders say.


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Pharmstandard posts 1H 2010 Net Profit of 2.8 billion roubles
Leading Russian drug maker Pharmstandard has posted a 1H 2010 net profit of 2.8 billion roubles under IFRS.
The bottom line was up 7% year on year, despite EBITDA slightly going down to 3.87 billion roubles from 3.95 billion roubles a year earlier, but revenues also rose 15% year on year to 11.5 billion roubles.
The pharmaceutical company said in the accompanying statement that mostly drugs of its own production contributed to a 15.4% growth of sales of pharmaceutical products, which in turn were up 13.6%.
Pharmstandard also indicated that Arbidol remained the leader in pharmaceutical retail sales across Russia, with sales of the drug growing 29% during the first six months of 2010.


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After the Galaxy A72, M01 Core, and others, the Samsung Galaxy A10s becomes the latest device to experience the April 2021 Security Patch update. The update carrying the firmware version A107FXXX8BUC2 weighs around 137.61 MB in size. Right now, the update is taking place in many countries like Turkey and others.
Related: Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 9 grabs April 2021 Security Patch update.
Coming to the changelog, the new update brings the April 2021 Security Patch. Apart from that, the company has not added any new features to the device. Moreover, the update also weighs a tiny size: 137.61 MB. So, there might not be any minor changes included in this update.
The company is releasing the update in a phased manner for verification. Once the update gets verified, the company will start rolling it to a broader range of users. Nevertheless, users can manually check the updated status by making a beeline to Settings>Software updates.
Samsung Galaxy A10s Specifications
The Galaxy A10s features a 6.2-inch PLS IPS display (720 x 1520 pixels), and a Mediatek Helio P22 (12 nm) powers the device. It comes with 2/3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage. In-camera department, it equips a 13-MP + 2-MP dual rear camera and an 8-MP selfie camera. The phone runs Android 9.0 (Pie) and packs a 4,000 mAh battery out of the box.


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The eco-friendly soul of denim at the sector fair dedicated to the denim community
On October 23 and 24, a new edition of Kingpins Show took place in Amsterdam. On this occasion, the denim tribe was invited to participate, share ideas and inspire the industry. Among them, Albiate 1830 took advantage to launch a preview of the Spring-Summer 2021 collection.
In the name of innovation and eco-sustainability, the Italian manufacturer presented the “Saved” fabrics, denim produced with recycled cotton yarn that reduces water and energy consumption. From one hand an unconventional look with colorful prints and on the other, once again, a clear and concrete demonstration of the ethical commitment and continuous research of the company.
Making great fabrics has always been in the nature of Albiate1830, but TENCEL™ Lyocell, Bioceramic, Q-NOVA and EVO are one step ahead, able to guarantee comfort, freshness and performance in full respect of nature.
A new generation of fibers, 100% organic cotton, GOTS certification, with no pesticides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers.


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Chromebooks aren’t exactly gaming machines, but Google is trying to remind you that they’re more capable than they have been in the past with a set of announcements this morning. Probably the most intriguing is that Google now has a set of “Works with Chromebook” controllers. Naturally, that includes Google’s Stadia controller as well as Logitech’s F310 and F710 gamepads.
As for what you can play with these controllers, Google is keen to remind you that Stadia works on basically any Chromebook that has launched since June of 2017. While Stadia is far from perfect, it’s a better option for playing recent, high-end titles on a Chromebook than any we’ve seen thus far. NVIDIA’s GeForce Now streaming service also started working with Chromebooks last month, so you have a few options now for recent games.
Finally, the Google Play Store for Android apps has worked on Chromebooks for years now and has provided a decent selection of games. Usually, those are of a more casual variety, given that the Play Store is primarily focused on mobile. So as of today, Google has added a “premium” section to the Play Store when you view it from a Chromebook, showing off a selection of games picked specifically because they play well on Chrome OS devices. Among them are Annapurna’s Gorogoa, Don’t Starve, Incredibox, Grant Theft Auto: Vice City, The Room 3 and more. It’s not the most high-profile selection, but hopefully Google will continue updating it with more Chromebook-optimized titles.
The timing certainly makes sense for Google to remind everyone you can game on a Chromebook — the company says that it has seen the time people spend on games on a Chromebook has tripled in the last few months. And give the Chromebook’s prominence in the education market, you have to figure students will want to figure out how they can kill time with some games when they’re not at work.


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Growth prospects among small manufacturing businesses in England are at a 12 month high, according to the latest Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) Barometer. It reveals nearly two thirds (64%) of companies questioned are expecting to increase sales over the next six months.
There was also positive news on recent performance, with almost one half of the 700 firms who responded reporting a rise in sales and 93% either seeking or hanging on to staff.
The appetite for investment has also seen an upturn, with 39% planning to boost spending on new technologies and 48% intending to invest in new machinery and premises.
However, more than half of firms (52%) said their profit margins were poor.
Lorraine Holmes (pictured), area director for MAS in the North and West, said that although most key performance responses measured showed positive improvements, more negative findings, including the poor profit margins, painted a potential picture of unrealistic customer expectations with manufacturers favouring a more pragmatic approach to taking work on.
“An inability to meet design specification and issues with equipment capability were also quoted as possible barriers and this could underline the renewed desire for investment in new machinery and technology,” she added.
This material is protected by copyright Ken Hurst 2013.


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Following its registration statement and prospectus submission for the Reality Shares Nasdaq Blockchain Economy ETF with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Reality Shares has officially announced its initial advisory board. San Diego-based Reality Shares is an asset management firm, ETF issuer and index provider.
Not yet effective, Reality Shares has hopes to be approved sometime in the future. With semi-annual rebalancing, current holdings as outlined by the investment company would include SAP, Overstock, Hitachi, Accenture, and HIVE Blockchain Technologies.
The advisory board now includes six blockchain and cryptocurrency executives. Members of the Reality Shares blockchain advisory board are listed below:
- Erik Voorhees – Shapeshift AG
Erik founded ShapeShift AG in August 2014 as an elegant, secure, and fast solution to digital asset exchanges. He is among the top-recognized serial Bitcoin advocates and considers Bitcoin as one of the most important inventions ever created by humanity.
- Garrick Hileman – University of Cambridge
Dr. Hileman is a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge and a researcher at the Centre for Macroeconomics at the London School of Economics. Garrick is best known for his research on cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology.
- Jeff Garzik – Bloq
Jeff is a futurist, entrepreneur and software engineer. Jeff is co-founder and CEO of Bloq. Jeff serves on the board of Coin Center, and the advisory board of BitFury, BitPay, Chain.com, Netki and WayPaver Labs technology.
- Matthew Roszak – Tally Capital
Matthew is a founding partner of Tally Capital, a private investment firm focused on digital assets and blockchain-enabled technology with a portfolio of over 20 investments. He is also the co-founder and chairman of Bloq.
- Steve Beauregard – GoCoin
Founder and former CEO of leading blockchain payment processor GoCoin, Steve recently joined Bloq as Chief Revenue Officer to bring distributed blockchain financial products to large enterprise customers and government agencies worldwide.
- Derin Cag – Richtopia
Derin is the founder of Richtopia and co-founder of Marketing Runners, Blockrox and Blockchain Age. Richtopia’s mission is to enrich lives using innovative information, with an ultimate vision in alignment with the UNDP’s Sustainable Development Goals.


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In the mid 1990s, two college mates decided they wanted to be olive growers – on a small scale.
Two decades later, the pair stand behind one of Australia’s best-known brands in the category.
Rob McGavin was originally from Longreach in Outback Queensland, while Paul Riordan was from Colac in Victoria’s Western District.
They met at Marcus Oldham Agricultural College, just west of Victoria’s second-largest city, Geelong.
McGavin says: “We had ambition, but we never had any plans that we’d be a big olive oil brand one day. It just seemed to grow and opportunities kept coming our way.”
Making the most of those opportunities, the pair’s nous has steered Cobram Estate to the point where today it holds about 25 per cent of Australia’s retail market.
Last year, the company launched into the US market both growing and producing olive oil, and this year picked up the title of “World’s Healthiest Extra Virgin Olive Oil” at the 2017 Health & Food Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards in Spain, for its California Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO).
McGavin says: “Olive oil is one of the most adulterated food products in the world by any standard. The Institute of Food Technologists, which is a not-for-profit organisation in the United States, did a study between 1989 and 2012, and it listed olive oil as one of the most adulterated food products in the world, followed by milk, followed by honey. It means consumers have to trust the source so they’re not ripped off.”
And that’s why the awards are so important: they tell Cobram Estate consumers that their money is well spent.


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As UK lamb retail prices increase, producer share falls – Eblex
As UK lamb retail prices increased from last month, the producer share of retail price fell in May, Eblex, the organisation for the English beef ans sheep industry says.
It says that the measure declined to 50% and it is down 4% from April and 8% lower than the share seen for the same month last year.
Eblex says that this was due to the sharp fall in farmgate prices which were driven by the higher volumes of lamb coming to the market.
At the same time, retail prices have actually increased, it says.
In March, it was at its highest level so far in 2015 at 56%, and this was level with a year earlier, Eblex says.
April’s producer price fell to 54% which was 4% down on the April 2014, this due to farmgate prices declining at a sharper rate than retail prices over the course of the year, it says.
The month-on-month increase in the average retail price of lamb was driven by price increases for whole legs and fillet end legs, up by 3% and 6% respectively, the Eblex retail price survey says.
The price of most other cuts either remained stable or declined and all cuts were cheaper than in the corresponding month a year earlier in the UK, it says.
UK liveweight lamb trade
The UK liveweight lamb trade has stabilised in the past week after falls in the previous two weeks, Eblex says.
This still left prices almost 65p down from 2014 levels however, prices resumed their downwards trajectory towards the end of the period, with the SQQ on Wednesday June 3 back almost 3p on the week at 182.6p/kg, Eblex says.
Throughputs were up by 50% on the previous bank-holiday-affected week, but were roughly level with the same week in 2014, it says.
In April and May supplies slowed slightly with throughputs falling behind 2014 levels, but numbers are now expected to begin to increase again as more lambs start to reach finished weight, Eblex says.


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The runaway success of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds continues unabated. Creative Director Brendan Greene revealed Wednesday the Battle Royale shooter has broken a new record with more than 2 million concurrent players. At the same time, the developers at Bluehole are fighting to keep the game’s servers stable and running with the influx of new players.
Steam Store stats show 2,016,359 players playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds(PUBG) at the same time over the past day. This blows away Dota 2 as the previous record holder with just over 1.2 million concurrent players.
To give a further idea of the amazing player count PUBG is currently enjoying, no other Steam title has crossed 1 million concurrent players, per stats collected by SteamDB. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the closest at 854,501 players followed by Fallout 4 with 472,961 players around its release in 2015.
The meteoric rise in PUBG players does not come without additional issues, however. The game has been struggling with the rapid rise in additional players, which Bluehole addressed in an October 3 post on the official website.
The PUBG development team initially designed the game to handle 1 million concurrent users. Bluehole saw the need to begin redesigning the server architecture in June but the rate of new players increased faster than anticipated and caused a spate of connection and server issues. The team is rushing to get new servers online to handle so many after the elusive chicken dinner.
The swelling of the PUBG ranks has also led to other issues. Bluehole has had to delay the leaderboard reset scheduled for Tuesday, October 10 to October 17, per a Steam Community announcement. This is to give the developers time to adjust to the rapid rise in new players and make sure the shooter is on stable ground before bringing the leaderboards back.
The amount of work being put toward handling a huge influx of players brings to question the effect that has towards PUBG making its promised release date by the end of 2017. The game received a minor update at the end of September and the last major update was almost one month ago.
OVER TWO MILLION!! Thank you all, once again, for your continued support <3 pic.twitter.com/Gf9DEjuhBv— PLAYERUNKNOWN (@PLAYERUNKNOWN) October 11, 2017
PUBG still has many gameplay optimizations and bug fixes left to go along with introducing major new features like vaulting and 3D replays. Throw in the promise of an Xbox One version of the multiplayer shooter by the end of 2017 and Bluehole has its work cut out for it to meet its obligations.
[Featured Image by Bluehole, Inc]


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This story was first published on August 2, 2011
Circulating message warns consumers not to drink any bottled water called “DEW” because it contains a poisonous chemical that has already killed 180 people in Nigeria. A new version claims that the water contains Ebola.
The claims in the warning message are false. Nigerian authorities have refuted the claims. There are no credible reports of deaths caused by a brand of bottled water called “DEW” in Nigeria or elsewhere. And the claim that people have died from bottled water contaminated with Ebola is utter nonsense. The warning contains false information and should not be forwarded.


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“One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men.
No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.”
– Elbert Hubbard
Read the latest news about technological developments, or skim through this year’s customer service conferences, and it’s pretty clear that most customer service jobs are going to be taken over by robots.
According to research, 35% of current jobs in the UK will likely be computerized by 2030.
While in the immediate future, 6% of all US jobs will be eliminated as a consequence of automation in only four years’ time.
Automation is nothing we haven’t witnessed before. The last 100 years have seen factory workers replaced by machines, and front-line staff across a number of industries – from hospitality to retail and travel – by self-service kiosks.
In 2015, the first hotel staffed entirely by robots opened in Japan.
In 2017, Robocop joined the Dubai Police.
At the start of 2018, NatWest hired – on probation – life-like virtual teller, Cora, to answer up to 200 basic questions. Amazon then went a step further launching its first supermarket without humans, self-service, or checkouts in Seattle, allowing customers to scan items and then pay using smartphones.
But there are also hybrid machines out there. At Orlando Airport, I watched customers avoid the queues for car hire companies and race up to video kiosks that combined the inter-personal skills of humans and with the efficiency of machines. It was a classic case of offering the convenience of self-service, with the expertise of a human ‘on demand’.
In reality, they were frequently abandoned in the end. The slightest technological glitch had customers heading for the human behind the counter.
But if you’re thinking of doing a ‘Canute’, don’t waste your time. Universal, commercial imperatives in today’s competitive world are about cutting costs and maximising profits. While Utopia for customers is to be found in increasingly fast, efficient, unbiased, personal service.
Which is why both sides are optimistic about the impact of robots and why AI is high on the agenda for the customer service industry.
But a word of caution, and it’s coming from an unexpected source. Hollywood always seem to be ahead of the curve when it comes to talking about scientific advancements. Creative minds in the media have not only anticipated future robotic tends, they have also anticipated problems.
In 2017 we wondered all how Harrison Ford and the love of his life – the green-eyed robot Rachel – managed to have a child together.
In 1975, Bryan Forbes scared us to death with the apocalyptic vision of men swapping their wives for robotic replicas in The Stepford Wives. Poor Catherine Ross.
And who can forget, way back in 1966, Wendy Craig’s relationship with her home help? Advanced publicity asked, “Can a man-like robot do everything a man can do: but willingly, obediently and tirelessly?” Oh yes, he could.
So, what are the current attitudes about the impending tsunami of robots in customer service?
Over the course of three months, we surveyed over 200 people between aged between 16 and 87, of all genders and backgrounds, working for private and public/government organisations.
The aim, on the one hand, was to find out if people are happy talking to a robot, or to a human being, and then to establish whether people thought humans or machines were more trustworthy.
In standard customer service scenarios, such as general enquiries, 81.3% of participants said they prefer to interact with humans rather than robots.
The percentage increased to 86.1% for complex situations, such as complaints, where we can only assume customers believe human beings will come up with suitable, creative solutions that may not be programmed into a machine.
But when simply making a purchase, the results slightly different: here, only 50.7% of the respondents claimed they would rather deal with a member of staff over an automated service.
Since most customer decisions are based on emotion, rather than logic, the industry should take note of the most powerful indicator of customer satisfaction: the ability to trust the person and – by implication – the company they are dealing with.
The great majority of people (82.4%) said they trust humans more than machines. This could be said to be an anomaly, since, machines are programmed by humans. Don’t look for logic. This is pure emotion.
So it appears, overall, that people still prefer to deal with people, and – against all odds – trust them significantly more than robots.
Bots might be cheaper and faster, but they can’t yet display the same level of reliability, trust, empathy and creativity that humans value most of all, and that well-trained, engaged and committed front-line staff deliver. Nor can we foresee when machines will embody all these quintessentially human hallmarks in the future, in spite of Hollywood hype.
Until then, it seems we’re set to live a customer service paradox: human preference versus machine predominance.
AI is happening, whether we’re ready for it or not. Robots may increasingly take over more basic customer service tasks, but humans will continue to be indispensable for escalated complaints, complex questions, or sensitive issues.Back to Blog


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Quinn announces business agreements in China
The Associated Press September 19, 2011 4:14PM
Updated: September 19, 2011 4:14PM
CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. Pat Quinn has announced two business agreements between Chinese and American companies.
Quinn was in Beijing during an eight-day trade mission Monday.
He says China-based Goldwind plans to build a $200 million wind farm in Lee County in north-central Illinois. The project should provide enough electricity for about 25,000 homes while creating 100 construction jobs and about a dozen permanent jobs.
The second deal involves Decatur-based agriculture giant Archer Daniels Midland Co.
ADM will sell 180,000 metric tons of soybeans to a Chinese soy products manufacturer by December 2012.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady says such foreign trade deals can’t make up for Quinn policies that have given Illinois a reputation as a bad place for companies to operate


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Alvin’s Trudy’s Hallmark will be closing its doors forever Jan. 27 after more than 20 years in business. Many Alvin residents expressed disappointment on social media at the store’s closure and the community’s loss of a place for the unique gifts one could find therein.
The Alvin Hallmark is a location of Trudy’s Hallmark, which began operation in the Houston area 40 years ago as a project of Houston entrepreneurs Tyson Shields, Kunal Aggarwal and Dan Aggarwal and currently has numerous locations across Texas from El Paso to Beaumont. Trudy’s Hallmark purchased the store from a previous owner approximately 10 years ago. The closure of the Alvin store is limited to the one location and is not part of a decline of the entire chain, which Tyson Shields’ wife Priya Aggarwal Shields, who operates the business in conjunction with her husband and other family members, said is still going strong.
“Our decision to close the Alvin sore was not one we made lightly,” Priya said in a comment to a post on the Facebook group Talk of Alvin about the store closing. “It was based purely on a financial decision. We are a Texas family owned business who has 30 locations throughout Texas. We have been in business for over 40 years and are proud to support the communities we serve. Our overall business is very healthy and have plans for expansion in 2020. For those of you who have supported our Alvin store for all these years we sincerely thank you!”
The closure of Alvin’s Trudy’s Hallmark leaves the nearest locations for Alvinites to do their brick-and-mortar Hallmark shopping in Pearland, Clear Lake and League City, Priya added.
Items at the Alvin Trudy’s Hallmark are currently marked down at 50% off and store manager Makayla Johnson said items would be marked down to 75% off as the Jan. 27 date draws nearer.


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Chemist Warehouse executives have bought another High Street style shop, it is speculated to occupy, this time in Melbourne’s east Hawthorn.
Represented by Michael Spektor, the vendors outlaid $10.93 million at auction for 736-740 Glenferrie Road, which like other assets it has bought recently, neighbours a store the pharmacy rents.
The deal could set up some interesting show-downs, especially around rent review time for one of the tenants, rival Terry White, which is on agreement running seven more years with two five year options.
Alternatively, the landlord might present an option to swap spaces as it is rumoured it could do with a just acquired regional New South Wales property though in that case the neighbour is Cotton On.
The 779 square metre double storey Hawthorn building, also with a gym, returns annual rent of $536,578.
Spreading 669 sqm, the block includes eight car parks too.
Gorman Allard Shelton’s Stephen Gorman, Peter Bremner and Jonathan McCormack were the agents; the investment previously sold for $3m in 2016.
Mr Spektor leads National Retail Group, an agency also controlled by Chemist Warehouse executives.
In the past three years the broker has bought for Chemist Warehouse owners, as investments, assets in, amongst other suburbs, Fitzroy, in Brunswick St, Kew, in High St, near the junction, and Richmond’s Bridge Road, opposite a tenanted store – the latter two, it is speculated, for occupation.
In June they paid the Valmorbida family $5.7m for an ex-GJ Coles outlet rented to the pharmacy in Ivanhoe (story continues below).
The retail chain, which has in recent years been the subject of a float, also rents a store at 745 Glenferrie Rd, opposite the asset its executives just bought.
Kew Junction mall fetches $12.18m
Meanwhile in nearby Kew, a land banking investor has outlaid $12.18 million, reflecting a 2.5 per cent yield, for 4-14 Walpole Street.
Near Kew Junction and opposite the suburb’s Safeway, which includes a large basement car park, the site spreads 1570 sqm.
Over a floor it contains 1296 sqm leased to nine stores.
There is also a rooftop car park with 46 bays.
Fitzroys’ David Bourke, Chris James and Ben Liu were the agents.
It was the first time the asset has been offered in 30 years.
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New Zealand-based Jewellery brand Astra plans to repeat its recent success at trade show Jewellery Ireland at International Jewellery London (IJL) which opens its doors today (September 3).
Distributed by Jos Von Arx (UK) in the UK and Irish markets, Astra reported a successful launch at the August Jewellery Ireland show, opening 20 doors in Ireland.
The brand will make its IJL debut, exhibiting at stand E31 at the three-day trade event.
Richard Bulgin, sales director for Jos Von Arx, commented: “The response to Astra from our Irish customer base has been fantastic, the brands designs, finishing and concept has really captured the imagination and passion of our retail partners. Our customers loved the fact that each piece has its own story and could straight away see the commercial appeal of the brand particularly with its slick and effective point of sale material and display.
“It was great to confirm so many new retailers from the Jewellery Ireland show and we expect to double this number in Ireland by the years end especially when we consider the current level of interest. We look forward to showing the brand again in IJL in September and based on the phenomenal reception in Ireland and the brands huge social media following, we hope for a similar success at this show.”
IJL is currently taking place at London Olympia and runs until the end of Tuesday (September 5)


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Hellobike’s new prices are more expensive than taking the bus in Beijing, which may be a blow to its business model.
Hello Transtech, an Alibaba-backed mobility unicorn, is streets ahead of the bikesharing firms that have come before it.
China has been looking to reduce its reliance on foreign technologies amide escalating trade tensions with the US.
In the second part of a two-part series, we look at Hello TransTech’s role in Alibaba’s all-in-one lifestyle ambitions.
The company says it holds over 50% market share in terms of numbers of orders.
ofo raises $866 million in latest funding round led by Alibaba
As the ride-hailing market in China heats up again, Alibaba-owned AutoNavi (高德地图) also known as Amap has announced that its ride-hailing service Gaode Jiaoche (高德叫车) has gone online, TechNode’s Chinese sister site reports. The move is just another small step for AutoNavi towards building its one-stop mobility aggregation platform. The ride-hailing service is integrated into […]
Alibaba Local Services Company is embracing “new retail” to fend off competitors such as Tencent-backed Meituan.
Editor’s note: This originally appeared on Analyse Asia, a weekly podcast hosted by Bernard Leong, dedicated to dissecting the pulse of business, technology, and media in Asia. The podcast features guests from Asia’s vibrant tech community. Jon Russell, from TechCrunch joined us in a two-episode arc to discuss the major acquisitions that are shaking the Asia […]
Mobike co-founder Hu Weiwei is suing the operators of Q&A website Zhihu (知乎) for defamation after a user on the site claimed Mobike staff were involved in corruption. This comes just days after a corruption scandal at main rival ofo and forms part of a growing trend of tech company litigation in China. On May 9, […]


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Jaguar F-Type to get high profile dealer handover ceremony this weekTue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0700
Now the time is nigh, and the first F-Types will be heading for Jaguar dealers around the UK on Thursday (18th April), but they won’t be going on a fleet of transporters as usual. Instead, Jaguar is making an event out of a normally quite prosaic handover.
Jaguar dealers from all round the UK will congregate at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry to find 59 new F-Types arranged in the shape of a giant ‘F’. The dealers will be handed keys for their own demonstrator and then join a convoy of 60 cars heading up the A444 headed by the spiritual successor to the F-Type – the very last E-Type.
Jaguar’s MD, Jeremy Hicks, said:
Ever since Jaguar unveiled the F-TYPE at the Paris Motor Show last September, enthusiasts all over the UK have been anticipating their first encounter with this exciting new sports car. From today onwards they’ll have the opportunity to experience the extraordinary F-TYPE for themselves.
Jaguar is synonymous with Coventry,so it is fitting that we conduct the ceremonial handover to the dealer network in the grounds of one of this great City’s landmarks.
The new F-Type won’t be Jaguar’s biggest-selling model by any means (production capacity means the most they can build is 15,000) but it’s a car to hang the Jaguar brand on, and define Jaguar’s future.
So, by the weekend, you’ll be able to head out to your local Jaguar dealer and take your pick from the F-Type at £58,250, the F-Type S at £67,520 or the F-Type V8S at £79,985.
Although it will be a while before your new Jaguar F-Type gets delivered, with six months production already sold out.
By Cars UK


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Picking out a new car can be a difficult and stressful experience with a host of different factors that need to be taken into consideration.
While some people ponder what specification, mileage and even colour they want for their latest wheels, research by British Car Auctions (BCA) revealed that many consumers are relying on their friends and family for advice when picking out a car. The organisation noted that many people would take tips off their nearest and dearest ahead of their own opinions or even after they have taken the vehicle in question out for a test drive.
Tim Naylor, editor of the BCA Used Car Market Report, noted that this is the first time the ‘friends and family’ option ranked top of the list but stated that it could be a “sign of the times” as many people tighten their belts as the recession continues to bite hard across the UK. The BCA commissioned BMRB International to carry out a survey which queried 4,000 car owners on how they went about choosing their vehicle.
The study revealed that 24 per cent would take the advice of their friends and family while only 20 per cent picked a vehicle based on ‘personal experience of a particular make and model’. Women were more likely to rely on tips from their closest relatives, with 28 per cent of car buyers citing this reason compared 21 per cent of their male counterparts.
“As economic conditions have got tougher over the last couple of years, it could well be that people think it’s safer to trust the views of their family and friends. Of course, the reality is that a family member or friend may not have any expert experience when it comes to selecting a used car – but it just feels a safer route to take when money is already under pressure,” Mr Naylor added.
Owning a car is becoming more difficult as the price of petrol continues to rise, meaning that less-affluent Brits could be put off purchasing a vehicle altogether.
For the #1 motor trade insurance, visit ChoiceQuote
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Unsecured Reactiv creditors owed $2m
Unsecured creditors of collapsed Sydney print business Reactiv are owed $2m, and have no hope of seeing any of their money.
Secured creditors are owed $730,000, with assets of the business which went down in August only valued at $88,000, according to PKF liquidator Bradley Tonks.
Reactiv had been struggling over the four years since owner Kingsley Moore bought out failed Impress Printers in Rydalmere and renamed it.
Moore was the sales manager at Impress before it went down in September 2015. He then bought the business, but inherited the issues that caused Impress to collapse. A heart attack last year and a broken leg this year further hindered business growth.
Mark Shergill's Focus Press bought the customer list and most of the equipment, and brought over half a dozen of the 20 staff.