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Netflix announced yesterday that they are rolling out their highest quality video streams, dubbed Super HD, to all users. When initially released, Super HD was only available to customers using an Internet service provider (ISP) that had a direct connection with Netflix. With this new change, Netflix members on a Netflix connected ISP will still get preferential treatment, but if users on other ISPs have the necessary hardware and sufficient bandwidth, they can enjoy Super HD as well. The Netflix Super HD stream is provided at a higher bit rate stream and less compression than the normal 1080p HD stream.
In announcing this change, Netflix director of corporate communications Joris Evers also took the opportunity to plug the Netflix Open Connect delivery network. Open Connect is a system Netflix has developed to deploy TV shows and movies to servers that are closer to the end users in order to improve the viewing experience. You can check out the Netflix video below that explains more about how Open Connect works.


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Facebook poaches ex-Apple exec Richard Williiamson in a string of mobile push hirings
Facebook Home is just a hint of the company's push into the mobile realm, which is already the bread-and-butter access, and now we learn that Mark Zuckerberg and gang might have hired a former Apple executive.
Richard Williiamson has been with Apple for quite a while, and was one of the pivotal engineers tasked with creating the groundbreaking for its times iPhone software. Unfortunately, his team didn't fare so well with the Apple Maps effort, which was probably one of the reasons to part ways with Apple.
He is not the first Apple software engineer that has been hired by Facebook, and the social network has also poached people with customer experience, like Rebecca Van Dyck, who is now heading the marketing department.

domain: news


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A few months ago, Reliance Jio joined hands with social media giant Facebook. According to the report, Facebook has acquired 9.9 per cent stake in Geo for Rs 43,564 crore. Following Mark Zuckerberg’s huge investment in the Geo platform, the two companies jointly announced their support for Small and Midsize Business (SMB) in India. The announcement was made by the two companies at the first Facebook Fuel for India 2020 event recently. They claim that this will benefit more than 60 million small and medium enterprises. At the same time, the Facebook CEO also shared their thoughts on the upcoming WhatsApp Pay service in India.
Standing at the first Facebook Fuel Summit, 2020, Facebook CEO Zuckerberg heard a tone of self-confidence. “Through Facebook, we help a lot of small and medium businesses,” he said. Today, about 60 million people across the country depend on us for their business and livelihood. These small and medium businesses are all major partners in our agreement with Reliance Jio. ”
Zuckerberg added that as a result of the agreement, Jio and Facebook will also work on improving various SMBs, providing their businesses with all the help they need to grow. These small and medium-sized traders have been severely affected, especially during the Covid-19 overcrowding. Many of them have been forced to continue buying and selling online due to infections and lockdowns. As a result, they need the most help right now.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, said, “Through our (Jio and Facebook) partnership, we will help small and medium enterprises continue to do business digitally. In that case, these two organizations will become a value creation platform for customers and entrepreneurs. ”
The Facebook Fuel Summit event also lauded the extraordinary foresight of Indian entrepreneurs. In this case, Facebook CEO Zuckerberg has called India a ‘special country’. Realizing the importance of India’s huge market, the Facebook CEO is hopeful of spreading their Whatsapp Pay service in this country. WhatsApp Pay has recently been approved by the National Payments Corporation of India or NPCI. Since then, they have started rolling out the service to around 400 million users.
Last month we launched Whatsapp Payment service in India. With this you can easily send money to your friends, relatives and others. Its UPI system is made in India. As a result, the exchange of money will be as straightforward and hassle-free as sending a message here. Zuckerberg, the head of Facebook, has made this claim very strongly.


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Shopify, a leading multi-channel commerce platform, has announced an agreement to acquire 6 River Systems, a leading provider of collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions.
In June, Shopify introduced the Shopify Fulfillment Network, a fulfillment network intended to offer timely deliveries, lower shipping costs, and improve customer experience for merchants and their customers. According to a release, this acquisition is a critical step to accelerate the network’s growth, while 6 River Systems will also continue to build and sell their solution for warehouses.
With the acquisition of 6 River Systems, Shopify will add a team with decades of experience in fulfillment software and robotics, including experienced leaders from Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics). Adding 6 River Systems’ cloud-based software and collaborative mobile robots called “Chuck” to the Shopify Fulfillment Network will increase the speed and reliability of warehouse operations, by empowering on-site associates with daily tasks, including inventory replenishment, picking, sorting and packing.
“Shopify is taking on fulfillment the same way we’ve approached other commerce challenges, by bringing together the best technology to help everyone compete,” said Tobi Lütke, CEO of Shopify. “With 6 River Systems, we will bring technology and operational efficiencies to companies of all sizes around the world.”
“By joining Shopify, we’re changing the game of fulfillment. Together, we will help thousands of businesses improve their fulfillment operations, with an easy-to-learn solution that can more than double productivity and improve accuracy,” said Jerome Dubois, co-CEO and co-founder of 6 River Systems.
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New Adobe-commissioned research has confirmed that brands which invest in experience transformation across people, processes and technology, achieve superior business performance.
By investing across these disciplines, businesses in Asia Pacific (APAC) can trigger a transformation in customer experience that results in increased revenue and a rise in the acquisition and retention of customers.
Adobe commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate the business impact of investing in customer experience across the customer lifecycle.
The study, The Business Impact of Investing in Customer Experience – A Spotlight On Asia Pacific, found that long term investment in customer experience is paying off for those brands willing to embrace it.
The study found that APAC brands focusing on customer experience achieve an average revenue growth rate of 23 per cent, compared with 13 per cent of other companies surveyed.
Adobe Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand Suzanne Steele said: “It couldn’t be clearer that investing in customer experience is essential to business success.
“While it’s exciting to see the impact that investment in customer experience is having, the study highlights that only 29 per cent of brands in APAC can claim to be experience driven businesses.
“Companies yet to focus on the journey they provide for their customers will find it harder to compete, the longer they delay.”
Key findings of the study include:
- Experience-driven brands sacrifice short-term wins in favor of creating holistic experiences. Organisations that prioritise holistic customer experiences report higher costs, however, they enjoy more than twice as much return on ad spend. They also report 80 per cent higher year-on-year growth rates, and a doubling of their customer lifetime value.
- Experience-driven businesses are customer obsessed. They invest in specific customer experience and marketing initiatives such as loyalty programs and customer analytics; they are also twice as likely to increase their investment year-on-year.
- Experience-driven businesses report happier and more engaged employees. Employees in these businesses enjoy 60 per cent greater personal and team satisfaction than their counterparts in other businesses. They also fell 30 per cent greater company-wide satisfaction.
Adobe’s head of digital transformation, Scott Rigby, said: “The age of the experience-driven business is well and truly upon us and it’s encouraging to see brands across APAC investing in experiences and customer loyalty.
“There is a higher cost for these businesses, but the boost to their revenue growth rate, customer lifetime value, and even the happiness of their employees all mean the investment is worth it.
“Customers are responding to businesses that are clearly dedicated to providing a unique and customised experience for their entire journey.
“As customers become more accustomed to this, businesses that don’t manage to deliver that experience are likely to be left behind.”
Jacqueline Gonzales [featured image] is the Head of Global Marketing at Squarespace. In this piece, she shares her best pieces of advice for launching a campaign globally. It’s estimated that we see between 6,000 to 10,000 ads every single day. In today’s digital landscape we’re constantly bombarded by so many different brand messages from every […]
From the audio producer of The Teacher’s Pet comes The Elements, a new Acast Creator Network podcast hosted by Thredbo survivor Stuart Diver. The Elements is a podcast that journeys into the heart of surviving a natural disaster and will be hosted and distributed by the creator-first podcast company Acast as part of the Acast Creator […]


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Grandiose as it might sound, the democratization of fashion is taking hold in a battery of incarnations.
This story first appeared in the April 6, 2010 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
As crowdsourcing continues to gain force, consumers aren’t just having their say about specific designs – whereas in the past, participants were content just to be part of the process, now more companies are compensating them monetarily, with prizes, discounts or other recognition. By definition, crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call, according to Wired contributing editor Jeff Howe, who coined the term. The trend is huge in Holland, and it is also popular in San Francisco, New York and Chicago.
Yet crowdsourcing is largely underused in the apparel industry, even though many brands and designers are still struggling to figure out exactly what shoppers will buy.
“I keep thinking it would emerge in fashion, but it really hasn’t — especially given the success of Threadless,” Howe said.
With about 1.75 million unique visitors each month, Threadless.com has become a $38 million company by having consumers decide which designs it produces in graphic T-shirts. And when FashionStake.com bows this fall, shoppers will be able to offer their two cents about collections and buy stakes in designer collections that will lead to discounts, freebies and fashion show invitations.
Launched last week, Made.com, a London-based designer furniture site that only produces what consumers vote for and sells directly to them, is already looking into expanding the concept to clothing. By relying solely on crowdsourcing for its assortment, the site reduces the odds of having unsold inventory, eliminates the middleman altogether and offers voters discounts should they choose to actually buy the furniture. The merchandise is 50 to 80 percent cheaper than retail prices because there is no need for “huge markups,” said founder Ning Li.
“We think there is no better judge than the consumer because they are the ones who will be using their credits cards,” he said.
More than 10 up-and-coming apparel British designers have approached Made.com about collaborating and Li expects to test this sector within the next six months. They may also be showcased in Made.com’s installation during the London Design Festival in September. Li said he can understand why the concept appeals to the apparel industry. “The model is quite unusual. It offers a very good bargain in a crisis environment,” he said. “And designers can move easily from one idea to the next. They are much more capable of taking a risk [with design but not having to pay for it].”
Started with $3.7 million from an assortment of high-profile investors including Lastminutetravel.com’s cofounder Brent Hoberman, Made.com expects to break even this year, Li said.
Fashion Stake, meanwhile, was born out of co-founder Vivian Weng’s previous career in finance. “I helped raise money for a few designers and the big ‘ping’ point was in terms of funding collections. Fashion’s dirty little secret is that no one really has a lot of money — even people who are well-known and household names,” she said. “One designer’s first round of financing took 18 months to complete.”
Now a Harvard Business School student, Weng and classmate Daniel Gulati will launch Fashion Stake with no more than five designers including “Project Runway” season six runner-up Althea Harper. Through crowdfunding — a concept already being used in other industries by such sites as Kickstarter, SellaBand and PledgeMusic — the pair aim to help get designer businesses up and running.
By buying a $50 stake in a company, “supporters” will be given credits to put toward clothing purchases, as well as special offers like exclusive previews, showroom visits and fashion show invitations. Interestingly, case studies have indicated shoppers value having personal experiences with designers more than getting discounts, Weng said. Supporters will also vote for the styles they would like to see produced.
Designers will be selected through a “rigorous” application process, and candidates must have already produced collections and have an established fan base, Weng said. The upside for Fashion Stake-backed designers is that they will gain direct feedback from “their biggest fans and the people who will actually buy the clothes,” Weng said. In addition, more well-known designers, whom she declined to identify, will offer capsule collections on the site, giving them a chance to expand their categories without having to sign licensing deals.
Illustrating just how easy it is to take an idea and run with it in the Information Age, Threadless’ chief executive officer Jake Nickell started the company literally one hour after coming up with the concept by requesting design submissions on Dreamless.com, an online artist community. Threadless now receives 150 design submissions daily, which are edited by an in-house team before being uploaded to be scored by the online community. Each Monday, nine to 12 of the most popular new styles are released for purchasing and on Thursdays a limited number of reprints are offered. About 15,000 units are sold weekly but a one-day record of 200,000 units were sold during a 24-hour period when all goods were $9 on Black Friday last year. Threadless shirts are printed via two companies, Shirts Our Business and Sharprint.
Threadless collaborates with other brands on special projects, although it does not get paid for such ventures in order to protect artists’ copyrights. But the exposure alone is well worth it to many firms, Nickell said. Mountain Dew, for example, recently provided prizes for a Threadless design contest.
“If Mountain Dew tells its Facebook fans to check out this contest, that drives people to our site,” he said. “I can’t emphasize enough how important the social aspect of our site is. I would much rather have someone score a submission than buy a T-shirt, because once they do they get more invested in the site, and they will come back.”
Yahoo Inc. was interested in buying the company in 2006, and J.C. Penney Co. Inc., Target Corp., Urban Outfitters Inc. and VF Corp. have approached Nickell about collaborations, but none of the prospects seemed relevant enough and protecting artists’ copyrights is a priority, he said. With 50 percent of its sales generated internationally, Threadless will translate the shopping portion of its site into French, German and Spanish by April 26, and community-oriented ones will follow. It is also upping its overseas presence with more retail distribution, he said. With one Chicago boutique, the company is considering opening additional freestanding stores as well. This year’s sales are expected to increase 40 percent, Nickell said.
Threadless designs are now stamped on Griffin iPhone cases that are sold in Apple stores, and on Haviana flip-flops. The company is also developing API, an application interface program implemented to determine the vocabulary and calling conventions the programmer should employ to use the services. Another indication of the site’s popularity is Threadcake.com, a fan’s offshoot Web site that posts images of cakes inspired by Threadless designs. Last year, 600 people submitted entries for Threadcake.com’s first cake contest, which was judged by Mary Alice Fallon Yeskey, who often wears Threadless shirts on The Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes.” She will judge this year’s contest and the brand is trying to parlay that into TV coverage, Nickell said.
At the shopping site Ideeli, members chime in all the time about the company’s various events on its community board. “People get in there and comment away about the items they see and the value. All that information is then funneled back to our merchants,” said ceo Paul Hurley. “Feedback is a gift. It’s an amazing opportunity to hear what people think of what you did and to do something about it.”
Staffers also comb the posts regularly to see if there is a need for specific sizes, colors and styles. The site’s Shop Talk section is another sounding board for visitors to weigh in about which brands they would like to see introduced. Giving shoppers their say and building an online community have helped to nearly double Ideeli’s membership to two million since November. “At the end of the day, if you don’t have the right products and the right brands, it won’t save you. But the fact that people feel involved and that we’re listening is an accelerator — absolutely,” he said.
Just ask the design duo behind the A.F. Vandevorst label, An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx, who decided to launch a secondary collection this spring, after several friends mentioned they wished they could afford the couple’s primary label. Aptly named A Friend, the 25-style all-jersey line was developed after about 10 friends reviewed sketches, make suggestions and participated in fittings.
The company also gleans more tangible ideas from shoppers in its pop-up store in Antwerp, Belgium, which will close in a week or two when a Brussels one opens. Shoppers are encouraged to place their favorite old clothes in a bin with a note explaining why they love that particular item and how — if at all — they would change it. Friends have also tipped off Vandevorst and Arickx to former galleries, bakeries and other empty spaces for their stores including the Brussels one, which is a filmmaker’s home that is on the market. The pair just have to cover the utility costs and let the realtor show it as needed.
The New York-based label Risto relies on its “Risto girls” — 50 to 60 women who work in fashion, banking and other industries — to come up to its Spring Street showroom once a season to offer their input. Co-founder Alek Bimbiloski, who will work with the group next week, said their advice is invaluable. “We ask them things like, ‘How does this dress fit?’ or ‘How does the satin feel?’”
Maria Cornejo also takes an organic approach. Just by being in either of her two downtown stores regularly, she overhears what shoppers think of specific styles and takes note accordingly. Now the company is making a concerted effort to offer certain items in those boutiques first “to see how they work” and make any necessary tweaks in design before wholesaling them, said her business partner Marysia Woroniecka. The company did just that with a pair of pants this spring. “Now that they have had a few tweaks they will be perfect for pre-fall because we had them in the shop first,” she said.


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Fans excited for the upcoming Dragon Quest Builders 2 may get to experience the game before it actually releases.
At its ‘Dragon Quest Builders 2 Extracurricular Lesson’ event, Square Enix announced that it would be be launching a demo for the game. However, there was no word of a release date, or whether it would reach Western players.
Square Enix also showed off new area of the game named Occum Island – a once-prosperous island left in ruins. Check it out below.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 for Nintendo Switch launches December 20 in Japan.


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8 Reasons PayPal Is a Buy
PayPal continues to expand its reach in the massive global payments market, making it a stock worth paying up for.
Northrop Grumman CEO to Step Down at Year's End
The company faces an important transition at a complicated moment in its history. Investors beware.
Netflix's Q2 Earnings in 3-Must See Metrics
Sure, member growth may have been lower than expected. But Netflix is still firing on all cylinders.
This oil producer has everything it needs to be a top-tier performer.
Expectations are high heading into the streaming video darling's quarterly report, and the same can be said about the expected volatility.
Are you making it, too?
These natural gas pipeline giants not only offer attractive dividends but are trading at compelling valuations, making them excellent buys right now.
As long as people use computers to design buildings and mechanical parts, Autodesk will be one of the leaders in the industry.
Don't get suckered into these potential dividend traps; the risks materially outweigh the potential rewards.
Yet another Chinese internet unicorn is going public -- here’s the skinny on one of the world's largest start-ups.
Airbus nearly doubled its year-to-date order total during June, but Boeing continued its hot streak and extended its advantage in the 2018 order race.
Three trends to keep an eye on in the pizza giant's coming earnings report.
Learn these facts, and you'll no longer be in the dark about this renewable energy leader.
Any one of these can take you out of the running to get hired.
This forward-thinking company wants consumers to rethink how they shop for clothing.
It's probably a lot longer than you realize.
And these few companies could help.
It's always better to leave a job on a positive note -- even when you're totally fed up with it.
22nd Century Group was a top-performing marijuana stock last year, but things have drastically changed for the company halfway into 2018.
A gusher of oil and gas production has the country on pace to make history this year.
Despite passage of the Cannabis Act, the weed industry isn't without concerns.
Which stock wins in a one-on-one matchup between two of the cannabis industry's multibillion-dollar companies?
There are good reasons to start collecting early and to start late -- here's why I'm aiming closer to the middle.


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MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (AP) _ Actuant Corp. (ATU) on Thursday reported a fiscal first-quarter loss of $17.5 million, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier.
The Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based company said it had a loss of 29 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for ...
Western Union, Nielsen rise; Worthington, Actuant fall
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Wednesday:
21st Century Fox Inc., up 46 cents to $45.67
The company will sell its remaining stake in British pay TV provider Sky to Comcast.
Nielsen Holdings PLC, up 76 cents to $27.96
Bloomberg News ...
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (AP) _ Actuant Corp. (ATU) on Wednesday reported a loss of $37.7 million in its fiscal fourth quarter.
The Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based company said it had a loss of 62 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 39 cents per ...


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China’s Huawei and ZTE have been banned from providing 5G technology equipment to Australia, citing national security concerns.
Nearly two thirds of UK consumers (64 per cent) expect Brexit to trigger a surge in high street prices next year, according to new research.
Walmart has finalised its $16bn acquisition of Indian online retail giant FlipKart, as the US supermarket chain looks to take on Amazon in one of the largest growing markets in the world.
Mars has removed all advertising from YouTube after the confectionery firm’s ads appeared alongside drill music videos on the streaming platform, which have been linked to violent crime in London.
Google is reportedly working on a censored version of its search engine in a bid to get round its ban in China.
Major publisher Le Figaro adopts innovative Taboola Feed to boost revenue, engagement and to grow audiences across mobile in France.
Adverts for Cadbury eggs and Chewits and Squashies sweets have been banned for breaking new rules prohibiting the advertising of junk food to children.
10% of the public would holiday in Europe less often if free mobile roaming is scrapped after Brexit, according to new research.
MyLine, a project by MullenLowe SSP3 in Bogota that gave people in remote areas access to online services using a landline, has won the Innovation Lions Grand Prix at Cannes.
Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) and Zhejiang Radio & TV Group (ZRTG) have agreed to strengthen their three-year strategic partnership, deepening their commitment to upgrading the content and distribution channels of both platforms, breaking the collaborative model between TV network and internet enterprise.
Mobile viewing is on the rise in the UK and smartphones are becoming a popular choice for video entertainment, according to new data.
There’s a “privacy paradox” surrounding data collection for profit, where data needs to be used to enrich people’s experiences without betraying their trust, according to the annual report from digital guru Mary Meeker.
Fuze Tea, a new iced tea brand, has launched ‘Calm the Commute’ – a series of unexpected moments for Londoners on their commute home over the next few weeks.
Exeter is the UK’s worst connected city with only 6% 4G coverage, with digital investment still acutely needed in cities across the country, according to new research.
Snapchat is running a new augmented reality ad to promote 20th century Fox’ latest subversive superhero film Deadpool 2, featuring a new ‘Shoppable AR’ attachment letting people buy tickets within the app.
60% of Chinese consumers intend to shop more via cross-border ecommerce despite concern by 80% of overseas retailers that their online sales capabilities aren’t adequate to succeed in the country, new research reveals.
Chinese web giant Tencent and the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) of the United Kingdom (UK) have partnered to launch various “Culture Creative” initiatives.


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Global manufacturing platform Zetwerk has raised Rs 880 crore (USD 120 million) in funding, led by US-based Greenoaks Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Sequoia Capital India and Kae Capital also participated in the Series D funding round, a statement said. This latest capital infusion comes shortly after the company’s USD 21 million Series C round in July 2020, bringing the total equity capital raised by the company to USD 193 million. “With this fundraise, Zetwerk will further strengthen its technology and continue its expansion into new categories and regions, making world-class manufacturing capabilities more accessible and establishing Zetwerk as the go-to platform for the global manufacturing industry,” the statement said.
Founded in 2018 by Amrit Acharya, Srinath Ramakkrushnan, Rahul Sharma and Vishal Chaudhary, Zetwerk has established itself as a universal platform for the entire manufacturing ecosystem and has clocked 3X year-on-year growth last year. Zetwerk is modernising this industry using proprietary technology and project management techniques that enable growth and higher utilisation for small manufacturers and ensure efficiency for global customers. It has partnerships in three key segments – precision parts, capital goods and consumer goods, and has a global network of over 250 customers and more than 2,000 suppliers across more than 15 countries. It operates in 25-plus industries, including process plants, oil and gas, renewables, steel, aerospace, automotive, energy, consumer electronics, medical devices, apparel and luxury goods.
“The global manufacturing industry has had to adjust to the new normal swiftly, and digital solutions have become essential. Zetwerk accelerates this digital transformation with state-of-the-art productivity tools and remote project management,” Zetwerk co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Amrit Acharya said. He added that 2021 would see a further pace of growth as companies seek to diversify their procurement to minimise disruptions and become more agile and resilient. Neil Shah, Partner at Greenoaks Capital, said Zetwerk’s operating system for manufacturing has digitised multiple supply chains end-to-end, ensuring on-time delivery and high-quality standards. “This has led to rapid growth in India and internationally, with the potential to quickly become one of the most important manufacturing platforms globally,” he added.


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Ford Defies Donald Trump; Moves Electric Crossover Production From Michigan To Mexico
Focus on Michigan plant will now be on autonomous vehiclesby Kirby, on
Ford has made an about-face on its plan to produce an electric crossover in its facility in Flat Rock, Michigan. Instead of building in its home state, the American automaker will now produce the model in its production plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico. The 2020 timetable for the production of the crossover still stands; it’s just going to happen outside of the U.S. now. Somewhere, wherever he is U.S. President Donald Trump is not a happy camper.
Ford’s decision is part of a bigger plan that involves making additional investments on autonomous vehicles in Michigan
To be fair, Ford’s decision to move the production of the unnamed electric crossover has nothing to do with the president. It’s part of a bigger plan that involves making additional investments on autonomous vehicles in Michigan. According to the company, moving the production of the electric crossover to Mexico allows it to develop the car and bring it to “global customers in a more effective way to support our overreaching business goals.” Basically, the Blue Oval wants to use its Michigan facilities to develop autonomous vehicles. The company said as much when it said that it wants to turn the facility in Flat Rock into an “AV center of excellence. Doing that means moving car projects to other facilities that can accommodate them. It certainly doesn’t hurt that lower labor costs in Mexico would save Ford money in developing what a low-margin EV crossover.
Now that its facility in Michigan is being prepared to become the hub of its autonomous vehicle projects, Ford also plans to invest an extra $200 million to the plant. That’s on top of adding another 150 jobs to fill out the ranks. The company didn’t specify what kind of autonomous vehicle it plans to build in the facility, but it will be a commercial-grade hybrid model that will be likely be used for commercial purposes, including ride-sharing and package delivery.
Now that its facility in Michigan is being prepared to become the hub of its autonomous vehicle projects, Ford also plans to invest an extra $200 million to the plant
It’s not surprising that Ford is making this move. There’s already a perception in the industry that it’s fallen behind General Motors in its development of autonomous vehicles. The General has already said that it’s looking to launch its self-driving cars in 2019. That’s two years ahead of where Ford thinks it can launch its own autonomous model.
Ford clearly needs some catching up to do. The company now hopes that by streamlining all its autonomous vehicle activities in one place, it can do just that. Call what you will, but this sounds like nothing more than a business decision.
Read more electric cars news.
Read more Ford news.


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One of the notable issues in the U.S. mobile phone market for many years was the lack of price competition despite the existence of a half-dozen national carriers. And, in turn, that limited the ground on which innovative tech companies like Apple could compete to improve the lot of we, the customers.
One problem was that not all the carrier were truly national in scope and the two largest players had regionally dominant profiles in different parts of the country. But that certainly seems to be changing lately. Now, Virgin Mobile, a virtual carrier that runs over Sprint's network, is offering a $25 per month plan with unlimited texting and web browsing. That is considerably less than half what you would pay on most other carriers and almost one-quarter of what I used to pay AT&T for my iPhone.
One big downside on previous cheap plans was the lack of good phones, or really any modern smart phones at all. Virgin is offering one Android smart phone, the LG Optimus V, which appears to be a decent handset, if CNET is to be believed. It's an example of the free Android OS enabling or bolstering business model innovation in the mobile market and that's a very good thing.


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Many grocery retailers are still missing the mark when it comes to meeting a key shopper demand.
Specifically, 81% of shoppers said they are unable to get produce they want in store, online and at discount retailers, yet 91% of grocery retail professionals are confident they are meeting customer expectations of availability.
This disconnect was revealed in an international survey of 4,000 consumers by Blue Yonder. The research explored consumer shopping habits online and in supermarkets, discount retailers and mass merchants across the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany.
Shopping experiences both online and in-store are not only failing to meet customer expectations of purchasing goods anytime, anywhere, but 35% of shoppers stated they are let down at least once a week. Sixty nine percent (69%) said there is a lack of availability online, while 85% found the same struggles in supermarkets.
Replenishment practices are also lacking across supermarket chains, as 30% of all shoppers abandoned their carts if they were unable to find the produce they wanted. Meanwhile, 28% saying that they felt unsatisfied when buying a similar product as a substitute, data revealed.
Lacking produce availability can have wider implications for profitability. It has prompted 20% of shoppers to stop shopping with a retailer permanently or for a period of time. This figure rises to 31% for online retailers, the report said.
“We all understand replenishment is incredibly difficult to get right, especially in regards to fresh grocery,” said Professor Michael Feindt, chief scientific advisor and founder of Blue Yonder. “Disruptive shopping behaviors have made increases in demand more variable while grocery shopping missions based on trust, freshness, choice and – of course – value, all add to the complexity of replenishment decisions.”
This is only exacerbated by increased competition from new market entrants — especially those who utilize data-driven approaches and automation at their core. Meanwhile, 46% of grocery directors still drive their replenishment decisions by gut feeling, according to a previous study of 750 grocery retailers.
To overcome this challenge, retailers should adopt artificial intelligence and machine learning technology that “learns” from customer data and predicts their behavior — a practice that empowers grocers to determine the effect of each consideration, on each product, across all locations.
Machine learning can effectively incorporate factors that gut feeling can’t, such as the impact of weather, holidays and promotions. This can be done on a daily basis, resulting in hundreds of millions of daily forecasts. Retailers using machine learning have seen a reduction of up to 80% in out-of-stock rates without increasing waste or inventory, the study said.


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SEOUL, May 2 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Tuesday that it is offering 50 percent discounts to audience members wearing hanbok, Korean traditional attire, for 19 performances taking place at four of the city’s performance venues – the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul Namsan Traditional Theater, Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater, and Samcheonggak.
Offered until July 1, visitors who wish to take advantage of the discounts can select the hanbok discount option when they make a ticket reservation online, or simply show up at the ticket office on the day of the performance wearing a hanbok.
Such discounts have grown popular since historic palaces like Gyeongbokgung started offering free entrance for those wearing hanbok in 2013. There are now over one hundred restaurants in the capital offering 10 to 20 percent discounts to hanbok wearers.
Image Credit: Yonhap / firstname.lastname@example.org


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The moment Elizabeth Taylor ordered 200 pairs of mink earmuffs and John Lennon's $400,000 spending spree: Tales from the shop floor at Bergdorf Goodman
- Michael Kors relays the story about Taylor in a new documentary, Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's, to be released May 3
A new documentary that delves into the history of Bergdorf Goodman, Fifth Avenue's fashion palace, reveals the secret shopping habits of some of its most devoted, and discerning customers.
From the late Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Kennedy to Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's, released May 3, tells hypnotic tales of New York's high society.
Designer Michael Kors, who owes his career to the store, relays a particular story about Elizabeth Taylor, who in the Seventies sauntered into the fur salon demanding 200 white mink earmuffs.
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Shopping at Bergdorf's: A new film, Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's, delves into the history of the department store, and reveals the habits of its most discerning customers - including Elizabeth Taylor (pictured in 1975)
Discerning and devoted: John Lennon, and Yoko Ono (pictured in 1971) bought 80 fur coats worth $400,000 from Bergdorf Goodman one Christmas Eve in the Seventies, according to former fur buyer Jack Cohen
Unaware of her time constraints, the furrier at the Fifth Avenue institution, which opened in 1928, agreed to the screen siren's Christmas gift list. 'We’re leaving for Gstaad in a week,' Taylor said.
Interviews with storied fashion personalities, including Karl Lagerfeld, Manolo Blahnik, Giorgio Armani, and Christian Louboutin, paint a picture of a department store laced in 'decades and decades' of American history.
What began as a partnership between a talented tailor, Herman Bergdorf, and his young apprentice Edwin Goodman, blossomed New York's fashion mecca - and arguably a piece of the American Dream.
Joe Zee, Elle magazine’s creative director, explains on screen: 'Bergdorf is the jewel in the crown and the centerpiece for retail in New York. There isn’t anything else like it.'
Much like the designers who clamor to be featured in its mesmerizing window displays, the celebrities who have frequented the store play a large part in Bergdorf's distinguished allure.
Former fur buyer Jack Cohen recalls one Christmas Eve the late Seventies, when Yoko Ono, a huge fur collector at the time, called the store at 4pm on behalf of her husband, John Lennon.
Fashion film: Interviews with storied fashion personalities, including Vera Wang (left) and Michael Kors (right), paint a picture of Bergdorf Goodman as a department store laced in decades of American history
Designer opinion: Diane von Furstenberg (left) also features in the film, along with Rachel Zoe (right) who says, 'I don't think you would find any designer whose doesn't dream to have their clothes in Bergdorf Goodman'
'John wants to buy me some furs. Can you come over?' she asked.
Although it was almost closing time, Cohen and his co-workers lugged ten trunks full of pelts to the Dakota, where the couple lived.
An apologetic Ono and Lennon surveyed the offerings privately in the kitchen, and almost two hours later that the sales team sold the couple 80 furs worth more than $400,000 for friends as gifts.
Jacqueline Kennedy was also a loyal customer. Her off-white sleeveless 1961 inauguration gown, and matching cape, was a collaboration between Bergdof Goodman's then-fashion director Ethel Frankau and Diana Vreeland.
Halston, who started as a milliner at
the department store around 1957, also designed the pink pillbox hat
she wore the day her husband was assassinated, according to former model
Cleveland recalls in the film that the First Lady was 'one of [Halston's] favorite people.'
Fashion palace: From the late Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Kennedy to Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's, released May 3, tells hypnotic tales of New York's high society
Luxury goods: What began as a partnership between a talented tailor, Herman Bergdorf, and his young apprentice Edwin Goodman, blossomed New York's fashion mecca
Famous guests: An unannounced Grace Kelly famously spent two hours selecting her wedding invitations at Bergdorf Goodman in 1956
Meanwhile an unannounced Grace Kelly famously spent two hours selecting her wedding invitations at Bergdorf’s a year earlier in 1956.
The documentary, its title taken from a classic New Yorker cartoon where a woman confesses her lifelong dream to have her ashes scattered at Bergdorf Goodman, also gives viewers an inside look at the creation of its legendary holiday windows - and the designers who feature in them.
Attracting visitors from around the world, the 'hallucinogenic windows,' as described by David Hoey, the store's senior director of visual presentation, are seen by nearly two million eyes every week.
Designer Isaac Mizrahi remarks in the film: 'If your clothes are not at [Bergdorf’s] then they have no future... Sorry.'
Linda Fargo, senior vice president of the fashion office and store presentation at Bergdorf Goodman, also features in the documentary, living up to her nickname as 'the gatekeeper of style.'
Iconic: The documentary's title is taken from a classic New Yorker cartoon where a woman confesses her lifelong dream to have her ashes scattered at Bergdorf Goodman
Steeped in history: Bergdorf Goodman, which first opened in 1928, has become known as the 'best store in the world' according to the film, which chronicles its distinguished allure
Legendary windows: Attracting visitors from around the world, the 'hallucinogenic windows,' as described by David Hoey, the store's senior director of visual presentation, are seen by nearly two million eyes every week
In one scene, she is meets with Tommy Hilfiger’s daughter Ally, who is presenting Fargo with her Nahm clothing line.
Fargo, with her impeccable silver bob, spends her days reviewing the latest offerings of high-end designers like Giorgio Armani and Christian Dior. Ultimately, she declines to carry the Ally's collection.
'It's hard to talk to new designers,' the 51-year-old recently told Time magazine. 'I don't want to discourage them, but I don't want to lead them on or give them a false impression. Everyone wants to be in Bergdorf Goodman. It's like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.'
In the film, Rachel Zoe explains: 'I don't think you would find any designer whose doesn't dream to have their clothes in Berdorf Goodman.'
Before an exalting Vera Wang adds: 'Its everything [the store] implies: Beauty, excitement'.
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The older generation Samsung Galaxy S3 may not be Samsung‘s high end smartphone anymore but Samsung is not killing off the device just yet as Verizon just announced a massive update for the S III that[…]
Oddly enough, Samsung didn’t discuss wireless charging for the Galaxy S 4 during its global press conference. Still, the company is apparently prepping to sell wireless charging pads and covers in the[…]
Samsung announced its latest Note-branded product on Sunday, the Galaxy Note 8.0. The company only detailed its international model ahead of the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, although[…]
We are in desperate need of writers for iEverythingTech to help push out more content, if you would like to write for the site then please email [email protected] Thank you.


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Rumor: LG Optimus 2X headed to T-Mobile as G2X
If the latest whispers prove to be true, the upper end of T-Mobile’s Android lineup is set to get a little more crowded. According to a leaked document, the wireless provider is expecting to bring the LG Optimus 2X Stateside. This would potentially make for two dual-core handsets for the carrier, as it are also rumored to be working on one with HTC.
According to the information obtained by TmoNows, the LG handset will carry the name of G2X. That would follow the G-Slate as the next in the “G” series of Android devices. Thus far, the G1 and G2 have both have stock Android user experiences from HTC. Though the Optimus 2X has a custom UI overlaying Android 2.2 Froyo, it would not surprise me to see a stock Gingerbread experience when it arrives in the United States.
Perhaps T-Mobile is trying to label more of its higher-end Android products with a brand, much like Verizon has done with the Droid series. LG has been making it a practice to release the same smartphone across multiple carriers, so you might look for a variant on other providers as well.


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Europastry commits to sustainability by joining the United Nations Global Compact
The company started 2018 by joining the world’s largest Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.
Europastry, of the world’s fifth largest frozen dough producer and market leader in this sector in Spain, has joined the world’s largest Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, which has more than 9,700 members companies from 160 countries.
Signing this important agreement is part of the company’s commitment to accountability and sustainability. Europastry has therefore formally adopted the ten basic principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
The company considers this commitment a very valuable opportunity to integrate new principles and values aligned with its business strategy, corporate culture and current operational structure.
The United Nations Global Compact is an initiative that encourages companies and organisations around the world to adopt sustainable, socially responsible policies. Membership is voluntary, and member organisations undertake to ratify and disseminate the principles, and to report on progress made in applying them.
For companies, which are essential to globalisation, joining the UN Global Compact is an opportunity to contribute to market accountability, fair trade, fair development of technology and regulation of financial systems, all of which help to drive and improve economies and societies everywhere.
A constant commitment to sustainability
Throughout its 30-year history, Europastry has consolidated its commitment to sustainability through various activities, such as pioneering the elimination of partially and fully hydrogenated oils from its products, as well as artificial additives and flavours and colourings. Food quality is guaranteed by BRC and IFS Food quality and safety certificates in all its plants.
Europastry also holds GMO Free certification, which guarantees the use of raw materials free of genetically modified organisms, and BIO certification, which accredits the use of organic farming methods. The company also holds the UTZ sustainable cocoa certificate, which guarantees the use of sustainably produced cocoa that can be traced from its source.
When it comes to environmental sustainability, Europastry has obtained ISO 14001:2004 environmental certification for its Rubí plant and the BREEAM sustainable building certification for its plant in Oldenzaal (the Netherlands). The company continuously audits and improves the water and energy management systems at its production plants, like introducing innovative projects to optimise energy consumption in manufacturing processes.
The company also works closely with welfare organisations to improve the quality of life of those who need it most, either through product donations or by offering vocational training.


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CUPERTINO, Calif. – After a social media backlash, Apple has changed the design of the bagel emoji.
It all started when Apple created a bagel emoji that appeared plain and wasn't paired with any cream cheese or spread of any sort.
There was an immense response from people on the Web who felt the bagel looked too plain.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese even weighed in with a Twitter poll and hilarious petition.
Apple responded and the emoji has been updated to a doughier appearance, and it is smeared with cream cheese.


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💳 Klarna fires 10% of its team. The Swedish BNPL giant is set to make significant cuts to its headcount, according to a recent announcement by CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski. Amid a valuation crunch and a global economic downturn, the CEO says the company needs to double down and focus on its core business.
🛒 Gorillas fires half its employees at HQ. The speedy grocery delivery startup has halved its headcount at its Berlin headquarters to lower costs while it raises additional funding. The company will pull out of Italy, Spain, Denmark and Belgium, and plans to focus its energy on creating revenue in its five core markets: Germany, France, UK, Netherlands and the US.
🧠 French mental health startup raises €15m Series A. Moka.care, a French startup that offers a platform that connects employees to therapists and coaches, has raised a $15m Series A led by Left Lane Capital. The round also attracted backing from VCs and celebrities alike, including three famous French sportsmen: Blaise Matuidi, Antoine Griezmann and Antoine Dupont.
🌍 Sequoia announces Arc accelerator cohort. Earlier this week, the VC launched its first startup accelerator programme, Arc. Seventeen companies and 33 founders have been selected to participate in the eight-week course, during which they will learn how to build enduring businesses from some of Europe’s top founders and operators.
🏦 Smart locker startup Budbee raises $40m to extend bank loans. The Swedish last-mile delivery company has just raised a $40m round from existing investors Kinnevik, H&M and CNI Nordics, as well as employees. It needed the cash to extend and increase the size of the bank loans it's been using to scale.


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Westlake Brand Will Have New Mileage Warranty
Tireco Inc. has announced a new limited mileage warranty will be available on all Westlake passenger and light truck tires sold in North America starting in the company's first quarter.
The warranty will cover the RP18, SA07, SU318, SL309, and SL369 tread patterns.
“This limited mileage warranty will help bolster the continued effort to expand and grow programs for all our Westlake products,” says the company. The up to 40,000 limited mileage warranty will be offered within five years from date of installation. A pro-rated adjustment credit will be provided based on the mileage not achieved on the tires.
“We’re excited to add a mileage warranty to Westlake tires,” says Andrew Hoit, Tireco’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Westlake tires have continuously proven to exceed expectation and we are thrilled to support our dealers and consumers with additional confidence and peace of mind.
For additional information, visit tireco.com.


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Prepare your wallets… The ‘Steam Summer Sale’ is upon us!
Mark the dates on your calendar, the Steam Summer Sale dates have been leaked WAY before any official announcements.
According to SteamCN and confirmed via SteamDB, (translated via Google), this year’s Steam summer sale will begin at the crack of dawn on June 26… for Chinese players that is. That means of course that the discounts will begin at 18:00 here in the UK on June 25!
The sale is set to last for two weeks ending on July 9, which means plenty of time to bag some bargains (and empty your wallet!). If you are a Steam connoisseur, the event will most likely also introduce some new trading cards to collect too.
In an ‘epic’ twist of events, this year-round Steam will not be the only store to boast an ‘amazing’ Summer Sale… The Epic Games store also appears to be gearing up for its first major sale. Very recently a Fortnite message referred to something called the ‘Epic Games store Megasale’, and a follow-up tweet suggested we’ll have more information pretty soon.
Of course, I cannot see the Epic Store being able to rival Steam’s sale at this point but could allow for some healthy competition… Anyway, Let us know what you think, what games are you looking to pick up this year? Let us know in the comments section below and don’t forget to share this with your Steam buddies!


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Dallas Market Center, home to the Total Home & Gift Markets and Lightovation, the Dallas International Lighting Show, has announced its January and June dates for their 2019 and 2020 markets.
T3 Custom Furniture, an eight-year-old resource supplying made-to-order furniture to the interior design community will have its debut at the upcoming High Point Fall market, Oct. 14 – 18.
Adjustable bed producer Reverie is hosting a webinar this week that focuses on the impact of sleep on a child's academic success.
E-commerce powerhouse Wayfair (NYSE: W) is launching a new brand today called Perigold, a website that features upper-end home furnishings and decor from more than 300 brands.
Ashley HomeStore, which opened its first store in China five years ago, recently celebrated the opening of its 100th Chinese store.
Three permanent and four temporary exhibitors will open new showrooms in International Market Centers' Main Street properties in time for the October High Point Market.
In a move designed to provide its retail partners with relevant marketing materials and information about new collections, Fine Furniture Design is launching a microsite for dealers.


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Businesses With Bitcoin on Their Balance Sheets Suffer a Near-$7 Billion Loss
Companies using bitcoin on their balance sheets have incurred significant losses after the crisis. These corporations who have steadily added BTC to their holdings have generated a profit into the billions while the price of the cryptocurrency was skyrocketing. However, since the decline that led bitcoin to lose nearly 50 percent of its value, they have now had billions chopped off their balance sheets combined.
Publicly traded firms have cautiously but gradually built their bitcoin holdings over time. By August 2021, it was stated that institutional investors had approximately 10 per cent of the entire BTC supply. Given that the supply of BTC is limited, this volume is considerable, particularly since institutional admission into the market is still in its infancy.
As the price of BTC had increased, so has the worth of the BTC the corporations owned. At some time attaining nearly as high as 100 percent returns for some and beyond that for others. But as with any market, an upswing cannot stay forever and with the crisis that shook the market late last year, institutional investors are seeing the value of their holdings diminish.
From November 2021 to January 2022, publicly listed corporations using bitcoin on their balance sheets have lost roughly $7 billion from their BTC holdings. Much of this lost value was documented by the biggest companies in the industry, MicroStrategy, Tesla, Galaxy Digital, and Block.
The decrease in value has not disturbed any of the companies’ conviction in the digital asset, though. Most are dedicated to owning bitcoin for the long-term while others like MicroStrategy have indicated that they will continue to acquire BTC moving ahead.
Several of the firms that have bitcoin on their balance sheets are well-known. Others are much less well-known but yet maintain considerable bitcoin holdings on their balance sheets. Among these are publicly listed firms such as MicroStrategy, Tesla, Galaxy Digital, and Jack Dorsey’s Block (previously Square).
Over time, these organisations have developed a more favourable view of BTC, deciding to invest in the digital asset over others, like MicroStrategy did. These businesses, however, have one thing in common: they are led by bitcoin maximalists.
MicroStrategy, the publicly listed business with the world’s highest BTC holdings, is led by Michael Saylor, a well-known bull of Bitcoin. Saylor has said that he personally owned BTC, far before his firm did, citing his own gains as proof that the digital currency was a solid investment.
Tesla is the public firm with the second-largest bitcoin holdings. Tesla is now led by Elon Musk, a millionaire. Musk has never concealed his enthusiasm for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. As such, it was unsurprising when the carmaker disclosed that it owned BTC on its balance sheet.
Anthony Scaramucci and Jack Dorsey, both bitcoin maximalists, lead Galaxy Digital and Block. These firms rank third and fourth in the world in terms of bitcoin holdings. These top four firms together own about 200K BTC, worth around $6.9 billion at current pricing.


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But with the world’s largest cryptocurrency still dealing with the fallout from the Mt.Gox breach, a lack of liquidity, and formidable competition from traditional financial services, usurping conventional currencies in established markets is a lofty business goal.
That’s why Doudin and BitOasis aren’t waiting for Bitcoin to gain traction in mature markets—instead they’re attempting to grow Bitcoin in a region where it could be an intriguing fit: the Middle East and North Africa.
“I see Bitcoin as more fit for emerging markets,” says Doudin. “It will very possibly grow in emerging markets versus other markets in the next two to three years.”
That thinking powered the launch of BitOasis this past January, making it one of MENA’s first Arabic-focused Bitcoin platforms.
Original article by Samuel Wendel
Continue reading at Wamda:


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PETA India notes that people who go vegan reduce their risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has recently fired off letters to McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King India urging them to add vegan options to their menus, as they are increasingly doing abroad.
The letters followed Beyond Meat’s global partnership agreement with KFC’s parent company, Yum! Brands, and McDonald’s Corporation to explore and roll out plant-based meat and egg alternatives for these fast-food chains as the global demand for vegan food continues to surge. The popular plant-based meat company is also reportedly set to debut its products in India through UAE-based food manufacturer and distributor IFFCO, a subsidiary of India’s Allana.
In its letters, PETA India points to a study by market research company Ipsos that came out in 2019 – before the bird flu crisis and the pandemic – revealing that 63 per cent of Indians were willing to eat plant-based meat. And a whopping 61.68 per cent of nearly 3,500 Delhi-NCR residents polled recently said they refused to consume chickens or eggs because of the bird flu scare.
PETA India notes that in addition to helping to combat infectious diseases, people who go vegan reduce their risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer and spare sensitive animals a terrifying death in filthy, blood-soaked slaughterhouses.


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HTC is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTCs portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. The HTC One series integrates amazing camera functionality with truly authentic sound to create the most premium experience.
Within the authentic culture of HTC, YOU have the opportunity to design and drive the story of your own career within the mobile technology landscape. We are a forward thinking collaborative group who bring passion to our work and find excitement in discovering, ... (Source: SEC reports)
Competitor - 1/8
Which company is more competitive with HTC Corporation?
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and TAIPEI, Taiwan, Sept. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Â Google (NASDAQ: GOOG, GOOGL) and HTC Corporation (TWSE: 2498) today announced a definitive agreement under which certain HTC [...]
SHENZHEN,Â China, March 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Corporation (\"HTC\"), a pioneer in innovative, smart mobile and virtual reality (VR) technologies, celebrated the start of the 2017 Vive Ecosystem Conference (VEC2017) [...]
Powered by VIVEPAPERTM, the jointly established \"China VR Tourism Cloud Data Service Platform\" targets to upgrade sales experiences at the 200,000+ offline travel agency stores nationwide BEIJING, Feb. 22, 2017 [...]
BEIJING, Dec. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Corporation (\"HTC\"), a pioneer in innovative, smart mobile and virtual reality (VR) technologies, today announced the official launch of Viveportâ„¢ Arcade, a location-based [...]
SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/Â -- HTC Corporation (\"HTC\"), a pioneer in innovative, smart mobile and virtual reality (VR) technology, today is proud to support the unveiling of a breakthrough [...]


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Under Satya Nadella, Microsoft has returned to the tech elite, punctuated by the company hitting a financial milestone of a $1 trillion market capitalization for the first time. However, Nadella isn’t reveling in the news; in fact he would be “disgusted if somebody ever celebrated our market cap.”
Those comments come from a cover story in Bloomberg Business Week about how Microsoft has rebounded under Nadella from a nadir point marked by failures of key initiatives and cultural issues. Nadella has transitioned the company away from some of its legacy businesses to focus primarily on cloud computing and its boring, but profitable mission of helping companies work more efficiently.
Microsoft’s cloud division sits squarely in the number two position, trailing incumbent leader Amazon Web Services. Microsoft has become a landing spot for retailers such as Kroger and Walmart who don’t want to store their data on Amazon’s servers while also competing with the tech giant.
The effort has put Microsoft on strong financial footing. Its stock has climbed 35 percent in the last year, and it currently holds the title of the nation’s most-valuable company, beating out tech giants Amazon and Apple. However, Nadella told Bloomberg that the market cap milestones are “not meaningful” and any celebration of it would mark “the beginning of the end.”
Here are a few other interesting tidbits from the interview with Nadella:
De-emphasizing Windows: It started subtly, as one former executive put it, with Nadella simply omitting “Windows” from sentences. And his first email to employees as CEO ran more than 1,000 words without a single mention of Windows.
Windows continues to be the product most synonymous with Microsoft, and is on more than 800 million devices. But last year, in a major reorganization, Microsoft blew up its Windows division, splitting it across the Azure and Office teams, a sign of the company’s priorities for the future.
Microsoft returns to its uncool roots: Bloomberg notes that under previous CEO Steve Ballmer “Microsoft was chasing a sexy, Apple-like version of itself, and mostly failing. For every iPod, there was a Zune; for every iPad, a Surface tablet; for every iOS device, a Windows Phone.”
Nadella famously wrote off Microsoft’s smartphone division and wound down the Windows Phone operating system. Instead, the mobile focus has shifted to building apps and services that work well on both Android and iOS.
There’s been a lot of talk about Microsoft being cool again, but that’s not what the company aims for. As the company’s CTO Kevin Scott told GeekWire last year: “Our job is to make other people cool .We don’t need to be cool ourselves.”
Culture changes, but issues persist: Re-shaping company culture has become an important part of Nadella’s tenure, with a goal of wiping out the infighting that has been a hallmark of the company’s past. All signs indicate that this effort has been largely successful and played a role in turning the company around.
However, in recent months, it’s become clear that Microsoft still has a ways to go. A group of female employees recently described experiences of sexual harassment and discrimination at the company in a thread that got the attention of senior management. Last month, Nadella outlined a series of HR changes meant to rectify issues described by the employees.


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According to a recent Men's Grooming study conducted by The NPD Group, Inc., a leading market research company, 9 in 10 men (ages 18 and up) use some type of grooming product, including facial and body skincare, shaving, haircare, and fragrance. The study also showed that although only one quarter of men use facial skincare products like facial cleansers, moisturizers, lip and eye products, the men’s facial skincare market has grown to 11 percent in dollar sales in 2011, compared to 2010. Of those men using facial skincare, more than one-third (37%) reported using facial cleansers (excluding bar soap) and moisturizers, three in ten (30%) had used lip products, and more than one-fourth use acne treatment products. With all of the products to choose from, men are still more likely to purchase the basic necessities rather than the more specialized and targeted products. “There is a huge opportunity with men for facial skincare," says Karen Grant, vice president and senior global industry analyst for The NPD Group. "The challenge is getting them involved and engaged. Once men know they have a need to fill, their problem-solution orientation will fuel their desire to find products to alleviate their grooming challenges. They also have to unlearn the idea that the body skincare product they use, such as bar soap and body lotion, works just as well for facial skin. To create life-long user, marketers will not only need to build awareness of the benefits that products offer, but also show that these products can be seamlessly incorporated into his grooming routine." To find out more about the study, visit www.npd.com.
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WHO also announced the status of the epidemic global emergencies along with the continued increase in casualties that positive infected virus corona. Nevertheless, the WHO has not recommended travel restrictions of foreign affairs and trade of the world.
nevertheless, a number of countries, Indonesia is one of them, began to implement a ban on entry against foreigners who come from China.
the Market is concerned this condition could potentially reduce the rate of economic growth of the country with a gross domestic product (GDP), the largest in the world, and sparked a selloff in the stock market and global finance.
this Article has been published in the Katadata.co.id with the title "the Hit by Corona Virus After the Lunar new year Holiday, the Stock of Chinese Loss of 8.73%" , https://katadata.co.id/berita/2020/02/03/dihantam-virus-corona-usai-libur-imlek-bursa-tiongkok-rontok-873
Author: Happy Fajrian
Editor: Happy Fajrian


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Musgrave, which owns SuperValu, Centra, Daybreak and Mace, said on Tuesday that it detected malware on its systems which attempted to steal customers' card information.
The company claimed the attackers attempted to take credit and debit card numbers and expiry dates, but not the names, PINs or CVV numbers associated with the cards.
"While there is no evidence that any data has been stolen at this point, Musgrave is advising any concerned shoppers to review activity on their statements as a precautionary measure," the company said in a statement.
The attack has been reported to the Garda and the Irish Data Protection Commissioner.
Musgrave's SuperValu stores have more than a fifth of the supermarket share in Ireland.
The company also operates stores in Northern Ireland, and it is understood customers on both sides of the border were targeted in the attack.
"Cyber breach response experts" are applying "advanced technical fixes" to deal with the breach, the retail giant added.
In response to questions from Sky News, Musgrave explained that it is still assessing the extent of the hackers' attempted extraction of customer data.
It said it spotted an extraction attempt on Monday afternoon and does not yet know when it had been compromised by the malware.


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Oregon Should Legalize Cannabis Exports in 2019
I interviewed longtime activist, Adam Smith of the Craft Cannabis Alliance, ahead of his appearance at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Portland last September, as he was working hard to line up support for a bill to allow Oregon cultivators to export across state lines. Smith told me:
“Every month that we don’t open up a market, another local business goes out of business. Thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of Oregon capital are at risk,” Adam told me. “One Fix Cannabis will help accomplish some very important things: reduce oversupply and diversion to the illicit market; increase revenue for cash-strapped Oregon counties; and save jobs and capital while creating more jobs and generating more revenue.”
“Here’s how we accomplish the goal, step by step: we pass a bill that makes it legal for the Oregon governor to approve out-of-state transfers; make the need for exports a statewide and national news story; find partners, such as Nevada and New York, that are willing to have the conversation publicly; and pressure the federal government, but we can’t wait on the feds,” Adam continued.
Smith’s (and other’s,) hard work is paying off as support for exporting cannabis is growing and should be placed before legislators in 2019, as The Statesman Journal reported:
Marijuana could take the next step toward joining pinot noir, craft beer and hazelnuts on Oregon’s list of famous exports, under a proposal likely to go before state lawmakers in the new year.
The Craft Cannabis Alliance, a business association led by founder and executive director Adam Smith, is working with legislators to let Oregon start exporting pot to other legal-weed states by 2021.
Among them is Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, who said he also plans to reintroduce provisions from Senate Bill 1042, a similar proposal that died in the statehouse in 2017.
A lot has progressed since Senator Prozanski’s export bill didn’t advance in 2017, as more states have legalized, Oregon’s supply has grown (resulting in a dramatic drop in price), and The Statesman Journal has joined the cause, with an editorial just ahead of the legislative session, “It’s time for Oregon to incentivize the export of pot.” The Journal’s op-ed states:
In the ’90s, wine enthusiasts dubbed the Mid-Willamette Valley the next Napa because of its ideal terroir, but it took years of wrangling before Oregon wines were allowed to be shipped out of state.
Now marijuana producers face the same regulatory hurdles, most borne of the federal illegality of marijuana.
The rules were designed to protect Oregon, but they’re not; they’re thwarting economic development. We hope 2019 will be a year to change that.
Leading the way on cannabis exports is a no-brainer for Oregon. In fact, it is imperative for Oregon’s small farmers to compete as the bounty of cannabis that exists in the state has created a cannabis consumer’s paradise with high-quality, low-priced products, but that is making it hard for craft cultivators to compete.
California should join Oregon in the fight to export across state lines as both states possess the best climate for outdoor cultivation. As we legalize across the nation and world, we should be cognizant of the environmental impacts that indoor cultivation has, particularly in places such as Arizona and Nevada. The time has come for the cannabis industry to move beyond our own borders.
The International Cannabis Business Conference in San Francisco this February 7-8, 2019, is the place to be to get the latest information and network with top investors and entrepreneurs in the industry. Early-bird tickets are on sale now, until January 18th. After San Francisco, the ICBC will be heading to Barcelona, Berlin, Zurich, and Vancouver. Early-bird tickets are on sale for all of our 2019 events.


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Outdoor advertising revenues for the second quarter of 2010 have risen 17.8% compared to the same quarter in 2009. This equates to a net influx of more than £30m into outdoor. All sectors enjoyed good growth, and digital revenues showed a significant increase.
With two quarters of strong growth in 2010, outdoor finishes the first half of the year in good shape, 16.2% up on Jan-June 2009.
Categories contributing to the growth in Q2 include retail (including M&S, H&M, Asda), motors (Vauxhall, Renault, BMW), food (Kellogg’s, Cadburys, Mars) finance (RBS, Nationwide, Lloyds), and computers (Samsung, RIM, SAP).
Large formats have again performed especially well, with World Cup campaigns contributing to the rise. Brand count is up 11 per cent, and 95 per cent of the top advertisers use outdoor amongst their media mix.
A particular feature of this quarter is the growth of revenues from digital screens, which reached 12.8 per cent of total outdoor. This is the first time digital revenues have broken the ten per cent barrier. One pound in every eight spent on outdoor now goes onto a digital screen. Transport digital screens still lead the way in absolute revenues but some of the biggest gains have taken place in the roadside and retail digital sectors.
“We are delighted to be seeing the second quarter of strong growth, suggesting that outdoor has formally exited the recession,” said Mike Baker, CEO of the Outdoor Advertising Association. “We have posted double-digit gains across all environments. The near 18 per cent growth for outdoor regains most of the ground we lost in 2009, and shows that confidence is returning.”


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Home casino closures
A $9.4 million claim by the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands’ tax department should come before the claims of former contractor Pacific Rim Development in a legal dispute, local media reports the Office of the Attorney General as saying.
South Korea’s Paradise Co. reported a 75 percent drop in August sales compared with the same month last year, though revenue was little changed from the prior month.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment CEO Lawrence Ho said his company is still committed to building a world-beating IR in Japan and is in a strong financial position, despite swinging to a loss in Q2 due to Covid-19.
Delta Corp, India’s largest and only listed casino operator, said it will focus on its growing online business to offset the impact of Covid-19 and says it sees a return to normality in the financial year ending March 2021.
Bloomberry Resorts & Entertainment said it’s pushing forward with its project to build a second IR in Quezon City, as it believes the opening will coincide with a significant rebound post the crisis.
Auckland has been put back into stage three lockdown, while the rest of the country moves back to stage two, after new Covid-19 cases were discovered in a local household with no obvious cause of transmission.
Success Universe warns that it will swing to a loss in the first half due to its share of “substantial” losses from the Ponte 16 casino in Macau.
Belle Corp posted a 52 percent drop in first half revenue as its share of gaming revenue from City of Dreams Manila plunged 87 percent.
Paradise Co. has reported an 80.8 percent drop in revenue for June compared with the same month a year earlier, though also said business had dropped off since May.
Genting Malaysia has applied for a certificate of personal fitness for an online gaming license for Ireland, according to local media reports.


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Samsung, the south Korean tech giant following after nearly two years since the debut of its secure mobile payment service, Samsung Pay, has finally officially unveiled the app in India on Wednesday.
It’ll give you a chance to utilize your connected credit and debit cards for select Samsung Galaxy smartphones to pay for buys wherever cards are acknowledged. You can likewise combine your PayTM account with it to make installments by scanning QR codes.
At dispatch, the program will bolster cards from Axis Bank, HDFC, ICICI, SBI and Standard Chartered; American Express and Citibank will be ready as well. You’ll require a Galaxy S7, S7 edge, S6 edge+, Note5, A7 (2016), or A5 (2016) to utilize the service. The Gear S3 smartwatch will likewise work with Samsung Pay soon.
Having propelled in various nations over the globe including the US, Australia, China, and the UK, the move to make Samsung Pay accessible in India could be tremendous for the organization, as it has the most astounding piece of the overall industry among cell phone creators in India at 25.1 percent as of February. In Q3 2016, shipments in the nation crossed 30 million without precedent for a solitary quarter there.
In any case, as reported last March, the thought behind Samsung Pay at present is to attract in more individuals to the handset mark; the organization doesn’t yet charge banks or credit suppliers for exchanges made through the administration.
Samsung’s planning with this dispatch is significant: it’s right now attempting to fight off the awful juju from its monstrous Note 7 review, and it’s likewise set to dispatch its new Galaxy S8 lead alongside its Bixby virtual colleague, which is reputed to bolster installments.


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(Corrects second paragraph to remove reference to “Riata” leads)
July 2 (Reuters) - St. Jude Medical Inc said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notified the company that issues regarding its Sylmar, California-based manufacturing plant have been resolved.
The FDA last year had warned St. Jude of serious violations at the plant where the Durata leads for implantable defibrillators are made. Violations included a failure to validate testing methods.
Implantable heart defibrillators are small devices that are placed in the chest to correct irregular heart beat. Durata and Riata leads are wires that connect this device to the heart.
St. Jude first recalled Riata wires in 2011 after finding the insulation on them wore away prematurely. Last year, regulators questioned the design process for Durata leads.
The company has also been losing market share to competitors Medtronic Inc and Boston Scientific Inc in selling implantable defibrillators due to lingering concerns about problems with its lead wires.
St. Jude sells pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, artificial heart valves, stents and neurological products.
The company’s shares were little changed at $69.70 on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday morning. (Reporting by Natalie Grover and Amrutha Penumudi in Bangalore; Editing by Joyjeet Das)


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The Galaxy Note 7 maybe officially dead, but it will continue to haunt Samsung at least in the near future. The company though had been unprecedentedly mum over this entire fiasco. Breaking the silence, Samsung Mobile’s chief Dong-Jin Koh aka DJ Koh made a heartfelt apology and vowed to “restore trust of consumers”. Also Read - Samsung now lets you make an appointment to shop at its stores, book demo via WhatsAppAlso Read - Galaxy S21 FE flaunts itself again on benchmark, reveals RAM for high-end Samsung model
At a press conference in South Korea, Koh expressed his deep frustration with the entire Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, KoreanHerald reports. He bowed in front of the gathered media and promised that the company “would at any cost find the exact cause (behind the Galaxy Note 7 battery issues) to restore trust of consumers so that they can use Samsung products without any safety concerns.” While a fiasco of this magnitude would usually see the department head leave, and a few media reports suggest as much, Koh is seeing a lot of support from Samsung loyalists and employees, and he expressed his gratitude towards them at the press conference.
Dong-Jin Koh has been at Samsung since 1984, and joined the company’s mobile business division in 2007. Only last year he was appointed as the head of the mobile division, taking over from Jong-kyun Shin. Koh has played a major role in coming up with innovations like the stylus for the Galaxy Note series, and Samsung Pay to name a few.
Samsung is currently in the process of recalling all Galaxy Note 7 units that have been shipped. In certain countries, the company is replacing the returned units with other devices like the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge. In others, buyers are being offered full refund. Samsung has issued a statement stating that the effect of the Galaxy Note 7 discontinuation will be felt across two quarters. This fiasco could end up costing the company around $3 billion. Samsung has also said that it currently plans on ‘expanding sales of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge’, and will also ‘focus on enhancing product safety for consumers by making significant changes in its quality assurance processes’. ALSO READ: Samsung should ditch Note brand to get over Galaxy Note 7 fiasco: Experts
Since the launch of the Galaxy Note 7, it has been a downhill ride for Samsung. The numerous reports of the phablet catching fire put a harsh spotlight on the company as it tried unsuccessfully to rescue the flagship device. But with replacement and so called ‘safe’ units also catching fire, it was only a matter of time before Samsung would completely discontinue the mobile device.
What seems odd is that even Samsung is not sure what exactly the problem is. Though a manufacturing defect in the batteries is widely believed to be the root cause of the problem, the problem is Samsung’s engineers have been unable to reproduce the explosion on their test phablets. A media report recently quoted the chairman of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission saying that the real reason for the batteries exploding could be that the phone s battery was slightly too big for its compartment and the tight space pinched the battery, causing a short circuit.
With Samsung keeping mum, quite a few theories are doing rounds on the internet and some put the blame for the explosions on the overclocked processor. All this has raised more questions and Samsung has so far been unable to answer most of them. ALSO READ: The fault in Samsung s Galaxy


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A BUSINESSWOMAN from Kiltarlity is celebrating a double success after scooping two gongs at the Green Parent magazine awards.
Mairi Davidson (40), who founded Ostara Skincare four years ago, won the awards for her organic baby lotion and her frankincense moisturiser.
Mrs Davidson admitted she was humbled to win the award, and revealed she had struggled to keep the news quiet until the official announcement.
She said: "I actually found out about the award two months ago so I had to keep it quiet! It was very difficult because I just wanted to shout it from the rooftops. I was so excited about it.
"It’s fantastic, and it’s also very humbling because I was shortlisted in a big section of about 200 others.
"To win two awards is fantastic. The organic baby lotion won a bronze award and the frankincense won silver.
"I will also be listed in the Green Beauty Bible.
"It’s taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to this point but it’s been worth every bit of it.
"I have managed to help a lot of people. I am particularly pleased that the baby lotion won an award because I have had so many people come to me about it.
"I just want to thank all my customers and everyone who encouraged me and gave me the confidence to put my name forward for the green parent awards.
"Everything has been so positive, and there has been a great response from my friends and customers as well."
Mrs Davidson says her next goal is to increase her products’ availability in the Highlands, and she hopes to see more salons and shops stocking her wares in the coming months.
She said: "The next step is to increase the amount of my products being sold in salons.
"You can already buy them in some shops in Inverness, Beauly and Ullapool but I want to increase that number.
"It’s about increasing the profile of the business and building on that success.
"Facebook has been a massive help to me because it has allowed me to advertise.
"Now I want to see more places selling my products."


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Actor Kamal Haasan to launch his clothing line, House of Khaddar
The label aims at putting Indian handwoven fabrics and clothing on the global map
South actor Kamal Haasan who is known for his timeless fashion statement will be launching a clothing line next month. Announcing the big news on his social media handles, the Vishwaroop actor shared a picture of Gandhi in a double-breasted suit from his barrister days and captioned it as, “Fashion is being civil yet disobedient”.
The actor also announced that he will be going to Chicago in November to launch the label House of Khaddar. Commenting on the same, he says, “What we are proud of is that we have chosen a material which made a world political statement for India. Khadi is very closely associated with our history and we take pride in it. From a pure comfort point of view, Khadi is an all-weather textile. It can take on the discontent of the winter as well as the sweat and toil of the summer. Our endeavour is to make Khadi relatable to the young urban market and uplift the weavers and artisans who create this beautiful art.”
The label aims at putting Indian handwoven fabrics and clothing on the global map and will be launching their debut fall edit 2021 designed by Amritha Ram. Ram has been a constant when it comes to styling Haasan and has styled his looks in many films including his Bigg Boss Tamil 5 looks.
Also read: Kamal Haasan on the making of Arivum Anbum, how the film industry will evolve after the current crisis ends, and the heroes who have influenced his thinking and approach to the arts
With just a week for November, we certainly cannot wait to know more about the label which will definitely be about making a strong statement, not just sartorially.


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The German manufacturer is considering supplying engines under new 2021 rules.
Porsche is investigating becoming an F1 engine supplier if proposed new rules are introduced for 2021. Lutz Meschke, Porsche deputy chairman and head of finance, met with Ross Brawn and the sport's other bosses at the Italian Grand Prix.
Although it has not been directly involved with the sport since its disastrous relationship with the Footwork team in 1991, Porsche has retained a commercial involvement with the F1 organisation through the Supercup, paying for it to have a place on the support programme.
The F1 opportunity has opened up because Porsche stops its Le Mans/World Endurance Championship project at the end of this season, having decided that it doesn't get sufficient return for what is in effect an F1-size budget, but without the income and sponsorship that the likes of Mercedes enjoy.
The company has already made a commitment to Formula E with a works-backed team from the 2019/20 season. However, it has also sent representatives to the series of recent meetings about the 2021 F1 engine regulations.
It has been encouraged by the direction that is being taken, with a move to cheaper and simpler technology than is currently used. 'F1 could be one of the right places,' Meschke told Motor1 sister site Motorsport.com. 'As you know Formula E is very important for us now, and F1 is always a good topic to think about. And I think we are in quite good discussions regarding the new engine.'
Asked if the current plans for a twin-turbo V6 with less technology could attract Porsche to F1 he said: 'Absolutely. We have to cut costs in F1, and it's a good way to reach this target.' Meschke also confirmed that 'discussions are around being a supplier,' and thus there are no plans to form a works team.
Among the obvious possible partners are Williams, which enjoyed a technical relationship with Porsche before selling its Hybrid Power division, and Red Bull, which has extensive connections with the VW Group. McLaren has a strong history with Porsche through the TAG turbo collaboration of 1983-87, but they are now competitors in the road car market.


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Beth Egan, associate professor of advertising in the Newhouse School, was quoted in the CNY Central story “Syracuse University to rename the Carrier Dome – what name would fans choose?” Egan, who specializes in strategic communications and advertising, discussed why…
Undertone CEO Michael Cassidy to visit Newhouse School Nov. 15
Michael Cassidy, CEO of Undertone, will visit Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications on Tuesday, Nov. 15, as a guest of the advertising department’s Eric Mower Advertising Forum. He will speak at 6:30 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3. His talk is free and open to the public. Parking is available in SU pay lots. Follow his talk on Twitter at #Cassidy.
Since founding Undertone in 2001, Cassidy has led the company from a start-up advertising network to an industry leader with offices in the United States (New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco and Santa Monica, Calif.), Australia, France, Germany, Spain and the U.K. Today, Undertone has partnerships with more than 350 top-ranked media properties and assists many Fortune 500 companies with reaching their digital advertising goals.
Prior to starting Undertone, Cassidy founded Intercept Interactive, an interactive marketing and media buying firm recognized for its innovation on the launch of Orbitz.com.
For more information about his talk, contact Karen Greenfield at (315) 443-2304 or email@example.com.


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By Ephraim Oseji
To enhance the standing of Nigerian travel agents, QuickAir has launched a new multi-airline booking portal, which makes flight bookings easier and seamless process for travel agents.
Created by serial entrepreneur and travel industry stakeholder, Dr. Segun Oyebolu, the new portal, is a new global distribution system for domestic flights.
The service, which was launched in Abuja earlier in December was recently launched in Lagos.
Present at the event were key members of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) including, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, the 44th NANTA President; Group Captain (Rtd.) Edem Oyo-Ita, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Mr. Yinka Folami, Vice President NANTA Lagos, Mr. Sylvester Olobor, Executive Secretary NANTA; Mr. Soji Ishola, Country Manager, Sabre among others.
Speaking on the need for the new GDS portal, Oyebolu explained that apart from making operation seamless for travel agents, it gives travel agents important information.
“The new platform eliminates the need to maintain several unrelated money wallets with every airline and the headaches that come with it, “ he said.
Speaking on the acceptance rate, Oyebolu explained that having presented the product to NANTA it was duly accepted.
“I have never met someone like the president. We walked up to her office saying we had something to show her, and even though she didn’t know us, she was just fair enough to give us a listening ear and we ended up becoming great friends. The vice president was also very warm towards us, he pulled his staff together, and we had a very short demo. I had thought he didn’t approve, but he said that this is a product that he dreamt of some years back, that my coming was fulfilment of that dream.”


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Auto Expo 2023 has begun, and many vehicles will be launched by the automobile industries in India. The event happens once every two years, the event was last organized in the year 2020. However, the next Auto Expo was postponed and has now managed to take place in 2023. Auto Expo 2023 is organized at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
India’s large automobile industries, including Maruti Suzuki, Tata, Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, and MG, will participate and showcase their latest cars at the Auto Expo 2023. Other participants from the event include- BYD, Tork Motors, and Okinawa Autotech.
Non-participants in Auto Expo 2023
There are a few automobile industries that are not participating in the event. These include- BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Honda and Mahindra.
Maruti Suzuki 1st ever EV SUV
The first day of Auto Expo 2023 was reveal Maruti Suzuki electric SUV concept. Maruti Suzuki revealed its first ever electric vehicle the eVX SUV. The car is packed with 60kWh and it provides a mileage of around 550km. Maruti Suzuki has also showcased its satin black version of Vitara Brezza and Grand Vitara.
Also Read: Maruti Suzuki EV Cars Debut Reveal in Auto Expo 2023!!
MG Hector Hatchback
MG Motor has launched Hector 2023 with a price tag starting at Rs. 14.73 lakh that goes up to around Rs. 22.4 lakh. The company has also launched MG Hector facelift. Furthermore, the company has also updated the cars with eHs plug in hybrid.
However, the other version MG Hector will be priced from Rs. 14.72 lakh, while the MG Hector 7-seater will be priced at Rs. 17.49 lakh. The electric motor on the EV produces 203 PS of maximum power. MG 4 EV can be launched in the Indian market in the coming years. The MG 4 EV gets a 64 kWh battery pack for a range of 450 km on a single charge.
Auto Expo 2023: Toyota Prius
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has showcased the previous generation Prius at the Auto Expo 2023 along with flex-fuel Corolla Altis, Innova Highcross among other offerings.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Revealed
Hyundai has launched its Indian manufactured Ionic 5 EV version with e-GMP dedicated engine and the purpose of its development in India itself will lead to cut its cost to a great extent. The price of the car will begin at 44.95 lakh which is around 16 lakh less than the similar specs car Kia EV6. Shahrukh Khan also attended the Auto Expo 2023 as he came for promotion on behalf of Hyundai.
Also Read: New Hyundai IONIQ 5 EV Ready for Ride!!
Also Read: Auto Expo 2023: Shahrukh Khan launches Hyundai’s EV Ioniq-5, Check All Details Here
Kia KA4 Revealed
Kia has released its new luxury series car Kia KA4 with slide flex second row, dual sunroof, rear occupant alert and more facilities.
Lexus India in Auto Expo 2023
Lexus India has announced that they will release the Lexus LM will be released from their side later this year. The company has announced that the RX SUV will be available in two models RX 500h F Sport Performance with 2.4 litre petrol engine and RX 350h Luxury with 2.5 litre petrol engine.
Tata Motors Showcase Begins
Tata Motors begins to showcase its new cars that it will launch in the coming days. The list includes- Avinya, Curvv and Harrier EV. Moreover, Tata Motors will launch Intra bi-fuel and Yodha CNG commercial vehicles from now on. Tata has also said to launch Prima G.35K commercial vehicle infused with Intra bi-fuel in future.
Tata firstly introduced two new engine types with T-GDi turbocharged petrol engines- a 1.2-litre unit and a 1.5-litre option. The mentioned engine will be installed in the upcoming Harrier and Safari cars. The company also disclosed its i-CNG versions of Punch and Altroz. The production of these cars is expected to begin from 2024.
Tata Sierra EV will launch after being disclosed in the Auto Expo 2020. The new production design will be introduced in the new version of the car.
Also Read: World to Get First Solar Car ‘Lightyear 0’ Production Starts For Pre-Bookings